A senior member of the Orange Order says the conviction of DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson “hurt us greatly,” while also arguing it does not damage the institution itself. Belfast Telegraph reports that the member distinguishes between the impact on the organization and any broader effect on the Orange Order’s standing. The Irish Independent similarly quotes a senior figure making the same overall assessment, stating that although the institution remains intact, the conviction is damaging in practical and reputational terms.
Both outlets frame the comments as a reaction to Donaldson’s conviction and its consequences for the Orange Order and those associated with it. The reporting does not indicate any change in the Orange Order’s official position beyond the quoted view of the conviction’s effects. The focus remains on the personal and organizational fallout that members say follows a high-profile conviction, alongside a view that the Orange Order, as an institution, continues undamaged.
The accounts present the same broad message: the conviction is viewed as significantly harmful to the group, even if members do not believe it undermines the institution itself.
