FEARS that republican and loyalist rallies planned for Portadown at the weekend would lead to violence proved to be unfounded as both passed without major incident.
Security force sources were concerned that the demonstrations, staged within hours of each other in the Corcrain and Garvaghy Road areas of Portadown, could further heighten feelings within the two communities. The animosity between the Catholic and Protestant population of Portadown was further heightened by the recent murder of Lurgan solicitor Ms Rosemary Nelson.
On Saturday afternoon members of Portadown's nationalist community staged their Easter commemoration ceremony in the graveyard adjoining St John's Catholic Church on the Dungan non Road. Several hundred people accompanied by a local band paraded along the Garvaghy Road to the graveyard where they were addressed by speakers including local Sinn Fein Assembly member Dr Dara O'Hagan.
Later loyalists staged a "pro-Drumcree" rally at nearby Corcrain Orange Hall. Some 300 Orangemen and supporters were addressed by Northern Ireland Unionist Party Assembly member Mr Paddy Roache.
Security was high in the vicinity of the hall, which was the scene of serious violence on March 17th when rival crowds clashed following an "Orange Culture Night", staged the evening before Ms Rosemary Nelson's funeral.