Culture of Ulster

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 decades of conflict in the 20th, Ulster has a unique culture, quite different from the rest of Ireland.^[1][2][3] As all of Northern Ireland lies within Ulster and comprises about 90% of its population, the culture of Northern Ireland is very similar to that of the whole of Ulster. In particular, the Ulster Scots, or Scots Irish identity is strong among descendants of the Plantation, notably in counties Antrim, Cavan, Donegal, and Down. There is also a thriving indigenous Gaelic culture, largely attributed to the GAA and Conradh na Gaeilge.

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. 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 County Donegal, so that the term Donegal Irish is often used synonymously. Because of historical connections with Ulster, the southern dialects of Scottish Gaelic and Manx share similarities with Ulster Irish.

Polish and Lithuanian are the most common foreign languages in Ulster.^[4][5][6][7]

Several organizations are tasked with the development of Ulster's specific cultural traditions. The Ulster-Scots Agency provides statutory support for the Scots-leaning heritage of the province, while the Ulster-Scots Community Network, previously known as the Ulster-Scots Heritage Council, serves as a regional resource center for community groups involved in Highland dancing, pipe bands, historical research and raising awareness.^[8][9][10] It was established in Belfast in 1995, and is a registered charity under the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland.

In 2023/2024, the Ulster-Scots Community Network received funding from the Ulster-Scots Agency and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland (£408,000 and £33,800 respectively) and expended £300,000 on staff costs and salaries.^[11]

A dish from Ulster is the Ulster fry, usually served at breakfast. Also across Ulster dishes are found containing seafood, especially salmon and trout from County Donegal and County Down.

Fifteens are a no-bake traybake from Ulster. The dessert gets its name from the recipe being made up of 15 digestive biscuits, 15 marshmallows and 15 glacé cherries.^[12][13]

An apple and Mars Bar sandwich is often associated with Protestant, particularly Presbyterian, communities in Ulster. It is a quirky sweet combination that typically uses Granny Smith apples and Mars Bars thinly sliced, and buttered on brown, white or Veda bread.^[14]

A popular soft drink in Derry, parts of County Londonderry and parts of County Tyrone, as well as across County Donegal, is McDaid's Football Special, which is made in Ramelton.^[15]

The most famous and widely-known whiskey from the province of Ulster is Bushmills.

Dr Thomas Joseph Cantrell, invented ginger ale in Belfast in the 1850's. The original bottling plant was at Rosses Court. The ginger ale he invented was unlike the cloudy, fermented ginger beer that was common at the time. Cantrell’s creation was a "golden" ginger ale, which was clear, sweet, and highly carbonated.^[16]

Armagh Cider is a popular alcoholic cider, non-alcoholic versions have also been made.^[17] County Armagh is described as the "Orchard County", and it's Bramley apples bring out the fresh crisp flavor in the beverage.^[18][19] Producers include Armagh Cider Company and Long Meadow Cider.^[20]

During Belfast's industrial golden era, brown lemonade was invented and thus popularized in shipyards such as Harland & Wolff and coal yards, such as John Kelly Limited.^[21] This mainly due to at the time, owners banned the use of alcohol consumption during work hours, which the brown lemonade served as a replacement.^[22] Brown lemonade has a very specific "job." It is the traditional accompaniment to a Saturday night Ulster stew or an Ulster fry. Because of its smoother, sweeter profile, it was seen as the perfect "digestive" soda to follow a heavy, salty meal.^[23]

A famous ice cream made in Ulster is Morelli's, which is made near Portrush. Mullin's Icecream, made near Kilrea in the east of County Londonderry, is another famous Ulster icecream. In the south east of the province, Newry boasts 'Timoney's' ice cream on Canal Street, Warrenpoint has the famed 'Genoa' and Rathfriland on the hill is fortunate to host Graham's.

A well-known sweet made in Ulster is Yellow Man (also known as "Yella Man"), while a famous confectionery company is Oatfield Sweets Ltd., who were previously based in Letterkenny in County Donegal. Oatfield, who were founded in 1927, were particularly famous^[24] for producing the Emerald sweet.^[25]

Ulster Irish or Donegal Irish is exclusive to Ulster. Ulster Irish is very different, as is the old style of prose and songwriting.^[26] Whereas in other parts of Ireland songs tend to be structured, in Ulster songs are wider ranging in style.^[27] 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.^[28]

Notable Ulster singers and songwriters by historical area*:

• Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh – Gaoth Dobhair, County Donegal
• Moya Brennan – Gaoth Dobhair, County Donegal
• Sarah Makem – Keady, County Armagh
• Van Morrison - Belfast, County Antrim
• Willie Drennan - Ballymena, County Antrim

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

The Belfast International Tattoo is an annual military tattoo held in the Odyssey Arena, Queen's Quay, Belfast.^[29] The event is typically held in September, and has a variety of talent from Northern Ireland and countries around the world.^[30] It showcases Ulster-Scots traditions as well as bands and performers from countries including Zimbabwe, Spain, Canada and Australia.^[31]

The Ulster-Scots Folk Orchestra was formed in 2000 by Willie Drennan and John Trotter.^[32][33] Unlike a formal classical orchestra, it operates as a loosely coordinated network of multi-instrumentalists. They have performed at various places and festivals including Kentucky and at the Emory Symposium at Emory University in Atlanta.^[34]

The Lambeg is a massive, double-headed bass drum, typically 3 feet in diameter and 2 feet deep.^[35] It is unique to Ulster and is primarily associated with the Orange Order and the Ancient Order of Hibernians, though it is most famous for its use in July parades.^[36][37] The shell is made of oak, and the heads are made of goat skin.^[38] It is one of the loudest instruments in the world.^[39] The drum's usually have unique artwork, depicting Ulster-Scots and unionist culture, as well as Christian scriptures.^[40]

The Lambeg drum is featured in Kate Bush's Running Up That Hill, when the singer purchased one from a workshop in Sandy Row, Belfast.^[41] She was on a stroll in the neighbourhood in the 1980's when she went in to make the request with the shop owner and drum-maker William Hewitt.^[42][43]

In September 2021, as part of the Northern Ireland Centenary celebrations, a landmark event titled 'The High Sheriff’s Centenary Echoes of the Lambeg' was held at Stormont Estate.^[44] The gathering featured over 130 Lambeg drums, making it the largest recorded meeting of the instruments in history.^[45][46]

The Fife tends to go hand-in-hand with the Lambeg as the "fife and drum" tradition is a direct descendant of 17th and 18th-century military music. The melodies played on the fife are often referred to as "drumming tunes." It is a staple of Ulster-Scots musical traditions.^[47]

Ulster fiddle playing is distinct from the rest of Ireland in that it has been greatly influenced from neighbouring Scotland, in particular the Hebrides.^[48]

Ulster Rugby represents the province in the European Rugby Champions. Gaelic football GAA where teams play for county and all Ireland.

• Irish traditional music
• Irish language
• Ulster-Scots
• Scotch-Irish Americans
• Scotch-Irish Canadians

• 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