Tens of thousands will take to the streets across Northern Ireland on Tuesday for the annual Twelfth of July parades as the Orange Institution returns to its traditional celebrations this year.
After two years of alternative celebrations due to the Covid-19 pandemic, 18 venues will be playing host to processions to mark the 332nd anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne.
Orangemen, women and juniors – accompanied by in the region of 600 marching bands – will step out at the various locations with pageantry, colour and heritage on display.
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The Twelfth parades mark the victory of Protestant King William of Orange over Catholic King James II at the Battle of the Boyne, north of Dublin, in 1690 - a triumph that secured a Protestant line of succession to the British Crown.
The 18 main demonstrations will be held at: Glenarm, Ballymena, Bushmills, Antrim, Cullybackey, Magheragall, Armagh City, Belfast, Ballygowan, Greyabbey, Newry, Ballymartin, Enniskillen, Limavady, Tobermore, Castlecaulfield, Omagh and Aughnacloy.
Here’s all you need to know about the timings at each location:
ARMAGH
The Lodges of the host District will assemble on The Mall from 9am where they will be joined by County Grand Lodge Officers. They will then parade to the Armagh War Memorial at 9.45am to lay a wreath and be joined by the first of the visiting Districts.
The main parade, headed by Tassagh Silver Band and Tassagh True Blues LOL 49, will then commence at approximately 10am. Armagh District will be followed by Richhill, Killylea, Lurgan, Newtownhamilton and Portadown, Districts; the remainder of the Districts Markethill, Bessbrook, Keady, Tandragee and Loughgall will parade as they arrive, and by 12.30pm, all Districts should be in the Demonstration Field at Hamiltonsbawn Road.
The Chair will be taken at 1.45pm by the County Grand Master, Rt Wor Bro Denis J Watson JP, and proceedings will commence with the traditional religious service, conducted by Wor. Bro. Rev. Dr. Alan McCann, County Grand Chaplain. The return parade is scheduled to commence from the Demonstration Field at 3pm, with Lurgan District LOL No. 6 being the first to leave.
This parade will be broadcast live on GB News.
BELFAST
The parade will leave Belfast Orange Hall, at Carlisle Circus, at 10am. As is tradition, the Millar Memorial Flute band will lead the parade as it makes its way along Clifton Street, Donegal Street, Royal Avenue, Castle Junction and Donegall Place to Belfast City Hall.
A wreath laying ceremony will take place at the Cenotaph in the grounds of the City Hall shortly before 10.30am and the parade will then proceed via Donegall Square West, Bedford Street, Dublin Road, Shaftsbury Square, Bradbury Place, Lisburn Road, Balmoral Avenue and Malone Road to Barnett’s Demesne.
The platform proceedings at Barnett’s Demesne will begin at 2.30pm and the chairman for the afternoon will be the County Grand Master, Spencer Beattie. The return parade is due to leave the field and proceed towards the city centre at 3.30pm.
BALLYMENA
This year the honour of hosting the parade belongs to the members of Kellswater LOL No. 453 and Kellswater Flute Band, who are celebrating their 75th anniversary this year.
At 12.30pm they will proceed to the demonstration field at Ballee Playing Fields via Waveney Road, Galgorm Road, Pentagon, Lower Mill Street, Wellington Street, Ballymoney Street, William Street, Broughshane Street, Broadway, Church Street, Bridge Street, Harryville Bridge, Salisbury Square, Queens Street, Antrim Road and Ballee Road West.
The religious service will be led by Grand Chaplain Grand Chaplain Wor. Bro. Rev. Ian McClean with Most Wor. Bro. Henry Dunbar from Scotland the guest speaker. The return parade will get underway at 4.30pm.
ANTRIM
The parade, which will be led by Murray’s Temperance True Blues LOL 201 and Steeple Defenders Flute Band, will depart from Fountain Hill in Antrim town at 11am and follow a route via Fountain Street, Church Street, High Street, Bridge Street, Dublin Road, Randalstown Road, to the demonstration field at Castle Road.
The religious service will be led by Chaplain Rev. Peter Blake of All Saints Church of Ireland, Antrim. The return parade will begin at 4pm.
BUSHMILLS
Bushmills’ Twelfth of July parade will commence at 1pm with the return leg starting at 3.30pm. The route for the outward leg is Castlecatt Road and Main Street before it finishes at the traditional demonstration field – known locally as the “Clay Field” – on the Whitepark Road.
The return parade is the reverse of this.
CULLYBACKEY
The parade, which will feature flute and accordion bands and several Lambeg drums, will assemble at the Methodist Church in Cullybackey from 12 noon in preparation to leave at 12.30pm.
The religious service in the demonstration field will be led by District Chaplain Rev. Samuel McKay.
GLENARM
The 11 lodges and their accompanying bands will leave from Shore Road at 12noon making its way up round Mark Street, down the Vennel and up Straidkilly Road to the field.
The Religious speaker on the platform is Rev. Stephen Kennedy, with Danny Kennedy providing the political speech.
The return parade will get underway at 4pm.
MAGHERAGALL
The parade, which will cover a route of 1.7miles, will leave the assembly area in Enterprise Crescent at 11.30am and includes more than 20 bands and a large selection of Lambeg drums. Leading the way will be Magheragall District LOL No. 9 accompanied by the drums from LOL 121 Broomedge.
At the demonstration field off the Ballinderry Road, County Grand Master of Antrim Rt. Wor. Bro. Maurice Kirkwood PDM will be proposing the Resolutions. District Chaplain Wor. Bro. Mark Jamison PDM will conduct the religious service.
Children’s entertainment and live music will be in the field before the parade arrives and again before and after the platform proceedings. The return parade will commence at 4pm approximately.
NEWRY
The parade will assemble at Newry High School and at 11.45am the new South-West Down Area Conference Standard will be dedicated and unfurled.
The parade will get underway at 12noon led by the host District and will travel via Ashgrove Road, Downshire Road, Kildare Street, Hill Street, Margaret Street, The Mall, Bank Parade, Sugar Island, Trevor Hill, Downshire Road, Belfast Road, Ardmore/Shandon Park, Cloghanrmer Road, A28 to the demonstration Field.
The platform proceedings in the field will commence at 2.15pm led by Wor. Bro. Gary Ferris. District Chaplain Wor. Bro. Norman Hutton will lead a short religious service. The return parade will get underway at 4pm.
GREYABBEY
More than 40 lodges accompanied by 30 bands, three Ladies Lodges and four junior lodges will be on parade lead by the Brethren of Greyabbey LOL 1592 and Greyabbey Flute Band.
The parade will leave the Assembly Field at Spring Road at 12noon and will follow a route along Newtownards Road, Main Street, Church Street through St. Saviour’s Church Car Park (beside The Abbey) to the Field in Rosemount Estate behind The Church. The return parade will begin at 4.30pm.
BALLYGOWAN
In total, 61 lodges from the five participating districts will be on parade accompanied by around 48 bands. Leading the parade, which gets underway at 12noon, will be the Brethren of Barnamaghery LOL No. 11 accompanied by Wellington Memorial Silver Band.
The route will see the parade, which features a fine selection of flute, pipe, accordion, silver and brass bands, leave Ravara Road at 12noon travelling along Saintfield Road, Meadow Way, Oakdale, Prospect Road, Tullygarvan Road, Belfast Road, Saintfield Road and returning to Ravara Road. The return parade begins at 4.15pm.
BALLYMARTIN
This year it is the turn of Ballymageogh LOL 1036 to lead the parade with Ballymageogh Accordion Band.
The Kilkeel Lodges leave Kilkeel Orange Hall at 10:45am to parade the three miles to Ballymartin. There, they join with the remainder of the District and return to the Demonstration field where friends and family will join the brethren.
The platform proceedings begin at 2:15pm. The District will leave to commence the homeward parade at 4pm.
ENNISKILLEN
The parade, which will be led by Maguiresbridge District Officers and Maguiresbridge Silver Band, will form up in the Royal British Legion Car Park before leaving at 12noon and following a route along Wellington Road, Belmore Street, East Bridge Street, Townhall Street, High Street, Church Street, Darling Street, Castle Street, Wellington Road to Castle Car Park.
County Grand Chaplain Rev. Rodney Beacom will lead the religious service in the field before the parade at approximately 3.30pm.
LIMAVADY
The parade will leave from Church Street at 12noon lead by Limavady District LOL No.6, The City Grand Lodge of Londonderry, Coleraine District LOL No.2 and Macosquin District LOL No.8 and parade through the town centre to the Orange Field at Roemill Road with 40 bands taking part including Flute, Accordion and Pipe.
The return parade starts at 3.15pm with the Limavady Lodges breaking ranks on Protestant Street to allow visiting Brethren, Sisters and Bands personnel to pass through to their buses on Church Street.
TOBERMORE
There will be a total of eight districts on parade – Garvagh, Castledawson, Magherafelt, Kilrea, Ballyronan, Tamlaght O’Crilly, Moneymore and the hosts Tobermore District LOL No. 11.
The parade will start from Golf Driving Range, Maghera Road at 12noon. The route will be Maghera Road, Main Street and Wood Road to the Demonstration Field. A religious service will take place in the Demonstration Field at 2pm.
CASTLECAULFIELD
The main parade will move off at 12.30pm from the Assembly Field situated on the Donaghmore Road, headed by Castlecaulfield's own WJ Armstrong Memorial Pipe Band and Lodge LOL 45. It will proceed via Drumrainey Road and Main Street to the Demonstration Field on Reaskcor Road.
The Platform Proceedings will commence at 2pm in the Demonstration Field, where the Religious Service will take place.
The return parade will leave the Demonstration Field again at 3.30pm onwards and parade back through the village proceeding along Reaskcor Road and Main Street, to various dispersal points.
AUGHNACLOY
The Clogher Valley Twelfth of July celebrations are being hosted this year by Annahoe District LOL No. 6. The parade will be moving off at 12.40pm from the Assembly point on the Dungannon Road, in the vicinity of Aughnacloy College/Council Playing Fields, travelling along Moore Street to the Augher Road and will return to the grounds of Aughnacloy College for refreshments.
The religious service will be led by the Rev. Maurice Armstrong. A fun-packed afternoon is assured with a programme from 2pm to 3.30pm which includes performance from ‘The Hilltop Dancers’ (Ulster-Scots Group) as well as massed band music. The return parade will get underway at 3.30pm returning to the assembly point for dispersal.
OMAGH
Omagh District LOL No. 11 welcomes five districts, with two local lodges from the Association of Loyal Orangewomen of Ireland and junior lodges and 60 bands.
The parade will get underway at 12.30pm led by Strabane District and will follow a three-mile route, leaving Campsie Playing Fields, King James Bridge, Dublin Road, Market Street, High Street, John Street, Church Street, George Street, High Street, Bridge Street, Mountjoy Road, Drumragh Avenue, Market Street, Campsie Road, Crevenagh Road and back into Campsie Playing Fields.
The return parade will get underway at 4pm.
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