Thousands attend Twelfth parades across NI
'Today means so much to me'
- Published
The Orange Order and hundreds of marching bands have taken part in more than 550 parades across Northern Ireland to mark the Twelfth of July.
The annual parades mark the Battle of the Boyne, when William of Orange - also known as King Billy - defeated King James II in 1690.
Parades must be lodged to the Parades Commission and approved in advance.
The commission imposed restrictions on a contentious march on the night of 12 July in north Belfast close to the Ardoyne shopfronts.
Across Northern Ireland, about 4,000 police officers were on duty, which is approximately two thirds of the force.
The cost of the policing operation for the Twelfth period last year was more than £4m.
Ardoyne
The Twelfth evening parade in north Belfast complied with restrictions imposed on its route.
Involving about 100 people, it dispersed before getting near Ardoyne shops, in line with the Parades Commission ruling.
The morning leg of the march was allowed past the shops due to the agreement between the Orange Order and a nationalist residents group.
However, there is no agreement on the return parade.
In its ruling, the commission said marchers should not go past the Woodvale Parade - Woodvale Road junction.
If it went beyond that, there was “a potential for public disorder”.
There was a small police presence in the area to enforce the ruling.
The parade stopped about 100m before Woodvale Parade and dispersed just before 19:00 BST.
A girl watches Orangemen parade past in Belfast on Friday
An agreement, dating back to 2016, ended the dispute in the Ardoyne area but it collapsed three weeks ago.
Efforts had since been made to try to defuse the tension and avoid any confrontation.
The grand secretary of the Orange Order, Rev Mervyn Gibson, told BBC NI's Good Morning Ulster radio programme he didn't see "any appetite for violence, certainly not from our side and I don’t think from any sides".
"We want a peaceful day and for everyone to enjoy it, so I wouldn’t see any difficulties today but it needs to be sorted out quickly after he Twelfth of July," he added.
"This is a day when hundreds of thousands of people will be out to see the parades, tens of thousands of Orangemen and bands will parade right across Northern Ireland and people want to enjoy themselves."
However, he added: "I have to be honest, I think relationships are probably the worst they’ve been in about 20 years.
"There are a whole lot of factors for that – political agitation around calls for a United Ireland and other things."
'People are getting edgy'
Former UUP politician and member of the Orange Order, commentator Chris McGimpsey told BBC NI's Evening Extra radio programme that "it's quite clear that the Protestant unionist community at the minute doesn't feel that it's got a lot going for it".
"Clearly, people are getting edgy, there’s no doubt about that," Mr McGimpsey said.
"I think that’s what Mervyn is referring to, he’s not referring to a lack of interest within the protestant community of reaching out and trying to do cross-community work with people in the catholic community," he said.
"He’s talking about the pressure that is building up in our community."
Former editor of the Irish News and current columnist with the paper, Noel Doran, told Evening Extra that he does not believe the situation is a "20-year low or anything like it".
"I don’t think there’s any comparison between where we used to be and the events at present. There’s still some areas where confrontations take place but they’re at a much lower level than they used to be," Mr Doran said.
The parade in Newry in County Down
'Great success'
The Orange Order said that around 600 marching bands would be involved in Friday's parades.
In a statement on Friday evening, the order's grand master Edward Stevenson, said the annual Twelfth celebrations were a "great success".
“The 334th anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne will be remembered by many people for lots of reasons – but once again we have seen extraordinary numbers of people celebrating the largest annual festival in Northern Ireland," Mr Stevenson said.
"“I trust everyone involved – the participants, supporters, onlookers and traders – have had a wonderful day. Whether you attended your first Twelfth or have been attending for many years, there is no doubting that this is a very special event indeed," he said.
The order's Rev Gibson said the institution is in a "great position".
"For the first time in many years our membership is increasing – our junior movement increased by 40% last year," he said.
"We’re seeing more and more activities throughout the year – we’re not a one day a year organisation and there’s a massive growth in Orange activity around the country."
The Pride of Ardoyne flute band passes the Ardoyne shops
At the scene: Elaine Mitchell, BBC News NI
Cheryl Brownlee and her daughter Brooke
Thousands of people lined the streets of Carrickfergus for the East Antrim demonstration.
Forty bands marched alongside around 60 lodges from the town and further afield.
Assembly member Cheryl Brownlee helped organise the Carrickfergus celebrations and was walking with the Alison Memorial 206 lodge.
“We are a town that is so proud to host this event. It’s phenomenal for the town”.
She walked alongside her daughter Brooke,12.
Several generations of women taking part in the parade in Carrickfergus
The women of Carrickfergus WLOL 7 had spent several weeks preparing for the Twelfth.
Linda Laughlin said she was delighted to see the parade "back where it belongs in Carrick” and that it "represents our religion and our heritage".
Linda was with her sisters, daughter and granddaughters but she said that the women from her lodge "are all my sisters too.”
Why is the Battle of the Boyne in my calendar?
Marchers in Londonderry's Waterside
The Twelfth is a bank holiday in Northern Ireland.
Banks and some businesses will be closed on Friday 12 July.
Routes and traffic advice
The Police Service of Northern Ireland had released information on traffic closures and disruption expected on Friday and Saturday which can be found on its website. , external
In Belfast, the main Twelfth of July parade started at 10:00 BST from the Orange hall in Carlisle Circus and moved towards Belfast City Hall, where a wreath-laying ceremony took place.
The parade continued along Donegall Square North, Donegall Square West, Bedford Street, Dublin Road, Shaftsbury Square, Bradbury Place, Lisburn Road, Balmoral Avenue and Malone Road.
At about 15.30 BST, the main parade started its return journey back to Carlisle Circus, where districts branched off to their own areas.
In Londonderry, 57 Orange lodges from eight districts made their way through the city centre accompanied by 36 bands before parading to the field in the Waterside.
Victor Wray, from City of Londonderry Grand Orange Lodge, said he expected about 3,000 people to take part in the parade in the city
Victor Wray, from City of Londonderry Grand Orange Lodge, said he expected about 3,000 people to take part.
The main parade departed from Glendermott Road (end of Bonds Street) at 11:30 BST. It was expected to have arrived in Wilton Park for 14:00 BST.
Richard Heatherington is the Grand Master of the Grand Orange Lodge of Canada and among those taking part.
He told BBC News NI it’s been a life-long ambition to parade in Derry.
'A dream come true'
“It’s been a dream come true for myself and the rest of the Canadian contingent. I have always wanted to parade in Londonderry, the Maiden City and now today I get the chance.
He added: “We are a world wide family and I get to share this moment with my brothers that I may never see again”.
Translink said bus and train services across Northern Ireland would be operating on holiday timetables on 12 and 13 July, with local rail and enterprise services operating on the current summer timetable.
Translink has warned that due to parades and road closures some stops will be missed on bus routes and advised passengers to check its website, external.
New Secretary of State Hilary Benn with Orange Order members in Irvinestown in County Fermanagh
Full list of parades
The locations for the 18 main demonstrations included Londonderry, Ballymena, Carrickfergus, Newtownards, Ballygawley and Moneymore.
The longest parade, a 12-mile return trip, was from north to south Belfast, via the city centre.
The largest gathering was in the village of Killylea in County Armagh.
The Twelfth demonstrations taking place include:
Antrim
Ahoghill
Ballymena
Belfast
Broughshane
Cloughmills
Carrickfergus
Derriaghy
Down
Annalong
Ballynahinch
Gilford
Newtownards
North West
Londonderry
Moneymore
Tyrone
Ballygawley
Benburb
Newtownstewart
Fermanagh
Irvinestown
Armagh
Killylea