Contentious march ends peacefully

[Square Ball]

 contentious Orange Order parade in the Whiterock area of west Belfast has passed off without major incident.
A limited parade of up to 50 people was allowed onto the mainly nationalist Springfield Road via Workman Avenue.

However, community marshals who were not allowed along that route staged a protest, claiming the move breached the Parades Commission determination.

They also accused police of "bowing to republican pressure". Most of the march had to pass through a factory site.

In a statement, the police said their actions were based on clarification from the Parades Commission on the definition of a marshal and "specifically who this referred to".

When the security gate was opened for those allowed to go through, the local Whiterock lodge were met with the cheers from supporters and the jeers of nationalist protestors.


Police told community marshals they had taken advice
However, it was a far cry from 2005's parade, when police officers were attacked with petrol and blast bombs, as well as live rounds during trouble.

The cost of policing that Whiterock parade and subsequent rioting in a number of loyalist areas was estimated at £3m by the PSNI.

Saturday's march was the second year in a row that it had passed off peacefully, and Chief Superintendent Gary White praised "the work carried out on all sides" to ensure this.

The ruling on Saturday's march has been made by the Parades Commission, a government-appointed body set up in 1997 to make decisions on whether controversial parades should be restricted.


thats one down many more to go, I do hope that this season goes as peacefull as last year

[Balboa]

Reroute the flute 

[ziggysego]

Reroute the flute 

There was this one time a band camp......

[GweylTah]

A few neandertals around here and in 'residents groups' need to get with the programme like Deputy Marty has, along wth his team of SF British Devolved Government Ministers, and grow up and live with these marches past - not through - areas close to them, provided they are lawful.

Sinn Fein motivated these 'residents groups' when they were useful fodder in the 1990s, but now SF wants them to go back into the box and disappear.

Expect a Drumcree parade, if not next Sunday, then certainly before next July.

[Gaoth Dobhair Abu]

A few neandertals around here and in 'residents groups' need to get with the programme like Deputy Marty has, along wth his team of SF British Devolved Government Ministers, and grow up and live with these marches past - not through - areas close to them, provided they are lawful.

Sinn Fein motivated these 'residents groups' when they were useful fodder in the 1990s, but now SF wants them to go back into the box and disappear.

Expect a Drumcree parade, if not next Sunday, then certainly before next July.

You have just surpassed yourself with this effort to wind people up, you truely are a Thai lady boy plank! 

[stew]

A few neandertals around here and in 'residents groups' need to get with the programme like Deputy Marty has, along wth his team of SF British Devolved Government Ministers, and grow up and live with these marches past - not through - areas close to them, provided they are lawful.

Sinn Fein motivated these 'residents groups' when they were useful fodder in the 1990s, but now SF wants them to go back into the box and disappear.

Expect a Drumcree parade, if not next Sunday, then certainly before next July.

You have just surpassed yourself with this effort to wind people up, you truely are a Thai lady boy plank! 

[Orior]

Sinn Fein motivated these 'residents groups' when they were useful fodder in the 1990s...

Ha ha. You're actually believing you're own shit now.

[SammyG]

Sinn Fein motivated these 'residents groups' when they were useful fodder in the 1990s...

Ha ha. You're actually believing you're own shit now.

Obviously most of what Gweyl says is either shite or a wind-up but it's a bit strange, that you pull him up on the one thing that is clearly true. 

[Fiodoir Ard Mhacha]

A few neandertals around here and in 'residents groups' need to get with the programme like Deputy Marty has, along wth his team of SF British Devolved Government Ministers, and grow up and live with these marches past - not through - areas close to them, provided they are lawful.

Sinn Fein motivated these 'residents groups' when they were useful fodder in the 1990s, but now SF wants them to go back into the box and disappear.

Expect a Drumcree parade, if not next Sunday, then certainly before next July.

What about 4.56am on Sunday 30 December?

And just because these marches may be 'lawful', doesn't make it right , fair, reasonable, just or non-sectarian. The law can still be an ass.

[Evil Genius]

contentious Orange Order parade in the Whiterock area of west Belfast has passed off without major incident.

What is the world coming to when concerned citizens cannot be bothered to get off their arses and go out to be offended by people marching through industrial estates and the like?

Good God! Next they'll be settling for a normal life, content to get on with their own business, instead of reacting to plonkers who want to dress up in funny uniforms, assemble behind crap bands, and give themselves blisters marching along in stupid processions which have no purpose or function (other than to demonstrate how out of touch the marchers are with normal life in the 21st Century)

Very disappointing, I must say...

[Orior]

I had the pleasure of witnessing a parade in Belfast on Sunday (the Lord's rest day). The "Loyal Sons of Kilkeel" flute band (who weren't bad to be honest, but average age of 15) marched through the city centre followed by what must have been the ugliest bunch of orange men and orange women ever. Some were stooped over, many were low-browed, the majority had slack jaws but most amusing was that they all struggled to march in time – I think counting is not a big thing in that neck of the woods.

[Evil Genius]

Evil Genius are you sure you are a Prod?

I'm quite sure I'm not a "Prod" [sic], thank you very much. Are you confused at my not conforming to some preconceived stereotype of yours, then?

[GweylTah]

I had the pleasure of witnessing a parade in Belfast on Sunday (the Lord's rest day). The "Loyal Sons of Kilkeel" flute band (who weren't bad to be honest, but average age of 15) marched through the city centre followed by what must have been the ugliest bunch of orange men and orange women ever. Some were stooped over, many were low-browed, the majority had slack jaws but most amusing was that they all struggled to march in time – I think counting is not a big thing in that neck of the woods.

So of all the things you could have been doing on a Sunday you decided to go witness a church parade - Battle of the Somme commemoration and wreath laying? - by the loyal orders, so that it could annoy you and then you could insult old people because of their gait.

Your family must be very proud of you, and wait until they hear about this contribution up in Connolly House. You'll be promoted from scrubbing the toliets to mopping them out.

[Donagh]

I had the pleasure of witnessing a parade in Belfast on Sunday (the Lord's rest day). The "Loyal Sons of Kilkeel" flute band (who weren't bad to be honest, but average age of 15) marched through the city centre followed by what must have been the ugliest bunch of orange men and orange women ever. Some were stooped over, many were low-browed, the majority had slack jaws but most amusing was that they all struggled to march in time – I think counting is not a big thing in that neck of the woods.

Witnessed them on the upper Ormeau last night as well. In fairness though a lot of the hangers-on seem to have disappeared – mustn't the same craic it used to be now there's no dirty RC's to annoy.

A few of oul wans were giving out to a Peeler because he didn't stop the traffic on the road as they were forced to march up the bus lane on the side – apparently it's "disrespectful" that the whole street isn't forced to pause in respectful silence for a dozen loonies walking up the bus lane.

[Orior]

I had the pleasure of witnessing a parade in Belfast on Sunday (the Lord's rest day). The "Loyal Sons of Kilkeel" flute band (who weren't bad to be honest, but average age of 15) marched through the city centre followed by what must have been the ugliest bunch of orange men and orange women ever. Some were stooped over, many were low-browed, the majority had slack jaws but most amusing was that they all struggled to march in time – I think counting is not a big thing in that neck of the woods.

So of all the things you could have been doing on a Sunday you decided to go witness a church parade - Battle of the Somme commemoration and wreath laying? - by the loyal orders, so that it could annoy you and then you could insult old people because of their gait.

Your family must be very proud of you, and wait until they hear about this contribution up in Connolly House. You'll be promoted from scrubbing the toliets to mopping them out.

Nah, I had to drive into the city to pick up a relative, and got caught in the traffic congestion.

Actually, I'd no problem at all with the parade. It was quite amusing and I do like the bag band music - always gets the andrenalin going. Its quite a spectacle and would be a big crowd tourist draw if it wasnt for the hangers on and the over-the-top parailitary regalia. There definitely is a future for Orange parades as a tourist attraction.