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| The term '''Ulster Loyalist''' is used to describe militant ] from Northern Ireland. Unionists support continuing |
The term '''Ulster Loyalist''' is used to describe militant ] from ]. Unionists support continuing Northern Ireland's membership in the ] and oppose joining the ] in a ]. Recently, many unionists have stopped describing themselves as '']'', as this term has become synonymous with militant extremism, violence and ]. The term is also often used to describe the illegal ] organisations which favour using terrorism to ensure that Northern Ireland remains in the United Kingdom. | ||
| Upon Irish independence in 1921, the |
Upon Irish independence in 1921, the four counties of ] which had ] majorities opted to stay out of the independent ] (later the ]) and remain a part of the ]. They took two other counties with them, as their combined population still had a unionist majority. | ||
| The difference of opinion between Northern Ireland's ] ] population, who mostly support leaving the ] in favour of ] to form one country and the |
The difference of opinion between Northern Ireland's ] population, who mostly support leaving the ] in favour of ] to form one country and the Protestant population who oppose joining the Republic of Ireland has led to a long-running bloody conflict in Northern Ireland known as ]. The majority of people who live in the region do not support paramilitaries of any ideology, although the British state has long struggled to convince many of its legitimacy. | ||
| ==Loyalist political parties== | ==Loyalist political parties== | ||
| *] | *] | ||
| *] | *] | ||
| Bigger parties like the ] or ] parties often referred to themselves as loyalist in the past (especially the latter), although in recent years they have moved away from this term, and now actively discourage its use. | |||
| ==Loyalist fraternities== | ==Loyalist fraternities== | ||
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| *] | *] | ||
| == |
==Loyalist paramilitary groups== | ||
| *] | *] | ||
| *] | *] | ||
Revision as of 23:40, 4 February 2006
The term Ulster Loyalist is used to describe militant unionists from Northern Ireland. Unionists support continuing Northern Ireland's membership in the United Kingdom and oppose joining the Republic of Ireland in a united Ireland. Recently, many unionists have stopped describing themselves as loyalist, as this term has become synonymous with militant extremism, violence and terrorism. The term is also often used to describe the illegal paramilitary organisations which favour using terrorism to ensure that Northern Ireland remains in the United Kingdom.
Upon Irish independence in 1921, the four counties of Ulster which had Protestant majorities opted to stay out of the independent Irish Free State (later the Republic of Ireland) and remain a part of the United Kingdom. They took two other counties with them, as their combined population still had a unionist majority.
The difference of opinion between Northern Ireland's Roman Catholic population, who mostly support leaving the United Kingdom in favour of reuniting with the Republic of Ireland to form one country and the Protestant population who oppose joining the Republic of Ireland has led to a long-running bloody conflict in Northern Ireland known as the Troubles. The majority of people who live in the region do not support paramilitaries of any ideology, although the British state has long struggled to convince many of its legitimacy.
Loyalist political parties
Bigger parties like the Ulster Unionist or Democratic Unionst parties often referred to themselves as loyalist in the past (especially the latter), although in recent years they have moved away from this term, and now actively discourage its use.