Maguiresbridge Twelfth: Westminster delegation gets taste of classic rural parade

Brethren from Donegal, Leitrim, Cavan and Monaghan joined the 90 Fermanagh lodges and 70 bands for the colourful parade in Maguiresbridge.

To mark the Battle of the Somme centenary, a number of actors in the uniforms of the Irish regiments who took part in the brutal 1916 encounter headed the procession.

The WWI contingent marched behind a memorial bannerette bearing the names of the 31 members of the Orange Institution murdered by the IRA.

Three recently formed junior lodges were on parade for the first time.

Fifteen Fermanagh districts were represented at the family-friendly event attended by people of all ages: Enniskillen; Kinawley; Glenawley; Ballinamallard; Lisnarick; Pettigo; Magheraboy; Churchill; Maguiresbridge; Garrison; Tempo; Newtownbutler; Lisbellaw; Brookeborough; and Lisnaskea.

They set off from Killyshambley at Tempo Road before proceeding through the village to the Lisnaskea Road field.

Platform proceedings were chaired by Fermanagh County Master Stuart Brooker, and the guest speaker, Co Cavan chaplain Abraham Storey.

Maguiresbridge last hosted a Twelfth in 2006.

A delegation of Westminster MPs was in the village to enjoy the spectacle of a rural Twelfth in the county.

Ulster-born Kate Hoey, the Labour MP for Vauxhall, was one of the five members of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee who spent the day in Maguiresbridge.

Fermanagh & South Tyrone MP Tom Elliott met the delegation.

He said: “They came down and Fermanagh Orange Order gave a presentation to them and had a meeting with them. Then they came to the Twelfth celebrations. We also arranged a meeting with victims’ representatives at Maguiresbridge as well, but the main reason for the visit was to experience a rural Twelfth and to see how it was managed.”

Commenting on the day’s events, Mr Elliott said: “There is always a huge crowd ... people come out on the Twelfth of July to participate who generally wouldn’t go to other events during the year.

“You get that wide range of people that attends, either as spectators or to participate. You are guaranteed to see those people you haven’t met for 12 months on some occasions.

“It does provide an opportunity for people to attend something, and something that’s always in their calendar.”

Mr Elliott added: “We are fairly static in numbers, and certainly not decreasing, and it might have actually increased slightly in the last year or two.

“The Twelfth is doing ok in Fermanagh.”

During his address, chaplain Abraham Storey focused on Christ’s ‘Sermon on the Mount,’ from the Gospel According to St Matthew.

Rev Storey said: “In verses 3-12 Jesus makes at least eight declarations of ‘blessedness’.

“Each declaration begins with the word ‘blessed’: blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven ... blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted ... blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth ...”.

Rev Abraham added: “The New Testament was written in Greek, the Greek word translated ‘blessed’ means ‘spiritual well-being and prosperity’.

“It refers to the deep joy of the soul that will come to the life of the ‘Christian believer’ when he or she develops these ‘beatitudes’ in their life.”