PICTURE GALLERY: Ballymena homecoming parade
THOUSANDS turned out to cheer the Royal Irish Regiment through the streets of Ballymena as local soldiers received their first proper welcome home from war.
A town whose links to the Royal Irish go back 300 years, its
citizens and those of other towns across Northern Ireland came to line the route of the homecoming parade.
The parade took place only hours after the Armed Forces and Sinn Fein both altered their planned homecoming parade and counter-demonstration in Belfast tomorrow.
The Armed Forces dropped an RAF flypast and announced
soldiers would be unarmed, while Sinn Fein changed the route and times of its protest.
Today, Larne will also welcome home their soldiers, conferring on them The Freedom of The Borough of Larne.
Last night in Ballymena many stood in cold darkness for more than an hour to secure vantage points, the crowds building up to become five deep in places.
The troops, praised by Ballymena mayor Maurice Mills as "worthy and proven Freemen of Ballymena" marched in the desert combats they wore during six months' arduous duty in Afghanistan's Helmand province.
Following a day where tensions around Sunday's Belfast homecoming parade began to subside, the 200 soldiers on parade last night were watched by politicians from across the nationalist/unionist divide.
The soldiers, who last month won praise from a Church of England bishop for "modelling what it is like for Catholics and Protestants to work together", took about 10 minutes to march around the centre of Ballymena, their feet travelling in time to the stirring regimental march, Killaloe.
The Welcome Home The Heroes campaign, which the News Letter launched in the summer, called for local soldiers to receive the same public welcome home that soldiers across the rest of the UK have received by having homecoming parades.
As he made his way to the head of the parade, Lieutenant Colonel Ed Freely, commanding officer of 1 Royal Irish, was stopped by an elderly woman who clasped his hand and said: "Well done".
Soldiers from both the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment took part in the parade, which is the first major military homecoming parade in Northern Ireland since the end of World War Two in 1945.
An estimated 4,000 people watched last night's parade and even larger crowds are expected to watch the Royal Irish parade in Larne today.
Some have estimated that tens of thousands will travel into Belfast tomorrow to show their support for members of the Royal Navy, Royal Air Force and Army who will march through the city.
Among those watching last night's parade were local MP Ian Paisley and local SDLP MLA Declan O'Loan.
The mayor said that the parade, which did not see any protests or trouble, was a fitting way to show gratitude to the soldiers.
"This occasion is not about the war, nor the controversy that surrounds it," Mr Mills said.
"It is simply about recognising the tremendous sacrifices and commitment the troops have made over the past months.
"We are proud of their efforts and are pleased to celebrate their safe return," he said.
Paying tribute to Cavan Royal Irish soldier Justin Cupples, who was killed weeks before leaving Helmand, the mayor said that his death was a poignant reminder of how many British soldiers have not returned alive from Afghanistan, and of those who have been terribly maimed.
Following the parade, the troops and their families were guests at a civic reception held in the council's new Braid Centre headquarters.
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Weather for Belfast
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 13 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: South east
