South Derry Leaguers

>The UK never allowed anyone in Ireland, north or south, to decide
> this issue back in 1921, as the UK unilaterally made this decision
> itself. No referendum was held in the north, and partition was
> simply given as an ultimatum to Irish negotiators - partition or war.

> nonsense. perhaps not a referendum but.....

 The South Derry Executive of the United Irish League (UIL) raised their concerns about the partition of Ireland at a meeting held in June 1914, The following is a Mid-Ulster Mail report entitled "South Derry Leaguers" South Derry Leaguers meet We beg to tender to Mr J.E Redmond MP and the Irish Party, the expression of our appreciation of the ability and success with which in the face of tremendous difficulties they have guarded interests of a United Ireland, as set forth in the Home Rule Bill that now awaits Royal assent. While reluctantly assenting to the proposal made by the Liberal Party for the sake of peace and in opposition to their own better judgement, to allow any county of Ulster the option of excluding itself temporarily from the operations of the Home Rule Parliament. We unhesitantly state that we absolutely decline to agree to any further concessions in the same direction and that we are prepared to fight the old fight over again, sooner than see Ireland cut into fragments. We feel certain that places like Derry City and the Counties of Tyrone and Fermanagh where Nationalists and even Catholics form the majority, the population would regard it as an outrage if at the dictation of an intolerant minority they were handed over to the tender mercies of a party, to whom the very idea of justice and fair play to Nationalists is anthema. That the Nationalists of Ulster after all the sacrifices that they have made for Home Rule and a United Ireland will no longer tamely submit to be placed under the heel of tyranny which past experiences only too plainly tells them would be their fate under any form of permanent exclusion. APPEAL We would appeal to the Nationalists of Leinster, Munster and Connaught and the Irish Volunteers to support Nationalists in the North in any action we may deem it necessary to take in vindication of our rights and liberty in maintaining the principles of Ireland, a nation one and undivided and in our strenuous resistance to setting up another Pale.