A BORDER Orange hall destroyed in an arson attack has re-opened its doors, exactly three years after it was targeted y sectarian vandals.
Inver Orange hall, near Roslea, was completely gutted in the deliberate blaze back in July 2011. A year earlier vandals failed in an attempt to burn down the building.
The hall, which was used for a wide range of community activities, has been re-built following a major fundraising campaign, which included significant donations from Orange lodges as far away as London, Canada and New Zealand.
The dedication service was attended by Inver lodge members, local bands, and senior Orangemen from the county, including Fermanagh Grand Master Stuart Brooker, who officially re-opened the building. The dedication ceremony was officiated by Rev Alan Irwin, Deputy Grand Lecturer of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland.
Speaking at the event, Mr Brooker recalled ‘sadness’ and ‘despair’ in the immediate aftermath of the attack, but paid tribute to the determination and fortitude of the Orange fraternity in re-establishing such a vital community facility.
“The Protestant people in this area have suffered much during the Troubles and even now, in these times of so called peace, they have had to endure a place so treasured, taken from them in a cold and calculated way,” he said.
“The building was one thing, but I understand that many photographs and artefacts of sentimental value, irreplaceable, are lost forever. But, in the same way that they endured so much over the years, they remained steadfast, and resilient, and have built this hall back.
“In this project, you have done what is expected from any member of the Orange Order and wider Protestant community, you have been faithful to the Gospel, faithful to the Word of God, and have, as you have always done in very trying times, lived out the Christian faith.”
Grand Master of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland, Edward Stevenson, also paid tribute to all involved in the rebuild process.
He said: “It is tremendous to see Inver Orange Hall restored to its former glory and its renewed presence is testament to the fortitude and resilience of the Protestant and Orange fraternity in the Fermanagh and border areas.”
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