Bandsmen and Orange Order members of No 3 District Loyal Orange Lodge parade pass the nationalist area around Ardoyne shops in Belfast. Image: Liam McBurney/PA Bandsmen and Orange Order members of No 3 District Loyal Orange Lodge parade pass the nationalist area around Ardoyne shops in Belfast. Image: Liam McBurney/PA THOUSANDS OF Orange Order members have taken to the streets across Northern Ireland to mark the main date in the Protestant loyal order parading season.
The normal 18 main events were replaced by more than 100 local parades which took place in a number of cities, towns and villages.As well as the reduced size of the parades, there were fewer spectators lining the roads this year. In the city, a number of small parades took place before the bands gathered at Carlisle Circus before the march through the city centre and onto Shaw’s Bridge.
Last year’s Twelfth of July parades were cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic and restrictions on public gatherings. #Open journalism No news is bad news Support The Journal Your contributions will help us continue to deliver the stories that are important to you“The service was exceptionally busy on each of the three nights, with direct intervention required by NIFRS to protect properties from radiated heat, embers, etc. from the bonfires.”Donaldson told the BBC: “I don’t want to see election posters or flags burnt on bonfires, I think we can celebrate our culture and our tradition in a respectful way.