The march, which in the 1990s sparked some of the most serious disorder in Northern Ireland's history, will go ahead on Sunday after a series of legal challenges.

Authorities in Northern Ireland on Friday allowed what was once the most contentious Protestant parade of the annual marching season.

Members of the loyalist Orange Order in Northern Ireland have been granted permission to march along Garvaghy Road in Portadown, a predominantly nationalist area, following a successful appeal against an earlier ban. This marks the first time in nearly 30 years that the Orange Order will be allowed to process along this route, ending a long-standing dispute that has periodically sparked tension and violence in the region. The Parades Commission initially ruled to permit the march, a decision that was subsequently challenged by local residents. Justice Patricia Smyth of the High Court granted a temporary injunction blocking the commission's decision, citing concerns that the long-running dispute had the potential to escalate across Northern Ireland. However, the Orange Order lodged an appeal against that ruling, which has now been upheld. The stand-off at Drumcree became widely known during the 1990s, when nationalist residents of Garvaghy Road opposed the parade passing through their neighbourhood. This opposition led to violent clashes over several summers and significant political tension, necessitating major security operations. For more than a quarter of a century, the Orange Order had unsuccessfully applied to complete its traditional 1998 walk along this route. On Friday, the Parades Commission reversed its long-standing determination, a move welcomed by unionist parties but met with outrage by nationalist and republican parties. The situation remains sensitive, and authorities are monitoring developments closely as the parade proceeds.

The Parades Commission had banned the July parade from entering the mainly nationalist Garvaghy Road - a move which reflected every decision it has made since 1998.