12,000 attended Portrush Sons of Ulster band parade despite media 'misinformation'

Twelve thousand people attended Saturday night’s band parade in Portrush during one of the biggest weekends in the County Antrim resort in years, a local councillor has said.

TUV’s Allister Kyle says that despite the “mammoth” attendance, there were no incidents linked to the parade involving the PSNI, and officers praised the planning that went into the event.

placeholder image — A band parade in Portrush on Saturday night - during the Open - attracted thousands of spectators. Pic: Tristan Morrow

The parade has been an annual event in the town on the first Saturday after the Twelfth for over three decades, but organisers had faced calls to cancel it because it coincided with the British Open golf tournament.

The Portrush Sons of Ulster event was also described in sections of the media as “controversial”.

“In the build-up to Saturday night’s parade in Portrush, there was an enormous amount of misinformation from the media.

“In the aftermath of the event, I look forward to the facts being reported—including those which I received from the PSNI this morning", Councillor Kyle said.

The TUV man said the force had estimated the number of spectators on the night at 12,000 – and said that there were “a sum total of zero incidents involving police linked to the parade”.

He said officers thanked organisers “for being a pleasure to work with and for their meticulous planning”.

“It is beyond dispute that, for locals and visitors to our shores alike, the band parade was not, as some uninformed outlets described it, controversial in any way, shape or form, but instead positively contributed to a most memorable weekend on the North Coast.

“Well done Portrush Sons of Ulster – and thank you”, Mr Kyle said.

The News Letter asked the Police Service of Northern Ireland for its view on how the parade had passed off, but a spokesperson said they had “nothing further to add”.

Despite demands to move the parade, and it having been labelled controversial, Mark Darbon, chief executive of golf body the Royal & Ancient (R&A), said that only “marginal adjustments” of about 15 minutes to the golf tee-times on Saturday had been made to ensure both events can take place in a “seamless” way.

The R&A boss said his organisation recognised that they are “a guest in the community”