East Antrim Combine a ‘marvellous’ day

Around 5,000 brethren and bandsmen took part in the main parade, while thousands more lined the streets.

Members of 70 lodges from the Carnmoney, Cloughfern, Carrickfergus, Larne, Randalstown, Staffordstown, Killead, Antrim, Sixmilewater districts descended on the Valley Park for this year’s event.

Mr Steele (pictured) told the Times: “They talk about the ‘Glorious Twelfth’, and this was glorious for the district, it was a marvellous day.

“This was a fantastic, peaceful, celebratory event which helped to showcase the district and the borough at their very best.

“The police told me that at any one point there would have been around 7,000 in the O’Neill Road area and for that to pass off peacefully and everyone to enjoy their time is fantastic.”

He added: “I would like to thank the council officers for all their help organising the event; everyone on the committee who helped organise the day throughout the past 12 months; all the councillors who came along and who assisted in the organising; the PSNI for their assistance; St John’s Ambulance and the Fire Service.

“I’d also like to thank the County Grand Secretary, Billy Thompson for walking with us and the Mayor Fraser Agnew who took part, and the Reverend David McCarthy for his address during the service.

“I’d also like to thank James Strange for providing the sound system for the service and the music.

“Finally, I want to thank all the members of the East Antrim Combine and those from my own district, Carnmoney number 25, for their help and support over the past 12 months in organising the event.”

He continued: “It just goes to show you that 5,000 people and around 10,000 spectators can have an enjoyable day with no incidents, when just five miles away in Belfast the Parades Commission won’t allow a couple of hundred people to march home without there being an incident.

“The lower end of Glengormley is considered a nationalist/republican area and it goes to show that if those people have a bit of toleration then things can be fine where parades are concerned.”

Sectarian graffiti was painted on a pedestrian entrance to the park ahead of the event.

However, Mr Steele said it did not ruin their day.

He added: “This is just the mentality of people, that they think a bit of graffiti or erecting a tricolour can annoy us.

“We did not let it get to us at all and everyone enjoyed a fantastic day.

“From the erection of the arch in Glengormley, to the mini-Twelfth and the Twelfth itself with some 12 to 15,000 people taking part without any major incident was a tremendous success for all concerned.”