Markethill
D.L.O.L. No.10
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The Ulster Volunteers 1778 - 1784 The Armagh Disturbances 1784 - 1796 Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland is formed
1778
- 1784
With events in North America - the American War of Independence, which began in 1775 and the Declaration of Independence in 1776, the Protestants in Ireland, especially the Presbyterians, who were great believers in political freedom, sympathised with the American rebels, who had similar grievances as themselves. However, at the same time they remained loyal to England and were ready to protect Irish shores against a possible invasion by the French. In response to England's call for volunteers, a Volunteer Corps was enrolled in Belfast in 1778. Numbers grew rapidly, and within a year 45,000 Volunteers had enrolled throughout Ireland, of which about half were from Ulster. All were Protestants of some standing, as they had to serve without pay or allowance and provide their own uniform, arms and equipment. A Convention, representing all the Ulster companies of 50,000 volunteers, commanded by James Cauldfield, Earl of Charlemont and Governor of Armagh, met in February 1782 and:
These resolutions and others were presented to both Houses of Parliament in Dublin, which gladly concurred. Westminster later that year was in no position to resist and all these measures were passed into law. The Constitution of 1782 established the formal independence of the Irish Parliament and of the Irish judicial system.
The Movement having achieved its main
objectives was undecided about its next move, and divided about such
matters as reform of the Irish Parliament and Catholic Emancipation (The
right to sit in Parliament). Having gradually lost its coherence and
direction the Volunteers thereafter went into decline.
1784 - 1796 With the decline of the effectiveness of the Ulster Volunteers after 1784 and in the absence of any other civil or military force, the way lay open for more sinister forces. The Government appeared to be unable or unwilling to take firm action to enforce the law. The high density of population, the competition for land, the uncertainty of the times, all added fuel to the coming conflict. It was at Portnorris (now Mountnorris) Fair on 14th July 1784, that two Presbyterians, whilst under the influence of drink, fought, and the winner it seems, was supported by a Roman Catholic. A second challenge followed, with the intention of punishing the Roman Catholic, but this man and the Protestant stood firm, despite having been warned by Protestant neighbours. Still angry at his defeat, yet again, the defeated man and his supporters decided on revenge, and at a meeting organised a group to wreck vengeance on the Roman Catholic and any who would help him, no matter what their religion. This group enlarged into an organisation, which was given the peculiar title of Nappach or Nappa Fleet, called after the naval term and a townland near Killeen, Armagh. Recruits were enrolled and raids began, with the result that other districts or localities formed Fleets, and so townland was armed against townland and Parish against Parish. The trouble spread to Hamiltonsbawn, to Killeen and Redrock, where the defeated party at Mountnorris took revenge. Cruelties and wanton conduct disgraced the countryside, whilst neighbours who had before lived in peace were now one against the other. There was nothing religious in the guerrilla raiding, as yet, as the winner in the Mountnorris fight had a number of Roman Catholics in his party, and his opponent had men of the same religion, but was exceeded in numbers by five to two. Religion now began to show it self, helped by illicit whiskey (poteen); the Nappach Fleet now went further afield in order to wreck vengeance on Papists (as they were called in those days) but mainly for a desire for loot and arms. The countryside now became alarmed, and the people about Bunkers Hill, on the main Armagh / Markethill Road, met together, formed an association for mutual defence and called themselves Defenders, and were officered by a Protestant. This opposition sobered the Nappach Fleet somewhat, and some of their men having been arrested, dismissed their Captain, who had been engaged in the Hearts of Steel and Oak Boy's affrays in County Antrim, and appointed a Roman Catholic. Hatred had risen to such an extent that a pitched battle between the Defenders and the combined Fleets almost took place on Whit Monday 1785, the total been reported as some one thousand seven hundred. Mr. Richardson, of Richhill and Member of Parliament for the County, with two other gentlemen, interposed and averted what could undoubtedly have been a serious conflict. The organisations, however, spread and out of two Roman Catholics supporting the cause of a Protestant, a religious war developed. Attacks and reprisals were continuous up to 18th. September 1795, when the Defenders took up their position in a gravel pit at Annamore (Annaghmore) near Loughgall. Meantime, the Protestants, having summoned help from all the clubs of Orange Boys gathered on the hill of Carnagill (Carngill) opposite, to position themselves between the Defenders and the Diamond. The Defenders had at least one brass gun similar to a punt gun used by wildfowlers. It was operated by a man named Quigley who at that time was their commander. The gun is on display at the Orange Museum in Loughgall. A Defender named McCann was killed, following which a meeting was held in the home of Mr. Joseph Atkinson J.P., of Crow Hill. In attendance were Mr. Archdale Cope and Mr. Robert Cope of Loughgall Manor, Councillor Archdall, Mr. Hardy, Mr. Atkinson and three Roman Catholic Priests named Taggart, McParland and Traynor. Suggested terms for a truce were discussed but a dispute arose as to who should lay down their arms first. With no agreement, the die was cast. "Captain" McGarry of Whitecross had taken over the leadership of the Defenders from Quigley who had been associated with the truce. At first light, shortly after 5.00 a.m. on the Monday morning, 21st September, the Defenders stole down into the valley hoping to catch the Winters asleep. However the Cottage was stoutly defended and a furious battle raged for its possession. Dan and his sons gallantly held their ground until the thatched roof of their cottage was set on fire and finally they were forced to join compatriots on the hill outside. They and their comrades faced a superior force of Defenders who had come from not only Counties Armagh and Tyrone but also Monaghan, Louth and Cavan. Rev. John Brown writes, "The Protestants who had served in the Volunteers stepped out, dressed their line according to the drillbook, and fired a destructive volley from their commanding position and from close at hand, directly into the disorganised mob of Defenders. This won the battle, the Defenders poured back through the Diamond, still under heavy fire". Sibbett relates, "The Ballyargan Boys, at a given signal, led a strong contingent down the slope and violently engaged the enemy. Hand to hand fighting ensued in the Diamond proper, with the result, in less than half an hour, the Defenders were routed".
Despite the inferiority of numbers the
Protestants triumphed, and kneeling with uplifted hands to Heaven, thanked
God for their deliverance and vowed to form a society for their mutual
defence and protection. So from these humble beginnings the Orange
Institution, as we know today, was born.
We look to the Diamond Crossroads and try and contemplate the most likely developments after the Defenders had fled. According to Sibbett in 'Orangeism, 1914', "Immediately after the Battle of the Diamond, the victors assembled in a field opposite the wrecked house of Dan Winter, and having formed a circle, with crossed hands, they vowed to Heaven and to each other to adopt means for more united and resolute action should the Defenders ever again invade their district". In all probability, a group of men such as James Wilson of the Dyan, Dan Winter of the Diamond, James Sloan of Loughgall, Thomas Sinclair of Kinary or Derryscallop and John Dilly of Derryoghill and others were to have somewhere nearby to meet. The cottage at the crossroads was a smouldering ruin, but only a few hundred yards away was the Winter farm house and it is there they most probably met to elect their own officers. All we know for certain is that James Sloan became their spokesman and secretary. To enable themselves to be refreshed, they dispersed arranging to meet later that evening at Sloan's Inn in Loughgall. At that first meeting in Sloan's Inn Colonel R. Wallace is quite clear in his account that no final decisions were reached that night in Loughgall, but that the leaders agreed to return home, discuss with their brethren the various ideas and options and return for a second meeting at a date arranged. Although he maintains that no warrants as such were issued that night, he does agree that slips of paper bearing a number were issued, as promissory notes, to be honoured once a regular system had come into being. Orange Boys had club numbers signed by James Wilson but in future all numbers for the new body had to be signed by James Sloan as General Secretary. The Orange Boys had essentially been a paramilitary brotherhood and had earned the hostility of the authorities and the landed gentry who were the natural leaders of the Protestant community. It was important to win the confidence of at least a section of the gentry and through them the civil and military authorities. James Wilson would appear to have deliberately kept in the background to facilitate this. There are several conflicting accounts of how the early numbers were allocated and how the Dyan got No.1. It is most probable that the existing Orange Boys numbers were honoured and subsequent numbers which had not yet been issued were allocated on a first come-first allocated basis. The original oath was, "I . . . . do most solemnly sware that I will, to the utmost of my power, support and defend the king and his heirs as long as he or they support the Protestant ascendancy". The Institution grew so rapidly that district and county lodges were formed. The several counties had their own rules and soon the need was recognised that there should be uniformity of practice and with this in mind a delegates' meeting was held on 12th. July, 1796 at Portadown when the idea of a Grand Lodge was also mooted. At this same meeting the Masters of the Armagh Lodges elected Col. William Blacker, of Carrickblacker House, Portadown, as their Grand Master. Each County formed a separate Grand Lodge but Armagh was first among equals and its Grand Master was accepted as head of the whole organisation. Two other County Grand Masters were present:- Dr. Wm. Atkinson of Antrim and Thomas Verner, County Grand Master of Tyrone, Derry and Fermanagh. Wolsey Atkinson, of Portadown, was appointed Secretary and requested to issue printed lodge warrants. These had been previously hand written by James Sloan on poor quality paper. In his edited papers, William Blacker recalls on the 21st September 1795 (aged 19), he and a carpenter's apprentice sat up all night melting down the lead intended for his father's new roof and casting it into musket shot. The apprentice then conveyed it to the beleaguered Protestants at the Diamond. On 21st September, he went there himself but was just in time to see the last shots of the engagement. Later the same day, according to the evidence he give to the Parliamentary inquiry of 1835, he was initiated an Orangeman. He obtained No. 12 for a Lodge at Carrickblacker and in his "Papers" gives us a description of an early meeting in a half-built house on the estate. "It was a scene not worthy of the pen of a Scott or the pencil of Salvator Rosa to view, of men, young and old, collected on these occasions, as far as could be seen by the light of a few candles; seated on heaps of sods or rude blocks of wood, more standing in various attitudes, most of them armed with guns of every age and calibre. long 'Queen Anne's' and pistols of low degree. "There was a stern solemnity in the reading of the lesson from scriptures and administering the oath to newly admitted brethren which was calculated to produce a deep impression and did so".
Thomas Verner, County Grand Master of
Tyrone, Derry and Fermanagh, introduced the Order to the capital city
(Dublin) where the Verners had a town house in Dawson Street. Warrant No.
176 was obtained and a Lodge was founded on 4th June 1797, meeting in
Harrington's Club, in Grafton Street, with Thomas as its first Master.
Within a year 300 members had been admitted, and Thomas had the nucleus of
Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland.
FOUNDED 21st APRIL 1798. Thomas Verner called a meeting of all Masters of lodges in Dublin on 8th. March 1798, and was himself called to the chair. William Blacker was in attendance and give his approval to the proceedings. Twelve resolutions for the formation of a Grand Lodge were proposed and submitted to every lodge in Ireland for ratification. On 21st. April the structure of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland was laid and Thomas Verner elected the first Grand Master of Ireland. Thomas Verner was born on 24th. March 1774, the eldest child of Col. James Verner, M.P. and Jane, of Churchill on the County Armagh side of Verner's Bridge over the Blackwater.
Each county still operated its own rules
so a committee was set up to produce a uniform book of regulations for the
Institution. The 1798 Rebellion delayed its implementation till 20th.
November when they were ratified. These include the order of business and
the prayers to be used at the opening and closing of lodges with which we
are still familiar.
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