"Published Date: 27 August 2010 SENIOR Orangemen have walked side-by-side with members of the Ancient Order of Hibernians.

The attempt to break new ground between the traditional adversaries took place about three months ago in the Co Cavan village of Bailieborough, but is only now coming to light.

In an illustration of the tensions within the Orange Order, last night hardline Orangemen called for those involved to be suspended while one of those who took part said it could open up the chance of an Orange parade in the Cavan village.

Among the Orangemen taking part in the event were grand secretary Drew Nelson and the grand master of Cavan, Henry Latimer.

Wearing their orange and green collarettes respectively, an RTE broadcast at the event showerd three Orangemen walking alongside members of the AOH ahead of an accordion band playing a hymn tune.

But Mr Nelson insisted that it had not been a parade."

[read more]

Twelfth 'should be Irish holiday'
http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/Twelfth-should-be-Irish-holiday.6435792.jp
July 12 is already a public holiday in Northern Ireland when thousands of Orangemen are on the march

Published Date: 23 July 2010
A CALL from a former Irish government minister to make the Twelfth a national holiday in the Republic has received a broad welcome in Northern Ireland.
Former Progressive Democrat leader Michael Mc-Dowell told the MacGill Summer School in Glenties, Co Donegal, that while a good start had been made in turning the site of the Battle of the Boyne at Oldbridge into a national monument, it might now be time to make the Twelfth a national holiday in the south.

"I think if we are genuine republicans, if the Orange panel on the flag means anything, we have to consider building an inclusive society," he said on Wednesday.

"If Irish government ministers can go all the way around the world to St Patrick's Day parades, maybe the time has come for them to acknowledge that north of the border one community has a big national festival, and maybe an Irish government minister could make the physical journey and the mental journey there.

"It's not a sweetener, it's a matter of friendship, of simply saying we acknowledge the Battle of the Boyne to which the Orange tradition attributes major historical significance.

"The civil and political liberties which were at the forefront of their mind at that time are values that we hold."

Grand Secretary of the Orange Order Drew Nelson welcomed the support for the Twelfth but cautioned there were still issues in the way of the Protestant and Orange culture being recognised properly in the Republic.

"Amongst the nationalist community in the Republic there seems to be two ways of looking at the Tricolour, some people see it as green, white and orange but others see it as green, white and gold and it is still common amongst older people in the Republic to say it is green, white and gold," he said.

"In relation to the suggestion of making the Twelfth a national holiday in the Republic, we certainly welcome that and see it as a positive and concrete recognition of the validity of the Orange tradition."

DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson said he welcomed the comments by Mr McDowell which he termed as a "positive contribution to the debate about improving the acceptance and understanding of the Orange culture and tradition in the Irish Republic".

A UUP spokesman said if the Republic made the Twelfth a national holiday it would "demonstrate a commitment to similarly recognising historic cultural diversity in the other part of the island".

"In Northern Ireland we reflect our rich and diverse cultural history by marking both 12th July and 17th March as public holidays," he said.

Twelfth lottery funding dispute

Published Date: 21 July 2010

HARDLINE Orangemen have criticised organisers of a Twelfth festival for accepting lottery funding.

The Orange Reformation group singled out their brethren in Coleraine district for taking the cash – and said if the Order was going to accept money generated by people playing the National Lottery then, it "should just close it all down".

A spokesman told the News Letter he "abhorred" the fact lottery funding had been applied for and accepted.

"We see this as another example of the slippage of standards, we are calling on chaplains to take action to maintain standards," he said.
"We have questions over all of the funding issues within the Orange Order and the lottery funding is just one part of this.

"We feel that the Orange Order should have nothing to do with lottery funding and we call on the Grand Master to take a stand on this."

The Orange Order declined to comment on the statement, but Coleraine mayor and businessman Norman Hillis, who is not an Orangeman, said the celebrations in the town were very successful this year.

He added that he felt that where the Orange Order get their funding from "is their business".

The Ulster Unionist said: "As far as I was concerned, it was a very successful week, it was very good and made the Twelfth more open which is very important in Coleraine.

"Where in the world would you see a parade like this? I was talking to international visitors who thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
"We have to move forward to make sure there is something for everybody.
"It is just a pity that there are negative vibes about it coming from a small group of people."

The Twelfth festival in Coleraine involved a week of events in the area before the flagship demonstration in Portrush, and included street entertainment, river trips, historical walks, re-enactments and an Ulster Scots concert.

It also received funding from the Ulster-Scots Agency, the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure and Coleraine Borough Council.