The future is bright....

With the possible exception of green and Ireland, no country is more closely associated with one colour than Holland and orange. But why? The answer lies not in Holland but in southern France, in the town of Orange near Avignon. This was originally a Roman settlement whose name is thought to have derived from a local Celtic deity. In the Middle Ages, Orange became a principality, which in the sixteenth century was inherited by William of Nassau-Dillenburg, better known as William the Silent, leader of the Dutch Revolt. He changed the family name to Orange-Nassau and although this originally had nothing to do with the colour or the fruit, the colour gradually became associated with the Princes of Orange-Nassau and the country itself. The close association between the Dutch and orange has given us Orange County in New York State, the Orange Free State in South Africa and the Orange Order in Northern Ireland. The Dutch football team is known as Oranje and on King's Day, April 27th, Holland will be a sea of orange ... and beer!