We ask the Apprentice Boys of Derry what they stand for

Glasgow Times

12-06-2025

For some, it is a celebration of culture history and identity for others, it is a display of bigotry and sectarianism better left in the past.
The Apprentice Boys of Derry held their biggest Scottish parade of the year in Larkhall with more than 50 associated clubs, each with a band, taking to the streets, with many more following or watching from the side.
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The Glasgow Times was invited by the organisation to come along and speak to its leaders to find out what it is all about.
Larkhall's streets were decked out in red, white and blue for the day with Union flags hanging from lampposts, windows and in gardens along the route.
Late morning in Birkenshaw Park, the parade was assembling, with groups from Glasgow, Lanarkshire and beyond.
Men are meeting and greeting, shaking hands, dressed in suits and crimson collarettes, carrying white gloves and bowler hats.
(Image: Colin Mearns)
The flutes and drums were starting to be heard from the bands, the same bands that accompany Orange Order parades.
(Image: Colin Mearns)
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David Hoey, general secretary of the Associated Clubs of the Apprentice Boys of Derry, was in demand, being introduced to members from around Scotland.
(Image: Colin Mearns)
We asked him what the purpose of the organisation is, which has 52 branch clubs in Scotland and many in Glasgow, and what the parade is all about.
He answered that it is 'principally, a historical, commemorative organisation.'
He said: 'The organisation has as its main purpose to celebrate the siege of Derry and the brave 13, but particularly the two big events are: the shutting of the gates, which is usually December when the Gates of Londonderry were closed against the forces of King James and then the relief of Derry when the city was finally relieved after 105 day siege in August.'
'That,' he said, 'is the primary purpose'.
Not everyone, however, can join and commemorate this historic event.
Mr Hoey explains: 'The criteria for membership is male and Protestant.'
'In terms of local areas, people would have to know each other and be invited, or apply and they would have to be known.
'But other than that, there's no particular criteria.'
The male-only element, he said, is a support network, a place for men to come together and help one another.
Mr Hoey said: 'It's a good place to meet. I keep telling people when they ask about it being male, it's the biggest men's shed organisation available because men get together, they meet.
'We're getting a remarkable number of young members into the organisation now and I think they're in where they can get people they can learn from.
He added: 'They can learn skills. You have to run an organisation, you get positions on committee. You organise some of the events, and you get some of the young people involved.
'So, it's very much people coming together to try and organise and to help each other.'
(Image: Colin Mearns)
As well as organising parades, he said branch clubs rea active in the community and fundraise for their benevolent fund.
Asked what they do when not on parade, Mr Hoey joked they are "organising the next one".
He added: "There's a lot of activity, but everything is really geared to the big days.
"There's occasionally a church service, but it's predominantly for those two big days."
The events from 1689 being celebrated, he said, are still relevant today.
(Image: Colin Mearns) (Image: Colin Mearns)
Mr Hoey said: 'I think it's largely identity and place, so it gives people a sense of belonging.
'There are a lot of the characteristics of those who were besieged, I think form the identity of the Protestant loyalist culture, if you like.
'And that's what people identify, the determination, the resilience, the preparedness to basically stick it out, but also to create dialogue, to try and change things as well.
'And we're very, very keen that we work outside.'
The other exclusive criteria, the Protestant only rule, has led to claims of sectarianism and accusations of being anti-catholic.
Mr Hoey said such claims are rooted in ignorance and said he and his organisation is willing to have dialogue to prevent any flashpoints at parades.
(Image: Colin Mearns)
The Larkhall parade passed with no incident but in Glasgow, there have been protests, particularly around passing a specific Roman Catholic church, and previously in Northern Ireland, there was well well-documented, high-profile, sustained and violent confrontation.
Mr Hoey said: 'I think the biggest opposition comes from the people who are most ignorant of what it's all about and imagine some offence or imagine that it's against them.
'It's really not. It's for us.'
On the anti-catholic accusation, he added: 'People who want to say that don't want the parades to happen and they're basically throwing or projecting sectarianism onto the parades, but they have no basis for saying that.
'This is a culture. It is on parade. It's not trying to offend anybody. It's simply walking down a very long street and being out and saying we are the association.
'We are remembering a very important part of British history and that is what the day is about.
'It's not about others or offending or anything else. It's about the identity of those people and saying this is us, we're out here having a good day with our brothers, with our friends, with our families watching.'
He used the example of Northern Ireland to illustrate how communities can work together.
Mr Hoey said: 'The association, 25 years ago, was the first to engage outside of itself, you know, to go to go into the Parades Commission, to work with the local community, to work with the business community because we had a really bad time with violent opposition in Londonderry and there was no violence back.
'Our approach was to engage, and I know here in Scotland the SAC (Scottish Amalgamated Committee) has been working closely with the Centre for Good Relations, again to try and open up avenues of dialogue.
'People say 'the other' but there are lots of communities in Scotland now.'
They are, he said, willing to 'work in formal channels' and 'open up' as far as possible.
He added, however, there are always people who just don't want you there, and it's very hard to talk to people who simply are impractically opposed and don't want to talk.'
The approach in Northern Ireland, he said, took a long time but has worked but he said it is an ongoing process.
He added: "We have kept working ever since because you can never stop on that process. Stopping is the worst thing you could do.'
He said the willingness to engage must be a two-way process, adding: "You can do your best to reach out. But you know you hold out your hand, but if. Someone doesn't. Want to shake it's not our job to make them.'