The Bonfire Tradition
The Protestant population of Ulster have traditionally used bonfires in order to galvanise our community, strengthen its sense of identity and show our enemies that the message is still 'No Surrender'.
A relaxed and festive atmosphere predominates on these occasions. Typically speaking, they are good-natured, family-friendly events that include lots of refreshments, street parties, children's entertainment, music, open-air gospel preaching, evangelistic tract distribution and marching bands.
The Bonfire Tradition in Ulster is not a new phenomena. Its roots go all the way back through the Williamite era to the times of the Protestant Reformation.
A relaxed and festive atmosphere predominates on these occasions. Typically speaking, they are good-natured, family-friendly events that include lots of refreshments, street parties, children's entertainment, music, open-air gospel preaching, evangelistic tract distribution and marching bands.
The Bonfire Tradition in Ulster is not a new phenomena. Its roots go all the way back through the Williamite era to the times of the Protestant Reformation.
The Protestant Reformation
The English word 'bonfire' is understood by some researchers to have its origin in the phrase 'bone fire' - referring to the large public fires that were used by the Roman Catholic Church in order to burn Protestants during the Reformation. Therefore, in the minds of British Protestants, both the word 'bonfire' and the actual bonfires themselves served to remind them of the Reformation and the great sacrifices made by our heroic Protestant martyrs who gave their lives for the Bible, the gospel and the message of Bible-believing Christianity.
The Spanish Armada (July 1588)
Fire and light have always been used as a means of communication and signalling. Armies would often use bonfires in order to warn about the imminent approach of danger. One of the most famous examples of this was the lighting of beacons and bonfires when the Spanish Armada was sighted, first off the coast of England, and then later as its stricken remnants sailed round the coast of Ireland.
The Gunpowder Plot (5th November 1605)
On the 5th November 1605, Guy Fawkes and his fellow conspirators were discovered beneath the Houses of Parliament. His mission was to blow up the 'State Opening of Parliament' and kill King James I. This was intended to be the climax of a Counter-Reformation plot aimed at returning England to the Roman Catholic faith and stopping the translation of the King James Bible. The unsuccessful conspirators were betrayed, rounded up and executed. The Protestants of Britain celebrated this notable occasion by lighting bonfires.
The Glorious Revolution of King William III (5th November 1688)
On 5th November 1688 - King William III, Prince of Orange, landed at Brixham in England's 'West Country'. At the request of the British people, he came to remove James II from the throne, defend Protestantism and restore liberty. Before taking power, William agreed to a new Bill of Rights - which became the constitutional basis of the modern British state as we know it today. Upon hearing the news that William and Mary had been crowned Joint Monarchs, celebratory bonfires were lit across the hills of Ulster.
The Shutting of the Gates Commemoration, Londonderry (possibly from as early as December 1689 onwards)
Traditionally speaking, effigies of Colonel Lundy were frequently burned on top of bonfires celebrating the great Protestant victory of the Siege of Londonderry. Lundy was Governor of Londonderry from 1688 to 1689. When the city was beseiged, he advocated surrendering to James’ army, but its population refused. Eventually Lundy had to flee the city under cover of darkness - entering Protestant folklore as a notorious traitor. To this day in Ulster Protestant culture, someone who is regarded as a traitor is called "a Lundy".
King William Lands at Carrickfergus (14th June 1690)
In a Belfast Telegraph article, entitled 'The Boy & the Bonfire' (published on 9th July 2010), Kerry McKittrick made reference to a local tradition which claimed that 11th Night Bonfires commemorate the lighting of fires "on the hills of Antrim and Down to aid William's navigation along Belfast Lough". Whilst this opinion may be incorrect, it is nonetheless interesting to note.
King William Enters Belfast (June 1690)
After landing at Carrickfergus, King William and his army marched into Belfast. Bonfires were lit across Ulster in order to celebrate.
The Night before the Battle of the Boyne (30th June 1690 / 11th July 1690)
In popular culture, the lighting of bonfires is synonymous with the '11th Night Celebrations' each July. It is generally accepted throughout the loyalist community that these '11th Night Bonfires' represent the camp fires lit by Williamite forces on the evening prior to the Battle of the Boyne.
The First Home Rule Bill (1886)
When the first Home Rule Bill was defeated in 1886, unionists celebrated by lighting bonfires on the hills around Belfast.
VE Day (8th May 1945)
Throughout Belfast and Northern Ireland, bonfires were lit and became a focal point for those celebrating 'Victory in Europe Day' at the end of the Second World War.
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