Orange Order Parades Issue Heats Up!

As the annual Orange order marching season gets into full swing the temperature has been cranked up by both sides with Martin McGuinness warning that the Orange Order that Sinn Fein stewarding of protests at controversial parades "cannot last forever".

The Sinn Fein MP was addressing the annual Wolfe Tone commemoration at Bodenstown, Dublin, over the weekend. His comments came in the aftermath of the ‘Tour of the North’ parade on Friday night. This parade is one of a few highly contentious Orange parades which take place annually significant annual march, which attracts a so-called “feeder” parade by two bands from the Ballysillan area. However this year, the Orange Order parade passed off without major incident in north Belfast. There were some minor altercations involving youths throwing stones and bottles as the restricted number of Orangemen marched past the predominantly nationalist Ardoyne area.

Afterwards the Sinn Féin Assembly member for the area, Gerry Kelly, laid the blame firmly at the door of dissident micro-groups for enflaming the situation. He claimed that a number of adults had encouraged young people to attack the passing parade and he described their behaviour as disgraceful. During the brief disturbances, parish priest of Holy Cross, Fr Gary Donegan, was confronted by one youth whilst trying to quell the situation.

Martin McGuinness’s comments at Bodenstown were described by an Orange Order spokesman as extremely unhelpful. During his Bodenstown speech, Mr McGuinness said that the issue of contested parades to be dealt with once and for all. He went on to say that while only a handful of parades cause controversy he wants the Orange Order to declare that;

"they will no longer seek to force parades through Catholic areas and risk bringing violence onto our streets………..The days of republicans stretching ourselves and our communities to maintain calm in the face of sectarian provocation cannot last forever,"

In reply, an Orange Order spokesman said the comments were;

"a disappointing attack on the Protestant community……………..The Orange Order is working very hard to make its parades more family friendly and welcoming, particularly to tourists, and these remarks from the deputy first minister are extremely unhelpful."

And in a further development tonight, Loyalists representatives have also said that too will no longer steward marches unless the PSNI can offer assurances on the protection their community from sectarian attacks.
 

Looks like we are going to be in for a bit more of this in the coming weeks!!!!!!

About The Author

I am a political blogger offering opinion with a decidedly traditional Irish Republican bias. My aim is to ‘Feel the Pulse’ of Republicans on the pursuit of our ‘Holy Grail’ –A United Ireland. Rather than divide Republican sentiment, this blog seeks to augment and reinforce a true united Irish Republican voice. Go Raibh Maith Agat!!

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