“It was easily the most manageable Twelfth that we have seen”
The “tremendous work” put in by both communities in Belfast has been praised, as last weekend saw the most peaceful celebration of the Twelfth of July in recent years.
Fr Gary Donegan, Parish Priest in Holy Cross parish in Ardoyne, who has been involved in private talks between the Orange Order and resident groups from the Catholic community, said that while the talks stopped “just shy of the Twelfth” both sides had maintained calm and “it was easily the most manageable Twelfth that we have seen”, thanks to a lot of background work from the Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland.
Fr Donegan said there were quite a number of people from the local community watching the parade on the Twelfth, but nothing like the numbers of recent years. “There were no protests and the behaviour was impeccable,” he said.
Meanwhile in West Belfast, one band, the Glasgow Orange Defenders, broke a Parades Commission determination by playing music while passing St Patrick’s Church on Donegal Street both during the outward journey and on the return leg when Mass was taking place.
However, St Patrick’s Administrator, Fr Michael Sheehan said the parade was a lot more positive than he had experienced before. “I think there were individual breaches of the determination, but I think on all an effort has been made to make it as peaceful as possible,” he said.