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Commission hears concerns over Armagh band parade
The Parades Commission has been urged to reconsider a ruling which allows a loyalist band to parade through Armagh on St Patrick‘s Day.
The commission heard that St Patrick’s day was vital for tourism in ArmaghCormeen Rising Sons of William have been given permission to hold a procession with 40 other bands and more than 1000 supporters.
The SDLP and Sinn Fein raised concerns about the march taking place on the city’s biggest tourism day of the year.
The parties made representations to the Parades Commission on Tuesday.
The UUP‘s Danny Kennedy MLA and Cllr William Irwin also spoke to the commission, in support of the parade organisers.
The commission is understood to be reviewing its determination and a final decision on the march will be announced later.
WITH MANY THANKS TO : BBC NEWS NI.
Related articles
- Kingsmills parade is restricted (bbc.co.uk)
- St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Conshohocken 3/10/12 (pddv.org)
- St Patricks day. (politics.ie)
- After The Parade (jhasmoments.wordpress.com)
Kingsmills march to be postponed
The march was due to take place this Saturday.
William Frazer of Families Acting for Innocent Relatives (Fair) said the march had been postponed in light of two recent bereavements and at the request of the Kingsmills families.
UUP MLA Danny Kennedy has welcomed the decision.
“The decision was taken in the interests of community relations,” he said.
“I know that this decision was difficult and indeed, painful for many, however, it is a huge gesture of goodwill and I wish to commend the organisers and the Kingsmills families in taking this step,” he added.
“The decision not to march on Saturday does not in any way take away from the need to obtain clear answers as to who carried out the massacre at Kingsmills.
“There is still palpable hurt within the local unionist community.
“The recent report which was undertaken by the Historical Enquiries Team highlighted the need for many questions still to be answered.
“Only by discovering the truth will closure and healing be brought to the families who lost loved ones in this horrific tragedy.”
Mr Frazer said the march would “still take place at a later date”.
The Parades Commission had placed restrictions on the march which was to go through the village of Whitecross.
One of the organisers of the march, Pastor Barry Halliday, who had helped Fair plan the parade, last week claimed that he had been threatened.
WITH MANY THANKS TO : BBC NEWS NI.
Related Stories
- Kingsmills pastor ‘is threatened’ 16 FEBRUARY 2012, NORTHERN IRELAND
- Paterson rejects Kingsmills plea 18 JULY 2011, NORTHERN IRELAND
- IRA ‘responsible for Kingsmills’ 16 JUNE 2011, NORTHERN IRELAND
- Kingsmills families inquiry call 21 JUNE 2011, NORTHERN IRELAND
- 1976: Ten dead in Northern Ireland ambush 21 NOVEMBER 2002, 5
