Appeal made to Irish government to allow Orange parade in Dublin

A SENIOR member of the Orange Order has appealed to the Irish government for permission to parade in Dublin.

Grand secretary Drew Nelson, who made history yesterday when he became the first member of the organisation to address the Republic’s parliament, said Ireland would be a poorer place if the order’s cultural heritage disappeared.

He also suggested the state had failed to look after Protestant communities in the border counties, compared with the way the British government looked after Catholics in Northern Ireland.

Mr Nelson told senators in the upper house that one of the order’s main goals was to improve north-south relations by holding parades in the Republic.

“There was one planned in Dublin a few years ago, but it was unable to proceed,” Mr Nelson said.

“Our members in the Republic would welcome the opportunity to hold a parade in their capital city.”

About 20 Orange Order parades take place in the Republic every year, but none in a major city.

The only attempt to hold a major demonstration in Dublin – the Love Ulster march in 2006 – was abandoned after hundreds of protesters rioted.

Mr Nelson said: “This institution and the bands which we support are the guardians of part of the intangible cultural heritage of not only Northern Ireland, but also the Republic of Ireland,” he said.

“I believe that Ireland would be a poorer place if that cultural heritage disappeared.”

On the issue of falling Protestant populations in Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan, Mr Nelson said: “This, of course, begs the question as to which state looked after its minority better.”

Mr Nelson also condemned sectarian attacks on Orange Order halls, which he described as the “demonisation” of the organisation by some members of the Republican movement.