The rs have a proud history of anti Irish hatred and bigotry as well. They never bothered signing a south of Ireland born catholic, until they signed Ronnie Whelan in 1979. There has been stories of Irish fans abused at rs games by their fellow rs fans as well. The rs should not be in anyway popular, to the extent that they are in Ireland imo.
Whatever about later years, Rangers were not founded on sectarian and religious grounds, none of it's founders were orange order members. The rs were founded on sectarian origins because John Houlding and John McKenna their first manager, were members of the anti Irish and anti catholic orange order.