WEST BELFAST VOLUNTEERS

Greengairs Flute Band was formed in the forties just after the end of the Second World War.  The band originated from the mining village of Greengairs, which is just five miles from the town of Airdrie.  In the early days the band were a base flute band and enjoyed many a day accompanying Greengairs Purple Spriggs LOL 275 to the Annual Orange Boyne Celebrations in Scotland.

In 1977 the band turned to a first flute band and added the name Thistle to their name.  One year later the band got their first Belfast engagement with Prince Albert Temperance LOL 1892.  The lodge operated from the Orange Cross Club on Belfast’s Shankill Road.  The down stairs lounge of this social club was dedicated to men of the 36^th Ulster Division who lost their lives during the First World War.  The walls of the club were decorated with emblems and regalia from the 36^th Division’s heroic fight, there were everything from water bottles to tin helmets to battle standards.  This gave Greengairs Thistle a great insight into sacrifice that the Ulster men made during the First World War.  Many of the band members became interested in the history of the 36^th Division and become members of the Somme Society in Northern Ireland.

During this time the band were working with the Loyalist Prisoners Welfare Association in Belfast.  This group was set up to aid the men and women of the Ulster Volunteer Force who became incarcerated in Long Kesh Prison Camp while fighting for their political beliefs.  Many of the band members became pen pals with the prisoners and many good friendships were started through this process.  The band members regularly made trips to Long Kesh to meet their friends and to build on the relationship of the Loyalist Prisoners of war and Greengairs Thistle.  Still to this day our members keep in contact with ex prisoners they met through jail visits.

In 1985 Greengairs Thistle were presented with the Battle Honour of the 14^th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles.  This standard was presented to the band for their work with the Loyalist Prisoners Welfare Association.  It was a great honour for the band to receive this Battle Honour and they would carry the colour with pride any time the band had an engagement.

In 1987 the band decided that it was time to get a new uniform, at our AGM in August it was discussed that we would go for a uniform that would have Historical links with the Ulster men who fought at the Somme.  After visiting the Somme Society and the Irish Rifles Museum in Warring Street, Belfast the band decided that they would go for the uniform of the 36^th Ulster Division and wear it with pride in memory of Ulstermen who lost their lives in the First World War.

The uniform was very plain, it was Brown Trousers and a Brown Jacket and hat with a Green Belt and Greet Gaiters, not exactly a traditional Orange Flute Band uniform, as many of the bands were into red, white and blue but the uniform meant so much to the band and its members.

Just before the band received the uniform, the Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland summoned the band committee before them at the meeting the Grand Orange Lodge said that the band would not be allowed to wear the uniform in Orange Parades in Scotland as the uniform had links with Paramilitary Organisations.  To this day the Orange Order have not given any explanation or have any proof to link this uniform to Paramilitaries.  The band were subsequently expelled for LIFE, and members of the band who were also members of the Orange Order were expelled from the order for LIFE, the band were also expelled from all Orange Social Clubs.

This was hard for the band to take in, here we have an organisation, the Orange Order who preach about civil and religious liberties and the right to walk.  A few people sit round a table and decide to take away Greengairs Thistle’s civil and religious liberties and they’re right to walk.  Democracy certainly plays no part in this organisation.

Strange as it may seem I must thank the people who sat on Grand Lodge at this time, Greengairs Thistle were just an ordinary Flute Band who practised in Orange Halls and who played in Orange Halls most things were centred around the orange organisations, but when you expelled us you gave us LIFE, you gave us FIGHT and you gave us the DETERMINATION, that no matter how much you tried to put us down we would be strong enough to survive.

We found friends in other Loyalist bands who were also being expelled by the Orange Order, the Young Calvay Volunteers (Glasgow) Newtown Loyalists (East Kilbride) and the Young Cowdenbeath Volunteers were going through similar problems, but the bands stuck together and moved forward, and even today the Young Calvay Volunteers and the Greengairs Thistle are a very strong part of the Loyalist Prisoners Welfare Association in Scotland.

In 1991 the band attended the Brian Robinson Memorial Parade in Belfast, Brian was a member of B, Company Ulster Volunteer Force and was killed in action on the 2^nd September 1989.  The parade has become one of the biggest Loyalist Band Parades around and many Scottish Bands make the trip across to Northern Ireland every year to take part.  The parade is very well attended by bands from Scotland, England and all over Northern Ireland.

In December 1997 the band were very proud to play in Belfast’s Ulster Hall.  The night was a great success with over 2000 people attending and there were also Loyalist singers from the early 70’s right through to the present day.

For over the past ten years the band have paraded at the Annual Apprentice Boys of Derry May Rally Celebrations in Scotland with the Airdrie No Surrender Branch.  The band and the No Surrender Club have a very good relationship and I would like to thank the Apprentice Boys for standing by the band and giving us support during harder times.

At the present time Greengairs Thistle as with all other Loyalist Bands in Scotland have been under great pressure from the authorities on the issue of carrying Battle Honours at Scottish parades.  This issue is critical to the bands they must stand together and fight for their rights.  Republicans walk the streets of Scotland carrying flags and emblems representing so called IRA martyrs, but Loyalist bands are being slated for carrying the colours of the 36^th Ulster Division.  A Division who lost thousands and thousands of men while fighting for Britain’s cause during the First World War.  The Loyalist bands in Scotland must stand up and be counted in this fight,

THE WEST BELFAST VOLUNTEERS SUPPORTS THE STAND TAKEN BY THE GREENGAIRS THISTLE AND ALL OTHER FELLOW LOYALISTS ON THE MAINLAND

UNITED WE STAND DIVIDED WE FALL.

For God And Ulster