Exploring the history of Protestant Associations

To represent the cultural and historic significance of Protestant communities in the border counties following partition, the public is invited to attend the Protestant Associsation exhibition launch day in Monaghan at the Monaghan Peace Campus, Monaghan Town on Saturday 7 February, which will include a presentation at 1pm. The exhibition will be open to the public at Monaghan Peace Campus until February 21. The Celt spoke to Curator Dr Samuel Beckton in advance of the exhibition.

Anglo-Celt: What was the numerical break down of Protestants/Catholics in Co Monaghan at the time of partition?

Beckton: Under the 1911 census, Protestants approximately numbered 18,092, 25.32% of the population

AC: If they existed, did any PA reps get elected in 1918?

Beckton: PAs existed from approximately the 1920s, but North Monaghan had a Unionist candidate, Michael Elliott Knight.

AC: How many Protestant Associations were in Monaghan?

Beckton: There was one for the whole county, but operated on a tier system. In 1935, the Monaghan PA structure was based on 23 local district branches. By 1942, this had dropped to 20 as a result of the declining Protestant population. The Monaghan PA met at the Monaghan Orange Hall on 18 November 1942. As chairman, Knight proposed the Monaghan PA re-organise its structure into five regional divisions; the Monaghan Division, Clones Division, Ballybay Division, Castleblayney Division, and Carrickmacross Division.

AC: After partition were many PA reps elected onto Monaghan council?

Beckton: The first local election that PAs stood for was in 1925, they stood seven candidates for the county council (three for Monaghan division, three for Clones, and one for Castleblayney). They gained five seats in 1925 out of 28. This went to six by 1928, its peak, before going back to five in the next election 1934. This is not including one or two seats they won in local urban councils.

AC: How effective were the TDs in representing constituents? Was their voice given weight in a presumably hostile Dáil? Were they respected?

Beckton: They were respected by their opponents, in the sense they were a real election threat and became a serious matter when planning general elections until 1961 when the tradition ended due to electoral boundary changes. They tried to really represent their constituents, there are instances they went above and beyond what was expected, and they even received votes from local Catholics. For instance, Major James Sproule Myles of Donegal helped Great War veterans, William Sheldon (same county) actually showed support to James Dillion’s anti-neutrality stance during the second world war by sitting next to him in the Dail during a speech on the matter.

In fact, it was the largely Protestant and ex Unionist vote in Co. Monaghan that saved James Dillions’ political career during the 1943 and 1944 when he became an Independent TD.

When he topped the poll in 1944, Dr Ward noticed Dillon’s electoral achievement, as Ward had gained the first seat in the constituency in the last three general elections. Ward remarked that the constituency of Monaghan had a seat for its Unionists, and: ‘though the deputy Dillon is described as an Empire builder, it is changed times when the Orangemen and Freemasons accept a Catholic as their representative.’

AC: Finally, tell us about Alexander Haslett.

Beckton: Born in 1883, Alexander Haslett was a farmer from Mulladuff. He was an active member of the local community, particularly among Protestants. He was an elder of Ballyalbany Presbyterian Church and an ordained member of the kirk session since 1918. He was also a prominent member of the Orange Order. He eventually became the Trough district master and deputy Grand Master of the County Monaghan Grand Orange Lodge from 1934–1938 and 1940–1951.

Besides his religious activities, Haslett had much influence of the county’s farming community through being the secretary of the Monaghan branch of the Ulster Farmers’ Union up to 1920. In addition, he established a flourishing auctioneering business in both Glaslough and Monaghan town in the mid-1920s, and at one point was president of the Irish Auctioneers’ Association. These community and business networks granted him a solid platform to gain political support from the Protestant and farming communities in Monaghan.

He had minor political experience prior to standing for election, having been involved in the anti-Home Rule movement in the county. He had also signed the Ulster Covenant at Glennan, was a possible member of the 1st Battalion of the Monaghan UVF regiment and had been elected on to the Monaghan RDC as a Unionist in the 1914 local elections.

He took an active role in representing the Unionists of Glaslough to the Boundary Commission, advocating for their claim to be transferred to Northern Ireland.