Ulster loyalism

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Irish Political History series
Loyalism
Key ideas/documents Unionism Ulster nationalism Monarchism Protestant fundamentalism Armed resistance Ulster Covenant Government of Ireland Act Parties Progressive Unionist Party Ulster Democratic Party Ulster Vanguard Volunteer Political Party Paramilitaries Ulster Volunteer Force Ulster Defence Association Real Ulster Freedom Fighters Loyalist Volunteer Force Orange Volunteers Red Hand Commandos Red Hand Defenders Ulster Protestant Volunteers Ulster Resistance Ulster Young Militants Young Citizen Volunteers CLMC UCDC ULCCC Other Organisations Loyalist Association of Workers Peep O'Day Boys Tara Ulster Political Research Group Ulster Protestant Action Ulster Workers Council Cultural "The Twelfth" Apprentice Boys of Derry Orange Institution Royal Black Institution Songs Billy Boys Derry's Walls God Save the Queen The Sash Symbols and Flags Coat of arms of Northern Ireland Orange order flag Red Hand of Ulster Ulster Banner Union Flag Other movements Anarchism {{IrishA}} Monarchism {{IrishM}} Nationalism {{IrishN}} Republicanism {{IrishR}} Unionism {{IrishU}}
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The Union Flag, Ulster Banner and Orange Order flags are often flown by loyalists in Northern Ireland.

Ulster loyalism is a militant unionist ideology held mostly by Protestants in Northern Ireland.^[1] Some individuals claim that Ulster loyalists are working-class unionists willing to use violence in order to achieve their aims.^[2] However, others, such as Garrett Fitzgerald, argue that loyalism is simply "loyalty to Ulster not to the Union with Britain and it is mis-described as unionism."^[3]

Unionists support the continuation of Northern Ireland's status as a constituent country of the United Kingdom and oppose any joining with the Republic of Ireland in a united Ireland. However, whilst loyalist groups seek to maintain Northern Ireland's position within the UK they are not defined by this aim and some, such as the Ulster Defence Association, have openly supported the idea of Ulster independence. Unionists also believe in achieving their aims through purely constitutional means, but are willing to use violence to defend the constitutional process. However loyalists support the use of militant methods as the primary means to reject amalgamation with the Republic of Ireland. Consequently, anti-Unionists and anti-Loyalists frequently use the term loyalist to describe illegal paramilitary organisations.^{[citation needed]}

Upon the partition of Ireland in 1921, six of the nine counties in the province of Ulster were excluded the independent Irish Free State (later the Republic of Ireland). These counties, four out of the six having Protestant majorities^{[citation needed]}, remained a part of the United Kingdom. Two other Ulster counties also remained part of the UK, despite having nationalist (pro-independence) majorities^{[citation needed]}. 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 Nationalist Catholic population (which mostly supports leaving the UK in favour of uniting with the Republic of Ireland)^{[citation needed]} and its Protestant Unionist population (which mainly supports remaining as part of the United Kingdom) has led to a long-running bloody conflict known as The Troubles. However, the majority of people who live in the region do not support paramilitaries of any ideology^{[citation needed]}.

Political parties

• Progressive Unionist Party (PUP)
• Ulster Democratic Party (UDP)
• Ulster Protestant League (UPL)
• Vanguard Unionist Progressive Party (VUPP) aka Ulster Vanguard
• Volunteer Political Party (VPP)

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

In Great Britain, a small number of right-wing parties have expressed 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 (who formed a Northern Ireland branch called the "Ulster British People's Party").

Bigger 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 paramilitarys such as the UDA in the 1974 Ulster Workers' Council Strikes and the 1977 Loyalist Association of Workers strike.^{[citation needed]}

Fraternities

• Orange Order
• Independent Orange Order
• Apprentice Boys of Derry
• Royal Black Institution

Paramilitary groups

A UVF mural in Carrickfergus

A UDA mural in Belfast

Umbrella groups

• Combined Loyalist Military Command (CLMC)
• Ulster Constitution Defence Committee (UCDC)
• Ulster Loyalist Central Co-ordinating Committee (ULCCC)

Covernames

• Protestant Action Force (PAF) – used by the UVF
• Protestant Action Group (PAG) – used by the UVF
• Loyalist Retaliation and Defence Group (LRDG) – used by the UVF

Other organisations

• Loyalist Association of Workers
• Tara (Northern Ireland)
• Ulster Political Research Group
• Ulster Protestant Action
• Ulster Workers' Council

References

External links

• Progressive Unionist Party - Centre-Left and Social Democratic Loyalist party linked with the Ulster Volunteer Force
• Beyond Conflict - A South-East Antrim organization linked with the Ulster Defence Association
• Loyalist, Unionist and Protestant Resources
• English Loyalists
• Scottish Loyalists
• British Ulster Alliance
• The Ulster Loyalist - Loyalist website with a UDA outlook