Dr Ciarán Ó Coigligh’ publishes Orange Martyrs (Mairtírigh Oráisteacha) containing unique poem for all 342 Orangemen murdered in Troubles

He taught Irish in the National University of Ireland and is an emeritus professor of Gaelic language literature and civilization.

He has won national and international awards for his novels, poetry and plays and in 2009 he was the sole Irish representative at Pope Benedict's ‘Meeting with Artists’ in the Vatican.

"Some may be uncomfortable with the Gaelic poems included in this work," he told the News Letter. "I pray they may come to see it as an extra gesture of atonement and a reclamation of Gaelic from those who have weaponized it.

"I came from a Republican separatist orientation, but with a strong Christian background. But as I grew older and matured, those Christian values became more and more important as society changed in the Republic of Ireland to become more secular. So I found I had more in common with northern Protestants."

He embarked on a project to remember in poetry every victim of 21 Troubles atrocities from across the political divide in Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Great Britain and further afield.

His journey led to him canvassing for the DUP in south Down seven years ago where he met Orangeman Sammy Heenan from Rathfriland.

"I was so impressed by Sammy. He's an extraordinary individual, a man of great integrity and a very honourable person. At 12-years-of age he awoke to hear his father being murdered by the IRA on their farm and yet he has no bitterness and now spends his time working to try and bring communities together."

That opened a door for Ciaran into the world of the Orange Order and so began his book on the 'Orange Martyrs'.

"It is a gesture of solidarity with survivors. And it is also a work of atonement for the havoc, mayhem and death caused by those committed to the ideology of militant separatism.”

Each of the 342 Orangemen murdered is honoured with a 'Haiku' - a three-verse poem of 17 syllables in English and Irish.

The purpose of the poems is to give poetic expression to their values as he sees them: "Their goodness, decency, integrity, their commitment to family, community, and church".

The book had a soft launch at the DUP conference last weekend, which was addressed by Sir Jeffrey Donaldson. However a formal launch will take place in the Linen Hall library, Belfast on Tuesday, 24 October, at 2pm.

Orange Martyrs (Mairtírigh Oráisteacha) can be purchased at: www.yellowhousepublishing.com/shop

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