The Twelfth 2024: Where are the parades taking place in Co Antrim?

This year marks the 334th anniversary King William III’s victory at the Battle of the Boyne.

Preparations are well underway across Northern this for the Twelfth of July celebrations 2024 - with hundreds of thousands expected to take part and spectate.

Co Antrim will host six demonstrations and parades this year - including Ballymena which is the only town in Northern Ireland which hosts one every year.

Read more: US Tourist speaks out after going viral 'getting stuck' in an Orange Order parade

Read more: Times and locations of all Twelfth of July 2024 parades taking place across NI

See the full details of the Co Antrim celebrations below:

Ballymena

Twenty-seven lodges and 15 accompanying bands and Lambeg drums will take part in the annual Twelfth celebrations in Ballymena.

The town is the only location in Northern Ireland which has a Twelfth demonstration every year. This year the honour of hosting the parade belongs to the members of Tullygarley LOL 473, who will be accompanied by Lambeg drums.

The parade will assemble at Meeting House Lane Car Park. At 12.30pm it will proceed to the demonstration field at community centre/playing fields Tullygarley via Meeting House Lane, Castle Street, Church Street, Wellington Street, Lower Mill Street, Galgorm Road, Waveney Road, Harryville Bridge, Queen Street, Toome Road, Tullygarley Road and Riverdale. Return Via Riverdale, Tullygarley Road, Toome Road and Queen Street. The parade should finish around 2.30pm.

In the field, the platform proceedings will begin at 3pm, with guest speakers Wor. Bro. Henry Dunbar (Scotland) and Wor. Bro. Herbie Mailey (New South Wales Australia). The Religious Service will be led by Wor. Bro. Rev. Ian McClean, Grand Chaplain. The return parade will leave the field at 4.30pm.

Carrickfergus

Elsewhere Carrickfergus District LOL No. 22 welcomes the East Antrim Combine to Carrickfergus – an historic site which plays a key role in King William III coming to Ireland.

The parade will include 60 lodges and around 40 bands with numerous Lambeg drummers, who will accompany up to 2,000 members in the lodges as they make their way around the town to the main Demonstration Field at Woodburn Playing Fields.

Ahead of the main parade, the host district and bands will leave the King William III Memorial Orange Hall at 10am, to make their way to the assembly point. The parade will move off at 11am and follow a route which takes in Northland, North Road, St Bride’s Street, Albert Road, Lancasterian Street, Antrim Street, Joymount, Scotch Quarter, Taylor’s Avenue, Marine Highway, Belfast Road, Davy’s Street, Minorca Place, Ellis Street and Woodburn Road.

The main parade, which will be led by Whitehead Temperance LOL 968, will take about 1¼ hours to make its way to the field. The Platform proceedings will commence shortly after the last lodge arrives in the field and the guest speaker will be Drew Hamill, of Victoria Evangelical Church.

The parade will leave the field at 4pm, making its way out of Dunmore Park turning right along New Street, again turning right at New Street Corner onto Lower Main street continuing along Shane’s Street to the buses.

Cloughmills

Meanwhile the annual North Antrim Demonstration this year will be hosted by Cloughmills District LOL No.14 in the village of Cloughmills. In all 43 lodges will be on parade, accompanied by 29 bands.

The main parade will get underway at 1pm taking a route from the assembly field at Drumadoon Road, along Main Street to the demonstration field on Ballycreagh Road.

In the field, the platform proceedings will begin at 2.30pm. The Religious service conducted by Bro. Robert Edwards with music provided by Duneaney Accordian Band. The guest speaker will Wor. Bro. Maurice Kirkwood, County Antrim Grand Master. The return parade will get underway at 4pm following the same route back to Drumadoon Road.

Ahoghill

And 16 lodges will take part in the ‘Triangle’ Twelfth of July parade, which will be held this year in Ahoghill.

The main parade will move off at 12.30pm from Killane Road following a route via Galgorm Road, Ballymena Road, Main Street, The Diamond, Church Street, (Return down Church Street), The Diamond, Cullybackey Road, Cullybackey Road Link, to the demonstration field at the Ahoghill Community Centre.

As always, the emphasis is very much on family with food and entertainment for children, including inflatables, have been arranged in the field.

The Platform will commence as soon as the last lodge has entered the field. Up first will be a variety of music, incorporating the Ulster Scots tradition. This will be followed by the traditional religious service where the main speaker will be Bro. Joseph Kennoway from the Belfast City Mission based at Ballybeen.

Although one of the smaller Twelfth demonstrations, it will feature a good mix of bands, including pipe, accordion, flute and of course, Lambeg drums. The return parade will get underway at 3.50pm.

Broughshane

The Braid Twelfth of July will be held in Broughshane for the second year in a row.

The parade, which will feature two sets of Lambeg Drums and nine bands, will start at Beechvale, Broughshane at noon.

It will make its way down Raceview Road and Main Street to the Carnlough Road, where it will turn back and return along Main Street before turning onto Knockan Road to the Community Centre, which provides the demonstration field.

The formal platform proceedings will start at around 2.30pm. The speakers on the day will be Bro. Tom Elliott UUP MLA and the religious service will be led by Bro. Rev. David Bissett, Deputy County Grand Chaplain. There will be food, refreshments and entertainment for children in the field. Following the platform proceedings, the parade will reform at 4pm to return to Beechvale.

Derriaghy

South Antrim Combine Twelfth celebrations will be hosted by Derriaghy District LOL No. 11 in Derriaghy and Dunmurry. Upwards of 2000 Orangemen and women, accompanied by around 20 bands will take part.

The main parade will get underway at 11.30am and is expected to be completed by 12:30pm. The parade will begin from the assembly field which is Killeaton Open Space (facing Derriaghy Cricket club) and proceed along Queensway and onto Kingsway leading into Dunmurry.

Upon reaching the crossroads the parade will turn right onto Dunmurry Lane before turning right again onto the Glenburn Road for a short distance where it will arrive at Jubilee/Fullerton Park which is the main demonstration field.

At the field there will be family entertainment with a religious service and speeches taking place at the platform.

Platform proceedings will begin at 2pm lead by Wor. Bro Rev. David McCarthy, District Chaplain of Derriaghy District No.11, with guest speaker Wor. Bro. Rev. Mervyn Gibson Grand Secretary of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland. The return parade will get underway at 4pm.

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