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07/12/2003 Archived Entry: "ORANGEMEN'S DAY"

ORANGEMEN'S DAY

This is Orangemen's Day in Ireland.

Protestant forces defeated the Roman Catholic army of James II in Ireland (1690) and they have been feuding ever since.

The Orangemen's secret society was founded in Northern Ireland in 1795 to maintain the political and religious ascendancy of Protestantism. An "orangeman" is a Protestant Irishman.

The society was named after William, Prince of ORANGE1, later King William III of England, Scotland, and Ireland. I think the monarch butterfly was named after William of Orange as well.

This is a big day of celebration in Ireland for the protestants. I'd like to be there, but then I have my own celebration going on here.