Dervock band banned from Rasharkin parade

In a determination, the Parades Commission said that it was “considered necessary and proportionate to mitigate heightened community tenstions by excluding from the parade the Dervock Flute Band” from the Ballymaconnelly Flute Band event this Friday night.

North Antrim Sinn Fein MLA Daithi McKay welcomed the move saying: “The first part of the presentation that the local Residents Association and myself put to the Parades Commission last week was that Dervock Young Defenders band should not be allowed to partake given their behaviour at the 12th July parade in Ballycastle and the previous behaviour of individuals at parades in Rasharkin.

“I am glad to see that the Commission has taken this argument into consideration when making their determination on the parade this year.”

Meanwhile, Ballymoney Ulster Unionist Party councillor Darryl Wilson commented: “Yet another ludicrous decision by the Parades Commission to not permit Dervock Young Defenders to take part in Ballymaconnelly’s parade on Friday night. Their reasons and rationale are extremely weak, once again the PC pander to the intolerant Republican agenda.”