History Lessons

Sir Ken Bloomfield, former Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, was also Cabinet Secretary to three Northern Ireland Prime Ministers between 1963-72 and to the power sharing executive  in 1974.  He was at the heart of government during a key decade in Northern Ireland's history and had a ringside seat in some of the most important events of the Troubles.

Part One

Here he gives a personal portrait of prime minister Captain Terence O'Neill, and discusses the difficulties that the Unionist government had in convincing their constituents of the need for reform.  He discusses O'Neill's "Ulster is at the Crossroads" speech in late 1968, the apparent optimism as that year ended and the attack on a People's Democracy march at Burntollet in January 1969.  He says he deeply regrets his role in "concocting" the Unionist Government's response to these events, which may have increased Catholic alienation and undermined possible Catholic support for O'Neill.

Part Two

Here Sir Ken Bloomfield discusses the fierce rioting in August 1969, which for many people marks the start of the Troubles in earnest. He describes how the RUC were unable to deal with the  civil disturbances in Derry and Belfast, the introduction of British Army onto the streets, the setting up of the UDR and the Hunt report which recommended policing reforms. In retrospect, he says it would have been better to have introduced direct rule in August 1969, rather than 1972.

Part Three

Sir Ken Bloomfield gives a fascinating insider's perspective on the events leading up to direct rule in March 1972, the end of 50 years of one-party Unionist government in Northern Ireland. He discusses internment in August 1971 and its violent aftermath, Bloody Sunday in January 1972 and the British Government's culpability in those events. He also recounts the crucial Downing Street meetings between NI premier Brian Faulkner and UK Prime Minister Ted Heath, and the dramatic developments as Heath announces the suspension of Stormont, where  huge crowds of Unionists gather in volatile mood. Bloomfield also describes writing a draft discussion paper over a weekend which included the key elements of   power sharing and an Irish dimension of some kind, corner stones of the future settlement here.

Part Four

The talks at Sunningdale in December 1973 and the setting up of the power sharing Executive and the UWC strike which brought it down in May 1974 makee up the gripping elements of this part of Sir Ken Bloomfield's recollections.  He describes the divisions over the Council of Ireland between Unionists and Nationalists and Brian Faulkner's misgivings about selling it to Unionists, the tension at Stormont as the UWC strike kicked in and Secretary of State Merlyn Rees' vacillations.  He says he was "absolutely outraged" by prime minister Harold Wilson's notorious "spongers' speech", and was devastated by the Fall of the Executive, which he believes led to decades of violence.

Part Five

In the final section of his recollections Sir Ken Bloomfield  stresses the need for all parties in the new power sharing Executive and Assembly to embrace collective responsibility,  and his hopes for the future. He gives penetrating assessments of some of the key politicians with whom he has worked, including Northern Ireland's last prime minister Brian Faulkner, Gerry Fitt, John Hume, and Austin Currie, all leading SDLP figures.