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On September 28, 1912, 237,368 men signed the
Ulster Covenant and the declaration signed by 234,046 women.
The Ulster Covenant was part of a response by
Ulster Unionists to the efforts of many Westminster governments
to settle the ongoing debate of giving Ireland a measure of
self-rule known as Home Rule.
Home Rule was the name given to the process
of allowing Ireland more say in how it was governed freeing
them from the rule of London and thus appeasing those in Ireland
who wanted Ireland to have more home derived power.
The House of Lords opposed the idea of Home
Rule in Ireland and in 1886 and 1893, there had been two Home
Rule Bills but both were rejected and killed off by the members
of the House of Lords. They saw the introduction of Home Rule
as the start of the process whereby the power of London was
reduced, first in Ireland - and then where else? However in
1911, the House of Parliament Act effectively reduced the
House of Lord's power to that of delay as opposed to one of
outright rejection of the notion of Home Rule.
The British Prime Minister in 1912 was Herbert Henry Asquith,
who introduced a Third Home Rule Bill and on the eve of the
Bill's introduction, April 9, 1912, a large demonstration
was held at Balmoral, Belfast, attended by approximately 200,000
Unionists, including the Orange Order and marched from Belfast
city centre.
The
signing of the Ulster Covenant has been recorded in the history
books as being like a crusade. Religious services took place
in churches throughout the country. In Belfast work ceased
with factories becoming idle allowing their workers the opportunity
to attend church then to attend the larger gathering at the
City Hall.
There were approximately 2,500 men drawn from
Orange Lodges and Unionist clubs who marshalled the crowds
outside the City Hall throughout the day.
Following the Ulster Covenant campaign, Prime
Minister Asquith tried to force the Bill through the House
of Commons in November 1912 and was defeated.
However, by 1913, the Home Rule debate continued
and was passed in the Commons and was thrown out by the House
of Lords.
In Ulster the Covenant organisers had proved
their ability to mobilise large numbers of people. Following
the signing of the Covenant and in preparation for the potential
success of a third Home Rule Bill, Edward Carson and James
Craig formed the Ulster Volunteer Force, which saw more than
100,000 men between the ages of 17 and 65 becoming members.
The Home Rule issue was put on hold due to the
outbreak of World War One. Many of the men who joined the
Ulster Volunteer Force, enlisted mostly with the 36th Ulster
Division, many of which suffered many casualties at the Battle
of the Somme on July 1, 1916.
Northern Ireland was established by the Government
of Ireland Act 1920, which many Ulstermen saw as a reward
for their loyal service during the war. Many of the men who
served and returned safely from the First World War, became
Special Constables and were commonly known as B-Specials.
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