Northern Ireland Quiz

[patrick1]

Before I give Observers rather hard questions a whirl...

EASY

Name the current First Minister and deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland the the parties they represent. Robinson DUP, McGuinness Sinn Fein

Which party won every election to the old Parliament of Northern Ireland?
Ulster Unionist
What was "The Troubles"?
Low intensity communal conflict over status of Norther Ireland lasting from around 1968/69-1998
Who was Bobby Sands?
IRA Volunteer who led the hunger strike of 1981. Had been imprisoned for weapons charges. Sought for five demands for prisoners rights from Thatcher govt. Was elected MP to FST before dying.


MEDIUM

What was "Bloody Sunday" and when did it occur?
Jan 30 1972, Derry.  British parachute regiment opened fire on unarmed demonstrators. (Some claim Mr McGuinness himself had been taking some potshots at British army) First tribunal to investigate was Widgery Tribunal- largely seen as a whitewash. Subsequent Bloody Sunday tribunal, after decades and a lot of money, found British army had lied and was largely at fault.

What part of Gerry Adams was banned in the UK and Ireland for a number of years?
voice, interestingly Stephen Rea and other actors were called in to voice Republican statements.

Name three active Terrorist groups during The Troubles, with at least one being Republican and one Loyalist.  hmm A NICE ALPHABET SOUP. PIRA, OIRA, CIRA, RIRA, INLA, UDA, UVF, UFF, LVF, Red Hand Commandoes, Orange Volunteers and several others. LOL @ Lewis answers.

What city is sometimes called "Slash City" and why?
Ive never heard this term.
What is the method of Cabinet Selection in the Assembly?
Can't remember the name- works on power sharing principle where parties share in the executive

Name the parties currently in Cabinet in Northern Ireland
DUP, UUP, SDLP, Sinn Fein and Alliance
The shaking of hands of which two men brought in the current democratic period for Northern Ireland?  Presumedly you mean Paisley and Adams,obviously it took a lot more work than the handshake...




HARD

"The Parades" are a controversial event in Northern Ireland. What event do the largest of these commemorate? Bonus points for naming the event that the Apprentice Boys commemorate.
The largest parades commemorate King Billy's defeat of King James II at the Battle of the Boyne on July 12, 1690 (July 1 old calendar).  The apprentice Boys have a couple of different parades/ceremonies.  One is the closing of the gates- when the apprentice boys defied Lundy's order to surrender and closed the gates to start the siege. The one in August commemorates the lifting of the siege. The Royal Black Institution also has a large parade on July 13th, The Sham fight and ones throughout NI in August.  I somehow managed to not get bottled at one in Ballymena

Who is the official party leader for Sinn Fein in the Assembly (clue, it's not the dFM)
Well, Adams is still the President of Sinn Fein, but Ray McCartney also has a leadership title within the Assembly.
Who (which party leader) was literally dragged out of the legislature kicking and screaming in 1986  Well Big Ian has been dragged out of many venues in his time.  I assume you mean this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Fm0QOIw8nQ

[patrick1]

Actually I meant this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dt9VlUXWG1E

Ha, I was trying to find that video to post also.

[patrick1]

a) For what constituency was Ian Paisley (Sr.) first elected to Stormont (the Northern Ireland Parliament)? Bannside- areas around Ballymena and Ballymoney.
b) Under what label was he first elected?  Protestant Unionist
c) What was the name of the party founded by Brian Faulkner in 1974? Unionist Party of NI
d) Who succeeded Faulkner as leader of the party and what "first" did the new leader represent? Harry West.  Dont know- He lost to Sands later in his career
e) What was the significance of the Wild Birds Act under the Stormont Parliament? Dont know
f) What "first" did Gerard Benedict Newe achieve in 1971? First Catholic minister?
g) Who was the Alliance Party's first Westminster MP? Long was the first elected. I think some moderate Unionist changed party id, but cant remember who.

h) In the 1982 Assembly elections, the United Ulster Unionist Party failed to win a seat with only 1.8% of the vote. However, two of its candidates in that election were to serve in the Northern Ireland Executive between 2007 and 2011. Name them. Reg Empey and __

i) Which five Sinn Féin candidates were elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in 1982?
Adams, McGuinness, Owen Carron, Danny Morrison and
j) Which seat did the Unionist parties lose in the bye-elections after the Anglo-Irish Agreement in 1986 and to whom did they lose?
k) Name the ten parties who took seats in elections to the Northern Ireland Forum in 1996.
Sinn Fein, DUP, Alliance, SDLP, UUP, PUP, UKUP...
l) Name the party which took six seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly elections in 1998, only to see all of its MLAs, apart from the party leader, leave the party? What, if any, connection did a cream bun have to this story? UKUP. Dont get the reference
m) Prior to the Dáil and Northern Ireland Assembly elections in 2011, three political parties had members in both legislative bodies. Name them. Sinn Fein, The Workers Party?, maybe one of the Unionist parties in the eaarly Dail..
n) Five urban areas in Northern Ireland have the title "city". Name them.
Belfast, Derry, Newry, Lisburn and for some reason Armagh
o) Who has announced his intention to contest the leadership of the SDLP? Havent been keeping in touch with the news.
p) Which building acquired the nickname "Dome of Delights" during the 1980s? ?
q) What did the banner across its front declare until the courts ordered it to be taken down? ?
r) Two Paisleys were elected to Westminster from Northern Ireland seats in 2010. Name them.
Ian the less and Ian as Baron Bannside?
s) What catchy acronym was used by the electoral pact between the Ulster Unionists and Conservatives in the 2010 election? ...
t) Who stood as the Alliance Party candidate in the 2009 European elections? dont know
u) For what party and in what constituency did he stand in the 2010 Westminster elections?..
v) For what party and in what constituency did his girlfriend/partner stand in the 2010 Westminster elections?...
w) Of what party is the girlfriend/partner now a member, having defected in November 2010?...
x) In which constituency did the SDLP ill-advisedly but accurately compare its 2001 Westminster election campaign to Stalingrad?  West Tyrone