Irish History: Essay Plan: How Successful was James Craig in Tackling
the Problems of the Newborn Northern Irish State between 1920 and
1925?
1. Success in Establishing the Northern Irish State
2. Problems with Northern Ireland’s Security System
3. Problems with Northern Ireland’s Financial System
4. Problems with Northern Ireland’s Political System
5. Problems with Northern Ireland and the Boundary Commission
Success in Establishing the Northern Irish State
● June 1921: King George V officially opens the Northern Ireland
government.
● 300 civil servants are transferred from Dublin to Belfast, and 20
administrative experts from Westminster, to help Craig establish a
functioning government.
● The NI judicial system was “a great legal machine” (Justice Moore).
● In 1925, the Boundary Commission made no change to the Northern
Irish border, suggesting that the system was viable and acceptable.
● However, the lack of Catholic representation within the system did
cause issues.
● Bates becomes the Minister of Home Affairs in Northern Ireland- his
deeply sectarian politics and anti-Catholic attitude cause problems
throughout this period.
Problems with Northern Ireland’s Security System
Context
● Craig had inherited an “explosive security situation” (Rees)
● The Ulster Unionists adopted a “siege mentality” (Buckland)
, Violence from the Irish Republican Army (IRA)
● Northern Ireland faced both an internal and an external security threat
from the Irish Republican Army (IRA). Craig was successful in
counteracting these threats but did so in a way that deeply damaged
relationships between Unionists and nationalists in Northern Ireland.
Therefore, Craig’s short-term success caused even more long-term
problems.
● June 1920: Conflict between Catholics and Protestants erupted into
“The Battle for Belfast”. 8000 Catholics were forced from their homes. It
was like “a miniature civil war” (Hart).
● June 1920: The IRA attacked the police in Derry, demonstrating the
security threat faced by Northern Ireland. Craig is successful in
repressing the violence, and the police are triumphant. However, this
comes at the cost of increasing Catholic distrust of the police force. The
attacks led to a revival of the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), causing an
increase in Protestant Unionist violence.
● August 1920: District Inspector Swanzy is assassinated, leading to a
surge in rioting and Unionist vigilante groups. These are both major
security concerns for the government of Northern Ireland.
Violence from the Ulster Unionists
● October 1920: Craig forms the Ulster Special Constabulary (USC) to
combat the security threat from the IRA. Whilst the USC is successful in
resisting the IRA, it does lead to a surge in Unionist violence.
○ The USC included approximately 16,000 “B-Specials”, who were
primarily ex-UVF men.
○ Only approximately 10% of those killed during this period of “The
Troubles” were members of the IRA, showing the extent of civilian
casualties.
● In response to the unchecked violence in Northern Ireland, Westminster
cuts the state’s security budget and immobilises the USC. However,
the Problems of the Newborn Northern Irish State between 1920 and
1925?
1. Success in Establishing the Northern Irish State
2. Problems with Northern Ireland’s Security System
3. Problems with Northern Ireland’s Financial System
4. Problems with Northern Ireland’s Political System
5. Problems with Northern Ireland and the Boundary Commission
Success in Establishing the Northern Irish State
● June 1921: King George V officially opens the Northern Ireland
government.
● 300 civil servants are transferred from Dublin to Belfast, and 20
administrative experts from Westminster, to help Craig establish a
functioning government.
● The NI judicial system was “a great legal machine” (Justice Moore).
● In 1925, the Boundary Commission made no change to the Northern
Irish border, suggesting that the system was viable and acceptable.
● However, the lack of Catholic representation within the system did
cause issues.
● Bates becomes the Minister of Home Affairs in Northern Ireland- his
deeply sectarian politics and anti-Catholic attitude cause problems
throughout this period.
Problems with Northern Ireland’s Security System
Context
● Craig had inherited an “explosive security situation” (Rees)
● The Ulster Unionists adopted a “siege mentality” (Buckland)
, Violence from the Irish Republican Army (IRA)
● Northern Ireland faced both an internal and an external security threat
from the Irish Republican Army (IRA). Craig was successful in
counteracting these threats but did so in a way that deeply damaged
relationships between Unionists and nationalists in Northern Ireland.
Therefore, Craig’s short-term success caused even more long-term
problems.
● June 1920: Conflict between Catholics and Protestants erupted into
“The Battle for Belfast”. 8000 Catholics were forced from their homes. It
was like “a miniature civil war” (Hart).
● June 1920: The IRA attacked the police in Derry, demonstrating the
security threat faced by Northern Ireland. Craig is successful in
repressing the violence, and the police are triumphant. However, this
comes at the cost of increasing Catholic distrust of the police force. The
attacks led to a revival of the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), causing an
increase in Protestant Unionist violence.
● August 1920: District Inspector Swanzy is assassinated, leading to a
surge in rioting and Unionist vigilante groups. These are both major
security concerns for the government of Northern Ireland.
Violence from the Ulster Unionists
● October 1920: Craig forms the Ulster Special Constabulary (USC) to
combat the security threat from the IRA. Whilst the USC is successful in
resisting the IRA, it does lead to a surge in Unionist violence.
○ The USC included approximately 16,000 “B-Specials”, who were
primarily ex-UVF men.
○ Only approximately 10% of those killed during this period of “The
Troubles” were members of the IRA, showing the extent of civilian
casualties.
● In response to the unchecked violence in Northern Ireland, Westminster
cuts the state’s security budget and immobilises the USC. However,
