The Bannerman
MY FIRST memories of the Twelfth were as a child back in
1967. I was only eight years old. My
mother who was originally from Omagh decided to take me and my sister back to Co
Tyrone for our first experience of the Twelfth parade.
We had to leave Newry at the crack of dawn for the 60 mile journey to Omagh. So
with a picnic hamper and raincoats packed we set off in our
Austin
Cambridge
on a day that was going to change my life for ever.
I had never seen a band parade before and was very excited at the prospect of
seeing so many bands and hearing all the different types of music. My excitement
mounted as we passed each village and town along the way and saw all the bands
and lodges getting ready for the big day ahead.
We eventually arrived at the hamlet of Augharonan a few miles outside Omagh and
parked the car in a laneway beside the small Orange Hall. The local pipe band
and lodge were already forming up and getting ready to march off.
Two men lifted the huge banner which had been propped up against the side
wall of the hall. It was bedecked in orange lilies and had a picture of King
Billy on his white horse. It truly was a beautiful sight.
Tthey took up their position in between the band and lodge ready for the parade
to set off. At this point my Uncle Jim - who was the pipe major of the band -
asked me and my sister if we would like to carry the strings of the banner as a
special treat. We were thrilled and giggling. We
took hold of the strings just as the banner was hoisted high into the air. The
pipe band struck up the tune Scotland
the Brave and we were off skipping along the lane to the sound of the
music.
My mum was walking along the footpath keeping an eye on us and smiling with that
proud look of a mum for her kids. I was just so excited and all I could think of
was the words of a song which I remember hearing
on the radio at that time called The
Banner
Man.
The words went:
'And the Banner Man held the
Banner high.......
It was ten feet tall
and it touched the sky.......And I wish
that I could be a Banner Man'.
Skipping along that road in Augharonan behind that beautiful banner all those
years ago I really did feel 'ten feet tall'.
About ten years later I moved across the water to
Manchester
but I always make the journey back home for the Twelfth every year.
And although I'm a bit too old to carry the banner strings now I still
remember that first day when I experienced the beautiful music and all the
colour that is 'our' Twelfth and the words of that song still run through my
mind, because that day I was the Banner Man.
Colin,
Manchester
.