Published Date: 17 January 2011

By Bryan Gray

TENDING to his herd of dairy cows and having lunch with the secretary of state is just part of a day's work for the new head of the Orange Order.
Edward Stevenson – elected grand master of the loyal institution earlier this month – will hold his first formal meeting with Owen Paterson later today, only hours after the Ardstraw farmer has carried out his regular chores in the milking parlour.

Having served for four years as deputy to outgoing grand master Robert Saulters, the 55-year-old is the first Orangeman from a rural background to hold the top position in more than 50 years.

A committed Christian, the Tyrone man is an elder at his Presbyterian Church and a long-standing officer with the Boys' Brigade.

Holding a degree in agriculture, Mr Stevenson is the owner of over 100 acres of farmland, within miles of the border with the Irish Republic.
For the first time, the new Orange chief will attend a Twelfth demonstration outside his native county later this year as he addresses brethren in Limavady.

Despite his high office, the former Strabane Grammar pupil has vowed to continue attending the monthly meeting of his own lodge, Ardstraw LOL 502. He is also a member of the Royal Black Preceptory and the Apprentice Boys.

Mr Stevenson is married to Arlene, his wife of 32 years, and has three sons, Jonathan, Samuel and David. He is due to become a grandfather for the first time later this year.

NEWS LETTER: Almost two weeks into your new role, how does it feel to be grand master of the Orange Order?
EDWARD STEVENSON: It's only beginning to sink in. I suppose I count it a great honour and a privilege to be elected. The fact that I am from Tyrone and am the first grand master from the county, that I know of anyway, is special. My deputy (Rev Alistair Smyth] and I are both from the west of the province, which is a difference.

NEWS LETTER: Did you have aspirations to rise to such a high office when you joined the Order?
EDWARD STEVENSON: When I first joined I never dreamt I would be grand master. Over the years I have progressed through the ranks being master of my own lodge, then master of the district and I am still county grand master of Tyrone. I was deputy grand master for four years so I suppose I was heading towards it.

NEWS LETTER: Did you want the job or was it forced upon you?
EDWARD STEVENSON: I was quite happy to take on the role of grand master – I definitely wasn't forced into it. I was elected unopposed and I thank the brethren for their confidence in me and I hope I'm worthy of their backing over the next year.

NEWS LETTER:Have your family always being involved in Orangeism?
EDWARD STEVENSON: My father was in the Orange and my maternal grandfather was also in the same lodge I am in. He would have been master long before I was born and my father was also master. I joined when I was 17.

NEWS LETTER:Was it your father's wish to see you join the Order?
EDWARD STEVENSON: It was really my own wish. I was always at Orange parades walking with my dad since I was knee-high. I remember an uncle who came home from England went to a local drapery shop and bought a bit of material to take to the dressmaker's to make my first Orange sash. I also went to various Orange functions from a young age.
I come from a family that was always interested in the Orange tradition.

NEWS LETTER: What are your memories of your first Twelfth parade marching as an Orangeman?
EDWARD STEVENSON: I always remember an old gentleman who was master at that time used to give all the young brethren half a crown on the Twelfth morning. That was a lot of money in those days and you could go and buy yourself a bag of sweets or whatever. He was a bit of an eccentric man, always dressed in a waistcoat with a pocket watch.

NEWS LETTER: When you were growing up did you get on with your Roman Catholic neighbours?
EDWARD STEVENSON: There was never a problem. In fact one of the first people to congratulate me (on becoming grand master] was a Roman Catholic from Ardstraw. I do business with and work among Roman Catholics so there are no issues.

NEWS LETTER: How important is Orangeism to you and what role does it play in your life?
EDWARD STEVENSON: It takes up a lot of time and has a very important role in my life. I see Orangeism in some ways as a way of life. If you look at the qualifications of an Orangeman, it really gives you a good guide for living - how we should bring up our family and how we should behave towards others for instance.

NEWS LETTER: Is your faith an important element?
EDWARD STEVENSON: Very. When I'm not at Orange functions, I'm involved in church activities and I am an elder at my local Presbyterian Church in Ardstraw. That involves visiting approximately 20 families in the church several times a year and I am also an officer in the Boys' Brigade and have been for about 25 years. I've been a Sunday school teacher and a superintendent. I would put faith as the most important aspect of my life.

NEWS LETTER:Do you think the Orange Order remains relevant in the 21st Century?
EDWARD STEVENSON: Yes. I think it is very relevant. We still seek to promote the reformed evangelical faith and also our culture throughout Northern Ireland. Our Twelfth demonstrations attract up to half-a-million people, between participants and spectators. That is up to half the Protestant population so I still think it stills plays a very important part in the life of Northern Ireland.

NEWS LETTER: What would you say to those people who say the Orange Order is out-of-date and lags behind public opinion?
EDWARD STEVENSON: I wouldn't agree with that. I believe we are forward looking. We are seen by some as anti-Roman Catholic, which we are not. We preach civil and religious liberty for everybody and we may not agree with Roman Catholic theology but that does not mean we cannot get on. We have an education officer who goes out to schools and youth groups to explain our ethos and he goes to maybe more Roman Catholic schools than Protestant.
I think some of the negative reaction we get at times is through ignorance – some don't really know what we believe or what we are about.

NEWS LETTER: How will you seek to lead the organisation?
EDWARD STEVENSON: I would like to continue the education programme where we seek to tell our story to others. I also want to put special emphasis on our Christian ethos and principles.
As part of that, are the widows and victims of the Troubles. The Order had over 330 members murdered and that has left a lot of people still hurting deeply. I would hope to try and help them and encourage them, by seeking to bring closure to some of them folk who are trying to move on.

NEWS LETTER: One of the big issues you will undoubtedly face concerns the future of the Parades Commission, which remains intact. Are you willing to meet its members?
EDWARD STEVENSON: Our present policy is not to meet them (Parades Commission] - a change of grand master does not mean a change of grand lodge policy. As they are currently constituted, our policy is still that we will not be cooperating with the Parades Commission.

NEWS LETTER: Why?
EDWARD STEVENSON: We feel some of the decisions that they arrive at defy logic. Parades are let down a road one year and not allowed down the road the next. Because there is a threat of violence from some minority group, they'll also ban or re-route a parade.

NEWS LETTER: Does the fact the commission now includes a former Orangeman – the Rev Brian Kennaway – change your opinion of the body?
EDWARD STEVENSON: It doesn't change our opinion at all. Our policy is still the same – we'll not be cooperating.

NEWS LETTER: The Order has consistently called for the Parades Commission to be scrapped, yet rejected new proposals for parades agreed by the DUP and Sinn Fein last year permitting that to happen. Why did grand lodge take that decision?
EDWARD STEVENSON: Grand lodge met several times to discuss the parade proposals and there were still doubts, and maybe fears, expressed by members that they were not happy. It still needs a bit of work and fine-tuning to sort the whole thing out.

NEWS LETTER: You said when elected that you and senior brethren would be sitting down and looking at what needs to be changed to make the proposals acceptable – can you give any more details?
EDWARD STEVENSON: I can't really say too much as I haven't even had a chance to sit down with the officers yet. No doubt we will have talks with our politicians, but they are in election mode and not in the frame of mind to talk about issues regarding parades. After the May elections possibly we'll sit down and have a go at it again.

NEWS LETTER: Orangemen in Portadown have met with the Parades Commission and are willing to speak directly with Garvaghy Road residents – are you supportive of this policy?
EDWARD STEVENSON: Portadown district have been working on the Drumcree issue for many years and are desperate to try and seek a resolution. No matter what proposals they have put to date have failed and they are no further forward. We're open to new ideas but currently there seems to be no resolution in sight for the Portadown brethren.

NEWS LETTER: Do you agree with them meeting with the Parades Commission?
EDWARD STEVENSON: All I can do is quote grand lodge policy which is not to meet with the Parades Commission.

NEWS LETTER: Has grand lodge made that opinion known to Portadown brethren?
EDWARD STEVENSON: They are quite well aware of it I am sure.

NEWS LETTER: On Drumcree – what will you do to seek to resolve the ongoing logjam?
EDWARD STEVENSON: I would love to see Drumcree and all other contentious parades resolved. We will do our best but there is no easy resolution to any of these issues. It will be on our agenda to try and resolve.

NEWS LETTER: Do you foresee Orangemen once again marching their traditional route of the Garvaghy Road on their return to Portadown?
EDWARD STEVENSON:Anything is possible if folk are open and willing to allow it to happen. In ten minutes the whole parade would pass so I'd like to see a bit of tolerance.

NEWS LETTER: What about other contentious parades such as Ardoyne and the Tour of the North?
EDWARD STEVENSON: People need to show tolerance and respect towards their fellow countrymen. Some of these are arranged protests as we saw last year in Ardoyne. I believe if we could show respect for each other's traditions and culture, we could move forward.
NEWS LETTER: Could meeting with Sinn Fein aid in such a process?
EDWARD STEVENSON: Our current policy is that we do not meet with Sinn Fein. The reason we do not meet with Sinn Fein is because of the 330-plus people who have been murdered and there are still very raw and open wounds. We wouldn't feel able to meet them as things stand currently.

NEWS LETTER: Could such an initiative with republicans occur under your stewardship?
EDWARD STEVENSON: Not unless there is a big change in Sinn Fein's attitude. They have never shown any regret or remorse for the deeds that were done in the past. In nearby Castlederg there are more than 20 people buried in the cemetery and those murders are largely unresolved. Sinn Fein just can't expect us to forget and airbrush those folk out of history. We still hold their memory dearly and we'll not be meeting Sinn Fein.

NEWS LETTER: As a Presbyterian elder, what were your views on Moderator Norman Hamilton meeting with Gerry Adams last week?
EDWARD STEVENSON: Norman is free to meet whoever he wishes but as far as we are concerned Sinn Fein carry a lot of baggage. Norman meeting with them will not make any difference to us or our policy.

NEWS LETTER: Dr Hamilton also met with GAA officials – would you be prepared to meet the sporting body?
EDWARD STEVENSON: I don't see any good reason to meet with the GAA. As the GAA is constituted, it would be very difficult to be a unionist and be a member with their aspirations towards a united Ireland. Also, a lot of their grounds are named after terrorists and that is a big barrier.

NEWS LETTER: In 2009, the Orange Order held secret talks with the DUP and UUP regarding the prospect of unionist unity. Were you in attendance?
EDWARD STEVENSON: No – I wasn't aware of them until they were in the public domain.

NEWS LETTER: Your predecessor, Robert Saulters, has spoken of his preference for a single unionist party. Is this something you would be supportive of?
EDWARD STEVENSON: I am supportive of a single unionist party but I don't believe it is going to happen in the foreseeable future. Until that happens, I would urge all unionists to try and get some sort of workable framework where they can work together coming up to the elections so that the unionist vote is maximized.
The Orange Order is a broad church. I am a unionist with a small 'u' and don't have any party political connections or aspirations. There are other folk like that but we are all unionists and to help our cause we need to see the unionist vote maximized at the next election, especially to prevent a Sinn Fein first minister.

NEWS LETTER: You believe there could be a united unionist party one day?
EDWARD STEVENSON: That is probably the pie in the sky ideal. The grassroots folk on the ground see the only difference between the parties as personalities. When you boil down their basic policies, they have a lot in common and I would urge them to work together as much as possible to further the unionist cause.

NEWS LETTER: Would you be prepared to reconvene talks between the parties going down that route – starting a process so to speak?
EDWARD STEVENSON: Judging by their reactions at the present time there would be no merit in going down the road of united talks. If I could be a catalyst to urge unionists to work together, I'll do anything I can to help.

NEWS LETTER: Would the Orange Order recognise Martin McGuinness as first minister if Sinn Fein returned as the largest party at May's assembly elections?
EDWARD STEVENSON: If he is democratically elected through due process, we have to recognise him. But it is something we hope is not going to happen.

NEWS LETTER: Will you be advising members to vote a specific way to avoid such a scenario?
EDWARD STEVENSON: I'm not foolish enough to tell anyone what way to vote but I would urge all unionists to vote for whoever they think is the best person to represent them in their community. Hopefully as a consequence of that it will prevent the situation of a Sinn Fein first minister.

NEWS LETTER: What are your views on the constant bickering and disagreement among unionists?
EDWARD STEVENSON: I think when they are disagreeing with each other they are taking their eye off the ball and they should really remember who their opposition is and work together against that opposition.
I would urge them to stop their bickering as they have a lot of policies in common. Unity is strength and they might achieve more if they worked together rather than working against each other.

NEWS LETTER: The Orange Order objected to Pope Benedict's visit to the UK last year. Did you personally object?
EDWARD STEVENSON: Our objection to the visit was on theological grounds. It wasn't personally against the Pope. We didn't go out onto the streets to protest but produced literature explaining the differences between the Protestant reformed faith and the Roman Catholic faith.

NEWS LETTER: Have you ever attended a Roman Catholic place of worship?
EDWARD STEVENSON: No. I don't agree with the theology of the Roman Catholic Church and as a consequence I would not attend. You don't have to worship with Roman Catholics to respect them.

NEWS LETTER: Are you concerned at the growing number of attacks on Orange halls across the province?
EDWARD STEVENSON: Yes it is a matter of concern. I would like people to show tolerance and respect to our property. These are halls that are widely used by the community. I would urge anyone with any information to give it to the PSNI so the culprits can be prosecuted.

NEWS LETTER: Recent figures show membership of the Orange Order to be around 35,000. This is a drop from approximately 93,000 at the start of the Troubles – do you see a bright future for the organisation, despite the decline in numbers?
EDWARD STEVENSON: There is a gradual decline but if you look at the Presbyterian Church, of which I am a member, the numbers have gone down in similar if not bigger proportions over the same time period. I think the drop-off has slowed down and hopefully it will bottom out and start to rise again in the future.

NEWS LETTER: Is the decline a concern for you?
EDWARD STEVENSON: Any decline is a concern but we have a committee set up now to look at recruitment and retention of our membership. Hopefully it will encourage more young folk to join and encourage them to stay.
I can think of one district which set itself a target to raise their membership by 40 members over three years and they have surpassed that. There are individual districts where the numbers are increasing and there are others where it is falling. But where there is enthusiasm, it helps with membership.
We have youth convenors in every county now and their role is to run events to attract young members. For example, football competitions, go-kart racing and things that youngsters like to be involved in. One lodge also experimented with a boot camp at an outdoor pursuits centre which included talks on the Orange Order and question and answer sessions. Hopefully this will be rolled out on a bigger scale in the time to come.

NEWS LETTER: On a personal level, do you have any hobbies?
EDWARD STEVENSON: I don't really have any hobbies as such – apart from running the farm. I spend most of the time when I'm not at Orange functions involved in church activities, such as the Boys' Brigade. I enjoy working with the young folk.
I also still like to go to group meetings of the Ulster Farmers' Union.

NEWS LETTER: When are you at your happiest?
EDWARD STEVENSON: (laughing] Probably when the sun is shining, the cows are out grazing nice slush grass and there is plenty of milk going into the tank.

NEWS LETTER: If you were holding a dinner party – what three people would you invite and why?
EDWARD STEVENSON: It does not answer your question but I'm probably happy just getting the family together for a social occasion.

Last Updated: 17 January 2011 7:50 AM

As far as parading is concerned I still believe that when we loss an area we forfeit the right to walk in that area. That has been apparent for some time now even away back to the start of the 'troubles' when Sandy Row was forbidden to walk on the Grosvenor Rd. That was about 1970. Other areas took the DAM attitude but it wasn't long until their area became the same. The OO I especilly hold responsible for a lot of what happened. They were an organisation 90,000 strong with the organisational capabilties to do something,but again they were like headless chickens. I don't criticise all OO men,some even formed the OVs and others found their own way about,but the leadership at the top just wasn't there. If there had been I don't think there would have been a UDA or UVF.

But for the future, and I’m may be talking 5 or 10 years down the line, with changing demographics more and more areas will see opposition to parades as dissident republicans use them along with Sinn Fein to pursue their own agendas. For example new battlefields opening up in Limavady and the Waterside part of Coleraine, very soon there won’t be a single Protestant left in Rasharkin village itself, a new republican residents group forming up in Westgate in Ballymoney. Potential problems in Garvagh with the Swatragh side of the village main street becoming increasingly republican where the parades turn at. Same with Moneymore and Claudy, and that’s not regarding the parade disputes and issues concerning Londonderry, Newtownbutler, Belfast, Keady, Castlederg, Lurgan and Portadown.

I always say demographics is destiny, it all depends on who controls the area. Once we lose an area, then we lose the right to parade it’s streets. As sad as it may be, we as a people need to learn that we must hold what we have and if possible in certain places start expanding our influence into mixed areas that were once Protestant that can be won back.

Re the places you have named and their present or future takeover. A blind man could see that there is planning in all of this its just not natural drift. But the big thing is that there was no counter to this. There was no organisation,no planned alternative...nothing except an 'It'll be alright on the night' attitude. The much vaunted superiorty of Protestanst in this respect just wasn't there. Instead the so-called gombeen,bog-trotters were organised and making all the running.

It's true about our mindset, if something big happens, like a bomb goes off similiar to the Shankill bomb in 1993, then we'd be out for blood, but this silent and rapidly greening of Ulster by sheer demographics without so much a bit of concern amongst our community. If people don't wake up fast then we're doomed. Belfast City North Belfast held by Unionists, East, South and West all held by non-Unionists, the idea of that happening as little as 10 years ago would have been unthinkable.