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Sinn Fein says it has secured “an urgent meeting” with the Parades Commission over an Orange Order proposal for a return parade down the Garvaghy Road parade in Portadown this Sunday.

The once-traditional parade from a church service hasn’t been permitted to complete its return leg through the nationalist Garvaghy Road area of the County Armagh town since it was stopped by the Parades Commission in 1998.

The local district are arguing that the parade will have less impact on the area as the majority of the community will either "be away to Croke Park" or watching Armagh GAA play on TV.

The move has been backed by the DUP Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart who said: “A 10-minute church parade should be offensive to no one and especially given the circumstances in which this application has been made.”

It is over a quarter of a century since the Orange Order were permitted to parade down the Garvaghy Road in Portadown, County Armagh. Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press

However, Sinn Féin Councillor Paul Duffy his party will meet with the Parades Commission about the proposal.

He said the application is “a stunt designed to increase tensions and cause division. It is insulting and derogatory towards the people of the Garvaghy Road.

“The people of the Garvaghy Road have enjoyed 26 years of peace since contentious parades were prevented from going through the area.

“They have worked to foster stronger and better cross-community relations with our neighbours and have no desire to return to the divisions of the past.”

A statement on Monday by Portadown Orange District LOL 1 said: “There has also been a big change in demographics of [those] who live within this area with a lot of foreign nationals coming into the area, so we believe that the time is now to look at all the factors again and a decision made with more up to date facts.”

It said: “As a district we believe by applying for a parade on Sunday 28th July 2024 at 3pm from Drumcree Church will bring the least impact on the majority of the community that live there as most will either be away to Croke Park, or will be in clubs, pubs or at home watching and supporting their county Armagh GAA playing in the final of the All Ireland”.

The local Orange Order applies weekly for a return parade along the Garvaghy Road, all of which have been refused by the Commission.

Sinn Fein in 'urgent meeting' with Parades Commission over Orange proposal for Drumcree parade this Sunday