Post by Harry on Jun 23, 2008 8:56:30 GMT
FOUR Twelfth demonstrations in Northern Ireland have been selected as flagships for the biggest Orange festival in Northern Ireland.
Belfast, Dromara, Tandragee and Coleraine have will be standard bearers for this year's highlight of the marching season.
Details for the four parades are as follows:
Belfast
The parade to mark the 318th anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne will leave Belfast Orange Hall, at Carisle Circus, at 9.45am.
The Miller Memorial Flute band will lead the parade as it makes its way along Clifton Street, Donegall Street, Royal Avenue, Castle Junction, Donegall Place to Belfast City Hall.
A wreath laying ceremony will take place at the City Hall and the parade will then proceed via Donegall Square West, Bedford Street, Dublin Road, Shaftesbury Square, Bradbury Place, Lisburn Road, Balmoral Avenue and Malone Road to Barnett Demense.
A service of thanksgiving will start at 2.30pm and the platform proceedings will begin at 3pm.
The service will be conducted by Rev. William Hoey, Deputy Grand Chaplain, and the guest speaker will be Drew Nelson, Grand Secretary of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland.
Belfast County Grand Master Dawson Bailie said that people this year were remembering the 90th anniversary of the Armistice, when the guns fell silent in the First World War.
"Sadly it came too late for tens of thousands of brave young men who had sacrificed their lives for the King and Empire. Many were Orangemen from around the globe," he said.
"It was supposed to be the war to end all wars yet the conditions imposed on Germany following the Armistice merely sowed the seeds for future conflict.
"Ulster men and women have been involved in most major theatres of conflict since. Today, our thoughts and prayers are with those who are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"In Northern Ireland we are still coming to terms with peace following the murderous campaign of the IRA and it is important that we never allow the victims to be forgotten or marginalised. Their hurt and pain must serve as a reminder of the need to be vigilant for there are still those who would use violence to further their political aspirations."
Tandragee
The Twelfth in Tandragee will have a sound all of its own with 100 lambeg drums on show for the big day.
More than 5,000 Orangemen are expected in the Co. Armagh town for the Twelfth and many tens of thousands of spectators will line the route.
There will be a large selection of bands, led by the Imperial Blues Flute Band from Glasgow.
On the morning of the Twelfth, the ring ceremony – a longstanding tradition – will take place in the Square at 9am.. The 21 lodge banners, district officers, worshipful masters, deputy worshipful masters and brethren will form a ring. The Tandragee district is the last one to carry out the historic ceremony which is 120 years old.
The 11 districts will then proceed to the demonstration field at Old Scarva Road, Tandragee, where various children's amusements and entertainments will take place. It is expected that proceedings in the demonstration field will begin around 12.30pm.
There will also be a number of events in Tandragee, leading up to the Twelfth.
On Saturday, July 5, a mass drumming exhibition will be held in Tandragee District Hall and on Sunday, July, the annual district service will be held in Tandragee Methodist Church.
On Monday, July 7, there will be a celebration of the 90th anniversary of the ending of the First World War in the town centre. The Ulster Military Vehicle Club will be present along with various children's amusements including face painting and balloon modelling. Schomberg Fife and Drums, Kirknara School of Dance, Poyntzpass, Rising Star and a disco will provide entertainment on the night.
On Wednesday, July 9, there will be a Songs of Praise celebration in Ballymore Church of Ireland at 7.30pm, in aid of Newry Hospice. Hunter Moore Memorial Flute Band, the Black Chapter Choir and the Greenlee Sisters will lead the praise.
On Friday, July 11, there will be a celebration of culture at Old Scarva Road from 7pm. It will start with a fancy dress parade led by the Imperial Blues Flute Band, Glasgow, Mavemacullen Accordion Band, Tyrone Ditches Pipe Band and Drumderg Loyalist Flute Band, Keady.
The local Chinese community will provide a dragon display.
The festival week will be brought to a close with a spectacular fireworks display, to welcome in the Twelfth the next day.
Coleraine
Coleraine will welcome thousands of visitors to the annual Twelfth celebrations, hosted by Macosquin No. 8 District. They will be joined by lodges from Coleraine, Limavady and City of Londonderry.
The parade will be preceded by a carnival pageant featuring the Ulster Scots float, King Billy on horseback and Williamite foot-soldiers, Chinese lion dancers and an African samba band.
There will also be a children's fun day in the field in addition to the traditional proceedings.
The gala pageant starts at 11.15 and the Orange parade is at mid-day, making its way from Ballycastle Road to the demonstration field just off the Castlerock Road at Carthall Road.
The guest speaker at the demonstration field will be Dr. David Hume, Director of Services for the Orange Order.
In the week leading up to the Twelfth, there will be a celebration of culture and heritage which will include an exhibition in Coleraine Town Hall from Saturday, July 5 through to Friday, July 11.
On Saturday, July 5, the organisers will welcome the Ulster Scots Experience to the Diamond in Coleraine, where they will entertain shoppers with their unique blend of traditional music.
Macosquin District will hold their annual church service on the evening of Sunday, July 6.
Visitors to Coleraine will again be shopping to the sound of traditional music on Wednesday, July 9. There will be displays of Irish and Scottish dancing and Session Beat will line up alongside others to play time-honoured airs at their best.
An evening of entertainment in Christie Park on Thursday, July 10, will finish with a spectacular fireworks display. There will also be lambeg drumming, a model helicopter display and lots more.
The Diamond will again come alive to the sound of music on Friday, July 11, when local bands will showcase their considerable musical talent.
Dromara
The Twelfth demonstration in the Co. Down village of Dromara will be the highlight of the Lower Iveagh Ulster Scots Festival.
The Grand Master Robert Saulters will be the main speaker at an event which is expected to attract tens of thousands of spectators.
At least 5,000 bandsmen and Orangemen will be on parade, assembling at Banbridge Road and moving off around mid-day. The demonstration field is on the Rathfriland Road. Around 90 lodges from eight districts will be on parade.
King William will lead the parade on horseback, accompanied by soldiers in period costume, and among the many visitors will be Orangemen from London.
Pipe Bands will be the main musical attraction of the day and a large number of lambeg drums will also thrill the spectators.
The festival, from June 25 to July 13, will highlight the best in local music, dance and cultural talent in an effort to celebrate and educate people about Northern Ireland's cultural heritage.
The events include an Ulster Scots and Ulster American night on Friday, July 4, in St. John's Parish Hall, Dromara, a family fun night and beacon lighting ceremony in Dromore on July 11 and a 'My Favourite Hymns Service' on Sunday, July 13, in Dromore Orange Hall at 8pm.
One of the organisers explained:
"We hope through these events to give everyone in the community an opportunity to explore, learn and participate in traditional celebrations, providing them with an insight into the essence of the Ulster Scots tradition and the Orange family in Lower Iveagh.
"Our major aim through this festival is to demonstrate that Ulster Scots is a living, breathing and relevant culture. A core theme will be education, creating a greater level of understanding and confidence within the community, enhancing capacity which will allow for the future development of Ulster Scots in Lower Iveagh."
Belfast, Dromara, Tandragee and Coleraine have will be standard bearers for this year's highlight of the marching season.
Details for the four parades are as follows:
Belfast
The parade to mark the 318th anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne will leave Belfast Orange Hall, at Carisle Circus, at 9.45am.
The Miller Memorial Flute band will lead the parade as it makes its way along Clifton Street, Donegall Street, Royal Avenue, Castle Junction, Donegall Place to Belfast City Hall.
A wreath laying ceremony will take place at the City Hall and the parade will then proceed via Donegall Square West, Bedford Street, Dublin Road, Shaftesbury Square, Bradbury Place, Lisburn Road, Balmoral Avenue and Malone Road to Barnett Demense.
A service of thanksgiving will start at 2.30pm and the platform proceedings will begin at 3pm.
The service will be conducted by Rev. William Hoey, Deputy Grand Chaplain, and the guest speaker will be Drew Nelson, Grand Secretary of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland.
Belfast County Grand Master Dawson Bailie said that people this year were remembering the 90th anniversary of the Armistice, when the guns fell silent in the First World War.
"Sadly it came too late for tens of thousands of brave young men who had sacrificed their lives for the King and Empire. Many were Orangemen from around the globe," he said.
"It was supposed to be the war to end all wars yet the conditions imposed on Germany following the Armistice merely sowed the seeds for future conflict.
"Ulster men and women have been involved in most major theatres of conflict since. Today, our thoughts and prayers are with those who are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"In Northern Ireland we are still coming to terms with peace following the murderous campaign of the IRA and it is important that we never allow the victims to be forgotten or marginalised. Their hurt and pain must serve as a reminder of the need to be vigilant for there are still those who would use violence to further their political aspirations."
Tandragee
The Twelfth in Tandragee will have a sound all of its own with 100 lambeg drums on show for the big day.
More than 5,000 Orangemen are expected in the Co. Armagh town for the Twelfth and many tens of thousands of spectators will line the route.
There will be a large selection of bands, led by the Imperial Blues Flute Band from Glasgow.
On the morning of the Twelfth, the ring ceremony – a longstanding tradition – will take place in the Square at 9am.. The 21 lodge banners, district officers, worshipful masters, deputy worshipful masters and brethren will form a ring. The Tandragee district is the last one to carry out the historic ceremony which is 120 years old.
The 11 districts will then proceed to the demonstration field at Old Scarva Road, Tandragee, where various children's amusements and entertainments will take place. It is expected that proceedings in the demonstration field will begin around 12.30pm.
There will also be a number of events in Tandragee, leading up to the Twelfth.
On Saturday, July 5, a mass drumming exhibition will be held in Tandragee District Hall and on Sunday, July, the annual district service will be held in Tandragee Methodist Church.
On Monday, July 7, there will be a celebration of the 90th anniversary of the ending of the First World War in the town centre. The Ulster Military Vehicle Club will be present along with various children's amusements including face painting and balloon modelling. Schomberg Fife and Drums, Kirknara School of Dance, Poyntzpass, Rising Star and a disco will provide entertainment on the night.
On Wednesday, July 9, there will be a Songs of Praise celebration in Ballymore Church of Ireland at 7.30pm, in aid of Newry Hospice. Hunter Moore Memorial Flute Band, the Black Chapter Choir and the Greenlee Sisters will lead the praise.
On Friday, July 11, there will be a celebration of culture at Old Scarva Road from 7pm. It will start with a fancy dress parade led by the Imperial Blues Flute Band, Glasgow, Mavemacullen Accordion Band, Tyrone Ditches Pipe Band and Drumderg Loyalist Flute Band, Keady.
The local Chinese community will provide a dragon display.
The festival week will be brought to a close with a spectacular fireworks display, to welcome in the Twelfth the next day.
Coleraine
Coleraine will welcome thousands of visitors to the annual Twelfth celebrations, hosted by Macosquin No. 8 District. They will be joined by lodges from Coleraine, Limavady and City of Londonderry.
The parade will be preceded by a carnival pageant featuring the Ulster Scots float, King Billy on horseback and Williamite foot-soldiers, Chinese lion dancers and an African samba band.
There will also be a children's fun day in the field in addition to the traditional proceedings.
The gala pageant starts at 11.15 and the Orange parade is at mid-day, making its way from Ballycastle Road to the demonstration field just off the Castlerock Road at Carthall Road.
The guest speaker at the demonstration field will be Dr. David Hume, Director of Services for the Orange Order.
In the week leading up to the Twelfth, there will be a celebration of culture and heritage which will include an exhibition in Coleraine Town Hall from Saturday, July 5 through to Friday, July 11.
On Saturday, July 5, the organisers will welcome the Ulster Scots Experience to the Diamond in Coleraine, where they will entertain shoppers with their unique blend of traditional music.
Macosquin District will hold their annual church service on the evening of Sunday, July 6.
Visitors to Coleraine will again be shopping to the sound of traditional music on Wednesday, July 9. There will be displays of Irish and Scottish dancing and Session Beat will line up alongside others to play time-honoured airs at their best.
An evening of entertainment in Christie Park on Thursday, July 10, will finish with a spectacular fireworks display. There will also be lambeg drumming, a model helicopter display and lots more.
The Diamond will again come alive to the sound of music on Friday, July 11, when local bands will showcase their considerable musical talent.
Dromara
The Twelfth demonstration in the Co. Down village of Dromara will be the highlight of the Lower Iveagh Ulster Scots Festival.
The Grand Master Robert Saulters will be the main speaker at an event which is expected to attract tens of thousands of spectators.
At least 5,000 bandsmen and Orangemen will be on parade, assembling at Banbridge Road and moving off around mid-day. The demonstration field is on the Rathfriland Road. Around 90 lodges from eight districts will be on parade.
King William will lead the parade on horseback, accompanied by soldiers in period costume, and among the many visitors will be Orangemen from London.
Pipe Bands will be the main musical attraction of the day and a large number of lambeg drums will also thrill the spectators.
The festival, from June 25 to July 13, will highlight the best in local music, dance and cultural talent in an effort to celebrate and educate people about Northern Ireland's cultural heritage.
The events include an Ulster Scots and Ulster American night on Friday, July 4, in St. John's Parish Hall, Dromara, a family fun night and beacon lighting ceremony in Dromore on July 11 and a 'My Favourite Hymns Service' on Sunday, July 13, in Dromore Orange Hall at 8pm.
One of the organisers explained:
"We hope through these events to give everyone in the community an opportunity to explore, learn and participate in traditional celebrations, providing them with an insight into the essence of the Ulster Scots tradition and the Orange family in Lower Iveagh.
"Our major aim through this festival is to demonstrate that Ulster Scots is a living, breathing and relevant culture. A core theme will be education, creating a greater level of understanding and confidence within the community, enhancing capacity which will allow for the future development of Ulster Scots in Lower Iveagh."