Being Convinced in our consciences that Home Rule would be disastrous to the material well-being of as well as of the whole of , subversive of our civil and religious freedom, destructive of our citizenship, and perilous to the unity of the Empire, we, whose names are underwritten, men of Ulster, loyal subjects of HisUlster Gracious Majesty King George V., humbly relyingCovenant on the God whom 1912 our fathers in days of stress and trial confidently trusted,County do hereby pledgeDonegal ourselves in solemn Covenant, throughout this our time of threatened calamity, to stand by one another in defending, for ourselves and our children, our cherished position of equal citizenship in the United Kingdom, and in using all means which may be found necessary to defeat the present conspiracy to set up a Home Rule Parliament in Ireland. And in the event of such a Parliament being forced upon us, we further solemnly and mutually pledge ourselves to refuse to recognize its authority. In sure confidence that God will defend the right, we hereto subscribe our names. And further, we individually declare that we have not already signed this Covenant.

AN ROINN GNÓTHAÍ EACHTRACHA AGUS TRÁDÁLA DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE Before The Covenant

1801 Act of Union After the failed United Irishmen’s rising of 1798, the British Prime Minister William Pitt decided a union of the two Beingparliaments ofConvinced Britain and Ireland was thein only our answer toconsciences the on-going economic and political problems in Ireland. thatThe ActHome of Union, which Rule joined the Kingdom would of Ireland be disastrous with the Kingdoms of Scotland and England, came into to beingthe on thematerial 1st January 1801. well-being of Ulster as well as of the whole of Home Rule Ireland, subversive of our civilFirst membrane of theand Irish Act of Union of 1801 ©PRONI The four Irish Home Rule bills introduced in the House of Commons during religiousthe late 19th and freedom, early 20th centuries destructive were intended to grant self-governmentof our and national autonomy to the whole of Ireland within the United Kingdom of citizenship,Great Britain and Ireland and and reverse perilous parts of the Act to of Union the 1801. unity of the Empire,The we, first Homewhose Rule Bill was namesintroduced in 1886.are In Ireland, Unionists who desired to maintain the union underwritten,organised men a very of effective Ulster, opposition campaign loyal subjects of andHis the bill wasGracious defeated in the House Majesty of Commons. The second Home Rule Bill was introduced in 1892-93 King Georgeand secured V., a majority humbly in the House of Commons but relying on thewas defeated God in the Housewhom of Lords our fathers Between 1895 and 1905 a period of ‘Constructive Unionism’ was started by in thedays Conservative of government stress in an andattempt totrial kill Home confidentlyRule with kindness. An effort was made to address Catholic and nationalist grievances in areas trusted,such as land doownership, hereby local government, pledge and education. ourselves in solemnAfter two elections Covenant, in 1910 the Liberal throughoutgovernment was dependant this on the our support of the Irish Nationalist MPs. Furthermore the Parliament Act of 1911 timechanged of parliamentary threatened procedure. It statedcalamity, to stand by that if a Bill was passed by the House of oneCommons, another the House ofin Lords defending, could only for ourselves andstop itour for two years.children, On the third yearour if it was cherished position passed by the Commons and again rejected of byequal the Lords it wouldcitizenship automatically become in the United law. On 11th April 1912, the third Home Rule Kingdom,Bill was passed by theand Commons, in but using all means rejected by the Lords. This meant in reality whichthat in 1914 may Home Rule be would found be secured. necessary to Unionists began to organise in earnest to defeatresist such thean event. present conspiracy to set up a Home Rule Parliament in Ireland. And in the event of such a Parliament being forced upon us, we further solemnly and mutually pledge ourselves to refuse to recognize its authority. In sure confidence that God will defend the right, we hereto subscribe our names. And further, we individually declare thatHandwritten noteswe on Home Rule by William Pitt ©Britishhave library not‘Good Healthalready & Success ‘, cartoon by John Porter 1889 signedDrawing of Second Readingthis of Home Rule Bull AN ROINN GNÓTHAÍ EACHTRACHA AGUS TRÁDÁLA Covenant. DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE Life & Politics in County Donegal Being Convinced in our consciences The second half of the 19th century was dominated that Homeby Ruletwo great questions, would the land andbe national disastrous independence. After the Famine relations between to the materiallandlords well-beingand tenants grew more embittered. of Ulster as Tenants demanded security of tenure. Landlords well as of theredoubled whole their efforts toof get rid of unwanted tenants. In Donegal the militant nature of the Land War can be Ireland, subversiveseen in events such ofas the ourGweedore civil Sheep War and and religious freedom,the jailing of Fr McFadden.destructive of our Land league poster, Donegal County Archives Collection Donegal was dependant on agriculture. There was little manufacturing other citizenship,than cottage industries and which providedperilous bare economic to survival. the Although unity much of of the land in the east of the County was fertile, with good size holdings, the thewest Empire, of the County was homewe, to awhose large number ofnames small are underwritten,holdings with poor soil. Theremen was poor of infrastructure, Ulster, loyal lack of transport and inadequate markets. Seasonal subjectsmigration was aof dominant His feature Graciousof life in West Donegal. Majesty Both the newly formed Congested Districts Board and Kingthe George Societies tried V., to address humbly these issues. The CDB aided the development of agriculture, forestry, relyinglivestock, weaving, on spinningthe andGod fishing. Cooperativewhom our fathers Societies processed their own produce, set high in standardsdays of qualityof andstress sold products and at best trial prices to confidently their members. trusted, do hereby pledge ourselvesFr Mc Fadden, Gweedore, Donegal County Museum Collectionin solemnPolitics inCovenant, Donegal throughout this our Electoral reforms in 1885 replaced Donegal’s one constituency with four timeone-seat of constituencies. threatened Each of the newcalamity, constituencies had tomore standelectors by than the entire County previously. Many of the new electorate were small onefarmers another and agricultural in labourers defending, and in the 1885 elections for the ourselvesIrish Parliamentary Party won all four seats in the County. The Irish Parliamentary andParty ourcontinued children, to dominate politics our in Donegal cherished up until 1918. position of Duringequal this period citizenship the began in to playthe an increasingUnited role as the political machine of the unionist cause. In 1893 Gladstone made another Kingdom,attempt to introduce and Home Rule. in The using Donegal Grand all means whichOrange Lodge may passed be the following found resolution: necessary to defeat“That this Countythe Donegalpresent Lodge protests conspiracy at the to set up attempts at present being made to weaken if not a Homesever the connection Rule that binds thisParliament country to the in greatest empire the world has ever seen and believe Ireland.that the bill at presentAnd before inthe parliament the eventwill if it of such a passes into law, be ruinous to the best interests of the Parliamentcountry and we pledge beingourselves to opposeforced the same upon us, we by every means in our power.” further solemnly and mutuallyGortahork Girl at Hiringpledge Fair, Ulster Museum Collection This resolution was a sign of the support, which would be received for the ourselvessigning of the Ulster to Covenant refuse in Donegal. to recognize its authority. In sure confidence that God will defend the right, we hereto subscribe our names. And further, we individually declare

thatDownings Pier. Congested we District Board Collection, Nationalhave Photographic Archive notRural Donegal. Congestedalready District Board Collection, National Photographic Archive signedArdara Fair Day, Donegal Countythis Museum Collection

Covenant. AN ROINN GNÓTHAÍ EACHTRACHA AGUS TRÁDÁLA DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE Local Government in County Donegal Being Convinced in our consciences For most of the nineteenth century the Grand Juries and the Board of thatGuardians Home administered Rule local government would throughout Ireland.be disastrousThe former were at a county level, while the latter presided over the Poor Law Unions which in to Donegalthe consistedmaterial of Donegal, well-being Dunfanaghy, Glenties, Inishowen, of Ulster Letterkenny, as Milford and Stranorlar, parts of Ballyshannon, Londonderry well as of andthe Strabane. whole of

Ireland, subversiveThe Donegal Grand ofJury hadour responsibility civil for aand wide range of functions including roads and bridges, the mental religious freedom,hospital in Letterkenny, destructive the county infirmary of in Liffordour the cost of extra police when needed, the conveyance of citizenship, prisoners,and theperilous upkeep of courthouses to andthe the paymentsunity to of county officials. They met twice a year so the responsibility the Empire,for thewe, day-to-day whose running of localnames government are belonged underwritten,to the men Poor Law Guardiansof Ulster, who met weekly. loyal They Extract from Grand Jury assizes, 1793. administered the Poor Law, oversaw the workhouses, Ref. No GJ/1/4, Donegal County Archives controlled the dispensary medical system and were subjectsempowered to ofraisefinance His to cover Gracious the costs of these activities. Majesty The Grand Jury was selected by the County Sheriff who in turn was appointed by the Lord KingLieutenant George of the County, who V.,for much humblyof the relyinglate nineteenth on century the was theGod Duke of Abercorn. whom our fathers County Sheriffs were primarily from the landed in gentrydays and the of Grand stress Jury in turn wasand comprised trial confidently mostly of the petty aristocracy, trusted,gentry and retireddo military.hereby The Poor pledgeLaw ourselves in Guardians were also primarily made up of solemnmembers of theCovenant, Protestant land owning throughout classes. Grand Jury 1899. Ref GJ/2/2,this Donegal County Archives our timeThe Governmentof threatened of Ireland Act of 1898 calamity, led to a change in theto balance stand of by power. Most of the functions of the Grand Jury were transferred to the newly oneestablished another County Council. in Countydefending, Donegal was restructured for intoourselves ten new rural district councils, which assumed many of the functions of the Boards of andGuardians. our The children, electorate was enlarged. our Many cherished members of the Grand position Jury considered these changes as an attack on their role and of equal citizenshipposition in society. In thein years the before United the First World War, Catholics increased as a proportion of the total population Kingdom, ofand the County. in Improved using education all led tomeans a in the percentage of locally based national government officials which maywho be were found Catholics. At thenecessary same time the land purchaseto acts were changing land ownership. The rise of the Home defeat the presentRule movement increasedconspiracy Protestant feelings to of beingset up under siege and encouraged the organised opposition to a Home RuleHome Rule whichParliament followed in the early twentieth in century.

Ireland.Tender for Letterkenny Workhouse, Donegal County MuseumAnd in the event of such a Parliament being forced upon us, we further solemnly and mutually pledge ourselves to refuse to recognize its authority. In sure confidence that God will defend the right, we hereto subscribe our names. And further, we individually declare

thatLifford Gaolwe . Ref.No. P/66/36, Donegal Countyhave Archives notInishowen workhouse already guardians. Ref BG/97/3/13, Donegal County Archives signedDonegal District Lunatic Asylum,this Letterkenny, Co Donegal.

Covenant. AN ROINN GNÓTHAÍ EACHTRACHA AGUS TRÁDÁLA DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE Reasons for Opposition to Home Rule Being Convinced in our consciences thatThe UnionistHome coalition wasRule united against would Home Rule for be a variety disastrous of reasons. • Unionists in general were reacting to the emergence of to theCatholic material nationalism. They well-beingwere concerned that they wouldof Ulster as use Home Rule as a stepping-stone towards full Irish well independence. as of the whole of

Ireland,• Economic self-interest. subversive In the nineteenth of century our civil and Ulster experienced an industrial revolution, which brought

religious with it increased freedom, prosperity. Unionists destructive were concerned that of August 1912,our Derry Journal Newspaper a new Irish government might mismanage the Irish economy. They believed citizenship, that nationalists would and tax the perilous north too heavily andto damage the its unityindustries of the withEmpire, protective tariffs we,designed whose to promote southern names self sufficiency. are • The Union had benefited Ireland. For Liberal Unionists, underwritten, in particularmen thisof was representedUlster, by the loyalreforms of land subjects of Hisownership andGracious local government. Majesty • Home Rule raised central constitutional questions, King George including V., the future humbly of the United Kingdom, Irish relying on the representation God at Westminster, whom and levelsour of taxation.fathers in days of •stress Threat to Empire. and For Conservativestrial confidently in particular, Home Rule for Ireland could spell the inevitable end of the trusted, do hereby pledge by providing an ourselves example and precedent in for other parts of the Empire to follow. solemn Covenant, throughout this our • Identity. Home Rule challenged Unionists’ identity which was comprised of a time complex of setthreatened of different identities, calamity,Imperial, British, Irish, to stand by and Ulster. one another in defending, for ourselves • . All of the Protestant churches were against and Home our Rule.They children, noted that 80 outour of 86 Homecherished Rule MPs position were Catholic and that the clergy were heavily involved of equalin the campaign citizenship for Home Rule. Many believedin the that a United Home Rule government would restrict their religious Kingdom, freedoms. They fearedand that “Homein using Rule would beall Rome means Rule.” Religion however was not stressed by southern which Unionists may who focused be upon found broader social necessary and to defeat constitutional the principlespresent conspiracy to set up a Home Rule Parliament in Ireland. And in the event of such a Parliament being forced upon us, we further solemnly and mutually pledge ourselves to refuse to recognize its authority. In sure confidence that God will defend the right, we hereto subscribe our names. And further, we individually declare

thatHome Rulers outside Palacewe of Westminster. Joseph Devlinhave M.P is on the left. not already signedWatching a march past in 1912 L - R Walter Long, Lordthis Londonderry, Andrew and Carson.

Covenant. AN ROINN GNÓTHAÍ EACHTRACHA AGUS TRÁDÁLA DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE Organised Opposition to Home Rule Being Convinced in our consciences The first two Home Rule crises led to the formation of a variety of that Homeorganisations Rule to oppose wouldHome Rule including be thedisastrous Irish Loyal and Patriotic Union (1885); Ulster Loyalist Anti-Repeal to the materialUnion (1886); Irishwell-being Unionist Alliance (1891). of Ulster as well as ofIn 1910 the the Unionistswhole appointed of Sir , a Protestant, to lead them in the fight against Home Rule. Ireland, Oppositionsubversive to Home Rule of at local our level wascivil organised and by different branches within Unionism. religiousSir Edward Carson freedom, destructive of our citizenship,Loyal Orders and perilous to the unity of theThe Empire, Orange Order can bewe, seen aswhose the populist element names of the Unionist are movement and was used to mobilise anti-Home Rule sentiment. It provided underwritten,a structure that united Protestants men from of different Ulster, classes. loyal subjectsUlster Unionist of His Council Gracious Majesty KingThe Ulster GeorgeUnionist Council (UUC) V., was launchedhumbly in March 1905. The Council was comprised of 200 delegates from relyingall nine Ulster on counties. the One ofGod the stated purposeswhom of the our fathers Council was to provide greater opportunity for the opinion in ofdays the broader of movement stress to be expressed. and Thetrial UUC was confidently to play a vital role in mobilising Ulster Unionist resistance trusted,to the third Homedo Rulehereby bill. pledge ourselves in solemn Covenant, throughout this our timeUnionist of threatenedClubs calamity, to stand by Lord Templetown formed Unionist Clubs, at the time of the second Home Rule one anotherBill inin 1893. defending, Over 100 clubs were formedfor andourselves from 1911-14 these were to be a major means of anti-home rule and our children,organisation at oura local level.cherished , 11th position March 1912 refers to the establishment of a Unionist club in of equal citizenshipBallyshannon. In a unanimous in the resolution United it stated “that a Unionist Club be started and maintained in Ballyshannon, Kingdom, inand defence inof the usingLegislative Union all between means Great Britain and Ireland, and for rendering assistance to its members which mayand be others found in carrying outnecessary this policy…Henry Stubbs to was elected President, Mr. James Sproule Myles, Vice defeat the presentPresident, and Dr.conspiracy James Coane, Hon. Secretary to andset up a Home RuleTreasurer.” Parliament in Ireland.Ulster Women’s And Association in the event of such a ParliamentUlster Women’s Associations being were instrumental forced in mobilising upon opposition us, at welocal level. In the Irish Times of September 7th 1912 it is reported that a “flourishing furtherbranch of thesolemnly Ulster Woman’s Unionist and Association mutually was formed in Southpledge Donegal. President was Mrs. Hamilton of Brown Hall, Vice Presidents ourselvesMrs. Montgomery to Stewart refuse of Drumbeg toand Mrs.recognize Akinson of Cavan Garden;its Secretaries were Miss Neilson and Miss Henderson and Treasurer Miss Pearson.” authority. In sure confidence that God will defend the right, we hereto subscribe our names. And further, we individually declare

that we have not Sir Edwardalready and Lady Carson © Private Collection signedOrange Parade 12ththis July 1905

Covenant. AN ROINN GNÓTHAÍ EACHTRACHA AGUS TRÁDÁLA DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE The Covenant and Ulster Day

A covenant is a bargain or an agreement. It was one of the basic theological motifs of both the Hebrew and Christian scriptures. After Unionist demonstrations Being Convincedagainst Home inRule inour Craigavon consciences and Balmoral the idea for an oath or pledge to resist Home Rule was that Home Rulesuggested. James would Craig, MP forbe East disastrousDown, began work on writing the pledge and Thomas Sinclair to the materialcompleted well-being the task by taking theof title ofUlster the Scottish as Solemn League and Covenant of 1643 and the spirit well as of theof thewhole Scottish National of Covenant of 1638.

Ireland, subversiveThe Covenant wasof to beour signed civil by persons and who were born in Ulster. This was not to be done lightly or religious freedom,frivolously, asdestructive expressed by Rev. T.C. Magee,of our (and others), when he “…strictly charged the people citizenship,that no individual should and sign it unlessperilous he felt in his conscienceto the to dounity so. Once of having signed and pledged their word of honour, it was their solemn duty to theabide Empire, by it”. we, whose names are underwritten, men of Ulster, loyal Ulster Day subjects of His Gracious Majesty Ulster Day was designed to demonstrate Kingthe unionists George determination to V.,oppose humbly Home Rule. The climax was to be the relyingsigning of theon Covenant. the A rollingGod whom our fathers programme of public meetings began on in thedays 17th September of whenstress Carson and trial confidently addressed 40,000 people at Enniskillen. trusted, do hereby pledge ourselvesCarson signing the Ulster Solemn League and Covenant in City H in Ulster Day itself took place on Saturday 28th September 1912. In many places solemnthe day took Covenant,on the form of a religious throughoutservice. Afterwards people this signed theour Covenant in church porches or in nearby halls. Altogether 237,368 men signed timethe Covenant of threatened and 234,046 Women signedcalamity, the parallel Declaration. to stand by one another inThe Covenantdefending, was signed at 51for venues ourselves throughout Donegal with about 73% of the Protestant population and our children,in Donegal our signing. cherishedThe total numbers of signaturesposition taken in County Donegal were 17,985. of equal citizenship in the United Derry Journal September 1912 A local Donegal newspaper of the time records:

Kingdom,“A congregation large and beyond inall expectations using all means crowded into Raphoe Cathedral on Saturday for the solemn service of whichintercession may … After thebe service found the people throngednecessary to the Temperance to Hall to sign the Covenant. The signing continued all evening, under the defeatmanagement the of Messrs. present C.V. Stoney, conspiracyJames Boyton, R. Boyton, to set up David Wilson, Thomas Wilson, Robert Sheldon, and William Sheldon. a HomeThe Women’s Covenant Rule was under Parliament the charge of Mrs. Butler Stoney.”in Ireland. And in the event of such a Women’s Declaration Parliament being forced upon us, we Ulster’s Women signed an equivalent ‘Women’s Declaration’. They wanted to furtherassociate themselvessolemnly “with the men and of Ulster mutually in their uncompromising pledge ourselvesopposition to the toHome refuse Rule Bill now beforeto parliament”.recognize its authority. In sure confidence that God will defend the right, we hereto subscribe our names. And further, we individually declare that we have not already signed this Women Signing Declaration at Baronscourt Co.Tyrone 1912. Cooper Collection, courtesy of The Public Records Office of Men signing Ulster Covenant at at Baronscourt Co.Tyrone 1912. Cooper Collection, courtesy of The Public Records Office of Northern Ireland Cooper Collection, courtesy of The Public Records Office of Northern Ireland

Covenant. AN ROINN GNÓTHAÍ EACHTRACHA AGUS TRÁDÁLA DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE Ulster Solemn league and Covenant Being Convinced in our consciences ”Being convinced in our consciences that Home thatRule wouldHome be disastrous Rule to the material would be disastrous well-being of Ulster as well as of the whole of to Ireland,the subversivematerial of our civil well-beingand religious of Ulster as freedom, destructive of our citizenship, and wellperilous as to the of unity ofthe the Empire, whole we, whose of names are underwritten, men of Ulster, loyal Ireland,subjects of His Gracioussubversive Majesty King George of our civil and V., humbly relying on the God whom our fathers religiousin days of stress freedom,and trial confidently destructivetrusted, do of our hereby pledge ourselves in solemn Covenant, citizenship,throughout this our timeand of threatened perilous calamity, to to the unity of stand by one another in defending, for ourselves theand Empire, our children, our cherished we, positionwhose of equal names are citizenship in the United Kingdom, and in using all underwritten,means which may be found men necessary of to defeat Ulster, the present conspiracy loyal to set up a Home Rule Parliament in Ireland. And in the event of such a subjectsParliament being of forced His upon us, weGracious further solemnly and mutuallyMajesty pledge ourselves to refuse to recognize its authority. In sure confidence that God will Kingdefend the George right, we hereto subscribe V., ourhumbly names. And further, we individually relyingdeclare that weon have the not already God signed this whom Covenant. our fathers in Thedays above was of signed stress by me at ______and trial confidently “Ulster Day.” Saturday, 28th September 1912.” trusted, do hereby pledge ourselves in solemn Covenant, throughout this our Women’s Declaration time of threatened calamity, to stand by In total 228,000 women signed the Declaration with one another in8,730 defending, signing in Donegal. for ourselves and our children,“We, whose our names cherished are underwritten, women position of Ulster, and loyal subjects of our gracious King, of equal citizenshipbeing firmly persuadedin the that HomeUnited Rule would be disastrous to our Country, desire to associate Kingdom, andourselves in withusing the men of allUlster inmeans their uncompromising opposition to the Home Rule Bill which may benow found before Parliament, necessary whereby it is proposed to to drive Ulster out of her cherished place in the defeat the presentConstitution conspiracy of the United Kingdom, toand toset place herup under the domination and control of a Parliament in a HomeIreland. Praying thatRule from this calamity Parliament God will save Ireland, wein here to Ireland.subscribe our name.And in the event of such a The above was signed by me at ______Parliament“Ulster Day.” Saturday, being28th September forced 1912.” upon us, we further solemnly and mutually pledge ourselves to refuse to recognize its authority. In sure confidence that God will defend the right, we hereto subscribe our names. And further, we individually declare

that Womenwe signing the Declaration in Belfasthave not already signed this

Covenant. AN ROINN GNÓTHAÍ EACHTRACHA AGUS TRÁDÁLA DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE Broken Covenant

In 1912 many Unionists signed the Covenant in the belief that “Ulster would swim together or sink together”. By 1921 when the State of Northern Ireland was formed, and the three Ulster counties of Being ConvincedDonegal, in Cavan our and Monaghan consciences became part of the Free State, many of these same signato- that Home Ruleries particularly would in the threebe “lost disastrous counties” felt that they had been betrayed. Sir James Stron- to the material well-beingge a delegate to the Ulster of Unionist Ulster Council as expressed the opinion of many unionists when well as of the wholehe wrote “the of three counties have been thrown to the wolves with very little compunction.” Ireland,Creation of thesubversive Border of our civil and This was particularly felt by the unionists in Donegal. Major James Sproule Myl- religiouses, TD for Donegal freedom, in the Dáil on 10th destructive December 1925, said “Someof ofour my correspondence this morning consists of two words…These two words are;” citizenship,Sold again”. and perilous to the unity of theJohn Empire, M. Barkley, former Professorwe, whoseof History in Union names Theological College,are Belfast, tells of the visit to a clergyman in Co. Donegal and how he felt about underwritten,the “Broken Covenant”, men of Ulster, loyal subjects“I sometimes visitedof aHis manse in Co.Gracious Donegal where on the Majesty mantelpiece in the Kingstudy was Georgea framed copy of the V., Ulster Covenant.humbly It had been torn in two and written across it were the words “The Broken Covenant”. At first sight, the relyingwriting looked on like a thedark stain. God It had been whom written in the minister’sour ownfathers blood. He had been a Unionist and had been appointed in withdays another toof represent stress the Unionists and of Donegal trial at confidently a meeting with Carson at the City Hall in Belfast. trusted,Instead of being do treated hereby sympathetically, pledge he and his ourselves in companion were called upon to resign. They solemnrefused and wereCovenant, evicted. No longer wasthroughout it this our “Ulster will fight and Ulster will be right”. Donegal, timeMonaghan of andthreatened Cavan were to be sacrificed. calamity, The to stand by night he returned home saw the torn blood stained onecovenant another placed on the in study defending,mantelpiece where for ourselves it remained until the day he died. The betrayal was andnever our forgotten children, and I saw with my ownour eyes thecherished position anguish of one of those who had been betrayed.” of equal citizenship in the UnitedCarson at Raphoe Demonstration in 1913 Kingdom, and in using all means which may be found necessary to defeat the present conspiracy to set up a Home Rule Parliament in Ireland. And in the event of such a Parliament being forced upon us, we further solemnly and mutually pledge ourselves to refuse to recognize its authority. In sure confidence that God will defend the right, we hereto subscribe our names. And further, we individually declare

that we have not already signedBorder checkpointthis

Covenant. AN ROINN GNÓTHAÍ EACHTRACHA AGUS TRÁDÁLA DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE Some Signatories Thomas Albert Sproule Being ConvincedThomas Albert Sproule in signedour the consciencesUlster Covenant in Newtowncunningham Orange Hall. Thomas was from Co. that HomeFermanagh Rule and had would served in the Britishbe Armydisastrous during the Boer War. In June 1911 he was a founding member and to the materialthe fi rst well-beingWorshipful Master of Newtowncunningham of Ulster True as Blues Loyal Orange Lodge No.1063. He joined the well as of localthe branch whole of the Ulster of Volunteers and at the outbreak of the First World War he joined the 2nd Battalion Ireland, subversiveRoyal Inniskilling Fusiliers. of Heour was killedcivil at the Battleand of Festubert in May 1915. religious freedom, destructive of our citizenship,Major James Sprouleand perilousMyles M.C. to the unity of the Empire,James we, Sproule whose Myles was a soldier,names businessman, are politician and community leader from Ballyshannon, underwritten,County men Donegal. of In 1908, Ulster, the Myles family loyal introduced electric light to Ballyshannon and shortly afterwards subjects of extendedHis the Graciousservice to Bundoran. Majesty King GeorgeOn the 7th V., March 1912,humbly he was elected vice-president of the newly formed Ballyshannon Unionist Club. He signed relying on thethe Ulster God Covenant in whomthe Masonic Hall, our Ballyshannon, fathers in days of togetherstress with 247and other mentrial and 223 confidently women. Later he served with the 11th Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and trusted,was severely dowounded hereby at the Battle ofpledge the Somme. Heourselves was awarded the in solemnMilitary Cross Covenant, for “conspicuous gallantry throughout in action” this our In 1923 he entered Dail Eireann as an Independent, and in six successive timegeneral of elections threatened he headed the poll incalamity, Co. Donegal. Following to the stand division by of the county into two constituencies, he represented East Donegal from 1937 oneuntil another1943. He was also ina member defending, of Donegal County Council.for ourselves and our children, our cherished position Lord Leitrim of equal citizenship in the United Major Charles George Clements (1879-1952) was the Kingdom, 5thand Earl of inLeitrim using and was based all at Mulroy, means Co. Donegal where he signed the Covenant on Ulster Day. He was which may commissionedbe found into the 9thnecessary Lancers in 1900 and toserved with the Imperial Yeomanry in the Boer War. He was defeat the presentLord Lieutenant ofconspiracy the City of Londonderry to and Offiset cer up Commanding the Donegal Regiment of the Ulster a Home RuleVolunteers during Parliament the . Duringin the First World War Leitrim was commissioned a major in the 11th Ireland. AndService Battalion,in the Royal Inniskillingevent Fusiliers of butsuch resigned a due to ill health on 10 January 1917. In 1917 he was made ParliamentPrivate Secretary to the beingSecretary of Stateforced for the Colonies. upon He returned us, to we furtherMulroy, Co. solemnlyDonegal in 1939 where and he died inmutually 1952. pledge ourselves to refuse to recognize its authority. In sure confidence that God will defend the right, we hereto subscribe our names. And further, we individually declare that we have not already signed this AN ROINN GNÓTHAÍ EACHTRACHA AGUS TRÁDÁLA Covenant. DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE Some Signatories Sarah Lipsett Being ConvincedSarah Margaret “Sally” in Lipsettour who consciences lived in Castle St., Ballyshannon, signed the Women’s Declaration in the that HomeMasonic Rule Hall, Ballyshannon. would be disastrous to the materialShe later emigratedwell-being to Glasgow, Scotland of whereUlster she found as work as a cashier in a shop owned by another emigrant well as of fromthe the wholeBallyshannon area,of George Corscadden. George had emigrated to Glasgow where he became a master Ireland, subversivebutcher and owner ofof several our shops civiland in 1918 and he and Sarah Lipsett were married. They had two daughters, Iris religiousand Hazel, who grewfreedom, up in Glasgow anddestructive in 1948 Hazel Corscadden of marriedour citizenship,Leo Blair and had three and children perilousincluding future Prime to Minister the Tony unity Blair. of theJohn Empire, Campbell Whitewe, whose names are underwritten,John menwas born inof Milford Ulster, where his father wasloyal the fi rst minister of Milford Presbyterian Church. He moved to subjects of BelfastHis and practisedGracious as a solicitor and Majesty was a partner in White, McMillan & Wheeler. He was a Unionist councillor King Georgein Belfast CityV., Council. humbly He was High Sheriff of Belfast in 1915 and Lord Mayor in 1919-1920. There is a white relying on themarble bustGod of him in Belfastwhom City Hall. our He signed fathers the in days of Covenantstress in Belfast. and trial confidently trusted,Henry Hutchinson do hereby Montgomery pledge ourselves in solemnHenry Montgomery Covenant, was born on the 3rdthroughout October 1847 at Cawnpore, this India, our where his father was Lieutenant Governor of the Punjab. He was ordained a time of threatened calamity,deacon in 1871, priestto instand 1872 and by consecrated Bishop of Tasmania one another in defending,on 1st May 1889.for Inourselves 1906 he was made Prelate of the Order of and our children, ourSt. cherished Michael and St. George. position He and his wife Maud signed the of equal citizenship inUlster the Covenant United at Westminster. In 1921 he retired to the Kingdom, and in usingfamily home all at Newmeans Park, Moville. whichHe died onmay 25th November be 1932found and was buriednecessary at the Church of St.to Columb, Moville. He was father to Bernard Law Montgomery, known as Monty, the Field defeatMarshal ofthe the Allied present Forces in WWII conspiracywho received the German tosurrender set in up a HomeMay 1945. Rule Parliament in Ireland. And in the event of such a Parliament being forced upon us, we further solemnly and mutually pledge ourselves to refuse to recognize its authority. In sure confidence that God will defend the right, we hereto subscribe our names. And further, we individually declare that we have not already signed this AN ROINN GNÓTHAÍ EACHTRACHA AGUS TRÁDÁLA Covenant. DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE