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The Ulster Covenant Walking Tour is a leisurely walk, following in the footsteps of the men of the Ulster Covenant. Much will be said throughout 1912 about the Titanic Story but alongside the story of the ill-fated ship is another story of men and women who embarked on a titanic struggle against the third Home Rule Bill, introduced by the Liberal Government. They believed ( in the words of Charles Frederick D'Arcy, Archbishop of Armagh) "...that no power, not even the British Parliament, has the right to deprive us of our heritage of British citizenship". This is a tour that you don't want to miss!

On Monday 25th September 1911, a meeting of 400 delegates of the Unionist associations and the Orange Order was held in the Rosemary Hall, Elmwood Avenue. “A commission of Five” was appointed to frame a constitution for the provisional government of Ulster. The five consisted of Captain Craig, Colonel Sharman Crawford, Colonel R.H. Wallace, Thomas Sinclair and Edward Sclater. The Commission was to work in consultation with Carson.

The 400 delegates who attended the meeting in the Rosemary Hall were entertained by a luncheon in the Exhibition Hall,Botanic Gardens. This hall was put up adjoining the rear of the Palm House, the roof of which came from a gunboat shed used by Harland and Wolff to build small warships. The hall could accommodate 1500 people and was used for social functions

Publishers of tourist publications, newspapers, magazines and news letters are welcome to print the following: Why an Ulster Covenant Walking Tour? The tour is to inform local people and visitors about the main events, places and people of the Covenant. Interwoven throughout will be information generally about Belfast and you will discover that the Covenant Story is also very much part of the Titanic Story; for example, an active opponent of Home Rule, Thomas Andrews, Junior was the Head Designer of RMS Titanic, who sadly went down with the ship. Thousands of men who built the Titanic in 1912 also built the 'UNION CRUISER' whose construction was not made of metal, but a determination to remain British. They believed (in the words of Charles Frederick D'Arcy, Archbishop of Armagh) "We hold that no power, not even the British Parliament, has the right to deprive us of our heritage of British citizenship". The Union Cruiser of Ulster Resistance was to prove unsinkable. Much has and will be said throughout 2012 about the Titanic Story -and rightly so- but interwoven with the story of the ill-fated ship is another story of men and women who embarked on a Titanic struggle against the third Home Rule Bill, introduced by the Liberal Government. The tour is important because there is a possibility that the momentous event of the Ulster Covenant may be lost in Titanic communications and the Ulster Covenant may not be given the importance it deserves. The delay in organizing the Covenant Exhibition at the City Hall is an example of that. The 2 hour (at the most) Ulster Covenant Walking Tour will follow in the footsteps of the men and women of the Covenant. It is led by a qualified Blue Badge guide who will bring to life the events of 1911, 1912. and up to the formation of Northern Ireland. The tour is an essential part of the Covenant commemoration and indeed celebration. Many buildings, statues, memorials and places in Belfast today, stand as silent witnesses to the events one hundred years ago. The guide will give a voice to them and bring alive the Covenant Story. The tour starts at the historic Ulster Hall built in 1862, and after a brief introduction continues to the Belfast City Hall grounds. It was at Belfast City Hall, that the Covenant was signed by Edward Carson and many thousands of Belfast citizens. You will see many fine buildings, familiar to the vast crowd which assembled around the City Hall on 28^th September 1912. The statue of the lord Mayor, who held office in 1912, R.J. Mordie MA, MP, stands within the grounds of Belfast City Hall; it will be one of a number of statues and memorials the guide will refer to during the tour. The guide will include in the story, these opposed to the Covenant like Lord Pirrie and you will have the opportunity to see the bust of Lord Pirrie. He was described by a tourist from the United States during a tour in August 2011, as the man who jumped ship. Pirrie was a Unionist who turned to support Home Rule. Protestant home rulers were described as 'rare birds'. You will visit the Titanic Memorial Garden and you will hear about the support given by Thomas Andrews to the Unionist cause and his tragic death as a passenger on board the Titanic. The tour will take you from the City Hall and along Donegall Place, Royal Avenue, Donegall Street, Gordon Street, Victoria Street and the High Street. You will see famous landmarks like the Albert Clock, at which Edward Carson may have looked at, to check the time as he pasted on the evening of Covenant day to board the ship for Liverpool. He was to pass it for the last time on Saturday 26th October 1932 whenthe United Kingdom gave him a state funeral. It took place in Belfast at St Anne's Cathedral and a visit to his last resting place will part of the tour. Other buildings of interest will include The Ulster Reform Club, First Presbyterian Church, Rosemary Street, Castle Court Shopping Centre -former site of Grand Central Hotel and the old Town Hall building. The story of the Covenant is mostly about people and the guide will refer to some of them including, Edward Carson, the Unionist leader, Thomas Sinclair, who drafted the Covenant, Andrew Bonar Law, the leader of the Conservatives, Fred Crawford, Sir James Craig, the first Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, Thomas Andrews, Junior, the Head Designer of RMS Titanic and last but not least, Captain Wilfred Spender. There is a lot packed into the two hour tour. Belfast weather is not all sunshine and you are advised to wear suitable clothing. The walking tour starts from the Ulster Hall, Bedford Street every Saturday at 11am until 27^th October (except 19^th May & 29^th September) Tickets are £6 and available from 10.45am. Please note that it will not always be possible to enter places mentioned in the tour. For other Covenant Tours and alternative days for group tours phone 07974315293 or go to www.ulstercovenant-tour.co.uk