July 12th Boyne celebrations held across historic province of Ulster

Belfast, 13 July 1923 - The  233rd anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne was celebrated across the historic province of Ulster and not just in the newly created Northern Ireland. While Belfast was, as usual, the setting for the largest demonstration, 3,000 Orangemen from Cavan and Monaghan also assembled in Clones.

Turnout was undoubtedly boosted by the beautiful summer weather as demonstrations were also held at Bangor, Ballymena, Ballynure, Bushmills, Cookstown, Crossgar, Garvagh, Dromore, Enniskillen, Fintona and Monkstown. 

According to the Belfast Newsletter, this year’s celebration have underlined the vitality of an Orange Order that is stronger than ever. Membership of Orange lodges have increased and many new lodges have been formed. In Belfast alone, it is reported that ten new Orange lodges and 4,000 new members have been added since the last July 12th celebrations, bringing the number of lodges in the city up to 270.

The Newsletter has described the Orange Order as a ‘tower of strength’ behind the Northern Ireland government and at a monster rally at Finaghy, resolutions were passed assuring the Prime Minister and the Government of Northern Ireland of their ‘unfaltering devotion to the best Imperial ideals’.

Grand Lodge officers in procession (Image: Belfast Newsletter, 13 July 1923) 

[Editor's note: This is an article from Century Ireland, a fortnightly online newspaper, written from the perspective of a journalist 100 years ago, based on news reports of the time.]