Case Study - The Sunningdale Agreement and the failure of Power Sharing

The Sunningdale Agreement was an attempt to get unionists to share power with nationalists. The Agreement had three parts—an elected Northern Ireland Assembly, a power-sharing cross-community Northern Ireland Executive and a cross border - Council of Ireland. The Agreement was signed in Sunningdale, Berkshire, on December 9th 1973. Unionist opposition, violence, a loyalist 'Ulster Workers' Council Strike" and inaction by the British Government contributed to the collapse of the Agreement in May 1974.

Context questions to consider.

1. What events/circumstances lead to the creation of the first Power Sharing agreement?
2. What caused the collapse of the Power Sharing executive?
3. What was the significance of the Sunningdale Agreement and Powersharing executive?

Play from about 5 mins onwards of the first clip. Includes most of the second clip