The Orange Order's annual July 12 parades are under way across Northern Ireland, with DUP leader Gavin Robinson among tens of thousands stepping out on Monday morning. Robinson participated in the Belfast demonstration alongside his son Reuben and party colleague Lord Dodds.
Peaceful Parades at Former Flashpoints
Earlier, an outward parade at a former flashpoint in the Ardoyne area passed off without incident amid a police presence which included Deputy Chief Constable Bobby Singleton, while Sinn Féin MLA Gerry Kelly was also present.
The festivities are spread across 18 main locations on Monday to mark the 336th anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne, where the Protestant King William of Orange triumphed over the Catholic King James II.
Scale of the Celebrations
Orangemen and women from more than 1,000 lodges are accompanied by around 600 marching bands. The County Armagh demonstration is generally regarded as the largest parade, while Belfast has the longest Twelfth parade route of the day, with participants walking more than six miles to the field.
The celebrations come after the burning of bonfires at hundreds of locations in loyalist neighbourhoods across the region on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. As July 12 fell on a Sunday this year, the main Twelfth parades are instead taking place on Monday July 13, enjoying warm and sunny weather.
Related Events and Incidents
The Orange Order parade in Rossnowlagh in Co Donegal took place on Saturday. Meanwhile, the traditional July 13 events organised by the Royal Black Preceptory in the village of Scarva, Co Armagh, will instead take place on Tuesday. The event includes a parade as well as a sham fight between actors playing rival monarchs William and James.
While most of the bonfires which were burned in recent nights were uncontentious, there was condemnation after a replica of a mosque was placed on top of a bonfire in Moygashel, Co Tyrone. The fire was lit earlier than anticipated on Thursday after the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) began an operation to remove the effigy.
A man died in hospital on Saturday after falling off a loyalist bonfire in east Belfast on Friday night.
Main Parade Locations and Policing
Main Orange Order parades will take place on Monday in Ballymena, Larne, Ballymoney, Portglenone, Glenarm, Newtownhamilton, Belfast, Rathfriland, Killyleagh, Royal Hillsborough, Ballymartin, Ballywalter, Maguiresbridge, Limavady, Kilrea, Cookstown, Castlederg and Aughnacloy. The PSNI will undertake one of its biggest policing operations of the year on Monday to facilitate the parades.
Orange Order Grand Master Harold Henning said the significance of Orange culture and tradition is “underlined by the scale of the parades”. He said: “The tradition of Orange parades stretches back 230 years, and the Twelfth continues to draw huge attendances of both participants and spectators. Our parades are a vibrant public expression of our identity, culture and heritage and that tradition is one which is held dear by a great many people in our community.”
He added: “The colour and pageantry on show on the Twelfth has increasingly been proven to be an attraction to visitors to Northern Ireland seeking an authentic cultural and heritage experience. The hundreds of bands on display include some of the very best marching flute, pipe, brass and accordion bands in the world. The iconic traditional sound of the Lambeg drum is another unique aspect of the Twelfth, and one which we are glad to see flourishing with a new generation of fifers and drummers.”
