Audio interview with Terence O’Neill, Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, for RTE News in November 1968. In August of that year the Northern Ireland civil rights movement began public marches in support of its objectives causing community tensions between Catholics and Protestants in cities such as Derry/Londonderry. Rioting broke out in that city in October 1968, after clashes between civil rights supporters and the RUC following the banning of a march by the Stormont government. On 30 October Irish Taoiseach Jack Lynch suggested to British Prime Minister Harold Wilson that the removal of partition would end such conflict. Five days later Terence O’Neill met Wilson and received assurances that Irish unity would not be forced on Northern Ireland. In this interview O’Neill discusses his meeting with Wilson.
Date of Release/Broadcast: 04 November 1968
Name of First Interviewee: Terence O’Neill
Role at time of Interview: Prime Minister of Northern Ireland
Purpose: News
Media: Audio
Copyright: © RTÉ 2013
Link: Listen to the interview
Programme/Book/Article: RTE News
Time Period covered: 1968
Key Individuals: Terence O’Neill, Harold Wilson, William Craig, Brian Faulkner, Jack Lynch, Clement Attlee
Key Words: Civil rights, Unionist Party, partition