Irish historian finds ancestor was little-known unionist leader

Leading Ulster historian BRIAN M WALKER reveals how research into the Ulster Covenant has uncovered that a largely forgotten unionist leader of the time is his ancestor

WHO do you think you are? Currently there are a number of fascinating programmes on television that explore people’s backgrounds and discover what their ancestors did. Of course, once you start down this path of inquiry there is no telling what you will find.

Recently many people have investigated their ancestors’ role in the Ulster Covenant of 1912. In my own case, I discovered not only that several family members signed the Covenant but also that I was related to one of the key figures in 1912, who was one of the three elected unionist leaders in the period from 1911-21. Few people today have heard of this man....