Orange Order Parade Passes Through Ardoyne Without Incident

An Orange Order parade passed through the Ardoyne shops area in north Belfast without incident on Sunday morning. The area had previously been the site of violent confrontations linked to Orange marches. A deal was reached in 2016 to halt return parades while engagement between the Orange Order and a nationalist residents' group was sought. The parade was granted permission by the Parades Commission and involved one band and 50 members playing hymn music. There was no protest staged by residents as the march passed through.

An Orange Order parade in north Belfast's Ardoyne shops area passed without incident on Sunday morning. The area has a history of violent confrontations linked to Orange marches, but this time, the event unfolded peacefully. The parade, which was granted permission by the Parades Commission, involved one band and 50 members playing hymn music. There was no protest staged by residents as the march passed through.

The parade represented the "homeward" part of the Twelfth of July celebrations, which mark the 334th anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne. The area had been a contentious parading route, with years of protests and violence, but a deal in 2016 halted return parades while engagement between the Orange Order and a nationalist residents' group was sought. However, the agreement broke down in 2024, raising concerns of further tensions.

Fr Gary Donegan, who observed the march, noted a "certain anxiousness" in the area but also that the community seemed to ignore the parade, allowing it to pass without incident. He emphasized the importance of dialogue in reducing adverse responses to parading disputes.

The parade followed traditional Twelfth of July celebrations that brought tens of thousands of people onto the streets across Northern Ireland. The festivities included a sham fight between actors playing rival monarchs William and James in the village of Scarva, Co Armagh. The event is organized by the Royal Black Preceptory and comes after the burning of bonfires at an estimated 300 locations in loyalist neighborhoods across Northern Ireland on Thursday and Friday nights.

The parade's peaceful conclusion is a significant development in the ongoing parading disputes in Northern Ireland. It is a testament to the efforts of the Parades Commission and the community's willingness to engage in dialogue and respect the agreed-upon conditions.

References:
[1] https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czxe97w2x20o
[2] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czxe97w2x20o
[3] https://www.rte.ie/news/ulster/2025/0713/1523276-ardoyne-parade/