Parades in Northern Ireland become disputed when a route passes an area whose residents object, most often a loyal order parade through a Catholic/nationalist…
William III defeated James II at the Boyne. After the calendar change the anniversary settled on 12 July, the date of the main Orange parades.
The Loyal Orange Institution was founded after the Battle of the Diamond near Loughgall. The first Twelfth parades followed on 12 July 1796.
After residents' protests and loyalist rioting, police kept the Drumcree parade out of Obins Street. Both legs of the parade now used the Garvaghy Road.
Residents sat down on the Garvaghy Road and police stopped the parade. After two days, Orangemen walked the road silently, without bands.
Police banned the parade, then forced it through after four days of loyalist protest. Michael McGoldrick was murdered on 7 July; nationalist rioting followed.
Police and soldiers removed residents before dawn and about 1,200 Orangemen walked the road. A non-statutory Parades Commission had been set up in March.
The new statutory Parades Commission barred the route. On 12 July, Jason, Mark and Richard Quinn died in a loyalist arson attack in Ballymoney.
A Portadown Orangeman's judicial review succeeded after the Commission conceded not every commissioner had approved its 2026 decision.
A silent parade of up to 35 people, 8am to 9:30am, no bands or supporters. A residents' injunction on 26 September was lifted on appeal at 2:15am on 27 September.
No. Thousands of protesters, including the First Minister, occupied the Garvaghy Road all day. Most dispersed at midnight after talks with the NI Secretary were announce…
Read the complete story, FAQs and key facts.