Ulster Clubs

Ulster Clubs

Ulster Clubs were a series of unionist organisations founded in Northern Ireland in the Autumn of 1985.

The Ulster Clubs were initially formed by Alan Wright, whose father was murdered by the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) in 1979, as a support group for the Orange Order to prevent the re-routing of their parades away from Nationalist areas. They sought to expand their role and become an umbrella organisation for the various strands of Unionism after the signing of the Anglo-Irish Agreement later that same year. Initially the Ulster Clubs were adopted enthusiastically a means of facilitating co-ordination between the Unionist parties and their different viewpoints, attracting up to 20,000 members in the first year. However the Clubs, which claimed to stick to constitutional means, soon came to be linked to loyalists including John McMichael, and many mainstream Unionists broke away, alarmed at this growing influence. In November 1986, Alan Wright spoke at the Ulster Hall rally which launched Ulster Resistance.

The Ulster Clubs also became influenced by the ideas of Ulster nationalism as an alternative to Unionism, given that many saw the AIA as a 'sell out' by the British government to which they claimed loyalty. Hugh Ross was a member and developed his Ulster Independence Movement from within the Ulster Clubs, whilst the Ulster Movement for Self-Determination also emerged from within the Clubs.

The Treasurer of the Ulster Clubs, Colin Abernethy was murdered by the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) while travelling to work on the 9th September 1989.

The Ulster Clubs carried on into the early 1990s, although by now their importance had diminished severely as the Ulster Unionist Party and the Democratic Unionist Party had taken joint lead of the anti-AIA campaign and the Clubs had largely been abandoned by mainstream Unionism, with many attracted instead to the 'Third Force' ideas of Ian Paisley. The movement is no longer in existence.

Bibliography

*H. McDonald & J. Cusack, "UDA – Inside the Heart of Loyalist Terror", Dublin, Penguin Ireland, 2004


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Ulster Resistance — was a paramilitary movement established by unionists in Northern Ireland on 10 November 1986 in opposition to the Anglo Irish Agreement. [CAIN entry on Ulster Resistance [http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/othelem/organ/uorgan.htm] ] OriginsThe group was… …   Wikipedia

  • Ulster Hockey Union — The Ulster Hockey Union is the administrative arm of the Irish Hockey Association with responsibility for men s hockey throughout the province of Ulster.The Union is responsible for applying the Laws of hockey and the organisation of competitions …   Wikipedia

  • Ulster nationalism — For Irish nationalism in Northern Ireland, see Irish nationalism#Northern Ireland. The unofficial flag of the Ulster Nation proposed by Ulster nationalists. Ulster nationalism is the name given[1][2 …   Wikipedia

  • Ulster Political Research Group — The Ulster Political Research Group is an advisory body connected to the Ulster Defence Association (UDA), providing advice to them on political matters. The group was permanently founded in January 2002, and is largely a successor to the Ulster… …   Wikipedia

  • Ulster Resistance — Drapeau de la division C de l Ulster Resistance L Ulster Resistance (français : Résistance d Ulster) est un groupe paramilitaire loyaliste nord irlandais fondé le 10 novembre 1986 par Ian Paisley, Peter Robin …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Ulster Independence Movement — The Ulster Independence Movement was an Ulster nationalist political party founded (as the Ulster Independence Committee) on 17th November 1988. [ [http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/images/symbols/flags.htm Flags Used in Northern Ireland] ] The group… …   Wikipedia

  • Ulster Movement for Self-Determination — The Ulster Movement for Self Determination was a minor political movement in Northern Ireland that sought independence for Northern Ireland.Formed in 1986, after emerging from the Ulster Clubs, the UMSD took as its emblem a map of the nine… …   Wikipedia

  • Ulster Defence Regiment — CGC Regimental badge Active 1970 1992 Country …   Wikipedia

  • Ulster Conservatives and Unionists — Leader Tom Elliott MLA Leader of the UUP David Cameron MP Leader of the Conservative Party Founded 2009 Ideology …   Wikipedia

  • Ulster Rugby — Nombre completo Ulster Rugby Fundación 1879 Estadio Ravenhill (12.300 espectadores) Presidente Shane Logan …   Wikipedia Español

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”