Oh, and here -- I've finally found Brendan. This photo is from the Civil Rights march from Belfast to Derry in January 1969, taken at the Antrim Bridge. Hundreds of Protestants attacked the four dozen or so Catholic marchers, sending many to the hospital...excuse me, sending many to hospital (they don't use the article with the noun in this case). They stupidly (or arrogantly) perpetrated the assault in front of news crews and the images shot round the world. Riots broke out in many Catholic areas of Northern Ireland and it initiated the move to bring in British troops to protect the Catholic population from the Protestant...a protection that lasted almost a year, until the Brits decided the Protestants had the right idea and began rousting the Catholics under the pretext they were ALL helping the IRA. And please pay no attention to the fact that the IRA was held in little esteem by Catholics at the time (in fact, it was referred to as the "I Ran Away"), but the spectacle of British troops rousting Catholic homes reinvigorated the organization and set the stage for nearly 40 years of terror and bloodshed.
And in the end, what was accomplished? Not very much, if anything at all in the way of peaceful coexistence. Though the IRA DID perfect the use of roadside bombs, something noted and duly used against American troops and civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan to horrific effect. Looks like evil will always beget evil, no matter how good the initial intentions.
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