Portadown Orangemen yesterday repudiated suggestions that during the five day stand off at Drumcree they were motivated by outside influences.
In an official statement, the District Orange Lodge said any such suggestions could not be further from the truth.
Any decisions taken by them in connection with their annual Orange parade to and from Drumcree church were made by the District Lodge and no one else.
They expressed appreciation of the support they had been given by the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland, public representatives and representatives of the Orange Order in various parts of Northern Ireland and beyond.
The statement also said there had been a significant influx of recruits to the Orange Order in the Portadown area.
