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The Birmingham pub bombings The Birmingham pub bombings
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The effects of the Birmingham pub bombs The effects of the Birmingham pub bombs
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A ‘suspect community’? A ‘suspect community’?
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The O’Reillys The O’Reillys
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Conclusion Conclusion
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Notes Notes
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20 The Birmingham pub bombings, the Irish as a ‘suspect community’ and the memories of the O’Reilly family
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Published:December 2016
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Abstract
In the immediate aftermath of the Birmingham Pub Bombings in 1974, the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) was introduced as British politicians struggled to deal with the increasing threat of the Provisional IRA on British soil. This reactionary measure intensified the already contested policy of Internment and would have severe implications for the Irish communities in England. This chapter argues that through the implementation of this legislation, alongside a media campaign that failed to put the conflict into context, a 'suspect community' was created, in which civil liberties were taken away from Irish people simply because of their ethnicity. However, the PTA not only created this 'suspect community' in the eyes of the police and the government, but also - and perhaps most crucially - for the public too. The negative impact this had 'ordinary', innocent Irish people is therefore analysed through the personal experiences of one Irish family as they discuss the institutionalised racism they faced living in Birmingham throughout the period. The chapter concludes by drawing on the importance of oral history, as it has taken almost half a century for the family to openly recount their experiences.
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