Larne LOL members set for Randalstown Twelfth

The East Antrim Combine’s nine district lodges - Randalstown, Larne, Sixmilewater, Antrim, Staffordstown, Killead, Carrickfergus, Cloughfern and Carnmoney - will be on parade, with a total of almost 70 Lodges including ladies from the Women’s Institution, along with several Junior Lodges from throughout the area.

Also on parade will be a Lodge from Cumnock in Scotland who will be walking with the host district.

Almost 50 bands of every type will accompany the lodges and some of the best pipe, accordion, silver and flute outfits in the country will be stepping out. Also, with the area being well-known for the Lambeg drum, there will be many fifes and drums accompanying the brethren.

Randalstown District Lodge has been planning for the big event for well over a year. Led by their Worshipful District Master, Wor Bro John Logan, the Randalstown brethren are looking forward to hosting and welcoming the demonstration to the town for the first time since 2001.

The lodges of the host district will parade from the Ahoghill Road to the assembly point on Shanes Street from 9.15am and wait for the other eight visiting districts to arrive from 9.30am onwards. The main parade is due to commence at 11.00am, led by Randalstown District and visiting dignitaries.

This year the demonstration will be parading to the field at Dunmore Park on the edge of town. All districts should be in the demonstration field by 1pm. All the usual stalls and food venders will be there from early morning. Willie Drennan and the Ulster Folk Band will be entertaining the crowds in the centre of town from approximately 10am and again in the field.

Also located in the field will be free fun activities for children and and a 1690 period camp will be set up, including King William’s campaign tent with period artefacts. The period camp will also include talks and displays by living history experts dressed in period dress. There will also be a display of period arms including firing black powder musket and pistol, sword, pike and a full firing cannon on carriage.

The traditional religious service will be conducted by Wor Bro Dr William McCrea MP. After the service, the Twelfth Resolutions will be proposed and passed.

All spectator traffic is advised to travel to the end of the motorway and enter the town via the Moneynick Road. Only traffic participating in the parade (buses and lodge cars) will be permitted to enter the town via the Ballygrooby roundabout and Castle Road. Any spectators who have a good knowledge of the local road network are encouraged to enter the town from the Ballymena / Ahoghill / Portglenone direction as they will have a virtually traffic-free approach to the town as most traffic will be entering via the Motorway and Moneynick Road.

Visitors are advised to arrive as early as possible to take advantage of the day’s events and also get good parking positions. Car parking is available in the demonstration field at New Street and also at Smyth’s Field on the Moneynick Road. There will be limited parking in the town.

The parade route is: Castle Road, Shanes Street, Bridge Street, Lower Main Street, Moore’s Lane, Neillsbrook Road, Blackthorn Way, Park Green, Ahoghill Road, Portglenone Road, Main Street, New Street to the Field at Dunmore Park.

The return parade is scheduled to leave the demonstration field at 3.30pm, with Larne District LOL No. 1 being the first to leave. The return parade route will be New Street, Lower Main Street, Bridge Street, Shanes Street, Castle Road to the buses.

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