With Republican groups easily winning the PR battle due to active organisation by grass root Sinn Fein members, the Orange Order decided to open up their doors and allow greater media access to produce this series of films looking at both sides of the divide and what the marches means in several contexts.
This short series was shown on channel 4 during the marching season with the final episode on the 12th itself. It was weird to watch them because, in a week usually dominated by news coverage of riots etc, the news was very quiet as there was no real trouble to speak of - the media is only interested in bad news! The series took several different aspects of the marches and filmed them in action interspersed with interviews with members of both communities.
Although the Orange Order are aiming to be seen less as ogres they are still very honest bout their feelings. Even without spinning they come off looking quite reasonable. The republican point of view is also well put forward in the final part of the series (which looks at the conflict in urban areas) but is damaged a bit by being presented by a woman who is as stuck in her ways and full of resentment and hate.
Aside from they inevitable subjects, the series also covers other very interesting sides. The women marches are covered and one episode goes to Ghana (The Orange Order exists world-wide) to see what they do. They bring the leader of the Order to Northern Ireland where he is confused by the conflict as the majority of his family are catholic and they don't fight. It is proof that this is not a propaganda tool for the Order that the Ghanaian concludes that the marches should perhaps stay out of contentious areas tin order to avoid trouble.
While not a great series I just found that it was nice to see the marches presented on television in a fair and balanced light bringing out the good and the bad of the traditions. It is a shame that the media normally only care about Protestant history when the practising of that history leads to riots and `good television'.
