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GLOSSARY OF LOYALIST ORGANISATIONS
Ulster Volunteer Force:A Loyalist Paramilitary group claiming descent from Sir Edward Carson's UVF of 1912 but established in modern times in the mid-1960s by Shankill Road Loyalists,when it carried out the first killings of the current troubles.Banned in June 1966,it was legalised briefly in April 1974 before again being declared illegal in October 1975.
Young Citizens' Volunteers:Originally a Loyalist paramilitary unit in 1912 which merged into Carson's UVF,the name was revived by the UVF for its junior wing,a copy of the IRA's Fianna.
Ulster Defence Association:The largest Loyalist paramilitary organisation,the UDA was established in Belfast in 1971 and proscribed in 1992.
Ulster Freedom Fighters:A cover name first used by members of the UDA in 1973.
Ulster Young Militants:The UDA's equivalent of the YCV.The name was used to claim some UDA killings in the mid-1970's.
Red Hand Defenders:A violent loyalist splinter group which emerged in 1998 in opposition to the Good friday agreement.Composed of dissident members of the main loyalist groups,it has engaged in sectarian gun and bomb attacks on catholics and their homes.
Orange Volunteers:A violent splinter group which emerged in 1998 in opposition to the Belfast agreement,it is composed of dissidents from the main Loyalist Organisations.
Loyalist Volunteer Force:A dissident faction of the UVF formed in the late 1990's,it was mainly made up of former mid-ulster UVF members opposed to the organisations ceasefire in the late 1990's.It also attracted supporters in North and West Belfast and carried out a number of sectarian killings following the death of it's leader Billy Wright.
Red Hand Commando:A small,violent loyalist group mainly confined to Belfast,it was established in 1972 and has always remained close to the UVF.
Apprentice Boys of Derry:One of the Protestant 'Loyal Orders',it organises various annual demonstrations commemorating the events surrounding the siege of Derry in 1688,when apprentices closed the citys gates on the approach of the army of king James II.With around 10,000 members,some of its parades have been the subject of controversy.
Orange Order:The largest of the Loyal orders,it was founded in County Armagh in 1795 and by the time of the Home Rule controversies in the late nineteenth century,had expanded into an important politico-religious grouping which united all forms of unionism in opposition to irish nationalism and British government efforts at constitutional change.Throughout its existence its tradition of marching,sometimes through 'nationalist' districts,has caused controversy.Its extensive programme of marches culminates annually on July 12th in a commemoration of the victory of King William III at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.
Progressive Unionist Party:The political wing of the UVF,it is a small political party based mostly in West,North and East Belfast since the early 1970's and recieves limited electoral support outside those areas.Its most prominent representitives are David Ervine and Bill Hutchinson.
Democratic Unionist Party:Founded in 1971 and formerly known as the Protestant Unionist Party,under the leadership of Ian Paisley it has opposed any move seen as weakining the position of Northern Ireland within the Union.The DUP attracts a strong working class Protestant vote.
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