THE DIAMOND
"The
Diamond" is a hamlet in the townland of Grange Lower, Co. Armagh,
Northern Ireland. It rests neither in the Parish of Loughgall or Kilmore
but in 1835 was recorded as actually being part of Newry within the barony
of O'Neilland. The Cope Family of Loughgall Manor built a school, now
closed, a schoolmaster's dwelling, which served as a post office and an
adjoining Church hall. Church services were held in the Church hall until
1926 when the present Diamond Grange Church was built. Francis Cope in
1874 bequeathed three thousand pounds to build a Church at the Diamond,
by 1926 the amount was four thousand.
There are two Orange halls in the area, Diamond Memorial L.O.L. 85 and Diamond Grange L.O.L. 118. Diamond Memorial L.O.L. 85 stands at the top of the Diamond Hill. This Lodge has been in the area for over one hundred years. Diamond Grange L.O.L. 118 is a little Orange hall about one mile distance past the Church. This Lodge has never left the area since the formation of the Orange Institution over two hundred years ago. Rodgers wrote in 1860 "The men who fought at the battle were angry because they did not get Warrant No. 1. They would not take any Warrant at first and so they held out until they had to make do with Warrant No. 118."
Other lodges commenced their career at Grand O'Neilland. LOL no.9 with John Winter as Master, moved in 1815 to the Dobbin and the lodge is now in Portadown. LOL no.35 warrant was secured by George Innis and it to moved to Kilmore in 1820. LOL no. 40 with Laurence Ruddock as Master and it moved to Portadown in 1901.
The Battle of the Diamond and the formation of the Orange Order is celebrated every September with a parade followed by a service held in the Diamond Memorial Orange Hall organised by LOL's 35, 85 and 118.
A monument has been erected to commemorate the Battle, dedicated on the Two Hundredth Anniversary of the formation of the Orange Order, 21st September 1995. The ancestral home in the farmyard, called "Dan Winter's House" - The Birthplace of Orangeism is just a few yards from the actual monument. The battlefield and the cottage is still owned by direct descendants and it's open daily for visitors. The families living in the Diamond area, both Roman Catholic and Protestant live at peace with each other and respect the others' heritage and tradition. Most of those living in the area are descendants of the same families of two hundred years ago.
There has always been strife and hatred in Ireland with members of both communities committing many terrible deeds. In 1641 it was recorded that the Roman Catholic people murdered Protestants by burning them alive in Loughgall Parish Church. In 1690 Prince William of Orange came to the English throne and the Battle of the Boyne was fought and won in Ireland. This battle, which helped to introduce civil and religious liberty for all in Ireland, is still remembered today by Protestants on the 12th of July.
In 1795 there was a lot of agrarian unrest in County Armagh between Roman Catholics and Protestants. It came to light that there was a plan to burn the Protestants from their homes in Kilmore, Richhill and Loughgall areas. But this was counteracted and the disturbances came to a head on the 21st September 1795 at the Diamond. There was a short battle which lasted about fifteen minutes between a group called 'The Defenders' (Roman Catholics) and 'The Peep O Day Boys' and the other Protestants. The Defenders were defeated and this came to be known as the 'Battle of the Diamond'.
Directly following the Battle of the Diamond, which took place at 5.00am, Monday 21st September, the leaders of the various groups who had been engaged in the Battle met in the top room of Dan Winter's farm house home. The object of this meeting was to discuss the formation of a new organisation, which would bring all Protestant groups under one umbrella. Today this organisation is called the 'The Orange Order".
There were several Winter families living in the Diamond area at the time with two houses being attacked at the crossroads. One was a well known Inn kept by James Winter with the other a grocery's shop. All would have been descendants of John Winter whose name is recorded in the Ballyhagan Quaker Meeting House records in 1665. It was stated that he was a 'farmer weaver' and connected to the Hugenot families around Antrim.
The people of over two hundred years ago had guide lines from the Bible which they wished to retain when they gathered in Dan Winter's farm house home. The right to practice their Protestant faith and be able to live by the teachings of the Bible was one the main objectives of this new organisation called the "Orange Order."
The Orange Order which was founded at the Diamond in September 21st 1795 was formally introduced at Sloans house in Loughgall and has spread throughout the world. Today the Order Order is still very active with more interest in its beliefs and objectives being shown lately right across the world.
May the Power of God keep working among the people of this world, so that one day we may be able to live at peace and have civil and religions liberty for all based on the Ten Commandments.
Hilda Winter
email: winter@orangenet.org
