Last month, one new member successfully joined L.O.L. No. 1313 and there are more new candidates to be processed in the future.
Meeting just outside the city centre, Dublin and Wicklow has attracted students from Trinity College Dublin and the other universities. Students on placement from Queen’s University Belfast and University of Ulster have also attended meetings.
Part of the success of Dublin and Wicklow is that it offers affiliated membership allowing visiting brethren from Northern Ireland to join.
Also, Orangemen who have moved to Dublin to work have enjoyed meeting with the Dublin brethren. The number of people living in Dublin from Northern Ireland and Scotland has increased in recent years.
Dublin and Wicklow lodge welcomes any Orangemen who are now living in Dublin to come along to the monthly meetings. Details of meeting times can be sought from David Hume at “Schomberg House”.
With the number of evangelical churches on the increase, Dublin and Wicklow hope to attract new members so that Protestantism can be furthered in Dublin.
The other aspect of Orangeism which is alive and well in Dublin is the historical. There are a number of historical sites of interest which witness to the important role Orangeism has played in Dublin.
The Bank of Ireland, situated beside Trinity College Dublin, was formerly the Houses of Parliament for Ireland. This is a key site of interest as it contains two famous pieces of tapestry depicting the Siege of Londonderry and the Battle of the Boyne. The work of Thomas Bailie, the two pieces hang in the House of Lords which is open daily to the public.
Christ Church Cathedral bears testimony to the importance of Orangeism. King William III after his victory at the Boyne restored Protestantism at the Cathedral.
He replaced the Roman Catholic service of the Mass with the Anglican service of the Lord’s Supper. He presented the Cathedral with a new Communion set to help the congregation remember our Lord’s death. This is now on display to the public.
The events of 1690 are also very much evident in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the National Cathedral. The Lady Chapel, which was used by Huguenots from 1666-1816, contains a high-backed chair used by William III on July 6, 1690 when he came to St. Patrick’s to give thanks to God for his victory at the Boyne. In the North Choir Aisle, there is a memorial to the Duke of Schomberg, who advised William of Orange to come to Ireland. The inscription on the black marble was written by the famous writer Jonathon Swift, who was Dean of the Cathedral.
Finally, in the hustle and bustle of Dawson Street you will find a Plaque marking the first meeting of the Grand Lodge of Ireland April 9, 1798.
Dublin and Wicklow hopes not only to highlight the rich heritage which we have but also to add to it in the future.
*This article originally appeared in the Orange Standard 2006
