8 December 2002
Annual Carol Service.
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The annual Carol Service was held in the Town Hall, Carrickfergus.
The Service was very well attended and those present enjoyed the
occasion. The offering will be donated to charity. Our thanks
are offered to Rev McFarland for conducting the Service and to
Magheramourne Silver Band for their music. |
22 October 2002
Election of Officers.
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Best wishes to those who were re-elected or elected to Office
for the first time. Several changes took place with two new Officers
being elected and others moving to new positions. The District
Committee also gained new members. Full details are available
from the District Secretary. |
12 July 2002
Boyne Anniversary.
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The Districts of the East Antrim Combine held a very successful
parade that was enjoyed by those taking part and spectators
alike. This was the first time since 1990 that the 12 July
Parade had been held in Carrickfergus. The District Lodge would
like to thank all those who helped in any way to make this event
such a success. |
23 June2002
Widows Fund Service.
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New regalia for the use of the District Lodge was dedicated at
the Widows Fund Service held in Carrickfergus Congregational
Church.
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8 June2002 Annual
Pageant.
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One of the most successful and enjoyable Pageants
for years took place. Many visiting brethren and bands participated,
several being in period costume. Junior Brethren and Sisters
travelled from Liverpool and added to the occasion being dressed
as William and Mary and other members of the Court. The Officers and Members of
Carrickfergus District Loyal Orange Lodge would like to sincerely
thank those Districts, Lodges, Apprentice Boys Clubs, Bands,
and individual Brethren who attended and helped in any way to
make this event such a memorable one.
Photographs are available elsewhere on this site.
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24 May 2002 Charity
Gift.
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Carrickfergus District Lodge made their annual
donation to charity and this year The Ulster Cancer Foundation
were chosen by the members as the charity we would donate to.
The offering from the Carol Service together with other donations
was presented to the Ulster Cancer Foundation in The King William
III Memorial Orange Hall. The sum of £600 had been raised
to help the Foundation in their much needed work.
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30 March 2002
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The Worshipful District Master, Officers,
and Members of Carrickfergus District Lodge deeply regret the
death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.
We extend our heartfelt sympathy to
Her Majesty The Queen on the death of her Mother.
Our prayers are with the Royal Family
at this time.
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25 March 2002 Apprentice
Boys Parade Banned
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The (No) Parades
Commission
has barred a loyal order Easter Monday parade
from the lower Ormeau Road in Belfast. The commission has ruled
that the annual parade by the Apprentice Boys of Derry will
not be allowed to cross the Ormeau Bridge. The
decision on Monday evening followed opposition (and threats)
from nationalist residents from the lower Ormeau area.
According to Gerard Rice spokesman for the residents,
a decision to grant permission for a parade would be resisted
by residents (previous
item). The commission
said that in making its decision, it had paid particular attention
to the fact that this year marks the 10th anniversary of the
Sean Graham betting shop murders. (Absolutely nothing to do
with any Loyal Order). Route restrictions have also been imposed
on another Apprentice Boys parade in Castlederg.
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17 March 2002 Lr Ormeau
Rd residents may object to Apprentice parade
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From The
Sunday Business Post Online.
By Frank Connolly
Dublin, Ireland, 17 March, 2002
Residents of the Lower Ormeau Road in Belfast
have been warned that an Apprentice Boys parade may be permitted
to march through their area on Easter Monday.
Despite an appeal to the Parades Commission
by the relatives of five people killed by loyalists on the Lower
Ormeau in 1992 not to permit such a parade, residents have been
told of plans to grant a request from the Apprentice Boys.
"There is growing concern about the Apprentice
Boys being allowed to parade down the Ormeau Road on Easter
Monday," said Gerard Rice, a spokesman for the nationalist
residents on the Lower Ormeau.
He said a delegation made up of relatives of
those killed in the Ulster Defence Association attack on the
Sean Graham bookmakers shop in February 1992 received a sympathetic
hearing in their recent meeting with the Parades Commission.
However, sources in the Northern Ireland Office
are believed to have expressed a view that the Apprentice Boys
should be allowed to parade down the road this year in their
feeder parade to a larger march in Derry on Easter Monday.
In recent years, permission has been refused
to the Apprentice Boys who have not marched down the Lower Ormeau
since 1994 although permission was granted last year.
However, the planned parade was cancelled due
to the foot-and-mouth crisis in the North.
According to Rice,
a decision to grant permission for a parade will be resisted
by residents.
"A decision to allow a parade will send
a message to the community that they will never be freed of
sectarian parades," he said.
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8 March 2002 Woodburn
Orangeman Honoured
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Members of Woodburn Ebenezer LOL 787 unveiled
the newly named "Robinson Room" in Woodburn Orange
Hall. The room was named in memory of Bro William Robinson who
was for many years a highly respected member of LOL 787. Bro
Robinson who had received his 50 year service jewel a few years
ago was one of the most dedicated members during the Orange
Hall renovation program. The Lodge said that they were proud
to remember Bro Robinson by renaming the room in his memory
as he had made a major contribution to the history of the Lodge.
He helped to rejuvinate the Lodge and had spearheaded the campaign
to have the Hall refurbished.
Family
of the Late Bro Wm Robinson & Hall Committee
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18 February 2002 "Parity
Of Esteem ?"
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Martin Meehan, a former IRA commander in Ardoyne,
made the remarks on the republican propaganda film, which was
sent anonymously to The Observer .
His comments undermine claims by Sinn Fein
that the party is trying to reach an understanding with Protestants
and unionists. At the beginning of the tape Meehan is seen arguing
with a line of riot police during protests against an Orange
Order parade passing by Ardoyne last summer.
As residents remonstrate with police officers, Meehan intervenes
and shouts to one local man: 'John, John, they [Protestants]
get all they f****** want. They [the police] can corral us into
our area, they couldn't corral them Orange
bastards from stopping four-year-old children
from going to school.' His reference to four-year- old children
is related to last year's loyalist
protests outside Holy Cross Primary school, in particular the
Protestant residents of Glenbryn, a small unionist enclave that
surrounds the school. In the video Meehan, who was once arrested
in the Irish Republic after a gun battle with police and troops,
appears to warn police officers about a potential riot. When
the police refuse to let one elderly resident through their
lines close to where the Orange parade is about to pass, Meehan
says: 'Do all youse want - you will suffer the consequences
big time.'The veteran republican stood for Sinn Fein in the
South Antrim constituency in the last general election and increased
the party's vote. He has been in the van guard of nationalist
protests against Orange marches in the constituency and has
campaigned against drug dealers in Antrim town. The film begins
with the Union flag coming down from a flagpole and being replaced
with an Irish Tricolour. The opening credits then state: 'A
Schanache Video Film'. It dissolves and is replaced with the
words: 'A Rushlight The Belfast Magazine Video Production'.
It is understood that the video was not for public consumption,
but for internal party education, as well as being shown to
Irish-American supporters. The bulk of the video concerns the
protest and subsequent riot in Ardoyne
following the Orange march on 12 July last year. The cameraman
focuses on leading republicans from the north Belfast area,
including a man named in Parliament as the IRA commander behind
the 1993 Shankill fish shop bomb, which killed nine people.
The video also shows police officers under attack from Ardoyne,
including several sustaining injuries during the disturbances.
Intermittently, the film cuts to another march by republicans
in west Belfast. During the parade the cameraman picks out Sinn
Fein leader Gerry Adams walking through
his native Ballymurphy behind three rows of men marching in
military fashion, wearing white shirts and black ties. While
the Orange bastards remark may have been said in the heat of
the
moment during the marching season, the comment contradicts Sinn
Fein's official policy of being an anti-sectarian party. More
crucially, the remark flies in the face of recent Sinn Fein
moves to assuage unionist fears about a united Ireland. At the
World Economic Forum
in New York, 10 days ago, Adams, accepted that republicans would
need to
win unionist consent in order to establish a united Ireland.
Adams repeated the need for republicans to become persuaders
for Irish unity last Friday. This represents an ideological
role reversal for Sinn Fein leaders who sold the ceasefire to
the IRA rank and file in the early
Nineties by claiming the British government would publicly persuade
the unionists to support a united Ireland in return for a cessation
of violence. ref: http://www.observer.co.uk/politics/story/0,6903,651705,00.html
Antrim Borough Council
in their web site ( http://www.antrim.gov.uk
) describe Martin Meehan as follows.
"Councillor Meehan
is a member of the Environmental Services Committee, Public
Services Liaison Committee, Equality
Steering Group, Lough Neagh Advisory Committee, Lower
Bann Advisory Committee, and the Police Liaison Committee".
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26 January 2002 Installation
Of Officers
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The installation of District Officers for 2002
took place in The King William III Memorial Orange Hall. Many
visitors from County Antrim Grand Lodge and Belfast County Grand
Lodge as well as neighbouring District Lodges were present.
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All members wish the newly installed officers
every success during their term of office.
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