[magduf]

>while The Troubles didn't induce the UK to give any concessions it wasn't already willing to give beforehand.

If you look farther back in Ireland's history, it seems like Ireland's independence from UK was achieved mostly by violent resistance. After there was too much violence, England finally decided it wasn't worth it, and came up with an agreement allowing most of the island to become independent, with the exception of a handful of northern counties.