Apprentices march into history

The Baker Parents Club and Apprentice Boys of Derry made history earlier today, when they stepped onto the iconic City Walls.
By Olga Bradshaw
Published 7th Jun 2014, 15:14 BST
Two of the Apprentices in period costume who paraded through Londonderry with gun carriages, which were taken onto the City Walls.Two of the Apprentices in period costume who paraded through Londonderry with gun carriages, which were taken onto the City Walls.
Two of the Apprentices in period costume who paraded through Londonderry with gun carriages, which were taken onto the City Walls.

Not only did the Apprentices parade on the City Walls with two gun carriages, which is the first time such equipment has been paraded on the walls for over 160 years, but the Apprentices also held their induction of new Apprentices away from their home, the Memorial Hall on Society Street, for the first time in the history of the organisation.

Instead, having paraded the walls, the Apprentices, led by the Pride of the Orange and Blue Flute Band, paraded to St Columb’s Cathedral, for the induction.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A fitting venue for the event, St Columb’s Cathedral is the first built Post Reformation cathedral in Europe and is the site where key figures from the Great Siege of Derry, 1688-1689, were buried. The grounds of the cathedral also contain the Siege Heroes Mound, past which the parade marched as they made their way from London Street, under the ceremonial arch at the cathedral.

Two of the Apprentices in period costume who paraded through Londonderry with gun carriages, which were taken onto the City Walls.Two of the Apprentices in period costume who paraded through Londonderry with gun carriages, which were taken onto the City Walls.
Two of the Apprentices in period costume who paraded through Londonderry with gun carriages, which were taken onto the City Walls.

Banners, flags and other regalia paraded into the cathedral included the Crimson Flag, one of the iconic images associated with the Apprentice Boys of Derry.

To watch a video of the events earlier today log onto the Londonderry Website at www.londonderrysentinel.co.uk and look under the news tabs.

A slideshow of images will be published on Wednesday and more a two-page feature of the historic parade will be included in this week’s Londonderry Sentinel, out on Wednesday, June 11, at all usual outlets.

Related topics:Europe