Exhibition explores how Cavan Protestants responded to partition
An exhibition exploring the history of the Protestant community in Cavan following partition will be launched tomorrow.
Many Protestant Unionists in counties Cavan, Donegal, and Monaghan felt betrayed by their six county counterparts for breaking the Ulster Covenant in abandoning a nine county Northern Ireland. However, the Unionist Associations of these counties evolved after the implementation of the Anglo-Irish Treaty in 1922 and adapted to their new political environment by becoming ‘Protestant’ Associations.
Dr Samuel Beckton, who authored the book, 'The Unbroken Covenant: Could Ulster Unionists have controlled a nine-county Northern Ireland, 1920-1945?' is one of the organisers of the exhibition.
Dr Beckton explained: "These organisations were able to galvanise their respective counties’ Protestant communities into an effective voting bloc, and were able to return PA candidates in general and local elections up to 2004, an intriguing achievement for local political bodies. These associations became voices for the local Protestant community, from contributing evidence to the Boundary Commission to publishing resolutions on the Second World War and threatening to potentially scrap Proportional Representation in Irish elections.
"The history of these Protestant voting blocs and Associations in the border counties, from 1920 to 2016, is fascinating. To understand how these Associations were established, and how they reacted to political changes during the 20th Century.
"The research assesses how Ulster Protestants outside Northern Ireland transitioned their identity and political attitudes in the years following partition. What was their political and social mentality, and to what degree were they different to other Southern Irish Protestants? The research will also try to understand why these Associations finally ended. Was it due to the decline of the Protestant community, a steady growing indifference towards these Associations, or changes in electoral boundaries?"
This research was submitted as evidence to the Public Consultation on the Constitutional Future of the Island of Ireland Committee, and Dr Beckton addressed Seanad Éireann on the subject in 2022.
"As more discussions are raised on the future of Ireland’s border, this research has proved relevant in how Northern Irish Unionists could react to a United Ireland," asserts Dr Beckton.
To mark the centenary of the 1925 Irish Boundary Commission, a series of exhibitions in Donegal and Cavan County Museums, the Monaghan Peace Campus, and the Museum of Orange Heritage in Belfast. These exhibitions have received support and funding from the ARINS Project, with the Royal Irish Academy. These exhibitions aim to raise awareness of the history of these associations, and bring an opportunity for renewed dialogue and reconciliation of the past. Each exhibition is unique, as it will only show items of the local Protestant Association of that county.
The public is welcome to attend the launch day at the Cavan County Museum, Ballyjamesduff on Saturday, December 6, which will include a presentation at 1.30pm. The exhibition will continue at Cavan County Museum until February 2.