FORMER ULSTER Unionist Trevor Ringland has said that the Orange Order has landed itself in a “PR disaster” after one of its lodges complained about Ulster Unionist leader Tom Elliott and senior party colleague Danny Kennedy attending the funeral of Constable Ronan Kerr.
Mr Ringland, a former Irish rugby international, called on Orange Order leaders to reorganise the order’s structures and rules so that in future “one lodge out of 1,200” could not cause so much damage to the organisation.
Meanwhile, Mr Elliott said that he and the UUP Minister for Regional Development Mr Kennedy had “no regrets” about their decision to attend Constable Kerr’s funeral Mass in Beragh, Co Tyrone, last April.
Mr Elliott said that his main concern was that the publicity around the order’s internal proceedings against him and Mr Kennedy would serve to “retraumatise” the Kerr family.
The Orange Order would make no comment on the matter yesterday other than to say it was a private “internal” matter for the organisation now that an official complaint has been received and to comment would be viewed as interference in the processing of the complaint.
A single lodge from the Sandy Row area of central Belfast formally complained that Mr Elliott and Mr Kennedy “have sold their souls for political expediency” in attending the funeral Mass.
Under Orange Order rules members may not attend Catholic services.
The Catholic police officer was murdered in an under-car bomb dissident republican attack in Omagh, Co Tyrone in April.
