I'll try to be brief, Alan, since I'm at work! :mrgreen:

The Ulster-Scots (Scots-Irish) were generally Lowland Scots (with some English, Welsh, French Huguenot and German Palatine thrown in) and usually did not wear the trappings of Highland garb. The Ulster Tartan that was found in Nothern Ireland was actually found in the form of trews, or trousers, and not a kilt.

It's only been a recent trend for those of Ulster-Scots and Lowland Scottish heritage to wear the kilt & tartan, since they have become a Scottish national dress. There are two Ulster tartans; a "weathered" tartan that simulates the weathering of the material whilst it was buried, and the red tartan, which attempts to simulate what the original colours may have looked like. There are the county tartans for all nine counties that made up historic Ulster (six in Northern Ireland, three in the Republic today), but all of these were designed in the 1990's as "trade" tartans.

This article from the Ulster-Scots agency explains the history of the Ulster tartan better than I can!

http://www.ulsterscotsagency.com/tartanandkilts.asp

The saffron kilt has actually been wore more by pipers in the Irish regiments of the British Army, such as the Royal Irish Rangers, Royal Irish Rifles, etc. The Irish Air Force's Pipe Band also wears saffron kilts, and there are several Irish pipe bands in the US, Canada and South Africa that wear it as well.

I'm sure Matt & Jimmy will have a lot more details to add to this thread! :mrgreen:

Cheers,

Todd