The Catholic Church in Ireland has released a joint statement with the Church of Ireland in response to the stand-off at Drumcree over a planned Orange Order parade. Archbishop Eamon Martin of Armagh and Archbishop John McDowell, Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh, called for the “urgent” creation of a “reconciling initiative”, stating that “too much is at stake”.
The standoff occurred following a court ruling by the Parades Commission which permitted the Orange Order to march through the primarily Catholic and nationalist Garvaghy Road on Sunday, September 27. The decision attracted thousands of protesters seeking to prevent the parade from passing through the area.
