THE ORANGE Order has backed DUP Minister for Culture Nelson McCausland who was criticised for urging the Ulster Museum to give more prominence to the order, to Ulster Scots and to alternative views on the origins of the universe.
Mr McCausland, meanwhile, has rejected complaints that he was attempting to “ram creationism down the throats of a sceptical public”, arguing instead that he is working in the interests of a shared future in Northern Ireland.
Mr McCausland recently wrote to the trustees of the recently refurbished museum. He said he believed that his department and the trustees shared “a common desire to ensure that museums are reflective of the views, beliefs and cultural traditions that make up society in Northern Ireland”.
He asked that there be consideration of how best to recognise the role of the Orange Order and other loyal and fraternal bodies, as well as having a focus on Ulster Scots.
He also asked the trustees to consider alternative views of the origin of the universe, viewed as a reference to creationism – although Mr McCausland did not specifically mention creationism.
Mr McCausland defended his action in writing to the museum, saying his letter was balanced and measured. He complained that in a current exhibition at the museum, Plantation to Power Sharing, there was serious under-representation of the role of the Orange Order, particularly in relation to the prominence accorded to the United Irishmen.
English scientist Prof Richard Dawkins in a BBC Radio Ulster discussion with Mr McCausland was dismissive of the Minister’s request. He said it would be as valid to have an exhibition on “the stork theory of reproduction” or the museum holding “an exhibition on the flat-Earth theory of geography”.
Mr McCausland said Prof Dawkins was being intolerant by writing off “perhaps a third of the population of Northern Ireland as crackpots”.
Alliance Assembly member Trevor Lunn said: “This smacks of another attempt by DUP fundamentalists to ram creationism down the throats of a sceptical public following their previous failed attempt to have it included in the educational curriculum.”
Sinn Féin Assembly member Barry McElduff accused Mr McCausland of being intent on pursuing a “narrow, partisan, political agenda” and of attempting to impose “undue influence” on the museum.
The Orange Order, however, said it appreciated the support from Mr McCausland.
It too wrote a letter to the museum complaining that there was "little space and weight" accorded the order in the Plantation to Power Sharingexhibition. A spokesman for the museum said the complaints were being considered and a formal response would be issued in due course.