A very interesting and turbulent year in Ireland and Europe when this photo was taken in 1916. The Easter rising and the slaughter at the Somme in France of many men in the Orange Institution. Nigeria no longer has a lodge but lodges still exist in Ghana and Togo in West Africa. I think the lodge is called Lagos Fine True Blues by the banner. How the Orange Order got from a small thatched cottage in Loughall to Lagos and is intrigueing. One thing for sure King Billy on the banner was better travelled after he fell of his horse than before it.
Thursday, 10 March 2011
Orange Lodge Nigeria Africa
A very interesting and turbulent year in Ireland and Europe when this photo was taken in 1916. The Easter rising and the slaughter at the Somme in France of many men in the Orange Institution. Nigeria no longer has a lodge but lodges still exist in Ghana and Togo in West Africa. I think the lodge is called Lagos Fine True Blues by the banner. How the Orange Order got from a small thatched cottage in Loughall to Lagos and is intrigueing. One thing for sure King Billy on the banner was better travelled after he fell of his horse than before it.
Ballymacarrett FLute Band. Parading, a way of life.
A splendid display of Musical ability,decorum and marching by one of the finest Orange cultural bands in Belfast. Many bands parade throughout the year from March to September either with the loyal orders or competing in street competitions organised by individual bands. These competitions are taken very seriously with band members walking maybe 3 different parades in various towns and villages throughout the country at weekends, this combined with practice once or twice a week takes a lot of dedication by the 30,000 members of the 650 marching bands in the province. The band becomes away of life for many men,ladies and children of ever age and ability with blind,disabled and special needs people known to be part of the band movement.With an estimated 150,000 people in Northern Ireland(10per cent of the population) having been part of the band scene at some stage in their lives, the band scene has become a culture on it's own. Northern Ireland must have the most musicians per capital in the world. During the winter months bands take part in indoor competitions and many charity events to improve their playing ability before the marching season starts again. The band scene in Northern Ireland is currently undergoing a renaissance with up to 15 new bands starting per year with it being the fastest growing youth movement in Europe. Kids as young as five are learning new instruments just as 70 year olds retire from the scene. As strange as it seems to people outside of Orange culture parading is a massive and sacred part of many peoples lives having been handed down from generation to generation for the last 250 years and is a precious part of who of who they are and where they have came from. Band culture is not without it's difficulties our problems,some self induced some inflicted upon upon it out of ignorance or political and religious intolerance,but at it's best the culture is up there with some of the most beautiful cultures in the world and should be seen and heard to be believed.
George Best legendary footballer and Orangeman.
This photo is of the late Dicke Best in front of a mural of his superstar son George Best in East Belfast. Dickie was a founder member of the Ballymacarrett Defenders Flute Band,Belfast. The Band was founded in 1934 and became world champions in 1995. In the previous post there is a clip of the band on the Kelly show shortly after becoming world champs. Georgie is the most gifted footballer to ever come out of the British Isles and in Peles view the best footballers ever, he was a member of the Junior Orange Order as a young boy in East Belfast.
Tuesday, 8 March 2011
Sunday, 6 March 2011
Friday, 4 March 2011
Staffordstown Lodge and Drums
I love this great old photo,so much atmosphere in It the bowler hats flats caps, lambegs, the big flag and the man in the front playing his fife. Wonder what tune he was playing! Don't have a year,late 1800s to early 1900s I'm guessing. Lol 704 is the lodge. Staffordstown is a small rural area between Randalstown and Lough Neagh.
Wednesday, 2 March 2011
Monday, 28 February 2011
Mourne Young Defenders
The Orange Order has always relied on musical accompaniment since it's beginnings to guide them along the way. Traditionally lambegs where used and still are.By the 1800's musical bands started to crop up everywhere the Orange Order existed. These bands where heavily influenced by the British Army most likely started by soldiers returning from the various European wars. The fife and drum would have been the main instrument in the early days, later the flute would have replaced the fife. The Orange Order still walk with bands that pre date the 1850's. Churchill Flute band(possibley the oldest marching band in the world) where formed in 1835 and are still going strong in 2011. The basic flute band started to evolve into harmony Flute bands with different parts being played and bands competing in World Championships. By the late 1800s brass and silver bands where the flavours of the day with many existing bands crossing over from the trusty old flute, County Fermanagh has an abundance of Silver bands with almost every village and hamlet having one. Northern Ireland has a rich pipe band culture with amazingly more Pipe bands than Scotland. County Tyrone is famous for it's many pipe bands with bands in nearly every townland. Over a hundred Pipe bands still walk with the loyal orders,(check out the little village of Scarva on the 13th of July to see a beautiful display of pipe bands). In the country side of Ulster there is many little country type bands that look like they belong to a different era,many of these bands still play kettle drums and ancient Orange melodies which must be some of the oldest music in Ireland and Europe. Orange music has heavily influenced Modern Irish traditional music. By the 1950's accordion bands started to be the order of the day, more women and girls started to parade( they say there's nothing nicer than hearing an old Orange melody being played on an Accordion).By the 1970's and the start of the troubles young Protestants from the west of Scotland and Ulster started to play their instruments with more passion and with a much louder volume which was reflective of the situation these young men were witnessing on the streets. These band initially gained a bad reputation with the very conservative Orange Order. The media labelled them (maybe unfairly) as" Kick thePope bands". The bands themselves called this musical phenomena Blood and thunder.there are now over 300 hundred Blood and thunder bands in Northern Ireland alone. These bands have now completely evolved,with musical and marching ability of the highest order.There's are many different styles of B and T,with jig style being very popular in North Antrim.these bands play a wide range of music ranging from Orange music to film themes. Currently the band scene in Ulster is the largest youth movement in Europe with up to 15 bands starting per year. As we can see from the clip, (Mourne Young Defenders a band that started from Blood and Thunder and are now one of the finest Melody bands in country) how the band scene has evolved from 200 years of marching history.
Thursday, 24 February 2011
Liverpool FC historic conection with Orange Culture.
Jim Houlding was a Liverpool businessman and Orangeman born in Belfast who was a founding member of Liverpool FC. Two Liverpool Legends Steve Nicholl and Alan Hansen where also reportedly members of the institution.
Orange Order Parade Toronto Canada 1890's
Old postcard showing 12th of July Orange Parade in Toronto about 1890. By the beginning of the 1900s there were so many Orange Lodges in Toronto that it was known as the 'Belfast of Canada'.
Wednesday, 23 February 2011
US President stayed a night in a beautiful old Orange hall
A few years back I was talking to the head gardener at Bownlow House lurgan, the towns splendid old Orange hall. He was telling me that during the second World War the soon to be President of the USA President Eishenhower stayed at the house. Would anybody be able to confirm this story?
Tuesday, 22 February 2011
LOL 1297 Larne (Boyne Defenders)
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