The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the Troubles.

The Troubles historical ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland that lasted about 30 years from the late 1960s to 1998. Also known internationally as the Northern Ireland conflict, it is sometimes described as an "irregular war" or "low-level war". The conflict began in the late 1960s and is usually deemed to have ended with the Good Friday Agreement of 1998. Although the Troubles mostly took place in Northern Ireland, at times violence spilled over into parts of the Republic of Ireland, England, and mainland Europe.

Main articles

Paramilitaries

Laws in both the Republic of Ireland and the UK proscribe (ban) membership of a number of Irish republican and Ulster loyalist groups. Several other smaller paramilitary factions have appeared throughout the Troubles, and some groups have used cover-names to deflect responsibility for attacks.

In this context, operational refers to the period during which the 'official' paramilitary campaign was conducted.

Republicans

Name Initials Operational
Saor Éire1967–1975
Provisional Irish Republican ArmyPIRA1970–2005
Official Irish Republican ArmyOIRA1970–1972
Irish National Liberation ArmyINLA1974–2009
Irish People's Liberation OrganisationIPLO1986–1992
Continuity Irish Republican ArmyCIRA1994–
Real Irish Republican ArmyRIRA1997–
Óglaigh na hÉireann (Real IRA splinter group)ONH2009–

Umbrella groups

Loyalists

Name Initials Operational
Ulster Protestant VolunteersUPV1966–1969
Ulster Volunteer Force
Red Hand Commando
UVF
RHC
1966–
1972–2007
Ulster Defence Association
Ulster Freedom Fighters
UDA
UFF
1971–
Ulster ResistanceUR1986–?
Loyalist Volunteer ForceLVF1996–2005
Orange VolunteersOV1998–
Red Hand DefendersRHD1998–

Umbrella groups

Cover names used by paramilitaries

Periods of activity

In the table below:

  • The period of activity for republican groups is shown in green.
  • The period of activity for loyalist groups is shown in orange.
  • The period of ceasefire is shown in grey.
Group Year
70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99
Provisional IRA
Official IRA
UVF
UDA
INLA
IPLO
Continuity IRA
Real IRA
LVF

State security forces

United Kingdom

Northern Ireland

Republic of Ireland

Political parties

Listing includes brief summary of ideology and position on the Good Friday Agreement 1998.

Irish nationalist

Pro-Agreement

Anti-Agreement

Others

Unionist

Pro-Agreement

Anti-Agreement

Other

Political structures

Northern Ireland government

1921–1972

1998–

Northern Ireland legislatures

1921–1972
The Parliament of Northern Ireland:

1972–1998

1998–

Republic of Ireland government

United Kingdom government

Peace process

Co-operative bodies

Key steps in the peace process

Cultural and religious organisations

Religious

Sporting

Politico-religious fraternal organisations

Unionist/Protestant

Nationalist/Catholic

References

  1. "Interim Report on the Report of the Independent Commission of Inquiry into the Dublin and Monaghan Bombings" (PDF). Joint Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women’s Rights. Oireachtas. December 2003 via Conflict Archive on the Internet (CAIN).
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