The man who spent 31 years leading the Apprentice Boys says that the institution is in better shape now than when he took up office.

Billy Moore, a grandfather aged 69, said that he is enjoying his retirement from the role of general secretary, effective as of January.

He was replaced in post by David Hoey.

Now, just as the new parading season gets under way, he has spoken to the News Letter about the highs and lows of his tenure - and what the future holds for the Apprentice Boys.

placeholder image — Billy Moore has now stepped down as General Secretary of the Apprentice Boys after 31 years

Mr Moore joined the Apprentice Boys aged 16.

He was governor for two years before he became general secretary, also served for two years as lieutenant-governor, and two years as lay chaplain.

He is currently general treasurer – a one-year posting.

"So I think I've served my time!" he said.

"I still work in the museum [as a volunteer], but it's time to let someone else do all the spade work and I can sit in the corner and spectate.

"Being in the museum and conducting guided tours of the city walls keeps the mind active and the legs functioning.

"It's an easy way to maintain my participation without having to be there at the coalface all the time…

"It's good to spend some time with family, and especially grandchildren, because during the 30-odd years - almost 40 years - of involvement in high office in the organisation, you didn't always get the chance to see your own growing up."

He added: "I think the future of the organisation is very bright. I think we've got more young men coming and joining the association from throughout Northern Ireland, England, and Scotland. We seem to be attracting a younger generation.

"I think everything's good with the Apprentice Boys. I'm not sure if other fraternal organisations can say the same. But we're certainly attracting individuals who hopefully will secure the long-term future of the organisation."

He said there are about 10,000 members right now - "a couple of thousand" higher than when he took office.

Over his tenure the number of clubs in Northern Ireland has grown by roughly 40, while the number of clubs in Scotland has gone from about 12 to 55.

The current total of clubs across the British Isles now stands at around 255.

He said the organisation is in "a much greater, much enhanced situation than what it was when I went into the role as general secretary", and that Lisburn and Ballymena are "major growth areas", for example.

As to the highlight – and lowlight – of his role, he said: "I think the highlight was after many years of the city walls being sealed off for security purposes, whenever they were re-opened again we managed to get the Apprentice Boys walking the entire circumference of the city walls. It was probably around 1997. And we've walked the walls' entire circumference every year since.

"Many people said it'd be impossible, we'd never do it, we could never be allowed to walk the entire circumference of the walls again.

"Probably the most difficult times were the opposition to our parades in Londonderry through the various residents' groups that were formed.

"Many towns had residents' groups created to oppose loyal order parades. But through dialogue and ongoing discussions and reaching an accommodation in the city here, we managed to carry on our traditional parades and routes up to this present time – and hopefully into the future."