Irish Presidential race: Scrutiny on Orange heritage of Heather Humphreys makes Orangemen in Irish Republic 'feel their identity is incompatible with Irish citizenship'
The scrutiny given to the Orange heritage of Heather Humphreys as she enters the Irish Presidential race makes members of the Orange community in the Irish Republic feel that their identity is "somehow incompatible with Irish citizenship", it is claimed.
That was the view of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland after close media scrutiny of Orange links in the family of former Irish Minister Heather Humphreys.
A Presbyterian whose father was an Orangeman and whose grandfather signed the Ulster Covenant, Ms Humphreys threw her hat into the Irish presidential ring on Saturday.
At a weekend press conference she was asked by a reporter if her husband is a member of the Orange Order.
She replied: "No, not that, I'm aware of. No, he's not. You'd have to ask him that... But no, he's not a member."
A journalist pressed if she would ask her husband for the media, as it was a significant matter in that she was running for President.
She replied again: "No he is not a member."
The issue has sparked significant debate about her candidacy on social media.
Although she emphasised her protestant background, she went on to affirm her commitment to a united Ireland, and has previously labelled herself “a proud Irish republican”.
A poll over the weekend had the former Irish government minister in the lead in the Republic’s presidential race.
However the Orange Order said the interest in her links to the order was "disappointing".
A spokesman for the order said: “The process of electing a President in the Republic of Ireland is purely a matter for the citizens of that country."
But he added: "Members of the Orange community in the Irish Republic have again been made to feel that their culture is not recognised or respected, and that their identity is somehow incompatible with Irish citizenship.”
In 2012 Orange Order Grand Secretary Drew Nelson told the Irish senate that members of the order from the Republic “would welcome the opportunity to hold a parade in their capital city".
In 2000, the Mayor of Dublin invited the order to parade in the city, but it was cancelled after organisers said they had been intimidated.
Mr Nelson said Protestants in border areas of the Republic raised fears about survival as a viable self-sustaining community. They had concerns about “fear of violence” but also “their fear of incurring the displeasure of the state in any way”.
Their uncertainty had been reinforced by major funding cuts by the state to Protestant schools.
While there were 20 Orange parades in the Republic annually, he said, these had been pushed to the margins of society.