Orange Walk - Walks Outside Northern Ireland

Walks Outside Northern Ireland

Orange walks were once common throughout the island of Ireland, especially on the 12th of July. However, since partition those in the Republic of Ireland have dwindled in number, partly because of local antagonism and partly because of the decline in the Protestant population of the Republic. The last walk in Dublin was in 1937 and the only remaining walk in the Republic takes place at Rossnowlagh, County Donegal, near the border with Northern Ireland.

Orange walks continue in Scotland, across the country, but overwhelmingly concentrated in Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, Fife and West Lothian. The walks have on occasion been associated with sectarian behaviour on the part of spectators.

In Scotland, the majority of general public are opposed to Orange Marches, as shown by research carried out by Glasgow City Council in 2001 (based on a representative sample of 1,000 adults) which revealed that 53% of people were in favour or strongly in favour of banning Orange Marches, with 16% undecided and 24% in favour or strongly in favour. It is accepted that matters such as national days are marked by parades by other organisations (whether religious or representing other groups) such as the Scouts and the Boys' Brigade but apart from one-off anniversaries such as centenaries, that tends to be the limit of such activity. This is in stark contrast to Orange Walks which - in some areas of Glasgow - can be heard/seen almost every weekend during parts of the summer months. The Order's public position on its "rights to march" is therefore at odds with more generally accepted views about public demonstrations and/or right to free speech. Consequently, but also due to disproportionate costs, there have been moves to restrict the number of marches, for example by Glasgow City Council.

This disconnection between wider societal norms and the frequency of walks has contributed to the parades being more broadly criticised as an incitement to violence and hatred. However the Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland has supported police moves to fine spectators for sectarian activity, with Grand Master Ian Wilson saying that "all the effort that has gone into defending our interests can be destroyed by the stupidity of the few".

Marches were common in Australia at the turn of the 20th century, the Kalgoorlie and Boulder marches in 1890s and 1900s attracting conflict between Catholics and Protestant marchers. In New Zealand they continued until at least the 1920s, but no longer take place.

Orange Walks on the 12th of July were once large public occasions in Canada, particularly in the provinces of Ontario and Newfoundland that have a strong Loyalist heritage dating from the time of the American Revolution. In recent decades turnout has dwindled, although some parades in Canada do continue.

Orange Walks also exist in England, particularly in Liverpool.