The term loyalist was first used in Irish politics in the 1790s to refer to Protestants who opposed Catholic Emancipation and Irish independence from Great Britain. Ulster loyalism emerged in the late 19th century, in response to the Irish Home Rule movement and the rise of Irish nationalism.
What religion are Northern Ireland loyalists?
In time, two opposing forces coalesced in Northern Ireland largely along sectarian lines: the Catholic “nationalists” versus the Protestant “loyalists.”
Are there any loyalists in Ireland?
Although Irish loyalist paramilitaries have claimed to speak on behalf of their communities and unionists in general, their electoral support is minimal and exclusively based in the urban working class.
Is East Belfast loyalist?
Although east Belfast as a whole is largely Protestant in nature the republican enclave of the Short Strand forms a number of interface areas with neighbouring loyalist districts on the Albertbridge Road and the Newtownards Road.
What is the difference between a unionist and a loyalist?
Like other unionists, loyalists support the continued existence of Northern Ireland within the United Kingdom, and oppose a united Ireland. Unlike other strands of unionism, loyalism has been described as an ethnic nationalism of Ulster Protestants and “a variation of British nationalism”.
What is the Protestant side of Belfast?
The east of the city is predominantly Protestant, typically 90% or more. This area, along with the north of the city, is the main growth pole of the Protestant population.
What percentage of Northern Ireland is Loyalist?
According to a 2018 Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey carried out by Queen’s University Belfast and Ulster University, 62% supported remaining part of the United Kingdom via devolved government or direct rule, with support for leaving the UK and forming a united Ireland at 19%.
Is Belfast English or Irish?
Belfast is the capital of Northern Ireland. The nation is part of the United Kingdom, along with England, Scotland and Wales. The population is approximately 1.895 million (June 2020).
Who are unionists and loyalists in Northern Ireland?
Unionists and loyalists, who for historical reasons were mostly Ulster Protestants, wanted Northern Ireland to remain within the United Kingdom. Irish nationalists and republicans, who were mostly Irish Catholics, wanted Northern Ireland to leave the United Kingdom and join a united Ireland.
Is Shankill a loyalist?
The Shankill Butchers were an Ulster loyalist gang—many of whom were members of the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)—that was active between 1975 and 1982 in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Is West Belfast loyalist?
The UDA West Belfast Brigade is the section of the Ulster loyalist paramilitary group, the Ulster Defence Association (UDA), based in the western quarter of Belfast, in the Greater Shankill area.
Is North Belfast loyalist?
Unlike predominantly nationalist west Belfast or predominantly loyalist east Belfast, the north of the city was, and, to a degree, still remains, a network of villages defined by religion and tribal loyalties.
Who is considered a loyalist?
loyalist, also called Tory, colonist loyal to Great Britain during the American Revolution. Loyalists constituted about one-third of the population of the American colonies during that conflict.
Do people in Northern Ireland consider themselves Irish?
In 2021: 42.8% identified as British, alone or with other national identities. 33.3% identified as Irish, alone or with other national identities. 31.5% identified as Northern Irish, alone or with other national identities.
What makes a loyalist a loyalist?
Loyalists were American colonists who remained loyal to the British Crown during the American Revolutionary War, often referred to as Tories, Royalists or King’s Men at the time. They were opposed by the Patriots, who supported the revolution, and called them “persons inimical to the liberties of America.”
Is Belfast more Catholic or Protestant?
These figures based on the 2021 census at district level mask wide variations on smaller scales. In the Belfast City Council and Derry and Strabane District Council areas, the figures at ward level vary from 99% Protestant to 92% Catholic.
Is the family in Belfast Protestant or Catholic?
Protestant family
“Belfast,” a semi-autobiographical drama set in the eponymous Northern Irish capital in 1969 and 1970, chronicles the struggles of a working class, Protestant family living in a Catholic neighborhood.
Are there more Catholic or Protestant in Belfast?
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The results of the 2021 Northern Ireland census have been released and they show that 42.3% of the population identify as Catholic and 37.3% as Protestant or other Christian.
Are Northern Ireland fans Catholic or Protestant?
Northern Ireland’s international team, which has always included Catholic and Protestant players and staff, has mainly Protestant or unionist supporters, while many northern Catholics or nationalists traditionally follow the Republic of Ireland.
Is Ireland more Catholic or Protestant?
Irish Christianity is dominated by the Catholic Church, and Christianity as a whole accounts for 82.3% of the Irish population. Most churches are organized on an all-Ireland basis which includes both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
Is Northern Ireland considered Catholic or Protestant?
At the 2021 census, the prevalence rates for the main religions were: Catholic (42 per cent); Presbyterian (16 per cent); Church of Ireland (11.5 per cent); Methodist (2.4 per cent); Other Christian or Christian-related denominations (6.9 per cent); other Religions and Philosophies (1.3 per cent); those declaring no