This year's annual 'Twelfth' parade, which involved Orange Lodges north and south, was held last Saturday in Kasha, with the County Grand Master, Tom Elliott presiding.
Speaking this week, he stated that, on the whole, and following hard work from various individuals across the community, Fermanagh had enjoyed a predominantly peaceful 'Twelfth', with the music and colour making it a unique spectacle.
He went on: "The work that has gone into ensuring that the Twelfth celebrations continue to broaden their appeal to all sections of the community has included input from many people".
Four Lodges, from Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim and Monaghan headed the parade, with Tempo District at the front of 15 Lodges and their bands.
Mr Elliott extended a warm welcome to all who had come to join with them, from Fermanagh, from the border counties and from further afield.
"Just this week", he said, " I received a message from a Fermanagh Orangeman now living in Australia, Wor Bro Ian Kells, formerly from the Springfield area who asked me to convey his best wishes to the Brethren of Fermanagh and all those at Kesh today."
Mr Kells is the current Grand Secretary of the Grand Orange Lodge of Australia.
Continuing, Mr Elliott noted that the Resolutions had remembered the many who paid the supreme sacrifice, 'that has given us the freedom to participate in our celebrations today and, indeed has secured that same freedom for the many who would like to stop us exercising our rights today and indeed on many other occasions."
He said the people of Ulster had been loyal to their realm and kingdom and, for generations they had been required to battle for their very survival.
Tracing that loyalty right back to the Glorious Revolution of 1688-1691 through two World Wars to the IRA border campaign of the 1950's and the IRA campaign from 1969, Mr Eliott suggested that, given that background, it was 'almost a miracle that we as a Protestant people continue to be an ardent and progressive group within this Province and indeed becoming an ever increasing influence in the Republic of Ireland'.
"Throughout these difficult periods", he stated, " it has become obvious that the more our backs are to the wall, the stronger and more committed we become".
However, he warned against an erosion of Britishness, referring to evacuation of former British Army bases across Northern Ireland.
" I believe the Orange Institution must be to the fore in reclaiming our rightful place as a core element of the British Realm. If we don't do it for ourselves I don't believe anyone will do it for us.
Referring to the recently IRA, in which 31 Orangemen from Fermanagh were 'murdered by cold blooded killers', he revealed that the County Grand Lodge had agreed to provide a memorial bannerette with their names to be carried at all official County Grand Lodge events.
He went on: "I hope and pray that those dark days will not return to this province. However, the signs of recent weeks and months have not been encouraging, with some people within our society still intent on a campaign of murder and destruction."
Mr Elliott thanked the officers and the brethren for their support, and he believed that this was a strength that had proved a great success for Orangeism in Fermanagh and the border areas. "Without this parochial loyalty, I believe we would not be as strong in our determination with our dealings with the wider institution and indeed broader society".
He commended those within the Orange Institution who play a part in many other areas of society, Church, school, community group, sporting organisation or other interest group.
