Co Tyrone woman celebrates 75th Twelfth ahead of milestone birthday

A pensioner who turns 90 in November says she hasn't missed an Orange Order on the 12 July in 75 years.

Una Williamson from Co Tyrone attended her first Twelfth parade in 1948.

She spoke to UTV at the field in Clogher where bands and lodges met following one of Northern Ireland smallest demonstrations.

23 lodges and 20 bands took part in the traditional parade, including a district from Co Monaghan.

Young children as well as parents and grandparents watched on with some also taking part in the Protestant cultural celebration.

"I was in a ladies lodge called Rehaghey and that's where I got the idea of lodges," Una told UTV.

"I wasn't married then but when I got married, I went to my husband's lodge and I've been there until today."

That lodge is Curlough True Blues where her son is a member, as was her husband.

"I had a couple of my pals with me and we would've been the youngest then - I enjoyed those days.

"I've never missed a Twelfth since then."

Even now, Una is still an active member of her local lodge and participates in events. SHe celebrates her 90th birthday in November.

"[I] still try to go to it at different functions and I always went home early on the Twelfth to help with the evening meal.

"I still like meeting all my friends and having a chat. I still go back in the evening and have something to eat... those women along with me were all my best friends and still are."

Una described having her family with her as 'very special' but is unsure that any of her youngest family members would join an Orange lodge now - although hopes that they do.

"It was something to be at and to have company in my days, in the early 50s.

"You do make good friends and I've all my friends still."

Mark Robinson is the Fivemiletown District Master (District 15). He said many of those taking part are of the same family and that it's a tradition in the rural community.

"I suppose I say it's small but beautiful," he told UTV.

"Everybody knows everybody here and maybe that makes it slightly different. You don't have the same variety or maybe the same number of bands but there's a lot of family involved in the bands here.

"A lot of bands would have two, three, four generations of family members in the band and maybe only five or six families in the one band so it's a big thing."