Twelfth of July: 100 local parades planned

Parades will be held at about 100 locations to mark the Twelfth of July, according to the Orange Order.

Smaller parades will be held across Northern Ireland due to the Covid-19 pandemic, rather than the traditional 18 large demonstrations.

The annual parades celebrate the Battle of the Boyne, when William of Orange defeated the Catholic King James II in 1690.

Twelfth of July parades were called off in 2020 because of the pandemic.

Edward Stevenson, the grand master of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland, said the smaller parades this year would be "for one year only".

"We have endured a difficult 18 months, having cancelled our meetings and parades, for the good of all in the community," he said.

"Last year it was the 'Twelfth at Home' but thankfully this year, with the restrictions suitably eased, we are in a position to have district parades right across Northern Ireland.

"These smaller demonstrations will help reduce crowds, remove the need for travelling long distances to see a parade and ensure that we as an institution continue to put the safety of everyone to the fore."

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The current Covid regulations limit gatherings of people to 500.

Previously, the demonstrations had only been called off during World War One and World War Two, the Spanish Influenza outbreak in 1918 and when all parades were cancelled due to the Party Processions Act in the 1860s.