Is there a difference between Northern Ireland Protestants and other Protestants?
IN terms of actual religious doctrine there is no difference between protestants of the same denomination be they in the north of ireland or elsewhere. The differences arise at the level of political affiliation. Mostly, but not exclusively, Northern Ireland protestants have been “Loyalists” or “unionists”. This means that they support the political link between Britain and Northern Ireland. This link dates back to the year 1800 with the “act of union” of great britain and Ireland. After the Irish war of independance the London govt. set up what was called the boundaries commission to establish the boundary between the Irish “free state” (26 counties in the south) and the remaining 6 counties in the north which continued under the 1800 act of union to be “united” to Great Britain.
