Schomberg House

The Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland has with effect from 2nd January 2001, re-located its headquarters to "Schomberg House", 368 Cregagh Road, Belfast.

The building comprises office accommodation, an Orange memorabilia shop, library and research facilities, a conference room and a Cultural Heritage Centre.

Schomberg House is open to the public during our normal office hours (9.30 - 5.00) and welcomes organised parties for tours and talks. You can also view the many interesting artefacts, some dating back to the 1690s and also access a unique documentary resource in our library. The building can be booked for meetings, seminars, lectures etc. (Tel. 028 9070 1122).

These new premises provide an opportunity for the Grand Lodge to meet the requirements of the organization in this new century and allows us to effectively portray the rich culture and heritage of Orangeism.

"Schomberg House" is the registered office for a number of charities including the Lord Enniskillen Memorial Orange Orphan Society, The City of Belfast Loyal Orange Widows Fund and the Sir George A. Clark Bart Memorial Bursary Fund.

The cultural area will tell the story of Orangeism and its role in Society not only in Northern Ireland but across the world and will have on display artefacts from the Williamite period together with such diverse items as the ceremonial robe of the famous "Grand Old Duke of York" of nursery rhyme fame and stone carvings by Native American members of the Orange Order in Canada.

Why Schomberg House?

It has been decided to name the new headquarters after the famous General who was second in command to King William III, Prince of Orange, at the Battle of the Boyne.

Fredrich Herman Duke of Schomberg was born in Heidelberg (Germany) in 1610 and has an illustrious career in the French Army of Louis XIV where he gained the highest rank with his appointment as a Marshal of France. However the revocation of the Edict of Nantes which provided for the persecution of his fellow Protestants led him to resign his post rather than betray his faith.

He moved to become an Officer in the Army of the Elector of Brandenburg but quickly recognised William, Prince of Orange, as the Protestant champion and offered his services to him.

Schomberg landed in England in November 1688 with William and the following year was sent as head of the Williamite Army in Ireland. He landed at Groomsport and quickly secured Ulster for William cementing the successes of Londonderry and Enniskillen. The Winter of 1689 was however a period of stalemate as the two armies failed to fight a conclusive battle.

In June 1690 William himself landed in Ulster and took personal control fo the Army with Schomberg as his second in command.

The Williamite Army was victorious at the Battle of the Boyne on 1st July 1690 but unfortunately Schomberg was killed during the Battle when at a critical stage he charged into the river to rally the Hugenot troops against the French Jacobites.

At the age of 80 Schomberg died as he had lived - in defence of the Protestant religion.

Official Opening

Ten thousand Orangemen and women turned out for the opening of the new Schomberg House headquarters of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland on Saturday September 29.

Headed by more than 30 bands, the lodge members from across Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and Scotland and England paraded over a four-mile route through East Belfast. The entire parade was lead by The Schomberg Society, Fife and Drum Band in period costume.

Members of the Schomberg Society on parade

The various contingents paraded in county formation from the main assembly point at Templemore Avenue, with the Belfast districts marching from Ballynafeigh Orange Hall. They carried county and district colours and large turnouts were present from counties Down, Antrim and Tyrone.

Earlier, the Grand Master of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland, Most Wor. Bro. Robert Saulters officially opened the new headquarters at a ceremony attended by senior members of the Institution.

Robert Saulters declares Schomberg House open.

The dedication was carried out by Grand Chaplain Bro. Rev. Dr. Canon Ernest Long.

Bro. Saulters said the Schomberg House opening was a highly significant milestone for the Orange Institution and he welcomed Grand Masters from three other Orange jurisdictions Bro.'s Ian Wilson (Scotland), Ron Bather (England) and Dave Griffen (Canada) - and representatives of the Loyal Orange Women's Association from Ireland, Scotland and England as well as the Junior Orange movement.

Wreaths were laid at the Castlereagh war memorial and a march past was observed by Bro. Robert Saulters and the other leading officials at Schomberg House.

Some streets along the route were decorated for the march and many householders observed the Orange Order call to fly the Union flag to mark the occasion, which coincided with the 89th anniversary of Ulster Day.

Back to The Order Home Page