Irish Election Literature

… what you maybe meant to keep…

Unionist Solidarity Posters (‘Ulster Says No’, ‘No Dublin Rule’, ‘Save The Union’) from the 1986 By-Elections in protest at the Anglo Irish Agreement. June 7, 2011


In the uproar that followed the Anglo Irish Agreement there were mass protests against it, now remembered for the “Ulster Says No” banners and Ian Paiselys “Never , Never, Never “. (A youtube clip of the speech below)
What is often forgotten is that in protest, Unionist MPs resigned their seats en masse. There were subsequently Unionist Solidarity candidates put up for the 15 By-Elections that followed on the 23rd of January 1986. Details of the by-elections can be found here
The Unionist Solidarity posters were modeled on the Polish solidarity, which must have been a deliberate affront at nationalists given the association the then Pope John Paul II  had with Solidarity in Poland.
In the end Unionists lost one seat with the UUPs Jim Nicholson losing to Seamus Mallon of the SDLP in Newry and Armagh.
Many thanks to the sender.

 

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