A handwritten letter penned by the first Prime Minister of Northern Ireland shortly after partition has been discovered hidden behind a picture of the Sacred Heart.
The letter by James Craig, which has been dated between 1922 and 1924, has been described as being of "great historical interest" by political historian Eamon Phoenix.
The framed picture of the Sacred Heart had been gifted to Laurence Kennedy's grandmother when she lived in Catherine Street in the Market area of Belfast city centre.
The picture was later passed on to Mr Kennedy's parents, who put it up in their home in the Harcourt Drive area of north Belfast.
At some point later, the picture fell and was damaged and a letter was found glued to the cardboard at the back of the frame.
It was then put away for safe keeping by Mr Kennedy's father.
Following the passing of Mr Kennedy's mother, Kathleen in October, the letter was re-discovered and has now been verified by political historian, Eamon Phoenix.
Born in the Sydenham area of Belfast in 1871, James Craig was involved in setting up the Ulster Volunteers in opposition to Home Rule before the First World War.
As a junior minister, had played a key role in the formation of the Ulster Special Constabulary, who were commonly known as the `B' Specials.
Almost exclusively Protestant and much feared by Catholics, the unit were involved in numerous controversial incidents, including an attack on civil rights marchers at Burntollet in Co Derry in 1969.
Formed just before partition, the unit was disbanded in 1970.
James Craig succeeded Edward Carson as leader of the Ulster Unionist Party in February 1921 and was appointed the north's first Prime Minister in June that year, a post which he held until his death in 1940.
He served as MP for East Down and later Mid Down.
At Stormont he uttered the notorious phrase that it was "a Protestant parliament and a Protestant state."
In the letter discovered by Mr Kennedy, Craig writes that he wants it placed "on record my high appreciation" of the "officers and men of the different branches of the Constabulary whom I have had the honour to inspect".
It was addressed to "All members of the Royal Ulster and Special Constabulary."
The letter is signed by James Craig and also a Sub Commander Davidson.
Speaking about the letter, Mr Kennedy, who now lives in Newtownabbey, said the Sacred Heart picture had been gifted to his grandmother in memory of a neighbour who had died.
"It wasn't very ornate or anything," he said.
"It was just black plastic around it".
The father-of-one said the picture was passed to his parents and when it later broke, the letter was found behind the picture.
"My mum passed away in October there, she was 88. We were going through her things and it was in the drawer," he said.
"It's just pretty unbelievable.
"It is just sort of like two paths that wouldn't ever cross with his belief and the Sacred Heart there".
Mr Kennedy added: "If I am being totally honest, it is not going to hang on my wall.
"It would be for a museum or a collector or someone who would appreciate it more than I would".
Political historian Eamon Phoenix said the letter is of "great historical interest".
"One of the unique, most bizarre, ironic aspects is this letter from James Craig to his beloved `B' Specials was found in the backing of a Sacred Heart picture which hung in a house in Catherine Street, in the national markets, not long after Craig made his notorious anti-Catholic remarks at Stormont," he said.
