Trimble 'keeps head down' after march

THE Ulster Unionist leader declined to speak to reporters after the Orange parade down Garvaghy Road to Portadown town centre yesterday.

But Mr David Trimble told supporters.

He added "Robin Eames did a good job for us but we could not get agreement." He claimed there was no compromise from the Garvaghy residents association.

But residents said they had repeatedly tried to meet the Orange Order. Their spokesman, Mr Brendan Mac Cionnaith, said they had gone to a meeting yesterday morning on the understanding that there would be discussions with the Orange Order.

They had waited for 21/2 hours but in the meantime the police had started lining Garvaghy Road.

When the deputy grand master of the Orange Order, Mr Jeffrey Donaldson, was asked if the parade was a victory, he said. "We're very relieved and pleased that the parade has been permitted to proceed and we think that at last common sense has prevailed in Portadown."

He rejected any suggestion that it was the Orange Order which had failed to compromise and added. I regret that the Garvaghy Road Residents' Association refused to compromise."

Mr William Erwin, who marched in the parade, rejected suggestions that it was the mob rule of loyalists which had resulted in the parade going ahead.

"The threat of violence from the Catholics stopped the parade going down in the first place."