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.

Robert Saulters
lays a wreath in memory of all those who paid the supreme
sacrifice. |

A wreath is laid
in memory of the innocent victims of terrorism. |
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.
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