Fort Edward Bannerette, Aughintober LOL 38

In April I wrote about the banners and sashes from orange and green traditions on display in an interesting exhibition “Walking the Colours” at Monaghan County Museum until the end of July. Tonight there was an unveiling of a new bannerette at Aughintober orange hall near Castlecaulfield in County Tyrone. The News Letter reports that it uses the description of the original banner dedicated to a former local lodge, Fort Edward Cavalry 677, which was formed from a local Yeomanry unit in 1798. The bannerette was commissioned by Raymond Cuddy, a pig farmer, who is a long-standing member of Aughintober LOL 38  and a past worshipful master and secretary, who gave some 20 years’ service as an officer with the lodge. The unveiling was carried out by the Grand Master of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland, Edward Stevenson.

Aughintober Orange Hall

The presentation of Fort Edward Cavalry’s original banner on July 12 1798 was recorded in the News Letter. This was discovered by Raymond Cuddy and fellow historian Jonathan Gray, who was born in Belfast but now lives in Castlecaulfield, following extensive research carried out over the past year. At tonight’s unfurling, which took  place in Aughintober Orange Hall, both Raymond and Jonathan Gray presented a talk on the Fort Edward Cavalry, tracing their origins in the Clonaneese volunteers, their relationship with Lower Clonaneese Presbyterian Church and their legacy in this area. The talk included the military career of their Captain, Waterhouse Crymble Lindsay. Raymond, who along with Jonathan is a member of Killeeshil and Clonaneese Historical Society, has plans to write a book about the legacy of the local lodge. The talk will be repeated next Wednesday 3rd July at 7:30pm at Ranfurly House in Dungannon.

Although tonight’s event is not part of the same programme, the Killeeshil and Clonaneese Historical Society is one of five groups including the William Carleton Society involved in the “Shared History, Shared Future” project supported by Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough Council. It recently held an open day at a former flax mill at Ennish near Lower Clonaneese church.

Bannerette unveiled by Grand Master