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03 Mar 05 13:42 |
Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble has laid a wreath at the grave of Lord Carson to mark the 100th anniversary of the party's ruling council.
Ceremonies have also been taking place at all the graves of former leaders, including Sir James Craig at Stormont.
This weekend the party is to hold a celebratory dinner and gather for the council's annual general meeting.
The council first met on 3 March 1905 in Belfast as unionist opposition to Irish home rule mounted.
Initially it had 200 members, 100 from unionist associations, 50 from the Orange Order and 50 members co-opted as distinguished unionists from all the nine counties of Ulster.
It helped elect a 30-man standing committee for day-to-day administration and a permanent staff of full-time officials was also appointed.
These new structures marked the inauguration by the Ulster Unionist Party of a permanent organisation, separate from existing Irish unionist political bodies.
The UUC was to play a vital role in mobilising Ulster unionist resistance to the third Home Rule bill, 1912-14.