History Lessons

A Protestant who became a founder member of the SDLP and a minister in Northern Ireland's power sharing Executive in 1974, Ivan Cooper was a significant figure in Northern Ireland politics throughout the late 60s and early 70s.  Here he describes the growth of the civil rights movement, the October 5, 1968 rally in Derry which was broken up by the RUC and its momentous consequences, the shock of Bloody Sunday and its grim aftermath, the hope of the power sharing Executive and how he feels firmer British Government and British Army action could have saved it. Along the way he gives pithy and often amusing insights into the workings of politics and politicians in Belfast, Dublin and London.