Tens of thousands lined Twelfth of July parades across Northern Ireland on Monday after the main commemorations were moved because the Twelfth fell on a Sunday. In Belfast, the main parade set off at 10:40 BST from Donegall Square West, drawing lodge members and visitors along the route.
The events took place at 18 venues across all six counties, with nearly 70 bands featuring pipes, silver, flute, accordion and the Lambeg drum. Denis Watson, the county grand master, said the Belfast parade would be much larger with the bands and described it as the largest gathering of Orangemen anywhere in the world. “We're very proud of that as obviously the Orangemen order was founded in Loughgall,” he said.
Belfast and County Armagh
Members of local Orange lodges were joined by visiting lodges from Scotland and further afield. The County Armagh parade was held in Newtownhamilton, while political figures including Matthew Patrick and Emma Little-Pengelly lined the route in Belfast.
Emma Little-Pengelly said she wanted to promote a message of unionist unity. “It's a celebration of faith, community, culture and history. It's a real family day out. The bands are amazing, the banners are fantastic.”
Emma Little-Pengelly and Maureen
With her mother Maureen beside her, Little-Pengelly said, “Unionism is always stronger when people work together.” She also said, “There'll always be differences across the political parties but ultimately we want the same objective to strengthen the union.”
Angela Doherty, from the Lisbellaw Lodge in County Fermanagh, was in Maguiresbridge to watch the parade. She said the junior lodge for girls had “really taken off,” adding a detail that reflected how the day brought in families as well as marching bands.
Twelfth of July and the Boyne
The Twelfth is the biggest day in the Orange Order's marching calendar and marks the 336th anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne. The commemorations recall the victory of Protestant King William III over Catholic King James II at the Battle of the Boyne in July 1690, and the order treats Sunday as a religious day of rest.
That is why the main parades moved to Monday in 2026, rather than taking place on Sunday. For people following the route in Belfast, the practical result was a later start, a larger parade with bands, and a day built around the main march rather than the Sunday holiday.
