It coordinated parades, counter-demonstrations and paramilitary activities against the reforms of prime minister Terence O'Neill and any gestures made to the civil rights movement.
The fourth Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, Terence O'Neill, who began his term in 1963, was trying to modernize industry to stave off an economic depression.
[citation needed] In 1965, Terence O'Neill also invited and met with Sean Lemass, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Ireland, to promote economic cooperation.
Unionists often regarded Ireland as the enemy and a report from Brian McConnell, the Home Affairs Minister, said a new IRA campaign of subversion was imminent.
Doherty used his position of trust with Paisley and began to organize a network of the 'Ulster Protestant Volunteer Corps' about two months before the creation of the UCDC.
Paisley was made the Chairman and a "12-man united society of Protestant patriots pledged by all lawful methods to uphold and maintain the constitution of Northern Ireland" (also known as "the 12 disciples") was created.
[1](Boulton 34-36) The public debut of the UCDC took place on the Shankill Road (West Belfast) on 17 April 1966, in the form of a parade led by Ian Paisley and Noel Doherty.
In May 1966, the UCDC decided to split Doherty's Ulster Protestant Volunteers (UPV), which was a loyalist paramilitary group, into local branches, which were called divisions.
He asked members of the UVF and the Armagh Free Presbyterian Church to attend a meeting where the Loughgall division of the UPV would be created.
Noel Doherty facilitated the Loughgall division of the UPV and Gusty Spence's Shankill Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) working together.
The Orange Order, the liberal Presbyterian Church and official unionism disassociated themselves from Paisley and said his organisations "represent a defiance of lawful authority no less serious in essence than that of the IRA.
"[4] A murder outside a bar known as the Malvern Arms was investigated and the UCDC, led by Ian Paisley was implicated but he denied any knowledge.
Paisley was sent to jail on 19 July 1966 for refusing to sign a pledge of good behaviour after the Presbyterian General Assembly Riot.
The Government of Northern Ireland moved today to prevent new clashes between Irish Republicans and extreme Protestants led by the Rev.
In face of these present awful and terrible events, when one by one the lights of fredom [sic] are going out, we the members of the UPV, beseech you, our loyal brethren, for the sake of God, out country and our children, to forget all petty quarrels and jealousies and defend our constitution and liberty ...
He that would be free must strike the first blow.A series of bomb attacks against local power and water distribution were attributed to the UCDC/UPC and the outlawed UVF.