Orange lodges march into a maze of contradictions
Yet this circus continues to arouse anger and indignation year after year.
The facts of this turbulent period in Anglo-Irish and European affairs reveal insoluble contradictions and historical ironies.
William of Orange, a Dutchman fought alongside English, Dutch, Danes, French Huguenots and Finns.
William was a Protestant, but he was supported by Pope Innocent XI to the tune of almost E5 million in today’s money. Pope Innocent was his ally under the League of Augsburg. The Irish side was led by the Catholic King James II of England, who had been deposed by William. He married James’ daughter, Mary, a Protestant.
The Irish were supported by the French, who provided the bulk of the ammunition.
The Pope feared the expansionist policies of Louis XIV of France and therefore teamed up with William against the Irish and French Catholics.
Before the so-called Battle of the Boyne, which was really only a skirmish, James II had returned from exile in France and marched to Dublin where he opened what became known as the Patriot Parliament.
This parliament granted a considerable degree of autonomy to Ireland and passed the Act of Liberty of Conscience in which “we hereby declare that it is the law of this land that not now, or ever again, shall any man be persecuted for his religion”.
The decisive battle of the conflict was fought in Aughrim in Co Galway in 1691. The conflict ended in Limerick, where the Franco-Irish forces under the command of Patrick Sarsfield finally agreed terms.
The Treaty of Limerick guaranteed a settlement of the land question and equal rights for Catholics. The Irish soldiers were allowed to leave for France.
However, Dr Dopping, a Protestant Bishop of Meath, preached to the lords in Christ Church Cathedral on the evils of Papists. As a consequence, the Penal Laws were passed.
Dr Samuel Johnson wrote: “There is no instance of such severity as that which the Protestants of Ireland exercised against the Catholics.”
If you look at the Orange Order website, they will try to convince you that they are ‘pluralist’ and ‘tolerant’; this is a preposterous lie. They opposed the Belfast Agreement, just as their ancestors reneged on the Treaty of Limerick.
William of Orange might have been a pluralist at heart; after all, he was most likely homosexual, and was blessed by the Pope after his victory.
His letter to Pope Alexander VIII reveals a modest character, in stark contrast to his followers in Ireland.
There have been suggestions recently that July 12 be made a national holiday in the Republic. This is outrageous.
I suggest that gay rights activists don orange tights and wigs, wave papal flags and shout, ‘we love Willie.’ Though derisory, it is the only semblance of progress that can be reconstructed from the legacy of William of Orange.
Gearóid Ó Colmáin
1 Bhéal Atha an Tré
Baile an Tirialaigh
Dublin 15
