Seamus Mac Gafraídh

The Orange Order should tell the truth about why they insist on marching through Catholic/Nationalist areas where they’re not welcome. But they already have ‼️ The author of their official history Rev John Brown told us all back in the 60s. Writing extensively about the nature of Orange parading, Brown explained that the marches served as a purposeful demonstration of territorial dominance, strength, and socio-political cohesion within the Protestant community: Asserting Ownership of the Public Highway: Brown maintained that parading through these areas was a physical assertion of the "Queen's highway," reinforcing the belief that members have a fundamental civil liberty and legal entitlement to walk any public route, regardless of local population shifts. Intimidation and Deterrence: Brown explicitly noted that early Orange marches—patterned after military formations with flags, drums, and historical weaponry—were explicitly designed "not only to intimidate potential rebels, but also to excite and attract well-disposed onlookers." Community Cohesion: He argued that the act of marching acts as a unifying force. Because the Orange Order binds together Protestants across differing political parties and social classes, the public ritual of the parade is the "cement" that holds these disparate elements together. Let’s stop pretending that Drumcree or any other OO march through Catholic nationalist areas is anything other than what their respected historian has told us. Find alternative routes ‼️