TRANSPLANTED IRISH INSTITUTIONS - University of Canterbury

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The celebrations undertaken by the Orange Lodges and the Hibernians were
centred on specific days that highlighted the distinctive qualities of these institutions. In the
Orange celebratory calendar two dates were the most important. The first was the Twelfth
of July, which commemorated the victory of William III, Prince of Orange over the Catholic
forces under James II in 1690. The other regular occasion was the fifth of November,
which was a dual celebration of the Gunpowder Plot and the landing of William III at
Torbay, England. The Orange Lodges celebrated Protestant victories over Catholics which
emphasized the 'Protestant' nature of their celebrations. The Orange regulations stipulated
that these events be celebrated annually either on that date "or the Sunday nearest to that
day, by attending Divine worship, or otherwise meeting together in grateful observance of
that anniversary.,,5 The manner of celebration varied from year to year.
Sometimes the
celebrations took the fonn of banquets only, and at other times these were combined with a
parade.
In similar fashion, the Hibernian celebrations in New Zealand also centred on a
specific date, 17 March, St Patrick's Day. The Hibernian celebration of this day meant a
two-fold emphasis on their Irish heritage and their Catholic religion. This was exemplified
by St Patrick who was seen as the Roman Catholic Apostle to the Irish people. Unlike their
Orange counterparts, whose parades were compulsory, the Hibernian's rules simply stated
that the anniversary "of St Patrick, the Apostle of Ireland, shall be celebrated in the most
suitable manner practicable ... Attendance shall be voluntary."6 This open-ended rule meant
that various Hibernian branches developed their own way of celebrating St Patrick's Day,
which included concerts and sports days. Dunedin had annual concerts of Irish music and
poetry while Auckland had sports days.
The voluntary nature of the Hibernian
contribution to these festivities is worth noting in contrast to the Orange Lodges in the
5Laws and Ordinances of the Loyal Orange Institution of New Zealand, passed by the Orand Lodge of
New Zealand, July 1883, John Brame, 1883.
60eneral Rules for the government of the New Zealand District of the Hibernian-Australasian Catholic
Benefit Society, Auckland, Scott Printing Co., 1904.