it consisted mostly of part-time volunteers until 1976, when a full-time cadre was added. recruiting in northern ireland at a time of intercommunal strife, some of its (mostly ulster protestant) members were involved in sectarian killings. the regiment was originally intended to more accurately reflect the demographics of northern ireland, and began with catholic recruits accounting for 18% of its soldiers; but by the end of 1972, after the introduction of internment this had dropped to around 3%. it is doubtful if any other unit of the british army has ever come under the same sustained criticism as the udr.