Tens of thousands take to streets for annual July 12 Orange Order parades

An Orange Order parade makes its way along the Crumlin Road towards the Ardoyne shops in Belfast (Brian Lawless/PA)

Tens of thousands have taken to the streets across Northern Ireland for the Orange Order’s annual July 12 parades.

The festivities will be spread across 19 main locations to mark the 334th anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne where the Protestant King William of Orange triumphed over the Catholic King James II.