Scarva's Sham Fight

The Sham Fight at Scarva on July 13 is an event that is a mecca for tens of thousands of Ulster people and visitors from abroad.

These traditional celebrations, with origins that date hack to the Boyne. have an attraction all of their own with the eagerly awaited Sham Fight the centre-piece of the pageantry and the pomp and splendour of the Royal Black Institution's parade adding dignity to the proceedings.

Scarva, a sleepy little village on the Armagh/Down border for 365 days of the year. comes to life on the Thirteenth of July when the 300 residents are joined by tens of thousands of visitors, who flock in from all parts of the Province, from the United Kingdom and from the most distant parts of the English-speaking Commonwealth.

Atmosphere

For them it's "See you in Scarva on the Thirteenth," a phrase that has as much relevance in Ulster loyalist circles in far-off Toronto as it has in loyal Portadown or on the hills of Tandragee.

The Thirteenth demonstration has a special atmosphere and even though the Williamite victory over the forces of James in the Sham Fight is an inevitability adults and children alike watch agog as the "Royal" principals jostle in sword play down the green lawns of the spacious demesne.

The mock battle, played out over about 30 minutes. usually reaches a climax when James's green standard is cornered and lowered by the red-shirted "soldiers" of William.

Many articles have appeared on the Sham Fight and wasn't it Benedict Kiely of the Irish Press, who in July, 1953, paid tribute to the "dignified bearing" of Mr. Alex Kinnin, who played the part of "King Billy" for 36 years and was succeeded by his son James.

But "James's men" always put up "a brave fight" and while no-one expects an upset in the contest for the principals it is always an enjoyable encounter as they ride manfully on horseback - "William," of course, astride his white charger.

Parade

The parade of members of the Royal Black Institution before the Sham Fight sets a high standard, with the contingents from Portadown, Tandragee, Newry, Markethill, Banbridge, Dromore and Rathfriland, filing over the mile route to Scarvagh House behind the greens, reds and blacks of banners that portray many Old Testament scenes like David at the Brook, Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and The Burning Bush.

The banner colours provide a blending backcloth to the lush green oak and chestnut trees in the demesne and the crowds of spectators lined, ten deep on both sides of the route, set their feet a-tapping to the tunes of the hands that accompany every one of the 70 preceptories on parade.

The old Orange standards of The Sash and Derry's Walls bring gaiety to the scene, hut there is also the religious touch with the hymns of Newton and Wesley.

Sobriety is the tenure of the marchers, with banners carried properly dancing a banner is forbidden by R.B.P officials - and hard hats, dark suits, white gloves and umbrellas are the order of the day for the "Blackmen".

Portadown has always the largest number of men on parade - a total of 5,000 take part and as the members pass Scarvagh House, the home of the Buller family, who loan out the demesne for the day, they are reviewed by the Sovereign Grand Master of the Institution, Sir Knt. Millar Farr and other dignatories.

Scarvagh House

On the way down from the house the "Blackmen" pass a Spanish chestnut tree, where King William is said to have pitched his tent and tethered his horse in June, 1690, before moving on to the Boyne and many no doubt get the feeling that they are actually treading on "Royal ground".

Loyalty is the keynote at the platform proceedings held in front of Scarvagh House, after all the R.B.P officials and guests have been entertained to lunch by members of the Buller family.

Loyalty

After the religious service the resolutions of loyalty to the British Throne and the reaffirmation of the principles of the Reformed Faith and the link with the United Kingdom are spelt out by the Sir Knights on the platform.

Scarva is not all "fighting", marching and speeches. It is also a social occasion and the "crack is good" when old friends, who have not seen each other since the previous year, team up in the demesne.

And there are the market vendors with stalls lined up and down the main streets, selling anything from a loyalist record to stick of candy floss. The marquees of churches cater for the inner needs of the multitude encamped for the day, even though the sandwiches do feel a hit hard in being kept over from the day before.

A dry day at Scarva means thousands of people stretched out on the lawns and fields in front of the Scarvagh House - a wet day dampens the proceedings as the crowds seek shelter under the rain dripping canopy of trees, soaked, but still very much in the spirit of the day.

Transport

The Scarva scene on the Thirteenth hasn't changed much in the last 60 years, except that it's buses and cars that convey the people to the village, not the old GNR steam trains and horse-drawn brakes, - although Portadown District now travel by train.

But how did it all begin and why these are questions sometimes asked when talk about Scarva comes up?

William's connection with Scarva is penned in Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland (1837), under the heading of "Scarvagh" - "Here the army of William III, under Duke Schomberg, first rendezvoused after landing in Ireland, the camp extending in two lines from Loughhrickland to Scarvagh Pass and Pointz Pass [Poyntzpass]. A venarable oak in Scarvagh Demesne is still shown as that under which the Royal tent was pitched".

And the Rev. Dr. Michael Dewar, in his booklet "The Scarva Story" recounts that Schomberg's men lay under canvas throughout the winter of 1689 - 90, many of his English soldiers falling victims of the rigours of the Irish climate.

Dr. Dewar relates: "Then at midsummer 1690 came the lightning march from Carrickfergus where William had landed on June 14. Schomberg met the King at White House on the road to Belfast and after a 'royal' welcome took the road southwards through Belfast, Lambeg, Lisburn, Blaris, Hillsborough, Dromore and Banbridge at Huntley.

"On to Scarva and what an amazing spectacle the great army must have presented to the wondering eyes of our forbears, Protestant and Roman Catholic alike, as it passed up Scarva Street on the way to the gathering place in what is now the Demesne! Leaving there at 2 am, on June 26, they passed through Newry to Ardee and the Boyne Water itself. The Gap of the North again!"

Later on, in 1783, an event took place in the townland of Lisnagade in the parish of Scarva that may well have led to the rise of the modern-day Sham Fight.

A skirmish ensued at Lisnagade Fort between the Protestant "Peep of Day Boys" and the Roman Catholic "Hearts of Steel." The Protestant group, who were the forerunners of those who brought the Orange Institution into being after the Battle of the Diamond in September, 1795, successfully drove off the opposing forces and in subsequent years they held a Sham Fight in nearby Scarva to celebrate the victory.

Evidence by a Tandragee solicitor, Patrick McConnell, to a parliamentary inquiry on Orangeism in 1835 describes the Sham Fight at Scarva that year. "The Orangemen again assembled from different directions in procession and they marched to that same place called Scarvagh - the Newry canal passes by it and they used the canal as a representation of the Boyne Water: they commenced a Sham Fight, they had done so for several years before: one party headed by a man to represent King William: King James's party having a white flag with the cross on top of it and the other an Orange flag."

McConnell revealed that there was "vast assemblage" on that occasion and when asked which side lost he replied: "James's men, of course".

Later, on 15th August 1872, we are told, the Sham Fight received a great impetus with the holding of a "Lady Day" demonstration by nationalists in the village of Scarva. This demonstration received a hostile reception from the local Orangemen and it is said that the rallying Hibernians were given a short stay in Scarva.

Dr. Dewar, a former Church of Ireland rector of Scarva, points out that the Sham Fight's origins go back to "a time when no man knoweth to the contrary."

County Cork

He says: "The oldest inhabitants of Scarva only recall that their fathers and grandfathers took part in the Sham Fight and that it was not new in their day or even in the old time before them."

Sham Fights are not, by any means, peculiar to Scarva. They were held at different centres throughout the 18th and 19th century at Lurgan. Portadown, Keady, Divernagh near Bessbrook, in County Tyrone and, believe it or not at Bandon in County Cork, a noted Protestant stronghold of over 200 years ago.

Nowhere in Ireland was July 1st celebrated with more fervour than in Bandon.

Tradition has it that the "1st" was never wet of cloudy. Thousands poured into the little town and a sham fight was held after services in all the Protestant churches and at night a fireworks display was held. These celebrations were apparently held through the 18th century and ended in 1809.

During a Sham Fight at Divernagh in the late 19th century two drums were seized by the RIC (Royal Irish Constabulary) and according to authoritative reports they are still being kept in Dublin Castle.

It seems originally to have been an undisciplined affair, with all day the noise of battle rolling around the fields of Aughlish (a townland beside Scarva village) as the rival "armies" manoeuvred and "massacred" each other, historians tell us.

Only gradually did it attain dignity of its present status, sponsored first by the Orange Order and now by the Black Institution.

Formerly Lurgan district preceptories joined the contingents from Portadown, Tandragee, Newry, Banbridge and Markethill, but they stopped coming about the time of the First World War and went instead to Bangor on an excursion.

The importance of Scarva on July 13 as a tourist attraction, as well as a social and cultural event brings many Ulster exiles from Canada, the USA, New Zealand, Australia, England, and Scotland,

They love the atmosphere of it all. It is so different from the Twelfth.

Sir Knight Billy Kennedy