Parades Commission Gives Orange Order Permission to March Along Garvaghy Road

The Parades Commission has given the Orange Order permission to march along the Garvaghy Road in Portadown on Sunday 27 September 2026.

The decision marks a significant change after restrictions prevented the annual Drumcree parade from proceeding along the mainly nationalist road since 1998.

The approved parade will involve 35 participants at 8am, according to the determination reported on Friday afternoon.

The Parades Commission has given the Orange Order permission to march along the Garvaghy Road in Portadown, almost three decades after the controversial route was last permitted.

The decision was issued on Friday 25 September ahead of a planned parade on Sunday 27 September.

The Garvaghy Road has been at the centre of the long-running Drumcree parading dispute, with restrictions imposed on Orange Order marches along the mainly nationalist route since 1998.

35 People Approved to Parade at 8am

According to reports following publication of the determination, the Parades Commission has approved a parade involving 35 people at 8am on Sunday.

The original application submitted by Portadown District LOL No 1 proposed a return parade involving 60 members.

The application listed a route from Drumcree Church along:

• Drumcree Road
• Garvaghy Road
• Parkmount
• Victoria Terrace
• Castle Street
• Bridge Street
• High Street
• Market Street
• Church Street
• Carleton Street

The submitted application had proposed a 1pm start, with two accordion bands joining the procession later in Portadown town centre.

View the parade application on the Parades Commission website.

Major Change After Almost Three Decades

The determination represents a major development in the long-running Drumcree dispute.

Since 1998, the Parades Commission has restricted the Orange Order from completing the return leg of its annual Drumcree parade along the Garvaghy Road.

The dispute became one of the most contentious issues in Northern Ireland during the 1990s, resulting in repeated stand-offs, widespread disorder and violence.

High Court Decision Led to Fresh Application

The latest application followed a High Court challenge concerning the Parades Commission’s handling of the 2026 Drumcree parade.

In August, the commission conceded that there had been a procedural error in how the earlier determination had been reached.

That determination was subsequently quashed.

The procedural issue centred on the fact that not all commission members had approved the final determination before it was issued.

Following the court proceedings, Portadown District Orange Lodge submitted a new, reduced application for a parade along the Garvaghy Road.

Orange Order Had Proposed ‘Limited’ Parade

When the fresh plans were announced earlier this month, the Orange Order described the proposal as a limited parade.

Instead of the larger procession normally associated with Drumcree, the Order proposed that 60 members would travel along the Garvaghy Road without a band.

The Order had said the reduced procession would take approximately 15 minutes to pass through the area.

The final approval reported on Friday differs from the original application, with 35 participants permitted at 8am.

Garvaghy Road Residents Had Opposed Parade

The proposed return to the Garvaghy Road has been strongly opposed by local residents and nationalist representatives.

The Garvaghy Road Residents Coalition previously criticised the proposal, while residents’ groups from other parts of Northern Ireland had warned that established parading arrangements elsewhere could be affected by the outcome.

The Parades Commission held meetings with representatives from the Orange Order, the Garvaghy Road Residents Coalition and a number of political parties before reaching its decision.

Extra Police Officers Drafted in Ahead of Decision

The decision comes amid heightened policing preparations around Portadown.

It was reported earlier on Friday that the PSNI had requested mutual aid officers from Great Britain ahead of the Drumcree ruling.

The Police Federation described the move as a precautionary measure amid concerns about potential tension surrounding the parade.

When Will the Drumcree Parade Take Place?

The approved parade is scheduled for:

Date: Sunday 27 September 2026
Time: 8am
Location: Garvaghy Road area, Portadown
Approved participants: 35

The arrangements differ from the original application submitted to the Parades Commission, which proposed 60 participants and a 1pm start.

Anyone planning to travel through Portadown on Sunday should check for the latest traffic and policing information before travelling.

Visit the Parades Commission website for official parade information.

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