The conflict in Ireland began in 1150 with the Norman invasion but it was not until 1541 when Henry the 8th made himself king of Ireland that problems between the Catholics and protestants. Protestants began to colonise Ireland building settlements called plantations, this meant that Catholics had land taken off them and became poorer. This later prompted acts of secretarian violence. In 1641 there was a catholic rebellion in Ulster, thousands of Protestants were either murdered or driven out of the area. Oliver Cromwell later defeated the rebels, many Catholics were massacred and their land was taken away...
I have also looked at how the deployment of troops and Catholic discrimination led to hatred and resentment for the Unionists and British. I have also looked at Bloody Sunday and its effects on violence and the IRA and I have found that it has had a large impact on the history of the conflict in Northern Ireland. All of these factors have added to the history of the conflict, helping to widen the divide between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland and also providing a reason for the conflict to carry on today and into the future.