MUSICIANS from across Ireland have been sharing messages of support with the Garvaghy Road residents as the dispute rumbles on. 

Folk band The Mary Wallopers played a gig on a stage set up at the top of the road on Thursday afternoon. Speaking to the Andersonstown News before taking to the stage, band members Charles and Andrew Hendy said they wanted to support the people of the Garvaghy Road to "keep the peace" and "keep the good craic going on".

Speaking about why it was important for the band to make the journey to Portadown, Charles said that "community is maybe the most important thing in the world at the moment, and maybe something that is so rejected now. Everything is becoming kind of anti-community."

"People are being polarised enough at the minute," added Andrew. "There's been peace here for a long time.

"Why now try and irritate tensions? There's no need for it."

On Wednesday members of Beoga also entertained locals on the Garvaghy Road.

Irish folk legend Christy Moore has also shared a message of support with residents online with the song 'There's no going back down Garvaghy' sung to the tune of 'I wish I was back home in Derry'. He praised residents and supporters and called on them to "keep calm".

Damien Dempsey also shared "a message of support and grá for all the Laochra Gaels of the Garvaghy Road".

He played his song 'I am Garvaghy Road', which he wrote during the initial Drumcree dispute in the 1990s. 

"Grá mór agus meas mór, I stand with the Garvaghy Road," he said at the end of the video.