AROUND THE WORLD.Northern Ireland Northern Ireland: see Ireland, Northern. Northern Ireland Part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland occupying the northeastern portion of the island of Ireland. Area: 5,461 sq mi (14,144 sq km). Population (2001): 1,685,267. Peace Plan Advances A mid-November compromise over disarmament has paved the way for peace among Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland. The region has been the location of some of the most religiously motivated violence in the world for 600 years, but that appears to be ready to change. The "Good Friday Good Friday, anniversary of Jesus' death on the cross. According to the Gospels, Jesus was put to death on the Friday before Easter Day. Since the early church Good Friday has been observed by fasting and penance. " peace accord, originally reached in April 1998, laid the groundwork for the British government transferring political power back to a locally elected government in Northern Ireland for the first time since 1972. The accord appeared to be in jeopardy when the new Northern Irish cabinet, elected in June 1998, could not take office because members of Northern Ireland's largest Protestant party, the Ulster Unionist Party The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP, sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or OUP or, in a historic sense, simply the Unionist Party) is the more moderate of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland[1]. , refused to serve alongside members of Sinn Fein until the Irish Republican Army Irish Republican Army (IRA), nationalist organization devoted to the integration of Ireland as a complete and independent unit. Organized by Michael Collins from remnants of rebel units dispersed after the Easter Rebellion in 1916 (see Ireland), it was composed of began to disarm itself. But the crisis was averted Nov. 27 when the pro-British unionists voted to join with the pro-Irish republicans in a local government on the condition that the IRA Ira, in the Bible Ira (ī`rə), in the Bible. 1 Chief officer of David. 2, 3 Two of David's guard. IRA, abbreviation IRA. commit itself to disarmament by February. |
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