The UYM had its origins in the " Tartan Gangs " of the early 1970s , unofficial loyalist street gangs who gained their name from the tartan scarves and flash of tartan they wore on their denim jackets . The tartan was said to commemorate the 1971 Scottish soldiers ' killings by the Provisional IRA . Author Ian S. Wood has also suggested that the fashion may have been inspired by the Bay City Rollers although it has been noted elsewhere that the Bay City Rollers did not take off until 1974 ( by which time the Tartan Gangs were well established ) and the band 's following tended more towards the teenage girl market . The main activities of the Tartan Gangs were the intimidation of Roman Catholic families in loyalist areas of Belfast and , on weekends , attacks on Catholic youths and businesses in Belfast city centre . These gangs included " The Shankill Young Tartan " , " Ardcarn Boot Boys " , " Ballybeen Riot Squad " and the " Young Newton " from the Ballymacarrett area of East Belfast . In the Shankill Road area , the Tartan Gang quickly came under UDA control and served as their youth movement , although elsewhere in the city they remained independent and during a series of riots in the east in 1972 they proved notoriously difficult for the UDA leadership to control . In East Belfast , some Tartan Gang members known to John McKeague formed the basis of the Red Hand Commando when he established that group in 1972 . During the Ulster Workers ' Council strike of 1974 , Tartan Gangs roamed the streets of Belfast , ensuring compliance with the stoppage called by the Ulster Workers ' Council . The Tartans would form the first of three major youth subcultures that formed the basis of the UYM , the others being skinheads in the early 1980s and " spides " in the 1990s
1971 Scottish soldiers ' killings
1971 Scottish soldiers' killings
Ulster Young Militants