Portglenone Drumhead Service

Portlgenone Independent Orange District No. 4 will hold their annual Drumhead Service on Sunday 5th July 2015. The annual event will hold particular significance in these years as local lodges mark the Centenary of the Great War, with a range of events.

The event will pay tribute to the service and sacrifice of local men who went from the banks of the Bann to the banks of the Somme almost a hundred years ago.  It forms the start of a year of events to mark the centenary of the Somme. The local District lodge has formed a committee to coordinate the events, which will culminate in a Festival next July when the Indepentent Twelfth will be hosted by Portglenone District.

The Drumhead Service is a traditional military institution often held on the eve of battle. It provides a moment of ‘coming together’ with structure and familiarity to the fore, where God’s blessing and protection are sought. Given the close affiliation between the Orange Institution and the military it is a fitting way for us to conduct our devotions.

The Service will be held at Partglenone Marina, Gortgole Road, Portglenone at 3.30pm.  Brethren will muster at Townhill Road at 3.00pm and parade the village  to Service.

This year’s Annual Portglenone District Drumhead Service will take on added significance as we recall the service and sacrifice of the 36th Ulster Division in the Great War. Our parade and service is held on the first Sunday of July each year and marks in effect three battles.

 

The first is the Battle of the Somme 1916, as it fell on the first of July and next year will be the Centenary. Second the Battle of the Boyne, which in the old calender also fell on the first and is marked anually on both dates. Finally as part of Williamite campaign of 1688-89 the Battle of Portglenone was fought over two days on the spot where we hold our service today.

The Parade will form up on the Townhill Road and we would inbite all Orange brethern from both Institutions to join us as we parade the village to the Marina. The parade will be led by District Officers and Colour Party with Killycoogan Ind. Accordian Band followed by the lodge and visiting brethern.

We would invite the public to come and watch along the Main Street or to join us to watch the laying of the Drum Head and our sevice, and act of remembrance. This will follow the military form as our District Master Bro Uel Boal, will lay the Drum Head with Colours presented to Wor. Bro Phil Moffatt Deputy Imperial Grand Chaplain who will place them on the Drum Head, before conducting an act of Remembrance, followed by a service.  Upon conclusion the parade will reform and return to the Townhill Road.

Snapshot from History

At this time the men of the 36th Ulster Division  moved to Seaford on the Sussex coast of England. Lord Kitchener inspected the Division there on 27 July 1915, and later remarked to Carson “your Division of Ulstermen is the finest I have yet seen”.  Another inspection took place, by King George V, on 30 September.
3-6 October: the Division moved to France, although the artillery remained in England until November.

The Ulster Division initially concentrated in the area around Flesselles, some ten miles north of Arras. Gradually, men were sent in groups for familiarisation with trench warfare conditions, and were attached to the regular army 4th Division for the purpose in the (at this time) quiet are north of the River Ancre near Albert.

On 21 October the Division was moved away from the fighting area towards Abbeville, where it spent most of the winter of 1915-16 continuing training. One of the Brigades was attached to 4th Division for several weeks at this time and the artillery finally rejoined.

Come and Join us as we mark this historic event.

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.

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.