Beyond the Bonfires: The 12th & the Orange Order

Welcome to Belfast. A city steeped in history and nestled in the heart of Northern Ireland. Every year, on the 12th of July an annual holiday begins. The day has become infused with great significance and has become celebrated as a bulwark symbol of Unionism. On this date, the people of Northern Ireland find themselves transported back in time to the year 1690 as the celebrations commemorate the triumph of the Protestant King William of Orange over the armies of the Catholic King James at the Battle of Aughrim.
The event encapsulates the deep-rooted divisions that existed during this period and continues to exist unto the modern day. The holiday is primarily orchestrated by the Orange Order, a prominent Protestant fraternal organisation.
In our investigation, we delve into the intriguing world of the Orange Order, the bonfires, and the captivating marches that envelop this unique holiday. We interview prominent figures of The Troubles, as well as members of the Orange Order, in order to uncover the role of the organisation in the contemporary context of Northern Ireland.
This is our first on-the-ground documentary, and we'd like to think it's our first of many. Please consider supporting independent journalism and the future of our work, as we are entirely independent. You can support our work for as low as €2 a month on Patreon, at www.patreon.com/moderninsurgent.
Huge thanks to our current Patrons for enabling this production. Further thanks to @ATroubledLand for granting us access to some archival footage -- please check out their channel for more fantastic content on the Troubles.
Credits
→ Michael Archer (Chief Reporter)
→ Sam Lett (Producer & Lead Researcher)
→ Antoine Brimbal (Director & Video Editor)
→ Thomas Brown (Cameraman)
Follow us on our social media:
Instagram → moderninsurgent
Twitter → x.com/ModInsur...
TikTok → @moderninsurgent

[@maxlynch7293]

Production value really shows all the work that’s been put in, well done Michael and the lads!

[@riotquiet999_]

Thanks Max! Really appreciate it :))

[@moderninsurgent]

Thank you for the kind words Max! :-)

[@rhysrowlands8735]

excellent analysis and understanding of the lengthy history, congrats Michael !

[@mrsuperger5429]

God bless the Unionist people of Ulster ! From your comrades in Scotland.

[@christianmccann9400]

Immigrants eh ..

[@aengusryan5948]

You can have them back anytime you like. They have done little to improve Ireland over their stay.

[@jimgavin1726]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@biancabridger6021]

amazing work!!

[@yesenochwasRIGHT]

Belfast and Northern Ireland are very clean indeed. Even with all the division,the folk of the North are good.

[@simonwiggins8570]

ps. 5 mins in, again ill informed. The Orange Order does not organise any bonfires, nor are the pivotal to the bonfire celebrations.

[@eyeballseesaws]

Good unbiased video

[@ZasukiJean]

Just skipped over the fact it's occupied land

[@simonwiggins8570]

I got less then 1 minute into the video and he mentions Battle of Aughrim and rolled my eyes. Clearly very ill informed. He goes on to say since Brexit these celebrations have gained aded significance. As someone involved in the celebrations and from this community I can tell you they definitely have not gained anything since Brexit. It doesn't even feature within the mindset or celebrations. Reporters love to throw Brexit in and make all kinds of weird suggestions. This documentary is poorly done, following the usual stereotypical reporting done by 99% of all other reporters in the last 20 years or more. Anyone care to be a real journalist and go visit Orangeism beyond Belfast?

[@shill700]

Battle of Boyne

[@antoinebrimbal5598]

🔥🔥🔥

[@jjpower6769]

Imagine, The Pope blessed Protestant King William's war against the Catholic King James II.

[@geordiewishart1683]

Imagine, the pope encouraged King Henry II to invade Ireland so that papacy could replace the Celtic church

[@KyleEricksonPoetry1617]

@@geordiewishart1683 the Celtic Church was Proto-Protestant 👍. And contradictions are always to be expected from the Pope.

[@yesenochwasRIGHT]

The island of Ireland had better put a stop to.illegal and bogus economic refugees. Mosques and fighting age men spells more troubles...for generations to come. Prevention NOT CURE!!!!

[@davidkemp4212]

For God and Ulster.

[@joeblow9657]

The old Orange Order member sure seemed bigoted

[@Flutenstuff]

What is a loyalist actor ?

[@burkesdaniel]

Robbie Millar has ringworm

[@geordiewishart1683]

The priest fingered your ring

[@thomasloughlin8526]

Just a bigoted organisation

[@footballislife1595]

I bet most of those loyalists are Rangers fans

[@riotquiet999_]

🫡🫡🫡

[@sm7baller435]

🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪

[@jamesherron6545]

scavengers

[@user-jz4ju3cn6x]

DOES anyone know that THE ORANGE ORDER IS IN NIGERIA AND GHANA IN WEST AFRICA

[@aengusryan5948]

If these are symbols of the unionist culture, they are not very welcoming ones. When you think of the wonderful cultures of the world, the French with their marvellous cuisine, how well the English do pomp and circumstance, the Japanese with their respect and cool samurai past.........I doubt anyone has ever singled out the unionist culture and thought look and warm and welcoming that is.

[@williamcreighton1417]

Aye culture....the nearest these clowns get to culture is when they buy a yoghurt

[@williamcreighton1417]

Aye culture...the nearest these clowns ever get to a culture is if they buy a yoghurt

[@johncheevers2050]

10 American presidents come from the 6 counties ¡¡

[@aengusryan5948]

@johncheevers2050 really ? I never heard that before, which ones (bearing in mind NI is only 100 or so years old)

[@johncheevers2050]

@@aengusryan5948 I said the 6 counties not N Ireland or you can describe it as north east Iteland, there is a scottish guy who calls them the 10 scots presidents ever though they where borne in Ireland !! Gerry Adams could be in John Quincy Adams family tree. Sands is a scottish name as well so was bobby really Irish ??? Just using the nationialist play book about cultural and identity !!

[@Billy_MacBilly]

Immigrants out of Ulster