23 May 2013
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Recent History - Northern Ireland: The Troubles

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Fact Files

Brief guides to the political parties and paramilitaries of Northern Ireland.

Political Parties

Paramilitaries

Political Parties

Paramilitaries

• Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
• Democratic Unionist Party
• Northern Ireland Women's Coalition
• Social Democratic and Labour Party
• Sinn Féin
• Progressive Unionist Party
• Ulster Democratic Party
• Ulster Unionist Party
• United Kingdom Unionist Party
• Northern Ireland Unionist Party

• Irish Republican Army
• Provisional IRA
• Official IRA
• Continuity IRA
• The Real IRA/32-County Sovereignty Movement
• Irish National Liberation Army
• Direct Action Against Drugs
• Ulster Defence Association/Ulster Freedom Fighters
• Ulster Volunteer Force
• Loyalist Volunteer Force
• Red Hand Defenders/Orange Volunteers

Irish Republican Army


		The IRA was founded in 1922, immediately after partition, to fight for an independent Ireland. It is the main republican paramilitary group from which most others originated, including the provisional, real and continuity IRA, and the Irish National Liberation Army. close this fact file

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