A first-hand look at The Twelfth celebrations in Irvinestown

For a fitter, healthier and fresher-looking body of men and women, I have not seen in a long time.

It’s nearly two miles from the assembly point at Necarne Castle to the field in Desmond’s car park on the Kesh road as the town hosted a very well attended Twelfth that passed off in a welter of colour.

However, that is only half the story, as they had to march back again in the evening, on a day when the Northern Ireland Secretary, Hilary Benn called in to say hello to Fermanagh, much to the delight of local Grand Master Mervyn Byers.

But when they march, boy, do they march – for miles, proudly and properly, straight backs and no slouching.

The music is merry and carries you along on a wave of good-humoured banter and bonhomie, with pipe bands, flute bands, accordion bands, brass bands and – my favourite – silver bands.

In Irvinestown, a great example of a cross-community town, you sense the real pride in in the air as the sons and daughters of Ulster in our lovely land of wood and water put on their best for this day of days. And why not?

For the Irish/British and undecided have all been good at dressing up or down, and the past is never a faraway country.

And neither is 1690, when King William of Orange – with the full blessing of the Roman Catholic Pope, Innocent (now there’s a name) defeated King James, and the Orange Order was founded just over a century later in 1795.

History has a habit of coughing up awkward facts, which all of us in this island are sometimes adept at forgetting.

But the Twelfth has a magic all of its own and you could see it in the big eyes of the little people holding their parents’ hands tightly as the marching bands and music filled the streets of this north Fermanagh town.

The Union flags and bunting fluttered proudly in a British breeze, and everywhere was a sea of red, white and blue.

It is pure pageantry at its finest, with all those Orange sashes (their fathers wore), black bowler hats, and white or black gloves as the case may be, marching in perfect time in memory of those who have gone before.

And the thundering drums can stir the blood, stoke the soul and remind the brethren and presumably the sisterhood to never forget who they are and where they are from.

It is powerful, almost primal stuff.

But there is a great democracy in the Twelfth as it draws together all sections of Unionism on a rare, equal basis – from the Big House to the county council estate, all are united under a common flag of Orange, marching to the beat of the same drum, in a shared tradition going back generations.

It is just after noon, and already the town is filling up for the big day.

It is clear that those who follow the Orange tradition are a most practical can-do lot, as hundreds and hundreds of carefully wrapped deck chairs are taken out, and the streets of Irvinestown – and for quite a bit out – are starting to be lined with deckchairs.

In the middle of the town, the ultra-versatile Joe Mahon is practising his drumming skills on a tiny drum, with a Union Jack hat.

This year, The Twelfth is bang in the middle of the town’s popular ‘Lady of the Lake Festival’, which annually brings quite a crowd to the north Fermanagh town anyway.

Looking around at the busy, bustling scenes, Joe said: “It’s a great day for the town, and everyone is working together.”

Then around 12.30pm we heard the confident clatter of drums as lodges from all over the county proudly marched through the town to the field, a total distance of about two miles.

They played various tunes, such as ‘Abide With Me’, ‘Scotland The Brave’, and the iconic ‘Sash’.

All the bands were very well turned out in the colours of the rainbow, and included lodges from Donegal, Cavan, Monaghan and Leitrim, and there were quite a few children marching and playing in the bands, so the future of the Orange Order looks bright.

This year, the field was in Desmond’s car park, and it was a tight squeeze getting all the bands in.

The older and more canny brethren got seats and sat and watched as the bands turned right and played their hearts out.

The leaders of the Orange Order were gathered near a lorry, while a few burger and ice cream vans did a brisk trade.

The sermon by Rev. John Beacom, Methodist Minister, Ballinamallard and Trillick, was watched by many as he spoke of the importance of living by Christian principles.

“No pastor, minister or priest who can save you. All the church observance in the world cannot save you. Living a good life, doing charitable deeds and strictly following church doctrine cannot save you.

“There is only one way to get to heaven and that is through the Lord Jesus Christ,” he said.

Rev Beacom, who was dressed in his kilt for Derryclavin Pipe Band, added how 40,000 Christian denominations in the world all claim to follow Biblical truth.

“This raises the question, What is Truth? Sadly, the answer today is Truth is whatever we want it to be.”

Elsewhere, County Fermanagh Grand Master Mervyn Byers spoke to The Impartial Reporter of his pride.

“I have been in the Orange Order for 36 years, and this is my third year of five as County Grand Master.

“I have two more years to go, and I was born into it, as my father was an Orangeman, originally from County Cavan.

“We moved up here in 1972 when we bought a farm, and I was eight, and I have four brothers and two sisters. My mother was a Byers as well, but no relation.”

He added: “There is cross-community involvement here today, and the Grand Lodge invited the Secretary of State, Hilary Benn, here and that was wonderful.

“It is a great boost for the whole county, and it puts Fermanagh on the map,” he said, summing up how different this event is in our special part of the world.