Twelfth of July parades to go ahead in 2021

The Twelfth of July parades will take place in 2021, the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland has announced.

The organisation said the parades would be small and local due to restrictions on numbers at gatherings.

Twelfth of July parades were called off in 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Grand Master Edward Stevenson said the decision was taken after discussions with the first minister, health minister and chief medical officer.

"The current regulations are such that the traditional county or combined district Twelfth parades are not possible," the Grand Lodge said.

"Instead, it has been agreed that localised Twelfth parades will be held in accordance with the regulations in effect at that time."

A previous instruction by the Orange Order against parades taking place before 1 June was also rescinded.

Mr Stevenson added he was "delighted" the Twelfth of July parades could resume after a rare break in 2020.

Previously, the demonstrations had only been called off during World War One and World War Two, the Spanish Influenza outbreak in 1918 and when all parades were cancelled due to the Party Processions Act in the 1860s.

The Orange Order instead called for supporters to have a Twelfth at Home last year, finding other ways to mark the anniversary of King William III's victory over King James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.

In April, the Orange Order's grand secretary Mervyn Gibson said signs were "looking good" that parades could go ahead as other coronavirus restrictions were eased in Northern Ireland.

"As an institution we have had to make great sacrifice over the past 12 months and more, but we are now in a better place and our parades can take place, albeit in a slightly different format to a normal year," Edward Stevenson explained.

"This year we will have smaller local parades, so it will be a Twelfth near home for most members. This is a positive step towards a return to our normal full parades - hopefully in 2022.

"The regulations at this time do not permit the huge numbers many of our normal demonstrations would attract. We have to be realistic about that."

Mr Stevenson said "unlike others in our society", the Orange Order had "sought to show responsible civic leadership" during the pandemic.

There had been widespread criticism of the actions of Sinn Féin politicians for attending a large funeral gathering following the death of republican Bobby Storey in June 2020.