An Orange parade which was banned from marching down the Garvaghy Road in Portadown during the GAA All-Ireland final on Sunday passed off without incident.
Portadown Orange District LOL 1 had applied to march down the controversial route during Armagh’s game against Galway.
It had claimed it would “bring the least impact on the majority of the community that live there as most will either be away to Croke Park, or will be in clubs, pubs or at home watching and supporting their County, Armagh GAA playing in the final of the All-Ireland”.
The Parades Commission denied the application, saying that while some local residents might attend the All-Ireland final in person “there is no evidence to indicate that the proposed time of the parade means that resulting disruption to the life of the community would be significantly reduced”.
Its determination added the demographic of the Garvaghy Road area has changed in recent years and data demonstrates “that a very significant percentage of the population indicated ‘Irish only’ as their identity”.
Around a dozen lodge members carried out their weekly parade and protest from the Drumcree Road, where they were met by PSNI officers. It took place at 1pm, hours before throw-in at Croke Park.
A prayer service was held outside Drumcree Parish Church during which a member of the Orange lodge said they had been “denied their civil rights” by being banned from marching down the Garvaghy Road.
In a statement issued this week, the Portadown lodge said it was disappointed by the decision from the Parades Commission to restrict the parade.