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The Twelfth: Whatever happened to the Order’s superhero?
Tuesday, 14 July 2009
enlargeHe flew into the public eye in a blaze of orange publicity, his cape flapping behind him.
But it would appear to many that Diamond Dan has flown out of the public gaze in rather quieter fashion.
Diamond Dan was the name bestowed on the Orange Order’s new-minted bequiffed and hunky mascot last year after it called on Northern Ireland kids to exert their brain power on giving the hero a handle.
A primary school pupil rose to the occasion with his creation: ‘Diamond’ referred to the battle which preceded the founding of the Order near Loughgall, Co Armagh in 1795, and ‘Dan’ to Daniel Winter, one of the brains behind setting up the organisation.
But while few disputed the credentials of Diamond Dan, many felt disappointed that Sash Gordon, as coined by some media, was not adopted.
Toothy, muscle-bound adventurer Dan was dreamed up as a marketing tool to educate the younger generation about the Order and its values.
But surely the Twelfth would be an unmissable day out for an Orange Order superhero — or did an ostensibly unremarkable Ballynafeigh member get stuck in a phone box as he underwent transformation into his alter ego early yesterday morning?
An Orange Order spokesman was keen to put the record straight on what would appear to be Diamond Dan’s uncharacteristic decision to shun the orange limelight.
“Diamond Dan is still used in Orange literature aimed at youngsters,” he said.
“The badges have gone down extremely well with youngsters, and we had them on sale with Diamond Dan notebooks at the Balmoral Show.\[Clare Palmer\]”There’s a cut-out of him at Schomberg House [Orange Order headquarters in Belfast] and the youngsters love to have their photograph taken with him.”
But it’s believed the general solemnity and gravity of the Twelfth is not viewed as a suitable forum for Diamond Dan’s good-natured japery so we might be seeing a lot less of him.
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The 12th of July is nothing but hatred and sectarianism. Orangefest does not hide the essential awfulness of the Orange Order. Northern Ireland is the pits. Shame on both sides.
Posted by Patrick Murphy | 15.07.09, 00:23 GMT
ray ... usa. the us is'nt all that its made out to be especially in and around little haiti ne to sth beach in florida
Posted by Robert W | 14.07.09, 23:06 GMT
the answer is simple, when the OO was marching through Ardoyne a nationalist youth threw kriptonite at him and he is a super hero no more.
Posted by sean | 14.07.09, 22:35 GMT
Dave, Orangeism is the shame of Europe no matter how you slice it.
Conor, your comments on my comments make little sense. There are many Protestants playing in the GAA but NO Catholics marching on July twelfth...Oh, I forgot they aren't even allowed into Orange halls! And didn't Rev. Saulter (then Orange Grand Dragon) once, famously, call Tony Blair a traitor to England because he was married to a Catholic...get a grip, man.
Posted by Patrick | 14.07.09, 21:44 GMT
Ray USA - If NI is such a bad place, why do you not keep your nose out of it. Comparing the OO to the KKK is just stupid. Do you see the OO covering their faces while they parade? No I didn't think so. And by the way, take a look at the Ardoyne march route on google earth. You will see that it does not actually go through the 'residential' area, put past a few shops which are set well back from the main road.
Posted by W | 14.07.09, 19:15 GMT
Maybe it was more to do with copyright law than anything else? Didn't they swipe the Diamond Dan design from the some illustrators internet blog, colour him orange and stick a sash on him?
Posted by Farrah | 14.07.09, 16:21 GMT
ban all bonfires keep marches out catholics areas tax payers are going to foot the bill again its like the kkk marching through the bronx this is why i am an expat the bitterness still exists awful place to bring up family
Posted by ray .. usa | 14.07.09, 15:41 GMT
Demonizing Orangemen is such good fun and indeed they do sometimes make it very easy. However, might I suggest you respect them and learn to love them? They are your neighbours after all and we all want to live in peace don't we? They have been in that part of Ireland for 400 years and deserve better than KKK compaisons. They are trying to change the parades and respect you - why do you make it so difficult?
Posted by Dave | 14.07.09, 15:37 GMT
I was disappointed they didn't adopt the suggestion of "Super Sectarian". :)
Posted by JS | 14.07.09, 13:41 GMT
Jon - I totally agree, every year the same brainless twits get their sectarian dutch courage and come out with all the putrid rhetoric their rudderless leaders have allowed these young people to carry on from generation to generation. I feel it is time that we across Ireland should play a more proactive role in promoting cultural diversity through festivals and show the Ornage Order and young Protestants the damage they are causing themselves with hatred. Unionism are you out there??????
Posted by newry citizen | 14.07.09, 13:39 GMT
Patrick, I guess you failed to notice the African gentlemen parading? Perhaps you could turn your critical gaze closer to home, in particular the sectarian GAA?
Posted by Conor | 14.07.09, 13:26 GMT
Jon: What you witnessed was Orange culture. Breathtaking isn't it.
Posted by gearoid | 14.07.09, 12:53 GMT
What a great idea.The KKK in America should use a cartoon character to innoculate their young with hatred for blacks...they could call him Whitey O' Lynch-em...or Aryan Burnem...or Master Whippem
Posted by Patrick | 14.07.09, 12:38 GMT
It is very sad that your awful newspaper perpetuates the myth that the 12th of July is some kind of festival or fun time.
The 12th is about bigotry and hatred. Your paper flames the hatred by pretending there is something cute about the Orange Order.
Posted by Mr. | 14.07.09, 10:39 GMT
Quite frankly I was disgusted by what I saw this morning walking through town. I was one of the few not partaking in these "celebrations". I was verbally harassed by band members. Furthermore I thought it was quite a disgrace walking past the Belfast Cathedral to see yet again more band members, urinating up against cars, shop windows and pretty much every where else. Children clearly under the legal age where falling about drunk whilst shouting sectarian chants. I find myself very lucky to have actually found a safe passage to work after being told "you break out lines boy and there will be a bullet in your back" Its a pity this still goes on during the tewlfth weekend.
Posted by Jon | 14.07.09, 09:34 GMT
Diamond Dan was just a little too campy and almost gay-looking for the orange order to be comfortable with. Had he been tooting a gun and sword with whiskers, he would be on a banner. Bring back Dan
Posted by Dan Fan | 14.07.09, 09:23 GMT
One would like to see the Belfast Telegraph give blanket coverage to the Saint Patrick's day parade as it has done for the Orange marches. At the very least you could be a bit more constructive instead of all the fawning. Time the Tele pulled itself into the real century instead of 1690.
Posted by Belfast Truth Teller | 14.07.09, 09:18 GMT