Eire/Republic of Ireland 1968-1998 with Sean Murphy

While the 30 year war in the 6-counties overshadowed this period there were huge changes in the political, social and cultural life of the 26-counties, the Republic of Ireland.

Significant events related to the struggle for national independence included the Arms Crisis of 1970; the 1974 loyalist bombings in Dublin and Monaghan; media censorship; changes on policy and leadership inside the IRA and Sinn Fein; the blanket and dirty protests that led to the hunger strikes in 1980 and 1981; the Maze prison break out; the electoral breakthrough of Sinn Fein; the Anglo Irish Agreement 1985; the IRA campaign in England; the ceasefires in 1994 and 1996; and the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.

The cultural and social life of the Republic changed dramatically as people turned away from conservative and catholic values and fought for a broad range of rights including the Women’s Right to Choose, an end to the ban on divorce, protection for women against rape and violence, the right to equal pay for women: an end to the marriage bar on employment of women, and an end to discrimination against the LGBTQ community.

The rejection of conservatism is explained by the scandals involving the church and politicians that reached back for decades.

There were successful campaigns against Apartheid, Nuclear Power, and Toxic industry.

The 1980′ saw an upsurge in emigration as the economy spluttered along. By the 1990s the economy had rebounded into what became known as the Celtic Tiger.  The reversal of emigration and the arrival in Ireland of people from other parts of the European Union and beyond transformed Ireland into a multicultural, multiethnic country with an expanding population.

Ireland joined the European Community in 1973, broke the link with sterling in 1979, and adopted the Euro in 1999.