Directory of the Northern Ireland Troubles

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The whole of Northern Ireland has, in some way, been caught up in the Troubles and subsequent peace process. While not a comprehensive guide, the following directory lists and provides links to articles about the main players in its politics and society.

1 Cultural / Religious Groupings
2 Paramilitary Groups
3 Political Parties
4 Political Structures
5 Security Forces

[edit] Cultural / Religious Groupings

Main Churches

The Catholic Church
The Church of Ireland (Protestant Anglican)
The Presbyterian Church
The Methodist Church

Catholic / Nationalist

The Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH)
The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA)

Protestant / Unionist

The Loyal Orders:

[edit] Paramilitary Groups

Anti-terrorist laws in both Ireland and the UK proscribe (ban) membership of a number of republican and loyalist groups organised in Northern Ireland. In addition to these main groups, other smaller paramilitary factions have appeared throughout the Troubles and several cover-names have also been used.

Loyalist proscribed groups

The Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF)
The Orange Volunteers
The Red Hand Commando
The Red Hand Defenders
The Ulster Defence Association (UDA) / Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF)
The Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)

Other loyalist groups / cover-names

Republican proscribed groups

The Continuity Army Council / Continuity IRA (CIRA)
Cumann na mBan
Fianna na hÉireann
The Irish National Liberation Army (INLA)
The Irish People's Liberation Organisation (IPLO)
The Official Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA)
The Real Irish Republican Army (RIRA)
Saor Éire

(see Irish Republican Army for a discussion of how some of these are related)

Other republican groups / cover-names

[edit] Political Parties

Listing includes brief summary of ideology and position on the Good Friday Agreement 1998.

Nationalist / Republican

Provisional Sinn Féin (SF). President: Gerry Adams. Militant nationalist. Often associated with the Provisional IRA. Translation from Irish: "We Ourselves." Pro-Agreement.
The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP). Leader: Mark Durkan. Moderate centre-left nationalist. Pro-Agreement.
The Irish Republican Socialist Party (IRSP). Militant nationalist. Political wing of INLA. Anti-Agreement.
Republican Sinn Féin (RSF). President: Ruairi O'Bradaigh. Militant nationalist. Often associated with republican dissidents. Anti-Agreement.
The Workers Party (WP). President: Sean Garland. Marxist nationalist. Formerly Official Sinn Féin.

Unionist / Loyalist

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). Leader: Ian Paisley. Radical populist unionist. Anti-Agreement.
The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP). Leader: Sir Reg Empey. Moderate conservative unionist. Pro-Agreement.
The Progressive Unionist Party (PUP). Leader: David Ervine. Moderate centre-left unionist. Political wing of UVF. Pro-Agreement.
The UK Unionist Party. Leader: Robert McCartney. Moderate unionist. Supports greater integration with UK. Anti-Agreement.
The Conservative Party also organises and contests elections in Northern Ireland. Moderate unionist. Pro-Agreement.

Other

The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland. Leader: David Ford. Liberal cross-community. Pro-Agreement
The Green Party. Environmentalist. Pro-Agreement.
Ulster Third Way. Supports Northern Ireland independence.

Partially organised in Northern Ireland

Fianna Fáil has a cumann (branch) in Derry but has not contested elections in Northern Ireland since the 1930s. Pro-Agreement.
The British Labour Party accepts members from but does not organise or contest elections in Northern Ireland. Mutual links with SDLP. Pro-Agreement.
The Irish Labour Party has a 'northern forum' which covers Northern Ireland. Mutual links with SDLP. Pro-Agreement.
The Liberal Democrats have a branch in Northern Ireland but do not contest elections. Mutual links with Alliance. Pro-Agreement.