The story of the Orangemen of the Boyne Valley region

A seldom discussed aspect of County Louth history is set to be the core subject matter of an event later this month. The presentation entitled ‘ The Boyne Valley Orangemen- the Orange Heritage of Counties Louth and Meath’ will take place in Sloan’s House Museum of Orange Heritage, Loughgall, County Armagh on Tuesday 27th November at 8pm.

The evening is the latest in a series by Orchard County Historian Quincey Dougan examining the Orange Heritage of Ireland outside the confines of Ulster.

Speaking on the topic Quincey explained how Orange symbolism was entrenched in the Boyne Valley in the years following the Glorious Revolution, ‘ the first proposal of a monument to William of Orange on the Boyne came as early as 1731, when it was planned to erect an equestrian statue ala that erected in Dublin’s College Green.

This was deemed of insufficient stature however, and on the 17th April 1736 the then Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, the Duke of Dorset, laid the foundation stone of a structure that when complete was the largest in Ireland at an incredible height of 53m- the Boyne Obelisk. Until blown up by individuals purportedly belonging to the Free State Army in 1923, the Obelisk was a site of pilgrimage annually for thousands of Orangemen and their families from across Ireland’.

‘ That common feature of the Ulster landscape, the Orange Hall, surprisingly was also seen in Louth, with dedicated Orange premises existing in Collon, Dundalk, Omeath, Adavoyle and Carlingford. In the early 19th Century Drogheda Orangemen are recorded as utilising the Cities famous ‘Mayoralty House’. There had been Orange Lodges active in Louth and Meath from shortly after the birth of the Orange Institution, with by 1798 three working inside the boundaries of each County. Orange Lodges during different periods met at Trim, Navan, Kells, Tara, Summerhill, Oldbridge, Oldcastle, Breaky, Ballymascanlon, Dundalk, Drogheda, Collon, Omeath, Carlingford, Ardee and Adavoyle.’

‘In Louth a County Grand Lodge persisted until 1899, with among its more notable leaders William Filgate of Lisrenny House Ardee, and the controversial Hunt Walsh Chambre of Hawthorne Hill, now better known as the Slieve Gullion Forest Park near Forkhill, County Armagh.

The last surviving Orange Lodge that could be said to be on the Boyne was the Collon ‘ Boyne’ LOL 485, who were working until the late 1920’s. The last County Louth Orange Lodge to survive was Dundalk LOL 1817, which connected itself to the Newry Orange District of County Down and managed to keep going until 1936.’

The evening is the latest in a series of events exploring the Orange Heritage of Ireland outside the confines of Ulster.

It will begin at 8pm sharp on Tuesday 27th November in Sloan’s House, Loughgall, County Armagh, with former Drogheda Mayor Sean Collin set to open proceedings.

Promotional literature emphasises that all are welcome to the night irrespective of their background, utilising the Wolfe Tone penned slogan all welcome ‘Protestant, Catholic and Dissenter’. In the run up to the night, Quincey would welcome contact from anyone with any anecdotes, information or artefacts related to the forgotten Orange heritage of Louth and Meath.

For further information you can contact Quincey at qdougan01@qub.ac.uk

The last surviving Orange Lodge that could be said to be on the Boyne was the Collon ‘Boyne’ LOL 485, who were working until the late 1920’s.