A popular misconception concerns the practice referred to as 'riding the goat'. Stories have been told of tethered goats being led into Orange halls on meeting nights and brethren gambolling around the lodge room like amateur night at the local rodeo.

No Orangeman I have spoken to has ever been at a lodge meeting when a live goat, even one called 'Billy', was introduced to the proceedings. One explanation of the 'goat' story is derived from a very early Masonic ritual book, in which God is referred to as 'God of all things', hence the acronym GOAT.

During the conferring of degrees in the Royal Arch Purple Order, there is documentary evidence to show that over the years some brethren were injured during the ceremonies. The most serious incident happened in 1925 during a lodge meeting in Newry in Co Down.

Lodge members armed with weapons such as a sword, a pike or starting pistol take part in one of the ceremonies to symbolically remind the candidate of the hostile reaction he might face from his fellow brethren if he was to reveal any of the ritual secrets pertaining to that degree.

On this occasion, the gun was accidentally loaded with a live round. When the trigger was pulled, the man was shot and fatally wounded. The member responsible for firing the gun was charged and sent for trial, but he was eventually acquitted of culpable homicide.

Orange historian Jonathan Mattison outlines the levels of Orangeism that exist today:

The Orange Institution in Ireland has only two degrees or levels within it. These are the plain Orange and the plain Purple. To the general public everything gets labelled as Orange, but there is a clear definition between these two levels within the Orange Institution and another organisation called the Royal Arch Purple Order.

In Ireland, the Royal Arch is separate from the Orange Institution with one caveat. To be a member of the Royal Arch Purple Order you must first be an Orangeman. And to be a member of the Royal Black Institution you must first be a member of the Royal Arch Purple Order.

Despite their separateness, however, all three organisations are regarded as members of what's called the Orange family.

In The Orange Order: An Evangelical Perspective, the Rev Ian Meredith, who was the Grand Chaplain of the Grand Lodge of Scotland, and the Rev Brian Kennaway, who was the Deputy Grand Chaplain of the Grand Lodge of Ireland, outlined as far as they could the ritual and ceremony of Orange degrees:

An Orange Lodge meeting ¿ is marked by the absence of much ritual. There is only the minimum necessary for decorum and to identify valid members. An Orange Lodge meeting consists of prayers, hymns, Bible reading, with explanation or address. The minutes of the previous meeting are read and there is discussion on matters regarding the lodge in particular and Protestantism in general.

A new member is escorted into the lodge, takes an obligation of loyalty to his Sovereign, promises that he will uphold the Protestant faith, hears a short lecture on the biblical and historical aspects of Orangeism and takes his place in the lodge. This is known as the first or Orange Degree.

The second Degree is the Purple. It is similar to the Orange Degree; it consists mainly of further lectures on what the Orange Order stands for. There is no esoteric knowledge imparted and ceremonies are full of quotations from the New Testament.

The third Degree in Orangeism is the Royal Arch Purple, which is actually an Order within an Order. In Scotland and England the Purple Order is part of the Orange lodge, while in Ireland it is a separate organisation ¿ this is the most Masonic-like part of our ceremony. However, it is fundamentally different and not Masonic in its theology.

The Royal Arch Purple Degree is based on Scripture, with no mythology or non-Biblical material. It is a ceremony of instruction with an emphasis on the pilgrimage through life, death, judgement and eternity. For many it is a very moving experience, impressing a sense of eternity and the life of faith in Christ ¿

Symbols

The Orange Order can claim only six official symbols; however, the Royal Arch Purple Order has many more.

The six official Orange symbols, which are worn by brethren on their collarettes and can be seen adorning Orange arches and degree certificates, are: the Holy Bible, symbolising the religious aspect of the Order; the Crown, which is representative of the constitutional settlement of 1688 - as long as the monarchy remains Protestant, that is where the Order's allegiance will lie; Aaron's Rod, symbolising the power of God; the Ark of the Covenant, symbolising the covenant between God and man; the Sword of the Lord and Gideon, which is also a religious symbol, and finally King William, denoting victory at the Battle of the Boyne.

Royal arch purple

The next step up in Orangeism is the Royal Arch Purple Degree, which is a separate Order within the Orange Institution. It is the bridge over which candidates cross when moving from the Orange into the Black.

Royal arch emblems and symbols

The emblems and symbols of the Royal Arch Purple degree are numerous, varied and, to the uninitiated eye, confusing. The Holy Bible shows from where the teachings of the Order are derived. The Ark of the Covenant is evidence of God's promise to guide his people to safety.

The Anchor is symbolic of a safe arrival after the stormy voyage through life. The Ladder has its three steps of Faith, Hope and Charity. The Five-Pointed Star, or Pentalpha, represents fellowship and dependency.

The Coffin is a reminder of the mortality of mankind. The Three- Branched Candlestick is a reminder of the Holy Trinity. The Arch indicates strength and durability. Finally, the Sword pointing to the heart is a reminder of the hostile reception endured by a candidate until it was proven that his intentions were serious and friendly.

Structure

The Orange Order in Ireland is built like a pyramid. At its foundation are the 1,400 private Orange lodges, providing the localised 'power-base' of the institution. Above these are the 125 District Orange lodges drawn from specific geographical areas. These District lodges comprise representatives of every private lodge in that area.

The next level consists of a dozen County Grand Lodges - Antrim, Armagh, Belfast, Down, Londonderry, city of Londonderry, Tyrone, Fermanagh, Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim and Monaghan.

The County lodge membership is drawn from the various District lodges. At the apex of the pyramid is the Grand Lodge of Ireland. It has three hundred members drawn from all the County Grand Lodges plus a representative from each District lodge. Presiding over the Grand Lodge of Ireland is the Grand Master.

Orangewomen

Contrary to popular belief, the Women's Loyal Orange Order does not exist to make tea for the Orangemen.

It is an organisation in its own right with its own rules and regulations, and is recognised as such by the Orange Institution.

The juveniles

The youth wing of the men's Orange Order is commonly known as the Juveniles. The Junior Orange Order caters for boys aged between seven and 17.

Extracted with the permission of the publisher from The Orange Order, to be published by The O'Brien Press on May 25, £8.99 paperback. Available from all bookshops