The Troubles

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo, vwo
• Leerjaar 4-6

The Troubles in Northern Ireland

Learning objectives

Understand the History – Learn about The Troubles, including its causes, key events, and impact on Northern Ireland.

Improve Reading Skills  – Read and analyze different texts to understand perspectives and key information.

Develop Writing Skills – Write personal response essays, summaries, and creative pieces to express your understanding of The Troubles.

Enhance Speaking skills – Take part in classroom discussions and give a final presentation

Improve listening and watching skills - through informative videos, songs and popular television series

Think Critically About Perspectives  – Explore different viewpoints (Unionist vs. Nationalist, British government vs. IRA) and reflect on their impact today.

Week 1: Lesson 1

• Goal: Understand the basics: what, where, when, and why. You will learn about the history, causes, and the role of England, Ireland, and Northern Ireland.

• Activities:

Read an informative text 

Final Product: Timeline

Predict

In duos, look at the pictures in the next slide. In turns explain what you see in the picture and what you think happened.

Together, what do you think the Troubles might have been

What were the Troubles?

The Troubles was a period of conflict in Northern Ireland that lasted from the late 1960s until the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.

Ask the students if they have heard of the Troubles before and if they know what it was about.

Why did the Troubles happen?

While Ireland was fully independent, Northern Ireland remained under British rule, and the Catholic communities in cities like Belfast and Derry (legally called Londonderry) complained of discrimination and unfair treatment by the Protestant-controlled government and police forces

- https://www.history.com/news/the-troubles-northern-ireland

Ask the students if they know the differences between Catholics and Protestants and what they think might have caused the disagreements.

Watching

Watch the video on BBC.COM (Next slide) for a brief introduction to the Troubles before moving on.

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-northern-ireland-49299800 

bbc.com

Reading: "What You Need to Know About The Troubles"

In small groups

1) Start with the matching activity before reading

--> First think for yourselves, then ask eachother. In 5 minutes, class discussion

2) Then: For every part of the text one group member reads aloud (switch persons). The others read along. After reading, the group member to the left will summarize what was read aloud. The others might add to this or ask questions.

3) Switch roles until you have read the entire text. Not sure of a word? Ask your group members, use a dictionary, or lastly, look at the "words to help". Still unsure? Teacher will help :)

4) Answer the questions.

5) In 20 minutes class discussion

6) Then: Work on this week's final product.

Evaluation lesson 1: Write down 2 things you've learned, 1 question you still have

Week 1 Lesson 2

Goals & Activities

1. Watch a video about the history of Belfast (Good Friday Agreement)

2. Discuss some of the content of the Agreement and how this impacted different groups/communities

3. Understand some of the wants and needs of different groups of people in the Northern Ireland Peace Process

Watching: The European Capitol of Terrorism: Belfast, Ireland 

https://youtu.be/4nzDuiv3U8o?si=PjNQkqlLxNvOSD2F

Here is the title of the video and different topics that are talked about.

Write 6 questions you’d like to know the answer to.

• The start of the conflict

• The violence of the Troubles

• The UK & Irish governments

• Nationalists & Unionists

• The Peace Process

• The USA/Bill Clinton

• The signing of the Belfast

(Good Friday) Agreement

• The referendum

Here is the title of the video and different topics that are talked about.

Write 6 questions you’d like to know the answer to.

• The start of the conflict

• The violence of the Troubles

• The UK & Irish governments

• Nationalists & Unionists

• The Peace Process

• The USA/Bill Clinton

• The signing of the Belfast

(Good Friday) Agreement

• The referendum

Watch the video

...Were all your questions answered?

Do Task 1

Class discussion

Round 1: In groups of 4 discuss the questions on the next slide (5 minutes)

Round 2: Class discussion, make sure everyone in your group can talk about the topics in English (5 minutes)

Tip! The group round is your prep. time, if you don't know a word or are unsure of how to say something, now is the time to help eachother

Class Discussion pt. 2

Check your worksheet for the discussion assignment step by step

We'll end in a class discussion

In groups of 4:

• You’ll meet 4 groups that played a role in the Northern Ireland Peace Process.
• You'll explain your point of view to your group and discuss:

1. What the areas of conflict were
2. What the key negotiation points were

I know understand the different points of view of different groups of people in the Northern Ireland Peace Process

I could teach this to someone else

I understand this

I don't know enough about this yet

Week 2 lesson 1

         Personal Stories & Young People During The Troubles

Goal: Learn how young people experienced The Troubles at the time.

Activities: Read a testimony + practice interview in pairs (speaking exercise).

Reading Siobhan's Testimony

"PeacePlayers Northern Ireland was established in 2002 to provide a rare opportunity for Catholic and Protestant youth to form friendships and advocate for reconciliation and shared society."

Read the text and answer the questions

Objectives reached?

Speaking: In one sentence, how would you describe the experience of young people during the troubles? 

Think for a minute, then share with class.

Week 2 lesson 2

• Goal: Understand daily life during The Troubles through a conversation.

• Activities:

- In groups, create interview questions.

- Use AI to conduct an interview with

 a simulated young person from that time.

Final product week 2: Personal reflection

 interview + summary (Student Handout)

3-5 words... what have you learned from your interview?

Week 3 Lesson 1

Analyzing a Poem or Novel Excerpt

• Goal: Understand how literature reflects the impact of The Troubles.

• Activity

An excerpt from Cal (Bernard MacLaverty)

• Final product: Creative writing

Week 3 lesson 2

"Bloody Sunday" & "Zombies"

Goal: Learn more about historic events on Bloody Sunday

&

Explore how music Explore how music expresses political and social issues

Activities: 

Listen to and analyze the lyrics "Sunday, Bloody Sunday" U2

Words to help, before watching

1. Culminated: reached a climax or point of highest development.

2. Internment: the act of imprisoning individuals, often during wartime, without trial or due process.

3. Prohibited: formally forbidden or restricted by law or authority.

4. Retaliations: actions taken in response to an injury or offense; revenge.

5. Inquiry: an official investigation or examination into a matter.

6. Exonerated: declared free from blame or fault; cleared of charges or accusations.

7. IRA: Mostly Catholics, wanted Ireland to be independent

8. Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association: Protesting against discrimination of Catholics

"Zombie" - Cranberries

Song is a response to the death of two children in an IRA bombing in March 1993

There were a lot of bombs going off in London and I remember this one time a child was killed when a bomb was put in a rubbish bin – that's why there's that line in the song, 'A child is slowly taken'. [ ... ] We were on a tour bus and I was near the location where it happened, so it really struck me hard – I was quite young, but I remember being devastated about the innocent children being pulled into that kind of thing. So I suppose that's why I was saying, 'It's not me' – that even though I'm Irish it wasn't me, I didn't do it. Because being Irish, it was quite hard, especially in the UK when there was so much tension.It’s so different now. If you told a teenager now what it was like back then they wouldn’t believe you, but it wasn’t such a long time ago.

— Dolores O'Riordan in 2017, on writing "Zombie".

Music discussion

Watch the video "Sunday, Bloody Sunday"

Write down your first impression and emotions while watching

Then, in duos, do task 2 and 3

What is the song's main message?

Zombie

While watching:

In what way does the tone of Zombies differ from Sunday, Bloody Sunday?

Then, do task 5 and 6

How does the message in "Zombie" differ from U2's message?

Evaluation: What song is more powerful?

Week 4 lesson 1

• Goal: Understanding how The Troubles still influenced teenagers' daily lives in the 1990s through Derry Girls.

• Activities:

Watch an episode of Derry Girls 

Watching

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

1. Explain how The Troubles affected daily life for teenagers in Northern Ireland, even after the conflict officially ended.

2. Analyze how humor is used to approach a serious historical topic.

3. Describe the significance of Bill Clinton’s visit to Northern Ireland in 1995.

Remember?

• The Troubles (1969-1998): Armed conflict between Catholics (wanting a united Ireland) and Protestants (favoring Northern Ireland as part of the UK).

• Ceasefire in 1994, but tensions remained

• Bill Clinton’s visit in 1995: First US President to visit NI, supporting the peace process.

The Troubles "ended," but young people were still affected.

What to look for while watching

1. Tensions between Catholic & Protestant teenagers → How do they speak to and behave around each other?
   
   
2. Reactions to Bill Clinton’s visit → Do they care about politics, or are they more focused on being teenagers?
   
   
3. Humor & Serious Themes → What's funny in the episode? How does the humor hide or reveal serious issues?
   
   
4. How do we see that The Troubles still affect daily life? → Can you spot moments where old divisions still exist?

In one sentence, explain how The Troubles still influenced teenagers in Northern Ireland during the 1990s.

Which Derry girl are you when you think of the final period of H4?

Week 4 lesson 2

 Goals:

1) Understand the long-term impact of The Troubles.

2) Learn to take notes like a pro! 

Activities:

--> Read an article on recent tension in Northen Ireland

 AND

--> Choose on of four videos to watch

The Troubles now

Do you think the effects of a conflict disappear once a peace agreement is signed?

1. Read the text "Northern Ireland's Renewed Tensions" and answer the question to better understand current the socio-political situation
2. Choose one of the four videos mentioned in your workbook (or through this LessonUp) and do task 2

Is Belfast over the Troubles?

Northern Ireland is often associated with its troubled past, but there’s much more to it. In this video, Catherine, a youth worker, and Joel, a politically active young person, share their experiences growing up in Belfast, where divisions still linger despite the Good Friday Agreement. Frustrated by the “Peace Baby” label, they argue that real peace requires tackling issues like unemployment and inequality. Instead of dwelling on the past, they are working toward a more inclusive and united future for Northern Ireland, proving that their generation is ready to move forward.

The European Capitol of Terrorism: Belfast, Ireland - VICE Travels to Belfast

In this video, Michael Moynihan explores Belfast, a city where tensions between Catholics and Protestants still exist despite the Good Friday Agreement. The Troubles, a violent conflict that lasted 30 years and caused over 3,600 deaths, officially ended in 1998, but divisions remain. Peace walls still separate communities, and cultural traditions keep old conflicts alive. Moynihan speaks with former paramilitary members, Gerry Foster and Alistair Little, 

who now work towards peace. They share their past experiences

 and the challenges of overcoming deep-rooted divisions, 

showing that while the violence has ended, true reconciliation

 is still a work in progress.

100 years on: How do today’s Loyalist teenagers see their Northern Irish identity?

This video dives into the struggles of young loyalists and unionists in Northern Ireland, especially after Brexit and the Northern Irish protocol. These youths take pride in their communities and British identity but worry about a possible united Ireland and the loss of their culture. Their fears mirror past concerns of the Catholic community, showing how history continues to shape Northern Ireland. Frustrated with political leaders and feeling unheard, they question the future of unionism, highlighting the need for real engagement before their identity and beliefs fade in a rapidly changing society.

The real Derry girls and the peace walls that divide their city

The "Real Derry Girls" are women from both Protestant and Catholic communities in Northern Ireland working to heal past divisions. Growing up during the Troubles, they witnessed violence and fear, but instead of staying divided, they built friendships and now strive for reconciliation. They show that true peace isn’t just about removing walls—it’s about changing mindsets. Through their stories, they inspire others to overcome mistrust, proving that change starts with conversation, courage, and connection.

00:41

What was the purpose of the civil rights march on January 30, 1972, in Derry?

1. To protest against British military presence in Northern Ireland
2. To demand equal voting rights for all citizens
3. To protest against internment without trial
4. To celebrate Irish independence

01:07

What action did British troops take as the protesters approached the blockade?

1. They welcomed them with open arms
2. They redirected the march along a different route
3. They started a conversation with the leaders
4. They provided food and water to the protesters

01:59

"The army claims that they were fired on first by paramilitary (protesters) but this has been contested by eyewitnesses" means..

1. The army may have started shooting first
2. Eyewitnessed started shooting at the army
3. Protesters fired first and the army responded
4. People who saw the events that day don't know what happened

02:39

What did the Widgery Tribunal say about the soldiers' actions?

1. They had good reasons for what they did.
2. They were not punished but acted carelessly.
3. They were guilty of murder.
4. They received strong punishments.

03:16

What did the Saville Report say about Bloody Sunday?

1. It said the soldiers were right to shoot.
2. It said the army should take action immediately.
3. It was ignored by most people.
4. It said none of the people killed were a danger.

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson, or 2 things that made you curious to learn more.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.

Extra Reading materials

1) https://esl-bits.org/ESL.Non-Fiction/SayNothing/indice.html (chapter from book about a real case)

2) Teen Vogue

 Derry Girls Season 3 History Lesson: The Troubles Conflict

https://www.teenvogue.com/story/derry-girls-season-3-history-lesson-the-troubles-conflict

Presentations

Students present on a chosen aspect of The Troubles, demonstrating understanding and communication skills.

Lesson Objectives

You  can:

• Present findings clearly and confidently.

• Engage in discussion on Northern Ireland’s history.

How?

• Use your previous work – AI interviews, timeline, focus notes, song analysis
  
• Time limit: 5 minutes per group
  
• Choose a topic from our lessons (or pick your own)
  
• Start with an exciting introduction
• Use visuals and key points – Avoid slides overloaded with text
  
• Speak with confidence – Maintain eye contact and engage your audience
  
• Finish with a strong conclusion – Explain why your topic still matters

Watching: Why the troubles started

Objective 1: Practicing "globaal luisteren" for listening exams Objective 2: learn about why the Troubles started 

Before watching: Take a look at the vocabulary list in your reader p. and do ex.1

While watching: Watch the video and take notes

After watching: Answer the questions in your reader p.

maak interactieve video