The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #127964   Message #2860150
Posted By: Emma B
09-Mar-10 - 11:32 AM
Thread Name: BS: Respect on St. Patrick's Day
Subject: RE: BS: Respect on St. Patrick's Day
Parades in full regalia form a large part of Orange culture.
I remember witnessing the large triumphalist, anti-Catholic and anti-nationalist parades leading up to the celebrations on the Twelfth of July as a young woman in Liverpool.

Nowadays they are not quite so 'edgy'

Loyalist Liverpool 2008

Orange lodges have turned down invitation to join St Patricks day parades in a number of towns in the north of Ireland as it was
'unclear as to whether or not they could carry their usual flags, banners and standards and wear their regalia' and
'It would be demeaning to impose a condition that they could not do so'

However the Order does celebrate St. Patrick's Day in a number of locations across Northern Ireland.
These events focus on St. Patrick's role as a major figure in the spread of Christianity.

A delegation from the Order spent a four day trip in New York, in June last year to promote 'the cultural aspects of the Twelfth and make it one of the major tourist attractions in Northern Ireland.
We believe there is massive potential in the United States to encourage people to visit Northern Ireland around the time of the Twelfth.'

One blessing - I bet there's no green beer :)