A controversial Orange Order parade is set to proceed along the Garvaghy Road in Northern Ireland for the first time in nearly three decades, following a dramatic late-night court decision. The High Court in Belfast ruled in the early hours of Sunday morning that a decision by the Parades Commission to permit the march must be upheld, overturning a temporary injunction.

The Drumcree parade, historically a flashpoint that sparked severe disorder in the 1990s and threatened the peace process, had been granted permission to proceed with restrictions by the Parades Commission. However, this decision faced multiple legal challenges throughout Saturday.

In a hearing that concluded at 02:15 BST on Sunday, Justice Michael Humphreys acknowledged the "unusual if not unprecedented circumstances" with the parade scheduled to begin just over six hours later. He stated the court could not override the Parades Commission's judgment. Northern Ireland's most senior judge, Lady Chief Justice Siobhan Keegan, also described the situation as "unprecedented."

The ruling came after a day of intense legal activity. The Parades Commission had initially allowed the march on Friday, but stipulated it must start no later than 08:00 on Sunday with only 35 participants, a reduction from the 60 requested by the Orange Order.

An initial legal challenge by the Garvaghy Road Residents' Coalition (GRRC) resulted in a judge issuing an injunction banning the parade. This followed the Portadown District Orange Lodge declining a request to postpone the march for further consideration. However, an Orange Order member successfully challenged this decision at the Court of Appeal.

Late on Saturday evening, the GRRC was granted permission to challenge that appeal at the High Court, but Justice Humphreys ultimately dismissed their case. The Garvaghy Road dispute dates back to the mid-1990s, a period marked by riots, roadblocks, and violence related to the marches, which significantly tested the Northern Ireland peace process.

The Parades Commission was established in 1998 to regulate marches and mitigate tensions. For over three decades, the commission's decisions have generally prevented the Orange Order from marching down the Garvaghy Road, a stance the order has consistently challenged without success until now.

The Orange Order is a prominent loyalist organization. Following the court's final decision, Democratic Unionist MP Carla Lockhart stated that the ruling represented "a seismic night for the rule of law."