Why do Unionists use the term Ulster to describe Northern Ireland when part of Ulster is in the Republic of Ireland ?

Ieuan Phillips, Derry, N Ireland

• Basically, from a Unionist perspective, "Ulster" suggests a greater level of distinctiveness from the Republic of Ireland than "Northern Ireland" does.

  Antony, Reading, England

• On the downside, it can hint at a desire to annex Donegal, Monaghan and Cavan into the United Kingom, in certain contexts.

  Damian, Clydebank

• When Ireland was partitioned the plan was to separate Ulster from the rest of the the island of Ireland for the Unionists, but three counties were considered 'too Republican'. It serves the petty-mindedness of these people to still call it Ulster, partly so they don't have to say Ireland, and partly to wind up Nationalists. Republicans also don't like the name Northern Ireland, preferring instead the North of Ireland (implying Ireland is still one entity) or sometimes even 'the Six Counties'.

  Simon King, London, UK

• It is an interesting one this, the term: "Ulster" or "The Province" refers to one of the old presidencies set up in Ireland by Elizabeth I, “Ulster” was finally controlled after the defeat of Chieftain O'Neill, though after Elizabeth’s reign (she knew Ireland was defeated by the time of her death, thanks to Lord Mountjoy’s deafeat of O’Neill’s Clan forces (and Spanish allies) (O’Neill was an Ulster Chief), Provincial presidencies were set up in Leinster, Connacht, Munster and finally Ulster. It is an irony that Ulster was the last part of Ireland to be defeated and now remains the last part of Ireland in the United Kingdom (there are good reasons why this happened, Ulster was set up differently to the rest of Ireland up to that point 1601 and by 1610, the plantation of Ulster). Northern Ireland set up after the Anglo-Irish Treaty, agreed by Lloyd George and Eamon DeValera, was set up by partition; using the boundary commission to separate the six-counties with the rest of Ulster, leaving three Ulster counties in the south. However it is not true to say that the term Ulster is offensive, indeed it is still referred to in the Republic or the “South” as just the name of the Province of Ulster, just as they would for Connacht or Leinster.

  Peter , Manchester

• I fear Peter is quite wrong in his statement that the term 'Ulster' is not regarded as pejorative in the Republic. It is only used there to refer to the ancient province of nine counties, and never, but never, used to refer to Northern Ireland. The title 'Ulster' was adopted mainly to give the suggestion that the statelet had some form of historical or territorial integrity, which, of course, it does not.

  Philip Foxe, London, UK

• Darren (Jones, Bristol UK) Your suggestion that the person who posted the original question gave away their political leanings is true to a certain extent, however you did the exact same. Whether you call it one or the other, you are making a statement and identifying yourself. The fact that the majority of people in that area refer to it as Derry (Nationalists now form a majority in Derry as a whole, due to their demographic dominance of the city) is quite a statement in itself. Should it not be the people of the area who decide? In any case I believe in democracy and freedom of speech (google it and see what it means, Darren) and at the end of the day, people should be able to call it what they want, as long as they expect that and respect that there are others who chose to call it differently. You obviously cannot do that. From my experiences, any of my friends from the North/Northern Ireland/whatever/Ulster/the six counties all call it Derry, whether they are my very good friend who is a Catholic from Newry, or my even better friend who is a Protestant from Newtownards, or my very similar friend who's a Heathen like me from south Belfast.

  Oisin, Wexford, Ireland

• I am a protestant from Co Down, and I am proud to say I am Irish. I was Born in Down which is one of the nine counties in the Province of Ulster. I love my Rugby and, when it is Ruby Season, I wear my Ulster shirt. When it comes down to my country I wear my Ireland shirt. I think Irish history should be taught to all children in the schools. I never knew anything about Irish History until I was older, and boy oh boy did it open my eyes. When I was at school it was always rammed down my throat by my peers that I was British not Irish - and it always confused me, as people in other countries would always say I was Irish. You grow up with a sense of not knowing what bloody nationality you are, being a protestant! Scotland is part of the UK and they class themselves as Scottish. I am Irish and very proud to say it.

  Julie, Wales

• Great to see a sensible post from Julie. Just because a person is British in outlook, does not mean he/she is any less Irish. There is plenty of Irish people south of the border who are of a British line, they just don't see the need to prove that by taping union jacks to estate lamp posts.

  Paul, Dublin Ireland

• I completely agree with Julie. Although granted, I am a Catholic from NI and so think of myself as Irish, I don't shy away from the realisation that I'm British. There's a bit of both in all of us, whether Catholic or Protestant. I do Irish dancing and there's just as many Protestants that do it if not more than Catholics. We all live on the island of Ireland and as such have an Irish identity, whether it be Northern Irish or from the Republic. It's all still Irish.

  Mathew, Belfast, UK