First major Orange parade of 2025 now in the calendar honouring two men murdered by the IRA
The date of the first major Orange parade of the year has been announced.
It will take place in central Belfast on Belfast on Saturday February 22.
The march is held annually to honour the memory of UDR soldiers James Cummings and Frederick Starrett, both aged 22, who were killed by an IRA booby-trap device as they closed the security gates on Royal Avenue on February 24, 1988.
Both men were members of lodges in Ballymacarrett No 6 District: Banner of the Cross LOL 1310, and Johnston’s Golden Star LOL 1934, respectively.
The Orange Order said the parade “is widely regarded as the first major parade in the annual calendar” and “is always well attended by visiting brethren”.
Marchers will be accompanied by four bands: Pride of The Raven Flute, Millar Memorial Flute, Somme Memorial Flute, and Legananny Accordion.
The 11/1 form says it starts at Pottinger Street in east Belfast at 10.20am, before heading into the city centre via the Newtownards Road, Bridge End, Ann Street, Victoria Street, and the High Street, ending at Royal Avenue.
The return parade is set to depart at noon.
The estimated number of participants is listed as 800.
The bombing that the march commemorates saw a 200lb (90kg) bomb placed next to CastleCourt shopping centre, which was still being built at the time.
It was detonated by command wire.
A second bomb was intended for police responders, but failed to detonate.
Pvt Starrett was from east Belfast and had been in the UDR for four months, while Pvt Cummings was from Rathcoole in Newtownabbey, and had been in the regiment since 1986.