After a respite of four nights, Portadown is again bracing itself for the resumption of nightly protests at Drumcree Hill, as well as two loyalist parades in the Co Armagh town centre this week.
Last night Orangemen and their supporters assembled at Drumcree and reaffirmed their intention to continue the nightly protest until the Portadown Orange District is allowed to walk down the nationalist Garvaghy Road. It is 176 days since the Portadown Orangemen marched to Drumcree church and last night there was little evidence to suggest that they were prepared to alter their strategy in any way.
One local Orangeman said: "We have maintained this protest since July despite all attempts by the Northern Ireland Office and the media to discredit us. We have no intention of calling it off now. In fact, if anything, the protest will increase from now on."
He went on: "From now on people won't be saying it's 176 days since Drumcree. It's now a matter of how many weeks or days it is until Drumcree 1999. Psychologically, we have won the battle by staying here since July. The countdown has now started for Drumcree 5."
Portadown Orangemen believe that sooner or later the British and Irish governments will allow them parade down the Garvaghy Road. They maintain that neither government can be seen to allow the creation of a "no-go " area for Protestants in Northern Ireland. This, the Orangemen say, is what the Garvaghy community is intent on doing.
Meanwhile, a Portadown club of the Apprentice Boys of Derry has organised a "Support for Drumcree Parade" in the town centre tomorrow. The Apprentice Boys have called on all loyalists to attend the demonstration, which they say "is open to all those who support the Drumcree protest". The parade will follow the restricted route through Portadown town centre, past the top of the Garvaghy Road and on to Drumcree.
The organisers say they will comply with the Parades Commission's ruling. Bands will refrain from playing while passing St John's Catholic Church on the Dungannon road. This ruling applies to both the outward and return marches.
A strong police presence is expected in Portadown for tomorrow's parade, and for a planned "traditional routes" march by the Portadown Orange District on Saturday.