Scottish Orange Order Meets with Irish Government

David Walts, GOLS Executive Officer (left), Robert Troy, Minister of State at the Department of Finance (centre), and Andrew Murray, GOLS Most Worthy Grand Master

The Most Worthy Grand Master, Bro. Andrew Murray, and Executive Officer, Bro. David Walters, recently held a productive meeting with Irish Finance Minister Troy and Maurice Cotter, Director of Foreign Affairs for the Irish Government.

Discussions centred on community engagement and cultural education, with a particular focus on increasing understanding of both Scottish and Irish traditions. The meeting explored ways to support cultural awareness among our members and the wider Irish community in Scotland, while maintaining the values and identity of our Institution.

Jerry O'Donovan, Consul General (left) and David Walters, GOLS Executive Officer (right)

This follows a similar meeting held last month with the Consul General of Ireland in Edinburgh, where the same key themes were discussed. These early conversations have led to meaningful progress around shared understanding with those who are genuinely interested in respectful cultural dialogue.

Further meetings are expected in the coming months as we continue to explore these topics with transparency and integrity.