34 years ago

national | miscellaneous | news report Thursday August 22, 2002 14:21 by Mags

Start of Civil Rights Movement

Thirty-four years ago this week, on Aug. 24, 1968, the Northern Ireland civil rights movement staged its first protest march. Organized by the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association and joined by several like-minded groups, the march protested against the notoriously discriminatory housing allocation policies of local governments throughout the province. Despite threats of violence from loyalist thugs inspired by the rhetoric of the Rev. Ian Paisley, 2,500 marchers turned out and marched without incident from Coalisland to Dungannon. The event marked the end of Catholic submission to Protestant domination in Northern Ireland and raised hopes -- hopes soon shattered -- that nonviolent protest could achieve civil, social, and legal equality for all in the six counties. ... continued at link below

The Irish Echo August 21-27, 2002

http://www.irishecho.com/arts/article.cfm?id=11479