Has the Orange Order changed?

Question

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7503169.stm

The Orange order marches in Northern Ireland passed peacefully (in general). Is this a sign that things are improving there?

Answer 1

The fact is we always got on alright until the rabble rousers started their work.

For example:-

Farmers from both sides of the community helped out with milking and so on while their neighbour was at whichever type of parade he attended. Prods on the twelfth, Catholics at Easter and in August.

Lambeg drums were regularly loaned between Orange and Nationalist organisations.

Personal examples:-

I used to go to Bangor on the 13th with my mates, seven of us. Four Prod, Three Catholic, all pissed.

My wifes Grandfather was from Portadown. He celebrated the Twelth every year with his Mates from "The Tunnel" a nationalist area and vice versa at their celebrations, until he got beaten up for being a Prod in a nationalist area in August.

My own maternal Grandfather was offered an MBE for bringing employment to a nationalist area near Markethill. He turned it down, said it was nonsense because he just went where the skills were to open the factory. The IRA closed the factory with a bomb, putting an awful lot of Catholics on the dole.

The fact is this is the best place in the world with the greatest people in the world.

If only the haters would f**k off and leave us alone to get along.

By the way I'm not in any organisation on either side.

Answer 2

Clive is talking nonsense - the Orange Order discriminates  against Catholics joining.  Members vow not to attend ceremonies in Catholic churches. Its whole raison d'être is sectarian.

Answer 3

maybe

Answer 4

Not really - it's still all part of the hate machine thing.

My advice, ignore it and it will go away.  Same as a wasp at your picnic.

Answer 5

There will always be under the surface tensions in Northern Ireland,but any peace is better than none.

Answer 6

Depends on which side of the sectarian divide you belong - wasn`t it only a few days ago that "nationalists" were rioting in Armagh?

Answer 7

No the Orange Order hasn't changed. Its the other Pratt's Ribbonmen that have given up as they were getting to much bad publicity.

Answer 8

If... it looks like a cow and makes a noise like a cow, it's a cow.

The same rules apply to the Orange Order. You can't change the thing by changing it's coat.

Answer 9

'Changed back' may be more appropriate.

The Battle of the Boyne had Catholics and Protestants on both sides and its sectarian associations were really introduced in the second half of the twentieth century. There is no real reason why Catholics should not join Protestants in celebrating the defeat of this French backed pretender.

Notwithstanding his superior numbers, James had earlier fled from William of Orange and later, at the Boyne sacrificed his cavalry to cover his own escape from the battlefield and ultimately to France. It was James' own troops and supporters who christened him Seamus a' chaca.