Representatives of the Republic of Ireland Government have
visited the headquarters of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland
at Schomberg House in East Belfast.
The officials gave an up-to-date briefing on the major scheme
at the Battle of the Boyne site at Drogheda. The Irish Government
is spending more than 20M Euro at the site and will create
a battlefield interpretative centre and other facilities which
will make it one of the biggest tourist attractions on the
island of Ireland.
In November, a delegation from the Orange Order was shown
around the site and given a presentation on the plans to develop
it.
The Irish Government officials, some of whom had been to
Schomberg House before, were welcomed by the Grand Master
of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland, Robert Saulters, other
senior members of the Order and members from the Republic
of Ireland.
They were shown around the large collection of Orange Order
artefacts,banners, paintings and books. The display also includes
King William's saddlecloth and riding gauntlets which are
owned by the Orange Order as part of their Williamite Archive.
The delegation from the Republic of Ireland included Dr.
Martin McAleese, Niall Burgess, Political Director Anglo-Irish
Division, Peadar Carpenter, Anglo-Irish Division and Eugene
Keane, Boyne Project Director.
Grand Master Robert Saulters said he was pleased to welcome
them to Schomberg House:
"We have high hopes for the Boyne site and we have been
working closely with the Irish Government to ensure that the
historical exhibition there is put in context. This was a
further opportunity to discuss developments. We are very proud
of our collection of Orange artefacts and the delegation was
clearly impressed by what they saw.
"It also gave us a chance to discuss our plans for a
Williamite Trail which would trace the route taken by William
and would be a major tourist attraction on both sides of the
border.
"We invited senior representatives of the Orange Order
from the Republic of Ireland to the meeting and they were
able to raise other issues which are currently concerning
them. It was a very positive meeting."
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