A band parade will take place in Armagh to celebrate the Twelfth of July despite the formal demonstration in the city being axed due to Covid-19.
Armagh True Blues will parade through the city on Monday, July 13, the date on which the Twelfth would have been held as July 12 actually falls on the Sunday.
The Parades Commission has been notified of the intention to parade through the city centre, with the outward journey due to get underway at 11am.
The event is due to conclude at 4pm, according to the papers submitted to the Commission under the name of ‘The Boyne Commemoration Society’.
The Parades Commission has been notified of dozens of parades since the recent relaxation of coronavirus restrictions to allow up to 30 people to meet together outdoors.
The application for the Armagh parade states that one band – Armagh True Blues – will participate. And the expected number of participants is listed as ’30’ and expected number of spectators as ‘unknown’.
The event is not being organised under the auspices of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland, which this year is encouraging people to celebrate the ‘Twelfth at Home’.
The band will be parade through residential areas as part of its route to enable many people to see the march without having to leave their homes.
According to the submission for the Armagh parade, the route will be from Alexander Crescent via Lisanally Gardens, Alexander Park, Alexander Avenue, Alexander Road, Lonsdale Road, College Street, English Street, Market Street, Scotch Street, Barrack Street, Barrack Hill, Gough Avenue, Barrack Hill, Ballynahone Avenue, Orangefield Drive, Orangefield Crescent and concluding at Orangefield Drive.
Arches have been erected in towns and villages across County Armagh where there are also plans for parades, including Markethill, Tandragee, Killylea, Loughgall, Portadown and Lurgan, among others.
In Portadown, another parade under the auspices of the Boyne Commemoration Centre will see six bands on the march leaving at five minute intervals.
Six separate notifications were required for this event.
It is due to get underway at 9.15am at Princess Way, led by Portadown Defenders Flute Band. It will move along the Old Gilford Road, Ulsterville Park, Festival Road, Granville Road and Princess Way again, before the parade breaks up for a short period and participants travel by vehicle to Edgarstown Road.
From there it will resume at Margaret Street, Union Street, West Street, Loughgall Road, Westland Road, Hartfield Avenue, Corcrain Drive, Corcrain Avenue, Charles Street, Brownstown Road, Rectory Park, Drumard Avenue, Derryclone Gardens.
There will be another short break before resuming at Hobson Park and moving along Fitzgerald Park, Rectory Park, Brownstown Road, Glandore Terrace, Deramore Drive, Craigavon Avenue, Jervis Street and West Street to Edgarstown Road, where it is due to end at 4.05pm.
Portadown True Blues Flute Band leave at 9.20am, Portadown Defenders Auld Boys Flute will leave at 9.25am, while Portadown True Blues Auld Boys are due to travel the same route, from 9.30am, Hillhaven Flute Band at 9.35am and Edgarstown Accordian Band at 9.40am.
Kilcluney Volunteers Flute Band Auld Boys intend to parade on July 13th, between 12.45pm and 2.15pm, starting at Markethill High School.
The route takes in Mowhan Road, Seaboughan Road, Eden Drive, Seaboughan Road, Coolmillish Road, Green Park Drive, Green Park Avenue, Coolmillish Road, Gosford Gardens, Coolmillish Road, Coolmillish Park, Coolmillish Road, Mill Race Manor, Coolmillish Road, Fairgreen Road, Main Street, Newry Street, Junction of Forest View, Newry Street, Mowhan Road and returning to Markethill High.
Two bands are intending to march in Killylea at separate times.
Firstly, Ballyrea Boyne Defenders Flute Band will parade from 11am until 12noon.
Their route is from Esker Park to Main Street, into Old Forge and back to to Main Street, turning at Killylea Primary School and back to Main Street and on to the Fellowshall Road, turning at the last house and walking back to Main Street before finishing at the Orange Hall.
Between noon and 2pm, Cormeen Rising Sons of William Flute Band will parade around the village.
This time the route takes in Lisagally Road, Fellowshall Road, Main Street, Killylea Road, Main Street, Old Forge, Main Street, College Glebe, Main Street, Esker Park, Main Street, Fellowshall Road and Lisagally Road.
Later in the afternoon, at 4pm, Lisnafeedy Accordion Band will walk along the nearby Wilsontown Road and Lisnafeedy Road and Battleford Road.
Mavemacullen Accordion Band intend to parade at Clare on July 13, from 10,30am, before moving to Tandragee, gathering on the Markethill Road, at the roundabout at the bottom of Tandragee for noon, for a route that will take them to Mullahead Road, opposite Ballymore filling station.
Hillhaven Flute Band will march from Ballygassey Road in Loughgall along Main Street and back again between 9am and 10am.
Downshire Guiding Star Flute Band will parade through Banbridge town centre, from Hillside Park along a route which concludes at the War Memorial, between 11.45am and 1pm.
Annaghmore Crown Defenders’ outward journey starts at 11am from Moss Road, concluding at Annaghmore Orange Hall at 3pm.
In Lurgan, Upper Bann Fusiliers Flute Band will parade between 11.30am and 4.30pm, starting from Russell Drive. Craigavon Protestant Boys Flute Band will then parade along the same route half an hour later.
Pride of the Hill Flute Band, Rathfriland, are planning to parade around the town on the July 13 morning from 9.45am, starting from Downpatrick Street, while Ardarragh Accordion Band intend to parade from the car park at Downpatrick Street starting at 10.30am.
Bessbrook True Blues Flute will parade the Model Village, starting from Bessbrook Orange Hall, from 9.30am, and Quilly True Blues Flute Band will parade in Dromore between 11.30am and 1pm, and Skeogh Flute Band, also Dromore, from 12.15, starting at Diamond Road.
Geoghegan Memorial Pipe Band will parade from 10am to 11am in Loughbrickland, leaving from the Orange Hall on Scarva Street.
There are also plans for 11th night parades in Markethill and Portadown.
Portadown True Blues will leave the Brownstown Business Centre at 6pm, parading Brownstown Road, West Street, Union Street. They will stop at the green before moving along Montague Street, Charles Street and returning to Brownstown Road Business Centre at 8pm.
Markethill Fife and Drum Corps will parade through estates and town centre from 7.30pm on July 11, and Markethill Protestant Boys Flute Band will parade the same route five minutes later.
Further notifications could yet be made ahead of the traditional demonstration day.
