long view though, a pattern does emerge: any concessions towards Catholics, like giving them basic human rights, the vote or even the right not to have the fleg of their oppressors shoved in their faces 365 days a year, is seen as a threat to the supremacy of Protestantism and leads to an upsurge in Orange activity. In the late 19th and early 20th century, growing pressure for Irish home rule saw a revival in the Order’s fortunes once again, with the organisation spearheading the creation of the Ulster Unionist Party, from which in turn would emerge the paramilitary Ulster Volunteer Force in 1913. Ultimately their lobbying – which included collecting 500,000 signatures against Home Rule in the Ulster Covenant – led to the partition of Ireland followingthe First World War. The Order would then maintain their grip on NI politics with devolved Ulster Unionist administrations packed full of Lodge members governing until direct rule by London was imposed in 1972, in response to the growing crisis on the streets. Sure enough, when the Troubles began, the Lodge set about encouraging their members to join the security forces, in particular the Royal Ulster Constabulary and Ulster Defence Regiment – pretty neat given the key role the British state played in fostering the Lodge in the first place, right!

However, even at its height its membership was never higher than 70,000, working out at about one in five adult male Protestants in the North of Ireland. The Lodge did not, and still doesn’t, have a monopoly on