Ballymoney Twelfth Festival

We are looking forward to the Twelfth Festival in Ballymoney in the run up to the twelfth of July, so come join us for a range of events. From history to culture, parades to parties the week has it all. beginning on Monday with a historical bus tour and ending with the big day itself!

Faith will be at the heart of all we do and this year to mark the Institutions association with St Jame’s Presbyterian church we will be having a Twelfth morning service there.

We will keep you posted on the events as they happen.

Imperial Grand Lodge Church Service

To mark this connection on Monday 13^th July there will be an Imperial Grand Lodge Church Service  in Boyle’s old church – St James’s Presbyterian Church at 11.00am followed by annual  Demonstration in Megaw Park, parade to leave Park at 1.00pm for parade of Town followed by platform proceedings, Chair to be taken at 2.30pm. Return Parade will leave Park at approximately 4.15pm for parade Coleraine Road, High St and Main St terminating at Seymour Street.

National Trust; (c) Chirk Castle; Supplied by The Public Catalogue Foundation

Twelfth 2015

As the Twelfth approaches we are preparing for our Big day, as we mark the annual Boyne celebrations in style.

Like all lodges across the country these weeks are a busy time for us. The Twelfth and all that people see that day does not simply happen, it takes time and money and dedication to bring it all together. As a drumming lodge we have to spend time preparing or ‘pulling’ the drums to ensure there are tight and just right for the big day. Even after weeks of preparation if the rain comes it will all be for nothing, but at least we know they would have sounded well !

The hall itself gets a facelift in time for the big day and the hedges cut and yard tidied, its times like this we envy our brethren in the towns! For smaller lodges the same work has to be done only with less hands and we would appeal for volunteers and helpers to come join us as this is a time for community and cooperation.

This year we will have our Twelfth in Ballymoney and if you would like to join us either visiting brethren from the mainland to walk or families and friends to spectate then drop us a message on here and we will provide details.  It promises to be a great day for all and a warm welcome awaits in Ballymoney the home of the Independents.

The week running up to the Twelfth promises to be a fun time for all the family with the Twelfth Festival planned by Ballymoney District. There will be a full programme from historical bus tours to an Ulster Scots Ceidilh featuring local artists, poets and much more, in the ILOL Hall Edward St.  Ballymoney.

As a lodge we will be meeting at the Hall then proceeding to Ballymoney for a church service before the main Twelfth Parade.

The Demonstration and Platform Party will be in Megaw Park followed by a return Parade of the town.

So why not plan to join us bring your family and friends and make this your big day too!

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.

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.

Portglenone District Lodge Meeting 2014

Our lodge will host a District meeting for the first time sine the Portglenone District ILOL No 4 Election & Installation of 26th september 2013
We are looking forward another evening of fellowship and planning for the incoming year. The following is a report of the ladt meeting.
Portglenone District ILOL No 4 held their Election & Installation in McNeilstown Independent Orange Hall on Thursday 26th September 2013. The WDM Wor Bro Uel Boal welcomed all to the meeting. The Election was carried out by The IGM Rt Wor Bro Alan McLean and the Installation by Wor Bro Frank McClure PDM ILOL No 3. The five main officers re-elected were WDM Bro Uel Boal, DDM Bro Jim Lamont, Chaplin Bro James McIlhatton, Treasurer Bro Robert Lamont and Sec Bro William Gordan Jr. Normal business was conducted and the meeting closed after which all received supper.

Lodge History Project

We have recently commissioned a lodge history to trace our past from 1823. Many men have been a part of the McNeillstown story and we would like to hear from members and their families past and present and especially old photographs or newspaper articles.

Indeed any items of historical significance would be welcome. We can either copy and return or curate them on a temporary or permanent basis.

The First Orange Association

 

After receiving an invitation to come to England to save it from the tyrannical rule of James II and his extreme Catholicism W

When William Prince of Orange arrived in England, he was met by the Orange Association who read out their declaration of intent which follows;

“We do herby associate ourselves, to the utmost of our power, to support and defend our great deliver. His Highness the Prince of Orange, in his present enterprise for the delivery of the English Church and nation from Popery, and arbitrary power, for the maintenance of the Protestant religion and the establishment of a Free Parliament, for the protection of His Highness’ person and the settlement of Law and Order on a lasting foundation in these Kingdoms. We further declare, that we are exclusively a Protestant Association, yet detesting as we do any intolerant spirit, we solemnly pledge ourselves to each other, that we will not persecute any person on account of his religious opinions, provided the same be not hostile to the State; but that we will on the contrary, by aiding and assisting to every Loyal subject, of every description, in protecting him from violence and oppression”.

The above statement is as relevant today as it was when it was first read to King William in Exeter Cathedral in 1688.