Parades body upholds Garvaghy Road march ban

The Northern Ireland Parades Commission has upheld a decision to ban next Sunday's Orange Order march from entering the nationalist…

The Northern Ireland Parades Commission has upheld a decision to ban next Sunday's Orange Order march from entering the nationalist Garvaghy Road in Portadown, Co Armagh.

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Riots at Drucree last year

Earlier Portadown Orangemen met the Commission in a final attempt to get it to reverse its decision.

The Commission decided to review its ban after meeting Portadown Orangemen Mr David Jones yesterday - who was acting in his capacity as a local councillor in Craigavon.

The Orange Order has repeatedly refused to enter discussions with local residents, insisting it is their right to march from Drumcree parish church into Portadown via the Garvaghy Road.

Garvaghy Road Residents' Coalition spokesman Mr Breandán Mac Cionnaith, who yesterday led a delegation to meet the Commission, earlier said there was "no justification" for overturning the original decision.

The annual march has been banned by the Parades Commission from proceeding down the Garvaghy Road for the last three years.

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Patrick  Logue

Patrick Logue

Patrick Logue is Digital Editor of The Irish Times