Monthly Archives: December 2014
Grand Masters Christmas Message 2014
Grand Masters Christmas Message 2014
Date: December 23, 2014 Author:
Brethren and friends, as we approach the end of 2014 we can look back with fond memories at what has been another great year for this Institution. Having attended a variety of successful events and functions, it is evident to me that Independent Orangeism is holding it’s own. There have been a number of highlights and I have chosen to mention three in particular; the first being the official opening of Lisnagaver Ind Orange Hall, in Rasharkin, on the 24th of May. The new hall is a credit to this Institution and I would like to personally commend the Lodge and Band for their efforts in ensuring it’s construction.
The 5th of July was another historic day for this Institution, as for the first time, we took part in the annual 12th demonstration in Rossnowlagh, Co. Donegal. Thanks must go to Bro David Mahon, County Grand Master of Donegal, for making us feel most welcome. As a special guest on the platform, I had the honour of bringing greetings from this Institution. The official unfurling of the first ever Imperial Grand Lodge bannerette, on the 8th July, was a significant milestone for the Independent Institution. It was a distinct pleasure, after the unfurling, to parade around the streets of Ballymoney with the new bannerette at the forefront.
2014 was also a year of immense sadness within the Institution, with the loss of a number of brethren and friends. Four of these losses stand out in my mind; two brethren and two friends. Wor Bro WJ McClure PIGM, whose wisdom and uplifting remarks will be sadly missed; Wor Bro Sam Boal PDM, who was never afraid to speak his mind; Mrs Doreen Glass, who was a lifetime supporter of Killycoogan Lodge and band; and Dr Ian Paisley MBE, who faithfully preached the gospel message from our 12th platform for many years.
As an Institution we have taken a stand on a number of issues, including Sunday football in Northern Ireland and the recent controversy surrounding Asher’s Bakery. We fully support plans to legislate for a conscience clause in Northern Ireland, which will protect those with strongly held religious convictions. Furthermore, in February, we presented a cheque of £4000.00 on behalf of the Grand Masters Charity, to the Meningitis Research Foundation.
As we approach the end of another year, we are disappointed that no solution has yet been found in relation to the abolition of the unelected quango, known as the Parades Commission. The Independent Institution, while having no political attachment, is constitutionally Unionist, and as such, we believe that the Union Flag should be flown from all of our main government buildings. This includes councils in the West of the province, who have been denied this essential right for many years.
Christmas is a special time of the year as many families get together for a well earned break. With all the hustle and bustle we must not forget what Christmas is really about. Isaiah ch9v6 says; “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.” May I take this opportunity to wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous new year.
Rt Wor Bro Alan McLean IGM
HAPPY NEW YEAR
The Officers and Members of McNeillstown ILOL No 46 would like to wish all our friends and supporters a Happy New Year and we send fraternal greetings to all our brethren across the globe.
We look forward to a year of events and aetwvties and ask that if you are a member make it your New Years Resolution to play your part in our growth and sucess. If not then why not come and join us in 2015.
As a lodge our resolutions Include doubting membership and completing the renovation of our Hall.
Lodge Wishes our Members and Friends a Merry Christmas
At this time of year as we spend time with family we remember the real reason for the season and the Christian message.
We wish our members, friends and the entire community a happy and peaceful Christmas and a great New Year. We look forward to a busy and sucessful 2015. We remember those who do not enjoy the time of year we do, from our brethern who are still denied their rights and maintain their protest, to the persecuted church across the globe.
Closing the Gates Celebrations – Siege of Derry Begins
Shutting of the Gates
Generally the first Saturday in December – commemorating the 7th December (OS*) anniversary of the Apprentice Boys’ Shutting of the Gates. *Old style calandar.
The Apprentice Boys of Derry Commemorative events begin at midnight Friday, on the eve of the next day’s commemoration, with the firing of a cannon. 1 shot and then 3 shots symbolises the Thirteen Apprentice Boys who shut the gates against the advancing armies of King James.
Members of the Parent Club will then walk around the walls taking part in the Touching of the Gates: commencing with Ferryquay Gate, moving on to Bishop Gate, Butcher Gate and finally Shipquay Gate. This represents a symbolic closing of the gates.
Early morning, the Siege flags are erected on Walker’s Plinth.
The effigy of Governor Lundy is brought out of the Memorial Hall and erected on a scaffold located in Bishop’s Street. Lundy was a Governor of the City during the Siege. He deserted his position and the besieged people, leaving under the cover of the night dressed as an ordinary soldier. In fact, he later served William III; Lundy was a traitor to the City, though not to the King.
At 10am in the morning the General Committee of the Apprentice Boys Association opens in the Memorial Hall. All visiting Clubs parade from Waterside Railway Station, departing at 11.30am, to the Memorial Hall via Hawkin Street.
The main parade leaves Society Street at 1.15pm, via the Diamond, to Carlisle Road and up Wapping Lane to St Columb’s Cathedral for the Annual Thanksgiving Service for the Shutting of the Gates, which commences at 2.00pm.
At the conclusion of Divine Service a Wreath is laid by the Officers of the host Parent Club on the Siege Heroes Mound in the grounds of the Cathedral.
The parade then re-forms and returns to Bishop Street for theBurning of Lundy, which takes place at approximately 4pm.
Before Lundy is set alight the soles of Lundy’s boots are removed and presented to a member of the Parent Club, or to a selected Club, as a commemorative memento of the Year’s Duties to the Association.
The Governor and Officers of General Committee take the salute in Bishop Street as the Parade returns to the Waterside via London Street. With the visiting Branch Clubs returning to their transport, the Governor and Officers return to the Memorial Hall to close General Committee at around 5.00pm.
The Shutting of the Gates is smaller than the summer’s Relief of Derry Commemorative Parade. Those who attend are mostly Parent Clubs and a number of visiting Clubs.
World War I Commemorations
New ‘Great War’ mural at Drumtara unveiled
The lodge was delighted to witness a new Mural unveiled at Drumtara which marks the bravery and sacrifice of local men.
A new wall mural with a World War One theme has been unveiled in Ballymena’s Drumtara estate.
The painting, part of a ‘re-branding’ of the Ballee estate, features a Great War era soldier, a Victoria Cross, poppies and an orange lily.
Our picture shows Mayor, Cllr Audrey Wales along with John Crawford (5 UDR) and Ricky Wilkinson (5 Royal Irish Regiment) cut a ribbon to officially open the mural, watched by officials and guests.
BBC News – Orange Order: Educational visits prove a hit with Catholic schools
Orange Order: Educational visits prove a hit with Catholic schools
5 November 2014
On the trail of King William – the Orange Order has launched a new educational poster for schoolchildren.
Educational visits by the Orange Order have proved more popular in Catholic schools than in those mainly attended by Protestants, the order has said.
The aim of the outreach programme is to explain both the history and current role of the organisation.
So far, 58% of the visits have been to Catholic schools, 33% to schools mainly attended by Protestants and 8% to integrated schools.
A spokesman for the order said the figures were “surprising”.
To support their outreach programme, the Orange Order has launched a new educational poster, designed as an alphabetical guide to the people, places and events that shaped the organisation’s history.
The ABC poster follows William of Orange, a Dutch Protestant, on his way to victory over his uncle, the Catholic James II, at the Battle of the Boyne in Ireland.
In the poster A is for Aughrim, site of a key battle in the war, while B is for the Boyne, where the battle commemorated by the Orange Order every year on 12 July was fought in 1690.
The order aims to continue its school visits programme, by invitation, to expand on the history featured on the poster.
‘Committed to diversity’
David Scott, the order’s community education officer said the enthusiasm of Catholic schools, and the fact that Protestant schools were not quite so keen, was surprising.
One of the Catholic schools visited was St Paul’s High School, Bessbrook, County Armagh, whose principal is former Gaelic Athletic Association star Jarlath Burns.
Pupils also travelled to the site of the Battle of the Boyne when the order launched a new schools workbook in May.
“These are little steps but we are up for it. We are not in any way scared. It is all to do with understanding that everybody who puts on an Orange sash is not bitter or bigoted and the same for anyone who pulls on a GAA jersey”
Jarlath Burns St Paul’s High School
“We are committed to the community relations diversity agenda and we celebrate the diversity that exists within our world and community,” Mr Burns said.
“We welcome any opportunity for people to explain their culture and we’re all about creating discerning individuals – educating the whole child.”
To that end, the police and the Orange Order have been invited to the school.
St Paul’s also took its pupils in uniform to watch the Gay Pride parade in nearby Newry – a point that Mr Burns admitted raised a few hackles, but made an important point about diversity and understanding.
Talking about the links with the Orange Order, he said: “In the last year, David Scott has come into the school and spoken and we’ve been to the Boyne.
“We are actually having a panel discussion in the school next week.
“These are little steps, but we are up for it. We are not in any way scared.
“It is all to do with understanding that everybody who puts on an Orange sash is not bitter or bigoted and the same goes for anyone who pulls on a GAA jersey.”
‘Amazing uptake’
The poster and the talk offers young people studying history at Key Stage Three, a window into the Orange Order.
Mr Scott said: “We aim to try and put history into its proper context and to support the teacher, educationalist and student in the classroom environment.
“We want to give young people a better understanding so that they can explore and discover history, not based on the knowledge they may think they have, on hearsay or on other people’s opinions.
“The uptake has been amazing from the maintained school sector that is traditionally viewed as the Catholic sector,” he said.
“It has been a wee bit more challenging in the controlled school sector which would be deemed to be Protestant. We are not sure why. Perhaps there is more willingness from the maintained school sector – they seem more curious, more inquisitive and more keen to learn.
“It is just a theory, but perhaps in the controlled sector, they think they know enough about the tradition because the majority of pupils come from the Protestant tradition. We are not really sure what the nuts and bolts of it are.”
‘Shared future’
The trail is very much about history.
Debate about the more modern conflict surrounding loyal orders parades in Northern Ireland comes up very rarely said Mr Scott.
“We are only in the early stages of the idea and the concept of a shared future,” he said.
via BBC News – Orange Order: Educational visits prove a hit with Catholic schools.
Sectarian attacks continue – Cookstown: Orange Order hall attacked in ‘hate crime’
16 November 2014
Cookstown: Orange Order hall attacked in ‘hate crime’
An Orange hall in County Tyrone has been damaged in an attack that police are treating as a hate crime.
Two windows of the building on Fairhill Road, Cookstown, were smashed overnight.
A year ago, the Orange Order said a boulder was thrown through a window of the hall.
Ulster Unionist Party councillor Trevor Wilson said the latest attack was “an act of wanton vandalism”.
“It’s a shame that a hall could elicit such hatred in the minds of people who have nothing positive to offer the community,” he said.
via BBC News – Cookstown: Orange Order hall attacked in ‘hate crime’.
Portglenone District Meeting – December 2014
The Portglenone District Lodge No 4 end of year meeting was hosted by our lodge, and was a well attended popular event. it is always a great privilege for a private lodge to host the District and special efforts are made to ensure its a success.
Members travelled from as far away as Larne to represent a number of private lodges. They were greeted and a warm welcome awaited them around the big open fire which was once a feature of many lodges but has become a rare thing now. However the McNeillstown men keep the tradition of a literal warm welcome alive.
Like many rural lodges it is an informal friendly occasion when old friends meet once more and the talk is as much of families and farming as it is of the business that lies ahead. The evening is as much as social occasion as it is a business meeting with the craic and chat starting long before the meeting and carrying long after it is over. As long as there are peats for the big open fire and enough stories to share men have been know to sit into the wee hours of the morning.
Visiting brethren have a chance to survey the ongoing building work at McNeillstown and offer advice and help on how to take the work forward. Then when the members and all assembled, the meeting was called to order around the big oak and leather board room table which was donated by the late Worshipable Master of McNeillstown Bro Jim Wilkinson. Having been the board room table of one of the oldest banking institutions in Belfast where it survived a PIRA terrorist bomb it was saved and given a new lease of life in the hall. While the business conducted around it now many not be concerned with multi-million pound deals it is every bit as important to the men around it. If table could talk the old bank table would have a few tales to tell.
Remembering the Past – Looking to the Future
The District decided that it would be fitting to mark the centenary of the Battle of the Somme in 2016 in a special way especially as the village hopes to host the Twelfth that year. Members expressed great enthusiasm in organising a range of special events with a range of expertise from local historians and ex servicemen being used to plan our response. The events ranging from parades and exhibitions to school presentations with local men as well as those from north and south who fought and died commemorated.
Brethren who had served with the Irish Guards gave a report on what plans are in place for the official British Army commemoration of the battle, and it is hoped that we can work with them and other organisation committees members are part of to ensure we have the best event possible. Members also spoke of their participation in a range of community based activities to promote our history and culture.
The meeting was closed in due and ancient form with prayer and scripture reading. Afterwards a supper was laid on for the members and visitors with the women of McNeillstown once more outdoing themselves with a range of tasty treats.
Following Family Footsteps at Killycoogan
It was a proud and unique night in the history of Killycoogan as two brothers joined meaning that litersally three generations had followed in the footsteps of others in the lodge. Members of our lodge attended and assisted in the initiation of two new members at Killycoogan ILOL No 48 our neighbouring lodge tonight Tuesday 2 December 2014.
Two Gordon brothers received their degrees tonight making it three generations in the same lodge. It was a proud day for William Gordon Snr and their father William Gordon Jnr. These two new members were Thomas and Ben Gordon sons of WM Bro William Gordon and Grandsons of Bro William Gordon both lifelong members of the Lodge.
Following the initiation normal business was conducted and all present enjoyed an excellent supper provided by the ladies who were suitably thanked for this gesture.
McNeillstown True Blues ILOL No. 46 