Troubles

:The "Troubles" is a term used to describe two periods of violence in Ireland during the twentieth century. This article describes the latter; for the earlier Troubles, see Anglo-Irish War and Irish Civil War.

Significant groups

Some significant groups are:

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Nationalist or Republican political parties

• Sinn Féin (Irish: "We Ourselves") - President: Gerry Adams. Militant nationalist party, which has often been linked to the republican Provisional IRA.
• The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) - Leader: Mark Durkan. Moderate nationalist party.

Unionist or loyalist political parties

• The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) - Leader: Ian Paisley. Radical unionist party. Ian Paisley is also the Moderator of the Free Presbyterian Church
• The Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) - Leader: David Ervine - Radical unionist party, which has been linked to the loyalist UVF.
• The UK Unionist Party - Leader: Robert McCartney. Moderate unionist party supporting greater integration with the United Kingdom.
• The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) - Leader: Sir Reg Empey. Moderate/conservative unionist party.

The Conservative Party also organises and contests elections in Northern Ireland.

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Other parties

• The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
• The Natural Law Party
• The Northern Ireland Women's Coalition

The Labour Party does not organise in Northern Ireland. The Liberal Democrats are associated with the Alliance Party.

Related Topics:
Labour Party - Liberal Democrats

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Republican paramilitary groups

• The Continuity Irish Republican Army
• The Irish National Liberation Army
• The Provisional Irish Republican Army
• The Real Irish Republican Army

See Irish Republican Army for a discussion of how some of these are related.

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Loyalist paramilitary groups

• The Loyalist Volunteer Force
• The Orange Volunteers
• The Red Hand Commando
• The Red Hand Defenders
• The Ulster Defence Association
• The Ulster Freedom Fighters
• The Ulster Volunteer Force