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Irish Political History series

Ulster Loyalism

Terminology Loyalism Unionism Key documents Belfast Agreement Government of Ireland Act 1920 Solemn League and Covenant Sunningdale Agreement Parties Vanguard Unionist Progressive Party Ulster Democratic Party Progressive Unionist Party Paramilitaries Ulster Volunteer Force Ulster Defence Association Real Ulster Freedom Fighters Loyalist Volunteer Force Orange Volunteers Red Hand Commandos Red Hand Defenders Red Branch Knights Ulster Young Militants Combined Loyalist Military Command ULCCC Young Citizen Volunteers Other Organisations Loyalist Association of Workers Peep O'Day Boys Tara Ulster Political Research Group Ulster Resistance Ulster Workers Council Cultural "The Twelfth" Apprentice Boys of Derry Orange Institution Royal Black Preceptory 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 & links Monarchy in the Irish Free State Irish Nationalism Irish republicanism Irish Unionism

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Ulster loyalism is a militant Unionist ideology held by mostly Protestant members of the Ulster community in Northern Ireland. Some individuals claim that that Ulster loyalists are working class unionists willing to use violence in order to achieve their aims.^[1] 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."^[2]

Unionists support the continuation of Northern Ireland's membership in the United Kingdom and oppose joining the Republic of Ireland in a united Ireland. However, whilst some 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.

Upon Irish independence in 1921 — despite a majority of Irish people desiring a united Ireland — six of the nine counties in the province of Ulster were permitted to opt out of the independent Irish Free State (later the Republic of Ireland). These counties, four out of the six having Protestant majorities, remained a part of the United Kingdom. The other two Ulster counties also remained part of the UK, despite having narrow Irish nationalist majorities. 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.

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) 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.

It should of course be realised that not all Roman Catholics are Nationalist/Republicans, and not all Protestants are Unionist/Loyalists.

Contents 1 Political parties 2 Fraternities 3 Paramilitary groups 3.1 Youth groups 3.2 Umbrella organisations 4 Other loyalist organisations 5 Footnotes 6 External links

• Progressive Unionist Party
• Ulster Democratic Party

Bigger parties like the Ulster Unionist or Democratic Unionist parties have actively sought to distance themselves from loyalist paramilitary activity. However, Ian Paisley and his Democratic Unionist Party have worked alongside loyalist paramilitary groups such as the UDA in the 1974 Ulster Workers Council strikes and the 1977 Loyalist Association of Workers strike.

• Orange Order
• Apprentice Boys of Derry
• Independent Orange Order

• Ulster Volunteer Force
• Ulster Defence Association
• Loyalist Volunteer Force
• Ulster Protestant Volunteers
• Orange Volunteers
• Red Hand Commandos
• Red Branch Knights
• Ulster Resistance

• Ulster Young Militants
• Young Citizen Volunteers

• Combined Loyalist Military Command
• Ulster Loyalist Central Co-ordinating Committee

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

1. ^ Steve Bruce, The Red Hand: Protestant Paramilitaries in Northern Ireland, 1992
2. ^ Fergal Cochrane, Unionist Politics and the Politics of Unionism since the Anglo-Irish Agreement, 2001

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