Ulster Cúige Uladh
Location
Statistics
Area:	24,481 km²
Population (2006 estimate)	1,993,918

Ulster (Irish: Cúige Uladh / Ulaidh, Ulster Scots: Ulstèr, IPA: [ˈkwɪɟɪ ˈʌlˠu / ˈʌlˠi]) is one of the four provinces of Ireland, in addition to Connacht, Munster and Leinster. The term is often used informally as a synonym for Northern Ireland.^[1] When under Gaelic rule, Ireland was divided into provinces to replace the earlier system of the túatha. ... Ulster refers primarily to the province of Ulster, one of the four provinces on the island of Ireland. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Ulster. ... map File links The following pages link to this file: Ulster Categories: GFDL images ... This article is about the physical quantity. ... Ulster Scots, also known as Ullans, Hiberno-Scots, or Scots-Irish, refers to the variety of Scots (sometimes referred to as Lowland Scots) spoken in parts of the province of Ulster, which spans the six counties of Northern Ireland and three of the Republic of Ireland. ... When under Gaelic rule, Ireland was divided into provinces to replace the earlier system of the túatha. ... Statistics Area: 17,713. ... Statistics Area: 24,607. ... Statistics Area: 19,774. ... Synonyms (in ancient Greek, συν (syn) = plus and όνομα (onoma) = name) are different words with similar or identical meanings. ... Northern Ireland (Irish: , Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a constituent country of the United Kingdom lying in the northeast of the island of Ireland, covering 5,459 square miles (14,139 km², about a sixth of the islands total area). ...

Geography and demographics

Ulster has a population of just under 2 million people and an area of 24,481 square kilometres (8,952 square miles). Its biggest city, Belfast has an urban area of over half a million inhabitants. Six of Ulster's nine counties, Antrim (Aontroim), Armagh (Ard Mhacha), Down (An Dún), Fermanagh (Fear Manach), Londonderry (Doire) (formerly known as County Coleraine before being renamed and expanded during the Plantation of Ulster) and Tyrone (Tír Eoghain), form Northern Ireland, and remained part of the United Kingdom after the partition of Ireland in 1921. Three Ulster counties, Cavan (An Cabhán), Donegal (Dún na nGall) and Monaghan (Muineachán) form part of the Republic of Ireland. About half of Ulster's population lives in Counties Antrim and Down. Many inhabitants (especially unionists) refer to the six-county Northern Ireland as "Ulster". Square kilometre (US spelling: Square kilometer), symbol km², is an SI unit of surface area. ... This article is about the unit of measure. ... For other uses, see City (disambiguation). ... This article is about the city in Northern Ireland. ... Look up million in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For much of its history, the island of Ireland was divided into 32 counties (Irish language contae or condae, pronounced IPA: ). Two historical counties, County Desmond and County Coleraine, no longer exist, while several county names have changed. ... Statistics Province: Ulster County Town: Antrim Area: 2,844 km² Population (est. ... Statistics Province: Ulster County Town: Armagh Area: 1,254 km² Population (est. ... Statistics Province: Ulster County Town: Downpatrick Area: 2,448 km² Population (est. ... Statistics Province: Ulster County Town: Enniskillen Area: 1,691 km² Population (est. ... For other places with similar names, see Londonderry (disambiguation) and Derry (disambiguation). ... The County of Coleraine, also known as County Coleraine, was a county of Ireland. ... The Plantation of Ulster was a planned process of colonisation which took place in the northern Irish province of Ulster during the early 17th century in the reign of James I of England. ... Statistics Province: Ulster County Town: Omagh Area: 3,155 km² Population (est. ... Northern Ireland (Irish: , Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a constituent country of the United Kingdom lying in the northeast of the island of Ireland, covering 5,459 square miles (14,139 km², about a sixth of the islands total area). ... Signature page of the Anglo-Irish Treaty The Anglo-Irish Treaty, officially called the Articles of Agreement for a Treaty Between Great Britain and Ireland, was a treaty between the Government of the United Kingdom and representatives of the extra-judicial Irish Republic that concluded the Irish War of Independence. ... Statistics Province: Ulster County Town: Cavan Code: CN Area: 1,931 km² Population (2006) 63,961 Website: www. ... Statistics Province: Ulster Dáil Éireann: Donegal North East, Donegal South West County Town: Lifford Code: DL Area: 4,841 km² Population (2006) 146,956 Website: www. ... Statistics Province: Ulster County Town: Monaghan Code: MN Area: 1,294 km² Population (2006) 55,816 Website: www. ... In the context of Irish politics, Unionists are people in Northern Ireland, who wish to see the continuation of the Act of Union 1800, as amended by the Government of Ireland Act 1920, under which Northern Ireland, created in that latter Act, remains part of the United Kingdom of Great... Northern Ireland (Irish: , Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a constituent country of the United Kingdom lying in the northeast of the island of Ireland, covering 5,459 square miles (14,139 km², about a sixth of the islands total area). ...

Most people in Ulster speak English; Irish probably comes second by number of fluent speakers^{[citation needed]}. Cantonese forms the third most common language, mostly due to the considerable Chinese community of Belfast, the province's largest city. Belfast has more Chinese restaurants per capita than any other European city^{[citation needed]}. Large parts of County Donegal are in the Gaeltacht (an Irish-speaking district) and a number of people in west Belfast also speak Irish. The dialect of Irish (Gaeilge) most commonly spoken in Ulster (especially throughout Northern Ireland and County Donegal) is Gaeilge Tír Chonaill or Donegal Irish, also known as Gaeilge Uladh or Ulster Irish. Donegal Irish has many similarities to Scottish Gaelic. Ulster-Scots (a dialect of English which is also often known as Ullans) is widely spoken in rural areas throughout Northern Ireland and the east of County Donegal. The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... This article is about all of the Cantonese (Yue) dialects. ... This article is about the city in Northern Ireland. ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) is a member of the Goidelic branch of Celtic languages. ...

Some sources refer to the inhabitants of Ulster as Ultonians - from the traditional Latin form of the name of the province: Ultonia. In the past however, the word Ullish has also been used as an adjective to describe people and things from Ulster. For other uses, see Latin (disambiguation). ...

The biggest lake in Ireland, and in the UK, Lough Neagh, lies in eastern Ulster. The province's highest point, Slieve Donard (848 metres), stands in County Down. The most northerly point of Ireland, Malin Head is in Ulster but not in Northern Ireland - it is in County Donegal as is the highest (601 metres) sea cliffs in Europe, at Slieve League. The longest river in Ireland, the Shannon, rises in County Cavan. Volcanic activity in eastern Ulster led to the formation of the Antrim Plateau and the Giant's Causeway, one of Ireland's three UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The geographical centre of Ulster lies between the villages of Pomeroy and Carrickmore in County Tyrone. In terms of area, County Donegal is the largest county in all of Ulster. The two largest cities in the province are Belfast and Derry/Londonderry. Belfast is Ireland's second largest city. This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Malin Head (Irish: Cionn Mhálanna) Visitors should not miss Banbas Crown Malin Head. ... geography, a cliff is a significant vertical, or near vertical, rock exposure. ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... Slieve League cliffs Located on the coast of County Donegal, Ireland, Slieve League is one of the tallest sea cliffs in Europe. ... Carrick-on-Shannon-Bridge Leitrim Shannon-Bridge Offaly The River Shannon (Irish: altenatively Sionna), Irelands longest river, divides the West of Ireland (mostly the province of Connacht) from the east and south (Leinster and most of Munster). ... Cleveland Volcano in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska photographed from the International Space Station For other uses, see Volcano (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Giants Causeway (disambiguation). ... UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established in 1945. ... A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a specific site (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that has been nominated and confirmed for inclusion on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 State... Pomeroy is a small village in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, on the road between Cookstown and Omagh. ... Carrickmore (Irish: An Charraig Mhór) is a town in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. ... For other places with similar names, see Derry (disambiguation) and Londonderry (disambiguation). ...

Ulster's main airport is Belfast International Airport (popularly called Aldergrove Airport), which is located at Aldergrove, near Antrim Town, in County Antrim. George Best Belfast City Airport (sometimes referred to as "the City Airport" or "the Harbour Airport") is the other, smaller airport in that city. It is located at Sydenham in East Belfast. The City of Derry Airport is located at Eglinton on the eastern outskirts of the city of Derry and is a major airport for the city and its district, West Tyrone and County Donegal. Belfast International Airport (IATA: BFS, ICAO: EGAA) is an airport located some 21 kilometres (13 miles) northwest of Belfast in Northern Ireland. ... City of Derry Airport Entrance. ...

Prehistory

The archaeology of Ulster gives examples of "ritual eclosures" such as the "Giant' Ring" near Belfast which is an earth bank about 590 feet in diameter and 15 feet high in the centre of which there is a dolmen (Riordain, 66).^[2] For referencing in Wikipedia, see Wikipedia:Citing sources. ... Poulnabrone dolmen in County Clare, Ireland For the French TV miniseries, see Dolmen (TV miniseries). ...

History and politics

Early history

Further information: History of Ireland

Ulster is one of the four Irish provinces. Its name derives from the Irish language Cúige Uladh (pronounced "Kooi-gah UH-lah"), meaning "Province (literally 'fifth') of the Ulaidh", named for the ancient inhabitants of the region. The Irish Ulaidh with the addition of the Old Norse stadr (meaning "place" or "territory") yields "Ulaidh Stadr" or, in English, "Ulster." The History of Ireland began with the first known human settlement in Ireland around 8000 BC, when hunter-gatherers arrived from Britain and continental Europe, probably via a land bridge. ... When under Gaelic rule, Ireland was divided into provinces to replace the earlier system of the túatha. ... Many place names in Ireland in the English language are either anglicisations of those in the Irish language, or completely different, such as the name for the capital of the Republic of Ireland, which in English is Dublin, but in Irish is Baile Átha Cliath. ... This article is about the modern Goidelic language. ... The Ulaid, also known as the Ulaidh and the Ulad, are a people of Early Ireland who gave their name to the Irish Province of Ulster. ... Old Norse or Danish tongue is the Germanic language once spoken by the inhabitants of the Nordic countries (for instance during the Viking Age). ...

The province's early story extends further back than written records and survives mainly in legends such as the Ulster Cycle. In early medieval Ireland, the Uí Néill (O'Neill) dynasty dominated Ulster from their base in Tír Eóghain (Eoghan's Country) - modern County Tyrone. The Ó Domhnaill (O'Donnell) dynasty were Ulster's second most powerful clan from the early thirteenth-century through to the beginning of the seventeenth-century. The O'Donnell's ruled over Tír Chonaill (modern County Donegal) in West Ulster. After the Norman invasion of Ireland in the twelfth century, the east of the province fell by conquest to Norman barons, first De Courcy (died 1219), then Hugh de Lacy (1176-1243), who founded the Earldom of Ulster - based around the modern counties of Antrim and Down. However, by the end of the 15th century the Earldom had collapsed and Ulster had become the only Irish province completely outside of English control. The Ulster Cycle, formerly the Red Branch Cycle, is a large body of prose and verse centering around the traditional heroes of the Ulaid in what is now eastern Ulster. ... The Uí Néill (Irish for descendants of Niall Uí pronounced Ee: ) were an Irish dynasty who claimed descent from Niall Noigiallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages), a semi-historical High King of Ireland who died about 405. ... A tower house near Quin. ... John de Courcy (1160 – 1219) created the earl of Ulster, to which dignity was attached the lordship of Connaught, in 1181. ... Hugh de Lacy, 1st Earl of Ulster (~1176 – after December 26, 1242), was the younger son of Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath. ... The title of Earl of Ulster has been created several times in the Peerages of Ireland and the United Kingdom. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ...

In the 1600s Ulster was the last redoubt of the traditional Gaelic way of life, and following the defeat of the Irish forces in the Nine Years War (1594-1603) at the battle of Kinsale (1601), Elizabeth I's English forces succeeded in subjugating Ulster and all of Ireland. The Gaelic leaders of Ulster, the O'Neills and O'Donnells, finding their power under English suzerainty limited, decamped en masse in 1607 (the Flight of the Earls) to Roman Catholic Europe. This allowed the Crown to settle Ulster with more loyal English and Scottish planters, a process which began in earnest in 1610. “Gael” redirects here. ... The Nine Years War (Irish: Cogadh na Naoi mBliana) in Ireland took place from 1594 to 1603 and is also known as Tyrones Rebellion. ... Siege of Kinsale - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... This article is about Elizabeth I of England. ... ONeill (also spelled ONeil, ONeal) may refer to: In places: ONeill, Nebraska, a US city ONeil, Florida, a US town In business: ONeill (brand), a wetsuit and surf clothing manufacturer In education: ONeill Collegiate and Vocational Institute, a school in Oshawa, Ontario People... ODonnell Coat of Arms Alternative ODonnell Coat of Arms ODonnell (Irish: Ó Dónaill or Ó Dómhnaill), which is derived from the forname Domhnaill (meaning world ruler, Rex Mundi in Latin, Modern Irish spelling, Dónall) were an ancient and powerful Irish clan, kings, princes, and lords of... Suzerainty (pronounced or ) is a situation in which a region or people is a tributary to a more powerful entity which allows the tributary some limited domestic autonomy to control its foreign affairs. ... The Flight of the Earls (Irish: Teitheadh na nIarlaí) refers to the departure from Ireland on 14 September 1607 of Hugh ONeill, 2nd Earl of Tyrone and Rory ODonnell, 1st Earl of Tyrconnell. ... This article is about the monarchy of the United Kingdom, one of sixteen that share a common monarch; for information about this constitutional relationship, see Commonwealth realm; for information on the reigning monarch, see Elizabeth II. For information about other Commonwealth realm monarchies, as well as other relevant articles, see... This article is about the country. ... Plantations in 16th and 17th century Ireland involved the seizure of land owned by the native Irish and granting of it to colonists (planters) from Britain. ...

Plantations and civil wars

The Plantation of Ulster, run by the government, settled only the counties confiscated from those Irish families that had taken part in the Nine Years War. The Crown dispossessed thousands of the native Irish, who were forced to move to poorer land. Counties Donegal, Tyrone, Armagh, Cavan, Londonderry and Fermanagh comprised the official plantation. However, the most extensive settlement in Ulster of English, Scots and Welsh — as well as Protestants from throughout the European continent^{[citation needed]}— occurred in Antrim and Down. These counties, though not officially planted, had suffered de-populatation during the war and proved attractive to settlers from nearby Scotland. This unofficial settlement continued well into the 18th century, interrupted only by the Catholic uprising of 1641. The Plantation of Ulster was a planned process of colonisation which took place in the northern Irish province of Ulster during the early 17th century in the reign of James I of England. ... Statistics Province: Ulster Dáil Éireann: Donegal North East, Donegal South West County Town: Lifford Code: DL Area: 4,841 km² Population (2006) 146,956 Website: www. ... Statistics Province: Ulster County Town: Omagh Area: 3,155 km² Population (est. ... Statistics Province: Ulster County Town: Armagh Area: 1,254 km² Population (est. ... Statistics Province: Ulster County Town: Cavan Code: CN Area: 1,931 km² Population (2006) 63,961 Website: www. ... For other places with similar names, see Londonderry (disambiguation) and Derry (disambiguation). ... Statistics Province: Ulster County Town: Enniskillen Area: 1,691 km² Population (est. ... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... Statistics Province: Ulster County Town: Antrim Area: 2,844 km² Population (est. ... Statistics Province: Ulster County Town: Downpatrick Area: 2,448 km² Population (est. ... The Irish Rebellion of 1641 began as an attempted coup détat by Irish Catholic gentry, but rapidly degenerated into bloody intercommunal violence between native Irish Catholics and English and Scottish Protestant settlers. ...

This rebellion, initially led by Phelim O'Neill, was intended to seize power rapidly, but quickly degenerated into attacks on Protestant settlers. Dispossessed Catholics slaughtered thousands of Protestants, an event which remains strong in Ulster Protestant folk-memory. In the ensuing wars (1641 - 1653, fought against the background of civil war in England, Scotland and Ireland), Ulster became a battleground between the Protestant settlers and the native Irish Catholics. In 1646, the Irish Catholic army under Owen Roe O'Neill inflicted a bloody defeat on a Scottish Covenanter army at Benburb in County Tyrone, but the Catholic forces failed to follow up their victory and the war lapsed into stalemate. The war in Ulster ended with the defeat of the Irish Catholic army at the Battle of Scarrifholis on the western outskirts of Letterkenny, County Donegal, in 1650 and the occupation of the province by the Cromwellian New Model Army. The atrocities committed by all sides in the war poisoned the relationships between Ulster's ethno-religious communities for generations afterwards. Sir Felim ONeill of Kinard (died 1652), better known as Phelim ONeill was an Irish nobleman who led the Irish Rebellion of 1641 in Ulster which began on October 22, 1641. ... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... Folk culture refers to the localized lifestyle of a subsistence or otherwise inward looking culture. ... The Irish Confederate Wars were fought in Ireland between 1641 and 1653. ... The Wars of the Three Kingdoms were an intertwined series of conflicts that took place in Scotland, Ireland, and England between 1639 and 1651 at a time when these countries had come under the Personal Rule of the same monarch. ... Eoghan Rua Ó Néill, anglicised as Owen Roe ONeill (c. ... James VI of Scotland (James I of England) was opposed by the Covenanters in his attempt to bring the Anglican Church into Scotland The Covenanters formed an important movement in the religion and politics of Scotland in the 17th century. ... Combatants Irish Confederate Catholics Ulster Army Scots Covenanters and English and Scottish settlers Commanders Owen Roe ONeill Robert Monro (d. ... The battle of Scarrifholis was fought in Donegal in north-western Ireland, on the 21st of June 1650, during the Irish Confederate Wars – part of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. ... Combatants English Royalists and Irish Catholic Confederate troops English Parliamentarian New Model Army troops and allied Protestants in Ireland Commanders James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde (1649 - Dec. ... For the band, see New Model Army (band). ...

Forty years later, in 1688-1691, the former warring parties re-fought the conflict in the Williamite war in Ireland, when Irish Catholics ("Jacobites") supported James II (deposed in the Glorious Revolution) and Ulster Protestants (Williamites) backed William of Orange. At the start of the war, Irish Catholic Jacobites controlled all of Ireland for James, with the exception of the Protestant strongholds at Derry and at Enniskillen in Ulster. The Jacobites besieged Derry from December 1688 to July 1689, when a Williamite army from Britain relieved the city. The Protestant Williamite fighters based in Enniskillen defeated another Jacobite army at the battle of Newtownbutler on July 28, 1689. Thereafter, Ulster remained firmly under Williamite control and William's forces completed their conquest of the rest of Ireland in the next two years. Ulster Protestant irregulars known as "Enniskilleners" served with the Williamite forces. The war provided Protestant loyalists with the iconic victories of the Siege of Derry, the Battle of the Boyne (1 July 1690)and the Battle of Aughrim (12 July 1691), all of which their descendants still commemorate today. See also: Twelfth of July. An interesting side note is that the Pope's image is traditionally burnt at these commemorations however the Pope at the time of the Williamite war actually supported William of Orange. For the context of this war see Jacobitism and Glorious Revolution. ... Charles Edward Stuart, Bonnie Prince Charlie, wearing the Jacobite blue bonnet Jacobitism was (and, to a very limited extent, remains) the political movement dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England and Scotland. ... James II (14 October 1633 – 16 September 1701)[1] became King of England, King of Scots,[2] and King of Ireland on 6 February 1685. ... The Glorious Revolution, also called the Revolution of 1688, was the overthrow of King James II of England (VII of Scotland) in 1688 by a union of Parliamentarians and the Dutch stadtholder William III of Orange-Nassau (William of Orange), who as a result ascended the English throne as William... Williamite refers to the followers of William III of England who deposed James II in the Glorious Revolution. ... William III of England, II of Scotland and III of Orange (The Hague, 14 November 1650 – Kensington Palace, 8 March 1702) was a Dutch aristocrat, the Prince of Orange from his birth, Stadtholder of the main provinces of the Dutch Republic from 28 June 1672, King of England and King... For other places with similar names, see Derry (disambiguation) and Londonderry (disambiguation). ... , Enniskillen (from the Irish: Inis Ceithleann meaning Kathleens Island) is the county town (and largest town) in County Fermanagh and the west of Northern Ireland. ... For context see the Williamite war in Ireland and Jacobitism. ... The battle of Newtownbutler in 1689 was part of the Williamite war in Ireland. ... is the 209th day of the year (210th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1689 (MDCLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 10-day slower Julian calendar). ... For the township in Canada, see Loyalist, Ontario In general, a loyalist is an individual who is loyal to the powers that be. ... For context see the Williamite war in Ireland and Jacobitism. ... Combatants Jacobite Forces -6000 French troops, 19,000 Irish Catholic troops Williamite Forces -English, Scottish, Dutch, Danish, Huguenot and Ulster Protestant troops Commanders James VII and II William III of England Strength 25,000 36,000 Casualties ~1,500 ~750 William III (William of Orange) King of England, Scotland and... is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events Giovanni Domenico Cassini observes differential rotation within Jupiters atmosphere. ... The Battle of Aughrim was the decisive battle of the Williamite war in Ireland. ... is the 193rd day of the year (194th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events March 5 - French troops under Marshal Louis-Francois de Boufflers besiege the Spanish-held town of Mons March 20 - Leislers Rebellion - New governor arrives in New York - Jacob Leisler surrenders after standoff of several hours March 29 - Siege of Mons ends to the city’s surrender May 6... Annual Protestant celebrations on the 12th of July, originating in Ireland, commonly known as The Twelfth but also as, Orangemens Day or as the Boyne celebrations, commemorating the Battle of the Boyne in 1690 and the Glorious Revolution. ...

The Williamites' victory in this war ensured British and Protestant supremacy in Ireland for over 100 years. The Protestant Ascendancy in Ireland excluded most of Ulster's population from power on religious grounds. Roman Catholics (descended from the indigenous Irish) and Presbyterians (mainly descended from Scottish planters, but also from indigenous Irishmen who converted to Presbyterianism) both suffered discrimination under the Penal Laws, which gave full political rights only to Anglican Protestants (mostly descended from English settlers). In the 1690s, Scottish Presbyterians became a majority in Ulster, tens of thousands of them having emigrated there to escape a famine in Scotland. The Protestant Ascendancy refers to the political, economic, and social domination of Ireland by Anglican landowners, Church of Ireland clergy, and professionals during the 17th, 18th, and 19th century. ... Much of the recent sociological debate on power revolves around the issue of the constraining and/or enabling nature of power. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Presbyterianism is part of the Reformed churches family of denominations of Christian Protestantism based on the teachings of John Calvin which traces its institutional roots to the Scottish Reformation, especially as led by John Knox. ... The Penal laws in Ireland (Irish: Na Péindlíthe) refers to a series of laws imposed under British rule that sought to discriminate against majority native Catholic population but also against Protestant dissenters in favour of the established Church of Ireland which recognised the English monarchy as its spiritual... The term Anglican describes those people and churches following the religious traditions of the Church of England, especially following the Reformation. ...

Emigration

Considerable numbers of Ulster-Scots just a few generations after arriving in Ulster migrated to the North American colonies throughout the 18th century (250,000 settled in what would become the United States between 1717 and 1770 alone). According to Kerby Miller, Emigrants and Exiles: Ireland and the Irish Exodus to North America (1988), Protestants were one-third of the population of Ireland, but three-quarters of all emigrants from 1700 to 1776; 70% of these Protestants were Presbyterians. North America North America is a continent [1] in the Earths northern hemisphere and (chiefly) western hemisphere. ... Presbyterianism is part of the Reformed churches family of denominations of Christian Protestantism based on the teachings of John Calvin which traces its institutional roots to the Scottish Reformation, especially as led by John Knox. ...

Disdaining (or forced out of) the heavily English regions on the Atlantic coast, most groups of Ulster-Scots settlers crossed into the "western mountains", where their descendants populated the Appalachian regions and the Ohio Valley. Here they lived on the frontiers of America, carving their own world out of the wilderness. The Scotch-Irish soon became the dominant culture of the Appalachians from Pennsylvania to Georgia. Author (and U.S. Senator) Jim Webb puts forth a thesis in his book Born Fighting to suggest that the character traits he ascribes to the Scots-Irish such as loyalty to kin, mistrust of governmental authority, and a propensity to bear arms, helped shape the American identity. For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... The Appalachian Mountains are a vast system of mountains in eastern North America. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... For other persons named James Webb, see James Webb (disambiguation). ...

In the United States Census, 2000, 4.3 million Americans claimed Scots-Irish ancestry, though James Webb suggests estimates that the true number of Scotch-Irish in the USA is more in the region of 27 million.[1] Interestingly, the areas where the most Americans reported themselves in the 2000 Census only as "American" with no further qualification (e.g. Kentucky, north-central Texas, and many other areas in the Southern US) are largely the areas where many Scots-Irish settled, and are in complementary distribution with the areas which most heavily report Scots-Irish ancestry. 2000 US Census logo The Twenty-Second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Frankfort Largest city Louisville Area  Ranked 37th  - Total 40,444 sq mi (104,749 km²)  - Width 140 miles (225 km)  - Length 379 miles (610 km)  - % water 1. ... For other uses, see Texas (disambiguation). ... The U.S. Southern states or The South, known during the American Civil War era as Dixie, is a distinctive region of the United States with its own unique historical perspective, customs, musical styles, and cuisine. ...

Republicanism, rebellion, and communal strife

Most of the eighteenth century saw a calming of sectarian tensions in Ulster. The economy of the province improved, as small producers exported linen and other goods. Belfast developed from a village into a bustling provincial town. However, this did not stop many thousands of Ulster people from emigrating to British North America in this period, where they became known as "Scots Irish" or "Scotch Irish". British North America consisted of the loyalist colonies and territories (i. ... Scots-Irish (also called Ulster Scots) is a Scottish ethnic group that historically resided in Ireland which ultimately traces its roots back to settlers from Scotland, and to a lesser extent, England. ... Ulster-Scots is a term mainly used in Ireland and Britain (Scotch-Irish or Scots-Irishis commonly used in North America) primarily to refer to Presbyterian Scots, or their descendents, who migrated from the Scottish Lowlands to Ulster (the northern province of Ireland), largely across the 17th century. ...

Political tensions resurfaced, albeit in a new form, towards the end of the 18th century. In the 1790s many Catholics and Presbyterians, in opposition to Anglican domination and inspired by the American and French revolutions joined together in the United Irishmen movement. This group (founded in Belfast) dedicated itself to founding a non-sectarian and independent Irish republic. The United Irishmen had particular strength in Belfast, Antrim and Down. Paradoxically however, this period also saw much sectarian violence between Catholics and Protestants, principally members of the Church of Ireland (Anglicans, who practised the state religion and had rights denied to both Presbyterians and Catholics), notably the "battle of the Diamond" in 1795, a faction fight between the rival "Defenders" (Catholic) and "Peep O'Day Boys" (Anglican), which led to over 100 deaths and to the founding of the Orange Order. This event, and many others like it, came about with the relaxation of the Penal Laws and as Catholics began to purchase land and involve themselves in the linen trade (activities which previously had involved many onerous restrictions). Protestants, including Presbyterians, who in some parts of the province had come to identify with the Catholic community, used violence to intimidate Catholics who tried to enter the linen trade. Estimates suggest that up to 7000 Catholics suffered expulsion from Ulster during this violence. Many of them settled in northern Connacht. These refugees' linguistic influence still survives in the dialects of Irish spoken in Mayo, which have many similarities to Ulster Irish not found elsewhere in Connacht. Loyalist militias, primarily Anglicans, also used violence against the United Irishmen and against Catholic and Protestant republicans throughout the province. The Protestant Ascendancy refers to the political, economic, and social domination of Ireland by Anglican landowners, Church of Ireland clergy, and professionals during the 17th, 18th, and 19th century. ... For other uses, see Revolution (disambiguation). ... The Society of the United Irishmen was a political organisation in eighteenth century Ireland that sought independence from Great Britain. ... Sectarianism is an adherence to a particular sect or party or denomination, it also usually involves a rejection of those not a member of ones sect. ... This article is about the city in Northern Ireland. ... Statistics Province: Ulster County Town: Antrim Area: 2,844 km² Population (est. ... Statistics Province: Ulster County Town: Downpatrick Area: 2,448 km² Population (est. ... The Church of Ireland (Irish: ) is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion, operating seamlessly across the border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. ... The Battle of the Diamond was a sectarian skirmish fought in northern Ireland in 1795 that led to the formation of the Orange Order. ... The Defenders were a militant agrarian secret society in 18th century Ireland, who were involved in the 1798 rebellion. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... Orange parade in Glasgow (1 June 2003) The Orange Institution, more commonly known as the Orange Order, is a Protestant fraternal organisation based predominantly in Northern Ireland and Scotland with lodges throughout the Commonwealth and in Canada and the United States. ... The Penal laws in Ireland (Irish: Na Péindlíthe) refers to a series of laws imposed under British rule that sought to discriminate against majority native Catholic population but also against Protestant dissenters in favour of the established Church of Ireland which recognised the English monarchy as its spiritual... Statistics Area: 17,713. ... Places called Mayo include:hi County Mayo, a county in Ireland Mayo, a settlement in County Mayo, Ireland Mayo, a place in the U.S. state of Florida Mayo, a town in Trinidad and Tobago The Division of Mayo, an Australian Electoral Division in South Australia Mayo, a town in... Ulster Irish is the dialect of the Irish language spoken in the province of Ulster. ... For other uses, see Loyalist (disambiguation). ... The term Anglican describes those people and churches following the religious traditions of the Church of England, especially following the Reformation. ... The Society of the United Irishmen was a political organisation in eighteenth century Ireland that sought independence from Great Britain. ... Fianna Fáil - The Republican Party (Pronounced fee-na fall.) (English: Soldiers of Destiny) is the largest political party in the Republic of Ireland. ...

In 1798 the United Irishmen, led by Henry Joy McCracken, launched a rebellion in Ulster, mostly supported by Presbyterians. But the British authorities swiftly put down the insurgents and employed severe repression after the fighting had ended. In the wake of the failure of this rebellion, and following the gradual abolition of official religious discrimination after the Act of Union in 1800, Presbyterians came to identify more with the State and with their Anglican neighbours, who perceived them as the lesser of two evils. Henry Joy McCracken Henry Joy McCracken (31 August 1767 – 17 July 1798) was a cotton manafacturer and industrialist, Presbyterian, radical Irish republican, and a founding member, along with Theobald Wolfe Tone, James Napper Tandy, and Robert Emmet, of the Society of the United Irishmen. ... Combatants United Irishmen French First Republic Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Commanders Local leaders, General Humbert Cornwallis Lake Strength  ? Various, at peak mid-June c. ... The Act of Union 1800 merged the Kingdom of Ireland and the Kingdom of Great Britain (itself a merger of England and Wales and Scotland under the Act of Union 1707) to create the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland on 1 January 1801. ... Presbyterianism is part of the Reformed churches family of denominations of Christian Protestantism based on the teachings of John Calvin which traces its institutional roots to the Scottish Reformation, especially as led by John Knox. ...

Industrialisation, Home Rule, and partition

In the 19th century, Ulster became the most prosperous province in Ireland, with the only large-scale industrialisation in the country. In the latter part of the century, Belfast overtook Dublin as the largest city on the island. Belfast became famous in this period for its huge dockyards and shipbuilding - and notably for the construction of the RMS Titanic. In the 19th century, sectarian divisions in Ulster became hardened into the political categories of unionist (supporters of the Union with Britain, mostly (but not exclusively) Protestant) and nationalist (advocates of an Irish self-government, usually (though not exclusively) Catholic). The origins of Northern Ireland's current politics lie in these late 19th century disputes over Home Rule for Ireland, which Ulster Protestants usually opposed - fearing for their status in an autonomous Catholic-dominated Ireland and also not trusting politicians from the agrarian south and west to support the more industrial economy of Ulster. To resist Home Rule, thousands of unionists, led by the Dublin-born barrister Sir Edward Carson and James Craig, signed the "Ulster Covenant" of 1912, pledging to resist Irish independence. This movement also saw the setting up of the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), the first Irish paramilitary group, in order to resist British attempts to enforce Home Rule. In response, Irish nationalists created the Irish Volunteers - forerunners of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) - to ensure the passing of the Home Rule Act 1914. This article is about the city in Northern Ireland. ... For other uses, see Dublin (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Titanic (disambiguation). ... Sectarianism is an adherence to a particular sect or party or denomination, it also usually involves a rejection of those not a member of ones sect. ... In the Irish context, Unionists form a group of largely (though not exclusively) Protestant people in Ireland, of all social classes, who wish to see the continuation of the Act of Union, as amended by the Government of Ireland Act 1920, under which the Northern Ireland provincial state created in... An Irish nationalist is generally one who seeks (greater) independence of Ireland from Great Britain, including since 1921 the goal of a United Ireland. ... Devolution or Home rule is the pooling of powers from central government to government at regional or local level. ... Edward Henry Carson, Baron Carson (February 9, 1854 - October 22, 1935) was a leader of the Irish Unionists, a Barrister and a Judge. ... James Craig may refer to: James Henry Craig (1748-1812); British military officer and colonial administrator of The Canadas James Craig, Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross in 1855 James Craig, 1st Viscount Craigavon (1871-1940); first Prime Minister of Northern Ireland James Craig, birth name James Henry Meador (1912... The Ulster Covenant was signed by hundreds of thousands of men all over Ulster, Ireland, on and before September 28, 1912, in protest of a Home Rule bill introduced in that same year. ... The Ulster Volunteer Force (more commonly referred to as the UVF) is a Loyalist group in Northern Ireland. ... Irish Volunteers - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... This article is about the historical army of the Irish Republic (1919–1922) which fought in the Irish War of Independence 1919–21, and the Irish Civil War 1922–23. ... The Home Rule Act of 1914, also known as the (Irish) Third Home Rule Act (or Bill), and formally known as the Government of Ireland Act 1914 (4 & 5 Geo. ...

The outbreak of the Great War in 1914, in which thousands of Ulstermen and Irishmen of all religions and sects volunteered and died, interrupted this armed stand-off. In particular, the heavy casualties of the 36th Ulster Division (largely composed of volunteers from the UVF) became a source both of mourning and of pride for the loyalist community, and remains so to the present day. “The Great War ” redirects here. ... For other uses, see Loyalist (disambiguation). ...

In the aftermath of the War, Ireland saw several years of political violence, with Irish nationalists launching a guerrilla campaign against British rule as part of the Anglo-Irish War (January 1919 - July 1921). In Ulster, the fighting generally took the form of street battles between Protestants and Catholics in the city of Belfast. Estimates suggest that about 600 civilians died in this communal violence, the majority of them (58%)Catholics. The I.R.A. remained relatively quiescent in Ulster, with the exception of the south Armagh area, where Frank Aiken led it. A lot of I.R.A. activity also took place at this time in County Donegal and the City of Derry, where one of the main Republican leaders was Peadar O'Donnell. Hugh O'Doherty, a Sinn Féin politician, was elected Mayor of Derry at this time. In the First Dáil, which was elected in late 1918, Prof. Eoin Mac Néill served as the Sinn Féin T.D. for Derry City. An Irish nationalist is generally one who seeks (greater) independence of Ireland from Great Britain, including since 1921 the goal of a United Ireland. ... An Irish War of Independence memorial in Dublin The Anglo-Irish War (also known as the Irish War of Independence) was a guerrilla campaign mounted against the British government in Ireland by the Irish Republican Army under the proclaimed legitimacy of the First Dáil, the extra-legal Irish parliament... Statistics Province: Ulster County Town: Armagh Area: 1,254 km² Population (est. ... Frank Aiken (February 13, 1898 - May 18, 1983) was a senior Irish politician. ...

Partition of Ireland, first mooted in 1912, was introduced with the enactment of the Government of Ireland Act, 1920, which gave self-government to six of Ulster's northeastern counties within the UK. This was confirmed by the Anglo-Irish Treaty (6 December 1921) which ended in the partition of Ireland between the Irish Free State (now the Republic of Ireland) and Northern Ireland. Hostilities formally ceased on July 11, 1921. However, low-level violence, often involving the B-Specials, continued in Ulster, causing Michael Collins to order a boycott on northern produce in protest at the attacks on the Catholic/Nationalist community. In 1921, six of Ulster's nine counties became collectively Northern Ireland remaining in the United Kingdom as per the Government of Ireland Act 1920. When the Irish Free State came into existence in 1922, the Northern Ireland Parliament (already in existence) was given the option to 'opt-out', which it did. For the subsequent general history of Ulster see History of Northern Ireland and History of the Republic of Ireland. An Act to Provide for the Better Government of Ireland, more usually the Government of Ireland Act 1920 (this is its official short title; the formal citation is 10 & 11 Geo. ... Signature page of the Anglo-Irish Treaty The Anglo-Irish Treaty, officially called the Articles of Agreement for a Treaty Between Great Britain and Ireland, was a treaty between the Government of the United Kingdom and representatives of the extra-judicial Irish Republic that concluded the Irish War of Independence. ... is the 340th day of the year (341st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ... This article is about the prior state. ... Northern Ireland (Irish: , Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a constituent country of the United Kingdom lying in the northeast of the island of Ireland, covering 5,459 square miles (14,139 km², about a sixth of the islands total area). ... is the 192nd day of the year (193rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ... The Ulster Special Constabulary (USC) was a reserve force of the Royal Ulster Constabulary. ... Michael John (Mick) Collins (Irish: ; 16 October 1890 – 22 August 1922) was an Irish revolutionary leader, Minister for Finance in the Irish Republic, Director of Intelligence for the IRA, and member of the Irish delegation during the Anglo-Irish Treaty negotiations, both as Chairman of the Provisional Government and Commander... Northern Ireland (Irish: , Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a constituent country of the United Kingdom lying in the northeast of the island of Ireland, covering 5,459 square miles (14,139 km², about a sixth of the islands total area). ... An Act to Provide for the Better Government of Ireland, more usually the Government of Ireland Act, 1920 (this is its official short title; the formal citation is 10 & 11 Geo. ... This article is about the prior state. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The state known today as the Republic of Ireland came into being when twenty-six of the counties of Ireland seceded from the United Kingdom (UK) in 1922. ...

Current politics

Main articles: Demographics and politics of Northern Ireland and Politics of Ireland

Electorally, voting in the six Northern Ireland counties of Ulster tends to follow religious or sectarian lines; noticeable religious demarcation does not exist in the South Ulster counties of Cavan and Monaghan in the Republic of Ireland. Some religious tensions remain in County Donegal (Ulster's largest county), especially in the Laggan Valley and Finn Valley in the east of that county. Culturally, religiously and - to a certain extent - politically, County Donegal has much more in common with Northern Ireland than it does with the rest of the Republic of Ireland, the state of which it forms a part. County Donegal is largely a Catholic county, but with a large Protestant minority. Generally, Protestants in County Donegal vote for Fine Gael^{[citation needed]}. However, religious sectarianism in politics has largely disappeared from the rest of the Republic of Ireland. This was illustrated when Erskine H. Childers, a Church of Ireland member and Teachta Dála (TD, a member of the lower house of the National Parliament) who had represented Monaghan, won election as President of Ireland after having served as a long-term minister under Fianna Fáil Taoisigh Éamon de Valera, Seán Lemass and Jack Lynch. However, upon the Partition of Ireland in the very early 1920's, many Protestants from throughout the new Irish Free State (later called the Republic of Ireland) moved to Northern Ireland. // Population 1,685,267 Place of birth Northern Ireland: 1,534,268 (91. ... Politics of Ireland (the Republic of Ireland) takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the Taoiseach (Prime Minister) is the head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. ... Fine Gael – The United Ireland Party, usually referred to as Fine Gael (IPA: , though often anglicised to ; approximate English translation: Family/Tribe of the Irish, is the second largest political party in the Republic of Ireland with a membership of over 34,000, and is the largest opposition party in... Erskine Hamilton Childers (Irish: ; 11 December 1905 – 17 November 1974), the son of Robert Erskine Childers (author of The Riddle of the Sands), served as the fourth President of Ireland from 1973 until his death in 1974. ... The Church of Ireland (Irish: ) is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion, operating seamlessly across the border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. ... A Teachta Dála (Irish for Dáil Deputy, pronounced chock-ta dawla) is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower chamber of the Irish Oireachtas or National Parliament. ... Official Seal of the President of Ireland The President of Ireland (Irish: ) is the head of state of the Republic of Ireland. ... Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party (Irish: ), commonly referred to as Fianna Fáil (IPA ; traditionally translated by the party into English as Soldiers of Destiny, though the actual meaning is Soldiers [Fianna] of Ireland[1]), is currently the largest political party in Ireland with 55,000 members. ... The Taoiseach (IPA: , phonetic: TEE-shock — plural: Taoisigh ( or ), also referred to as An Taoiseach [1], is the head of government or prime minister of the Republic of Ireland . ... Éamon de Valera (born with the name Edward George de Valera, IPA: [1][2]) (14 October 1882 – 29 August 1975) was one of the dominant political figures in 20th century Ireland. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... John (Jack) Mary Lynch (15 August 1917—20 October 1999), was the fourth Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland, serving two terms in office; 1966 to 1973 and 1977 to 1979. ...

While the Protestant "bloc vote" continues to exist in County Donegal, especially in the east of the county, where the Orange Order is particularly strong amongst the Protestant community, sectarian politics and sectarian feeling in County Donegal has begun to decline since the Good Friday Agreement (G.F.A.) in April 1998^{[citation needed]}.

The Orange Order freely organises in Counties Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan, with several Orange parades taking place throughout County Donegal each year. The largest Orange march in the Republic of Ireland takes place every July in the tiny village of Rossnowlagh, near Ballyshannon, in the very south of County Donegal. This march - like the other such marches in the county - takes place with the co-operation of An Garda Síochána (the national police force of the Republic) and a rather ambivalent local Catholic community. The Catholic community of Rossnowlagh is often commended for the dignified way in which it deals with this annual "Orange invasion". In the recent past, however, violence has erupted at Orange marches elsewhere in County Donegal, almost exclusively at such events in the east of the county, most notably in the town of Raphoe and in the village of St. Johnston (both in the Laggan Valley).

As of 2006, Northern Ireland has eight Catholic Members of Parliaments (of a total of 18 from the whole of Northern Ireland) in the British House of Commons at Westminster; and the other three counties have one Protestant T.D. of the ten it has elected to Dáil Éireann, the Lower House of the Oireachtas, the parliament of the Republic of Ireland. At present (August 2007) County Donegal sends six T.D.'s to Dáil Éireann. The county is divided into two constituencies: Donegal North-East and Donegal South-West, each with three T.D.'s. County Cavan and County Monaghan form the one constituency called Cavan-Monaghan, which sends four T.D.'s to the Dáil (one of whom is a Protestant). The Republic's parties have long ceased to base their selection of candidates purely on any religious criteria. For most of the twentieth century they chose at least one candidate from a Protestant background to attract the Protestant vote, but the disappearance of a block Protestant vote (except in County Donegal) voting exclusively for a candidate on the basis of religion (with Protestant voters instead voting primarily for local candidates irrespective of religion) means that selection now depends largely on considerations of geography when electing TDs to Dáil Éireann under its Proportional Representation system. Again, County Donegal differs here in that a Protestant "block vote" continues, especially in the east of the county. 2006 is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a parliament. ... Type Lower House Speaker Michael Martin, (Non-affiliated) since October 23, 2000 Leader Harriet Harman, (Labour) since June 28, 2007 Shadow Leader Theresa May, (Conservative) since May 5, 2005 Members 659 Political groups Labour Party Conservative Party Liberal Democrats Scottish National Party Plaid Cymru Democratic Unionist Party Sinn Féin... Westminster is a district within the City of Westminster in London. ... This article is about the current Irish body. ... This article is about the current Irish body. ... Proportional representation (sometimes referred to as full representation, or PR), is a category of electoral formula aiming at a close match between the percentage of votes that groups of candidates (grouped by a certain measure) obtain in elections and the percentage of seats they receive (usually in legislative assemblies). ...

The historic Flag of Ulster served as the basis for the Ulster Banner (often referred to as the Flag of Northern Ireland), which was the flag of the Government of Northern Ireland until the proroguing of the Stormont parliament in 1973. The Flag of Ulster The Flag of Ulster, one of the four provinces of Ireland, consists of a red cross on a golden field (from the arms of Norman coloniser, John de Courcy), charged with a white shield and the red hand. ... Flag of Northern Ireland - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... The Parliament Buildings of Northern Ireland The Executive Committee met there. ... Stormont may refer to: Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Stormont Stormont, a suburb and electoral ward of East Belfast Stormont (electoral district), a Canadian federal electoral district Parliament of Northern Ireland nickname that might include the Executive Committee of the Privy Council of Northern Ireland Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry...

Sport

In Rugby union, the Ulster branch of the Irish Rugby Football Union (I.R.F.U.) plays as a professional club in the Magners League formerly the Celtic League, along with clubs from Wales, Scotland and the professional clubs from the other Irish Provinces (Leinster, Munster and Connacht). Notable Ulster rugby players include Willy John McBride, Jack Kyle and Mike Gibson. The Former is the most capped British and Irish Lion of all time, having completed 4 tours with the British and Irish Lions in the sixties and seventies. For other uses, see Rugby (disambiguation). ... The Irish Rugby Football Union Ulster Branch (also known as Ulster Rugby) is one of four branches of the IRFU, and is responsible for rugby union in the Irish province of Ulster, six counties of which are in Northern Ireland and three in the Republic of Ireland. ... The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) is the body managing rugby union in Ireland. ... The Celtic League, currently known as the Magners League for sponsorship reasons, is an annual rugby union competition involving regional sides from Ireland, Scotland and Wales. ... The Celtic League, currently known as the Magners League for sponsorship reasons, is an annual rugby union competition involving regional sides from Ireland, Scotland and Wales. ... This article is about the country. ... This article is about the country. ... Official website www. ... Official website www. ... The Irish Rugby Football Union Connacht Branch (the professional team of which which is run by Connacht Rugby) is one of four branches of the IRFU, and is responsible for rugby union in the Irish province of Connacht. ...

Cricket is also popular throughout Ulster, especially in Northern Ireland and in the east of County Donegal. The game is mainly played and followed by members of the Protestant community.

In Gaelic Games, Ulster counties compete with the other Irish counties in the All-Ireland Championships and National Leagues, as well as in the All-Ireland inter-club championships. The whole province fields a team to play the other provinces in the Railway Cup. Gaelic football is by far the most popular of the GAA sports in Ulster but has counties Antrim, Armagh, Derry, and Down existing as both hurling and Gaelic football counties. Gaelic games are the native sports of Ireland: principally Hurling, Gaelic Football and Camogie. ... External links Ulster Council website Category: ... As an attributive, All Ireland emphasises the entire island of Ireland, as opposed to either the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland. ... The Railway Cup, the Interprovincial Championship or the Martin Donnelly Cup is the name of two annual Gaelic football and hurling competetitions held between the provinces of Ireland. ... Gaelic Football (Irish: Peil, Peil Gaelach or Caid ), commonly referred to as football, or Gaelic , is a form of football played mainly in Ireland. ... For other uses, see GAA (disambiguation). ... The Antrim County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association (Irish: Cumann Lúthchleas Gael Coiste Chontae Aontroma) or Antrim GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic Games in County Antrim. ... The Armagh County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association (Irish: Cumann Lúthchleas Gael Coiste Chontae Ard Mhacha) or Armagh GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic Games in County Armagh. ... The Derry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association (Irish: Cummann Luthchleas Gael Coiste Contae Doire) or Derry GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic Games in County Derry. ... The Down County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association (Irish: Cummann Luthchleas Gael Coiste An Dún) or Down GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic Games in County Down. ... For the Cornish sport, see Cornish Hurling. ...

The border has divided Football (soccer) teams since 1921[2]. The Irish Football Association (IFA), based in south Belfast, oversees football in Northern Ireland while the Football Association of Ireland (FAI), based in Merrion Square in central Dublin, oversees football in the Republic of Ireland. As a result, Northern Ireland has its own international team and separate football championships take place (Irish League in Northern Ireland, League of Ireland in the rest of Ulster and Ireland). Anomalously, Derry City F.C. has played in the League of Ireland since 1985 due to crowd trouble at some of their Irish League matches prior to this. Aside from Derry City F.C., the other major Ulster team in the League of Ireland is Finn Harps (based at Finn Park in Ballybofey, a town in the Finn Valley of County Donegal). There have been cup competitions between teams from both sides of the border, most recently in the Setanta Sports Cup. A player (wearing the red kit) has penetrated the defence (in the white kit) and is taking a shot at goal. ... Year 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ... The Irish Football Association (IFA) is the organising body for football in Northern Ireland. ... The Football Association of Ireland (FAI; Irish: Cumann Peile na h-Éireann) is the organising body for the sport of association football (soccer) in the Republic of Ireland. ... For the Irish FAs all-Ireland international team, see Ireland national football team (IFA). ... The Irish Football League (IFL), or Irish League, is a league of football (soccer) clubs in Northern Ireland. ... The FAI eircom League of Ireland (Irish: Curadh na hÉireann Cumann Peile na hÉireann) is the Republic of Irelands new national football league system created following the merging of the FAI and the League of Ireland. ... Derry City Football Club (Irish: , IPA: ) is an Irish football club based in Derry, Northern Ireland. ... The Setanta Sports Cup, commonly known as the Setanta Cup, is a club football competition featuring teams from both football associations on the island of Ireland. ...

References noted

1. ^ http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Ulster
2. ^ Riordain, S.O. 1966 (reprint). Antiquities of the Irish Countryside. University Paperbacks, London. Methuen & Co Ltd

General references

The Ulster Countryside. Deane, C.Douglas. 1983. Century Books. ISBN 0 903152 17 7

Further reading

• Morton, O. 1994. Marine Algae of Northern Ireland. Ulster Museum, Belfast. ISBN 0900761 28 8
• Stewart and Corry's Flora of the North-east of Ireland. Third edition. Institute of Irish Studies, The Queen's University of Belfast

See also

• Ulster nationalism
• Northern Ireland
• Kings of Ulster
• Provinces of Ireland
• Ulster-Scots (people)
• Ulster Scots language
• Mid Ulster English
• Ulster Irish
• Plantation of Ulster
• Plantations of Ireland
• Ulster Covenant
• Culture of Ulster
• Ulster GAA
• Ulster Rugby

Ulster nationalism seeks the independence of either Ulster or Northern Ireland from both the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. ... Northern Ireland (Irish: , Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a constituent country of the United Kingdom lying in the northeast of the island of Ireland, covering 5,459 square miles (14,139 km², about a sixth of the islands total area). ... A list of the Kings of Ulster from earliest known times to 1201. ... When under Gaelic rule, Ireland was divided into provinces to replace the earlier system of the túatha. ... Ulster-Scots is a term mainly used in Ireland and Britain (Scotch-Irish or Scots-Irishis commonly used in North America) primarily to refer to Presbyterian Scots, or their descendents, who migrated from the Scottish Lowlands to Ulster (the northern province of Ireland), largely across the 17th century. ... Ulster Scots, also known as Ullans, Hiberno-Scots, or Scots-Irish, refers to the variety of Scots (sometimes referred to as Lowland Scots) spoken in parts of the province of Ulster, which spans the six counties of Northern Ireland and three of the Republic of Ireland. ... Mid Ulster English (Ulster Anglo-Irish) is the dialect of most people in Ulster, including those in the two main cities. ... Ulster Irish is the dialect of the Irish language spoken in the province of Ulster. ... The Plantation of Ulster was a planned process of colonisation which took place in the northern Irish province of Ulster during the early 17th century in the reign of James I of England. ... Plantations in 16th and 17th century Ireland involved the seizure of land owned by the native Irish and granting of it to colonists (planters) from Britain. ... The Ulster Covenant was signed by hundreds of thousands of men all over Ulster, Ireland, on and before September 28, 1912, in protest of a Home Rule bill introduced in that same year. ... Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland. ... External links Ulster Council website Category: ... The Irish Rugby Football Union Ulster Branch (also known as Ulster Rugby) is one of four branches of the IRFU, and is responsible for rugby union in the Irish province of Ulster, six counties of which are in Northern Ireland and three in the Republic of Ireland. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Ulster

• BBC Nations History of Ireland
• Inconvenient Peripheries: Ethnic Identity and the United Kingdom EstatePDF (96.8 KiB) The cases of “Protestant Ulster” and Cornwall, by Professor Philip Payton
• Mercator Atlas of Europe Map of Ireland ("Irlandia") circa 1564
• Copeland Bird Observatory [3]