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Is the Orange Order dying out?

Jimmy Garlic

I was talking to a fella this morning and he said there has been a massive decline in membership of the Orange Order over the last ten or so years. He also said that the same OO members are marching in several towns on the 12th every year to give the illusion of numbers. By the end of the day a lot of them are fit to drop.

Is it on the way out as an organisation?

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martinedwards

they move the parades to Monday.

like a bank holiday.

which it is up here.

weemcd

Other marching bands seem to be still popular in certain areas of the community, younger males seem to have bands associated with local football teams. These tend to be the vulgar t-shirt (blue tsunami, true blues etc. etc.) Tennants drinking, bonfire FLEG crowd. I'd say overall OO & Other memberships are on the decline, but there are still plenty of them, and plenty who turn out to watch.

Few generations to go yet, but I can see the numbers dwindling down a huge amount in the next 10-20 years as education becomes less divided and religion is less an issue for people, as it still can be in some areas.

Zebra3

Jimmy Garlic wrote: »

Personally speaking I know a couple that are decent. Just because they are OO members doesn't mean that they are foaming at the mouth bigots. That said, the organisation itself is bigoted and stuck in a time warp.

Just bigots then?

ProudDUB

Love their marching outfits. The snappy black suits and the wee bowler hats & the tightly rolled brollys....what's not to love? But is dressing up like Captain Peacock circa 1974, and looking like a bit of a twat, supposed to be some sort of affirmation of their Britishness or something? Would a Spice Girls outfit, or a David Beckham jersey not be a bit more, ya know, modrin 'n stuff? :rolleyes:

martinedwards

I did once get into a .... "discussion" with a DUP Mayor whenI asked why Orangemen carry poles to open high up windows....

apparently they're poleaxes to stop counter-protester breaking thier ranks.

Fratton Fred

ProudDUB wrote: »

Love their marching outfits. The snappy black suits and the wee bowler hats & the tightly rolled brollys....what's not to love? But is dressing up like Captain Peacock circa 1974, and looking like a bit of a twat, supposed to be some sort of affirmation of their Britishness or something? Would a Spice Girls outfit, or a David Beckham jersey not be a bit more, ya know, modrin 'n stuff? :rolleyes:

Maybe they could prove they aren't Irish by wearing Man United or Liverpool football shirts.......

MugMugs

martinedwards wrote: »

I did once get into a .... "discussion" with a DUP Mayor whenI asked why Orangemen carry poles to open high up windows....

What now?

Freddy Smelly

Jimmy Garlic wrote: »

I was talking to a fella this morning and he said there has been a massive decline in membership of the Orange Order over the last ten or so years. He also said that the same OO members are marching in several towns on the 12th every year to give the illusion of numbers. By the end of the day a lot of them are fit to drop.

Is it on the way out as an organisation?

no they are all joining the Lemon Order now cos they are bitter

Jimmy Garlic

Freddy Smelly wrote: »

no they are all joining the Lemon Order now cos they are bitter

Haha... Very good.

NuckingFacker

Is there any truth to the rumour that all the old orange Order lads are Gay? I found it a bit hard to believe myself. Does sort of explain some of the overly anti opinions they've expressed, but it seems a bit of a stretch.

blatantrereg

Initiation ceremonies apparently include:

Tying a rope around the neck of the recruit, who, as in Freemasonry, has most of his clothes and one shoe taken from him and has a purple ribbon fastened to his shirt;

Riding the goat - a ritual in which the blindfolded initiate is wrapped in a canvas sheet and then kicked and tossed about by the assembled members of the Order;

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/1999/oct/24/northernireland.theobserver1

Karl Stein

NuckingFacker wrote: »

Is there any truth to the rumour that all the old orange Order lads are Gay?

Sounds like a rather inefficient and complex way of having a surreptitious gay fraternity.

Chad Suave

Cathal Cloch wrote: »

Sounds like a rather inefficient and complex way of having a surreptitious gay fraternity.

They are big into Pride marches, dressing up and all-male clubs though.

DEFTLEFTHAND

I think the orange sash is rather fetching. :pac:

JonEBGud

I don't see why it should.
There is St. Patricks Day on the 17th of March
every year and that is celebrated world wide.
If they want to celebrate something, let them.
This year the "Fleadh Ceoil" will be in Derry
and hopefully it will be a success.

kowloon

NuckingFacker wrote: »

Is there any truth to the rumour that all the old orange Order lads are Gay? I found it a bit hard to believe myself. Does sort of explain some of the overly anti opinions they've expressed, but it seems a bit of a stretch.

But it's the kind of rumour that is so much better even if it's not true. It's like it's designed to wind them up. I plan on spreading it.

Karl Stein

Fratton Fred wrote: »

Maybe they could prove they aren't Irish by wearing Man United or Liverpool football shirts.......

FC clubs that are global brands and owned by foreigners? Shure you wouldn't know what the nationality of a Manu or L'Pool jersey wearer is.

Stereomaniac

St. Patrick's Day brings with it it's own social issues, but they are not as infamous as those of the July 12th marches. I think that that's what it should come down to, really. Hopefully this year it will pass off without incident, but I don't think there will ever be a year where the police in that part of the world will be able to take a day off. I think, like a lot of these things, of course it is easing off. Dying off completely? Never, I'd wager. There are surely still families who are steeped in the tradition of the Orange Order. I don't know, but I'd speculate.

Chad Suave

Stereomaniac wrote: »

St. Patrick's Day brings with it it's own social issues, but they are not as infamous as those of the July 12th marches. I think that that's what it should come down to, really. Hopefully this year it will pass off without incident, but I don't think there will ever be a year where the police in that part of the world will be able to take a day off. I think, like a lot of these things, of course it is easing off. Dying off completely? Never, I'd wager. There are surely still families who are steeped in the tradition of the Orange Order. I don't know, but I'd speculate.

People say they're decent skins, but they give me the pips. Hopefully they'll be slowly squeezed out of society and somthing fresh replace them. They are far too concentrated for my liking and need diluting with a bit of fresh blood.

JonEBGud

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

I think the orange sash is rather fetching. :pac:

If you were an American you would think the 4th of July
was a special day.
Got rid of the colonialists.

Buzz84

JonEBGud wrote: »

I don't see why it should.
There is St. Patricks Day on the 17th of March
every year and that is celebrated world wide.
If they want to celebrate something, let them.
This year the "Fleadh Ceoil" will be in Derry
and hopefully it will be a success.

How can you possibly equate St.Patricks day with 12 July?

The only thing they are celebrating is their own perceived superiority over Catholics.

St.Patricks day like you say is celebrated all over the world it's not exclusive or rooted in sectarianism .

tootsy70

Is wondering what would happen legally if a catholic tried to sign up, was told to GTF and then he brought it to court of the basis of discrimination what would the outcome be. In this day and age, it would be interesting. If i was secure and had plenty money behind me, id even try this to see how it all turned out.

seachto7

Are Southern Protestants allowed march on July 12th with a tricolour as proud Protestant Irish? No, they'd be beaten to an inch of their lives....

Mr_Spaceman

tootsy70 wrote: »

Is wondering what would happen legally if a catholic tried to sign up, was told to GTF and then he brought it to court of the basis of discrimination what would the outcome be. In this day and age, it would be interesting. If i was secure and had plenty money behind me, id even try this to see how it all turned out.

The OO is a Protestant fraternal organization.

The last time I checked it's a legal organization and while the OO wouldn't be my scene, the Orangemen I know are not the demons depicted by some of the posts on here.

Frankly, a Roman Catholic trying to join is about as stupid as a Protestant hoping to become the next pope.

As long as you are respectful of other's traditions - which, despite swathes of negative media which the OO struggle to cope with due to their poor PR - I don't see the problem. Live and let live.

Rasheed

ProudDUB wrote: »

Love their marching outfits. The snappy black suits and the wee bowler hats & the tightly rolled brollys....what's not to love? But is dressing up like Captain Peacock circa 1974, and looking like a bit of a twat, supposed to be some sort of affirmation of their Britishness or something? Would a Spice Girls outfit, or a David Beckham jersey not be a bit more, ya know, modrin 'n stuff? :rolleyes:

They always remind me of the ClockworkOrange hats. Is there a connection there I'm unaware of? Were the droogs in the Orange Order?

Mr_Spaceman

seachto7 wrote: »

Are Southern Protestants allowed march on July 12th with a tricolour as proud Protestant Irish? No, they'd be beaten to an inch of their lives....

Well they seem happy enough to march without it. Why not ask one?

gobnaitolunacy

JonEBGud wrote: »

If you were an American you would think the 4th of July
was a special day.
Got rid of the colonialists.

And they whupped ET's ass that day.

ardmacha

Drying out? I didn't realise they had a problem with drink.

I think the problem is the recent wet summers.......

Jimmy Garlic

seachto7 wrote: »

Are Southern Protestants allowed march on July 12th with a tricolour as proud Protestant Irish? No, they'd be beaten to an inch of their lives....

They march in Rossnowlagh Co Donegal every year and don't get beaten up.

exador

LOL