Orange Order confirms Belfast Twelfth parade to take traditional route for 2024

The Belfast County branch of the Orange Order had consider changes to its traditional route through the city.

The annual Twelfth of July Orange Order parade through Belfast is to proceed along its traditional route for 2024.

Earlier this year it was reported the Orange Order in Belfast was considering proposals to shorten the route and axe the gathering in 'the field' at Barnett Demense.

Those recommendations came out of an internal report commissioned into the 2022 parade. It said the anti-social scenes during the event were "abysmal and unacceptable" and it was "probably the worst" parade in decades.

The matter had proved divisive among Belfast lodge members, UTV understands and on Thursday it was confirmed the proposals had been dropped and the traditional parade will take place as usual.

The Twelfth celebrations mark the anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne in 1690, which unfolded at the Boyne river north of Dublin, and saw Protestant King William of Orange defeat Catholic King James II to secure a Protestant line of succession to the British Crown.

Thousands of Orange lodge members parade through the summer months to mark William’s victory and other key dates in Protestant, unionist or loyalist culture.

Those celebrations culminate on the Twelfth.

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