Derry had a tense day yesterday before the Apprentice Boys and the Bogside Residents' Group struck a deal on this Saturday's annual Relief of Derry march.
At lunchtime yesterday, after three days of intensive negotiations organised by the Parades Commission, the two sides announced an agreement which will allow the Apprentice Boys parade around Derry's Walls on Saturday.
As a result of the deal the BRG has cancelled a planned mass counter-demonstration against the Boys' march. The loyalist Ulster Democratic Party has also cancelled a demonstration in which it planned to confront the nationalist protesters.
The governor of the Apprentice Boys, Mr Alistair Simpson, said Saturday should now be a "parade-friendly day in Derry". Mr Donncha Mac Niallais of the nationalist BRG hoped the compromise would be a "victory for everyone".
Neither side met directly during the talks, which began at 4 p.m. on Saturday and ran until 7 a.m. on Sunday. They resumed at 10 a.m. yesterday with the sides reaching agreement at 1.45 p.m.
The proximity-style negotiations were mediated by officers of the Parades Commission. The agreement removed the necessity for the Parades Commission to make a ruling on the parade, which was due to be announced last night.
The commission also restricted three potentially contentious "feeder" marches to Derry on Saturday from Dunloy, Bellaghy and the Lower Ormeau Road in Belfast. It is understood that there will be general acceptance of this decision.
The Boys will not be allowed march past the nationalist Lower Ormeau Road. There will be no feeder parade in Dunloy, Co Antrim, and a feeder parade in Bellaghy, Co Derry, is being rerouted.
A feeder parade in Roslea, Co Fermanagh, to a Royal Black Preceptory gathering in Tempo, Co Fermanagh, has also been rerouted.
As part of the Derry deal the local Apprentice Boys parent club will parade around the city's walls early on Saturday morning. They will be led by one band which will not play when passing the Bogside stretch of the walls.
Rather than parade around the war memorial in the Diamond in Derry city's centre, the main parade in the afternoon will be channelled to the left of the memorial. Thirteen Boys - the number involved in closing the gates to King James's army in 1689 - will walk around the monument and lay a wreath on behalf of all 10,000 Apprentice Boys.
Mr Simpson said he welcomed the "acceptance by the Bogside Residents' Group of a commonsense set of proposals that fully accepts the Apprentice Boys' parade in the city.
"A small but significant step has been taken for a better future in the city for all our communities this weekend. The Apprentice Boys look forward to continuing their efforts to facilitate positive change in the city, and to encourage the process of banishing the sectarian goblins that have been created to demonise Protestant culture."
Mr Mac Niallais of the BRG also described the compromise as significant. "It shows what can be done when people enter a process in a meaningful way. We would obviously have preferred direct dialogue but having said that we have achieved an accommodation which I hope will lead to better things for all of the people of this city."
He said the Boys had made a "significant step forward" in terms of their engagement with the BRG. "It's possibly a victory for all of us," said Mr Mac Niallais.
The agreement was particularly welcomed by business groups who had suffered financially during rioting in the city prompted by contentious parades.
Mr Ian Young of the local Chamber of Commerce said the decision was historic and he hoped it could set an example on parades.
Mr Joe Millar, the DUP Mayor of Derry, said every right-minded Derry citizen "would breathe a sigh of relief" at the deal. He hoped a carnival atmosphere could be created when 10,000 Apprentice Boys and about 150 bands converged on the city on Saturday.
He said the deal had been reached through a "bit of give and take and a bit of common sense" from both sides. He believed the mediation machinery adopted in Derry could be applied for other contentious parades.
Ms Lynn Fleming, the Sinn Fein deputy Mayor in Derry, commended the BRG leadership which, she said, had been positive and flexible. "I hope that will be reciprocated by the Apprentice Boys and that the RUC presence will be kept to an absolute minimum on Saturday", she added.
Mr Sean Neeson, interim Alliance Party leader, said it showed that local agreement is the best way forward."
The Ulster Unionist Party, in a statement, said the agreement proved that the Apprentice Boys were dedicated to removing fear and tension in the city.
Chief Supt Joe McKeever, the RUC divisional commander in Derry, welcomed the accommodation as "good news for the people of the city and a victory for common sense".
