:02:35. > :02:41.Good Evening and welcome to the programme. Over the next 30 minutes,
:02:41. > :02:47.we'll have a round-up of today's main twefl parades across the
:02:47. > :02:57.country from Lisnaskea, to Lisnaskea. We start in Belfast
:02:57. > :03:01.
:03:01. > :03:04.where the 14-mile round trip makes Belfast hosts the largest of 18
:03:04. > :03:10.demonstrations across Northern Ireland. Today there were 70 bands,
:03:10. > :03:19.along with the lodges, the parade took well over an hour to pass any
:03:19. > :03:23.one point. The Mill mar memorial took part.
:03:23. > :03:28.The early part of the parade was in damp roads after a heavy downpour,
:03:28. > :03:31.but the weather improved throughout the day. Every member of the family
:03:31. > :03:36.was decked out in traditional colours, as the parade passed by
:03:36. > :03:42.and headed for the city centre. Here, the deck chairs, flags and
:03:42. > :03:46.spectators were ready and waiting. You get to see all the pageantry
:03:46. > :03:51.and a good view of the bands. They love it, look forward to it every
:03:51. > :03:57.year. They all go to integrated schools so they're brought up like
:03:57. > :04:04.that, but they like their own culture as well. Their school
:04:04. > :04:10.celebrate St Patrick's Day and what it means, so it's good fun.
:04:10. > :04:14.My mother's a loyalist woman, brought me up like that. I love
:04:14. > :04:18.seeing the 12th, seeing the bands, having time with the kids and
:04:18. > :04:24.enjoying myself. In the early afternoon, the first
:04:24. > :04:29.bands made it to the field at Barnett's Desailly. The stalls were
:04:29. > :04:34.ready and the official transport was parked and allowed to cool down.
:04:34. > :04:40.Time for a rest, some catching up and lunch as the Grand Master
:04:40. > :04:45.considered what he was going to say. The message is, we are celebrating
:04:45. > :04:49.Battle of The Boyne, it gave everyone civil and religious
:04:49. > :04:53.freedom. We consider sometimes our fame being denied to us and our
:04:53. > :04:57.civil rights and we hope we can move forward and see better days
:04:57. > :05:01.ahead. As the locals relaxed, some
:05:01. > :05:05.overseas visitors were enjoying the parading experience here for the
:05:05. > :05:09.first time. Incredible, just incredible.
:05:09. > :05:16.Wonderful. All the kids but the two little girls, who are seven and
:05:16. > :05:26.eight, made it to the park and hopped in the car, the others made
:05:26. > :05:26.
:05:26. > :05:30.it. In pink, the Pink Ladies. are an all-female flute band, just
:05:30. > :05:40.as a means of giving the young girls something to do and teaching
:05:40. > :05:40.
:05:40. > :05:47.them about the history and culture. We started in Ulster a year ago, a
:05:47. > :05:51.new group in Ulster, and both bands join together on 12th July.
:05:51. > :05:57.Visitors, bands and local brethren determined to join the parade back
:05:57. > :06:04.again. This year, the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland designated two
:06:04. > :06:14.demonstrations as flagship events. We'll hear from Comber shortly, but
:06:14. > :06:15.
:06:15. > :06:19.Music and pageantry were the order of the day in Randalstown. It
:06:19. > :06:24.enjoyed flagship status this year, welcoming nine district lodges from
:06:24. > :06:30.the east Antrim combine, along with 70 others. They were led by a
:06:30. > :06:35.Randalstown district lodge, number And some came from further afield.
:06:35. > :06:42.I'm from Antrim Town. I've been in Sydney Australia for the last 21
:06:42. > :06:46.years and we thought we'd take this in with our annual holidays.
:06:46. > :06:56.More than 60 marching bands from here, England and Scotland, paraded
:06:56. > :06:59.
:06:59. > :07:09.The day was celebrated by every generation.
:07:09. > :07:11.
:07:11. > :07:15.I am 100 years of age. 100. Seen all the parades. This year's 95th
:07:15. > :07:18.anniversary of the Battle of The Somme took on particular
:07:18. > :07:22.significance for Randalstown. This site was used as a training camp
:07:22. > :07:28.for soldiers going off to fight in France.
:07:28. > :07:32.We stand for an act of remembrance, remembering those who have fallen
:07:32. > :07:38.in the defence of freedom, righteousness and truth, across the
:07:38. > :07:42.world and especially we think of our soldiers in Afghanistan this
:07:42. > :07:47.time. The sun may not have been shining on Randalstown today, but
:07:47. > :07:50.that didn't seem to matter. The lack of it hasn't dampened the
:07:50. > :07:54.spirits too much. As you can see, everybody is milling about. There's
:07:54. > :08:01.a lot of people in the field enjoying it, making the best of it.
:08:01. > :08:08.That's how it should be. After the long walk to the fooled,
:08:09. > :08:13.it was time to relax and hats off to a great day.
:08:13. > :08:18.The crowds turned out in force in Comber today where the second of
:08:18. > :08:28.the flagship demonstrations took place. More than 100 lodges and
:08:28. > :08:31.
:08:31. > :08:35.Thousands turned out to enjoy the festivities and see 70 lodges and
:08:35. > :08:41.40 bands file past including silver, flute, pipe and accordion. Five
:08:41. > :08:46.districts were represented today, the host town Comber and four
:08:46. > :08:50.others. The parades held in Comber every
:08:50. > :08:58.five years here and people can't wait until the next time. It's
:08:58. > :09:05.amazing. I come here most years. Very well organised. Very nice.
:09:05. > :09:13.Lovely. Good so far. Very good. Turned out to be a lovely day.
:09:13. > :09:18.to beat now. What's been your favourite bit so far? Watching the
:09:18. > :09:21.new flute band. Hopefully next year she'll be in the parade with them.
:09:21. > :09:27.Beautiful. Really lovely. The weather's been great, as has the
:09:27. > :09:31.parade. The bands are playing lovely. Just enjoyed the whole day.
:09:31. > :09:35.Even though the spectators failed to get a ringside seat, they
:09:35. > :09:39.couldn't say they didn't see enough of the action, the parade made its
:09:39. > :09:43.way through the town twice on its way to the demonstration field. The
:09:43. > :09:47.main speaker was Ulster Unionist assembly member and the immediate
:09:47. > :09:52.past Assistant Grand Master of Ireland who had this message for
:09:52. > :09:56.those involved in recent disturbances. The Orange Order
:09:56. > :09:59.condemns all violence and will continue to do so and always has.
:09:59. > :10:05.In Comber we have a marvellous day with loads of people thronging the
:10:05. > :10:08.streets. You can't move. Above all, it's a family day. We see children,
:10:08. > :10:12.their parents, grandparents. It's awash with everything that's right
:10:13. > :10:17.about today. Brilliant. Before the parade dispersed today, it was
:10:17. > :10:21.addressed by the district master. Today is the culmination of a
:10:21. > :10:26.year's planning for this day. It's a celebration of our culture, a
:10:26. > :10:31.celebration of our reformed faith and a day for the family, for
:10:31. > :10:35.fellowship and fun and we look forward to it. The name of Comber
:10:35. > :10:40.comes from the Irish where the confluence of rivers meet. Today we
:10:40. > :10:44.have orange men meeting with fellow Orangemen and families and friends
:10:44. > :10:49.just for fun, celebration and enjoyment. The excitement was a bit
:10:49. > :10:52.too much for some, to others, it was a chance to sit back and enjoy
:10:52. > :10:55.the music. To the north-west next, where
:10:55. > :10:59.thousands of people took part in the festivities in Limavady. It was
:10:59. > :11:03.a special occasion for the Head of The Orange order who's now been in
:11:03. > :11:13.the post since January. Edward Stevenson used his speech to
:11:13. > :11:19.
:11:19. > :11:25.highlight the plight of victims of It was his first official Twelfth
:11:25. > :11:32.as Grand Master and he was joined by Alastair Smith who is from the
:11:32. > :11:37.area. It's four years since the Twelfth
:11:37. > :11:40.was held in Limavady and, as usual, there was a large turnout.
:11:40. > :11:44.Around 5,000 people took part in the parade itself and more than
:11:44. > :11:50.double that number lined the route. Limavady district had the honour of
:11:50. > :11:54.leading off this year, followed by Coleraine and City of Londonderry
:11:54. > :11:59.Grand Orange Lodge. It's very, very important and it's traying to
:11:59. > :12:04.encourage people to become more aware of their own culture and
:12:04. > :12:08.tradition. Today's parade is part of that. Also to promote our
:12:08. > :12:15.religious aspects of the institution. It was a special
:12:15. > :12:18.occasion for Limavady district, LOL number 6, celebrating its 200th
:12:18. > :12:22.anniversary. I think Limavady men would feel we have a particular
:12:22. > :12:26.type of Oranges and we'd say it's the best of course. We have people
:12:26. > :12:31.from the town and rural areas and we try to keep alive the tradition
:12:31. > :12:38.of the men from 200 years ago. year-old Sam King was determined
:12:38. > :12:46.not the miss the Twelfth. How important is a day like today?
:12:46. > :12:51.Quite important to me today. After the parade in and around Limavady,
:12:51. > :12:55.the Grand Master, Edward Stevenson, told those who gathered that the
:12:55. > :13:00.victims of the troubles shouldn't be forgotten. He claimed the IRA
:13:00. > :13:03.carried out a bloody sectarian war and tried to rewrite history.
:13:03. > :13:07.we talk about ethnic cleansing across this province, we have a
:13:07. > :13:11.right to be heard. They may not like it because there is a romantic
:13:11. > :13:17.myth of a justified arms struggle that they are trying so hard to
:13:17. > :13:19.create, but let me say very clearly that the violence of the IRA or
:13:19. > :13:22.indeed any terrorist organisation in Northern Ireland was never
:13:23. > :13:25.justified. The Grand Master said Protestants
:13:25. > :13:35.should engage with the historical inquiries team so the wider
:13:35. > :13:41.
:13:41. > :13:46.community could learn about what On parade in Rathfriland, band and
:13:46. > :13:52.plenty of drums. This was the first time in eight
:13:52. > :13:57.years that the Twelfth came to the County Down Town. It's probably
:13:57. > :14:04.just as well, given the steep hills on the one-mile route. It can be
:14:04. > :14:08.difficult, especially for senior brethren, but usually the sun
:14:08. > :14:12.shines. It's definitely a beautiful setting and we feel that when you
:14:13. > :14:18.are standing or sitting in the top of the demonstration field, there's
:14:18. > :14:24.no better demonstration field in the country. The parade made a stop
:14:24. > :14:29.at the war memorial before weaving its way around the square. Most
:14:29. > :14:34.walked but some travelled in style. Some spectators had some views,
:14:34. > :14:37.others didn't seem to notice what was on offer. After nearly two
:14:37. > :14:41.hours, the parade arrived in the field, then it was time for lunch,
:14:41. > :14:47.treats, catching up and a rest. I've been fortunate enough to enjoy
:14:47. > :14:51.a fair bit of good health and I don't think I've missed a Twelfth
:14:51. > :14:57.now in the 65 years, I don't think so. I would find it hard if I
:14:57. > :15:01.wasn't able to come out. It's a lovely, real family day. My wee
:15:01. > :15:05.girl's two-and-a-half and just loves the bands. It's just a nice,
:15:06. > :15:13.fun day. I always remember it as a really fun day as a child. It's a
:15:13. > :15:16.happen any nice day to be out. Wonderful. Nice to meet all my old
:15:16. > :15:23.friends. The hospitality is second to none. There's no other place
:15:23. > :15:26.like it, no two ways at all. I love Northern Ireland. We are here to
:15:26. > :15:31.celebrate our heritage. We consider it a family day out as well and we
:15:32. > :15:41.are all here. My husband's in the lodge and we are having a great day
:15:42. > :15:46.
:15:46. > :15:49.Large crowd turned up in sticks Tam as the demonstration returned to
:15:49. > :15:55.the County Tyrone town for the first time in seven years --
:15:55. > :16:00.Stewartstown. People thronged the square in his
:16:00. > :16:05.400 year-old village, determined not to miss a minute of the big day.
:16:05. > :16:11.We were down very early. We were here at about 9:30am. Well where
:16:11. > :16:18.here early. I have been coming for about 51 years. A veteran? I am, I
:16:18. > :16:23.would not miss it. For some, it was a whole new experience. Jack is six
:16:23. > :16:29.months old and this is his first 12. John has talked us along to come
:16:29. > :16:33.and have a look at all the bands. He promised a good day. I have been
:16:33. > :16:37.travelling for 14 years. Everyone said, come along on the 12th. I
:16:37. > :16:44.wanted to come and share the experience with you people.
:16:44. > :16:54.there was something for everyone. 50 bans accompanied lodgers from
:16:54. > :16:55.
:16:55. > :17:03.the seven district's. -- 50 bans accompany it lodges from the seven
:17:03. > :17:06.districts. In the field, spectators were treated to a cultural display
:17:06. > :17:14.of Scottish dancing and Lambeg drum men. With the weather always the
:17:14. > :17:19.big question, the entertainers had written a song for the occasion.
:17:19. > :17:24.The guest speaker was the Grand Master of England. I think it is a
:17:24. > :17:27.marvellous occasion. It is everything I expected it to be. It
:17:27. > :17:31.is not the first time we have walked in Northern Ireland on the
:17:31. > :17:36.12th and I am thoroughly looking forward to the rest of the day.
:17:37. > :17:41.special pen was made to commemorate the big day. The organisers were
:17:41. > :17:46.delighted with how it went. music, the colour and everything is
:17:46. > :17:51.absolutely fine. In the afternoon, the queue at the burger stands was
:17:51. > :17:55.matched by those wanting ice creams. Others made the most of a chance
:17:55. > :18:00.for a rest. It has been a few years since the
:18:00. > :18:06.village of Clogher last hosted the 12th but today, the celebrations
:18:06. > :18:10.were back in the village. The theme was home for the 12th. In total, 24
:18:10. > :18:15.lodges were on parade, making their way through the village and over
:18:15. > :18:20.the hill towards the field. For some, the day made first memories
:18:20. > :18:24.of the 12, for others it has been a lifelong appointment. The
:18:24. > :18:32.organisers pulled out all the stops to make it a family-friendly day.
:18:32. > :18:35.The North Antrim demonstration was held in Ballycastle this year.
:18:35. > :18:45.There was a security alert but it did not stop the parade from going
:18:45. > :18:45.
:18:45. > :18:51.ahead. Forget yellow man, it was all about
:18:51. > :18:53.Orange man in Ballycastle, 44 lodges from five districts took
:18:53. > :19:01.part in the North Antrim demonstration, the first time it
:19:01. > :19:08.has been held in this seaside town for five years. Mc lead in the
:19:08. > :19:13.line-up was LOL 749, celebrating its 200th anniversary and a
:19:13. > :19:17.unfurling a new banner. We take pride in the war memorial which is
:19:17. > :19:21.on the front of our ban and it is the oldest war memorial in the
:19:21. > :19:26.whole of Ireland. As well as some local Lambeg drum is, this Lodge
:19:26. > :19:30.from Scotland was determined to show off their skills with the
:19:30. > :19:35.sticks which included three generations of drummers. I thought
:19:36. > :19:39.I was retired so I'm back here at the age of 65. I will be 66 next
:19:39. > :19:43.month. We keep it in the family as much as we can and we are enjoying
:19:43. > :19:48.it. The Grand Secretary of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland said
:19:48. > :19:53.it was a day for everyone. We bear no malice to anyone. We want to
:19:53. > :19:58.come and have a nice family day out. Everyone is welcome to come and see
:19:58. > :20:01.the colourful spectacle which is 12th July. There was plenty of
:20:01. > :20:07.local support but one man made the joint -- the journey from America
:20:07. > :20:11.to join his brothers on the March. I come every year, wherever the
:20:11. > :20:15.parade is. It is my heritage to come here and I like to come back
:20:15. > :20:20.to see the people. Are there was a security alert at the start of the
:20:20. > :20:25.parade but it did not dampen the spirits of those who put their best
:20:25. > :20:32.leg forward and enjoyed the bans, the fish and chips and a
:20:32. > :20:38.traditional 99 by the sea. We are heading west next where
:20:38. > :20:42.Lisnaskea was the venue for the Fermanagh 12th. Meanwhile, a group
:20:42. > :20:50.of councillors from the public were there at the invitation of the
:20:50. > :20:56.Orange Order. The parade through Lisnaskea was
:20:56. > :21:06.led by lodges from Leitrim, followed by a Monaghan, Cavan and
:21:06. > :21:08.
:21:08. > :21:13.In recent years, the County Fermanagh Grand Lodge has been keen
:21:13. > :21:19.to establish relationships across the border. For the councillors
:21:19. > :21:24.from Cavan and Leitrim who accepted an invitation to attend the parade,
:21:24. > :21:28.it was a new experience. I have never been at an actual 12th parade
:21:28. > :21:38.and seen the full scale of it and it really is extremely enjoyable
:21:38. > :21:41.
:21:41. > :21:45.We just like them to come and see. Some of them have never been at the
:21:45. > :21:54.12th before and they are impressed. There is nothing to be afraid of!
:21:54. > :22:00.But in recent weeks, community relationships have been strained
:22:00. > :22:06.after one building was burnt to the ground. It is nice to get the band
:22:06. > :22:10.pulled out. I think they were all happy. It was great to see the
:22:10. > :22:19.County Antrim applause as we were coming in. It gives a great lift to
:22:19. > :22:22.get that deal of support. It does help with morale, big time.
:22:22. > :22:27.County Grand Master says the Orange Order is flourishing in Fermanagh
:22:27. > :22:32.and on parade for the first time, was a new ladies' Lodge, the
:22:32. > :22:36.daughters of William which was recently formed. For many families,
:22:36. > :22:44.their cultural tradition is being continued by a longer -- a younger
:22:44. > :22:50.generation. I think they enjoy it. It is quite a long walk. He was
:22:50. > :23:00.very, very long, quite sore on your legs. But finishing the long walk
:23:00. > :23:04.
:23:04. > :23:09.The Independent Orange Order parade is one of Northern Ireland's
:23:09. > :23:14.smallest, but what it lacked in size, it made up for in family-
:23:14. > :23:20.friendly atmosphere. It is a great family day out and it is the
:23:20. > :23:26.biggest parade I have seen. It is great to see everybody here. Lovely
:23:26. > :23:36.sunshine and the bans were lovely. It was not big but it was nice.
:23:36. > :23:38.was small but it was very much a family atmosphere. The new Grand
:23:38. > :23:44.Master is keen to take on the challenge of attracting more
:23:44. > :23:50.members. For the past few years, Orangeism has taken a setback with
:23:50. > :23:53.events and has maybe got itself a name which it does not really
:23:53. > :23:57.deserve. I think education is one of the things we have got to get
:23:57. > :24:02.out there and educating the young people that there is more to
:24:02. > :24:06.Orangeism bam what they see in the press and the media all the time.
:24:06. > :24:10.Those gathered on the platform said it was clear the independents have
:24:10. > :24:14.many fans and they said it has been a great success. Next year they
:24:14. > :24:20.hope there will be even more people to enjoy it.
:24:20. > :24:30.Eight district lodges and 60 bands paraded in Ballyronan in County
:24:30. > :24:30.
:24:30. > :24:35.Londonderry. The village was packed with spectators and musicians.
:24:35. > :24:39.10,000 people spent the day in Ballyronan, close to this year's
:24:39. > :24:45.south Londonderry demonstration. It has been seven years since the
:24:45. > :24:50.event was held in this village. For some, it was a debut day. What have
:24:50. > :24:55.you been doing today? Doing the parade -- doing the accordion for
:24:55. > :25:01.the first time. What did you think of that? Very good, I liked it a
:25:01. > :25:11.lot. Others have been walking for decades. You have been walking for
:25:11. > :25:12.
:25:12. > :25:16.55 years? I have never missed a 12.! I have been coming since 1940.
:25:16. > :25:23.It is a wonderful place to come to. Ballyronan would have been known
:25:23. > :25:29.way back to the 1600s when the planters came to form Ballyronan.
:25:29. > :25:32.In the field, as ever, it was time to relax, reflect and refresh ahead
:25:33. > :25:38.of the return March. One of Northern Ireland's smallest
:25:38. > :25:44.villages played host to one of this year's largest parades. 150 lodges
:25:44. > :25:53.were in the rolling countryside of County Armagh where Killylea
:25:53. > :25:58.welcomed the thousands of Orangemen. Know where is the Lambeg drum more
:25:58. > :26:01.popular than in County Armagh and dozens of drummers accompanied the
:26:01. > :26:08.bans and marchers through the normally sleepy village of Killylea.
:26:08. > :26:11.With almost 80 bans and 11 district lodges on parade, the County Armagh
:26:11. > :26:16.demonstration claims to be the 12th's biggest gathering of
:26:16. > :26:21.Orangemen. This would be the largest gathering of Orangemen in
:26:21. > :26:25.the World Today. We are very proud of that in County Armagh, with the
:26:25. > :26:29.roots of oranges and being here, it is very much a family oriented day.
:26:29. > :26:35.The brethren have put a lot of effort in and we thank them most
:26:35. > :26:40.sincerely for today and everything has gone very well. As many as
:26:40. > :26:50.5,000 Orangemen gathered in the field. Ladies from the Loyal Orange
:26:50. > :26:51.
:26:51. > :26:55.Lodge of Ireland were marching. This is enjoyed by the Orange
:26:55. > :27:00.community and pro-union community. It is an expression of culture. It
:27:00. > :27:05.is not here to threaten people. That is very important. Nobody
:27:05. > :27:09.should feel intimidated by the Orange Order. By midday, the
:27:09. > :27:17.village was thronged with marchers and spectators, all making their
:27:17. > :27:22.way towards the field. William Tyndale had renounced the Church of
:27:22. > :27:27.Rome and published the first printed Bible in English. More
:27:27. > :27:36.significantly, they managed to overlook the fact that the Roman
:27:36. > :27:40.Church had burnt him in at the stake for heresy. Shades of such
:27:40. > :27:45.duplicity a very obvious in the devious language of Sinn Fein and
:27:45. > :27:53.others today. It will be another 11 years before
:27:53. > :27:56.Killylea again hosts at a parade. With the relaxed atmosphere and
:27:56. > :28:02.sunny skies, this year's event will be long remembered.
:28:02. > :28:07.The only place that can boast a May poll for today's celebrations was
:28:07. > :28:12.Holywood. The rain stopped in the nick of time. Orangemen were joined
:28:12. > :28:17.from others from Bangor and Newtownards. They also brethren
:28:17. > :28:22.from England and Scotland. If there was rain, it would make no
:28:22. > :28:32.difference. Lovely weather and everything. Really enjoying it so
:28:32. > :28:38.far. I hope it goes off peacefully. We came back especially for this. I
:28:38. > :28:43.used to be in a band. This brings back memories, terrific.
:28:43. > :28:52.Thousands of Orangemen took part in the annual parade in Donegal at the
:28:52. > :28:57.weekend. Lodges from both north and south of the border were on parade.
:28:57. > :29:01.In keeping with previous years, the traditional day out in Donegal was
:29:01. > :29:04.a relaxed affair. Lodges from the host county as well as Cavan,
:29:04. > :29:09.Leitrim and Monaghan where there for this ever-popular demonstration.
:29:09. > :29:15.They were joined from -- joined by brethren from across Northern
:29:15. > :29:21.Ireland including the Grand Master. He was there in his capacity as the
:29:21. > :29:26.head of the new institution. After gathering just outside the village,
:29:26. > :29:29.the marchers accompanied by more than 50 bans, made their way along
:29:29. > :29:34.the route for a religious service that the field. The Orange Order
:29:34. > :29:37.says its membership in Donegal remains vibrant and there is a keen
:29:37. > :29:42.interest in the organisation. very important to me that the
:29:42. > :29:48.tradition carries on and the last number of years, all lodges have
:29:48. > :29:53.got stronger. Increased membership, a lot of new members. We are one of
:29:53. > :29:56.the only counties with a lot of young members. A lot of the halls
:29:57. > :30:01.have received funding from the Irish government and the local
:30:01. > :30:06.Donegal County Council has been very helpful to promoting us and
:30:06. > :30:10.looking after us. And bans from Northern Ireland also
:30:10. > :30:14.made the short trip across the border to take part in the
:30:14. > :30:21.festivities. We come here every year and we are not too far from
:30:21. > :30:25.here. We are about half-an-hour away so we come here every year. We
:30:25. > :30:29.played hymns during the service as well. As usual, the beautiful beach
:30:30. > :30:32.was popular after the day's parades but some found it harder to get
:30:32. > :30:36.away at the end of the day than others.