Twelfth 2025: Large crowds at Rossnowlagh parade in Donegal evidence of 'fortitude and resilience' of Orange family in south, says Grand Master

​Edward Stevenson was speaking just ahead of tomorrow’s flagship parade in Donegal, renowned for its family-friendly atmosphere, and often attracting 10,000 people during good weather.

Mr Stevenson, said: "Rossnowlagh remains an important date in our calendar as each year, the Brethren and Sisters from our Lodges in the Republic of Ireland come together to mark the anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne.

“Despite partition and the dramatic numerical decline of the Protestant community in the new ‘Free State’, the Orange tradition has endured and remains an important religious and social touchstone for our members and their families.

“The fortitude and resilience of the Orange family in the Republic of Ireland is an inspiration to me, and it is evident by the large number of supporters and spectators who attend Rossnowlagh each year that they are held in high esteem by many of our members throughout Northern Ireland and further afield.

“We may live in different political jurisdictions, but we are united in our shared identity and commitment to the Orange Institution.”