Covenant certificate presented to Museum

On the 28th September 1912, on the day known as ‘Ulster Day’, unionists in Mid-Antrim joined those across Ulster in committing their opposition to the third ‘Home Rule Bill’ that proposed a devolved parliament in Dublin.

In Ballymena, the Ulster Covenant and Women’s Declaration were signed by individuals at the ‘old’ Town Hall, alongside other locations in the town including the Protestant Hall, the Parochial Hall and Harryville Mission Hall as well as several street corners. The Town Hall was destroyed in an accidental fire in 1919 and was replaced by the current Town Hall in 1928, now part of The Braid complex. The commemoration certificate, produced by the Ulster Scots Agency, is currently on display in the Museum at The Braid as part of its ‘Shared History, Different Allegiances 1912-1914’ display.

Councillor Timothy Gaston provided the contact between the Ulster Scots Agency and the Council regarding the donation of the certificate to the Museum service.