The 12th July is the day in Northern Ireland when the famous Orange Parades take place, and if you have never been to one you have missed out on a fantastic experience.

Admittedly in the past these parades were associated with a certain level of violence but there was a time before The Troubles when everyone – Catholic and Protestant – all turned out to watch the bands and the Orangemen march. During those difficult times the 12th suffered a lot of damage to it’s image with it’s message being lost in conflicting politics, but now Parade Day has returned to being what it should be – a day out for all families everywhere. Music, noise (lots of it!) and an atmosphere of fun and a chance to learn about the heritage of this wonderful part of the world.

Tens of thousands of Orangemen will be donning their Lodge Insignia this morning and about 500,000 folk around Northern Ireland will be out on the parade routes listening to the drums, pipes and songs which have formed a major part of the tapestry of Northern Ireland.

I have seen a number of these parades and will never forget my first; it was LOUD !! those guys can really hit those drums so you may need a couple of ear plugs at times.

I won’t be able to turn out for a parade today but next year I certainly will be doing so. If you have not seen one then make the time to do so. We need to hold onto some traditions in this day and age and this is one tradition which I hope will continue for a long time yet.

To read some more about the July 12th Parades click here.