Andrew Landriani (September 27) takes issue with Sean Seeley’s letter (September 24) which refers to the Orange Institution as being “blatantly sectarian and openly discriminatory”. Mr Seeley’s comments could be construed as suggesting that Catholics are unable to join the Orange Institution due to its “no Catholics” policy.
However, this is somewhat academic and something of a moot point. The fact is Catholics have categorically no desire at all to join this organisation. Why? Because of being subjected to years of vitriolic abuse by the institution, its followers and associates and loyalist bands and supporters more generally.
Witness for example the singing of a song at an event in an Orange hall in Dundonald in May 2022 mocking Michaela McAreavey – murdered on her honeymoon; loyalist bands filmed at a parade in Banbridge in September playing the music to songs such as “No Pope of Rome”, which includes the words “No, no Pope of Rome, no chapels to sadden my eyes, no nuns and no priests, no rosary beads, every day is the Twelfth of July”; footage of a loyalist band playing at an event in Coleraine FC social club where there were chants from the crowd of ‘F... the Pope and the Virgin Mary’ –- effigies of which have been burnt on 11th Night bonfires, etc etc.
Can Mr Landriani really think that such behaviour can be excused by the comment “They’re doing ‘their thing’ just as we’re doing ‘our thing’?
Arguably there’s nothing wrong with an organisation having a philosophy and beliefs that don’t chime with other faiths, as long as tolerance and acceptance are maintained – but to remain indifferent while followers engage in activities fuelled by hatred and hostility is totally unacceptable.
Regarding his remark that “we would encourage people of all persuasions to enjoy our parades and the flute band music which usually accompanies them” – try telling that to the Lower Ormeau residents, who some years ago had to endure unwelcome marches through their neighbourhood where parading Orangemen raised their arms in a ‘high-five’ gesture to gloat over the Sean Graham bookmaker’s massacre in which five innocent people were murdered.
Comments like “the Loyal Orange Institution is a worldwide fraternity with lodges as far afield as the Canadian prairies and native villages in West Africa” and “how many Methodists there are in the Roman Catholic Church? Not many I’ll warrant” are utterances of meaningless rhetoric that make no sense whatsoever of his deluded endeavours to justify the institution’s anti-Catholic stance.
According to Mr Landriani, members of the Orange Institution “simply wish to express ourselves in our traditional, patriotic way”. Well, that makes it all right then.
Gerry Devlin, Belfast BT7
