SENIOR Orange Order sources have indicated moves are afoot to expel so called "extreme" elements. The moves are aimed against prominent members of the Spirit of Drumcree faction which has been vociferously opposed to compromise on parades.
It is not known how many expulsions will be made but the membership of the Spirit of Drumcree is estimated at 1,500. A dismissal on such a large scale has not occurred since 1903 when ousted rebels formed the Independent Orange Order. While initially it gained wide support, it soon declined in numbers.
Senior Orange sources said yesterday the order's hierarchy and most rank and file Orangemen were furious at the activities of the Spirit of Drumcree.
Growing demands inside the order to rid itself of the "embarrassment" caused by the group had led to moves to initiate the dismissal process, which is long and difficult. The Orange sources said: "There are rules and procedures. It will not happen overnight."
In particular, there are pressures to take action against Mr Joel Patton of the Spirit of Drumcree, whose supporters intervened in a meeting of the Co Antrim Orange Order. The meeting had been called to discuss an agreement over marches through the nationalist village of Dunfoy.
But the meeting ended in disarray when the Antrim Grand Master, Mr Robert McIlroy, was forced to leave amid taunts and heckles.
However, Mr Patton told The Irish Times last night: "I find it strange that when Mr McIlroy knew two days in advance that there would be a protest at the county meeting on the Dunloy issue, he made no attempt to rally all this support, whereas 400 irate Orangemen from his own county packed the hall and ended up calling for his resignation.
"This was not organised by the Spirit of Drumcree but was a spontaneous reaction by the Orangemen from within his own county to what they believed was a sell out on talks with the residents' group in Dunloy."
If the order's hierarchy tried to carry out mass expulsions, Mr Patton said, "they will be taking on grass roots Orangemen who are dissenting from this mediation and what they see as betrayal. It means that the Grand Lodge will be at odds with a large section of its own membership."
Mr Patton was confident of successfully resisting the Orange Order hierarchy, "because basically my stand is a principled stand whilst theirs is a position taken because of fear and a lack of backbone".
A senior member of the order, who was reluctant to speak on the record for fear of jeopardising any future proceedings, said he was well aware of the "growing feeling on the ground" that action should be taken against certain elements within Orangeism.
He said although no meeting had been organised to discuss the issue, he expected one would be held to discuss the procedures in dealing with such a situation.
"There have been some calls for action because rules had been broken. One would assume that there will be action in due time," he said.