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www.icnorthernireland.co.uk
Orange Order Honours Patron Saint
Mar 15 2004
THE head of the Orange Order took part in a St Patrick's Day parade with a difference in Ballymena at the weekend and urged more of his brethren to hold similar parades.
Grand Master Robert Saulters was speaking as the Orange Order organised their own parade and church service on Saturday to celebrate St Patrick's Day in the heart of Co Antrim close to Slemish Mountain where the saint is reputed to have herded animals as a boy.
"I would encourage people to take part in such events as it is a great occasion.
"St Patrick is our patron saint and we should celebrate that," he said.
Mr Saulters, from Kells, said he was delighted to be taking part in a St Patrick's Day parade.
"This is the third one I have been on here; they have been doing it for three years.
"Of course we have been doing it for some time in lodges throughout the country and it's nice that Ballymena is coming out on it today."
He said there were two Orange Order St Patrick's Day parades in Belfast yesterday which have been going on for some 30 years or more but he believed Ballymena was one of the first to be held in rural areas of Northern Ireland.
Mr Saulters explained the absence of shamrock on his collarette by saying that normally he would get it when he reaches the parade but he hadn't seen any.
South Antrim Ulster Unionist MP David Burnside, who was also on the march in Ballymena, said an Orange Order St Patrick's Day parade was an excellent idea as "too often St Patrick appears to be synonymous with green nationalism".
"He is the patron saint of Ireland, whether you are from the Protestant reformed tradition as we are, or whether you are a Roman Catholic, so we should be prepared to go out and celebrate this," he added.
"There is the Cross of St Patrick, there are St Patrick's Orange lodges, it is something we should identify with and we shouldn't allow nationalists to monopolise St Patrick."
Wearing an Orange lily on his collarette, Mr Burnside said if there had been shamrock handed to him he would have been happy to wear it.
"There's no shamrock in my garden; if somebody has a bit, I would be happy enough to wear it."
Speaking at the parade mustering point outside Ballymena Protestant Hall opposite the town's police station, Mr Burnside added: "It's the same shamrock that was on the badge of the Royal Ulster Constabulary when there was a badge and a crown on top of it, so I have no problem with that."
Ballymena DUP councillor Roy Gillespie said he was parading "to celebrate our belief in the word of God".
He added: "That's what our Order stands for, civil and religious liberty for all".
But there wasn't any green beer or Tricolours in sight, although some Orangemen and bandsmen did have sprigs of shamrock on their lapels.
A Union flag flew at the front of the parade and at least one band played Protestant party tunes.
