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Old 01-20-2018, 09:26 PM   #583
tom8517
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It's somewhat simplistic to cast the troubles as a sectarian conflict. Certainly there aspects of it based in religion, but this was primarily on one side. The Catholic church in Ireland was, in some respects still is, a very conservative organization. Catholic doctrine has more in common with the views of the DUP than Sinn Fein. There were periods in the last century when IRA membership would earn you an excommunication.

Ulster Unionists, and the Orange Order in particular are closely aligned with Protestantism. Irish Republicanism had no such relationship with the Roman Catholic church. The IRA could be called many things, terrorists perhaps, Marxists, at least until the split with the officials. And certainly former elements engage in criminal enterprise for fun and profit today. But not sectarian.

The founding father of modern Irish republicanism, Theobold Wolfe Tone was a protestant. Protestants played a significant role in republican activity thru the next two centuries. That most republicans in the north today are Catholics is more coincidental than intentional. Martin McGuiness was in fact a devout Catholic, he was much more the exception than the rule.

Last edited by tom8517; 01-20-2018 at 09:38 PM.
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