Orangemen marching in Rossnowlagh this afternoon. Photo North West Newspix.
The Orange Order is to hold an emergency meeting of all its county and district grand masters to decide on potential protest action following the Parades Commission ruling to ban the return parade along Belfast’s Crumlin Road on 12 July.
Grand Master Edward Stevenson was speaking at the annual parade in Rossnowlagh in County Donegal at which he invited Irish President Michael D Higgins to attend next year’s parade in the seaside resort.
Orange men have said any action taken by the Order would be peaceful and passive but the form it would take was not finalised.
Several thousand took part in the Rossnowlagh parade which was attended by around 50 lodges from Donegal, Cavan, Leitrim and Monaghan along with Orangemen from Dublin and Wicklow.
The Independent Orange Order was represented the annual event for the first time.
Among those who attended was East Derry DUP MP Gregory Campbell.
He said: “It’s a brilliant day out for all the family and brings out so many positive attributes of the loyal orders.”
Mr Campbell said he “looked forward to a day” when parades throughout Northern Ireland had the same level of “tolerance and respect” shown by all sides.
The Parades Commission has also banned the Orange Order parading through the centre of Strabane on “The 12th.”
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