The Twelfth
twelfth also called orangemens day primarily ulster protestant celebration held july began late th century ulster celebrates glorious revolution victory protestant king william orange catholic king james ii battle boyne ensured whig political party anglican ascendancy ireland passing penal law disenfranchise persecute nation catholic majority lesser extent protestant dissenter catholic emancipation around twelfth large parade held orange order ulster loyalist marching band street decorated union jack flag bunting large towering bonfire commemorating beacon guided prince william carrickfergus lit loyalist neighbourhood today twelfth mainly celebrated northern ireland public holiday smaller celebration held country including scotland australia canada orange lodge set since beginning twelfth accompanied violence ulster protestant catholic especially time political tension lot protestant see twelfth important part culture irish nationalist many otherwise apolitical catholic see anticatholic colonialist whiggist supremacist irish tricolour flag burnt eleventh night bonfire lyric orange order ballad orange march deliberately routed catholic community neighbourhood especially controversial considered deeply insulting drumcree conflict wellknown recent parading issue involving orange march sectarian violence around twelfth worsened trouble today event pas peacefully recently attempt draw tourist main twelfth parade present familyfriendly pageant july fall sunday parade held instead next monday july orangeman commemorated several event dating th century onwards celebrating continued dominance protestantism ireland irish rebellion triumph williamite war ireland – early celebration october anniversary rebellion attempted coup détat catholic gentry tried seize control english administration ireland november birthday william orange protestant victor williamite war anniversary faded popularity end th century twelfth originated celebration battle aughrim took place july old style o julian calendar use aughrim decisive battle williamite war predominantly irish catholic jacobite army destroyed remainder capitulated limerick whereas boyne less decisive twelfth early th century popular commemoration aughrim featuring bonfire parade battle boyne fought july commemorated smaller parade july however two event combined late th century first reason british switch gregorian calendar repositioned nominal date battle boyne july new style n battle aughrim nominally repositioned july n second reason foundation orange order order preferred boyne due william orange presence also suggested time roman catholic resurgence boyne jacobite routed appealing order aughrim fought hard died great number order first march took place july portadown lurgan waringstown twelfth parade early th century often led public disorder much orange order twelfth banned see week leading twelfth orange order ulster loyalist marching band hold numerous parade northern ireland common lodge parade one orange lodge march one band others minitwelfth start july involve several lodge june august protestant unionist area northern ireland bedecked flag bunting usually flown lamppost house common flag flown union jack ulster banner kerbstone may painted red white blue mural may made steel wooden arch bedecked flag orange symbolism raised certain street orange arch inspired triumphal arch well union jack ulster banner flag illegal loyalist paramilitary groups—such ulster volunteer force uvf ulster defence association uda—are flown area raising flag near catholicirish nationalist neighbourhood neutral area often lead tension sometimes violence seen deliberately provocative intimidating night twelfth—the eleventh night—huge towering bonfire lit many workingclass protestant neighbourhood northern ireland built mostly wooden pallet lumber local young men boy week twelfth lighting often accompanied street party loyalist marching band eleventh night event condemned sectarianism damage pollution caused fire year irish tricolour burnt many bonfire case effigy poster irish nationalist figure catholic symbol also burnt trouble loyalist paramilitary used bonfire event hold show strength masked gunman fired volley air still controlled paramilitary member authority may wary taking action controversial bonfire bonfire controversial however attempt depoliticize bonfire event make familyfriendly environmentallyfriendly bonfire also criticised unsafely constructed main way twelfth celebrated large parade involving orangeman supporting band parade ulster almost exclusively held northern ireland county donegal although orange lodge elsewhere often hold parade well parade usually begin orange hall proceeds town city large park field marcher friend family general public gather eat drink listen speech clergyman politician senior member order past twelfth major venue discussion political issue church service also held sometimes band prize awarded within northern ireland district lodge usually organises parade rural district parade rotate around various town sometimes favouring less likely trouble year choosing felt right march need defended northern ireland long tradition protestant loyalist marching band found town orangeman hire band march twelfth instrument almost unique march lambeg drum popular song include sash derrys wall explicitly violent song billy boy may also played vast majority marcher men allwomen band mixed band allmale band female flag banner carrier also womens orange lodge take part parade orangewomen paraded twelfth rural area since least midth century banned belfast parade orangeman parade typically wear dark suit orange sash white glove bowler hat certain orangeman carry ceremonial sword hot weather many lodge parade shortsleeved shirt orangewomen developed standard dress code usually dress formally supporting band uniform colour orangeman band carry elaborate banner depicting orange hero historic biblical scene andor political symbol slogan popular image king william orange crossing river boyne famous battle field lodge band humorous outfit accessory make return journey mood generally mellow although time tension also aggressive northern irish county donegal parade given extensive local tv press coverage bbc northern ireland programme twelfth longestrunning outside broadcast programme northern ireland one largest orange demonstration held anywhere year annual parade held rossnowlagh tiny village near ballyshannon south county donegal west ulster county donegal one ulster county republic ireland rossnowlagh demonstration major orange event republic number much smaller orange event take place year east donegal well northern ireland around half population irish catholic background twelfth tense time orange march irish catholic irish nationalist neighbourhood usually met opposition resident sometimes lead violence many people see march sectarian triumphalist supremacist assertion british ulster protestant dominance political aspect caused tension marcher insist right celebrate culture walk public street particularly along traditional route survey orangeman throughout northern ireland orangeman said allowed march catholic irish nationalist area restriction said negotiate resident first argued member community participated event although always protestant affair many catholic opposed march violence accompanied twelfth march since beginning july eight catholic member county kerry militia died clash orangeman local yeomanry stewartstown july postal worker shot killed riot cleator moor west cumbria clash broke orange marcher irish nationalist belfast july several orangeman opened fire crowd hercules street killing two protestant wounding four people july eight people killed orange march enniskillen seven killed clone one killed stewartstown maghera several catholic home burnt prompting intervention military also trouble march armagh portadown bellaghy comber greyabbey glenoe strabane five catholic reportedly shot dead rathfriland three four drowned river near katesbridge twelfth march following august twelfth march banned party procession act act enforced five year august military used six piece artillery help quell trouble twelfth gathering scarva gun battle broke twelfth orangeman marched rural catholic community dolly brae near castlewellan orangeman clashed catholic ribbonmen leaving number ribbonmen catholic dead became known battle dolly brae result clash party procession act renewed following year following twelfth march belfast sectarian rioting erupted city lasted ten day portadown news reported catholic shot orangeman derrymacash july one died wound stonethrowing broken orangeman tried march past catholic chapel outnumbered orangeman opened fire catholic retreated led passing party emblem act august year forbade carrying weapon wearing party colour procession orange riot occurred two year row twelfth march new york city eight people died clash civilian mostly irish catholic three guardsman lost life wounded throughout summer string riot belfast violence particularly fierce twelfth september estimated people killed july ulster unionist party leader edward carson made speech said sick word without action warned british government refused adequately protect unionist irish republican army would take matter hand violence soon followed period june june people killed belfast alone people made homeless city approximately people fled north ireland due intimidation see trouble northern ireland – twelfth led worst violence belfast since foundation northern ireland violence allegedly began orangeman tried enter catholic enclave lancaster street nine people killed catholic family comprising people forced flee home trouble late late twelfth often accompanied riot paramilitary violence three people shot dead twelfth portadown two people killed belfast five total two killed republican group three killed loyalist group twelfth drumcree conflict three young boy killed loyalist firebombed house ballymoney boy mother catholic home mainly protestant housing estate killing provoked widespread anger catholic protestant since trouble began band hired appear twelfth march openly shown support loyalist paramilitary group either carrying paramilitary flag banner sporting paramilitary name emblem number prominent loyalist militant orangeman took part march february loyalist uda shot dead five catholic civilian betting shop belfast orangeman marched past shop july marcher held five finger mockery five dead secretary state patrick mayhew said would disgraced tribe cannibal every twelfth british army soldier deployed belfast help police parade due improved policing dialogue marcher resident northern ireland peace process parade generally peaceful since parade commission set deal contentious parade trouble irish catholic nationalist area organised festival keep child away parade might come conflict protestant child make twelfth enjoyable community although mostly ulster event twelfth also celebrated country strong link ulster history settlement irish protestant outside northern ireland commemoration twelfth scotland – particularly around glasgow irish immigrant settled england wale orange march common orange order membership found primarily merseyside region although number still small march tend held week twelfth due number band lodge travel northern ireland march liverpool lodge parade city seaside resort southport july also twelfth march canada australia longest consecutively held parade north america first held twelfth march largest parade toronto thousand orangeman would march front ten thousand spectator time orange order held sway membership order unspoken prerequisite holding civic office however march popularity drastically diminished recent year people participate modern orange parade orangemens day still provincial public sector holiday canadian province newfoundland labrador shop closing holiday increase membership recent year seen revival order australia annual twelfth july parade currently held adelaide parade also formerly held new zealand twelfth also big parade benidorm spain partition ireland early twelfth celebrated protestant many part ireland however reduction protestant political influence republic ireland meant remaining major annual parade within republic rossnowlagh county donegal west ulster held twelfth moved weekend rest ireland outside ninecounty province ulster major orange event july former tánaiste michael mcdowell said twelfth made national holiday republic ireland well northern ireland banner northern ireland culture ireland orange walk parade northern ireland twelfth picture bbc news july gallery orange chronicle north belfast parade pass peacefully rté news july