The Orange Order, a Protestant fraternal organization, has a long and complex history that is deeply intertwined with sectarianism. Established in 1795 in County Armagh, the Order was founded in response to growing tensions between Protestant and Catholic communities. In what was referred to as ‘The Battle of the Diamond’, over thirty Catholics were killed. […]
Tag Archives | Orange Order
Gregory and Nelson speak out boldly
There was a time when politicians in Ireland lived in fear of saying or doing something that would earn them ‘the belt of a crozier’ – a Catholic bishop criticizing them in public. Gregory Campbell of the DUP has no such fears. In fact, on the Irish Examiner’s website yesterday, he’s the one that’s doing the belting, […]
The secret they hid
As faithful readers of this blogsite will know, I’ve stopped doing guest blogs (and comments) for a range of reasons. However, I feel compelled to reproduce this piece with the kind permission of its author, Richard Irvine. In my judgement, it is an outstanding piece of writing in both content and form. My mother […]
The perils of being talked about
What party is on the lips of everyone in Britain today? Why, the DUP, of course. I sometimes have to give myself a discreet pinch when I hear the party’s name mentioned in the same breath as the Conservatives, who at present are (more or less) running Britain. (Yes, I could insert an ‘i’ in […]
Democracy by Joe McVeigh
For all our experience of elections and referendums here in the six counties there is still in some British and unionist quarters a great reluctance to accept the democratic will of the people. There is a reluctance to accept that in the north east of Ireland there are people living here like myself who have […]
The early death of Ali Saad Dawabsha
Earlier today, an 18-month-old Palestinian child was killed.Ali Saad Dawabsha was burnt to death and his father and mother and 4-year-old brother taken to hospital in a critical condition. Shortly after 2.00 am, the killers tried unsuccessfully to gain access to another Palestinian home. They failed, so they moved to the home Ali Saad Dawabsha, […]
Gerry explains the facts of an Orange summer to Mervyn
Picture by dunraven Picture by Sinn Fein There was one particularly significant moment in the exchanges between Mervyn Gibson, Grand Chaplain of the Orange Order, and Gerry Kelly on The View last night. Mervyn was explaining how lamentable it is that residents can’t accept […]
The McAleese presidency and the Orange Order
Picture by T C Loften It’s odd how complicated the world is. And the people in it. Take, if you will, events at Aras An Uachtarain during the presidency of President Mary McAleese. It’d be fair to say that she and her husband Martin transfomed relationships between the Orange Order and the Irish Presidency, wouldn’t it? Every […]
Inching towards equality
I never come off a radio or TV programme without feeling yet again that the broadcasting media allow you to scratch the surface of a topic only. I had that old familiar feeling yesterday and today, after participating in two discussions. Yesterday was the Ulster Museum (no, Virginia, the question of it catering to nine counties […]
Like Oliver, the DUP wants more
I was on BBC Raidio Uladh/Radio Ulster’s Talkback yesterday discussing the latest DUP kite. No, sorry, that should have been ‘initiative’. As Liam Clarke pointed out in the front-page story of the Belfast Telegraph, the DUP plans to press for, among other things, legislation that would “protect the right to march” and limit the ability […]