Culture of Ulster

The flag of the Province of Ulster is often flown in Gaelic Athletic Association contexts

Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland. Due to large-scale plantations of people from Scotland and England during the 17th and 18th centuries, as well as half a century of paramilitary activity, Ulster has a unique culture, quite different from the rest of Ireland.^{[citation needed]} Given that all of Northern Ireland lies within Ulster, the culture of Northern Ireland is often considered to be very similar to that of Ulster.

Languages

Mid Ulster English is the English-based dialect of most people in Ulster, including those in the two main cities. It represents a cross-over area between Ulster Scots and Hiberno-English. It spoken across mid Ulster between the Lagan and Clogher valleys in areas historically planted by settlers, the majority of which came over to Ireland from the West Midlands of England.^{[citation needed]} The dialect is currently encroaching on the Ulster Scots area, especially in the Belfast commuter belt, and may eventually consume it.

Ulster Scots, also known as Ullans, Hiberno-Scots, or Scots-Irish, refers to the variety of Scots spoken in parts of Ulster.

Ulster Irish is the dialect of the Irish language spoken in Ulster. The only county in Ulster to include Gaeltacht regions today is Donegal, so that the term Donegal Irish is often used synonymously. Because of historical connections with Ulster, the dialects of southern Scotland and Manx, share similarities with Ulster Irish.

Sport

• Ulster Rugby
• Ulster GAA
  • Ulster Senior Hurling Championship
  • Ulster Senior Football Championship

Music

Song

Ulster Irish or Donegal Irish is exclusive to Ulster. Ulster Irish is very different, as is the old style of prose and songwriting.^{[citation needed]} Whereas in other parts of Ireland songs tend to be structured, in Ulster songs are wider ranging in style.^{[citation needed]} Counties Donegal and Antrim are well-known for songs of speed, much like Donegal fiddle playing. It is unique in the sean-nós traditional in both tempo and in wording and is often more free in structure and ornamentation.^{[citation needed]}

Notable Ulster singers and songwriters by historical area*:

• Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh – Gaoth Dobhair, County Donegal
• Moya Brennan – Gaoth Dobhair, County Donegal
• Sarah Makem – Armagh
• John McCambridge – Antrim town, Antrim (1793–1873)

* Historical area refers to the period of the traditional music the artist is known best for singing.

Fiddle

Ulster fiddle playing is distinct from the rest of Ireland in that it has been greatly influenced from neighbouring Scotland, in particular the Hebrides.^{[citation needed]}

See also

• Irish traditional music
• Irish language
• Ulster-Scots

External links

• BBC Nations History of Ireland
• The British Isles Independent view of Ireland and the UK
• Inconvenient Peripheries Ethnic Identity and the United Kingdom Estate The cases of “Protestant Ulster” and Cornwall’ by prof Philip Payton
• Mercator Atlas of Europe Map of Ireland ("Irlandia") circa 1564