Somme parade passes off peacefully
An Orange Order parade in Coleraine last night (Wednesday) passed off peacefully despite high tension in the town in recent weeks.
Kevin McDaid, a Catholic, died after an attack by a loyalist mob last month in the mixed Heights area of the town.
An estimated 2,000 participants and supporters and 12 bands turned out last night for the annual Somme Commemoration parade in the town, which first began in 1960.
Robert Mclreavey, secretary of hosts Killowen LOL 930, said only his lodge and one local band had passed on the parade's traditional route through the Heights area, as a mark of respect to the McDaid family. The band played no music as they passed by and joined up with the rest of the parade at a later part of the route.
"It was a very successful and peaceful night," he said. "It was not a celebration, it was a commemoration of those that lost their lives at the Battle of the Somme and in other theatres of war such as Iraq and Afghanistan."
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Weather for Coleraine
Saturday 04 February 2012
Today
Heavy rain
Temperature: 3 C to 10 C
Wind Speed: 28 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 6 C to 7 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: South west
