Published: 21/08/1999

Church of Ireland General Synod Standing Committee Sub–Committee on Drumcree Report 1999

Reprinted from the Church of Ireland, General Synod Book of Reports 1999

The Standing Committee sub-committee on Drumcree met with the Rector and Select Vestry of Drumcree Parish Church on 4 January 1999 and separately with representatives of the Orange Order and the Garvaghy Road Residents’ Coalition on 13 February 1999. On that date the members visited Drumcree Parish Church and held further discussions with the Rector.

MEETING WITH THE ORANGE ORDER       
At the meeting with the Orange Order representatives the sub-committee stressed clearly:

• the anger, embarrassment and concern felt throughout the Church of Ireland because of the violent confrontation outside one of our parish churches;
• the sub-committee’s belief that the Orange Order would attain the ‘higher moral ground’ by complying with the ruling of the Parades Commission and returning to Portadown by a permitted route;
• the fact that the Orange Order was being seriously damaged by the ensuing and continuing violence that has occurred;
• the suggestion that both parties should engage in face to face dialogue.

The points of view emphasised by the Orange delegation were:

• the vital importance of the return parade from Drumcree along the Garvaghy Road;
• the denial of their civil and religious freedom;
• their belief that the opposition to their ‘right’ to walk the Garvaghy Road is the deliberate plan of Sinn Fein/IRA to restrict the rights of Protestants;
• their view that this is a republican manipulation of the Government and the security forces;
• their utter lack of respect for the Parades’ Commission both in the nature of its appointment and in the result of its determinations;
• their insistence that the Orange Order was not to blame for any of the violence, and that responsibility must be laid on the Government and the security forces;
• their contention that the main desire of the Garvaghy Road Residents’ Coalition is money for community regeneration.

MEETING WITH THE GARVAGHY ROAD RESIDENTS’ COALITION

At the meeting with the Garvaghy Road Residents’ Coalition the sub-committee stressed clearly:

• the concern felt throughout the Church of Ireland and beyond at the ongoing impasse over the Drumcree parade;
• the desire to listen and to understand better the residents’ concerns;
• the hope that both sides would be able to enter face to face talks;
• its understanding of the degree of polarisation between the communities in Portadown;
• its belief that much of the responsibility for this polarisation must rest with the actions of paramilitary organisations down the years.

The points of view emphasised by the Garvaghy Road Residents’ Coalition were:

• the perceived inequality, deprivation and second-class citizenship of the minority community in Portadown and especially of the beleaguered people of Garvaghy Road;
• the urgent need for financial investment and job creation in the Garvaghy Road area;
• their image of Drumcree Church as the focus of sectarian bigotry;
• their perception of Orange parades as being triumphalist, anti-Catholic and anti-nationalist;
• their bitterness that an agreement concerning the parade in 1995 was subsequently set aside by the Orange Order;
• their anger at the continuing nightly protests by loyalists often with violent consequences;
• their allegations of anti-Catholic behaviour by some members of the RUC.

The sub-committee came away with a new understanding of the complexity of the problem and an awareness that if a solution is to be found it requires much greater direct negotiation between the main parties concerned, the Orange Order and the Garvaghy Road Residents’ Coalition. It also believes that both governments should take a firmer line with all who are ambivalent in regard to law and order.

It is the view of the sub-committee that the Church of Ireland must continue to stress the theological implications of the issues involved and by prayer and generosity of spirit maintain a ceaseless search for a solution that is in harmony with the will of Jesus Christ.