Ulster Day Poem

Rudyard Kipling's momentous poem.

Ulster 1912.

The dark eleventh hour
Draws on and sees us sold
To every evil power
We fought against of old.
Rebellion, rapine, hate,
Oppression, wrong and greed
Are loosed to rule our fate,
By England’s act and deed.

The Faith in which we stand,
The laws we made and guard,
Our honour, lives, and land
Are given for reward
To Murder done by night,
To Treason taught by day,
To folly, sloth, and spite,
And we are thrust away.

The blood our fathers spilt,
Our love, our toils, our pains,
Are counted us for guilt,
And only bind our chains.
Before an Empire’s eyes
The traitor claims his price.
What need of further lies?
We are the sacrifice.

We asked no more than leave
To reap where we had sown,
Through good and ill to cleave
To our own flag and throne.
Now England’s shot and steel
Beneath that flag must show
How loyal hearts should kneel
To England’s oldest foe.

We know the war prepared
On every peaceful home,
We know the hells declared
For such as serve not Rome—
The terror, threats, and bread
In market, hearth, and field—
We know, when all is said.
We perish if we yield.

Believe, we dare not boast,
Believe, we dare not fear
We stand to pay the cost
In all that men hold dear.
What answer from the North?
One Law, one Land, one Throne
If England drive us forth
We shall not fall alone!

One hundred years later it is still as powerful - our cry was No Surrender !!

HMA

Centenary Plaque

On Monday evening 17th September 2012, I was invited by Ards Borough Council, to the unveiling and dedication of a new plaque - at the Town Hall, Conway Square, Newtownards.

 

The plaque was erected to commemorate the Centenary of the Signing of the Ulster Covenant - which took place in the building 100 years ago.

 

Mayor of Ards, Alderman Hamilton Gregory performed the unveiling ceremony.

 

Following that Dr. David Hume gave an excellent talk on the Home Rule Crisis, that was ongoing in the latter part of the 19th and early part of the 20th Century....... an excellent well balanced lecture with a great turn out of local folk

 

Am.................... In the background over several months Jack, Mark and I had discussed then lobbied the council to mark this significant event in Ulster History in this way....... it was very satisfying to see our idea come to fruition.

 

Also during the evening, the upcoming Ulster Covenant exhibition was given a sneak preview...... it was very well received and will be officially launched next Monday 24th September 2012, again at the Town Hall Newtowards. A great piece of work from the very talented Mark T and his team!!

 

I will blog a piece later.

 

 



Alderman Gregory - who unveiled the plaque.

 

 

 

The Plaque.

 

HMA

Homegrown

 

Home grown - it is with a great deal of satisfaction and looking back on all that hard work throughout the summer months, weeding, slug hunting and tending the vegetables - it is enjoyable to pick then cook your own vegetables.

 

Here are a few items I picked for cooking over the wekend - white & red onion, peas, shallotts, scallions and beetroot - they tast so much better than shop vegatables!!

 

 

I have managed to eat all the potatoes, well not me alone.... the family - so just a few bits n pieces left

HMA

Newtrownards & The Ulster Covenant

In the coming weeks the town of Newtownards and its environs will commemorate and celebrate the historic signing of the Ulster Covenant.

There were two venues for signing the Covenant in Newtownards Town - Town Hall and Guild hall. In total 14,625 signed either the Covenant of the decloration in the Borough of Ards.

Ards Borough Council have invested quite a considerable amount of time and resourses into the upcoming events -

Loughries and I will of course play our part in these events.

Here is a flyer prepared to advertise the events - for further information click on the link below.

http://www.ards-council.gov.uk/

HMA

Runrig Live - Loch Lomond

I have had a bit of time to catch up with things over the weekend and last few days, I installed me new all singing all dancing PC and have decided to revamp all my files, etc.

I have been listening to quite a bit of music as I have been busily working away, so I thought I would share this tune and group with you..... this not my favourite track by this group - I will post that later but here is a rousing version of the old traditional Scottish folk song.... Loch Lomond.

A Scottish group I enjoy listening to from time to time is Runrig.  They are deeply proud of their Scottish roots, history, music and culture - they don't dress themselves up as anything else!

 

Others should take a leaf from their book - don't pretend to be something you are not and won't be!!

 

 

 

 

HMA

Birthplace.

As the years slip past folk, - including myself, begin to look back as much as they look forward and this is certainly true when you begin to delve into some family history, here is a little snippet.

Naturally you begin where you were born - and for me it was Newtownards, Co. Down, Northern Ireland. I was born and spent the first 2 years of my life in picture No. 1 - Wallace's Street No. 1 or if you are local it was known as 'The Front Deed' - I don't know why!

There was another street that ran parallel to Wallace's Street No. 1 and that was Wallace's Street No 2 ! - it was affectionately known as 'The Back Deed' and renowned for housing many local characters. including the famous or should I say infamous 'Back Street Band.

These two streets ran between the Donaghadee Road and Movilla Street with Brown's Lane running between the two, linking them together.

We - The Anderson's lived just where the car in Picture No. 1 is parked. I don't recall living here as I was too young and moved when I was around 18 mts old/ 2 years, but I do recall playing in and around the houses when they became derelict in the late 1960's / early 1970's

Pic. 1 Wallace's Street No. 1 - 1970 ish

Pic. 2 Wallace's Street No. 2

 Pic. 3 Browns Lane.

By contrast I was in the area recently and took a few photo's of how it is today........ it is not pretty, and they call this progress.

Pic. 3 Wallace's Street No. 1 - 2012

Browns Lane and Wallace's Street No.2 are long gone with only one side of Wallace's Street left. It is quite sad to see it knocked down...... maybe best before the houses fell down, but it's always good to look back and reflect.

HMA

Upcoming Events

Over recent months Loughries Historical Society have been busy preparing for a special event to commemorate and celebrate the signing of the Ulster Covenant 100 years ago.

To mark this ocassion, Loughries will host a dinner in the Town Hall, Newtownards on Friday 28th September 2012 at 7.00pm - the Ulster Covenant was signed by thousands of Newtownards folk in this very building, 100 years ago to the day!



There will be a 4 course meal provided with lone piper Stephen Rodgers providing a piping lament or two also members of Lord Londonderry's Own CLB will provide some musical entertainment.

 

Keynote speaker for the evening will be Drew Nelson LLB, Grand Secretary of the GOLI, also Jack Greenald, local historian will give a short presentation of the Ulster Covenant Day in Newtownards back in 1912.

 

Also in the Town Hall building Ards Borough Council will have an Ulster Covenant Exhibition on display which will include some local artefacts and memorabilia from the time.

On Monday 17th September 2012 an unveiling of a commemorative plaque will take place in the Town Hall, Newtownards.

 

Members of Loughries Historical Society had been lobbying Ards Borough Council, through our elected representatives - to have a brass plaque unveiled in the Town Hall to commemorate and recognise that the Ulster Covenant was signed in this great historical building......... and as Ards Borough Council is a listening Council, they have agreed to place a plaque to commemorate this significant element of Ulster/Newtownards history.

Report and pictures to follow.

HMA