THE Labour party TD, Mr Joe Costello, who observed the start of this year's stand off at Drumcree, said he expects a huge convergence of Orange Order supporters in the area around July 12th.
Mr Costello was one of a delegation of Oireachtas members who travelled to Portadown to watch the parade at the invitation of the Garvaghy Residents' Association at the weekend.
He conveyed the concerns of the local people to the Tanaiste Mr Spring, on his return to Dublin and yesterday described the situand that you must be careful with the plants. The reverence that they have is quite phenomenal."
During the year, the children plant acorns and - if all goes well - bring home an infant oak tree at the end of the summer term. And some progress to levels of expertise which many adults never achieve, like the 6 1/2 year old Francis: "He can even take cutting. He did the cuttings from my penstemon, and when a parent wanted a bit of my pieris, I got Francis to take the cutting."
Creepy crawlies are hugely popular with Allie's little students. "Today someone discovered a worm, so we did the worm: the work it does and how important it is that worms are not disturbed."
But all is not idyllic in the garden. "They actually know what a vine weevil looks like." And what about dispatching the vine weevil to its maker? "Well, we don't let any of them know it, but there is the odd bit of dispatching which goes on.