Alliance Party Deputy Leader Eóin Tennyson has renewed calls for the Orange Order not to proceed along the Garvaghy Road, as he warned that reopening the Drumcree dispute has caused “huge hurt” and raised tensions to levels not seen in years.
The Upper Bann MLA issued a fresh statement on Sunday morning following an extraordinary series of court hearings over the proposed Orange Order procession in Portadown.
Tennyson said people were in “utter despair” at the situation and again appealed for calm, restraint and “cool heads on all sides”.
His comments follow his earlier intervention after the Parades Commission decided to permit a restricted Orange Order procession along the Garvaghy Road.
Tennyson had argued that the longstanding restrictions should remain in place to allow further time for mediation and called on the Orange Order to consider voluntarily not proceeding with the parade.
‘Pandora’s box of Drumcree’
In his latest statement on Sunday morning, Tennyson said:
“People are in utter despair that this is where we are as a society this morning.”
He said reopening what he described as the “Pandora’s box of Drumcree” had caused significant hurt and increased tensions.
Tennyson added that Northern Ireland could not relive the past and instead needed to learn from the history of the Drumcree dispute and find a way forward.
He concluded by saying the safety of everyone involved must be the immediate priority and appealed for calm on all sides.
Tennyson is an Alliance MLA for Upper Bann, the constituency which includes Portadown.
Alliance had already urged Orange Order to reconsider
The latest intervention follows Tennyson’s earlier response to the Parades Commission determination.
Although acknowledging that the Commission had reached a different conclusion from the position he advocated, Tennyson argued that the Orange Order should consider whether exercising the permission granted to it was the right course of action in the circumstances.
He said voluntarily refraining from proceeding would, in his view, demonstrate a commitment to good community relations.
The Alliance position comes amid sharply differing political reactions to the Commission’s decision.
Nationalist and republican representatives have strongly opposed the return of the procession to the Garvaghy Road, while unionist representatives have defended the Orange Order’s ability to proceed under the Commission’s determination.
Dramatic night in the courts
The political intervention follows an extraordinary legal battle which continued into the early hours of Sunday morning.
On Saturday, High Court judge Justice Patricia Smyth granted an interim injunction preventing the Parades Commission’s determination from taking effect.
Justice Smyth said the long-running dispute had the potential to escalate across Northern Ireland.
But the legal position changed again late on Saturday night.
At approximately 11.30pm, the Court of Appeal ruled that the High Court judge had “erred in law” when granting the injunction.
The matter was subsequently returned to the High Court for further consideration in the early hours of Sunday.
A further High Court hearing began shortly after midnight and concluded at approximately 2.15am, with the challenge unsuccessful and the Parades Commission determination remaining in place.
Restricted procession
Under the Parades Commission determination, the procession is substantially smaller than originally proposed.
Portadown District had sought permission for 60 participants and a 1pm procession.
Instead, the Commission permitted a maximum of 35 participants, with the procession required to depart Drumcree Church at 8am.
No bands are permitted on the disputed section, supporters cannot accompany the procession, and the parade is required to disperse at Carleton Street Orange Hall before 9.30am.
The Orange Order has said that while it is unhappy with some of the restrictions imposed, it will comply with the determination and has called on others to act peacefully and responsibly.
Drumcree dispute returns
The developments have brought one of Northern Ireland’s most contentious parading disputes back into the spotlight after almost three decades.
Garvaghy Road residents have historically opposed the Orange Order’s return procession through the predominantly nationalist area, while the Orange Order maintains its claim to complete what it regards as its traditional route.
The confrontations surrounding Drumcree during the 1990s resulted in serious disorder, violence and major security operations.
The Orange Order has not completed the disputed route along the Garvaghy Road since 1997.
Against that historical backdrop, Tennyson said on Sunday that Northern Ireland must not repeat the past.
“We cannot relive the past. We must be capable of learning from it and finding a way to move forward together.”
With tensions heightened following days of political and legal developments, the Alliance Deputy Leader said the priority must now be the safety of everyone involved.
Clanrye News and Sport will continue to follow developments in Portadown.
ENDS