Mourne men’s stand for Union
In 1886 a full muster roll was released to the media detailing the organisation of an Orange Army that would be mobilised in the event that …….
Organising an Army…. the armbands of the U.V.F.
The Ulster Volunteers were a truly massive Force, with almost 100,000 men and women in the ranks of its main body and its various special units …….
The Star of County Down…. Banbridge and District’s Anti Home Rule Army
Lying on the River Bann, the town of Banbridge is one of the largest in County Down, taking its name from the bridge built in 1712. …….
South Derry 2nd Battalion U.V.F…. ‘Men of good courage’
Today the 17th Century Springhill House is one of the finest National Trust properties in Northern Ireland. In 1913 however it was the seat for a …….
South Downs’ Hilltop Volunteers… the Rathfriland U.V.F.
Not surprisingly given its Plantation origins, the County Down hill top town and district of Rathfriland has a long association with Irish Unionism, Loyalism and Orangeism. …….
Mid-Tyrone stands firm against Home Rule
At the Balmoral Review, men from Tyrone impressed the massive crowds with their military bearing and discipline. They had been training to ensure they were fully …….
The Maiden City Volunteers
The demographic shape of several areas has changed dramatically since the introduction of the Third Home Rule Bill in 1912. Few places illustrate this as well …….
Boys from the West… the West Belfast Volunteers
When the Act of Union uniting Great Britain and Ireland came into effect in 1801, the population of Belfast was almost totally Protestant. What the Act …….
The Shipyard Volunteers, East Belfasts answer to Home Rule
The cranes Samson and Goliath are iconic symbols of Unionist East Belfast. The ship yards of the East however were playing their role in the unfolding …….
Antrims finest, the 3rd Battalion South Antrim Regiment
The area in and around Antrim town is no stranger to conflict. From the 4th Century AD it was a centre that would be attacked at …….