Thousands to take to streets for Orange parades

Up to 500,000 people are expected to take to the streets of the North today as the Orange Order marching season reaches its pinnacle.

July 12 parades are being held at 18 venues across the North – taking place this year on the 13th because the 12th was a Sunday – with hundreds of bands and members of hundreds of orange lodges marching, and thousands lining the routes to watch.

The often divisive celebration of the anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne and Protestant King William of Orange’s victory over Catholic King James – 319 years ago – is now being marketed as Orangefest.

Public money has been provided to help sell the event to an international audience and the growing number of tourists visiting the North.

Those in Belfast this year will discover the city is not totally shut up as in past years. The majority of city centre shops and eateries are opening for the first time – but not until the marchers have passed by on their way to a rally on the city outskirts. They will close about four hours later before the hordes appear on the return journey.

Belfast is the key centre, but three Flagship Twelfths in Bangor and Banbridge, Co Down and Larne, Co Antrim, are also being used to promote the event and are expected to attract tens of thousands of spectators.

Belfast city councillor William Humphrey, deputy chairman of Orangefest, said: “The Twelfth is now a major tourist attraction in the Northern Ireland calendar. We know that as well as local people, there are many others who time their visits to the province to coincide with the celebrations.

“The County Grand Lodge of Belfast and Orangefest have been working for several years to enhance the family-friendly atmosphere to the Twelfth and this has been extremely successful.

“We have worked very successfully with Belfast City Centre Management, the Chamber of Trade and Commerce, Belfast City Council and the police to bring about this major development, which we believe will be in everyone’s interests. People will be able to enjoy the parade and take time to have something to eat in the local restaurants or do a bit of shopping.”

Police will keep a low-key watch on potential flashpoints – including Coleraine, Co Derry, where tensions rose after the murder of Catholic community worker Kevin McDaid earlier this summer by a loyalist mob that invaded a mainly Catholic area after Rangers beat Celtic to the Scottish Premiership title.

Conflict during the Orange marches has been declining in recent years, and, so far, this season has followed the trend.