Orange Order marches 2020: When do they take place and what do they stand for?

‘Marching season’ commemorates Prince William’s victory at the Battle of the Boyne

Each year, members of the Orange Order take to the streets of Northern Ireland for “marching season”, culminating in the 12 July parade.

Dressed in bowler hats and orange sashes, thousands of people, mostly men, parade through villages, towns and cities across the region to the backing of drums and flutes.

The Orange Order has been present in Northern Ireland for two centuries and is a constant source of controversy, with some parades in the past having descended into violence.

Some outside Northern Ireland may wonder about its significance. So what is the Orange Order, why do its members march every year and why are the parades controversial?

What is the Orange Order and why do its members march every year?

Founded in the late 18th century, the Orange Order defines itself as a “fraternal” organisation named after William of Orange, the Protestant Dutchman who claimed the thrones of Catholic King James II during the “Glorious Revolution” of 1688.

Prince William, informally known as “King Billy” in Ireland and Scotland, clashed with James again two years later at Drogheda, near Dublin, in what became known as the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.

The Dutchman defeated James for a second time, becoming King of England, Ireland and Scotland from 1689 to his death in 1702.

Members of the Orange Order see Prince William as a defender of their faith and the man who ultimately secured the Protestant ascendancy in Ireland at the time.

Every year, marching season takes place in Northern Ireland between April and August, with the celebrations culminating on 12 July to mark William’s victory at the Battle of the Boyne.

Politically, the Orange Order is a conservative unionist organisation with links to Ulster loyalism, a movement that supports Northern Ireland remaining in the UK.

Why are the parades controversial?

Many Catholics in Northern Ireland see the marches as sectarian. Some Orange Order parade routes went through or past traditionally nationalist areas, although some of these have since been changed.

There has been trouble attributed to marching season since the 1800s, with the worst of the violence seen during the 1970s and 80s at the height of the “Troubles”.

Every Twelfth between 1970 and 2005, British Army soldiers were deployed in Belfast to help police the parades. Due to improved policing, dialogue between marchers and residents, and the Northern Ireland peace process, parades have been generally more peaceful since 2000.

However, in 2005 the banning of an Orange march in Belfast led to days of rioting, with 60 injuries to police officers and millions of pounds-worth of damage.

All parades were cancelled earlier this year due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic but many are back on following the relaxation of lockdown restrictions.