Northern Ireland's marching season

Tension mounts in Northern Ireland as 2002's marching season gets underway. This year the Orange Order parade at Drumcree will not be allowed to march along the mainly nationalist Garvaghy Road. BBC News Online looks back at recent events which have led to the decision by the Parades Commission.

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7 July 2002

Trouble flares after Orange march ban

Angry clashes break out at Portadown

Twenty five police officers are injured in clashes with Loyalists during the Drumcree Parade at Portadown. Trouble flares after Orangemen are barred from going down the mainly nationalist Garvahy Road. Police fire three plastic bullets and at least two civilians are hurt.

 The BBC's Dennis Murray reports

13 July 2001

Marching season reaches climax

Protesters set fire to vehicles in north Belfast

Violence in north Belfast marks the culmination of the marching season. A total of 250 petrol bombs and two blast bombs are thrown during seven hours of clashes in Ardoyne. Police reply with almost 50 plastic bullets. The violence sparks a round of bitter recrimination between the loyalist and republican communities.

 The BBC's Nick Bryant reports

9 July 2000

Drumcree march draws thousands

Soldiers monitor the barrier at Drumcree

Hundreds of protesters remain close to the barricade erected by security forces to stop the Orange Order's Drumcree parade, but the march itself passes off peacefully. However the Portadown district lodge says it will not leave after failing to hand in a letter of protest to security forces who prevented them from entering the nationalist Garvaghy Road area of the town.

 The BBC's Denis Murray reports

12 July 1999

Security tight for controversial march

The Belfast march route

As the marching season reaches its climax, up to 20,000 members of the Protestant Orange Order, who believe the province should remain part of the United Kingdom, march near a mainly Catholic neighbourhood in Belfast.

 Click here to watch the report by the BBC's Denis Murray

6 July 1998

Orangemen turned back at barrier

Orangemen march up to police lines

Thousands of Orangemen are turned away from a massive barricade as they try to complete their annual Orange Parade down the nationalist Garvaghy Road in Portadown. They asked to hand a letter of protest to a senior police officer although there was no one there to accept it.

 The BBC's Denis Murray reports

8 July 1997

Mowlam faces criticism over Orange marches

Mo Mowlam was once popular with the Garvachy residents

Orangemen march at Drumcree with a heavy police presence. The two sides are kept apart by defences erected by the RUC. Northern Ireland Minister Mo Mowlam is criticised by Portadown residents who believe she has washed her hands of the parades issue.

 Click here to watch the report by the BBC's Martha Kearney

11 July 1996

Siege at Drumcree ends in violence

Protesters block the Loyalists' path

A thousand marchers pass down Portadown's Garvaghy Road following five days of impasse. More than 10,000 Orangemen protested at the blockade when they were prevented from marching through the nationalist area. When the army removed the barrier, demonstrators from the Garvaghy Road estate blocked the loyalists' route.

 Click here to watch the report by the BBC's Kate Adie

11 July 1995

Orangemen march in silence

The RUC blocked the march route for 2 days

Orangemen march silently through a Catholic area near Drumcree after two days of confrontation with the RUC. The Portadown parade went ahead peacefully in the end and followed its traditional route despite an earlier decision by the RUC to blockade the Catholic stretch of road.

 Click here to watch the report by the BBC's Denis Murray