Orange Order given go-ahead to march down Garvaghy Road for first time in nearly 30 years

Members of the loyalist Orange Order in Northern Ireland will be allowed to march along a largely nationalist street on Sunday after they successfully appealed against a ban.

It means they will be able to walk down the Garvaghy Road in Portadown for the first time in nearly 30 years. The parade is due to start at 8am.

A ruling by the Parades Commission to permit the march was successfully appealed by residents earlier, with a High Court judge granting a temporary injunction.

Justice Patricia Smyth had blocked the commission decision, saying the "long-running dispute has the potential to escalate" across Northern Ireland.

The Orange Order then lodged an appeal against that ruling which was successful.

In the early hours ​of Sunday, the High Court dismissed a new application ‌to stop the parade.

The stand-off at Drumcree made headlines in the 1990s, with nationalist residents of the Garvaghy Road opposed to the parade passing through the area.

That led to violent clashes for several summers and political tension resulting in a major security operation.

The Orange Order had unsuccessfully applied for more than a quarter of a century to complete its 1998 walk along its traditional route.

On Friday, the commission had reversed its long-running determination, which was welcomed by unionist parties but led to outrage among nationalist and republican parties.

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Delivering her ruling on Saturday, Ms Smyth said: "The level of mistrust between the residents and the Portadown Orange lodge cannot be overstated.

"Neither side accepts any reassurance provided by the other or that there's any genuine reason for the stance adopted by the other."

She added: "It's also clear to me that this particular long-running dispute has the potential to escalate within Northern Ireland.

"Against that background I am thoroughly of the view that the issues of all three parties must be properly ventilated so that whenever a ultimate decision is made by this court the parties know they were heard."

Reacting to the decision, First Minister Michelle O'Neill said: "The Garvaghy Road community is completely horrified by the decision to force this unwanted orange march through their community, and I have shared that view with all who I have engaged with.

"I am calling for calm on all sides. I support the right of the Garvaghy Road residents to protest against this unwanted sectarian march."

Carla Lockhart, DUP MP for Upper Bann, said: "This is a phenomenal outcome. The law has prevailed.

"Rest assured, it will be a dignified, peaceful march restoring the rights of Portadown District that have been denied them for 28 years."

On Saturday, Ms Smyth called on parties "to reach agreement for the sake of everyone in Northern Ireland", encouraging them to "be big enough to step back from the abyss".

Portadown District lodge submitted a letter outlining their reasons for not agreeing to delay the parade, noting that they have fulfilled "lawful notification and discharged our legal obligations".

"The suggestion there is no prejudice to us is, to be frank, absolutely contrary to all reality," the letter said.

"The prejudice is very clear - those opposed to us could simply ramp up the threat of disorder or violence, to change the factual context, and therefore effectively act as a veto."

It added: "This is not balanced or fair to us; it is depriving us, potentially on a permanent basis, of what we have been lawfully granted for Sunday, with no guarantee this outcome will be replicated even if the Applicant's case is ultimately found to be without any merit whatsoever."

The letter concluded: "We would ask the court not to take this unprecedented and extraordinary step, which we are advised is unheard of and has hitherto not ever occurred."

In delivering her verdict, Ms Smyth said that if the parade were to go ahead on Sunday in its current form, "there will simply be no opportunity" for the residents to have their case considered.

"That is not the case with regards to the Lodge or the Parades Commission," she said.

"It is not correct that the position of the Parades Commission will be altered and ultimately as I've made clear this court is not carrying out an appeals function."

(c) Sky News 2026: Orange Order given go-ahead to march down Garvaghy Road for first time in nearly 30 years