Breakdown in Relations: 1968–69

Abstract

The lead up to the outbreak of the Troubles sets the scene for the rest of the book. The unpreparedness of Lynch and O’Neill for the civil rights campaign left their North-South policy in tatters. The ensuing pressure from hardliners within Unionism forced O’Neill to make much more critical statements on his Irish counterpart. This in turn provoked more anti-partitionist statements from Dublin. The resignation of O’Neill and the rise of James Chichester-Clark provides interesting insight into the muddled approach that always existed on North-South co-operation. Clark initially tried to keep open the prospect of formal co-operation with the Irish government, whilst telling conservative Unionists that he would be more cautious than his predecessor. This approach ended with the outbreak of violence in August 1969.