Members of the Orange Order walked down Garvaghy Road in Portadown on Sunday morning for the first time in nearly 30 years, after a High Court ruling upheld a Parades Commission decision permitting the march.
Crowds gathered in Portadown under heavy rain after the late-night sitting of the High Court in Belfast, which was described as “unprecedented” just a few hours before the parade began. Large groups clustered along Garvaghy Road in the hours leading up to the scheduled 8am start.
Late-night court ruling
The march was given the go-ahead at a hearing that concluded at 2.15am on Sunday, after legal teams repeated their arguments over the contentious parade, which was a notorious flashpoint of the Troubles in the 90s. The time-limited sitting began at 12.20am and was heard before Justice Michael Humphreys.
He acknowledged the “unusual if not unprecedented circumstances as it is now 1.45am, with a parade scheduled to begin in just over six hours’ time”. Outlining his decision, Mr Justice Humphreys cited case law that as a public body the courts must respect its judgment and “their decisions will not be lightly interfered with”.
Historic march
The parade marks the first time in nearly 30 years that members of the Orange Order will walk down Garvaghy Road.
