The Orange Order is a right-wing British Unionist organisation with direct links to Ulster loyalism. The Order sees itself as defending Protestant civil and religious liberties, although critics accuse the Order of being sectarian. It has also been criticised for associating with loyalist paramilitary groups. As a strict Protestant society, it does not accept non-Protestants as members unless they convert and adhere to the principles of Orangeism, nor does it accept Protestants married to Catholics. In recent times most Orange marches are without incident since the Good Friday Agreement. In the past marches through mainly Catholic and Irish Nationalist neighbourhoods were controversial and often led to very serious bloody violence
This is a small collection from the 70s era of “The Troubles” in Northern Ireland. A County Antrim Grand Orange Lodge enamelled badge, two badges that were issued to the Loyal Orange Widows Fund Activists – dated 1970 & 1972, both with beautiful enamelling undamaged. The Orange Widows were an organisation that supplied funding to those widows who had lost their partners and children to IRA attacks. Also in the set is a typical Orange-mans Lodge Sash, Lodge 745. I have had no time to research this Lodge but the sash was found with the County Antrim badge in this collection so I am presuming lodge 745 would have been found in County Antrim.
A high quality set of early items from a terribly violent time in the history of Northern Ireland.
