Orange Order parade in nationalist area of Northern Ireland to go ahead after appeal against ban

Members of the loyalist Orange Order in Northern Ireland will be allowed to march along a largely nationalist street on Sunday after they successfully appealed against a ban.

It means they will be able to walk down the Garvaghy Road in Portadown for the first time in nearly 30 years.

A ruling by the Parades Commission to permit the march was successfully appealed by residents earlier, with a High Court judge granting a temporary injunction.

Justice Patricia Smyth had blocked the commission decision, saying the "long-running dispute has the potential to escalate" across Northern Ireland.

The Orange Order then lodged an appeal against that ruling which was successful.

The stand-off at Drumcree made headlines in the 1990s, with nationalist residents of the Garvaghy Road opposed to the parade passing through the area.

That led to violent clashes for several summers and political tension resulting in a major security operation.

The Orange Order had unsuccessfully applied for more than a quarter of a century to complete its 1998 walk along its traditional route.

On Friday, the commission had reversed its long-running determination, which was welcomed by unionist parties but led to outrage among nationalist and republican parties.

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(c) Sky News 2026: Orange Order parade in nationalist area of Northern Ireland to go ahead after appeal against