The Orange Order has borrowed from Bing Crosby for its Christmas card message, speaking of its dreams of a return to traditional marching routes “just like the ones I used to know”.
Mocking Northern Ireland’s Parades Commission, the order says that it has been put “on the naughty step”, alongside republicans and others who have protested about parades.
The cards cost 70p each or packs of 10 for £6 (plus p&p). Meanwhile, a card marking next year’s Somme anniversary is priced at 60p for one with packs of 10 costing £5 (plus p&p).
“In the past we have had the marching penguins to add colour to the Christmas season,” says Dr David Hume.
“Our cards normally sell out and we expect that these new cards will be extremely popular.”
Statistics that have been collated by The Detail investigative website show that the Parades Commission has restricted just 8 per cent of the 26,300 parades scheduled over the last decade.
