Not always true but I think a lot of it has to do with family background. In my day most people would be loyalist to a greater or lesser extent. I would say most of the of the greater variety. It was just part of life for so many people. The 12th was very much the big day. The crowds were enormous. Those taking part as members of the OO was big too. Belfast Telegraph give the figures going to 'The Field' at Finaghy as 50,000. This was made up of 300 Belfast lodges. The church services leading up to the 12th had 10,000 members going to the Grosvenor Hall,Ulster Hall,Assembly Hall,Donegall Square Methodist Church (now a bank) and the Wellington Hall in Wellington Place. So you can see how it was so much a part of their lives for the people of that time. Of course many changes have happened since then and people have lost their way as far as those days are concerned, though I still think it has a lot to do with your own family and how they view these things. They can set you on the road so to speak. But I hear a lot of people talk in a proudlike manner ''i rear my kids up to have their own views to go their own way'' Sounds very laudable but you lose tradition and the handing on of tradition from father to son,mother to daughter. The price of this is a high one to pay especially if your adversaries are not doing the same and are handing down their faith and traditions. I think that is bore out by the numbers who vote shinner despite of the murders,bombings they have been involved in.
As far as the OO is concerned I recognise that one of the reasons for the dwindling numbers is the number of young ones joining bands. It means they get to wear a uniform and walk for free wheras OO members have to pay walking dues. Its a vicious circle cause it means even larger walking dues have to be paid because of fewer members in the lodges. So bands are free of all that.
