List of Acronyms Associated with 'the Troubles'

* Material is added to this site on a regular basis, information on this page may change.

Text: Martin Melaugh

Page Compiled By: Ciarán Mullan

The following is a draft list of acronyms of organisations, etc., that have been used in the context of the Northern Ireland conflict during the past 30 years.

Scroll to Letter:

A B C D E F G H I L M N O P Q R S T U V W

A

American Ancient Order of Hibernians

Apprentice Boys of Derry

Anti-Discrimination Association

Anglo-Irish Agreement

Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Council

Anti-Internment League

Association for Legal Justice

Ancient Order of Hibernians

APL

Anti-Partition League

Alliance Party of Northern Ireland

B

British Broadcasting Corporation

British-Irish Association

British-Irish Interparliamentary Body

British-Irish Intergovernmental Council

British Ulster Dominion Party

C

Continuity Irish Republican Army (CIRA)

(See: Continuity Irish Republican Army (CIRA): also ICAC: Irish CAC)

Catholic Anti-Discrimination

Committee on the Administration of Justice

Confederation of British Industry

Central Citizens' Defence Committee

Central Community Relations Unit

Campaign for Democracy in Ulster

Campaign for a Devolved Parliament

Catholic Ex-Servicemen's Association

Campaign for Equal Citizenship

Continuity Irish Republican Army

Combined Loyalist Military Command

Campaign for Labour Representation in Northern Ireland

Communist Party of Ireland

Communist Party of Northern Ireland

Community Relations Council

Irish National Liberation Army (INLA)

[See: Irish National Liberation Army (INLA)]

Centre for the Study of Conflict

Campaign for Social Justice in Northern Ireland

Central Statistical Office

D

Direct Action Against Drugs

Derry Citizens' Action Committee

Derry Citizens' Defence Committee

Department of Economic Development

Derry Housing Action Committee

Democratic Left

Department of the Environment

Director of Public Prosecutions

Derry Unemployed Action Committee

Democratic Unionist Loyalist Coalition

Democratic Unionist Party

(also UDUP: Ulster DUP)

E

ECHR

European Commission of Human Rights

EMU

Education for Mutual Understanding

Equal Opportunities Commission

EPA

Emergency Provisions Act

F

Families Against Intimidation and Terror

Fair Employment Agency

Fair Employment Commission

Fair Employment Tribunal

G

Gaelic Athletic Association

GB

Great Britain

H

Homeless Citizens' League

I

IBA

Independent Broadcasting Authority

Irish Continuity Army Council

(also CAC)

Irish Congress of Trade Unions

Industrial Development Board

International Fund for Ireland

Intergovernmental Conference

Irish Independence Party

Independent Labour Party

Irish National Caucus

Irish National Liberation Army

Irish People's Liberation Organisation

Independent Progressive Socialist

Irish Republican Army

(also PIRA Provisional IRA)

Irish Republican Brotherhood

Irish Republican Socialist Party

Irish Transport and General Workers Union

Independent Television News

Independent Television

Irish Workers' Group

L

Loyalist Association of Workers

Loyal Citizens of Ulster

Liberal Democratic Party

Loyal Orange Lodge

Labour Party of Northern Ireland

Loyalist Volunteer Force

M

MEP

Member of the European Parliament

MLA

Member of the Legislative Assembly (NI, 1998-)

Ministry of Defence

Market and Opinion Research International

MP

Member of Parliament

MPA

Member of Parliamentary Assembly (NI, 1982)

Market Research Bureau Ireland

Military Reaction Force

N

National Council for Civil Liberities

National Democratic Party

NI

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland Council for Civil Liberties

Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association

Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action

New Ireland Forum

Northern Ireland Housing Executive

Northern Ireland Housing Trust

Northern Ireland Labour Party

Northern Ireland Office

Northern Ireland Voluntary Trust

Irish Northern Aid Committee

Nationalist Party

New Ulster Movement

New Ulster Political Research Group

O

Official Irish Republican Army

Official Sinn Féin

Official Unionist Party (also UUP)

Orange Volunteers

(also RHD)

P

Protestant Action Force

Protestant Action Group

People's Democracy

Provisional Irish Republican Army

(also IRA)

POW

Prisoner of War

People's Progressive Party

Proportional Representation

Provisional Sinn Féin

Prevention of Terrorism Act

Protestant Task Force

PUP

Progressive Unionist Party

Q

Queen's University of Belfast

R

Royal Air Force

RC

Roman Catholic

Republican Clubs

RDC

Rural District Council

Red Hand Commando

(also UVF)

Red Hand Defenders

(also OV)

Royal Irish Regiment

Republican Labour Party

RM

Resident Magistrate

Republican Sinn Féin

Radio Telefis Éireann

Royal Ulster Constabulary

Royal Ulster Constabulary Reserve

S

Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights

Special Air Service

Shankill Defence Association

Social Democratic and Labour Party

Social Democratic Party

STV

Single Transferable Vote

T

Territorial Army

TD

Teachta Dalá (member of Dáil Éiraeann)

Troops Out Movement

U

Ulster Army Council

Ulster Citizen Army

Ulster Constitution Defence Committee

Ulster Defence Association

(also UFF)

Ulster Dominion Group

UDI

Unilateral Declaration of Independence

Ulster Democratic Party

Ulster Defence Regiment

Ulster Freedom Fighters

(also UDA)

Ulster Independence Committee

Ulster Independence Party

UK

United Kingdom

Ulster Loyalist Association

Ulster Loyalist Central Co-ordinating Committee

Ulster Loyalist Democratic Party

Ulster Labour Party

UN

United Nations

UPA

Ulster Protestant Action

Unionist Party of Northern Ireland

Ulster Popular Unionist Party

Ulster Protestant Volunteers

USA

United States of America

Ulster Special Constabulary (B Specials)

Ulster Special Constabulary Association

Ulster Television

University of Ulster

United Unionist Action Council

Ulster Unionist Party

United Ulster Unionist Council

United Ulster Unionist Movement

United Ulster Unionist Party

Ulster Volunteer Force

(also RHC)

Ulster Workers' Council

V

Vanguard Service Corps

VULC

Vanguard Unionist Loyalist Coalition

Vanguard Unionist Party

Vanguard Unionist Progressive Party

W

WBLC

West Belfast Loyalist Coalition

WPRC

Workers Party Republican Clubs

West Ulster Unionist Council

CAIN contains information and source material on the conflict and politics in Northern Ireland.
CAIN is based within Ulster University.