United are clearly no longer a "Catholic club" - if they were in the first place, and the fact that their most successful manager of all time is a Glaswegian Protestant, born in the shadow of Ibrox and a Rangers nut as a boy, emphasises the point.
Although Derry was originally an almost exclusively Protestant city, it has become increasingly Catholic over recent centuries. At the last (1991) census, the population of the Derry Local Government District was approximately 69% Catholic.
Of the major clubs in the Irish League, Ballymena, Coleraine, Crusaders, Glenavon, Glentoran and Portadown are all mainly supported by Protestants, only Cliftonville has a predominantly Catholic following.
The population of Coleraine is between 75% and 80% Protestant.
Not all
Protestants are unionists, and not all
Catholics are nationalist.
List of districts in Northern Ireland by religion or religion brought up in.
| District | Newry, Mourne and Down |
|---|
| Catholic | 72.3% |
|---|
| Protestant and Other Christian | 23.9% |
|---|
| Other | 3.8% |
|---|
Liverpool are the Catholic team and play in red at Anfield. Everton are the Protestant team and play in blue at Goodison Park.
Both teams are predominantly Protestant; however, Glentoran has fielded Catholic players and had Catholic fans for much of its history.
The population of Coleraine is between 75% and 80% Protestant. My office is in the town, and I represent the area. I have often seen people wearing sports tops that identify them as being from the nationalist community.
As you can see, west Belfast is mainly Catholic, in most areas over 90%. For many years, the Catholic population expanded to the southwest, but in recent years it has started expanding around the Shankill and into north Belfast. The east of the city is predominantly Protestant, typically 90% or more.
It is one of four counties in Northern Ireland which currently has a majority of the population from a Catholic community background, according to the 2011 census. In 1900 County Tyrone had a population of 197,719, while in 2011 it was 177,986.
In the Belfast City Council and Derry and Strabane District Council areas, the figures at ward level vary from 95%
Protestant to 99%
Catholic.
List of districts in Northern Ireland by religion or religion brought up in.
| District | Fermanagh and Omagh |
|---|
| Catholic | 64.2% |
|---|
| Protestant and Other Christian | 33.1% |
|---|
| Other | 2.7% |
|---|
While in the 2011 census 84.2% of people in the Republic of Ireland identified themselves as Catholic in the 2011 census in Northern Ireland only 40.8% identified themselves as Catholic.
While the Old English community of Dublin and the Pale were happy with the conquest and disarmament of the native Irish, they were deeply alienated by the Protestant reformation that had taken place in England, being almost all Roman Catholics.
Enniskillen is the county town and largest in both size and population. Fermanagh is one of four counties of Northern Ireland to have a majority of its population from a Catholic background, according to the 2011 census. Unusually for an area of Northern Ireland, there are few Presbyterians in Fermanagh.
Of its population, about 59% are from a Protestant background and 35% from a Catholic background. Portadown is the site of the long-running Drumcree dispute, over yearly Orange marches through the mainly Catholic part of town, which has often led to violence.
Craigavon has been a historically Protestant town; however, in recent times, the electorate has become gradually less so, with higher numbers of Catholics and people of other religions or people of no declared religion.
The Waterside is a mainly Protestant and unionist area, while the rest of Derry City is mainly Irish Catholic and nationalist. During the Troubles, the Waterside's Protestant population grew, probably as a result of Protestants moving there from the west side of the river.
Generally speaking, Catholics tend to support the Republic first and foremost, but want to see the NI team do well too. There is an element of anti-catholic sectarian from SOME NI fans that makes Catholics uncomfortable with supporting NI.
Most fans admitted that Hearts are or have been perceived as a 'Protestant club' and Hibs as a 'Catholic/Irish-Catholic club'. Some people see Hibs and Hearts as a mini Rangers and Celtic, with Hibs being the Catholic team and Hearts being the Protestants.
Both teams are predominantly Protestant; however, Glentoran has fielded Catholic players and had Catholic fans for much of its history. Support is traditionally split geographically with Linfield based in the south of the city and Glentoran in the east.
Some fans, maybe a lot of Hearts fans think there's a connection between Hearts and Rangers. They think that because, well they used to think that anyway because it used to be Hibs and Celtic and then it's Hearts and Rangers. Hearts and Rangers are the two Protestant clubs and Hibs, Celtic are the two Catholic clubs.
The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international association football. From 1882 to 1920, all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association (IFA).
Some of these Chelsea veterans also formed links with protestant paramilitary groups in Ulster as well after leaving the forces. The pub became a meeting place for Chelsea and Rangers fans. It still does. There were 50 or 60 Rangers fans there last year when Chelsea played Celtic in its pre-season 'friendly'.
The Republic of Ireland national football team (Irish: Foireann peile náisiúnta Phoblacht na hÉireann) represents Ireland in men's international football. It is governed by the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) and stages its home fixtures at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
There are three Belfast clubs in the league: Malone and Queen's University (Division 2A) and Belfast Harlequins (Division 2B).
Up until 1949, the big two were considered to be Linfield and Belfast Celtic as they had traditionally been the most successful teams in Northern Irish football. Both teams are predominantly Protestant; however, Glentoran has fielded Catholic players and had Catholic fans for much of its history.
In Northern Ireland, national identity is complex and diverse. Most people of Protestant background consider themselves British, while a majority of people of Catholic background consider themselves Irish.
But the GAA can do more to attract Protestants to not only attend Gaelic games - but participate in them too. That is according to journalist Johnny Ward, who feels that the lack of interest from the Protestant community in Gaelic games is something that can be remedied by the GAA.
All players born in Northern Ireland are free to play for the Republic of Ireland football team after the FAI won a landmark case in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland on Friday. The ruling upholds the right of individual choice on this matter for players born north of the border.
Van Morrison was Protestant. Liam Neeson was Catholic. George Best, perhaps the finest soccer player of his generation: Protestant.
As to why Ireland got two football associations it's because the original one was dominated by Protestants in what became Northern Ireland in 1921, so after the Irish War of Independence and the establishment of the Irish Free State a new breakaway football association was established by primarily Dublin based clubs
Because Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom, and the national anthem of the UK is “God Save the Queen.”
O'Neill was appointed manager of Northern Ireland on 28 December 2011, with one report stating he was "the first Catholic in 50 years to manage Northern Ireland".
George Best (22 May 1946 – 25 November 2005) was a Northern Irish footballer who played many years for Manchester United. He is considered by many to have been the most talented Manchester United player and no one disagrees that he was the Northern Ireland national team's best ever player.
Northern Ireland was created in 1921, when Ireland was partitioned between Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland by the Government of Ireland Act 1920. However, a significant minority, mostly Catholics, were nationalists who wanted a united Ireland independent of British rule.
