Garvaghy Road Residents Coalition

ORANGE ORDER WILL REMAIN AT DRUMCREE

04-07-99

The Spokesman for the Garvaghy Road Residents Association in Northern Ireland, Brendan MacCionnaith has called for face to face dialogue with the Orange Order to avoid the Drumcree situation arising next year. Mr MacCionnaith told a press conference this afternoon that he and the Portadown district grand master Harold Gracey would have to meet.

Asked if he was fearful that an Orange parade might be forced down the Garvaghy Road in the near future, he said that nationalists would not allow that to happen. Following todays parade at Drumcree, Orangemen held a rally outside the Drumcree rectory. Portadown district grand master Harold Gracey said that they would remain at Drumcree for as long as it takes.

Earlier, they asked the Royal Ulster Constablulary to find out from the British Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Northern IReland why they had been banned from marching down the nationalist Garvaghy road. When the nine Orangemen, including Portadown District master, Harold Gracey arrived at the security barrier at the top of the Garvaghy road, they made a verbal request to pass through which was refused.

A protest at the steel barrier at the church was delayed while Orange marshalls moved protestors away from the area. The Deputy District Master, David Burroughs told those gathered that unless everyone moved away from the obstacle, a protest would not take place. RUC Superintendant Mervyn Waddel said that the Orangemen want a reply to their request by this evening.

Thousands of Orangeman from County Armagh left Carlton Orange Hall in the centre of Portadown on route to Drumcree this morning. They were preceded by the participants in the Protestant "civil rights walk", the Long March, who are on the final leg of a ten-day journey from Derry. There were cheers and applause from supporters who lined the streets.

There was a heavy security presence along the route as armoured cars and RUC in riot gear lined the streets. However, the parade passed off peacefully and without incident. The County Armagh Grand Master, Denis Watson, appealed to the Orangemen to make a peaceful protest over the banning, and not to allow disruption by troublemakers.

Last night the situation in Drumcree was relatively peaceful, though at one stage over 1000 protestors were said to have been at the security barrier. Police said that the number had fallen to about two hundred by midnight and later dwindled to about 30. During the protest a number of fireworks were thrown at police, but no one was injured.

Meanwhile, Sinn Fein's chief negotiator, Martin McGuinness, has said that he is doing his best to persuade the IRA to start decommissioning its weapons in accordance with the Good Friday Agreement. Mr McGuinness reaffirmed Sinn Fein's commitment to the Good Friday agreement and accused the Ulster Unionist leadership of having a tremendous opposition to change.

The Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble has said that he has great difficulties with the Northern peace deal proposed by the British and Irish governments. Mr Trimble said thatthe issues of timing and failsafe guarentees still need to be properly addressed. He said that he and his party still doubt the committment of Sinn Fein to the peace process.

Also today, the Northern Secretary, Mo Mowlam, has confirmed that she has had discussions with the British prime minister, Tony Blair, about a possible move to another government job. In a television interview, Dr. Mowlam said that the question had been briefly discussed during last week's negotiations at Stormont Castle outside Belfast.

IAIS

--------------------------------------------------

Return to the Home Page

Also see archived news and updates from the GRRC.

ON THIS WEBSITE:

Email Us