“The Love Ulster Parade” is coming to Dublin. Regardless of one’s opinion on the personality of Willie Frazer the motives of (FAIR) families acting for innocent relatives whom were murdered along the border with the aid of agencies of the Irish State are honourable and their focus is for peaceful demonstration.
The action of Dublin City councillor Jim O’Callaghan in trying to stop the parade is an attack not only on FAIR, but on every Orangeman who holds Irish citizenship. The Orange order will not have any official connection to the parade; however, let us not forget that many of our members have been murdered in their homes and places of work, including in their place of worship.
Over 350 brethren have been murdered by the IRA so for the likes of O’Callaghan and Dublin City Council to try and undermine the right of free and peaceful assembly on the bases that such an assembly will show symbols of loyalty to the Crown is bigoted and represents an attack on us all. As a citizen of the Irish Republic and as a loyal Dublin Orangeman I will be personally in attendance at the parade supporting FAIR; Furthermore, my weapons’ of choice is my Irish passport and a copy of the Irish Constitution.
Councillor Jim O’Callaghan said that his motion to Dublin City Council, calling for the FAIR parade to be stopped was a “symbolic gesture”. Well as incoming Worshipful Master of Dublin & Wicklow lol 1313 in addition to holding office as a member for Co. Cavan on Central Committee of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland I will be working hard to give Mr O’Callaghan and Dublin City Council an even bigger symbolic gesture to deal with come 2016,
I remind my fellow brethren reading this, that Dublin is an open and multi-cultural City which receives thousands of visitors every month 50% of which come from mainland UK. Furthermore, the Irish Constitution guarantees the right of free and peacefull assembly within the law to everybody and the Garda (Irish police force) are obliged to protect and defend that right. If there was a 32 county republic in the morning the parades commission (nonrepersentive & undemocratic body set up to rule over freedom of assembly in N. Ireland UK) of N. Ireland would be deemed unconstitutional when benched -marked against the rights written into the Irish Constitution.
So I think it is time for the 2000 Orangemen in the republic and our fellow orange brothers in N. Ireland to look towards Dublin as a weapon against the parades commission and an opportunity to advance our orange heritage on the Island of Ireland.
D.M Bro. Chris Thackaberry
