1) Northern Ireland: background

In 1920 the GOVERNMENT OF IRELAND ACT divided or PARTITIONED the island of Ireland into TWO

1) NORTHERN IRELAND

This was made up of 6 of the 9 counties of Ulster. Fermanagh, Armagh, Tyrone, Derry/Londonderry, Antrim and Down.
This remained a part of the United Kingdom (UK)
This partition gave Northern Ireland a PROTESTANT majority population (60%)
However, a significant minority (40%) were ROMAN CATHOLIC

2) IRISH FREE STATE (Republic of Ireland in 1949)

The remaining 26 counties in the South of Ireland became the Irish Free State
They were largely independent from the United Kingdom
They had an overwhelmingly Roman Catholic majority of over 90%
They never agreed with the Partition of Ireland and always aspired to a United Ireland.
In 1949 the Irish Free State became a completely independent REPUBLIC OF IRELAND.

BBC Partition explained link

In Northern Ireland partition was understandably viewed from two entirely different viewpoints

As you can see below, the Unionists, who now completely controlled Northern Ireland due to their built-in majority, began to introduce 4 things to ensure that they controlled the nationalist community in Northern Ireland:

The minority Catholic community struggled against a variety of low level discrimination designed at 'keeping them in their place' and 'neutralising their threat to the existence of Northern Ireland' These actions were based more on the fear many Protestants had about the threat of a united Ireland rather than on sectarian hatred. (Although this did exist in places)
This discrimination would only serve to stir nationalist anger at the injustice. In the long term it would lead to the outbreak of the 'Troubles'
TIP: YOU HAVE TO BE AWARE OF THE 4 TYPES OF DISCRIMINATION BELOW.

YOUTUBE VIDEO EXPLAINING NORTHERN IRELAND IN THE 1960'S

There were THREE important developments which affected Northern Ireland in the late 1940's and 50's

DEVELOPMENT 1

WHY IT WAS IMPORTANT

After World War 2 the British Government began to introduce a massive change to the lives of British citizens. The Government aimed to care for every citizen of the United Kingdom 'from the cradle to the grave' This meant they would introduce a free health service, free education, benefits for unemployed, housing and a host of other benefits.

This was very important in Northern Ireland as

It really began to improve living conditions for everyone.
The free education also meant that Catholics and Protestants could both get a good education. This would empower many Catholics in Northern Ireland and encourage them to protest against injustice later in the 1960's

DEVELOPMENT 2

In 1949 the Irish Free State took the final step completely away from any links with the United Kingdom by declaring itself a REPUBLIC. This placed a PRESIDENT as head of state and made the new country completely independent.
WHY WAS THIS IMPORTANT?

It made the division even greater between Unionism and Nationalism making a compromise or united Ireland less rather than more likely.
The IRISH CONSTITUTION also contained ARTICLES 2&3 which claimed control over Northern Ireland a fact that many Unionists were deeply bitter about

DEVELOPMENT 3

Between 1956 & 62, a low level, but well publicised campaign of shootings and bombings by the IRA (Irish Republican Army) took place.

This was barely supported by any nationalists and was ended in 1962 with an IRA admission that partition and the border issue did not seem to be important to many nationalists.
Despite this it played on unionist fears of nationalists plots to bring about a united Ireland by violence.
Many unionists remained deeply suspicious of nationalists and this prevented any progress towards reform and indeed increased discrimination.

< SECTION 1:N. IRELAND IN THE 1960'S