July 12th

July 12th:

July 12th (also known as: The Twelfth or Orangemen's Day) is an annual celebration for Protstants in Northern Ireland. It celebrates the Glorious Revolution (1688) and victory of Protestant King William of Orange over Catholic King James II at the Battle of the Boyne (1690) – in present-day the Republic of Ireland, which began the Protestant Ascendancy in English/British-controlled Ireland. 

The Protestant Ascendancy in English/British-controlled Ireland (1690 to 1921 in united Ireland and from 1921-1998 in Northern Ireland) was the official political, economic, and social domination of Ireland/Northern Ireland by the Protestant elite (landowners, clergy and leaders of industry.) The Ascendancy officially excluded Roman Catholics from holding any influence or power unless they converted to the Protestant Church of Ireland/Church of England. 

It created a 3 tier class system that lasted from 1690 until 1921. At the top were British Protestants. In the middle were Irish Protestants and at the bottom were the Irish Catholics. In 1921 the system was changed to a 2-tier system when Ireland was divided between the Free State (later the Republic of Ireland) and Northern Ireland (still part of the UK.) At the top of the system were the British/Northern Irish Protestants and at the bottom were the Northern Irish Catholics. Even though Catholics made up the majority of the population of united Ireland until 1921 and are 50% of the population in Northern Ireland today the Ascendancy officially made Catholics second-class citizens on their own land. 

On July 12th every year Northern Irish Protestants hold large parades (held by the Orange Order and Ulster loyalist marching bands) through both Protestant and Catholic neighborhoods, the streets are bedecked with British flags and bunting, and large towering bonfires. It is a way for the Protestants to remember the “good old days” when the Protestants controlled every aspect of society in united Ireland and then in Northern Ireland. Northern Irish Catholics did not have the same equal rights as other British citizens (Northern Irish Protestants, the Welsh, the Scots, the English, the British Channel Islanders, etc.) until the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. 

The Twelfth has been accompanied by violence since its beginning. Many Catholics and Irish nationalists see the Orange Order and its marches as sectarian, triumphalist and supremacist. The Order is also politically a unionist/loyalist organization. Violence related to the Twelfth in Northern Ireland worsened during the 30-year ethno-political conflict known as the Troubles. The Drumcree conflict is the most well-known dispute involving Orange marches. Attempts (ie. a Parades Commission created in 1998) have recently been made to downplay the political aspects of the marches and present the Twelfth as a cultural, family-friendly event at which tourists are welcome. Although most events pass off peacefully, some continue to result in violence.

When I was in Northern Ireland at the end of June 2010 you could see bonfires already being made in every Protestant area (in the cities, towns and small villages.) Until 1998 Catholic symbols were burned in these bonfires to remind the Northern Irish Catholics of their place  - at the bottom  - and so every Northern Irish Protestant neighborhood would hold contests to see who could build the tallest bonfire so that the Catholics in their neighborhoods could see it.

The Protestant Ascendancy may have ended in Northern Ireland in 1998 as did the 30 year violent Troubles, but every year there is still violence (fighting, bombs, etc.) between the Catholics and the Protestants. The main difference today is that it is not official policy and is mostly carried out by unofficial (ie. not recognized by either side) para-military groups.

I am including this today (July 11th) and not tomorrow (July 12th) because I do not support The Twelfth in any way. It is just a day for the Protestants to scare and threaten Catholics.