The Newtownbutler Royal Black Preceptory has been highly praised for its decision to call off contentious weekend parades in the Co Fermanagh village. It has emerged that the decision came after a meeting between RBP members, following talks between a senior member of the organisation, and the Fermanagh District Council chairman, Mr Patrick McCaffrey.
The Parades Commission called the decision "a positive move in the interests of community relations", as did the SDLP, the Newtownbutler Area Residents' Association and the council chairman. However, there has been some anger that Protestant-owned businesses in the Border village were attacked after the RBP's decision. Paint was daubed on several premises and windows were broken in two businesses.
Apprentice Boys chose not to parade in Bellaghy on Saturday following the RUC decision to reroute the feeder parade away from the mainly nationalist Co Derry village. A tense stand-off occurred last year when Apprentice Boys, returning from the main parade in Derry, attempted to march through the village.
A residents' group spokesman, Mr Jim Hassan, said residents were still concerned because the Apprentice Boys had refused to talk to them and "no agreement has been worked out for the future". A Royal Black Institution parade is due to go through the village on August 30th.
In Belfast the Apprentice Boys reluctantly accepted an RUC decision to re-route them away from the nationalist Lower Ormeau. They paraded to police lines on Ormeau Bridge and handed in a letter of protest before boarding buses to Derry.
But there was trouble on Saturday evening when loyalists clashed with nationalists in Belfast's Markets area. Several people were hurt after fighting broke out beside the Central Railway Station as loyalists returned from the Apprentice Boys parade in Derry. Two people were arrested.
In Newtownbutler, a non-party councillor, Mr McCaffrey, who last week called for the marches to be banned, met the Black Institution members late on Friday. This was followed by a meeting between the three preceptories after which the cancellation was announced.
Telephoned to a Belfast newsroom at midnight, the decision came as a surprise to nationalists in Newtownbutler, many of whom had intended to hold an all-night vigil. They believed the RUC was going to seal off the village at dawn and allow the marches to go ahead.
The last-minute decision to call off the parades averted fears of widespread civil disorder. Marchers said that in the interests of peace they would not parade on their way to and return from the main county demonstration in Maguiresbridge, where some 3,000 members and 40 bands gathered.
Mr McCaffrey said the move was "a significant gesture" which should be built upon. He said: "I spent quite a considerable time attempting to achieve a solution. Indeed I had a 1 1/2-hour meeting with the representative of the Royal Black Institution and a number of options and scenarios were discussed that I had put forward.
"I am delighted that common sense has prevailed and that the men of Loughkillygreen, Drumully and Newtownbutler branches of the RBP have been able to collectively take this decision.
"This is a significant gesture and it should not be underestimated. It should be built upon for the future. I found in my dealings with the RBP they were genuine in wanting to avoid trouble that would further damage community relations. I would add that I deplore the attacks on the Protestant businesses."
The Newtownbutler deputy County Grand Master, Mr George Johnson, and the Newtownbutler Area Residents' Association also condemned the attacks.
In nearby Roslea on Saturday evening, marchers from the Gordon and Nixon Memorial RBP "reluctantly accepted" an RUC decision to curtail their route.