Ulster
(ˈʌlstə(r))
[The name of the most northerly of the four provinces of Ireland.
The name occurs in ME. (14–15th cent.) as Ulster (also Hulster) and in the fuller form Ulvester (in Sc. also as Ullister, Ulsister, and Ulcister), = AF. (a 1225) Ulvestre (Hulv-), Anglo-L. (c 1200) Ulvestera, -tira, -tria, corresponding to ON. Ulfastir, a variant of the more usual Ulaztir, Ulaðstir (also Ulaþscir), the first element of which is the Irish Ulaidh (gen. Uladh), men of Ulster. The origin of the suffix, which also appears in Leinster and Munster (Ir. Gael. Laighean, Mumha), is not clear, but it may represent Ir. t{iacu}r land.]
1. pl. Ulstermen (forming a regiment). rare.
| 1649 Cromwell Let. 19 Dec. (Carlyle), Being informed that..Lieutenant-general Ferral with his Ulsters was to march out of Waterford,..I ordered Colonel Zanchy..to march..to the relief of our friends. Ibid., The Ulsters..made indeed for the time a good resistance. |
2. The king-of-arms for Ireland.
| 1552 Edward VI Jrnl. in Lit. Rem. (Roxburghe Cl.) II. 395, [February] 2. Ther was a king of armes made for Irland, whose name was Ulster, and his province was al Irland. 1627 Chas. I in State Papers, Ireland (1900) 223 You shall also see Ulster (who is the Chief Herald) countenanced in a herald's commission of visitation of various places in Ireland. 1712 Lond. Gaz. No. 4970/2 Coat of his Arms carried by Ulster King of Arms. 1857 Lit. Rem. Edw. VI (Roxb. Cl.) II. 395 n., The arms given to the office of Ulster were, Argent, St. George's cross, and on a chief gules a lion between a harp and portcullis, all or. 1880 Encycl. Brit. XI. 688/1 In Ireland also there is but one king-at-arms, Ulster. |
3. A long, loose overcoat of frieze or other rough cloth, frequently with a waist-belt.
The ‘Ulster Overcoat’ was introduced by J. G. M‘Gee & Co. of Belfast in 1867; the abbreviated name has been in common use from 1879.
| 1876 L. Troubridge Jrnl. 31 Dec. in J. Hope-Nicholson Life amongst Troubridges (1966) 149 [I] came swaggering into Dulcie's bedroom..in an ulster, revealing the immortal check trousers. 1877 Trollope Amer. Senator I. xx. 209 She once offered to lay an Ulster to a sealskin jacket. 1878 H. S. Leigh Town Garland 87 When the Ulster descends from its home on the hook, And the warmth-giving wrappers return from the wash. 1879 M. E. Braddon Clov. Foot xii. 110 Celia running home..with all her wedding finery smothered under a waterproof Ulster. 1888 Rider Haggard Col. Quaritch III. xi. 169 He put on a pair of shooting-boots, an old coat, and an ulster. |
| attrib. 1878 Era Almanack 35 The ulster epidemic was raging even at this time. 1879 E. O'Donovan Merv Oasis xvi. (1883) 174 Over my shoulders was a drenched leopard skin, beneath which could be seen my travel-stained, much⁓worn ulster overcoat. 1880 Cassell's Family Mag. 122 The ulster muff is of a rectangular shape. |
4. attrib. a. Used to designate the custom prevalent in Ulster by which a tenant has certain rights of occupancy, disposal, or compensation, in regard to land held by him; usually
Ulster tenant-right.
| 1870 Act 33–34 Victoria c. 46 §1 The usages prevalent in the province of Ulster, which are known as, and in this Act intended to be included under, the denomination of the Ulster tenant-right custom, are hereby declared to be legal. 1878 [see tenant-right]. 1879 H. George Progr. & Pov. vi. i. (1881) 291 If what is known as the Ulster tenant right were extended to the whole of Great Britain, it would be but to carve out of the estate of the landlord, an estate for the tenant. 1882 M. Arnold Irish Ess., etc. 28 It has been suggested..by the Ulster custom of compensating them [sc. tenants] for their improvements, and letting them sell the value which by their improvements they had added to the property. |
b. Ulsterman,
Ulsterwoman, a native or inhabitant of Ulster.
Cf. Ultonian.
| 1845 Carlyle Cromwell I. 497 ‘Lieutenant-General Ferral with his Ulsters;’ note, Ulster-men. 1868 (title), Modern Ireland: its Vital Questions, Secret Societies, and Government: by an Ulsterman. 1971 Guardian 18 Sept. 9/6 A lady assures us that she is proud to be an Ulsterwoman. 1981 A. T. Q. Stewart Edward Carson v. 87 An Ulsterwoman who was the wife of a high official. |
c. Ulster fry (see
quots.).
| 1941 J. D. Carr Case of Constant Suicides 43 That stuff that looks like slices of boloney is called Ulster Fry. 1978 J. Galway Autobiogr. (1979) v. 57, I remember eating liver and sausages, roast beef for dinner on Sunday and, of course, an Ulster fry for breakfast—bacon, eggs, potato and soda bread. 1979 Guardian 22 June 19/5 The notorious ‘Ulster fry’—most things you can think of cooked in a pan. |
Hence
ˈUlsterite temporary, a native or inhabitant of Ulster; also
Ulsteriˈzation, the policy of replacing British security forces in Northern Ireland by Northern Irish ones; also in extended use; (from sense 3)
ˈulstered a., wearing an ulster;
ulsteˈrette, a small or light ulster;
ˈulstering, material suitable for ulsters.
| 1880 R. Broughton Sec. Th. I. v. 62 A few *ulstered, comfortered men, stamping up and down, waiting for the night mail. 1889 Skrine Mem. Thring 201 The group of flannelled and ulstered players. |
| 1881 J. W. Buel Border Outlaws 187 Each wearing a long linen *ulsterette over a heavy fall coat. 1887 J. Ashby-Sterry Lazy Minstrel (1892) 171 My smart ulsterette, e'en a poet might sing, 'Tis white corduroy, with a rose-coloured lining! 1888 Cambridge (Mass.) Tribune 24 Nov., These ‘Inverness’ overcoats are close-fitting, and when worn without the cape have the appearance of an ulsterette. |
| 1888 Myra's Jrnl. 1 Nov. 656/1 Patterns of Cloths, Homespuns, and *Ulsterings for ladies' and children's jackets and ulsters. 1890 Textile News 20 June (List Manufacturers), Fancy meltons, ulsterings, costumes, coatings, &c. |
| 1920 Glasgow Herald 11 Nov. 9 The amendment was criticised by a number of members in addition to the *Ulsterites. 1921 Lloyd George Let. 24 Nov. (1973) viii. 195 The Irish negotiations have taken a turn for the worse... This time it is the Sinn Feiners. Last week it was the Ulsterites. 1925 J. O'Connor Hist. Ireland 1798–1924 II. xx. 260 Southerners hope and think, and the Ulsterites fear and affect to think that the four counties could not stand by themselves. |
| 1977 Belfast Tel. 28 Feb. 1/6 Attempts by the Government to move towards an ‘*Ulsterisation’..of the security forces. 1979 An Phoblacht 29 Sept. 1/3 Given Britain's Ulsterisation policy, then that increased repression is likely to be led by the RUC. 1980 Times 15 Sept. 12/3 One could be speaking about the ultimate ‘Ulsterization’ of the West Bank and Gaza. |