An Audit of Violence after 1966

This chapter provides a systematic and partly comparative survey of the scale of political violence in Northern Ireland 1966–2006, with some additional materials related to the broader costs of the conflict. Graphs and charts depict primary patterns of violence, victims of violence, agents held responsible for violence, the human and economic costs, and disputes over culpabilities and consequences. In specific locales the conflict was deeply intense, in others few suffered—explanations are provided for this spatial variation. Inaccurate accounts of the patterns of violence are corrected. The damage done to UK and Irish democracy and constitutionalism are assessed. The benefits that have accrued since a largely successful peace process came to fruition are also highlighted.