Twelfth of July: ‘We're not into the bonfires, but the parades are different. Today is a family day'
Thousands of people lined the route in Glengormley to watch the visiting Black Skull Flute Band from Glasgow lead the Carntall Orange Order lodge, accompanied by dozens of bands.
The town, on the outskirts of north Belfast, was one of 19 venues across Northern Ireland chosen to host the annual parades, which mark the victory of Protestant William III over Catholic James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.
Around 300 loyalist bonfires were lit before the 'Twelfth' – most on the eve of the parades – and while most passed off without incident,
a pyre on which an effigy of an immigrant boat was burned is being treated as a hate crime by police
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A controversial bonfire in south Belfast, which has asbestos on the site and is close to an electricity substation which powers the city's two main hospitals, was also lit despite appeals by the Stormont Environment Minister.
The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service said it dealt with a 'challenging' situation on Friday evening and one firefighter was attacked while attending a bonfire in Lisburn, Co Antrim.
A woman watching the Glengormley parade on Saturday said the 'boat incident' at the bonfire in Moygashel, Co Tyrone, had 'really annoyed her'.
'My grandson is mixed race, born and reared in Northern Ireland, and what happened in Moygashel scared me … of course it was racist,' Karen Buchanan said.
Marchers in Belfast take part in the traditional Twelfth commemorations. Photograph: Mark Marlow/PA
'My grandson is 27, works in a law firm and still gets abuse. It's a small minority behind this, they know nothing.
'They don't know about our own culture, they don't know what we're really about.'
Wearing a red, white and blue garland around her neck, Ms Buchanan's daughter, Ashley Crosby, said the annual Twelfth parade was an important event for her family.
'We never miss it. Every year we come and this year it's on our doorstep,' she said.
A member of a flute band prepares to take part in the annual Twelfth of July parade. Photograph: Charles McQuillan/Getty
Calls were made for increased 'tolerance' by an Orange Order leader on Saturday.
The order's grand secretary, Mervyn Gibson, told crowds gathered in Keady, Co Armagh, following the July 12th parades, that they belonged to a to a 'vibrant and diverse community proud of our heritage, culture and British citizenship'.
The senior Orangeman and Presbyterian minister urged them to 'better promote these truths'.
An Orangeman prepares to take part in the annual Twelfth of July parade in Belfast. Photograph: Charles McQuillan/Getty
'And I believe this generation and the next are up for this challenge. We must seek to create understanding, education, tolerance and mutual respect,' he said.
Around 30 parades due to take place were categorised as sensitive by the Northern Ireland Parades Commission.
An Orange Order feeder parade passed the nationalist Ardoyne shops in north Belfast without incident on Saturday.
Members of a flute band chat in front of a mural of the band The Beastie Boys as they prepare to take part in a Twelfth of July parade in Belfast. Photograph: Charles McQuillan/Getty
The interface – the shops are close to the unionist Twaddell area – became a flashpoint for some of the worst sectarian summer violence until a deal was brokered between the two communities in 2016. It has remained peaceful since then.
On Sunday, a parade will return past the Ardoyne shops, but will be restricted to one band and 50 members of the order.
PSNI chief constable Jon Boutcher appealed for mutual respect at the marking of events.
'Our officers will be on the ground throughout the weekend, working in partnership with community leaders, event organisers and local representatives to support lawful, peaceful and family-friendly events,' he said.
'However, where necessary we will take firm and proportionate action to keep people safe.'
Yvonne McDonnell from Ballinderry attends the Twelfth of July celebrations in Lisburn, Co Antrim. Photograph: Jonathan McCambridge/PA
At the Glengormley parade, Lisa Walter joined her daughter Grace to watch the marching bands.
They live across the road and brought their fold-up deck chairs.
'It's very important for us. It's our culture. You see people who you haven't seen since this time last year,' Mrs Walter said.
'We've never gone to the bonfires – too much drinking and yahooing. You're either into them or you're not. But the parades are different. Today is a family day.'
People take part in a Twelfth of July parade in Belfast. Photograph: Mark Marlow/PA
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Sunday World
10 hours ago
- Sunday World
Orange Order celebrations labelled ‘the perfect Twelfth' after bonfire controversies
With the sun shining and temperatures high, thousands hit the streets for the celebrations. People take part in a Twelfth of July parade in Belfast, part of the traditional Twelfth commemorations. The loyalist parades mark the anniversary of the Protestant King William's victory over the Catholic King James at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. Picture date: Saturday July 12, 2025. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Mark Marlow/PA Wire Crowds have lined the streets of cities, towns and villages all over Northern Ireland on Saturday to attend Twelfth of July parades. Crowds have lined the streets of cities, towns and villages all over Northern Ireland on Saturday to attend Twelfth of July parades. Crowds have lined the streets of cities, towns and villages all over Northern Ireland on Saturday to attend Twelfth of July parades. Crowds have lined the streets of cities, towns and villages all over Northern Ireland on Saturday to attend Twelfth of July parades. Crowds have lined the streets of cities, towns and villages all over Northern Ireland on Saturday to attend Twelfth of July parades. DUP MP Leader Gavin Robinson, keeps in step with the band. 'Little protestant prince' with his mum. The Orange Order put a week of controversy behind them to put a sunny smile on King Billy's face. It was all ice cream, sunshine and smiles as thousands lined city streets and country roads at 18 venues across Northern Ireland for this year's Twelfth. Grand Secretary the Rev Mervyn Gibson hailed it as 'the perfect Twelfth'' as lodges sweltered in temperatures soaring towards 27 degrees. A controversial bonfire on Belfast's Donegall Road was lit without incident on Friday night while moves will now be stepped up to clear the site of deadly asbestos. 'Little protestant prince' with his mum. News in 90 Seconds - Sunday July 13 DUP leader Gavin Robinson addressed the parade in Belfast, while Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly delivered a speech at the Lisburn parade. Ulster Unionist MP Robin Swann spoke at the parade in Carnlough, Co Antrim. He said some people dismissed the Twelfth and 'would rather we keep our heads down,' adding that the event brought people together and was about 'faith and freedom'. 'It crosses class, it bridges geography and it cuts across party political lines,' he said. Orange Order deputy grand master Harold Henning told the parade in Maghera that unionist political parties had to work together. 'The leadership of this institution remains consistent in its desire to see closer collaboration between the leadership of our pro-union political parties so as to maximise unionist representation at all levels of government. 'Cooperation between our political representatives must be encouraged – more than that, it should be demanded, and country should always come before party or individual self-interest. 'Let's get that message out to our politicians – as a people, we want to see more unity of purpose across political unionism.' One of the largest parades took place in Keady, Co Armagh, where Orange Order grand secretary Mervyn Gibson spoke about the strengths of the union. DUP MP Leader Gavin Robinson, keeps in step with the band. He said: 'We need to promote the union at every opportunity – a union that has stood the test of time and continues to offer its citizens stability, opportunity and purpose. 'At its heart, the United Kingdom is more than just a political entity. 'It is a partnership of four nations England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland – each with its own identity, traditions, and strengths. 'Let us concentrate on building and promoting this union which a generation defended during the Troubles against the murderous, cowardly terrorist campaign of republicans.' Members of local Orange lodges were joined on parade by visiting lodges from Scotland and further afield. The main parade in Belfast set off from the Orange hall at Clifton Street in north Belfast. Labour MP and NIO Minister Fleur Anderson and Emma-Little Pengelly were in Keady. Crowds have lined the streets of cities, towns and villages all over Northern Ireland on Saturday to attend Twelfth of July parades. 'It's important to see that you can have a cultural identity that can be celebrated and is also peaceful,' said Labour MP for Putney. Rev Gibson said the lead-up to the Twelfth has been 'tremendous'. Asked about the Eleventh night and bonfires he said: '99% of everything passed off wonderfully. 'Today couldn't be a better day for it, the sun is shining and the bands are playing loud, it's just been a great Twelfth of July.' Earlier in Belfast, a small feeder parade passed the Ardoyne shops in the north of the city at 9am without issue. There was a small police presence at the shops, which in the past was the scene of parade-related trouble. The return parade will take place this morning. In a separate development police have described an attack on an Orange Hall in Rasharkin as a "hate crime'. Shortly after 1.20am police received a report of criminal damage caused to an Orange Hall in the Main Street area. Paint had been thrown over the front of the building and graffiti daubed on walls opposite. District Commander for Causeway Coast and Glens, Superintendent Sinead McIldowney said: 'We are treating this criminal damage as a sectarian-motivated hate crime. 'The Police Service condemns all sectarian hate crime and criminal damage caused to any property is absolutely unacceptable.. 'We will thoroughly investigate this matter and would appeal to anyone with information to contact us on 101, quoting reference 177 of 12/07/25. 'Our officers will continue to proactively patrol the area and engage with the local community around any concerns they may have.'
Irish Times
13 hours ago
- Irish Times
Orange Order parade passes through Ardoyne interface without incident
An Orange Order parade has passed the interface Ardoyne shops area in north Belfast without incident. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) mounted a security operation after the Parades Commission granted permission for the homeward part of the Twelfth parade to take place on Sunday morning. The area had been the location for violent confrontations linked to Orange marches in the past. However, a deal was reached in 2016 that instigated a moratorium on return parades while engagement over future agreement between the Orange Order and a nationalist residents' group was sought. READ MORE The return parade on Sunday – applied for under the name The Ligoneil Combine – involved one band and 50 members, with only hymn music permitted on its way past through the area. There was no protest staged by residents as the march passed through. Fr Gary Donegan, director of the Passionist Peace and Reconciliation Office, said there had been 'trepidation' in the Ardoyne community about the parade. He said: 'We had eight years of an agreement which facilitated morning parades with no return. 'Things started to break down in that agreement two years ago. 'Ultimately, yesterday passed by peacefully with no issues, but the return was always the issue. 'When it was determined this would actually happen there was a lot of sense of trepidation within the community, a lot of sense of tension. 'People were just hoping it would pass by, which it did. 'Now we can get on with the Sunday Masses and services as normal.' Fr Donegan said there had been a 'conscious decision' by the community not to hold a physical protest against the march. He said: 'Because of the sense of the tension in the lead-up to this, the less attention drawn to it the better. 'It passed through there, it is over and now we can start to go back to normality again.' Fr Donegan said future return Orange parades through the area are now in the 'hands of the Parades Commission'. He said: 'There was an agreement that took a lot of negotiating at the time. 'Now that that seems to be no longer in existence, it is going to be each and every time the issues that pertain to this are going to be on the table each time this happens.' The parade followed traditional Twelfth of July celebrations on Saturday that brought tens of thousands of people on to the streets across Northern Ireland. The festivities marked the 334th anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne, when the Protestant King William of Orange triumphed over the Catholic King James II. Meanwhile, the traditional July 13th events organised by the Royal Black Preceptory in the village of Scarva, Co Armagh, will take place on Monday. The event includes a parade as well as a sham fight between actors playing rival monarchs William and James. The Twelfth celebrations came after the burning of bonfires at an estimated 300 locations in loyalist neighbourhoods across the region on Thursday and Friday nights. – PA
RTÉ News
14 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Orange Parade passes through Ardoyne interface without incident
An Orange Order parade has passed the interface Ardoyne shops area in north Belfast without incident. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) mounted a security operation after the Parades Commission granted permission for the homeward part of the Twelfth parade to take place this morning. The area had been the location for violent confrontations linked to Orange marches in the past. However, a deal was reached in 2016 which instigated a moratorium on return parades while engagement over future agreement between the Orange Order and a nationalist residents' group was sought. The return parade this morning - applied for under the name "The Ligoneil Combine" - involved one band and 50 members, with only hymn music permitted on its way past through the area. There was no protest staged by residents as the march passed through. Fr Gary Donegan, director of the Passionist Peace and Reconciliation Office, said there had been "trepidation" in the Ardoyne community about the parade. He said: "We had eight years of an agreement which facilitated morning parades with no return. "Things started to break down in that agreement two years ago. "Ultimately, yesterday passed by peacefully with no issues, but the return was always the issue. "When it was determined this would actually happen there was a lot of sense of trepidation within the community, a lot of sense of tension. "People were just hoping it would pass by, which it did. "Now we can get on with the Sunday Masses and services as normal." Fr Donegan said there had been a "conscious decision" by the community not to hold a physical protest against the march. He said: "Because of the sense of the tension in the lead-up to this, the less attention drawn to it the better. "It passed through there, it is over and now we can start to go back to normality again." Fr Donegan said future return Orange parades through the area are now in the "hands of the Parades Commission". The parade followed traditional Twelfth of July celebrations yesterday which brought tens of thousands of people onto the streets across Northern Ireland. The festivities marked the 334th anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne, when the Protestant King William of Orange triumphed over the Catholic King James II. Meanwhile, the traditional 13 July events organised by the Royal Black Preceptory in the village of Scarva, Co Armagh, will take place tomorrow. The event includes a parade as well as a sham fight between actors playing rival monarchs William and James. The Twelfth celebrations came after the burning of bonfires at an estimated 300 locations in loyalist neighbourhoods across Northern Ireland on Thursday and Friday nights.
