WHO WE ARE

Kilcluney Volunteers are a loyalist 'Blood and Thunder' flute band. We are just one group of the many people that take part in the thousands of parades that take place in Northern Ireland each year. A number of these parades have taken place for hundreds of years and are a combination of an expression of our British identity, and to a greater extent, social gathering for like-minded people. In recent times elements within Irish Republicanism, Irish Nationalism and Roman Catholicism have attempted to demonise those who take part in these parades, to try to assert their control over our community, and force their political objectives upon us. Their methods have ranged from threats of violence, to organised widespread public disorder. We aim to use these few pages to counter the propaganda of these groups, and prove anti-parade rhetoric to be the irrational nonsense we believe it to be.

Kilcluney Volunteers on parade in Markethill, a regular site during the marching season

Kilcluney Volunteers Flute Band are, what is known as in Northern Ireland, a ‘Blood and Thunder’ Flute Band. Essentially this is a marching band consisting of side-drums, flutes, and ‘big drum’, such as can be seen in many countries throughout the world. However the difference is that ‘Blood and Thunder flute bands combine the elements of musical prowess, colourful uniforms, and military style disicipline, with intense volume and energy. Kilcluney Volunteers and other bands like them display this energy at parades, some bands attend as many as 70, during the year. Most of these are between April and September. Some of these parades are ORANGE ORDER parades, but most are ‘band parades’. A typical band parade is hosted by a band within their own town or district, and it is normal for large crowds to spectate at the event where anywhere between 10 and 80 bands may attend. These parades are also competitions where bands compete to win trophies for style and appearance, marching and disicipline, drum corps etc.. It is usual for bands to display emblems that represent their nationality and culture at these events. These may include the Union Jack, The Red Hand Of Ulster (the national flag of Northern Ireland), The St Andrews Cross (Scottish national flag), and band crests consisting of emblems of national and local importance. Most towns in Northern Ireland have one or more such bands. Within a few miles of Markethill there are many similar bands such as Armagh True Blues, Drumderg Loyalists Keady, Bessbrook True Blues, etc...

We in Kilcluney Volunteers ourselves are from the town of Markethill in Co Armagh. We have 70 members and parade around 70 parades each year. We are one of the most well known bands in Northern Ireland, and our travels take us to every part of this Province and further, including Liverpool, Belfast, Londonderry, Armagh, Ballymena, Enniskillen, Portadown, and many other towns and villages. The bands present incarnation was formed in 1949, although a band of some description has existed in the townland of Kilcluney for over a century. Our own annual parade is one of the largest in the province and regularly attracts upwards of 60 bands and thousands of spectators.

The first row of KVFBs 14 drummers that paraded through Scarva, Co Down, on the 13 th of July 1999

Because of the affiliation of bands to the Orange Order, and the expression of their Protestant Religion and pride in the country they were born, both band parades and Orange parades have become targets of those within this province who wish to see Protestantism and everything British destroyed. For an Orange Order history and explanation please use our link to Orangenet. For our part, the band scene in Northern Ireland originated many hundreds of years ago , probably with the regimental playing of fifes and drums as soldiers proudly went into battle. We are one of those bands and are immensely proud of the long history of parades that has become part of our culture. We mean no offence to any othergroup of people and conduct ourselves with dignity while on parade. It is difficult for us to understand therefore how anyone can be offended, Indeed why many individuals choose to travel many distances to be offended. In turn our parades have become an integral part of our lives and we are not willing to cease them to placate a vocal and increasingly violent minority.