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Diminuiscono gli orangisti

Orange Order numbers in decline

THE ORANGE Order has blamed a steep drop in members on an increase in secularism in Northern Ireland.

The Orange OrderGrand Secretary Drew Nelson said the over-riding Christian ethos of the organisation was deterring some people from joining, as religion has become less important to many in society.

He was speaking as unofficial figures emerged showing a dramatic decrease in membership over the last 60 years – from around 76,500 in 1948 to 35,758 in 2006, the last year for which figures are available.

The figures fluctuate over the first 30 years, spiking in 1968 at 93,447, but gradually decrease from the early 70s.

The Order, which claims to have 100,000 members world-wide, said it was suffering as part of a trend witnessed in many churches across the country – declining numbers of participants as more and more people move away from religion.

Mr Nelson said there were “a lot of reasons” for the decline, but said “for a while now Northern Ireland has been becoming an increasingly secular society”.

“As an organisation which encourages our members to be church-going, that has attracted less members,” he said.

“Secondly, there’s the whole ethos of the state in Northern Ireland – it appears to be leaning somewhat against the Orange Order.”

He pointed to the fact members of the Orange Order employed by the PSNI must now notify their superiors of their membership, adding this is having a negative impact as people feel they are being singled out or discriminated against.

Mr Nelson also said young Protestant people are not being taught the same pride and confidence in their community and cultural background as nationalist youths, and this was having a damaging effect on their self-belief.

With many “feeling nervous” about showing outward signs of their religious or cultural background, they are being put off joining organisations like the Orange Order which openly express a Protestant/unionist ethos.

Society in Northern Ireland is “changing very fast”, he said, and “traditional values” are being lost, but while this has had an impact on some people joining the organisation it has also been attracting some people searching for such values in modern society.

“Why is it that so many young men still join the organisation?” he asked. “I think if you look a bit closer amongst the Protestant community there’s a certain disaffection.

“Young people are feeling a need to join a band or the Orange Order as an activity of Britishness and Protestantism, and also a reaction to what they feel is the establishment in Northern Ireland against them.”

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René Querin

Di professione grafico e web designer, sono appassionato di trekking e innamorato dell'Irlanda e della sua storia. Insieme ad Andrea Varacalli ho creato e gestisco Les Enfants Terribles.

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