Orange Order proposes new Drumcree parade plans amid political criticism

The Orange Order has submitted new, scaled-back plans for a parade at Drumcree, seeking to march 60 members in silence along the Garvaghy Road in Portadown on September 27. This follows a court ruling that overturned a previous decision by the Parades Commission. The Order has called for the resignation of the Commission, claiming its members have “no credibility” and that they have been “unlawfully and unjustly denied” the right to complete their return church parade since 1998.

Colum Eastwood, the SDLP Foyle MP, has criticized the move, warning that attempting to reopen the Drumcree dispute risks undermining years of progress made in accommodating parades in other areas like Derry. Eastwood described the pursuit of the issue as “shortsightedness” that raises societal tensions and creates expectations without a prospect of success, noting that residents of the Garvaghy Road have expressed they do not want the parade to take place.