UNIONISM was formed in defence of the UNION between Great Britain and Ireland and therefore in maintaining the status quo of the United Kingdom. It was completely against the idea of Home Rule. 
 
Unionism developed initially out of opposition to the first Home Rule Bill in 1885-86. Ireland became even more polarised based on both political affiliation and religious belief.
 
Unionism as a force is not simple to define. It is not monolithic but instead it featured a diverse mixture of groups united in their opposition to Home Rule.

 ‘A formidable if unlikely combination of landed and commercial capital, of the southern gentry and Belfast industrialists, of small-town Orange brokers as well as metropolitan Tories and imperialists.’ Alvin Jackson describing Unionists in the period 1885-1910

UNIONIST MOTIVES FOR OPPOSITION TO HOME RULE

• There are clearly a variety of reasons for opposing Home Rule - However, let's look at each group and see what were the key motivating factors for each:

SOUTHERN UNIONISTS: 

• This group is numerically small . It makes up a minority of around 10% in the South of Ireland. However, they make up for this numerical disadvantage with the advantages of wealth and connections. 
• They identified closely with Britain but had a strong sense of Irishness.
• They were mostly from the landowning class, and were concerned that Home Rule would threaten their privileged positions.
• They feared that their land would be taken and that a Home Rule parliament, run by 'lower classes' would plunge the country into financial chaos. 
• They are NOT as motivated by sectarian and religious animosity as Ulster Unionists. Southern Unionists have tended to live within an overwhelming population of Catholics and this has moderated their view on the religious aspect of opposition. 

ULSTER UNIONISTS:

• In contrast with Southern Unionists, Ulster Unionists were centred in the northern Province of Ulster and in particular they were a majority in what would later become Northern Ireland.
• They were a highly diverse group coming from all social classes. (Remember Southern Unionists tended to be Upper or Middle Class. 
• The concerns of Ulster Unionists were more varied. 
• They feared religious persecution from a Catholic-dominated Home Rule parliament. 'Home Rule would be Rome Rule' they proclained.
• They had economic concerns. They were proud of the industrial wealth of Ulster, which was by far the most industrialised part of Ireland with a huge shipyard and a booming linen industry. They saw Home Rule as a threat to Ulster's economic prosperity.
• They also felt that Nationalists couldn't be trusted to run the country lawfully given the tactics they had used with land agitation. 
• They worried about the British Empire and Ireland creating a demise of the emppire through Home Rule 

BRITISH UNIONISTS:

• These were another distinct group. These were British based politicians. They had little direct concern for Ireland. However, they were keen to maintain the 1801 Act of Union for other reasons
• Their key concerns were Home Rule leading to demands for complete independence for Ireland. They also deeply worried about the impact of Home Rule for other parts of the British Empire. Many felt it would lead to a chain reaction or domino effect with countries like India clamouring for Home Rule and then perhaps independence.  Could Home Rule spell the end for the British empire?  This group of people believed it could and were therefore opposed to Home Rule. 

unionist opposition tactics

While the government's plans for Home Rule seemed to stall somewhat until early 1912, Unionists realised the danger the Parliament act created to their cause and made use of this much needed time to plan their actions against the threat of Home Rule. 

On 8th February 1912, Churchill arrived in Ulster, intending to give a speech at the Ulster Hall, where he would appear on stage with John Redmond and Joe Devlin. Such was the strength of Unionist opposition that he was blocked from accessing the venue, his car was pelted with missiles, and the meeting was shifted to the grounds of Belfast Celtic football club. Having intended to spend two days in Ulster promoting Home Rule, he spent just over seven hours! Read more about it here and here. For Churchill, this reinforced the belief that a Home Rule Bill which neglected Unionist concerns was doomed to run aground. 

MILITARY DRILLING:
There was apparently some military driling in Unionist clubs as early as January 1911. An interview with James Craig, in the Unionist Belfast Morning Post, suggested that Unionists were engaging in more than mere propaganda.
 
RALLIES
In  September 1911, Craig assembled 50,000  demonstrators at a rally at his home in Craigavon, east Belfast. Carson was the star speaker, and the letter below, which he wrote in reply to Craig’s invitation in July, indicates why Craig had invited him to lead the Ulster Unionists. 
 
On 9th April 1912 two days before the Home Rule Bill was introduced to Parliament, Craig again orchestrated a huge demonstration, this time at Balmoral Showgrounds in south Belfast. The 100,000 strong crowd was addressed by Andrew Bonar Law, recently appointed leader of the Conservative Party, who addressed the assembled Unionists in terms which seemed to praise the organised militancy of the assembled ranks. 

Churchill had to leave Belfast after 7 hours due to the level of opposition against him.

“when the crisis is over men will say to you… you have saved yourselves by your exertions, and you will save the empire by your example.” letter from Carson to Craig

By the time the bill was introduced on 11th April 1912 (the day after Titanic left Southampton on her maiden voyage), the stage was set for a standoff.