2nd Edition
[email protected]
5 May 2015
PARADING POST
Resolve Remains
to Complete
Drumcree Journey
LEFT: ‘The Druids’ who performed at last year’s Ardoyne Fleadh.
RIGHT: Young Conway Volunteers
DOUBLE STANDARDS!
THE Orange fraternity and unionists hit out
after it emerged no prosecutions would be
taken following an alleged hate speech by
an Irish rebel band in north Belfast.
The development is in stark contrast to the
recent decision to convict 13 bandsmen
from the Young Conway Volunteers Flute
Band for playing music outside a Catholic
Church in Belfast on the Twelfth in 2012.
Three members of the band received
suspended jail sentences. Ten others were
bound to keep the peace, and £300 fines
were imposed on all but two of the
bandsmen.
The band, which was in the vicinity of St
Patrick’s Church on Donegall Street due to
a break in the parade, denied playing the
Famine Song, but rather the popular Beach
Boys hit, Sloop John B.
Following the incident, a senior band
member issued an apology in a letter to
parishoners, stating it was never the band’s
intention “to cause any upset to anybody”.
The judgement on April 29 came on the
same day that it was confirmed no action
would be taken against members of The
Druids, who appeared at the Ardoyne
Fleadh last August.
Performing at the event, which received
public funding, a member was filmed telling
British soldiers and their "Orange
comrades" to get out of Ireland.
At the concert attended predominantly by
young people, the lead singer of the
Kildare-based band said: “over 5,000
British soldiers parade around the streets of
Ireland as if they own the place. It’s about
time that they take down their little Union
Jacks. It’s about time they got all their
Orange comrades together…it’s about time
that they all f***** off back to England.”
Pro-IRA songs, glorifying terrorism, such as
‘Go on Home British Soldiers’ were also
performed on stage at the event.
Following the remarks, Orange Order Grand
Secretary Drew Nelson made a formal
complaint, on behalf of the Institution, to
the PSNI.
While Chief Constable George Hamilton
stated police would formally ask
prosecutors to decide whether to press
charges following a public outcry, it has
s i n c e b e e n c o n fi r m e d t h e P u b l i c
Prosecution Service will now not be
pursuing the matter on the grounds that
evidence does not provide a reasonable
prospect of conviction.
The Druids have not apologised for the
hate-fuelled incident, rather stating their
comments were “taken out of context”.
Comparing the handling of the two cases,
unionist representatives have highlighted
the perceived imbalance in the
administration of justice.
DUP MLA Nelson McCausland said: “It is
astounding that members of The Druids
have not even been interviewed or
questioned despite the fact that they have
made subsequent performances within the
United Kingdom.”
TUV councillor Jolene Bunting: “The fact
that these events could happen on the
same day will feed the perception within the
unionist community that there are double
standards when it comes to dealing with
republicans.”
PUP councillor Julie-Anne Corr Johnson
said: "We had an incident last summer
where a traditional music band playing at a
festival in Ardoyne openly espoused
sectarian, bigoted and inflammatory views.
Despite complaints no prosecution was
made, yet here we have Young Conway
Volunteers being prosecuted for simply
playing a song. This is another example of
how justice is being applied differently."
6141
662
Days
Drumcree
Days
Crumlin Road
‘HERE we stand, we can do no other’. These famous words by our former Worshipful District
Master, late Wor
Bro Harold
Gracey in July
1998 started
Portadown
District LOL
No 1 on a
journey where
we are still
striving to
achieve our
goal
of
completing
our Drumcree
S u n d a y
parade along
the Garvaghy Road back to our dispersal point in
Carleton Street.
I am sure that not one person, either in Portadown District
or further afield, thought that for one minute that we would
still be on protest over 6,000 days later. However, it must be stated that we have attempted each
and every Sunday since July 1998 to complete the
parade only to be prevented by police officers enforcing
the determination of a discredited and unaccountable
quango – namely the Parades Commission. The only break was for two or three weeks around the
time of Foot and Mouth where it was deemed appropriate
by the District not to hold a protest so as not to bring
people together for bio-security reasons.
Portadown District has on a number of occasions
expressed its democratic choice to remain on protest and
has given full support to the district officers in attempting
to seek a positive outcome to the issue. Unfortunately, we have seen further successful attempts
by republicans in stirring up hatred of all things ‘Orange’
and have demonised the Orange family and our British
culture.
Portadown District believes that until changes are made
to the legislation which brought the Parades Commission
into existence are changed, then we can look forward to
even more ludicrous decisions being made by this
discredited body.
We are also greatly encouraged by visits from brethren
from within Grand Lodge and indeed further afield. We
feel humbled when brethren from Ligoniel have been
present with us and we give the brethren our full support
and wish them a speedy outcome to their own parading
difficulties.
Portadown District will continue to work towards
achieving our goal of parading back to Carleton Street
along our traditional route. No one should doubt the
resolve and determination of the brethren of Portadown.
Here we stand, we can do no other.
Darryl Hewitt
Darryl Hewitt
District Master
Portadown District LOL No. 1
1
2nd Edition
[email protected]
5 May 2015
GLENGORMLEY PARADE ‘WILL GO AHEAD’
ORGANISERS of a proposed protest parade in Glengormley have accused the
Parades Commission of promoting segregation.
The United Orange Districts opted to postpone the event, scheduled to take place
on April 29, after the commission imposed restrictions on the parade, organised in
support of Ligoniel and Portadown brethren.
Despite being effectively barred from parading through the centre of the town,
organisers have vowed to organise another parade in the future. A peaceful white line protest was held in Glengormley on the evening of the
proposed procession. Picture: Newtownabbey Times
A spokesman for the United Orange Districts said: “The Parades Commission, with
Some of the Attendees at the White-Line Protest in Glengormley
its blatant anti-Orange agenda, has shamefully promoted segregation by denying
shared space in the centre of Glengormley. “In the interests of wider community relations, such a situation is simply intolerable, and one we will not provide any credence for, nor
accept.
“We maintain the right to protest and remain committed to highlighting the strong sense of justice and human rights being prevented to
the three Ligoniel lodges and Portadown District.
BANGOR & BELFAST
B R E T H R E N S H OW
SUPPORT
BRETHREN from Bangor District No 18 recently held a protest in
support of Ligoniel and Portadown brethren.
Members held a white line protest in Bangor town centre to show
their disenchantment with the ongoing restrictions placed on the
respective parades in north Belfast and Co Armagh.
A similar protest was held on Clifton Street in north Belfast, close
to the Crumlin Road.
Both events come after a public call from Grand Master Edward
Stevenson, encouraging members of the Institution to hold
peaceful and legal protests across the Province.
IS YOUR LODGE OR DISTRICT ORGANISING A
PROTEST PARADE OR EVENT?
SEND DETAILS AND/OR PICTURES TO
✉ [email protected]
BELOW: Brethren Protesting in Bangor
ABOVE: Clifton Street Protest
UPCOMING EVENTS
HAVE you got your badge?
Show your support for the ongoing
campaign for our Ligoniel and Portadown
brethren by purchasing a lapel pin badge.
The Orange insignia displays the message: ‘Share the future
– Let them home’.
The badges are available now from the Schomberg House
shop, and via the Grand Lodge website, priced at £3 each.
@OrangeOrder
Evening of Prayer
Lower Iveagh District No. 1 will be holding an evening of prayer in
Dromore Orange Hall on Wednesday 13 May at 8pm.
All brethren, friends and family welcome
Protest Parade
Bangor District No. 18 is holding a protest parade in Bangor on
Tuesday 19 May. The parade will meet at Hamilton Road Orange
Hall at 7pm before moving off at 7.30pm.
Parade will follow the traditional route of the 1st July Parade.
White Line Protest
Greyabbey LOL 1592 are holding a white-line protest on Tuesday
5th May at 7.30-8pm at the roundabout in Greyabbey.
Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland
WEBSITE
LET THEM HOME:
PIN YOUR SUPPORT
2