The Troubles arose following several years of increasing incidents between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland. The troubles were long and costly in every direction of the world. From the first civil rights marches in 1968 to the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, 3,500 people died and more than 35,000 were injured in Northern Ireland as a direct result of aggressive violence, of rebellion, bombings, murders and terrorist tactics. Unrest and conflict between Catholics and Protestants had a significant impact on Ireland. This serious issue has impacted the lives of individuals and families who experienced or witnessed the horrific events brought about by the Troubles, political change and reform of the Irish government, as well as the economic downturn and recession. Ireland was also extremely affected by the conflicts that arose; Loyalists (Protestants) wanted Northern Ireland to remain within the United Kingdom, while nationalists (Catholics) wanted to secede from the United Kingdom and join United Ireland. This skirmish between those who wanted Northern Ireland to remain part of the United Kingdom and those who wanted to see the reunification of the island of Ireland. This conflict was underpinned by several issues such as: historical, religious, economic, political and psychological. The small Catholic groups that lived in the Protestant province did not have an easy life, and they did not have the same rights or opportunities as Protestants, they were discriminated against in all aspects of life, they found barely working, received less money from the government. government and were often harassed by the police. Protestants and Catholics formed a paramilitary organization...... middle of paper ......ligion and identity in Ireland: an unfinished story. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2009. Print.History, BBC. “Northern Ireland: The Troubles”. BBC News. BBC, February 1, 2007. Web. 5 October 2013. "Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand." 1. Understand the Irish – Irish – conflict. Np, and Web. October 05, 2013. Rowen, Beth. “The Northern Irish Conflict: A Chronology”. Info please. Info please, and Web. November 14, 2013. Hammer, Joshua. “In Northern Ireland, overcoming the Troubles.” Smithsonian Magazine. Np, and Web. November 17, 2013. “Overview.” BBC News. BBC and Web. 25 November 2013. “Impact of the conflict in Northern Ireland”. Impact of the conflict in Northern Ireland. Np, and Web. 2 December 2013. “Ireland's economic crisis: how did it happen and what is being done about it?” » The economic crisis in Ireland: how did it happen and what is being done about it? Np, and Web. November 28. 2013.