Parades

186^th year for Orange Parade

By Vivian Song

Toronto Sun – July 16^th, 2006

 

A schoolbus full of rambunctious seniors announced their arrival at Queen’s Park yesterday by belting out the strains of an old Irish ditty for an equally old tradition.

 

“My father wore it as a youth in bygone days of yore” they sang through open windows. “And on the twelfth I love to wear the sash my father wore.”

 

The 186^th Annual Orange Parade – the longest running, continuously staged parade in North America – drew about 1,000 spectators and participants to the downtown core yesterday.

 

Senior ladies in their Sunday finery and brimming church hats marched alongside their dapper male counterparts who stepped proudly in time with the bands. The 7-km route began at the legislature and ended at the CNE.

 

Infamous battle

 

The Orange parade commemorates the infamous Battle of the Boyne in Ireland, where Protestant King “Billy,” or William III, defeated the Catholic King James II.

 

The parade though peaceful has been criticized as being anti-Catholic.

 

But the Orange Order’s Grand Master of Canada Harry Thompson was quick to define their march as a celebration of civil liberties.

 

“It’s the freedom of religion” the 69-year-old Barrie man said in a thick brogue.

 

While marching bands played hymns and tunes like Rule Britannia, the procession stood at the ready waiting for the director’s cue to start marching.

 

Thompson, smiling ear to ear, tapped his toe and held his blackthorn stick aloft – handed down by his father – eager to begin.

 

Thompson’s favourite part of leading the parade: “Seeing so many people come out and keeping the heritage alive.”

 

Submitted by John Wells – County Secretary – August 13^th, 2009

 

Taken word for word from Toronto Sun article of Sunday July 16^th, 2006.

 

Ed note: the 2006 parade preceded the Imperial Grand Orange Council meetings which were held in Toronto during the course of the following week

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