Londonderry to host flagship Twelfth demonstration

Grand Master of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland, Edward Stevenson; Grand Master of the Grand Orange Lodge of England, Ron Bather; and the Grand Master of the Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland, Henry Dunbar, will all be on parade in the Maiden City as it revels in its showcase year as UK City of Culture for 2013.

In the morning, Coleraine lodges and bands will leave Union Street at 9.15am sharp and will parade through Coleraine before making their way to Londonderry to take part in the main demonstration.

City of Londonderry Grand Orange Lodge officers will be accompanied on parade with a new hand painted banner and will also wear new collarettes ommemorating the city’s UK City of Culture status.

The new regalia were dedicated at St Columb’s Cathedral on July 7.

At 10am, senior Londonderry brethren – joined by the visiting Grand Masters – and members from two City of Londonderry Districts will parade from the headquarters of the City of Londonderry Grand Orange Lodge (Apprentice Boys Memorial Hall) to their assembly point at May Street in the Waterside.

The route of the morning parade will be Society Street, Bishop Street, Diamond, Ferryquay Street, Carlisle Road, Craigavon Bridge, Spencer Road, Clooney Terrace, Glendermott Road, Bonds Street and May Street.

Approximately 60 lodges representing the districts of City of Londonderry, Raphoe (Co Donegal), Coleraine, Limavady, Macosquin and Claudy will participate in the main demonstration.

Members of the Ladies Association and Junior Lodges will also take part in the parade. They will be accompanied by more than 40 bands.

The main parade will depart from May Street at 12 noon sharp and proceed through the walled city via the Limavady Road, Dales Corner, Clooney Terrace, Spencer Road, Craigavon Bridge, Carlisle Road, Ferryquay Street, Diamond, Bishop Street, London Street, Hawkin Street, Kennedy Place, Kennedy Street, Wapping Lane, Craigavon Bridge, Spencer Road, Clooney Terrace, Glendermott Road, Bonds Street, May Street and Limavady Road, to the demonstration field at Wilton Park.

The platform proceedings will be conducted by the City of Londonderry Grand Chaplain, Rev Ivan Dinsmore, and following the religious service, the main speaker will be the Grand Master of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland, Edward Stevenson.

The parade will leave the demonstration field at approximately 4.30pm.

MAGHERAFELT

Large crowds are expected to converge in Magherafelt for the annual South Londonderry demonstration.

The Mid-Ulster town is hosting the Twelfth for the first time since 2006.

There will be a total of eight districts on parade –Castledawson, Magherafelt, Garvagh, Kilrea, Ballyronan, Tamlaght O’Crilly, Moneymore and Tobermore.

Up to 60 bands will join with 2,000 Orangemen in parading the two-mile route, which moves off at 10.45am. All districts will assemble on the Tobermore Road and parade via Rainey Street, The Diamond and Queen Street, before proceeding to the demonstration field on the Moneymore Road.

Platform proceedings are due to get underway at 2pm and will be led by Londonderry County Grand Master, Hugh Stewart.

The senior Orangeman is also the District Master of host district, Magherafelt LOL No 3. The Orange Order’s Director of Services, Dr David Hume, will be the guest speaker.