The last time Orangemen marched in Dublin "there were scuffles and running battles the length of Talbot Street," according to Mr Ian Cox, manager of the Dublin-Wicklow Orange Lodge.
It was July 12th, 1937 and members of the Dublin City lodge were making the traditional journey from their headquarters near Parnell Square to the then Amiens Street railway station, where they planned to catch the train to Belfast.
Not that Mr Cox (25) from Glenageary, Co Dublin, can recall the event himself. Rather, he is going by historical records.
"We've over 30 members now, which is quite good for an individual lodge. It's picked up a lot over the last two years, especially after President McAleese met us on July 12th and showed we weren't a shower of bigots."
It was his idea to hold an Orange march in Dublin, an idea which is to come to fruition on Sunday, May 28th next. "We thought the time was right, that we wanted to show the institution wasn't as bad as it was made out."
He put the idea to Dublin's Lord Mayor, Ms Mary Freehill, to discover she was already preparing a commemorative event to mark the bicentenary of the first meeting of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland. The order had been seeking to have a plaque erected outside the building on Dawson Street where the meeting was held, on April 8th, 1798.
The Lord Mayor said yesterday it was she who suggested "it would be ideal to have the two things together."
The only obstacle appeared to be establishing exactly where the historic meeting took place. Records gave the building as 52 Dawson Street, the current address of the Graham O'Sullivan sandwich shop, which proudly advertised the connection in its window. It later emerged, however, that the street numbers had been changed a century ago and so the honour was transferred to the current Norwich Union building.
But a further obstacle has emerged since news of the event broke yesterday. Sinn Fein city councillor Mr Larry O'Toole said the party would be organising a "non-violent and dignified protest" against the march. He said he was not aware that Dublin Corporation had been consulted on the issue, and suggested the Lord Mayor was in breach of protocol by inviting the Orange Order to parade.
But Ms Freehill said the decision to erect the plaque was made in 1998 by the City Council, adding that she could not prevent anyone from marching.
She stressed, however, that the Orange march "does have my support.
"One thing I would like to see is renditions on the Lambeg drum and the bodhran side by side. I think it would be a nice symbol of bringing two traditions together."
Mr Cox said he had written to between 50 and 100 Orange lodges, mainly in the Republic and Border areas. He said Orange lodges linked to the Drumcree demonstrations had not been invited but that was only because they were not known to the Dublin group.
Portadown Orange spokesman Mr David Jones said, "If there was an invitation to Portadown we would look at it and if at all possible we would certainly be there." However, Mr Jones noted, "as far as I understand it will be a relatively low-key affair."
Mr Cox said he hoped the event would make a contribution to easing tensions ahead of the marching season. "If a march can go down the centre of Dublin in a respectful fashion for everyone, then why not elsewhere?"