GARVAGHY Road residents were back at Hillsborough Castle on Thursday as discussions on ending the Drumcree crisis enters a third day.
Garvaghy Road Residents' Coalition spokesperson Breandán Mac Cionnaith spoke to the media yesterday evening after briefing hundreds of residents in the local community centre on how talks had gone earlier that day with the Secretary of State Chris Bryant. Mr Mac Cionnaith also confirmed that they had held talks with the Chief Constable Jon Boutcher on Wednesday.
Not long after the press conference ended and the Orange Order once more tried to march on to the Garvaghy Road but were turned back by the PSNI.
Speaking to reporters the Garvaghy Road residents' spokesperson questioned how local MP Carla Lockhart could be privy to information about today's talks when the discussions that are taking place with the Secretary of State at Hillsborough are confidential.
WATCH: Breandán Mac Cionnaith from Garvaghy Residents Asociation speaking to the media tonight after addressing the local community on a document presented to him earlier by the Secretary of State. pic.twitter.com/U3ZGFPuRlu
— Andersonstown News (@ATownNews) September 30, 2026
Last night, the DUP MP poured cold water on reports that a deal was close that could end the dispute.
Speaking at a loyalist rally in Portadown she said: “We are more determined than ever to ensure that the Portadown District walk down the Garvaghy Road and I can tell you now, there’ll be no capitulation on the part of the Portadown District. They will not accept a deal where they walk away.
"They have the legal right to walk on the Garvaghy Road and it's time for Jon Boutcher to get on and do his job and police the lawful determination."
Mr Mac Cionnaith would not be pushed on what he had told residents in the hall nor did he want to discuss with the media what is in the document that was discussed earlier that day with the Secretary of State.
However, speaking about Carla Lockhart's comments, he said: “To the best of my knowledge Carla Lockhart wasn’t at the talks so how would Carla Lockhart know what’s acceptable and what’s not acceptable. There’s another day’s process to go here and I’m not going to jeopardise anything by breaking that confidentiality."
He said that before politicians like Carla Lockhart make comments about the discussions that “the Orange Order should have done what I’ve done tonight and spoken to their members first”.
Replying to a question in Irish from this reporter, Mr Mac Cionnaith said that residents were happy with what he had told them in the community centre meeting on how the talks at Hillsborough Castle had gone today.
WATCH: The latest attempt by Portadown Distrct to proceed on their parade is refused by PSNI on Drumcree Road. pic.twitter.com/AuBKJHY3ed
— Andersonstown News (@ATownNews) September 30, 2026
Speaking after the meeting Sinn Féin councillor Catherine Nelson said “progress has been made today”.
“We welcome that progress and you will be aware as well that residents have said that what was put on the table today is acceptable to them and that shows you the dignity that these residents have held for the last, almost week."
