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The relationship between Britain and Ireland has to say the least been a difficult one. Although separated by only 150 miles of sea at most, the religious and political divisions that have been evident since the sixteenth century have resulted in prolonged periods of conflict, persecution and war.

Through the invasions of the 17th – 19th centuries, the Plantation policy of Elizabeth and James I and eventually Home Rule, British policies for the governance of Ireland have led to the fall of Monarchs, the collapse of Governments and the loss of thousands of civilian lives.

To allow your students to gain a deeper insight into the civil and political relationship between these two nations ANGLIA is pleased to be able to organise a tour to the capital of the Irish Republic.

The themes covered in this tour can be developed further by combining it with a visit to Northern Ireland.

ANGLIA is able to provide this experience by organising tours to both Belfast and Londonderry/Derry.

These tours will allow your students not only to see the streets and towns where the Troubles were played out but also to meet members of the various communities in Northern Ireland and in open discussion to challenge their views.

Each tour we run to Northern Ireland is fully guided by experts from both communities. Each tour is also accompanied throughout by an ANGLIA Tour Manager.

Belfast

Belfast saw some of the worst of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, particularly in the 1970s, with rival paramilitary groups formed on both sides. Bombing, assassination and street violence formed a backdrop to life throughout the Troubles.

The Provisional IRA detonated 22 bombs within the confines of Belfast city centre in 1972, on what is known as "Bloody Friday", killing nine innocent people, whilst Loyalist paramilitaries including the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) and the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) claimed that the killings they carried out were in retaliation for the IRA campaign.

In all, over 1,500 people were killed in political violence in the city from 1969 until 2001.

Anglia's ground breaking tour allows students to learn about the background and events of the Troubles from those involved. Walking tours of the Shankill and Falls Road areas of the cities, led by members of the local community, provide distinctly different perspectives of the story, allowing students to assess the evidence and form their own conclusions in a balanced way.

It is possible to combine these tours with a visit to the Somme Association Visitor Centre at Newtownards.

Londonderry/Derry

The city of Londonderry/Derry holds a unique place in British and Irish history. From the settlement of English Protestants during the Plantation of Ulster, through the partition of the island in the twentieth century, the city has witnessed division and conflict for hundreds of years, no more so than during the critical years of 1968-1972, at the beginning of the so-called 'Troubles'.

On January 30, 1972, in the Bogside area of Londonderry/Derry, soldiers of the Parachute Regiment opened fire on demonstrators near the Rossville flats. The events of Bloody Sunday as it was to become known resulted in the deaths on the day of 13 people with a number of others wounded. It also proved to be one of the pivotal moments in modern British history.

In order to try and better understand ‘The Troubles’ there is a need to hear from those whose lives were directly affected and to understand the context which gave rise to such differing views of a shared history.

Anglia's tour to Londonderry/Derry includes a walking tour of the Bogside area with a local guide, focusing on the events of the Battle of the Bogside and Bloody Sunday. This will be followed by a visit to the Free Derry Museum, and a workshop session with a prominent member of the local community, during which students will have the opportunity to participate in an open question-and-answer session.

Dublin

From the Battle of the Boyne, through Wolfe Tone's rebellion of the United Irishmen, to the contentious issue of Home Rule, the Curragh Mutiny, Easter Rising and establishment of the Irish Free State, Dublin is an excellent base from which to explore the locations where these pivotal events took place.

The city, founded by the Vikings and the south bank of the River Liffey over 1000 years ago, provides students of the turbulent Anglo-Irish relationship an opportunity to explore the roots of the conflict leading to the partition and then division of Ireland

Specifications/topics supported by these tours

Edexcel Specification A and B > Northern Ireland 1968-1999