Ninety-fifth anniversary of the attack on Orangemen that destroyed the new Orange Banner at Castlefin, Co. Donegal
With the recent talk about parades and the lawful right by the Orange Institution to walk a main road at Portadown I thought it would be a good time to remind everyone of what happened to an Orange Lodge in County Donegal.
On the 1st of July, 1931 following the unveiling and dedication of a new Orange Banner for Donaghmore LOL No. 774 by the Rev. J. Black the Orangemen while parading through Castlefin, County Donegal in the Irish Free State would be attacked on two occasions by Roman Catholics as they paraded around the town. The attackers claiming the new Banner had become entangled on green white and orange bunting erected the previous week for a sports day and had damaged it.
The date of the 1st of July had been selected by the Brethren of the Lodge as it marked the 15th anniversary of the start of the Battle of the Somme that saw so many Brethren from the Lodge in particular die as part of the 36th Ulster Division.
On the first attack the target was the Orangemen by stones and bottles, leaving several Orangemen needing medical treatment but they managed to keep control of the Lodge Banner. On the second attack the new silk hand painted Banner depicting King William Crossing the Boyne was targeted with sharp stones that ripped large holes and completely destroyed the Banner before the parade managed to return to Donaghmore Church Hall. The Irish Police (Garda) although present did not intervene. The hall beside St. Patrick’s Church of Ireland was the meeting place of the Lodge. Afterwards calls were made on the Garda to provide better protection to the minority Protestant population of the area, but as on previous and later occasions the Irish Free State did nothing to protect that minority.
Donaghmore LOL No. 774 had been operating at Castlefin since 1849 and unusually as a member of Killen District LOL No. 12 was under the jurisdiction of County Tyrone Grand Orange Lodge. The Lodge’s last Banner at which time the Lodge was known as Castlefin LOL No. 774 was unfurled in July, 1963 and the special speaker was Senator Barnhill who said the Orangemen of Donegal were in a difficult position ever since 1921. Although they signed the Covenant, for the sake of expediency that promise was broke, and they were left in the lurch. They should go on as they have done, living upright, clean lives as befitted Orangemen and Protestants. They should never be afraid to express the Protestant point of view, expressing it without being bitter.”
Senator John ('Jack') Eccles Nixon Barnhill was from close by in Strabane, County Tyrone and would be murdered in a sectarian republican fascist terrorist gun and bomb attack 55 years ago on the 12th December, 1971, that also destroyed his house.
Sadly today Castlefin Orange Lodge, like so many in the Republic of Ireland no longer operates, however Killen District Orange Lodge retains the Warrant No. 774 and also the last Lodge Banner from 1963.
As an Orangeman Castlefin Lodge is very special to me as several family members were members of that Lodge including my uncle Ivan Gillespie (1928 – 2020) who jointed Castlefin Lodge aged 16 in 1944. He was a member of Castlefin Pipe Band that sadly also no longer operates. Uncle Ivan was a Donegal man through and through but had to move to Scotland as part of the Protestant Exodus from the Republic. He often talked about the constant attacks on Donegal Orangemen, Protestants and the Unionists left behind in Donegal. And how it was so important for Orangemen in Northern Ireland to maintain the great freedoms of civil and religious liberty for all or Northern Ireland would become like the Republic of Ireland. With no Orange Brethren allowed on the road because of the threat of violence and the unwillingness of Police to act. Sadly in 2026 it has now been proven how correct he was.
Stevan Patterson Castlederg, County Tyrone.