Tonight, on the invitation of Andrew Charles, I attended this dinner with my friend Professor Wesley Hutchinson. We sat with Geoffrey Dudgeon and Andrew’s wife Rebecca Black The dinner was  held at Queens University Great Hall .Entertainment was provided by the widely acclaimed Regimental Band of the Ulster Volunteer Force, East Belfast.

Brian Ervine opened by reciting Ulster 1912, a poem by Rudyard Kipling, accompanied by “The Minstrel Boy”

The dark eleventh hour
Draws on and sees us sold
To every evil power
We fought against of old.
Rebellion, rapine hate
Oppression, wrong and greed
Are loosed to rule our fate,
By England's act and deed.

The Faith in which we stand,
The laws we made and guard,
Our honour, lives, and land
Are given for reward
To Murder done by night,
To Treason taught by day,
To folly, sloth, and spite,
And we are thrust away.

The blood our fathers spilt,
Our love, our toils, our pains,
Are counted us for guilt,
And only bind our chains.
Before an Empire's eyes
The traitor claims his price.
What need of further lies?
We are the sacrifice.

We asked no more than leave
To reap where we had sown,
Through good and ill to cleave
To our own flag and throne.
Now England's shot and steel
Beneath that flag must show
How loyal hearts should kneel
To England's oldest foe.

We know the war prepared
On every peaceful home,
We know the hells declared
For such as serve not Rome --
The terror, threats, and dread
In market, hearth, and field --
We know, when all is said,
We perish if we yield.

Believe, we dare not boast,
Believe, we do not fear --
We stand to pay the cost
In all that men hold dear.
What answer from the North?
One Law, one Land, one Throne.
If England drive us forth
We shall not fall alone!

Then followed

    United Union A collection of patriotic British marches culminating with “Rule Britannia”. Dedicated to the Armed Forces.

    Children of the Regiment (march) Byn J. Fucik of the Czech Republic.

    When Johnny Comes Marching Home

    Over the Hills

    Hayfoot Strawfoot! A collection of old classics put together by the band. Its name derives      from Philip Orr’s ” The Road to the Somme”, where he suggests that Ulster Volunteers marched to “Hayfoot, Strawfoot” rather than “Left, Right, Left”

    On Boyne’s Red Shore A collection of ” Orange ” favourites.

    Killaloe