Twelfth preview: English Orangemen in Omagh, father and son on platform duties in Glenarm, and the band who will proudly lead the Ballymena demonstration

We also talk to one half of a father and son duo who will take to the platform to address the field at The Braid District Twelfth.

And in Ballymena we chat to a member of the flute band who have the honour of leading the parade, having already led May’s huge centenary march.

Our first stop is Omagh with Castlederg native Peter Williamson who became an Orangeman when he moved to England in 2011.

Now he has brought his English brethren over to see a “grassroots” parade in Co Tyrone.

The Worshipful Master of Sussex Crown Defenders LOL 848 explained how he came to be just that: “I moved over to Horesham, West Sussex because of work.

“On my first Remembrance Sunday in Horesham I went down to watch the parade, I was approached by a local English councillor asking me would I like to join the Orange Order. I didn’t even know the Orange Order existed in the south east of England.

“I’ve always watched the parades over here (in Northern Ireland), I’ve friends who are lodge members, but it was in England that I joined which gave me a connection back to Northern Ireland.”

He continued: “Our lodge formed in 2017, we had been members of Sussex Martyrs Memorial LOL 398 in Eastbourne. We became the second lodge in Sussex. Now I’m Worshipful Master of the lodge.

“We’ve about 15 members. The majority are English, we’ve a couple of Scottish guys in there too, and two Northern Irish guys. So it’s not all ex-pats.”

When the News Letter spoke to Peter this afternoon his lodge had just arrived in Omagh: “We’ve got seven over here, six from our lodge, and one from a Portsmouth lodge who always travels with us.

“We’ve got our bannerette over with us, we’ll be parading that with Omagh LOL 850.”

Peter added: “We’ve been over to parade in Belfast in 2019, as far as I’m aware this is the first time an English lodge has paraded outside Belfast. It’s certainly the first time an English lodge has paraded in west Tyrone.

“We’re very much looking forward to it, we’re very excited about showing this lodge a grassroots rural Orange Order parade.”

In Glenarm tomorrow, the Twelfth platform is set to be something of a family affair when Danny Kennedy and his son Stephen deliver speeches.

UUP chair and Orangeman Danny Kennedy, who last year retired after 44 years as bass drummer with Tullyvallen Silver Band, will be speaking to the political resolution, while his son Stephen, minister of Buckna Presbyterian Church near Broughshane, to the religious theme.

Both are members of Bessbrook Purple Star LOL No 959 in Co Armagh.

Danny said: “I’m responding to the resolutions on loyalty and the state, Stephen is conducting the religious service and preaching the sermon.

“He’s concentrating on presenting the gospel, I’m making observations in terms of the political situation.”

He added: “It’s a very nice invitation from The Braid District. It predates Covid, but because of Covid we weren’t able to do it. I’m really looking forward to it.

“There is other entertainment available, there’s country music artists lined up for the field, so I’m not in any way competing with that.”

The Twelfth demonstration in Ballymena will be proudly led by Kellswater Flute Band, a highly decorated band whose ranks include Alistair McDonald.

The 67-year-old said: “The lodge (Kellswater LOL 453) are hosting the parade and we’ll be leading it. It’s been roughly about 25 years since we led it before.

“I was on parade that day. I don’t think I’ll still be here when we lead it the next time – unless I’m in my nineties.”

Alistair said: “It’s coming up on 60 years in the band now for me, I think I was about seven when I joined.

“I started on the triangle and cymbals and went right up through the instruments.

“It’s a family band, like lots of the bands, lots of different generations have came up through the band.

“My son is in the band, my daughter and two grandkids. There’s other band members with sons and daughters in it.”

Kellswater, who are celebrating their 75th anniversary this year, recently led the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland’s Northern Ireland CentenNIal Parade from Stormont to Belfast City Hall.

Alistair said: “That was a great honour to lead the centenary parade. This is another great honour, to lead our local parade.

“It’s a good family day out, there will be lots of good bands and lots of Lambeg drums in the Ballymena parade.

“We always go to Scarva on the Thirteenth as well. We’ve a couple of big days coming up.”