Covenant commemoration celebrated

ULSTER Unionist Party Leader Mike Nesbitt MLA, West Tyrone MLA Ross Hussey, local councillors, party members and friends recently took part in an evening hosted by Upper Bann MLA Jo-Anne Dobson at Banbridge British Legion to commemorate the Centenary of the signing of the Ulster Covenant.

The Ulster Covenant was signed by just under half a million people on 28 September 1912. The full text of the document, which was signed by men, and the parallel Declaration, which was signed by women was read on the evening by Mike Nesbitt MLA.

Entertainment was provided by Piper Leigh Anderson from Raffrey Pipe Band, local singer Laura Harbinson, Sticks of Fire and Ross Hussey MLA.

Following the evening Mrs Dobson said, “I would like to send a huge thank you to all those who came along on the evening and also those who helped in any way with organising the event. I am delighted to say that a donation from the evening will be going to the Pipes and Drums of the Royal Irish Regiment, an extremely worthy cause.

“It was an evening of entertainment, fun and fellowship, but with a serious side as we celebrated the men who signed the Covenant and the women who signed the Declaration 100 years ago. Their acts cemented the foundations of Northern Ireland and the retention of our British Identity.”

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