Portadown Orange bid to complete Drumcree parade to coincide with All-Ireland final

Portadown Orangemen have made a fresh bid to complete their parade from Drumcree Church along the Garvaghy Road to coincide with the All-Ireland final.

The district, which has been prevented from walking along the mainly nationalist Garvaghy Road, has said it remains committed to bringing an end to its dispute.

And it believes that by completing the controversial route on Sunday afternoon – at a time when Armagh take on Galway at Croke Park – it offers the perfect opportunity to do so.

Portadown District LOL No 1 released a statement today (Monday), when it confirmed an application had been made to the Parades Commission.

A spokesperson confirmed: “During the weekend District Officers Submitted an application to complete our 1998 parade back along a route which we have been denied to us over this last 26 years by the unelected quango set up by a Labour government in 1998 the ‘Parades Commission’ and the PSNI, backed up by 15 Secretary of State’s for Northern Ireland.

Over the last 26 years there has also been a big change in demographics of who live within this area with a lot of foreign nationals coming into the area, so we believe that the time is now to look at all the factors again and a decision made with more up to date facts.

“From as early as 2006 this District has made it very clear that we are ready to sit down with the community or anyone who can help bring this to a satisfactory resolution for all stakeholders. But we have been continually punished by our parade not being allowed to be concluded.

As in 1997 when the parade last made it way home the district is committed to walking in ranks of four to allow parade to pass quickly through the area and strictly only those in Portadown District will be permitted to take part in parade.

The ball is now firmly in the courts of the PSNI, the chair and commissioner’s of the parades commission to make sure that they look at all the factors and make a decision based on them and not to be cutting and pasting determinations, what has happened from 1998.

“This District stands ready and willing to bring this dispute to a satisfactory end for all so that our town can move on and prosper.”

The application to the Parades Commission details a proposed route of Drumcree Road, Garvaghy Road, Parkmount, Victoria Terrace, Castle Street, Bridge Street, High Street, Market Street, Church Street and Carleton Street.

The start time of the return route is at 1pm and end of return route at 3.30pm.

Portadown District – in its application – indicate the hope to parade with two bands, Star of David Accordion Band and Edgarstown Accordion.

In terms of number of participants and spectators, required when filling in such parade notifications, the listing states “unknown”.

A determination will now follow in the next few days.