Occasionally, I will use an abbreviation for an association, group or party. Sometimes I even forget to mention what it stands for because I’m too wrapped up in the story I’m trying to tell. Just in case that has occurred in the course of your reading, here is a brief list of abbreviations and acronyms that I’m prone to throw out occasionally and what or who they stand for.

ASU – Active Service Unit

CIRA – Continuity Irish Republican Army

CnamB – Cumann Na mBan

DUP – Democratic Unionist Party

FF – Fianna Fail

GAA – Gaelic Athletic Association

ICA – Irish Citizen Army

INAA – Irish National Aid Association

INLA – Irish National Liberation Army

IRA – Irish Republican Army

IRB – Irish Republican Brotherhood

IRSP – Irish Republican Socialist Party

IVDF – Irish Volunteer Dependents Fund

LLL – Ladies’ Land League

LVF – Loyalist Volunteer Force

NICRA – Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association

PIRA – Provisional Irish Republican Army

PSNI – Police Service of Northern Ireland

PUP – Progressive Unionist Party

RIC – Royal Irish Constabulary

RUC – Royal Ulster Constabulary

SAS – Special Air Service

SDLP – Social Democratic and Labor Party

SF – Sinn Fein

UDA – Ulster Defence Association

UDR – Ulster Defence Regiment

UUP – Ulster Unionist Party

UVF – Ulster Volunteer Force