Kieth A said, "And I remember that everyone on the mainland sympathised with and supported the NI Civil Rights movement. A couple of years, months even, and public opinion would have forced the changes you are now anticipating.
But then came the bombs."

But the first bombs were British, i.e. the UVF. The first killings were by the British, the RUC and the B-Specials. Or perhaps acts of violecnce don't count if they were carried out by British forces.