Belfast City Hall to commemorate spot where Carson signed Ulster Covenant

A commemorative tile is to be installed in City Hall marking the place at which Sir Edward Carson stood when he signed the Ulster Covenant.

At Belfast City Council’s recent meeting of its Strategic Policy and Resources Committee, elected members agreed to fund a long standing plan which forms part of the City Hall Statues/City Hall Grounds programme. Council officers recommended the plan to move from the business case stage to the “committed” stage.

A council report states: “In November 2012, the council received an independent Equality Impact Assessment relating to the City Hall and City Hall grounds. This EQIA underpinned the decision to relocate memorabilia into the exhibition, allowing it to be seen and understood in a different way.

“Whilst the relocation of the artefacts and memorabilia from various parts of the City Hall into the exhibition space addressed the issue of the City Hall itself, in terms of the EQIA, it also applied to the City Hall grounds. In respect of this, no steps have been taken to address the report’s findings that there is a need to provide a contemporary image of the city, reflective of its vibrancy and diversity.

“At the time when the relocation of memorabilia to the exhibition was agreed, there was, as part of that arrangement, a commemorative tile to be installed marking the place at which Sir Edward Carson stood when he signed the Ulster Covenant. Historic Environment Division approval is required for this and following ongoing discussions with HED it has been agreed that this will take the format of a tile within the Rotunda area.”

The report adds that the final design is to be agreed, but the material has been specified as black granite.