Ulster Volunteer Force

The Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) was a loyalist, paramilitary organization that was created after the 50th anniversary of the Easter Rising (1916). The anniversary reflected a revival in sentiments for an independent Northern Ireland. The UVF declared war on the IRA and its splinter groups. It is most well-known for its involvement in “the Troubles,” which included thirty years of bombings and killings of Irish republicans and Catholics. In total, the group was responsible for over 500 deaths. In May of 2007, the group vowed to become a "non-military, civilianized" organization.