Sparkling teeth, orange hair, orange eyebrows, orange collarette and suit and purple cloak: meet Orangeman as superhero, and not a bowler hat in sight.
The Orange Order has unveiled its new loyal champion, not as a rival to King Billy, but as a means of enticing young people to learn the history and traditions of the order.
Director of services with the order, David Hume, said yesterday they are looking for a name for this valiant Orange defender and are asking the general Irish public, particularly young people, to help.
He can't be called "Orangeman" for he's an Orange boy. One journalist proposed "Sash Gordon", which is pretty good, but nonetheless the order wants a multitude of suggestions before making its final decision.
Contributors to the Slugger O'Toole website yesterday had lots of ideas. How about Boyne Wonder, said one? Or Supersam? Or Lambeglad.
Then the tone rather slipped into the old bitter Green v Orange bother. How about Billy Boy or Bigot Boy or Dumb Cree? Maybe, this was the boy to finally get the Orangemen down the Garvaghy Road, said another.
"Our new Orange hero has been carefully designed and is really a bit of good fun," Mr Hume emphasised. "Our research shows that he should appeal to the young. He will appear on Christmas cards and other merchandise which we sell or distribute.
"The only problem is that we do not have a name for him so we decided to launch a competition. We hope that junior members of the order or indeed anyone who is interested will send in suggestions to our headquarters at Schomberg House, 368 Cregagh Road, Belfast, BT6 9EY. The closing date for the competition will be January 10th."
The order hasn't yet decided what the prize will be, which, of course, triggered more hoary suggestions. First prize: a day at Drumcree or a day with Ian Paisley or a day at Stormont. And yes, second prize: a week at Drumcree, or a week with Ian Paisley, or a week at Stormont. Still, you must admit, it makes a change to rows about Orange parades.
