Timeline

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36th Ulster Division Memorial Association

Apprentice Boys of Derry

Confederation of Ulster Bands

Democratic Unionist Party

Grand Lodge of Ireland

Independent Loyal Orange Institution

Progressive Unionist Party

Ulster Volunteer Force Memorial Regimental Band Association.

Somme Association

Traditional Unionist Voice

Ulster Bands Association

Ulster Defence Union 1893

Ulster Unionist Party

Timeline of Events
31^st March 2009	Construction of Titanic began
January and December 1910	Two general elections held in one year with the Irish Nationalist MP’s holding the balance of power and supporting the Government of the Liberal leader Asquith.
31^st May 1911	The hull of the Titanic was launched.
23^rd September 1911	To demonstrate to Edward Carson that the Unionists meant business regarding Home Rule James Craig arranged a massive demonstration of Unionist Clubs and the Orange Order at his home in east Belfast, Craigavon House.
31^st March 1912	The outfitting of the Titanic was completed.
9^th April 1912 Balmoral Review	A huge rally was held in the grounds of Balmoral in south Belfast which was attended by Bonar Law the leader of the Conservative Party expressing opposition to the Home Rule Bill. Over 70 MP’s from GB supported this event which was attended by people from across Ulster. Organised by the Unionist Party – and supported by what was called the Unionist Clubs. It was they who provided the men who walked in military fashion.
10^th April 1912	Titanic sails on her maiden voyage from Southampton
14^th April 1912	Titanic sinks with a huge loss of life.
10^th September 1912	Formation of the Young Citizen Volunteers. They were later to merge with the UVF in May 1914.
18^th September 1912	What is known as Carson’s trail began on the 18^th September in Enniskillen. Carson travelled across Ulster delivering speeches in relation to the Home Rule crises which was engulfing Ireland. Massive rallies were held in Enniskillen, Lisburn, Coleraine, Londonderry, Ballymena and Dromore. Momentum gathered across Ulster with these rallies culminating in Ulster Day. By the time the 28^th September came Unionism was on a “roll” as you might say nowadays.
28^th September 1912 Ulster Day	Hundreds of thousands of people across Ulster and further afield sign the Ulster Covenant. Women signed a different covenant but more women than men signed. That night Carson left for Liverpool on the ferry. The following day he addressed 100,000 supporters in a park in Liverpool.
13^th January 1913 Formation of the UVF	The Ulster Unionist Council forms the Ulster Volunteer Force throughout Ulster. Prior to this men had joined Rifle Clubs, Unionist Clubs and then the term Ulster Volunteers came to the fore in 1912. However the UVF was not formed until 1913 after the YCV.
21^st March 1914	The Curragh Mutiny were serving British Officers laid by Brigadier General Hubert Gough refused to act against the Unionist opposition to Home Rule.
24/25^th April 1914 Gunrunning	25,000 rifles, millions rounds of ammunition and bayonets were landed in one night by the UVF in Larne, Bangor, Donaghadee and Belfast. Frederick Crawford was the main gunrunner. For several years Crawford and others had been smuggling guns to Ulster. Posing as an American Crawford smuggled maxim machine guns to Belfast. Without doubt one of Ulster’s Heroes.
8^th May 1915 March Past Belfast City Hall	The 36^th Ulster Division march past Belfast City Hall before embarking on ships which took them to England for extensive training before going on to France. Ulster’s farewell to it’s husbands, fathers, brothers etc. The last time many of our forefathers were to see home.
1^st July 1916 Battle of the Somme	In two days of fighting, the Ulster Division had lost 5500 officers and men - killed, wounded and missing. The first day of the battle had been the original anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne and as they went over the parapet, many shouted the old battle cries "NO SURRENDER" and "REMEMBER 1690". Many wore orange ribbons and one sergeant of the Inniskilling had on his orange sash. The Belfast newspapers, as elsewhere on 3rd July, reported the Somme Offensive, and spoke of brilliant successes. It was several days before the true horror of the casualties was known, and as day by day the lists in the newspapers grew longer, the whole Province went into mourning. No division was more closely-knit because its core had been the Ulster Volunteer Force and besides, the Ulster community was small and compact. In the streets of Belfast, as in other towns and villages throughout Ulster, mothers looked out in dread for the red bicycles of the telegram boys. In house after house, the blinds were drawn until it seemed that every family in the city had been bereaved. The casualty lists were full of familiar names, and always after them in brackets appeared the Ulster Volunteer Force units to which the casualty belonged. That year the Lord Mayor requested the suspension of business for five minutes at noon. In a downpour of rain, traffic stopped, and passers by stood silent in the streets - the Ulster Volunteers had sealed their covenant in blood.

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