"It is with deep regret that the Grand Orange Lodge
of Ireland has decided to withdraw from an invitation to take
part in the forthcoming St Patrick's Day parade in Cork.
Since the invitation became public, representatives of Sinn
Fein have mounted a vociferous and misleading media campaign
claiming our attendance would be "offensive". As
a result, the Orangemen and their families who had planned
to go to Cork are no longer confident that their personal
safety can be guaranteed by the authorities. We are also mindful
that our presence could have become the focus of media attention
and protest that might have detracted from the enjoyment of
other participants and spectators.
We had been invited to send a small delegation which would
have included a number of children to parade alongside Chinese,
Filipino and African community groups in an event designed
to recognise and celebrate cultural diversity. Those involved
were greatly looking forward to their visit to the European
Capital of Culture. Our presence would have been both appropriate
to the occasion and dignified. It was never our intention
to offend anyone.
It has become clear however that Sinn Fein/IRA is determined
to use the invitation to the Orange Order as an excuse to
try and divert public attention from their current political
difficulties.
In doing so, they have once again reverted to mind-boggling
hypocrisy. In 1916 the founding fathers of the Irish Republic
proclaimed their intention "to cherish all of the children
of the nation equally". By their words and actions over
recent days, we now know that Sinn Fein - an organisation
that frequently claims to support an Ireland of equals built
on parity of esteem - has no intention of ever cherishing
Ireland's Protestant children.
Last month President Mary McAleese publicly apologised for
remarks about Protestants in Northern Ireland teaching their
children to hate Roman Catholics. Perhaps the President might
be better advised to direct any comments about ethnic prejudice
to the members of Sinn Fein and others who have made it unsafe
for us to attend the Cork parade.
We are extremely grateful to the festival organisers and
the Lord Mayor of Cork for their support and encouragement
over our proposed participation in the festival. We share
their dismay that the city's reputation for friendliness and
hospitality should have been tainted in this way by a handful
of cultural fascists."
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