Love Ulster parade. And sure who could love ’em up there which is why the want to come down here and parade. Oxymoronically? (no, this does not mean a procession of bull headed men but rather the incongruous wording associated with this parade). Well this Saturday, at 12.30 the Love Ulster parade leaves Parnell square, along O’Connell street, past the GPO and onto Leinster House.

Now, I’ve never heard a Lambeg drum but I sure would like to hear that amazing sound. This Orangeman and Loyalist parade of Ulster Scots is historical for Dublin. Twenty bands wanted to parade but permission was given for only six. It is organized by William Frazer of the South Armagh Protestant victims’ group (not victims of Protestants) – Families of the Innocent (FAIR). The Orange Order Lodge has asked them not to wear their collerettes and instead they will carry orange lilies. However, Ian Paisley’s independent Orange order (always a breakaway man, aye!) will be wearing their collerettes.

Well it should be different and hopefully it will all go well. There will end with a rally at Leinster House where Jeffrey Donaldson and Danny Kennedy will give a speech. Interesting, never heard a full blown Orangeman speech either.

I guess there will be auld guys muttering at them and I hear that the Sinn Feiners are planning a counter demonstration. Hey, they can have their day at Easter. Oh well, just let them march I say. I guess I have been calling for more protest and here are the protestants or Presbyterians or whatever. Let them think they are coming down here to intimidate us. I think people will just see them (both sides) as the dinosaurs they are it this changing Ireland. There are so many different cultures and religions making up the country now. It reminds me of the old joke when Belfast born Chaim Herzog became President of Israel and the question was, is he a Catholic or Protestant Jew?

I’ll be there anyway, sure why not, it should be interesting and that’s for sure. Fingers crossed it wil be peaceful too. After all, Edward Carson was for Dublin and the Orange Order was founded here. So hey, guess they are just coming home? Oh, and for those intersted in other things, it was Carson who was the proscutor in the Oscar Wilde case. Both had been in Trinity College together.

t was because they had been students together and Oscar thought Carson a bit dull, that he relaxed and gave too much up in his defence. So methinks that dear old Oscar would be amused at the sight of these staunch men, marching and waving orange lilies in resolute protest. History has a funny way of working this out, huh?