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The ongoing tensions between members of the order and householders in the north of Portadown are laid bare in a ruling handed down by the Parades Commission.

The Orangemen, plus two bands (Edgarstown and Star of David accordion bands), applied as usual to hold their annual Drumcree Sunday march this July 10.

The proposed outward route is uncontentious, taking the marchers from Carleton Street west and northwards through the town to Drumcree Parish Church of Ireland, starting at 10.15am.

The return route at 1pm however remains - as ever - a source of dispute.

The application to re-enter Portadown via the quickest route - taking the Orangemen along the Garvaghy Road - is being refused by the commission once again.

The commission first banned the marchers from the route in 1998 - the year it came into existence.

In the years since, small weekly protest parades of about 20 people have been held in the area by local Orangemen to show that they will not back down from their end goal of completing the route.

‘GARVAGHY RESIDENTS GOT WHAT THEY WANT’:

The commission’s judgement for the 2022 parade says that, whilst no marcher numbers have been given this year, last year the parade involved about 150 people.

It reads: “Representations were received from the office bearers of Portadown LOL No 1. They reaffirmed their position that the long-standing determination that prevents them from processing the whole of the notified route is an unjustified infringement of their rights.

“The office bearers accept that whilst historically they initially refused to participate in dialogue with the residents, they have for many years now expressed a willingness to engage in an effort to reach an accommodation.

“They stated that areas of compromise could include factors such as the size, time and form of the parade to bring home the banner, but not the route.

“It is their present view that they and others on their behalf have made repeated efforts to initiate direct or indirect dialogue with residents, which have either been rejected or met with silence...

“They expressed frustration with the commission’s current position, believing that it creates an ‘impasse’ whereby residents have what they want and therefore do not need to engage.”

Nonetheless, they said their offer of talks “still stands”.

RESIDENTS CITE ‘TRAUMA’ AS REASON TO OPPOSE PARADE:

Meanwhile the Garvaghy Road Residents Coalition lobbied against the route once again, citing the “trauma” of the past, according to the commission.

Granting the Orangemen the ability to walk down the Garvaghy Road would “bring to the fore issues, anxieties, and fears which the residents consider should remain in the past and which could have wider ramifications for both the present and the future”.

Previous talks have been “disingenous and futile” they said, adding (in the words of the commission) that “they did not see any reason to engage in any further talks as the community has moved on”.

The commission concluded that re-imposing the ban on the route “remains necessary, proportionate and fair”.

In arriving at this conclusion again, the commission said it was “seeking to prevent disorder and to protect the rights and freedoms of others”.

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