Press Release

City to celebrate Orangeism at Williamite exhibition

Thursday, 24 April

The Workhouse Museum in the Waterside will host an exhibition and workshops aimed at creating a better awareness and understanding of the history and traditions of the Orange Order.

The Williamite Exhibition is one of 30 events organised in the Derry City Council area to celebrate Community Relations Week (26 Aril - 03 May). The exhibition, which will be launched by the Mayor, Alderman Drew Thompson next week, will provide the wider public with the opportunity to learn about the workings of the Orange Order.

Welcoming the exhibition to the city, the Mayor said: “This is an excellent exhibition. It is very informative and interesting and I am confident it will prove popular with the local community, who are keen to find out a bit more about what the Orange Order is about, its history and traditions and the role it has played down through the years in Northern Ireland.

“I am delighted that the Council’s Heritage and Museum Services have embraced this as part of Community Relations Week and are encouraging the wider community in the city and region to get a better understanding of the Orange Order and the importance it holds for so many people in Northern Ireland,” he commented.

In addition to the exhibition, a series of workshops for schools, the community sector and the general public will be held during the week. The schools workshops will take place on Monday 28th from 10.30 am to 12.30 am and on Wednesday, 30th from 10 am to 12 noon. The community and public workshops are scheduled to take place on Wednesday 30th between 2 and 4 pm.

Encouraging as many people as possible to come along to the exhibition and workshops, Bernadette Walsh, archivist with the Museum Service said the exhibition was aimed at encouraging those who have a perception of the Orange Order but are willing to engage and learn more about it.

“This is a unique exhibition and one which we believe will make a huge impact on the work being done to promote better community relations and a better understanding of each other’s cultures and traditions,” she said.

The exhibition will be open for free public access from Wednesday 23 April until Wednesday 07 May. Anyone interested in booking places on the workshops are asked to contact the community relations section of Derry City Council, Tel,. 028 71 345160.

Sue Divin, Community Relations Officer with Derry City Council said Council is delighted to support Community Relations Week , which is in line with the Executive’s Programme for Government 2008-2011 and its aim to ‘implement a programme of cohesion and integration for a shared and better future.’ It is also in line with Section 75 Good Relations legislation and Derry City Council’s Good Relations Strategy.

For further information about any of the events please contact the Community Relations Officers Sue Divin and Carol Stewart or Shared City Project Officer Jeanette Warke on Tel: 02871345160.

Photo Opportunity:

The Mayor, Alderman Drew Thompson will officially launch the Williamite exhibition on Monday, April 28th at 10.00 am at the Workhouse Museum.

Notes to Editor:

The Williamite Archive is based at the Headquarters of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland, Schomberg House, Cregagh Road, Belfast, and was opened to the public in 2007. Due to the huge amount of public interest in this educational resource, the Orange Order responded positively and produced a mobile exhibition detailing some of the important aspects of the collection. Among the items owned by the Orange Order are a bible from 1690, the saddlecloth used by William at the Battle of the Boyne and his gauntlets. The most recent purchase by the Orange Order was a letter written by William on June 9, 1690, to the Marquis of Carmarthen. This was the last letter which the Prince of Orange wrote before he left England for Ireland, subsequently arriving at Carrickfergus.

The workshop is entitled, “What is the Orange Order” and will be an opportunity for attendees at the workshop to gain a better understanding of the history and culture associated with Orangeism.

Ends

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