Tuesday 30 September 2008

Sunday 28 September 2008

Orange Institution Makes History in Irish Republic

The Orange Institution’s ruling body – the Grand Lodge of Ireland – has met south of the border for the first time since partition.
The Grand Lodge is the supreme governing body of the Orange Institution and meets four times a year. Approximately 120 senior Orangemen attended the meeting in a Co. Cavan Orange Hall on Saturday, September 27.
They were welcomed by the Cavan Co. Grand Master Henry Latimer, who said it was a wonderful day for Orangemen in the Irish Republic.
“We feel very much part of the Orange Institution but the meeting on Saturday made us all very proud. We were thrilled to be involved in the making of history and it will give a real boost to Orangemen all over Ireland.”
Grand Master Robert Saulters said it was an historic occasion.
“Until recently Grand Lodge held most of its meetings in Belfast and a few in the rural parts of Northern Ireland. We agreed to widen this and we were very pleased when our brethren from Cavan said they would be happy to host a meeting.
“The Orange Institution is alive and well in the Irish Republic – we have members in nine counties south of the border – and of course one of the biggest Orange events of the year is the annual parade in Rossnowlagh. There are approximately 50 lodges in the Irish Republic.
“The government of the Irish Republic has recognised the importance of the Orange tradition and we were delighted when the Irish Culture Minister Eamonn O’Cuiv made a grant earlier this year to assist with the development of Orange Halls in the border areas.
“The opening of the impressive Boyne Battlefield site has also ensured that our traditions will not be forgotten but are in fact being promoted.
“The Orange Order is determined to play a constructive role in civic society north and south of the border and the meeting of Grand Lodge in Cavan is another important step.”








At the meeting Grand Lodge passed the following resolution:

“The Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland wholeheartedly supports the Homecoming Parade in Belfast on November 2, to publicly welcome home soldiers, sailors and air force personnel from Iraq and Afghanistan.
“The Orange Institution has always encouraged its members to serve the Crown and tens of thousands of Orange brethren have done just that in conflicts all over the world.
“We think particularly of the Royal Irish Regiment, which can trace its roots to Colonel Tiffin’s Regiment which fought at the Boyne.
“And as we meet in Co. Cavan we think especially of 29 year old Ranger Justin Cupples who lost his life in Afghanistan at the beginning of September. Ranger Cupples was American but he and his wife Vilma had made their home here in Cavan.
“He was a brave soldier and we salute all the young men and women who by their service put their lives on the line to create a more peaceful world.”

Orange Order Condemns Attack on G.A.A. Club

The Grand Secretary of the Orange Order Drew Nelson has strongly condemned the arson attack on a GAA Club in Castlewellan, Co. Down.

“We believe the people who are behind this attack are only trying to stir up sectarian division in a part of the province where relations between the two communities have been steadily improving over the past number of years,” he said.
“An arson attack on any community hall is an attack on the whole community and must be condemned by everyone.
“Anyone with any information about this attack should contact the police immediately.”

Wednesday 10 September 2008

The Ould Orange Flute

We have collaborated with The Queen's University Ulster Society in the creation of an online songbook of orange, loyal order and ulster patriot songs and poems, so over the year we'll be highlighting some of our favourites. This one is a perennial at the 12th and other orange social gatherings, a little tongue in cheek, but fun none the less.

The Ould Orange Flute
(Air — “The Protestant Boys”)

In the County Tyrone, near the town of Dungannon,
Where many a ruction myself had a hand in
Bob Williamson lived a weaver to trade,
And all of us thought him a stout Orange blade.

On the twelfth of July as it yearly did come,
Bob played on the flute to the sound of the drum.
You may talk of your harp, your piano, or lute,
But nothing could sound like the ould Orange flute.

But this treacherous scoundrel took us all in,
For he married a Papish call Bridget M’Ginn,
And turned Papish himself, and forsook the ould cause
That gave us our freedom, religion, and laws.

Now the boys in the townland made some noise upon it,
And Bob had to fly to the province of Connaught;
He fled with his wife and fixings to boot,
Along with the others the ould Orange flute.

At the Chapel on Sundays to atone for past deeds,
He said Pater and Ayes and counted his beads,
Till after some time at the Priests’ own desire,
He went with his ould flute to play in the choir;

He went with his ould flute to play in the Mass,
And the instrument shivered and sighed, Oh, alas!
When he blew it and fingered and made a great noise,
The flute would play only “the Protestant Boys.”

Bob jumped and he started and got into a splutter,
And threw his ould flute in the blessed holy water;
He thought that this charm would bring some other sound,
But when he blew it again it played “Croppies lie down.”

And all he could whistle, and finger, and blow,
To play Papish music he found it no go.
“Kick the Pope,” “The Boyne Water,” and such like it would sound,
But one Papish squeak in it couldn’t be found.

At a council of priests that was held the next day,
They decided to banish the ould flute away,
For they couldn’t knock heresy out of its head.
So they bought Bob another to play in its stead.

So the ould flute was doomed and its fate was pathetic,
It was fastened and burned at the stake as a heretic;
While the flames roared around it they heard a strange noise,
‘Twas the ould flute still whistling “The Protestant Boys.”

Saturday 6 September 2008

Get a Website for your Lodge

From as little as £20/yr from Royal York
  • Advertise Lodge Events.
  • List Lodge Histories and Genealogy.
  • Recruit new members.
  • Keep in touch with lost brethren.
  • Join the growing Orange Internet presence.

As you can see L.O.L. 145 is very keen on increasing the online orange presence, and we're proud to offer that service to other lodges and preceptories. Website are really the only completely controllable medium of getting your message to the wider world. TV, Radio and Newspapers are all bias in one way or another, websites are a cheap, totally customisable way of communicating, especially to younger prospective members.


For as little as £20/yr we'll create a website with a .co.uk or .org.uk (like this one), and fill it with any information you provide. We'll also update it with any information you want and give advice on our experience with ours.

Visit some of our portfolio of sites we have created for other organisations.

Queen's Democratic Unionist Association

Queen's Orange Society

Queen's Ulster Society

Queen's Ulster-Scots Society


For more information, or to arrange to get a website for your lodge or other organisation send us an e-mail on info@royalyork.org.uk.