| Description | Person/Group |
| To his followers he is regarded as the greatest Republican Leader | Gerry Adams |
| To the Unionists he is at best an apologist for IRA gunmen | Gerry Adams |
| Has strong links to the IRA, but has never been convicted | Gerry Adams |
| Leader of Sinn Fein | Gerry Adams |
| Helped to develop the IRA ceasefire in 1994 | Gerry Adams |
| Driving force behind significant attempts to resolve Northern Ireland Problem | John Hume |
| Began within the Civil Rights Movement | John Hume |
| Leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party | John Hume |
| Began talks between SDLP and Sinn Fein | John Hume |
| Opponant to violent action | John Hume |
| Awarded Nobel Peace prize in 1998 | John Hume |
| Labelled as IRA member by Unionists before admission | Martin McGuiness |
| Convicted of IRA membership | Martin McGuiness |
| Northern Ireland Education Minister 1999 | Martin McGuiness |
| Turned to Republicanism following 1960's Governments repression of Nationalists | Martin McGuiness |
| Sinn Feins chief negotiator in Good Friday Agreement | Martin McGuiness |
| Linkman between de-commisioning and IRA | Martin McGuiness |
| Major player in Sinn Fein | Martin McGuiness |
| Main Unionist (extreme) political leader | Ian Paisley |
| Religous and political roles interlinked | Ian Paisley |
| Resisted any movement to include Republic in Northern Ireland | Ian Paisley |
| Feicely opposed to Sinn Fein | Ian Paisley |
| Political wing of IRA | Sinn Fein |
| Devoted to establishment of united Ireland | Sinn Fein |
| Strong supporters of Good Friday Agreement | Sinn Fein |
| Grown in power following 1980's | Sinn Fein |
| Belives in de-commisioning IRA | Sinn Fein |
| Largest Nationalist party in Northern Ireland | Sinn Fein |
| Non-sectarian and moatly Liberal | Alliance Party |
| Strong supporters of Good Friday agreement | Alliance Party |
| Sought both Catholic and Unionsit moderates | Alliance Party |
| Most hardline of the Unionist parties | DUP |
| Opposed to Sunningdale | DUP |
| Led by Ian Paisley | DUP |
| Anti-Catholic | DUP |
| Strong opposition to Good Friday Agreement | DUP |
| Largest Nationalist Party in Northern Irealnd during troubles | SDLP |
| Resolutly non-violent | SDLP |
| Just left of centre | SDLP |
| Party maintaining link between UK and Northern Ireland | UUP |
| Split over civil rights demands | UUP |
| Damaged by introduction of direct rule | UUP |
| Main party involved in Good Friday agreemant | UUP |
| Relatively small Republican Paramilitary group | INLA |
| Generally works alongside other groups | INLA |
| Main Republican paramilitary group | IRA |
| Militant brach of IRA | PIRA |
| Socialist branch of IRA | OIRA |
| Agrees only with some aspects of Good Friday agreement | IRA |
| Main Unionist Paramilitaries | UFF |
| Umbrella group for loyalist groups | UFF |
| Group opposed to reforms in early 1960's | UVF |
