Vocabulary Words For People And Power (Northern Ireland)

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Anglican

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one of the Protestant churches in Ireland, the church of Ireland

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Black and Tans

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Special force created by British Prime Minister David Lloyd George in 1920 to help fight the IRA

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B-Specials

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part time armed Special Police Constables who served in Northern Ireland from 1922 until 1970

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By election

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on-off election held between major elections, usually because of the death or resignation of an MP or councillor

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Celt/Celtic

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ancient peoples who migrated to Ireland and settled it in the Iron Age

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Civil Rights

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equal treatment for all citizens, whatever their religion, nationality or political beliefs

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commission

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in investigation into particular events, usually set up by the government and headed by a senior judge

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constitution

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the basic rules which set out how a country is run and how it makes its laws

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curfew

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a restriction placed on people in a certain place, usually preventing them from going out of their homes after dark

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Dail Eirann

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the parliament of the Republic of Ireland, set up in 1918 when Ireland was still ruled by Britain

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decommissioning

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process in which paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland give up their weapons

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DUP

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Democratic Unionist Party, hard line Loyalist party led by Ian Paisley

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Easter Rising

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rebellion against British rule organised by the Irish Republican Brotherhood which took place on Easter Monday 1916

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Ecumenical

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a movement which involved different Churches co-operating with each other

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Fenians

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name often given to the Irish Republican Brotherhood. Fenians were originally an invincible army from ancient Irish mythology

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Gaelic

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term to describe ancient Irish language, culture and people

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gerrymandering

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arranging the boundaries of electoral districts in such a way as to distort the vote

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guerrilla

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type of warfare involving hit and run attacks rather than open battles

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home rule

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measure to give Ireland its own parliament to rule itself, but leaving Ireland within the British empire

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humanitarian

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concern for human dignity and compassion

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INLA

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Irish National Liberation Army, a Republican paramilitary group formed in 1974

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integrated

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schools which educate students from all communities in Northern Ireland rather than Protestant or Catholic

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internment

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policy of arresting and holding suspects without trial

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IRA

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Irish Republican Army - republican paramilitary organisation formed in 191 and active at various stages of the conflict in Northern Ireland

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IRB

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Irish Republican Brotherhood - republican organisation, also known as Fenians, formed in 1858

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jacobite

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supporters of Catholic King James II in the late 1600s

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Loyalism / Loyalist

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hardline Unionism - loyalists are loyal to the monarch of the United Kingdom

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Loyal Orange Order

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a Protestant organisation formed in 1795 - opposed to the Catholic Church, connected to unionist political parties and best known for marches and parades

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Nationalism / Nationalist

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political view which wants a united Ireland free of connections to the United Kingdom

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ombudsman

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a government official whose role is to investigate complaints into the actions of local councils or similar organisations

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paramilitaries

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violent republican and loyalist organisations

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political prisoner

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person in prison because of political beliefs rather than having committed any crimes

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Presbyterian

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one of the main Protestant churches in Northern Ireland

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proportional representation

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system of voting which ensures minority groups gain fair representation in parliament

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referendum

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vote on a key issue to see whether the population approves or disapproves of a particular action by the government

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reprisals

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revenge attacks

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Republican

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extreme nationalist political view, usually prepared to support force to achieve a united Ireland with no connection to Britain

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RUC

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Royal Ulster Constabulary - the police force of Northern Ireland

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SDLP

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Social and Democratic Labour Party - main democratic nationalist party in Northern Ireland

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Sectarian

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term used to describe religious and/or political conflict in Northern Ireland

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segregated

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separate schooling for Catholics and Protestants

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Sinn Fein

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republican political party with close links to the IRA

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socialism

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political belief which focuses on working people and poorer members of society to improve their lives by spreading wealth more evenly through society

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status quo

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the existing situation

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Taoiseach

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leader of the Irish Republic (term first used by Eamon de Valera in 1937). (de Valera was played by Alan Rickman -'Professor Snape'- in Michael Collins :)

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Troubles

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conflict in Northern Ireland, can describe conflict of 1919-21 or from 1969 onwards

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UDA

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Ulster Defence Association - main loyalist paramilitary organisation

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Ulster

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one of the four provinces which make up Ireland, consisting of nine counties

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UFF

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Ulster Freedom Fighters - loyalist paramilitary organisation

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Ulster Unionist Party

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main Unionist party in Northern Ireland

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Unionist

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political view supporting the parliamentary union of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

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United Irishmen

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radical political movement which tried to break the links between Britain and Ireland in the 1790s

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UVF

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Ulster Volunteer Force - loyalist paramilitary organisation