BBC News
· collected 2026-09-26 · by Michael Fitzpatrick, Catherine Doyle
- Published
A legal challenge to the Parades Commission's decision to allow the Orange Order to march on the mainly-nationalist Garvaghy Road in Portadown is under way at the High Court in Belfast, where a large crowd has gathered outside.
asserted
crowd → publish → Belfast
The commission announced that the parade can proceed on Sunday, for the first time in almost 30 years, with restrictions in place.
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parade → announce → place
Rather than start at 13:00 BST on Sunday as intended, the commission has said the march can depart no later than 08:00 and with 35 participants rather than the 60 the Orange Order requested.
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Order → start → 60
No bands or supporters are allowed.
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bands → allow → ?
The decision is facing the legal challenge from the Garvaghy Road Residents' Coalition, which opposes the march.
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which → face → march
The coalition has also applied to the Parades Commission for a protest to the walk on Sunday, listing the number of participants at 5,000.
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coalition → apply → 5,000
A decision is expected on Saturday, according to the commission. , external
On Saturday, a lawyer for the residents told the High Court it was unclear whether the Police Service of Northern Ireland's (PSNI) assessment referred to in the determination, was the "entirety" of what the police told the Parades Commission.
uncertain
police → expect → Commission
Their legal team has asked for the full PSNI assessment as well as past assessments in order to see whether there had been any changes.
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team → ask → order
Counsel for the residents said there had been a "significant change" in the Parades Commission's approach.
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Counsel → say → approach
Before adjourning the proceedings, Judge Patricia Smyth told the parties involved she would like to hear from them on a way forward in the short amount of time that was available.
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that → adjourn → time
According to the Drumcree Catholic Church parish website, external, Mass takes place at 08:30 on Sundays in the church of St John the Baptist on the Garvaghy Road.
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Mass → accord → Road
When asked by BBC News NI if Mass time had been taken into consideration in their determination, the Parades Commission said commissioners "recognise that the timings set out in the determination" should allow the church service "to proceed as normal".
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service → ask → determination
In a statement issued on Saturday afternoon, the leader of the Catholic Church in Ireland, Archbishop Eamon Martin, called for "prayers and support for a peaceful resolution to complex Garvaghy Road situation".
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leader → issue → situation
He said he shares the "sense of shock and disappointment of so many people at recent developments".
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he → say → developments
The archbishop added his thoughts were with those who this situation brings "back deeply traumatic and painful memories".
"
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situation → add → memories
I also appeal for support for the patient use of solely lawful and democratic processes to resolve this deeply complex and emotive situation."
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I → appeal → situation
'March going to clash with parishioners'
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March → go → parishioners
Fr Peter Clarke, from St John the Baptist, said he is concerned the march is "going to clash" with parishioners coming and going from the church.
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parishioners → say → church
Following Friday's determination, the priest said he emailed the commission to express his concerns and stated he "doesn't know how they came to" their conclusion, which is now "out of their hands".
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which → follow → hands
Fr Clarke said he has "unhappy recollections" of the Drumcree dispute during the 1990s and "wouldn't like to see" a return to those days.
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he → say → days
Parishioners at St Patrick's Church on William Street are also likely to be affected ahead of the 10:00 service, according to the priest.
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Parishioners → affect → priest
He added "tensions are high" in the community, and said he will be addressing the situation during Sunday's service.
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he → add → service
'Orange Order will comply full with the law'
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Order → comply → law
In a statement issued on Saturday, the Portadown District Orange Order branch said while they were "not happy" with further restrictions to their parade, they would "comply fully with the law and determination".
"
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they → issue → law
We now ask our community to do likewise.
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We → ask → community
We would appeal to everyone to conduct themselves responsibly and peacefully and not to do anything that could increase tensions within the community," District Master Nigel Dawson said.
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Dawson → appeal → community
Dawson added the lodge had followed the commissions determinations for 28 years and "all we ask now is that same respect" is shown by those affected by this decision.
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respect → add → decision
In the Parade Commission's determination, which was published on Friday afternoon,, external it said it had received "various written and oral submissions" from organisers, residents, police, political parties, church representatives and others.
"This decision is not, and should not be perceived, as a victory for one side or a loss for another," the determination also stated.
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determination → publish → another
The Garvaghy Road Residents' Coalition lodged a judicial review after the commission gave the Orange Order permission to march on Garvaghy Road.
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commission → lodge → Road
Speaking on his way into court, Breandán Mac Cionnaith, from the coalition, said they were going to court "to convince the law to see sense".
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they → speak → sense
"We are here to seek justice for our community in Portadown."
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We → seek → Portadown
On Friday, group said they were ''furious'' over the decision, adding that the community were "fearful about what will happen over the weekend".
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what → say → weekend
The five-person commission, led by Prof Evelyn Collins, held face-to-face talks with the Orange Order earlier this week, and held a separate meeting with the residents' coalition.
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commission → lead → coalition
Senior police officers were also consulted about the planned parade.
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officers → consult → parade
Within the 31-paragraph determination by the Parades Commission, details were revealed of conversations held with the PSNI.
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details → reveal → PSNI
The document stated: "The police made both written and oral submissions, indicating that they, at the time of making them, had no information indicating that the parade would result in disorder or violence."
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parade → state → disorder
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said it had activated "mutual aid arrangements to support contingency planning for a policing operation" in Portadown on Sunday.
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it → say → Sunday
It is understood about 200 officers are coming from Scotland.
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officers → understand → Scotland
On Friday, DUP MP Carla Lockhart said residents have "nothing to fear" and asked them not to get "caught up in hysteria".
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residents → say → hysteria
"Thirty-five men walking down a road silently with no bands in an orderly fashion.
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men → walk → fashion
…and 13 more, not listed.
The Aporia
