Ciarán Ferrieccferrie@mastodon.ie
Sep 27, 2026, 8:13 AMI think a lot people who either aren't Irish, or are under the age of 40 may not fully appreciate the history behind today's attempted march on the Garvaghy Road in Drumcree. There's some good historical context in this Wikipedia article including the fact that the Orange Order has been inciting violence against Catholics in the area for over 230 years.
![The Orange Order was founded in 1795 in the village of Loughgall, a few miles from Drumcree, after the Battle of the Diamond.[9] Its first marches were held on 12 July 1796 in Portadown, Lurgan, and Waringstown.[10] The area is thus regarded as the birthplace of Orangeism.[11]
In July 1795, the year the Order formed, Reverend Devine delivered a Battle of the Boyne commemoration sermon at Drumcree Church.[12] In History of Ireland Vol I (1809), Francis Plowden described what followed:
[Reverend Devine] so worked up the minds of his audience, that upon retiring from service [...] they gave full scope to the anti-papistical zeal, with which he had inspired them; falling upon every Catholic they met, beating and bruising them without provocation or distinction, breaking the doors and windows of their houses, and actually murdering two unoffending Catholics in a bog.](https://cdn.masto.host/mastodonie/media_attachments/files/117/341/983/764/050/145/original/cc3c6695ab4b2f6e.jpg)