Pomeroy on parade for Twelfth

Orangemen from South and East Tyrone and their supporters will gather in Pomeroy to mark the 322nd anniversary of the Battle Of The Boyne.

This will be the biggest Twelfth parade in Co Tyrone and will feature around 70 lodges and 50 bands.

The outbound parade will leave the Assembly Field on the Stewartstown Road, around one mile from Pomeroy, at around 12:15pm and will be led by the County Officers and Mulnagore Coronation Accordion Band, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary. Following Mulnagore Band will be Co Tyrone Orangewomen.

The districts will then proceed in the following order: Killyman, Stewartstown, Cookstown, Castlecaulfield, Coagh, Benburb and finally Pomeroy.

The parade will take around one hour to pass and will make its way along the Stewartstown Road, through Dungannon crossroads to the bottom of Main Street in Pomeroy. It will then turn left and proceed along Station Road to the demonstration field.

The platform proceedings will begin at 2:30pm and will take the form of a religious service. The praise will be led by Newmills Silver Band and the address will be given by Bro Trevor Boyd, Deputy County Grand Chaplain. Bro Rev Mervyn Lindsay, Deputy City Grand Chaplain, City of Londonderry will also take part in the service. Bro Perry Reid, Deputy County Tyrone Grand Master will be the guest speaker.

An Ulster-Scots-Orange festival will also take place with the group Rightly On providing musical entertainment in the field from 11am onwards.

Pomeroy Historical Society will also have a stall in the demonstration field from 2pm.

The return parade will leave the demonstration field at 3:45pm in the following order: Killyman, Stewartstown, Benburb, Castlecaulfield, Coagh, Cookstown and Pomeroy, passing along the Stewartstown Road to the dispersal point at Pomeroy Forestry School gates. Proceedings will come to an end around 5:15pm.

Car parking facilities will be available at both the assembly and demonstration fields at a cost of £5 per car.

Those travelling in cars will approach Pomeroy either from the main Pomeroy to Donaghmore Road (B43) or from the Cookstown/Dungannon Road by travelling along the Stewartstown to Pomeroy Road (B160).

All buses are asked to use the Stewartstown to Pomeroy Road. No parking will be permitted on the parade route. Marshals will be there to offer guidance.

Pomeroy District Master Bro Bertie Kelso said the members have been putting in a lot of work to preparing both fields.

“The Twelfth will have extra significance this year given that 2012 is the Diamond Jubilee and the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Ulster Covenant,” he added.

Commenting on the Twelfth celebrations Trevor Wilson, press officer for Cookstown District No 3 said that all roads will lead to Pomeroy this year for the brethren of Cookstown District No 3 as they celebrate the annual anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne.

“Cookstown District will be leaving the Oldtown at 10.30am to parade to the Fairhill to board their buses at 11am. The return parade through Cookstown in the evening will start from Killymoon Street at 6pm.

“I look forward to peaceful and enjoyable day where everyone can enjoy the music and the splendour of the occasion,” he added.