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The term Ulster Loyalist is used to describe a Unionist from Northern Ireland. Unionists support continuing Northern Ireland's membership in the United Kingdom and oppose joining the Republic of Ireland. Many Unionsts do not, however, identify with the term Loyalist, especially those who perceive themselves to be from "higher" social classes. The term is also often used to describe the illegal paramilitary organisations which favour using terrorism to ensure that Northern Ireland remaining in the UK.
The Loyalist community is almost entirely Protestant and is mostly decended from the loyalist English and Scottish protestant settlers sent to the Irish province of Ulster during the 17th and 18th centuries by England to create a loyalist protestant base in Ireland.
Upon Irish independence in 1921, the six 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.
The difference of opinion between Northern Ireland's Roman Catholic Irish population, who mostly support leaving the United Kingdom in favour of uniting with the Republic of Ireland to form one country and the Anglo and Scotch Protestant population who oppose joining the Republic of Ireland has led to a long-running bloody conflict in Northern Ireland known as The Troubles. It should be noted, however, the majority of people who live in the province do not support the paramilitaries.
Loyalist political parties
Parties such as the Ulster Unionist or Democratic Unionst parties are referred to by some as "Loyalist" though the wider term, "Unionist'" is more correct here.