Mural of the Young Militants.

This was on the side of a house marking which military batallion of the UDA protects the area.

The Ulster Volunterr Force springs from an original army formed to fight during the war.

The Military wing of the UDA.

A funeral for a Volunteer.

For Scottish volunteers

For UVF members in memorium.

The UDA and UVF both have youth wings.

I got drunk here a lot.

Unfortunately, the Orangemen are lackeys of the British Capitalists, whether they are aware of it or not.

Point

Tá an ealaíon go h-íontach ar fad agus an gcreidfeá go bhfuil clainn ag maireachtáil i dtíthe mar sin? Tá béarlagar na harm acú frsisin amahail arm naisiúntach ach i ndairíre, níl iontú ach bithiúnaí ag díol drugaí agus mar sin de.

Protestantism is made up of Orangeman, Appretice Boys, Loyalists and Unionists. They are no more lackeys of the British state than you are of the US. There are strands of Militant Loyalism, most notabley the PUP and the UVF who are most progressive politically and you will find now after years of working on their political outlook, totally at odds with Unionists and Orangeman. In the history of the UK, it is Loyalists who have had the strongest thread of civili disobedience towards the British government. Austin has made some mistakes with his photographs however, attributing two murals to the wrong groups. The UVF also recently forced the English WNP (White Nationalist Party) out of Ballymena at gun point for harrasing a local mosque, something the IRA with it's Belgium Nazi friends has been suprisingly lax in doing. The politics in Northern Ireland are changing dramatically as the disintegration of Sinn Fein to true radicals is showing. Loyalists are certainly leading the way in working class politics.

In what way is Sinn Fein disintegrating? By being invited to the U.S. (Gerry Adams) by Clinton? By gaining electoral power, only to have the elections cancelled by Blair?

Okay, I see what you were trying to say. I misunderstood. I believe you were saying that Sinn Fein are not true radicals, and you're right.

Without the military struggle, Sinn Fein are fucked. Just because you get your arse licked by Clinton (lots of votes in Boston boyos') doesn't stop the fact that the RA are out racketeering for drug money and those within the movement have desserted them to continue. Without the armed struggle, there is no more romance associated with the RA, and Sinn Fein are exposed as the marxist fools they always were.

Michael, yes I did wonder...accepted.

Clive, a little simplistic, but yes without the military struggle they are suffering. The PUP have said however they believe that McGuiness has been excellent in the role of Education Minister and acknowledge that non-sectarian input could not have come from a Unionist minister in the same role. The sooner groups like PUP get elected working class people in Ulster may really have an opportunity.

I suggest you go to Britain and see for yourself if there is or not, a working class. Cause and Effect with regard to the drug dealing possibly, or you could go down to some of the projects in LA and see for yourself. What do you call those people savaged there by their circumstances, "Ghetto Dwellers"?

Dave,

I'd like to know more about where you stand, and where you think things are heading. With which "group" do you indentify most? Are you Irish? Irish-American? I agree about Clinton and the Boston votes, etc.

What did you think of Tom Hayden's book? Maybe you haven't read it. He's totally washed up, but still I found the book informative and inspiring.

I'm not too familiar with "progressive" Loyalists as I'm so distracted by the Orangemen. Where can I read about that? Also, what do you think about the different Socialist groups in Ireland/UK? That's a lot, I know, but I'm kinda starved for info.

I am an Ulsterman (from Belfast,) who has lived in the US for two months (with my new wife.) In 1983 I was sentenced to life imprisonment for the attempted murder of a Sinn fein councillor when I was 19, and a member of the notorious 'C Company' of the UDA/UFF.

(Now famous for being led by the drug dealer and UDA director of Terrorism "Mad Dog Adair, look him up on Google.)

In the Maze I undertook a degree in English literature and was among a small group who actually switched to the UVF after the murder of John McMichael of the UDA, who along with Gusty Spence of the UVF had tried to form coherent and political ideologies for working class loyalists who were being usurped by the Tories of the Unionist Parties. The UDA returned to murder and gangsterism after McMichael's tragic death, but the UVF decreed that sectarianism would be the death of Ulster and working class Protestant ideals. Needless to say, that was not a popular move with my company. Using the umbrella UPRS the UVF formed solid ideas how Ulster could become Independent from the UK and Eire which eventually led to us agreeing to the ceasefire that still holds with Republicans. Unfortunately in the last three years the UVF and UFF (UDA) have been at war and there seems no end to it and the PUP seems to be becoming more and more isolated from the UVF, though it is in effect its military command. I have not read the book or heard of the author you mention, but I will say this: The term "Irish American" tends to raise the shackles of many people, as they are called "Plastic Paddies" and are painful, to say the least. They are of no use unless they have cash. One former member of the RA who I know quite well says they are regarded as "pains in the butt" I have certainly found that over here when people hear my accent they tell me shit like "I'm Irish" and it turns out either some amazingly distant relative was Irish, or they were bitten by an Irish Wolf Hound!

The UDA are fascist, the UVF are left leaning/ micro-socialist. I am running out of time, but I do recommend "The Red Hand" by Professor Steve Bruce of Aberdeen University, or the excellent series "Loyalists" by BBC journalist Peter Taylor, which some cable stations occasionally show.

Unfortunately, though they are obsessed with conspiracy theories, I would have to say the IWCA (a front for Red Action) are much more in touch with the working classes needs. IWCA stands for Independent Working Class Association. The SWP are a disgrace.