12th July Northern Ireland: Thousands line the streets for hour-long parade in Loughbrickland

The sunday best suits, immaculate band uniforms and the well practised catalogue of pipe and flute tunes, accompanied by drums of all kinds - including the mighty lambegs - visibly lit up the throngs as they passed by.

Some 60 lodges and almost as many bands marched proudly along the 1.2 mile route from the assembly field on the Scarva Road, through the Main Street, under the A1 underpass and along the Grovehill Road to the Demonstration Field.

The village of Loughbrickland was famously a staging point for King William III and his troops on their way to the Boyne 333 years ago - but his memory is still very much alive in the hearts and minds of the local lodges and their supporters.

The number of the participants in the parade was some 4000 while the number of supporters and spectators was predicted to be 10,000 - including young people returning from overseas and elderly locals who have not missed the Twelfth for 60 years, or more.

Platform proceedings began at 2.30pm with a formal welcome by Keith Murdoch, District Secretary with the religious service led by Rev Rodney Magennis with guest speaker, the Grand Master of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland, Edward Stevenson.

Speaking to the News Letter just after his arrival, Mr Stevenson said he had been given a very warm welcome. Minutes local leaders scrupulously attached a yellow rose to his collarete as a sign of their appreciation.

"This doesn't happen everywhere," he noted with a chuckle. "But this is my first visit to Loughbrickland on the Twelfth of July as Grand master, so it is very much appreciated."

Ahead of the main parade, Richard Fleming, Grand Master of County Down, told the News Letter that the mood was not dampened by a few showers.

"The mood has been optimistic, we are just hoping the weather holds," he said. "We had some heavy showers but it is beginning to clear.

"There will be in excess of eighty lodges walking with us and quite a few of them will have bands with them."

While there had been some claims last week that the age profile of the order in Belfast was on the older side, the age profile of those in the parade yesterday included many children in collarettes.

The District Hall, the Sir Henry Wilson Memorial District Orange Hall, was very proud of their recently formed Junior District Orange Lodge which is "going from strength to strength".

The thousands of spectators lining the route all came more than ready for showers, with huge umbrellas and fold up chairs. The smiles on their faces could not be dampened by the occasional shower.

As each band and lodge filed into the field - supervised by the nearby Loughbrickland Lough - the heat from the sun was noticeable. Every one was saluted by the conspicuous Union Flag raised specially on the famous Crannog nearby.