Looking Backwards Towards Peace
A look at the Astrology from the beginning of the start of the troubles
in 1966 to the Good Friday agreement
May 98 with minor editing June 2004
This originally formed the material for a talk given to the Bromley Astrological
Association in May 1998. It focuses on the cycles which appear to be completing
in the late 1990's regarding the Ulster Conflict.
Part 1: Echoes in the Past...
There is enough material about Ireland and its history to keep us going
for months. Tonight we will be looking at the tensions which developed
into the troubles and how they are hopefully in the process of being resolved.
When Dionne invited me to come and talk to you, she offered me the April
or the May. I chose May because I'd picked out the first week in April
as being rather interesting and wanted to see how it would come out before
committing myself in public. You could say that 2nd to 10th April
were indeed rather interesting, leading to a written agreement to take
the peace process forward.
The agreement comes 30 years less a few weeks from the events which first
galvanised the civil rights protests in March 1968. Now mention 30 years
to any astrologer worth their salt and they start twitching and wanting
to know more. So let me tell you about what we're going to talk about
tonight.
In the hour before coffee I want to cover the situation up to the formation
of the IRA and the beginning of the troubles. After coffee I will deal
with the events leading to the peace process and go on to look at the
referendum and hopes for the future; hopefully there will be time for
questions.
The conflict in Northern Ireland came to a head in August of 1969. This
situation grew out of the events of 1965/6 - the time of the Uranus/Pluto
conjunction and the opposition to it of the Saturn/Chiron conjunction
- and the commemoration of events 50 years before in 1916.
Easter Rising
First we'll look at the events of 1916.
On Easter Monday - 24th April 1916 - at Noon a group of Irish Volunteers
declared independence in Dublin at the Post Office building. This became
known as the Easter Rising and this declaration of independence is taken
by many astrologers as the chart for modern Ireland.
Looking at the chart you can see significators of independence running
right through the chart.
Mars rising opposite Uranus square to Mercury: this was a declaration
of independence by arms as well as words signified by a round of musket
fire after the proclamation had been read. This also says a lot about
the stamina - fixed T square - of the struggle for independence.
Uranus trine Venus - 11 minutes from being exact: freedom to decide
their own values and associations.
Mars trine Jupiter - 47 minutes from being exact- and all of these
points at 16 - 20 degrees - Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Venus and Ascendant
making half a grand sextile with Mercury completing the picture - what
more can you say about freedom and independence and the willingness
to use arms to obtain and maintain it.
These degrees, particularly 17/18 of cardinal come up again and again.
The Sun in Taurus, gives an element of stability to the high energy
and more endurance, also describing the more rural images we have of
Ireland.
The Sun is also square the node and the Moon - if we look at the node
as associations and community we could say that the conscious direction
was contrary to the position of the momentum of the people. Or it could
describe the conflict between the people and the leadership in the case
of republican leaders and loyalist people. At the time of the uprising
the public of Belfast were more concerned with the destruction of their
post office than their coming independence.
Mars semi square Pluto - 18 minutes from the exact aspect - these two
planets describe the underlying tension and violence and the cycle of
these two planets still marks out quite clearly violent incidents.
Moon opposite Neptune across the Cancer/Capricorn axis could be dreaming
of changing the status of the people. It could also say much for the
mythic status which has become attached to the idea of a free Ireland
and also the impossibility of the task. Can we ever attain Neptune within
the sphere of the Moon?
Saturn doesn't do very much here - it's in Cancer - with all the associated
angst about my land/your land and protecting the mother country but
by aspect it is quiet - just a separating square from Jupiter and a
sextile to Mercury. But if you look at the fifth harmonic - the chart
which tells you about the style of a chart - then you see a grand cross
between the moon Neptune opposition and Mars and Saturn. Pull in Pluto
from the Natal chart and you have a terribly focused and organised fighting
machine motivated by a holy grail type idea, not afraid to use underground
methods, possibly setting up secret societies - definitely not afraid
to strike out for what they believe.
Now the question we must ask is - does a chart like this have the capacity
for sophisticated, modern democratic politics within it?
Answers on a postcard please.....!
The uprising was put down after a week and the leaders executed as traitors.
This raised the profile of the republican cause and Sinn Fein gathered
strength and at the end of the first world war returned an overwhelming
majority of republican members in the elections . They refused to take
their seats at Westminster, seeing it as a foreign parliament and gathered
in Dublin to form their own, declaring themselves to be the Assembly of
Ireland. It is this body which the original IRA held as sovereign. Recognition
of the parliament of Southern Ireland was a major sticking point later
in the history of the IRA.
Reorganisation Chart:
Ireland was eventually partitioned in 1922 after a bloody war with England
for independence. Michael Collins signed the treaty creating the Irish
Free state followed by a civil war between those against the treaty and
the newly formed government. The Free State had a similar status to Canada
with the Queen still being head of state; Ireland eventually declared
itself a republic in 1949.
This is the chart for the legalisation of partition. You can see some
of the common degrees which will keep coming up.
Gemini rising is apt for a split country and the Moon is square Saturn.
Some astrologers believe that this should be the chart for the UK as
this was a major revision of the Union. I disagree and I'm showing it
now as it ties into some of the charts we will go on to look at and some
of its major points such as the Ascendant and Saturn are receiving or
are about to receive major transits.
Back to 1966:
The 50th anniversary of the Easter Rising was an event which stuck in
the minds of many youngsters who would go on to be major players in the
IRA as it showed the events of 1916 and those involved as glamorous freedom
fighters in stark contrast to the rather dour IRA of the time.
The IRA abandoned the armed struggle in 1962 after a failed campaign
through the 50's and was in serious decline. The leadership had decided
to embrace socialist politics and had moved to an extreme political position,
becoming a Maoist, far left organisation. They saw the celebrations of
the declaration of independence as an opportunity to improve their public
image and bring the republican cause to the minds of the people and increase
their membership which was declining rapidly. Intelligence reports that
IRA training camps were active during the second half of 1965 - with the
first touch of Uranus/Pluto and that Protestants began organising into
the UVF at the same time.
Astrologically the building tension came from four sources - the Uranus/Pluto
conjunction in Virgo, the Saturn/Chiron conjunction in Pisces, the opposition
between the two and the square from Jupiter in Gemini to Uranus/Pluto
in the January and to the Saturn/Chiron in the March.
When the sun opposed Uranus/Pluto in March, an anonymous republican
group blew up Nelson's Pillar in Dublin.
Commemorative March:
On 17th April 1966 a march was planned to commemorate the 50th anniversary
of the Easter rising. This is a noon chart and I've used a natural zodiac
so there are no houses. This was an event which brought republicanism
back to the minds of the catholic community. Prior to this is was either
a taboo topic where there was a republican tradition in the family or
not thought important. This was literally the first time that Catholics
had been allowed to march unhindered.
The Loyalists declared that they would not take this lying down and Ian
Paisley held a meeting in Belfast city hall on the same day. There was
no violence but this set the tone for the sectarian nature of the conflict
- if you have a march I'll have one to try and get yours banned.
Looking at the chart you can see it's quite tense - lots of red in the
aspects. As we have no time the position of the Moon is uncertain - at
9.00 am it was at 17 Pisces and by 9.40 p.m. it was conjunct the Saturn/Chiron
conjunction. Interestingly enough at this time Mercury and Mars had just
moved into the next signs - Mercury into Aries and Mars into Taurus.
I would say this describes a developing situation - the Moon is not void
at the end of the day, it still is applying to Jupiter and two planets
have moved into new signs. Lots of Pisces and during the day the Moon
made a trine to Neptune - the people can have a better life, a daring
to dream, an awareness that they can make a difference and at the end
of the day a square to Jupiter - inflating the belief in what they can
do: superman syndrome.
One month after the commemoration the UVF declared war on the IRA - 21st
May 1966 and five days later they claimed their first victim.
First UVF target:
This chart is the first sectarian killing of the modern troubles and
events are as confused as the chart.
The UVF - that is the Ulster Volunteer Force, a Protestant organisation
- decided to target Leo Martin who was a well known member of the Belfast
brigade of the IRA. On the night of 27th May they decided to hunt him
down but couldn't find him. Frustrated and wanting to actually do something,
they choose a well oiled Catholic named John Scullion who happened to
be singing republican songs but had no connections with republicanism.
Certain that he must be IRA they shot him and left him for dead.
I have not found an exact time for this chart - closing time was the
description, but given that this was Ireland that could mean pretty much
anything. I picked 10.50 as being just after official closing time which
I believe was 10.30.
Looking at the chart you can see it is fragmented, Venus is unaspected,
Jupiter is barely aspected, Uranus & Pluto only aspect each other
and the Moon.
Venus will be in the third or fourth house whatever the time, unaspected
and in Aries - trying to channel their aggressive efforts to protect
their homeland - but not being able to put the energy anywhere - hence
the case of mistaken identity.
The Sun Mercury conjunction is very striking and it is worth noting
that it is semi square 21 degrees of Aries - this degree will keep coming
up as we go on.
The UVF made another attempt to assassinate Leo Martin a month later
and again killed innocent Catholics; after this the UVF was banned. So
now we have a stalemate situation - both IRA and UVF are banned organisations
and the grievances of Catholics and Protestants are becoming more and
more public and apparent.
Catholic concerns covered pretty much all areas of life. The electoral
system was biased against them, returning Protestant councils even where
there was a Catholic majority, employment was high with restrictive practices
in place against employing Catholics and housing was blatantly given to
Protestants ahead of Catholics regardless of the situation of the applicants.
The incident which first started off the civil rights movement was the
eviction of a family of Catholics - 30th March 1968 - who were squatting
due to the fact they had not been allocated any housing. They were evicted
to make room for the secretary of the local councillor's solicitor. The
Cameron Report appointed by the Government to establish why the troubles
broke out concluded that "by no stretch of the imagination could
Miss Beattie be regarded as a priority tenant".
Significant astrology for this day was the node at 18 Aries and Saturn
at 14 Aries. A set of repeating degrees can now be seen to be emerging.
The first Civil Rights march was on 24th August 1968 - a day with many
planets in Virgo. This passed off peacefully despite a Unionist counter
demonstration.
Over the summer period there was genuine hope that there could be real
change. Unfortunately this was not to be.
First Confrontation:
The first march to get any real media coverage and to cause any confrontation
with the authorities was on 5th October 1968 in Londonderry. The organisers
announced the proposed route of the march - assembling in Duke St on the
East Bank of the river Foyle, which divides the city, and march across
the Craigavon bridge to the west bank and the war memorial in the Diamond
within the ancient city walls - all very well apart from the fact that
this route cuts into the heart of Protestant territory.
The Apprentice Boys of Derry announced four days before the march was
due to go ahead that they too would be holding a march over much the same
route. This march never took place, and was seen as a device to get the
republican march banned.
Rather than being banned what actually happened is that William Craig,
the Stormont Home Affairs Minister ruled that no parade would be allowed
on the east bank or within the city walls. This actually highlighted the
marchers point - that they did not have parity of esteem with the Protestants.
This decision publicised the march and not only increased the number
of marchers but the number of TV cameras.
The marchers insisted they had a democratic right to protest peacefully
and moved off to be confronted by a cordon of police. The police drew
batons and charged the crowd without provocation - this was all recorded
on TV. The subsequent inquiry put the blame squarely at the feed of the
police.
Now two things happened here: not only were a Republican crowd refused
permission to parade through the city, but the police were shown by the
media to be attaching the crowd and it is this perception that the RUC
were loyalist and would not act for Catholics or Republicans which is
at the centre of the events which contributed to the Catholic and Republican
communities perceiving that they must defend themselves which lead to
the subsequent re-emergence of the IRA.
But first lets look at the chart. This is a Noon chart as I don't have
a time. (subsequent research has indicated early afternoon, eye witness
accounts refer to crowds gathering for a football match which would kick
off at 3.00pm. CC. Summer 2002).
First thing to notice is the yod to Saturn. Notice the degree - 22 Aries-
where was Saturn a few weeks ago?? I would put this forward as the chart
for the start of the troubles - no real fighting broke out until the following
summer but this was the day when it was spelt out that the Catholic community
had to take their defence into their own hands - they could not rely on
the police, they could not elect a government, the only thing they could
do was protect their own.
Looking at the yod - Neptune sextile Jupiter and Pluto quincunx Saturn.
A determination to overcome using extreme measures, with the vision and
determination to fight for what they believe in - they're on a mission
from God.
The Sun, significantly, is practically unaspected - authority has no
grip, no anchor and no recognition. Again we have Mars and Saturn moving
together.
Notice the degrees 23 Virgo and 8/9 mutable - we'll be revisiting them.
On 22nd November, the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland announced a
programme of reforms including a point system of housing allocation, an
ombudsman, electoral reform, a review of the Special Powers Act and the
dissolution of Derry Council. In response to this there was a moratorium
on marches and demonstrations. It is ominous that the chart for the day
should have Saturn unaspected.
People's Democracy, a student organisation, organised a march from Belfast
to Londonderry at new year of 1969. Impatient with the pace of the reforms
they wanted to draw attention to the civil rights movement. They would
reach Derry on 4th January. Loyalists within the city were unhappy at
their marching and the Republicans were quite naïve about the reaction
they would receive despite being warned by the police.
People's Democracy March:
They were ambushed by Loyalists on the way into Derry. This was highly
organised with the Loyalists wearing white arm bands for identification,
some of them were believed to be off duty specials policemen.
Later that night, under the influence of alcohol, police invaded the
Bogside, a catholic area of Derry and "laid into residents and their
property". Bogsiders erected barricades for their future protection
- and free Derry was born.
Looking at the chart you can see the now familiar cardinal degrees coming
up. Moon in Cancer square Saturn - protection of one's own. This
works both ways, for the Lloyalists attacking the Republicans - defending
their territory and for the Bogsiders barricading themselves in.
Jupiter has now moved into Libra and is conjunct Uranus giving us an overdose
of idealism and revolutionary fervour - putting in the trine to Mercury
gives an urge for freedom of speech, association, religion - we
could go on all night.
As 1969 unfolds the alienation of the Republicans to the RUC and the
government increases. There are more invasions of the Bogside and on 19th
April a taxi driver is beaten by the police and subsequently dies from
his injuries. On this day there is another yod to Saturn at 28 Aries from
Jupiter and Neptune. 30,000 people attended the funeral in protest. The
English Chief Constable brought in to run the enquiry was unable to identify
the responsible officers due to the "conspiracy of silence".
O'Neal resigned. A week later one man one vote was introduced, but it
was too little too late.
Now, even the more moderate Republicans were of the opinion that the
RUC was a tool of the Unionists.
Traditional IRA men were of the opinion that part of their remit was
the protection of Catholics and their property. The IRA leadership in
power at the time saw this as sectarian and would have nothing to do with
it.
The 12th July is a major date in the marching season and many Protestant
marches provoked fighting. In Belfast the police contained the fighting,
in Derry they did not and joined in the stones throwing. This was ominous
for the 12th August and The Apprentice Boys of Derry's annual march.
The Battle of the Bogside:
In hindsight it was astonishing that the march on the 12th August was
not banned. This would be the last opportunity of a summer when both sides
had been spoiling for a fight. It appears no one was willing to take responsibility
for the decision. Stormont did not wish to ban the march for fear of being
accused of being soft on Republicans and anti Unionist. Westminster did
not want to get involved. Perhaps what should have happened is for the
Westminster government to be seen to take the decision away from Stormont.
Harold Wilson subsequently admitted that "unwiser counsels prevailed".
Local IRA men went against policy and began preparing the Bogside to
defend itself. Barricades were erected and people were urged to defend
themselves with "sticks, stones, and the good old petrol bomb".
It should be noted that local dairies received few empty milk bottles
on the 10th and 11th and none on the 12th.
The march itself went peacefully although the mood of both crowds deteriorated
over the day. At 2.30 pm nails were thrown at the police, triggering
the subsequent two days of rioting which would lead to the army being
brought in.
By 4.00 the Apprentice Boys became the target for the violence and fought
back.
By 4.30 the Bogsiders had stormed the police barricades, it was apparent
that the stewards had lost what little control they had and a baton charge
was ordered, pushing the mob back into the Bogside. This turned out to
be an ambush and the police were greeted by a hail of petrol bombs. A
Protestant mob followed the police in and there was heavy fighting. Water
cannon were deployed but ended up being used for fire fighting. Eventually
the use of CS gas was authorised - for the first time as a riot control
agent in the UK.
Now to the astrology...
Mercury square Mars at 9 of Virgo and Sagittarius, Pluto at 23 Virgo
sesquiquadrate Saturn. Another yod, this time to Mars from Venus and
Saturn - having to use arms to protect what you value. Venus is at 10
Cancer, as is Saturn in the Republic chart, another Moon square Saturn
- the people clashing with authority.
Now I'm going to look at some midpoints to see how the tension progresses
through the day. As we're looking at a relatively short time span the
only things which move any distance are the Moon and the angles. To see
the build up of energy we have to look at the faster moving midpoints.
For those of you who have not come across midpoints just think of them
as places where the energy of the two planets comes together - mini conjunctions.
If we talk about the Ascendant Midheaven midpoint it is the place midway
between the ascendant and the midheaven. Now we also look at all the places
which are in hard aspect to this point - that is conjunct, opposite, square
and also semi square or sesquiquadrate. So if we have a midpoint at 0
Aries we also look at 0 Libra, Cancer and Capricorn and at 15 of fixed
as these points are semi square and sesquiquadrate. Any planet on these
degrees is judged to be equal to that midpoint. The important and fast
moving midpoints are anything including the angles and to a lesser extent
the moon. The ascendant/midheaven midpoint combines both angles and describes
this time and place. Planets which hit this midpoint are particularly
important.
2:30pm...
Asc 14 Scorpio MC 4 Virgo
Mars/Saturn = Asc/MC = Venus
"This time and place are about my values and my strength of purpose
to defend them."
as Venus is in Cancer this will be quite an emotional attachment.
Sun/Moon = Venus/Node = Uranus = Sun/Asc
"The essence of this moment is revolution and I will defend the identity
and rights of my people in any way I can."
Pluto/Asc = MC
"Increasing intensity and belief in the goals you are capable of."
4.00pm...
Asc 19 Scorpio MC 28 Virgo
Sun/Moon = Jupiter/Asc = Uranus
"Still the Uranus/revolution but now with Jupiter - expanding the revolution,
more people are involved."
Sun/MC = Mercury = Mercury/Mars = Mars
"Aggression is communicated consciously, with a plan and goals."
4.30pm...
Asc 4 Sagittarius MC 6 Libra
Uranus/MC = Jupiter = Sun
"More revolution."
Mars/Uranus = Asc/MC = Node
"Mars/Uranus is the point to look at for accidents and such - this
time and place and this community are in chaos."
Mercury/MC = Mars/MC = Pluto = Saturn
"Our fight will be a titanic struggle."
Chiron conjunct IC
"A wound at the heart of the community."
The new moon at 6.16 am the next morning roses over Derry at 20 Leo16
- 10 minutes of arc difference from the ascendant of the Republic chart.
Shortly after this at 7.00 am a senior police office who visited the area
informed his superiors that army intervention would be required within
24 hours.
Rioting continued through the next two days and at 5.00 p.m. on the 14th
August the army was called in to separate the two sides.
Troops into N. Ireland:
I'm now going to stick my neck out and contradict Nick Campion. In the
Book of World Horoscopes Nick gives this chart as the chart for deployment
of troops in Northern Ireland. That is correct but not quite right. This
is the chart for the intervention of troops who were stationed locally
to Derry. The stationing of troops in Ulster generally not just for that
particular event in Derry happened the day after and we'll look at that
chart next.
We have Mars rising which is appropriate, MC of 16 Libra, a weakly aspected
Sun, Uranus and Venus - authority is becoming uncertain, whose values
are we working for?
Saturn is trine the Moon - protection of the people but also a reigning
in of emotional excess.
The situation got worse when the troops arrived - Mars rising in Sagittarius
- but was contained soon after.
There were other riots around the rest of the country - mostly in an
attempt to divert resources from Derry, and the situation in Belfast got
out of hand. No one really knows what happened but the result was a mass
attack on Catholic and Republican property by Protestants. It was principally
to deal with this situation that the army was requested the next day.
Deployment of the army:
On 15th August at 12.25 p.m. the request for the army was made.
Again we have the Sun, Jupiter and Uranus being practically unaspected
- where is authority placed? With the Sun in Leo square to Neptune - could
this be a wish it away syndrome. Even more Virgo planets - in the eleventh
house - the soldiers have said they thought of themselves as rescuers,
saving the people from themselves and each other. That's pretty Leo/Virgo!
Mars in the second - protection & defence of property - still just
in orb of the quincunx to Saturn in the seventh. Now quincunxes don't
sit easily, there's an uncomfortable element due to there being no common
ground between the two points - between the defenders and the authority.
The mars is square the moon but it's separating and already quite wide
- the people are not quite in touch with the military and the Moon doesn't
talk to Saturn at all. Over the next year that Moon progressed to join
Pluto - the people went underground. The only applying aspect which Saturn
has is the sesquiquadrate to Pluto - a struggle of titanic proportions.
After the riots of August 1969 the IRA's reputation was badly damaged.
Many saw their role as defenders of Catholic property and of the community
against the police and loyalists mobs. Graffiti appeared that summer saying
IRA - I ran away.
As I've already said the leadership of the IRA and Sinn Fein at the time
was heavily socialist and committed to political protest - not that they
recognised either British or Irish government at that time. They would
organise civil protests like "fish-ins" where people would fish
on rivers that they were denied access to.
After the summer riots, elements of the IRA decided that things needed
to change and on 24th August there was a secret meeting where there was
discussion about taking over the leadership. They confronted the leadership
in Belfast on 22nd September and took over - amazingly with no blood shed
- Jupiter Mercury conjunction at 12 Libra on that day. This lead to a
separation of the organisation between Belfast and Dublin. Now this was
not the actual split in the IRA. What caused them to break into the Official
IRA and the Provisional IRA was the question of abstentionism - taking
up seats in the parliaments of Dublin or Westminster. The IRA recognised
the parliament elected in 1918 when Sinn Fein were elected with a huge
majority - a parliament from all Ireland. The faction which became the
Provos was against abstentionism with regard to the Irish Dial. Several
meetings took place in December 1969 during which this was debated and
the soon to be Provos walked out to found their own organisation. One
of the problems with secret organisations is that they're secret - somewhere
in this period is the chart for the Provisional IRA. What we do have is
the chart for the Sinn Fein conference which made the split official.
Sinn Fein Conference:
Again we have a group around 20 of cardinal - Sun, Venus, Mercury- idealism
laced with the ruthless pragmatism of Capricorn and the ruthless addition
of a trine from Pluto - conjunct the node and Moon of the Republic chart
- on behalf of the people. Also the Jupiter Saturn opposition is square
the Republic's nodal axis and Saturn is conjunct the Sun and Midheaven
of the Irish Republic - they are quite literally the Irish Republican
Army.
Sun sextile Mars and Mars sesquiquadrate Jupiter show up the military
inclinations and a completely unaspected Uranus - they are wildcards.
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