The Orange Order has formally applied to complete its Drumcree church parade this month with a heavily scaled‑down, silent procession along the Garvaghy Road in Portadown involving just 60 participants and no bands.
Details of the proposal were unveiled at a press conference in Carleton Street Orange Hall, Portadown, on Thursday morning, where Portadown District LOL described the plan as a “proportionate, inoffensive and wholly reasonable” attempt to move towards resolving a dispute now approaching its 30th year.
If approved by the Parades Commission, it would be the first time Orangemen have marched along the mainly nationalist section of the Garvaghy Road in more than 28 years.
Under the application, 60 members drawn from across the Portadown lodges would take part on the afternoon of Sunday, September 27.
Only representatives – rather than the full membership of each lodge – would be permitted to walk. Participants would wear collarettes only, with no other regalia.
The Order has stipulated there will be: No accompanying bands; No music, with the parade held in silence; Only three banners: the Portadown District banner, the Union flag and an ex‑serviceman’s standard.
Organisers say the “limited parade” is designed to minimise impact, reducing the time taken to pass each part of the contested route to less than two minutes, and to no more than 15 minutes for the entire Garvaghy Road stretch.
They also insist the timing has been chosen to “ensure there is no disruption to any worship or those coming to or from the local Catholic church”, with the event scheduled for what they describe as a relatively quiet period on Sunday afternoon.
A statement from the District said the procession “will be dignified, non‑triumphalist and will be accompanied by six trained stewards who will remain in direct contact with the PSNI”.
A previous proposal had suggested up to 400 participants and two accompanying bands.
Despite the scaled‑down nature of the application, Portadown District has stressed that, in its view, the proposal would not amount to a resolution of the long‑running Drumcree stand‑off.
“Portadown District’s position [is] that a final and lasting settlement to the Drumcree issue can only be achieved when the full District is permitted to return home. This parade plainly would not represent such a final settlement,” a spokesperson said.
“We want to make it expressly clear that this parade is not proposed as a final resolution, nor does it dilute the principled and unwavering position that any final and complete solution must entail the complete return home of the Portadown District.
“That is an objective we will continue to pursue with the same vigour and determination which has characterised our stand for the last 28 years.”
The District reiterated its stated willingness to engage in talks “without any preconditions”, adding it is “willing to listen to, consider and engage with any alternative views or proposals for what could constitute a rights‑based, fair and lasting solution”.
Nationalist residents’ groups have previously raised concerns that any relaxation of restrictions on the Garvaghy Road route could pave the way for a return to regular marches through the area.
Earlier this week, Secretary of State Sir Chris Bryant announced an independent review of the body, following a High Court ruling which quashed a Commission decision to ban a proposed Orange parade in Portadown in July.
There have been calls for the commissioners to resign in the wake of that ruling. One member, Billy Gamble, has stepped down, but the remaining five commissioners will remain in post and will now consider the latest Drumcree‑related application.
Alongside the proposed silent walk, the Order has also applied for a larger Ulster Day parade on the same date, involving around 800 members of Portadown District and two accordion bands, to complete its route to Carleton Street Orange Hall. That march does not include the contested section of the Garvaghy Road.
Speaking at Thursday’s press conference, Upper Bann DUP MP Carla Lockhart described the move as “significant”.
“This is about righting a wrong. Their rights have been denied by a Parades Commission that has been found unlawful,” she said.
“It’s about healing a wound that has run deep, it’s about being accommodating, about being proportionate.
“I see no reason why 60 men with no bands cannot walk down a road that has been walked from 1807.”
TUV leader Jim Allister, who also attended, said it was “quite unbelievable that for almost three decades the legitimate right to complete a church parade has been frustrated and prevented”.
“With great tenacity, with great patience, the District has maintained their presence,” he said, describing the new application as “by any standard… a rational and reasonable request”.
“Portadown District have stretched themselves with this equitable proposal, it is abundantly reasonable,” he added.
The Parades Commission will now assess the application and is expected to issue a determination closer to the proposed date.
