Though one
of the most famous holidays in Ireland is St. Patrick’s Day, one of the most
historically significant is Orangemen’s Day, which is commemorated on the 12th
of July. Orangemen’s Day is celebrated in Northern Ireland each year to
remember the glorious victory in the Battle of Boyne.
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| King William III at the Battle of the Boyne, 1 July 1690 |
Brief history
The Battle
of the Boyne dates back to the 17th century. On July 1, 1690, the
Catholic King James fought against the Protestant King William across the River
Boyne. This is located near Drogheda at Ireland’s eastern coast.
William won
the battle, resulting in the Protestant rule in Ireland as well as in England.
This is one of the most significant and most well-known battles in British-Irish
history.
Outwardly,
some say that it is a battle with its roots in religion since it was waged
between two kings who belonged to two different churches. However, others see
it as a sectarian and ethnic conflict.
Jacobites
For the
Jacobites, it was a battle for Irish sovereignty. The forces under King James
numbered 25,000, comprised 19,000 Irish Catholics and 6,000 French forces.
The
daughter of James was actually married to William, who at that time was the
Prince of Orange, who also happened to be a Protestant.
Williamites
On the
other hand, for the Williamites, it was about keeping the English rule in
Ireland, as well as the continuation of Protestant interests in the country.
William III of Orange led 36,000 troops to battle. They were aided by Danish
mercenaries as well as Dutch and English soldiers.
When Prince
William won, he became known as King William III.
Not actually on July 12
The date of
July 1 in the Julian calendar is the equivalent of July 11 in the Gregorian
calendar. The switch of the calendar
happened in 1752 and it is the calendar we use today. However, the holiday is
celebrated every July 12. It is said that the reason for this is because the
Orange orders were quite suspicious of the accuracy of the Gregorian calendar,
so they opted to use the corrected date of July 12, rather than July 11. In
Northern Ireland, it is a bank holiday or a non-working holiday. If the 12th
falls on a weekend, the next closest Monday is declared a bank holiday instead.
Many names
This particular
day is called many things. Orangemen’s Day is the most popular, but it can also
be abbreviated to Orange Day. Because it’s celebrated on the 12th of
July, it is also called The Glorious Twelfth, or more simply, The Twelfth.
Celebrations
There are many
activities that form part of the festivities. First, it is a national
non-working holiday, allowing people to participate in the different events.
The celebrations kick off with a giant bonfire on the eve of the Twelfth. This
is a family friendly gathering that is widely attended by Protestants in the
country.
The March
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| Orangemen Parade in Armagh |
Walks or
marches are the most common activity done during this day. This often starts at
the Orange Hall and makes its way through the town. The participants wear dark
suits. Those who wish to stick to the classic form wear black bowler hats along
with white gloves. However, this is not as common today, especially during warm
weather.
Collarettes
made from a long thin piece of orange colored cloth that is draped around the
neck forming a V shape at the front are worn. Most of the marches are organized
by Lodges of the Orange Order and so the wearer is identified with the badge
from the lodge that he belongs to. There are also participants who use a
ceremonial sword as part of the day’s attire. For the women who participate in
the marches, they wear formal attire, since a standard dress code has not been
established as it has for the men.
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| Lambeg drums |
Orangemen
also use tin whistles and march to accordions as well as lambeg drums in honor
of King William III’s historical victory. The cities are also decorated with
street murals showing King Billy riding his white mare as he crosses the Boyne
River.
The
participants of the marches also carry flags depicting their beloved King Billy
on his white steed. British flags also are used to decorate the streets.
There are also
contests held, especially lambeg drumming. The massive lambeg drum also happens
to be one of the loudest acoustic instruments in the world, along with the
bagpipe.
Church
service is often part of the celebration, as well as speeches by important and
high ranking individuals belonging to the Orange Order.
A tense past
Unfortunately,
these celebrations have also been marred by violence, especially since Northern
Ireland is comprised of a population wherein half are Catholics and the other
half are Protestants. Much of the tension stems from the Catholics who are
against the Protestant celebrations.
Some
celebrations can get out of hand. At times, Catholic symbols are burned during
the bonfires. Raising of certain flags can also offend other groups. Then there
are those who imbibe too much to drink and get too rowdy. There are also
instances wherein some masked gunmen have been known to fire shots in the air
as a show of strength. Environmentalists complain about the pollution massive
bonfires can cause the atmosphere.
There is
also the image that the Orange Order is seen as a sectarian and a supremacist
group. The political coloring of the celebration is another reason for some of
the tensions that have risen from past festivities.
Fortunately
today, the celebration is being seen as a cultural celebration, often bringing
in many tourists to the country. In fact, in Belfest, the celebration is called
Orangefest.
Around the world
Today,
Orangemen’s Day is celebrated in various parts of the world. There are
celebrations by Protestants in the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Canada, as
well as anywhere there are Orange lodges.
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1 comment:
It's so nice to learn about it. Thank you for sharing the post!
piknu
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