Round Up The Twelfth

Twelfth as the Orange Order marks the 323 ared anniversary of the

Battle of the Boyne. Later we will be looking at some of the history

and traditions. We will also be looking back at some of the parades

from earlier today. We begin here in Belfast and our commentator is

Walter Love. This is the scene now in Bedford

Street with the Miller Memorial Band, a flute band, in pride of

place here at the head of procession. Formed over 100 years

ago in 1911. Very smart in their uniforms, distinctive style to them.

Absolutely, Walter. They do head up this parade on the Belfast Twelfth,

don't they? And County Grand Belfast Lodge. The carrying the Rice

Memorial Standards. Eric Brewster is head of the Colour Party ap the

County Officers here, as well, including County Grand Master. It's

his first year as County Grand Master. A fine band, very precise

group of musicians making their way at the head of the parade in

Belfast. The parade is led this year by

district number six, Ballymacarrett, it includes 30 Lodges with 20 bands

and one lady's district. I believe there are more ladies taking part in

the parade now than used to be the case. Altogether in the Belfast

parade there are 130 Lodges taking part with 66 bands and an

interesting thing about the bands is that about a third of them, 21 or

so, come from Scotland. There's always been a very strong presence

by Scottish Orangemen in the parade with bands and flags an ancient one

indeed. But more recent times the Twelfth probably takes its lead from

similar events such as the trooping of the colour. This began in 1748 as

the official marking of the monarch's birthday but has origins

dating back to the 18th century and perhaps even to the Williamite

period itself. This Twelfth, as you can see today, stylistically echos a

tradition of trooping or parading your colours and flags so that they

can be easily recognised and indeed The Twelfth has a long tradition of

father and son walking together in the parade. We have been to meet one

I am on the Banks of the River Thames here in London and here to

meet a father and son who are Orangemen through and through, one

of you will be known to you as a top international sports star. William

and Alan Campbell, great to see you by the Thames. It's your home club.

Alan, you have been having such a great time, a great year. Yeah, it

was - this time last year I was not having the smoothest of seasons and

the Olympics was looking tenuous at that point. But I had great support.

People gathered behind me and I came away with a hard-fought bronze and

here I am, looking to go better at the Rio Games While rowing is up

there in your life, one of your greatest loves, you and your father

are proud to be Orangemen. Very much so. It's a long-standing tradition

for us and our family. I am proud to carry on that tradition. I walked

the first Twelfth when I was four, I think dad was three when he did.

There's competitiveness in the family. I remember walking as a boy

and tea and sandwiches never tasted as good on 12th July because you

felt like a man having walked with all the men on that day. You must be

very proud of Alan, William? Very proud of him in his rowing

achievements but proud also he is a member of the Orange Order. All

Alan's great-grandfathers were in the Order and it's great the

tradition has followed on. important is it that Alan is a role

model for younger ones who are thinking about joining the Orange?

Us older guys like to think we are role models, but alap is a real role

model -- Alan is a real role model. My dad is a role moodle to me and my

parents -- model to me. My parents have been fantastic, they're not

rich, not famous but they're good people and they work hard. That was

values that were instilled in me. I feel that my mum and dad got those

values from the Church and partly from the Orange Order, as well. For

young people coming through there isn't really a greater sort of

identity than that, of the Church and values they've instilled and

obviously the Orange Order is based on the Bible, so it's win-win.

12th July you will be walking as usual? Yeah, in Magherafelt.Will

you be able to join them? Unfortunately not, I will be in

Switzerland and hopefully not at walking pace, I am raying as part of

our -- racing as part of our World Cup series. I always get a phone

call and ask how good the tea and sandwiches are. I have never been

homesick, the only day I do, I don't know what it is, is on 12th July.

All the best for the 12th. Thank Here approximately 60 bands and

around about 2,000 Lodge members have been parading past this spot

for the past hour in Magherafelt. The up to has been packed with

families celebrating the great day. It's a glor yaus day. It's great to

be able to be here -- glorious. To be here with friends and family and

celebrate our culture and remember the sacrifice that our forefathers

made that enable us to come out and worship God and be proud of our

culture. Who is here today?I have my son, my husband is walking in the

Lodge. And I have the rest of the extended family and friends. It's

absolutely wonderful. The district have done a wonderful job, if I may

say so myself. It's a pleasure to see the other seven districts here

with us to celebrate the 12th July demonstration today. If you had to

sell Magherafelt, how would you tell people to come along? We have folk

from as far afield as Australia us a, Canada, United States and indeed

Scotland. Always been a family tradition. Always have family coming

over for the 12th and even since my husband was a wee boy he has

continued to come over every year without fail. The sunshine is great,

but you will would be here anyway. Rain or shine we would always be

here for Twelfth. We brought our jackets, umbrellas, everything has

been covered for today. Trevor, who are you marching with today? With

Lisnae We started the drums just coming up now almost three years. We

are learning the skills and not learning this overnight. But it's

very heavy. A day like this it's heavy. We have let you not put it on

for the chat but you are going to hook it on now and play us the

authentic Lambeg drum. I will make Londonderry has been enjoying its

title UK City of Culture and has played host to various world-class

sporting, theatre and music events. It is very fitting that this year

the City of Londonderry Grand Orange Lodge is playing host to the

culmination of a series of free events held over the past few

months, including a family fun day, music, cultural lectures and a

commissioned play called The Billy Girl. We have put a lot of work into

it and we have been working for nearly two years at it and we are

trying to reach out to all the community so everybody can enjoy

what events that we are putting on. They're going to be enjoying this

new banner commissioned for this year in particular. Tell us about

the banner. This banner is commissioned for the UK City of

Culture and it's going to be painted by one of the best banner painters,

maybe in the UK. As you see, he has started and the cathedral here

painted. This was the first cathedral that had a Thanksgiving

service after the siege and a lot of our members would attend this and my

own father was a member, as well. Every banner has two sides. What's

around the other side? The other side of the ban banner is depicting

the new Peace Bridge and that's linking the West Bank up to the east

of the city and it's linked to one of the most famous landmarks in the

city, Ebrington Barracks. There has been a lot of events in it and a lot

of successful events, as well. And bringing a lot of young people

together. While this side isn't completely finished yet, there is a

bit of work, we have new comerets this year ready to pop on --

collarets. These were commissioned by the strategy committee for the

City GrandSteres and our Grand Masters from the UK and as you see

this badge is the first UK City of Culture with the logo on, so very

special and these we hope will stand out. With everything that's been

going on in the UK City of Culture I am sure you are hoping to tap into

some of that tourism? Definitely. There will be a lot of tourists here

and we are nominated as the flagship this year. We are the only city and

we have a lot of hosts here. They'll be giving out information where is

the best point to watch the parade, so to say this is a big year, it's a

monster year for us! It's a monster year for the city of Londonderry

Grand Orange Lodge and it will be great to be wearing that on 12th

July. In Londonderry, taking pride of

place, the City of Culture banner led the parade adding a new

dimension to the city's year-long celebrations.

The culmination of a series of free cultural events, the parade was

given flagship tourist status by the Order this year. Grand Masters of

Ireland, England and Scotland led around 606 lodges accompanied by

more than 40 bands -- 40 Lodges. -- 60 Lodges. The Fermanagh 12th

converged in Ballinamallard. King William was followed by the County

Standards and visiting Lodges from Donegal, Leitrim, and Monaghan. 15

Fermanagh districts and 19 Lodges and dozens much bands made this one

of the largest dem stlagss -- demonstrations.

The bagpipes filled the country lanes around the big biggest Tyrone

venue. Brethren came from 70 districts.

The mass pipers may have led the parade but melodies of flute bands

also made sure this was a memorable day for the thousands who turned

out. History came to life with dramatic

effect in Bangor. The north Irish Dragoon Society replayed a familiar

battle more than once on their way through the seaside town. King

William's second in command, the Duke of Schomberg, paved the way for

William's journey. 40 Loppings from Newtownards -- Lodges. They paraded

Another mass piped band led off in Newtown Hamilton. The historic Lodge

names were borne proudly aloft in the baking heat. 5,000 brethren came

from 11 district Lodges represent representing 154 private Lodges.

The north Antrim demonstration brought the crowds out in Rasharkin

with 40 lodges and almost 30 bands passing through the village.

Over in County Down Loughbrickland saw 80 bands. King William is said

to have reviewed his troops here in 1690.

The independent Orange Institution was out today in Portglenone, a

smaller affair but a day not to be missed. As part of its effort to

make its history and tradition more accessible to the community, the

Orange Order plans to develop two This is the headquarters of the

Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland, it's an imposing building but trust me,

it's about to become even more the plans, literally. What can you

tell us? These are plans in development for the capital work and

interpretive design for our centres. Here and also at Sloanes House. For

the development of museums and educational resources that are part

of this funded programme to encourage greater understanding

about the traditions of orangism. We want to create the complete visitor

experience and if you pop your gloves on there, because you are

going to be touching original material. What are we going to look

at first? Pick that up, you are now holding the last letter William III

wrote before he left the mainland to come to Ireland in 1690. I can hold

this OK? Yes.You trust me? I trust you. It's in French and talks about

money and horses to come and prosecute the war. That is King

Billy's signature. The image of the man himself in the room and that's

the signature. These are priceless. As we speak the boxes are being

unpacked. Stuff is being wrapped. It's all go. We are creating an

inventory of anything we have. There are a lot of boxes in the building.

A lot of these items have been donated to the Grand Orange Lodge by

members of the Institution or families and organisations. For

example, the pay master general's account book for the Williamite

period in Ireland, pieces there to payment to William for secret

service and another one for private intelligence during the Williamite

wars in Ireland. You are getting an insight into the secretive world of

that period. These gauntlesses are William's and they look absolutely

perfect. Well-made originally, obviously. The stitching is perfect.

If you were making it for a King it has to last for a while. Slightly

better than these then! Am I right to say this, a toasting

goblet? Dates prior to 1750.In memory of King William. Would this

have been filled with mead? Never let the facts get in the way of a

good story. What would you like people to take from this? We want to

tell the story of Orangism, to myth-bust about its legacy and to

encourage everyone to see what will be as part of these two centres.

It's living history and this is a great way to do it. Thank you very

This is the perfect location for a leisurely stroll along the Atlantic

coastline. It's always been popular with families, it's a real hot spot

for surfers. But for one day only this seaside village is the home of

Counties are joined by Orangemen from Northern Ireland and further

1900s and it's taken place here every year since 1978. Always on the

bands are practising all year round, leading up to this day. This is the

highlight of the season for them. If you live in Donegal, Monaghan or

Cavan this will be the highlight of the season for you, this is your

You have come some distance to this parade. Oh, yeah, I live west of

fill Philadelphia, about 40 miles out in the country. In a way you are

coming home? Definitely. I was brought up in Donegal. I have tried

to attend every parade since I left to go to the United States back in

1962. I was brought here as an infant and every year love to look

it's a great day out at the beach. Very nice day. Lovely beach. All our

band members are down in the water at the minute in the sea Enjoying

themselves! The people are brilliant and I like to thank them for

inviting us here today. I walked in about 30 demonstrations but never

walked here before, I have never been here before. Really enjoyed it.

The atmosphere and the crowd is great. The tourists and everybody,

it will be - everybody knows me here. Doesn't make any difference.

You are a local personality then? are you! It was very good now. The

weather's very good, too. What about the place? Well, as I was brought up

a few miles away I always enjoyed out there, Walter. Very much so.

This is a day to be out in the sunshine.

I hope they remember their sun cream!

This band is very marine orientated. Taking its cue from the American

district number ten, one of the lodges, Deramore Purple Star had a

famous member, Sammy Crooks. He was the original Black Santa, raised

thousands of pounds for charity. There is a lovely shot of the banner

of Cloverhill Temperance. The original warrant is unknown but

could date back as 1795, which is the year the order came out of

County Armagh. The first Twelfths were in Portadown, Lurgan and

Warrings Warringstown. Many of the tunes being played on 12th July come

from the time of the World War I, don't they? They do. That's possibly

not surprising really considering the fact they're easy to march to.

They're sort of things like It's a Long Way to Tipperary, and on 13th

August 1914 it was witnessed singing this. Well, look at this, the people

who have parked themselves here earlier this morning It's a long

spell to be sitting in the sun, but what a lovely morning for sitting

out and enjoying the spectacle. is. Not many ice-creams on display,

though! Not much need for an umbrella, but they are useful for

shading the sun, too. Tomorrow is the turn of the Royal Black

Institution. We have been to County This here is Charlie and he is no

ordinary horse, he is watch watching -- marching equine royalty. This

isn't just any old tree. This is where King William tied up his horse

on the way to the battle of the Boyne. Welcome to the dress

It's already getting a bit rough, fellas. Yeah.What's happened?

open starting. It's only starting! Very generous of you, William, to

provide the first aid. I want to give him a chance. People who watch

this spectacle take it seriously, don't they? Definitely. There is a

lot of people think that I actually am nearly King James. We all arrive

to the ground here and thousands of people are here, that creates the

backdrop for it all and the atmosphere is brilliant. We all rise

to that atmosphere. We have managed to dig out some BBC archive footage

from the 70s and as you can see from these pictures, the sham fight has

always been a huge crowd pleaser. The Royal Black Institution

Sovereign Grand Master and the Armagh County Grand Master are

determined tomorrow's sham fight will be bigger and better than ever.

It is theatre at its most compelling in that it draws the people to it,

it holds their attention and people there follow that battle from the

bottom of the field right up to the finish in that arena Surveys we have

done show there are people who deliberately stay away from the 12th

July to be able to be here for the sham fight and the Black procession,

obviously we are delighted they do that. It's a really big social event

for folk in that area on that day. All set for 100,000 people coming

over your front lawn, how do you feel about that? I have grown up

with it all my life and known no different and it's part of the

tradition Do you worry for your lawn? All those things heal, it's

like Glastonbury. They get better, you know. Just bring your wellies!

He does dead really well, doesn't he? It's years of practice! Stop

moving your eyelids. As the two Kings head off probably to get an

early night ahead of battle tomorrow, keep your fingers crossed

they've plenty of bandages and plasters.