The Orange Order in Pettigo

The Orange Order in Pettigo

Orange Order--Eighteenth century--Politics--Pettigo

A description of the context surrounding the formation of the Orange Order district lodge and its relationship to Lough Derg

Colonel Robert H. Wallace, 1860-1929

History of the Orange Order, the Formative Years, 1795-1798 by Colonel Robert H. Wallace, in The Formation of the Orange Order 1795-1798: The edited papers of Colonel William Blacker and Colonel Robert H. Wallace, pp. 60-61

GOLI Publications, The Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland, Belfast

1994

The Education Committee of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland

Citation for the purposes of criticism

Edited collection

English

Edited papers

DD_0196

54.5494, -7.8320

"According to a statement made at the annual meeting October 21, 1898 of the [Pettigo] District Lodge, it seems that for years previously [to the 1790s] the isolated Protestants of Pettigo suffered from the attacks of the Donegal Ribbonmen, and disorder little short of anarchy prevailed. The turbulence became worse when the United Irishmen's organisation spread over the country. There was no combination among the Protestants of the town, which is partly in Fermanagh and partly in Donegal; but one or other of which parts must be traversed to reach what is known as Patrick's purgatory in one of the Lough Derg islands (*). The introduction or Orangeism, however, met the wants of the Protestants. They sent a deputation to Loughgall; and as a result, two Warrants were issued - numbers 679 and 680 - which were speedily embodied, others following in due course.

(*) The ancient name was Lough Finn; but, Saint Patrick happened to be in the locality, he killed a huge snake, which had been devouring the people's crops. The blood of the creature so coloured the water that the name was changed to Lough Derg (the Red Lough). The legend is absurd. Patricius primus was never in the locality; Patricius secundus, a Fermanagh man, founded the station. The penitential exercise was originally performed on the largest island in the lake; but the scene was shifted, in consequence of a melancholy accident on July 12, 1795, involving the loss of 70 lives by drowning while going to the place." (pp. 60-61)

Edited papers