Catholic Unionist

Catholic Unionist

A Catholic Irish Unionist is a Roman Catholic in Northern Ireland who supports continuing or maintaining ties between Northern Ireland and Great Britain or a Roman Catholic in the Republic of Ireland, who supports Ireland rejoining the United Kingdom. Northern Ireland is a constituent country of the United Kingdom, consisting of the north-eastern portion of the island of Ireland.

Among those who vote for mainstream Unionist parties in Northern Ireland, Catholic Unionists usually support the more moderate Ulster Unionist Party, as opposed to the Democratic Unionist Party because of the anti-Catholic religious doctrine of the former DUP Party leader Ian Paisley. Many Catholic Unionists vote for the Social Democratic and Labour Party or for the non-aligned Alliance Party of Northern Ireland, notwithstanding the SDLP's support for a United Ireland.

Historically, after the enactment of Catholic Emancipation in 1829, a great number of Catholics served in senior positions in the British empire of the 19th century, some of whom supported various forms of Irish home rule, while others did not. Probably the most eminent was the lawyer, judge and politician Charles Russell.