BREANDÁN Mac Cionnaith from the Garvaghy Road Residents’ Coalition has called on the British government to ban the Drumcree Orange Order parade ‘once and for all’.
 
In an exclusive interview with the Andersonstown News this evening, Mr Mac Cionnaith said residents who were children in the 1990s during the last parading crisis have their own children now and don’t want them to experience what they went through.

Speaking about the difference between the 1990s and now, he said: “Probably the major change in almost 30 years is the confidence that our community has now locally. There was a time when you go back to the 1980s and 1990s this community was small, it was isolated.

"Now today when you look around the area we’re a very strong community, (with) good community structures throughout it. We have a prosperous community. You only have to look around the area to see the new developments.

“When you look at the various clubs and associations in the area – from GAA, the hurling club, the local community groups here in Drumcree – they’ve all thrived over 30 years-plus.

“We’re no longer second class citizens, there’s a self-confidence here.

“We look at all our young people and the education and the jobs and the careers that they have established for themselves and it's almost as if we are a microcosm of how to develop and expand and enliven an entire community.”

It was another extraordinary day on the Garvaghy Road with hundreds of people descending on the area to show their support for the local people, while Irish folk band The Mary Wallopers played an impromptu concert.