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History was made in Dublin on Friday, 17th December 2021 as Trinity College Dublin Loyal Orange Lodge 1558 was formally instituted by the Grand Master, The Most Worshipful Brother Edward Stevenson, ably assisted by the Deputy Grand Master, The Right Worshipful Brother Harold Henning.
The lodge is for Orangemen connected to Trinity College Dublin and includes student and staff members, past and present.
An application for a warrant from the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland was successful in 2018. Since then the lodge has held a number of lunchtime gatherings, online meetings, and other events.
On 4th November 2021, the lodge revived an longstanding Orange tradition of marking King William 111’s birthday by attending Choral Evensong and enjoying a formal dinner afterwards.
Speaking at the Institution, Orange historian Quincey Dougan explained that Orangeism at Trinity College Dublin dates back to the late 1790’s and Lieutenant Colonel William Blacker of County Armagh. Records of TCD LOL 1558 first appear in 1824 and TCD Orangeism blossomed in various forms during 19th and 20th centuries. TCD lodge went into abeyance in 1966 however the Orange tradition continued in the city through Dublin and Wicklow LOL 1313.
Famous TCD Orangemen have included Isaac Butt, Edward Carson, Bishop Cyril Elliott and Rev. Martin Smyth MP.
TCD lodge is the third university lodge of limited purposes to be established in recent years by the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland, following the success of Queen’s LOL 1845 and Ulster LOL 1984.
It forms part of a growing Orange movement at the universities where Orange student societies exist on the campuses and are formally recognised and supported by the universities.
During the course of the evening, Deputy Grand Master, Rt. Wor. Bro. Harold Henning updated the brethren on developments with the Drew Nelson Legacy Project.
Students, staff members and graduates of other Irish universities where there isn’t an Orange lodge are welcome to join TCD lodge, with a view to encouraging those members to think about the formation of an Orange lodge at their university when the time is right.