Provo- short for Provisional, meaning the Sinn Fein and IRA lead by or associated with Gerry Adams.
Nationalist- in N. Ireland, it refers to people who identify as Irish (some might say "Northern Irish") and, to some small or large degree, support a United Ireland (it's debatable, but there might be some who are so unenthusiastic about a United Ireland that maybe you would say they don't support it). About 90% of the Catholic population are nationalists, as are about 5% of the Protestant population.
Unionist- In N. Ireland it refers to those who identify as British (some might say "Northern Irish") and to some large degree, support N. Ireland remaining part of the UK. About 95% of the Protestant community are Unionists, as are about 10% of the Catholics.
Loyalist- Traditionally means working-class unionist and/or a supporter of loyalist paramilitaries. Many republicans have started using the term "unionist paramilitary" instead of "loyalist paramilitary." I consider the word "loyalist" to be another word for "unionist."
Republican- Traditionally partly defined as supporting armed struggle for a United Ireland. I would say the more important aspect is rejecting the Unionist Veto (the idea that the island will only be united when a voting majority in N. Ireland supports that). (I believe that Sinn Fein, even though they have supported the Good Friday Agreement, won't complain if the British government changes it's position and Ireland is united over the objections of a majority in the North). In the North, I think most people would count republicans as being part of the nationalist community (but they wouldn't identify as Nationalists).
(what you might call an orthodox definition of "republican" is someone who believes that the republic proclaimed in 1916 is still in existence but has been "usurped" by the Republic and N. Ireland; but at this point (2020) I doubt any SF members believe that)
Partition- The division of Ireland.
Six-Counties- Republican term for N. Ireland. (it's made up of six counties)
Twenty-Six Counties- The South or the Republic.
RUC- The police in N. Ireland from that statelet's formation until late 2001, when it was renamed, with some important changes, the Police Service of N. Ireland.
Ulster- A term used by some (Unionists and a lot of British people) for N ireland. The thing is, one of Ireland's four ancient provinces, the northern one, is called Ulster. But three out of it's nine counties are not part of N. Ireland.
Nationalist Community (in N. Ireland, I don't think people hardly ever use it in reference to people in the South)-Those who idenify as Irish/northern irish and support uniting Ireland. Includes northern republicans even though they don't identify as nationalists.
Provisional- Refers to Sinn Fein and the IRA as they were called in the 1970s and 1980s.
Bloody Sunday- in 1972 an anti-internment/civil rights march (organized not by republicans but by veteran civil rights activists, some of whom were slightly hostile to the IRA) was fired on by the British Army. 14 people were killed.
Orange- the color of anti-Catholic bigotry in the Irish-British context.
Sinn Fein- The main republican party in Ireland. In recent decades, with the slight exception of abortion, they lean heavily towards the left and are only moderately pro-life.
Social Democratic and Labour Party- the other main party in the Nationalist community in N. Ireland (they are not organized in the South), and between 1970 and 2001 they were bigger than Sinn Fein. As moderate as the Socialist International has become, the SDLP belong there less than Tony Blair, as I explain here.
“UNDER CONSTRUCTION” I’ll probably be adding new terms here a few times a month for several months before it’s complete
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