Ulster loyalism

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The Union Flag, Ulster Banner and Orange Order flags are often flown by loyalists in Northern Ireland.
A loyalist flag bearing the Red Hand of Ulster and the slogan "For God and Ulster"

Ulster loyalism is an ideology that is opposed to a united Ireland. It can mean either support for upholding Northern Ireland's status as a constituent part of the United Kingdom (i.e. unionism), support for Northern Ireland independence, or support for loyalist paramilitaries.[1] It is a belief most predominant among, and traditionally held by, Protestants in Northern Ireland.

Most loyalist groups seek to maintain Northern Ireland's position within the UK while a minority support Northern Ireland independence.[2] Some have reserved the term loyalist to describe working-class unionists willing to use illegal violence in order to achieve their aims.[3] However, others, such as Garret FitzGerald, argue that loyalism is simply "loyalty to Ulster not to the Union with Britain and it is mis-described as unionism".[4]

Contents

[edit] Background

Upon the partition of Ireland in 1921, six of the nine counties in the province of Ulster were excluded from the independent Irish Free State (later the Republic of Ireland).

These counties, four of which had slim Protestant majorities,[citation needed] remained a part of the United Kingdom. Two other Ulster counties also remained part of the UK, despite having Irish nationalist (pro-independence) majorities.[citation needed]

However, academically cited records from 1926 indicate that at that stage 33.5% of the Northern Ireland population was Roman Catholic, with 62.2% belonging to the three major Protestant denominations (Presbyterian 31.3%, Church of Ireland 27%, Methodist 3.0%)[5].

Both unionist and nationalist communities have allowed or encouraged sectarianism among Protestants (associated with unionism) and Roman Catholics (associated with nationalism) to further political aims[citation needed].

The difference of opinion between Northern Ireland's Irish nationalist/Catholic population (which mostly supports Irish reunification)[citation needed] and its Protestant/unionist population (which mostly supports remaining part of the UK) led to a long-running bloody conflict known as The Troubles.

[edit] Political parties

Loyalist graffiti and banner on a building in a side street off the Shankill Road, Belfast (1970)

In Great Britain, a number of small far-right parties have and still do express support for loyalist paramilitaries, and loyalism in general. This includes the British National Front (who registered to stand in Northern Ireland) and the British People's Party.

Bigger and more moderate right-wing unionist parties like the Ulster Unionists (UUP) or Democratic Unionists (DUP) have actively sought to distance themselves from loyalist paramilitary activity. However, Ian Paisley and his Democratic Unionist Party have been involved with Ulster Resistance and worked alongside loyalist paramilitaries such as the Ulster Defence Association in the 1974 Ulster Workers' Council Strikes and the 1977 Loyalist Association of Workers strike. [6]

[edit] Fraternities

[edit] Paramilitary and vigilante groups

A UVF mural in Carrickfergus
A UDA mural in Belfast

In the table below, "operational" refers to the period when the group waged its paramilitary/vigilante campaign.

Name Initials Operational
Ulster Protestant Association UPA 1920–1922
Ulster Protestant Action UPA 1956–1966
Ulster Protestant Volunteers UPV 1966–1969
Ulster Volunteer Force
Red Hand Commando
Young Citizen Volunteers		 UVF
RHC
YCV		 1966–2007
1972–2007
1972–2007
Ulster Defence Association
Ulster Freedom Fighters
Ulster Young Militants
Ulster Defence Force		 UDA
UFF
UYM
UDF		 1971–2007
1972–2007
1974–2007
1985–?
Down Orange Welfare DOW 1972–?
Ulster Resistance UR 1986–?
Loyalist Volunteer Force LVF 1997–2005
Orange Volunteers OV 1998–
Red Hand Defenders RHD 1998–
Real Ulster Freedom Fighters Real UFF 2007–

Umbrella groups

Covernames

  • Protestant Action Force (PAF) – commonly used by the UVF
  • Protestant Action Group (PAG) – briefly used by the UVF in the 1970s
  • Loyalist Retaliation and Defence Group (LRDG) – briefly used by the UVF in the 1990s

[edit] Other groups

[edit] References

  1. ^ Alan F. Parkinson(1998), Ulster loyalism and the British media, University of Michigan Press, ISBN 1851823670
  2. ^ http://irishconflict.webs.com/unionistparties.htm
  3. ^ Steve Bruce, The Red Hand: Protestant Paramilitaries in Northern Ireland, 1992
  4. ^ Fergal Cochrane, Unionist Politics and the Politics of Unionism since the Anglo-Irish Agreement, 2001
  5. ^ http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/ni/religion.htm#1a
  6. ^ Peter Taylor, Loyalists, 2000

[edit] External links
Articles
National entities of the british isles.png
Political parties
Forms of nationalism based primarily on ethnicity are listed below. This does not imply that all nationalists with a given ethnicity subscribe to that form of ethnic nationalism.
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