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- The Plantation of Ulster
- A Brief History of Belfast
- Ethnic Belfast
- Art In The City
- Robert Burns - the Belfast connection
- Belfast's Quarters
- On the Presidential Trail
- The Twelfth and the Orange Order
- Tracing Your Roots
- Will the real St. Patrick please stand up?
- George Best 1946-2005
- Belfast Public Art: Not a Mural in Sight
- Local Food & Gastro Tourism
- Belfast Media
- Belfast's Gay Scene
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Belfast In Your Pocket in iPaper
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The Plantation of Ulster
The Plantation of Ulster is considered a controversial period in our history, leading, ultimately, to the partition and subsequent strife of Ireland (check out the comprehensive video below).... -
Ask us anything... seriously.
Stressing out about your stag weekend? Want to see the political murals? Fancy a classy Big Night Out? Whether you're on a budget or blowing the company expenses (as if), get in touch and we'll provide info only a Belfast native would know.... -
Belfast FASHIONWEEK
Style gurus and trend-setters rejoice - West Coast Cooler FASHIONWEEK is back from Wed 14 - Sun 18 March with its 13th fabulous season.... -
NI by Railway: BELFAST - NEWRY
Local scribe and railway enthusiast Colin McAlpin continues his Northern Irish railroad odyssey. BELFAST-NEWRYThe ... -
Belfast's Gay Scene
In December 2005 the UK's first gay and lesbian civil partnerships took place amid a hail of media coverage right here in Belfast.... -
Northern Ireland Facts and Figures
Population: 1.77 million (est. June '08)Area: 13,843 km2 Border: 360km (with the Republic of ... -
Tracing Your Roots
When millions of Irish people fled the famine and established communities in the USA and beyond, they were setting in motion the beginnings of a modern day phenomenon.... -
NI Public Holidays
N. Ireland has ten bank holidays, sharing eight with England and Wales and adding St Patrick's Day and the Anniversary of the 1690 Battle of the Boyne, commonly known as The Twelfth.... -
Belfast Media
Is it poetic justice, or a reflection of our thirst for news, that one of the world's media hotspots has itself spawned such a large number of media outlets? Northern Ireland has many daily, provincial and Sunday newspapers, numerous specialist magazines, two television broadcasters and four main radio stations.... -
Troubles Tourism
A trip to Belfast and N. Ireland isn't without its curiosity value. We're talking 'The Troubles' - that quaintly named period of our history from the late '60s to the 1998 Good Friday Agreement when political conflict was at its height.... -
Festival of Colours
Belfast’s biggest ever spring party returns with a show-stopping line-up of South Asian ... -
Art In The City
Always eager to showcase local creative talent, we've put together what we consider to be the city's most artistic hotspots.... -
An Englishman in Norn Iron
One of our fans across the sheugh (that's the Irish Sea to the uninitiated - say 'shuck') has sent us this lovely little article extolling the virtues of our wee country....
The Twelfth and the Orange Order
The Orange Order is Northern Ireland's largest Protestant organisation, and has around 40,000 members locally. Its origins lie in the 1690 Battle of the Boyne when the Dutch Protestant King William of Orange defeated his father-in-law, Catholic King James ll of England and Vll of Scotland.
The site of the Battle of the Boyne, just outside Drogheda, Co. Meath, has become a major tourist attraction, and also features in a Williamite Trail - an all-Ireland map detailing locations associated with the Williamite and Jacobite armies, from Carrickfergus in the north to Kinsale in the south.
In 1795 Protestants and Catholics clashed again at the Battle of the Diamond near Portadown, Co. Armagh. Following their victory, Protestants met at Dan Winter's House and, soon after, pledged a new oath to 'Crown and country and the Reformed religion'. The Orange Order was born. The Order sees itself as a champion of Protestantism and defender of a British Protestant monarch. It is organised into 'lodges', some of which are in former British colonies as far afield as Canada, New Zealand and Ghana.
July 12th is the most important date in the Orange calendar and marks the anniversary of King William's Battle of the Boyne victory. Orangemen and women commemorate 'The Twelfth' with 18 colourful band and lodge parades - or demonstrations - across NI. A further one takes place in Rossnowlagh, Co. Donegal on the Sat nearest the Twelfth (this year, Sat 9 July).
The NI demonstrations on Tue 12 July will be in: Belfast, Killylea, Lisnaskea, Stewartstown, Sixmilecross, Clogher, Limavady, Ballyronan, Cullybackey, Ballycastle, Broughshane, Randalstown, Ballymena, Aghalee, Holywood, Comber, Rathfriland and Ballymartin.
On July 11, 'Eleventh Night' bonfires are lit at midnight in staunchly Protestant areas. Many are massive constructions of wooden pallettes, old sofas and rubber tyres topped with Irish flags or effigies of pro-Nationalist figures. Bonfire architects battle it out to see who can build the biggest, and shifts of young guardians ensure rival builders don't steal their burnable booty.
The site of the Battle of the Boyne, just outside Drogheda, Co. Meath, has become a major tourist attraction, and also features in a Williamite Trail - an all-Ireland map detailing locations associated with the Williamite and Jacobite armies, from Carrickfergus in the north to Kinsale in the south.
In 1795 Protestants and Catholics clashed again at the Battle of the Diamond near Portadown, Co. Armagh. Following their victory, Protestants met at Dan Winter's House and, soon after, pledged a new oath to 'Crown and country and the Reformed religion'. The Orange Order was born. The Order sees itself as a champion of Protestantism and defender of a British Protestant monarch. It is organised into 'lodges', some of which are in former British colonies as far afield as Canada, New Zealand and Ghana.
July 12th is the most important date in the Orange calendar and marks the anniversary of King William's Battle of the Boyne victory. Orangemen and women commemorate 'The Twelfth' with 18 colourful band and lodge parades - or demonstrations - across NI. A further one takes place in Rossnowlagh, Co. Donegal on the Sat nearest the Twelfth (this year, Sat 9 July).
The NI demonstrations on Tue 12 July will be in: Belfast, Killylea, Lisnaskea, Stewartstown, Sixmilecross, Clogher, Limavady, Ballyronan, Cullybackey, Ballycastle, Broughshane, Randalstown, Ballymena, Aghalee, Holywood, Comber, Rathfriland and Ballymartin.
Each year certain locations are designated Flagship Twelfths with trained Welcome Hosts on hand to explain the event for tourists, and events happening in the run up to the day. The 2011 Flagship demonstrations will be in Comber, Co. Down and Randalstown, Co. Antrim. Randalstown holds particular poignancy as the demonstration culminates in the Field at Dunmore Park - once the training camp for soldiers heading to the Battle of the Somme which this year marks its 95th anniversary.
On July 11, 'Eleventh Night' bonfires are lit at midnight in staunchly Protestant areas. Many are massive constructions of wooden pallettes, old sofas and rubber tyres topped with Irish flags or effigies of pro-Nationalist figures. Bonfire architects battle it out to see who can build the biggest, and shifts of young guardians ensure rival builders don't steal their burnable booty.
If you want to watch the Belfast parades, head to the city centre or Lisburn Road to see small boys in Orange sashes march proudly in front of huge banners, marchers hurl batons as high as lampposts and bandsmen beat the living daylights out of gargantuan Lambeg drums. In recent years some parades have made world headlines as Orangemen assert their right to march along 'traditional routes' through Catholic Nationalist areas, most notably Drumcree in Portadown and Belfast's Lower Ormeau Road. Many Catholics vehemently oppose these parades which they regard as sectarian and intimidatory.
Orangeism and Unionism have long been bedfellows in NI's political history. Former Ulster Unionist Party leaders David Trimble and Sir Reg Empey are both in the Orange Order. However, in March 2005, the Order decided to cut its links with the UUP, ending 100 years of historical links. Former First Minister and Democratic Unionist Party leader Ian Paisley left the Orange Order in protest in 1962 but addresses the Independent Orange Order (established in 1903 to segregate Orangeism from politics) every July 12.
As a more secular society grows throughout NI, recent years have seen the Orange Order experience a decline in numbers. However, no matter your affiliations, if you're in Belfast on July 12 you cannot fail to witness a spectacle like no other on this island.
The main Belfast demonstration leaves Carlisle Circus, North Belfast, at 10:00 and wends its way through the city centre and along the Lisburn Road, with a wreath laying ceremony at the City Hall at 10:30. The parade takes about two hours to pass and culminates at the 'Field' at Barnett's Demesne, South Belfast where crowds, bands and marchers gather to eat, drink and listen to speeches.
Orangeism and Unionism have long been bedfellows in NI's political history. Former Ulster Unionist Party leaders David Trimble and Sir Reg Empey are both in the Orange Order. However, in March 2005, the Order decided to cut its links with the UUP, ending 100 years of historical links. Former First Minister and Democratic Unionist Party leader Ian Paisley left the Orange Order in protest in 1962 but addresses the Independent Orange Order (established in 1903 to segregate Orangeism from politics) every July 12.
As a more secular society grows throughout NI, recent years have seen the Orange Order experience a decline in numbers. However, no matter your affiliations, if you're in Belfast on July 12 you cannot fail to witness a spectacle like no other on this island.
July 12 is a NI public holiday. Many locals of all backgrounds take the 'Twelfth Fortnight' as their annual summer holiday, and banks and offices close on the day. In recent years, however, the Twelfth has passed off with little trouble and, as a result, many city centre retailers will remain open on the day to benefit from increased visitor numbers. However, if you're visiting NI on or around any July 12, always check opening times of shops, restaurants, entertainment venues etc before making big plans.
To find out more about the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland, click here.
To find out more about the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland, click here.
no timetables or route to twelfth day for hillsborough
If you want to trace your family tree, the best place to start is PRONI - the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland. Find its listing by searching for 'PRONI' on our website.
In working on my family geneology, I have acquired a biblr dated July 1928 to Bro Geo H. Dobson. Any help would be appreciated in finding any geneology on this family member.Please send to lovethatfiddle@yahoo.com.....USA
We have added links giving you info on parades, including starting times. Ed.
why is it i cant find timetables for twelfth day processions