Hi Northern Ireland. I’m in need of some help. I live on the other side of the world. And everyone related to this sash is long dead. I obviously won’t mention any names. But I’m in real need to figure out what the pins all mean. Can someone please either let me know, or guide me to someone or someplace that might be able to tell me? Please, please help.

by Ok-Repeat906

27 comments

  2. Fair enough. I have no affiliations with these people. Just trying to uncover what the pins mean individually.

  3. LOL 148 is The lodge number of Ballinderry. I’d suggest reaching out to them on social media, looks very old and may even have some historical significance to them. They’ll be more than happy to speak with you ☺️

  4. You might be best placed contacting one of the orange lodges and seeing if they can help you identify the meaning behind each

  5. It’s Ballinderry lodge.

    Just Christian symbols, The Bible, Jacobs ladder.

  6. LOL = loyal orange lodge

    LOL 148 is in Upper Ballinderry which is a small place, so, wouldn’t be hard to trace some info from them about the badges.

    However ass other have said likely means they were a bigot

  7. The ladder is Jacob’s ladder from the bible. The orange order and masonic lodges both use that symbol. The rest will be similar stuff

  8. 148 LOL That’s a lodge number. Bit of googling should let you know which one. Any bother there, get in touch with the Orange heritage people and they’ll look it up for you, I’m sure.

    I think cos it’s a blue sash it’ll be from a Temperance Lodge. (That doesn’t necessarily mean full-on abstention for its members but just that they don’t go out and get cut. The odd glass of sherry, sort of thing.)

    As to the other stuff, the ladder is Jacob’s Ladder. That’s common as a symbol of esoteric knowledge and it’s used in freemasonry too. In fact, most Orange symbolism is borrowed from freemasonry, so I’d say you’d get a lot of answers by looking that up. I don’t have a clue about the pierced heart or the crown and the arch and the rest. (I’d _guess_ the arch thing might be the two columns of Solomon’s Temple.)

    As to the other comments, I have no love for the Orange Order but I wouldn’t burn it. History’s history.

  12. The six symbols below the LOL are most likely related to the Royal Arch Purple.

    The bottom one is the Royal Arch itself, then you have Jacob’s ladder, etc.

    They all typically have religious/spiritual meanings. The ladder represents spiritual ascension or connection to God, coffin is a reminder of mortality, heart with arrow is often charity or love/devotion.

  13. Not everyone who is in the Orange order is a bigot, there certainly are a few but absolutely not all share the same flat mindset.

    What part of the world are you in? Was this a case relatives? (No need to over share, just curious)

    A lot of the pins will be generic, like the crown and the book, crown to signify the monarchy for example.

    The arch like thing at the bottom is the orange order emblem I believe (also known as the royal arch)

    The coffin, I’ve no idea what it is for… Although the Egyptians used to use a golden coffin to signify wealth and honor?

    Lodge 148 is (or was) Ballinderry in County Antrim.

    Now reading this you probably know more about them than half the people in the lodges! 😀

  14. Something about not having kids being involved with cross community games. Burning down GAA pitches

  15. The pins are restricted signifiers of Christianity, Reformation, Fraternity, Victory, Royalty, History and Promises. The members aren’t allowed to explain them. The man who own this was definitely very involved as he has pins reserved for the Royal Arch Purple Members; a separate fraternity with overlapping membership with the Orange Order. These are only about 1/4 of the total pins; to know what they mean you’d have to join.

  16. * Top emblem (crown ): Represents loyalty to the British Crown and the House of Orange, linked to King William III, whose victory at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690 is central to the Order’s identity.
    * Open book: Likely symbolizes the Bible, emphasizing the Order’s Protestant faith.
    * “148 LOL”: “LOL” stands for “Loyal Orange Lodge,” and “148” is likely the lodge number. Lodge numbers were assigned as the organization grew, with higher numbers possibly indicating later establishments, though this alone doesn’t date it precisely.
    * Heart with arrow: Could symbolize love, sacrifice, or the Sacred Heart, often adapted in Protestant contexts to signify devotion.
    * Star: A common symbol of guidance or divine favor in fraternal organizations.
    * Coffin: Represents mortality or remembrance, possibly linked to the Order’s rituals or memorials.
    * Menorah-like symbol: This is unusual for the Orange Order, which is traditionally Christian. It might be a misidentification or a unique lodge emblem, though it could also suggest a later modification or a different cultural influence.
    * Ladder: Symbolizes ascent or spiritual progress, a motif in Masonic-influenced groups, which the Orange Order partly draws from.
    * Arch or gateway: May represent entry into a higher state, such as heaven or the Order’s ideals.

    The sash’s age is hard to pinpoint without provenance, but the style of the fabric, tassels, and metalwork suggests it could date from the mid-19th to early 20th century (circa 1850–1930), a period when the Orange Order was particularly active. The wear and patina on the metal pieces support this estimate.

  17. This was not meant to offend anyone. And I certainly don’t share any of the ideas or values that these people apparently did. I’m just researching history. Nothing more. Just looking for some truth. I’ve been lucky enough to visit both Ireland and NI, and I’m a huge fan of them both. The people play the main role in that. And I can honestly say, people’s religion didn’t cross my mind once while I was there.

  18. This is a difficult one to uncover when a family member dies. Mainly because it’s a really contentious symbol, and anyone I’ve ever met outside NI asks me how we allow hate organisations to exist. Not a good starting point for appraisals. That being said, I’m sure they would love to take it off your hands so I’m echoing all the others who said contact the Ballinderry Orange Lodge directly.

  19. You’re missing some, you need another 8 after the 148

  20. I know you’ve a LOL badge there, but a lot of them look more masonic to me, the star, coffin and archway in particular. The arch AFAIK is part of the Royal Archway Chapter.

    I also think the blue sash is Masonic rather than LOL.

    I’d suggest reaching out to a Masonic Museum.

  23. Well lads, from the south, not much contact with Orangemen, so I’d love if someone could shed some light on this for me.

    I’ve long been curious about something, and I hope you’ll take this in the spirit it’s intended. Given the strong emphasis on biblical authority and the rejection of anything perceived as unbiblical or pagan in many Protestant traditions, how is Freemasonry – often criticized for its symbolic rituals and esotericism – viewed among Orangemen who are also devout Christians? Is there a theological or cultural reconciliation there that I might be missing?

    I’m aware of it’s origins in Scotland with which Ulster Protestants share a cultural and religious lineage, and that the philosophy of Freemasonry is much older and complex than the establishment of the Scottish rite, but still curious as to why it isn’t shunned given the strict and conservative nature of protestant Christianity up there.

  24. How warm and welcoming republicans are. Calling a random person from another country with no idea what the OO is a bigot because they found a sash 😂. Welcome to r/NorthernIreland op .

  27. Why aren’t catholic people allowed to join the orange order, ? This can’t be true in 2025, someone should take them to court, or sue them like in the USA

Comments are closed.