Exhibit 5: Music as an Intimidation Tactic: The Significance of the song “The Sash”
Orange Order bands play “The Sash” in front of St. Patrick’s Church in Belfast during the Twelfth of July parade in 2013 (from Sinn Féin’s Offical Youtube Channel).
This video by the Northern Irish news media outlet anPhoblacht records the Twelfth of July Orange Order parade marching by St. Patrick’s Church in Belfast while the band plays the song “The Sash.”1 Sinn Féin’s official Youtube channel posted the video in 2013 to demonstrate how the Orange Order marches in Catholic areas as a deliberate provocation to challenge the progress toward reconciliation and a peaceful future. The Orange Order parade in Nationalist areas, especially in front of a Catholic church in Belfast, is viewed by Sinn Féin as insulting and thus worth posting to show their political followers the everpresent threat of Unionist interests. Furthermore, the significant police presence in front of the church demonstrates how the march and accompanying music are antagonistic towards the Catholic community; thus, the police are present to prevent any clashes of violence.
The song played by the Orange Order band is also significant to note. The band proudly plays “The Sash my Father Wore,” often abbreviated to “The Sash,” which has long served as the de facto anthem for the Orange Order.2 The song portrays a romanticized rendition of the Battle of the Boyne events. “The Sash” was first published in 1936 and was meant to replace more aggressive and sectarian songs popular among Protestants in the early 20th century.3 Ironically, “The Sash” is now viewed as a highly contentious song in Northern Ireland.4 As it has significant cultural and traditional meaning to Unionists, but in contrast, the Nationalist community views it as a reminder of the harsh conditions Catholics were subjected to during the 20th century and the Troubles.
While “The Sash” does not feature any overtly anti-Catholic lyrics, the song’s affiliation with the Orange Walks has made it become shrouded in sectarian controversy. This indicates why Sinn Féin, the largest Nationalist political party, would post the video to their official Youtube channel. Sinn Féin is attempting to exemplify how the song is inflammatory and how the Orange Order invites the possibility of violence by proudly playing “The Sash” in front of one of the largest Catholic churches in Belfast. In addition, they are attempting to broadcast how the Orange Order’s is disrespectful of Catholic neighborhoods and that Catholics’ right to live peacefully without the fear of renewed violence. Therefore, every choice made during the Orange Walks in the post-GFA, including the parade route in front of Catholic churches and the music, is a source of great tension and controversy in Northern Ireland.
Footnotes
- Sinn Féin. 2013. “Orange Bands Play ‘The Sash’ passing St Patrick’s Church in Belfast.” Retrieved May 30, 2023 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXC_b0SGVGQ).
- Millar, S. R. (2015). Musically consonant, socially dissonant: orange walks and Catholic interpretation in West-Central Scotland. Music and Politics, 9(1).
- Rolston, Bill. “‘This is not a Rebel Song:’ The Irish Conflict and Popular Music.” Race & Class 42, no. 3 (2001): 49–67. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0306396801423003.
- Ibid.
