The Ulster Covenant (sometimes referred to as Ulster’s Solemn League and Covenant) was signed by 471,414 people (237,368 men and 234,046 women) on (or before) 28 September 1912. In a sign of the gender inequality of the time, men signed the Covenant, while women signed the Declaration. The signatories were opposed to the British government giving Home Rule to Ireland.
Sir Edward Carson was the first signatory, signing on the morning of 28 September, with a silver pen, underneath the Dome, inside Belfast’s City Hall. Many others signed from across Great Britain and the commonwealth. It is worth recording that in April 1914, the British Covenant (a similar document to the Ulster Covenant), was signed by two million people across Britain.
Eden Orange Hall, District of Tamlaght O’Crilly, County Londonderry
In the District of Tamlaght O’Crilly, 796 people signed (406 men and 390 women) the Ulster Covenant (and Declaration). There were four main areas within the district. David Dinsmore looked after the signings at Tamlaght O’Crilly Orange Hall, Hugh S. Greer took charge of proceedings at Killymuck & Tivaconavy, while Kennedy Mulholland oversaw events at Eden Orange Hall. Adam Glasgow oversaw the signatures at Innisrush Orange Hall.
Kennedy Mulholland was the 27 year old son of Smylie Mulholland, who lived on the Ballymacpeake Road in Eden, a field-length away from my grandfather, Tommy Mulholland. Kennedy enabled 181 locals to sign at Eden Orange Hall – 89 men and 92 women.
In this unique glimpse into a moment in time, we can see the signatures of our relatives, and neighbours, all of whom have long since departed this world. And unlike in the 1800s, by the early 1900s, many of these local people could read and write.
The signatories encompass, essentially, the entire unionist section of the community. And ignoring the politics involved, the Ulster Covenant and it’s sister document, the Ulster Declaration, provide fascinating information about who was living in the local area at this particular time. Many of these families, along with their surnames, have sadly long since died out. Hopefully this web page will be useful to those trying to trace their family tree back to this area and time period.
Listed below, in alphabetical order, are the names of the 181 men and women who signed the Covenant and the Declaration at Eden Orange Hall. And below their names, you will find the actual documents, with their signatures.
Annie Sarah Armstrong of Drumnacannon
Elizabeth Armstrong of Moyagney
George Armstrong of Mayogney
Jane Armstrong of Moyagney
Lizzie Armstrong of Moyagney
Margaret J Armstrong of Drumnacannon
Annie Black of Eden
Bella Black of Eden
Isabella Black of Eden
James Black of Eden
James Black of Ballymacpeake
Jane Black of Eden
William Black of Eden
William Black of Eden
Marganan Boggs of Drumnacannon
Minnie Boggs of Drumnacannon
Samuel Boggs of Drumnacannon
Mary Bradley of Dreenan
James Bradley of Dreenan
Nancy Jane Brownlon of Eden
Robert Brownlow of Eden
Annie Burlington of Eden
Sarah Burlington of Drumnacannon
Gilbert Campbell of Drummuck
Matilda Campbell of Drummuck
Annie Carleton of Tyanee
Maggie Carleton of Tyanee
Margaret Carleton of Tyanee
Sarah Carleton of Tyanee
John Catherwood of Eden
Alexander Chambers of Eden
Eliza Chambers of Eden
Elizabeth Chambers of Eden
William Chambers of Eden
William Chambers of Eden
William Clark of Ballymacpeake
Bella Clarke of Ballymapeake
Edward Clarke of Drummuck
Martha Clarke of Drummuck
Matilda Clarke of Drummuck
Minnie Clarke of Ballymapeake
Thomasina Clarke of Drummuck
Harry Dogherty of Eden
Mary Lucy Doole of Ballymacpeake
Mammie Doonan of Drumnacannon
Alexander Downing of Dreenan
Alexander Downing of Dreenan
Annie Downing of Dreenan
Bella Downing of Eden
Charles Downing of Dreenan
Ellen Downing of Dreenan
James Downing of Dreenan
Jane Downing of Dreenan
John Downing of Dreenan
Lizzie Downing of Dreenan
Matilda Downing of Dreenan
Samuel Downing of Dreenen
Sarah Downing of Eden
Spencer Downing of Dreenan
Stafford Downing of Dreenan
William Downing of Dreenan
William Downing of Dreenan
Willie Downing of Dreenan
Elen Fleming of Drummuck
Henry Fleming of Drummuck
Samuel Fleming
Maryan Grimason of Drummuck
Alexander Hamilton of Eden
Annie Hazlett of Dreenan
Henery George Hazzlette of Dreenen
Robert S. Hazzlette of Dreenan
Robert Lamont of Eden
James McAhon of Mayogney
Verner Mcaw of Ballymacpeake
Sarah McCahon of Moyagney
Henery McCaughey of Ballymacpeake
William McCaughey of Ballymacpeake
Margaret McCaughey of Ballymapeake
Lizzie McCaw of Ballymapeake
Willie McCracken of Eden
Mary Jane McGilligan of Ballymapeake
John McGulligan of Ballymacpeake
Lavine McMullan of Dreenan
Samuel McMullan of Dreenan
James Millar of Mayogney
Betty Moore of Drumnacannon
Mary Anne Moore of Drumnacannon
Samuel Moore of Drumonacannon
Anne Mulholland of Eden
Beresford Mulholland of Eden
Beresford Mulholland of Eden
Carrie Mulholland of Eden
Charlotte Mulholland of Eden
David Mulholland of Eden
Ellen Mulholland of Eden
James Mulholland of Eden
James R Mulholland of Eden
Joe Mulholland of Eden
John Mulholland of Eden
John Mulholland of Eden
John Robert Mulholland of Eden
Kennedy Mulholland of Eden
Lavinia Mulholland of Eden
Margaret Mulholland of Eden
Margaret Mulholland of Eden
Margaret Mulholland of Eden
Margaret Jane Mulholland of Eden
Martha Mulholland of Eden
Mary Ann Mulholland of Eden
Mary Ellen Mulholland of Eden
Mary Sara Mulholland of Eden
Smylie Mulholland of Eden
Thomas J. Mulholland of Eden
Tillie Mulholland of Eden
Tillie Mulholland of Eden
William Mulholland of Eden
Annie Neely of Moyagney
Maggie Neely of Moyagney
Mary Jane Norris of Dreenan
Robert Norris of Dreenan
Nancy Part of Eden
Lizzie Patton of Tyanee
Matilda Patton of Tyanee
Nancy Jane Patton of Tyanee
Tillie Patton of Tyanee
Robert Poole of Ballymacpeake
James Porter of Drumnacannon
Maggie Porter of Drumnacannon
Matilda Porter of Drumnacannon
Samuel Porter of Ballymacpeake
Willie Porter of Drumnacannon
William Reynolds of Ballymacpeake
George Riddel of Eden
Robert Riddel of Drummuck
Charlotte Riddell of Drummuck
George Riddell of Dreenan
George C. Riddell of Drummuck
John Riddell of Drummuck
Maggie Riddell of Eden
Nannie Riddell of Drummuck
Robert Riddell of Eden
Thomas Riddell of Drummuck
William Riddell of Drummuck
Rachel Ross of Tyanee
Robert Seward of Dreenan
Mary Sheppard of Drummuck
Mary Jane Sheppard of Drummuck
Robert Sheppard of Drummuck
Robert J. Sheppard of Drummuck
Samuel Sheppard of Drummuck
Sarah Sheppard of Drummuck
Bella Sloan of Dreenan
David Stewart of Ballymacpeake
Eliza Jane Stewart of Ballymapeake
Elizabeth Stewart of Ballymapeake
George Stewart of Ballymacpeake Lower
George Stewart of Ballymacpeake
James Stewart of Ballymacpeake
Letitia Stewart of Ballymapeake
Martha Stewart of Ballymapeake
Nannie Stewart of Ballymapeake
Robert Stewart of Ballymacpeak Lower
Sarah Stewart of Moyagney
William Stewart of Ballymacpeake
Maggie Tosh of Drummuck
Sarah J. Tosh of Drummuck
Elizabeth Wallace of Moyagney
Elizabeth Wallace of Moyagney
David White of Eden
Hannah White of Drummuck
Hugh White of Drummuck
Thomas White of Eden
Willie White of Eden
Robert Wilson of Drummuck
Emma York of Eden
Harper York of Eden
Henry York of Eden
James York of Eden
Minnie York of Eden
Samca J. York of Eden
William York of Eden
Source of documents: Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI)
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Two of our family members signed the Covenant in 1912 in Port Glasgow and Dumbarton. As there are no ages recorded we are unsure if it was our great grandfather and son or two great uncles. Their names and addresses were James Johnston address Portglenone signed in Port Glasgow in the Kilmarnock Division and John Johnson signed in Dumbarton also Kilmarnock Division address Carmegrim Portglenone. The family lived in Killyless in 1861.