Democratic Unionist Party (DUP)
synonyms: Ulster Democratic
Unionist Party (UDUP)
One of the two main Unionist political parties in Northern Ireland.
The DUP was formed in September 1971 by Ian Paisley and Desmond Boal who was then Member of Parliament
for Shankill. Boal said the party would be "right wing in
the sense of being strong on the Constitution, but to the left
on social policies". The party took over from the Protestant
Unionist Party. The DUP has stood in Northern Ireland local government
elections, various local assemblies, Westminster general elections,
and elections to the European Parliament. Down through the years the main objective of the party has been to defend Northern Ireland's constitutional position within the United Kingdom. The DUP campaigned vigorously for a 'No' vote in the Referendum campaign in May 1998 on the Good Friday Agreement (GFA). In the elections that followed in June 1998 for the new Northern Ireland Assembly the party polled 18% of the first preference vote and won 20 seats. This entitled it to take two seats in the Executive and it used this position to maintain the party's opposition to the GFA. Such an approach has brought further electoral success for the DUP and at the elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly in November 2003 it emerged as the largest party winning 25.7% of the first preference vote and 30 seats. With subsequent defections from its main political rival, the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), this figure rose to 33 in January 2004. In addition the DUP has one Member of the European Parliament, Ian Paisley, and six Westminster Members of Parliament Gregory Campbell, Jeffrey Donaldson (who defected to the party from the UUP in January 2004), Nigel Dodds, Ian Paisley, Peter Robinson, and Iris Robinson.
[Main Entry]
[Web Site]
Department of Economic Development (DED)
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Department of Education Northern Ireland (DENI), Community Relations Branch (CRB)
The Community Relations Branch of DENI plays a role in trying
to improve community relations between young (up to the age of
25) people in Northern Ireland. DENI provides grants and other
financial support under a number of programmes. DENI supports
various voluntary reconciliation bodies, provides grants to schools
engaged in cross-community contact schemes, and also supports
projects in the area of cultural traditions.
[Web Site]
Department of the Environment (DOE)
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Departments of Government
Under the system of direct rule from Westminster introduced in 1972 Northern Ireland was administered by six government departments: Environment (DOE); Economic Development (DED); Education (DENI); Health and Social Services (DHSS); Finance and Personnel (DFP); and Agriculture (DOA). When devolved power was returned to the Northern Ireland Assembly in November 1999 a major overhaul of these existing structures had already been proposed. As a result ten new Government Departments were established: Agriculture and Rural Development; Culture, Arts and Leisure; Education; Enterprise, Trade and Investment; Environment; Finance and Personnel; Health, Social Services and Public Safety; Training and Employment (later changed to Employment, Learning and Further Education); Regional Development; and Social Development.
Derry Citizens' Action Committee (DCAC)
A group established on 9 October 1968 which was made up of representatives from a number
of groups which at that time operated in Derry. Ivan Cooper was the first chairman and John Hume (who later became leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party; SDLP) was deputy chairman. The DCAC organised a number of protests in Derry in 1968 and 1969.
See:
Chapter 5, in, Purdie, Bob. (1990). 'Politics in the Streets: The origins of the civil rights movement in Northern Ireland'. Belfast: Blackstaff Press.
Derry Citizens' Defence Committee (DCDC)
synonyms: DCD Association (DCDA)(?)
A group set up in July 1969 with the aim of defending the Catholic areas of Derry against what it viewed as attacks by members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) and the 'B'-Specials. The DCDA was active in erecting barricades, organising patrols of what became known as 'Free Derry' (a 'no-go' area).
See:
Chapter 5, in, Purdie, Bob. (1990). 'Politics in the Streets: The origins of the civil rights movement in Northern Ireland'. Belfast: Blackstaff Press.
Derry Housing Action Committee (DHAC)
A small, radical group set up in February 1968 (Ó Dochartaigh; 1994) to campaign for improvements to housing in Derry. The group was made up of radical socialists, republicans and nationalists. Matt O'Leary was elected as its first chairman. Other founding members were Bridget Bond and Eamon Melaugh. One of the prominent members of the group was Eamonn McCann. The tactics of the group were to take direct, non-violent, action against those organisations responsible for housing in Derry, particularly the private landlords and Londonderry Corporation which was responsible for much of the publicly rented housing in the area. It was members of the DHAC which decided to invite
the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association to organise a march in Derry on 5 October 1968. It was this march, and the Government's response to it, which marked the start of the present 'Troubles'.
(See also: Derry Unemployed Action Committee.)
See:
Chapter 1, in, Ó Dochartaigh, Fionnbara. (1994). Ulster's White Negroes. Edinburgh: AK Press. ... [1405]
Chapter 5, in, Purdie, Bob. (1990). 'Politics in the Streets: The origins of the civil rights movement in Northern Ireland'. Belfast: Blackstaff Press.
Derry Housing Association (DHA)
The DHA was set up in October
1965 and its first chairman was John Hume, currently the leader
of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP). The association
provided flats for young couples who could, after two years, obtain
a return of half the rent they had paid to put down a deposit
on the purchase of a house. The association also undertook the
building of new houses. Some of the housing plans of the DHA fell
foul of the Unionist controlled Londonderry Corporation who refused
planning permission. It was claimed that planning permission was
denied because of the likely effect on the religious and political
balance of certain key wards in the city.
See:
Chapter 5, in, Purdie, Bob. (1990). 'Politics in the Streets: The origins of the civil rights movement in Northern Ireland'. Belfast: Blackstaff Press.
Derry Unemployed Action Committee (DUAC)
An initally small, radical group, set up on 22 January 1965 at a meeting in Quigley's Hotel, Foyle Street, Derry, to campaign for investment in jobs in Derry to tackle the high levels of unemployment in the city. Some of the members of the DUAC were also members of the Derry Housing Action Committee and the tactics of direct action were similar to both groups.
The main officials of the DUAC in those days were Messrs Gerry Mallett (chair), James Gallagher / Bobby Campbell / Ted Bradley (treasurers), Eamon Melaugh, and myself [Fionnbara
Ó Dochartaigh], holding the positions of public relations officer and honorary secretary respectively.
Ó Dochartaigh (1994; p18)
(See also: 
