The massive security problem of protecting Orange parades on the Twelfth in 1970 preoccupied the Unionist Cabinet at Stormont, it is clear from the documents released by the Public Record Office in Belfast.
At a Cabinet meeting on July 7th, 1970, the prime minister, Major Chichester-Clark, and the home affairs minister, Mr Robert Porter, recalled their recent "helpful meeting" with the Orange Order on the question of parades.
The prime minister expressed the hope that processions of individual bands before and after the main parades would be restricted, thus relieving the load on the security forces.
In Belfast, it was anticipated, the order would accept suggestions about the use of the Grosvenor, Springfield and Crumlin Roads. It was hoped that in Dungiven, Co Derry, and Pomeroy, Co Tyrone, the routes would be modified to avoid any unnecessary show of Orange force in nationalist areas.
During the main Belfast parade, the PM reported, the peace line would be closed, the nationalist Andersonstown area would be isolated from the Field at Finaghy, and anti-rumour posts would be established in the centre of Belfast and at the Field.
The minister of agriculture, Mr Phelim O'Neill, stressed the diversionary effects of `really good TV programmes' on July 13th (the date scheduled for the main Orange parades that year), and it was agreed that this would be pursued by the prime minister's department.
Dealing with a suggestion by the deputy prime minister, Mr J.O. Andrews, that public houses should be closed throughout Northern Ireland on July 13th, the minister of home affairs thought it would be inadvisable to announce such a closure at that early stage.
It is clear that in the wake of the Twelfth demonstrations the Stormont government came under considerable pressure for an overall ban on all parades for some months.
At a Cabinet meeting at Stormont Castle on July 16th, 1970, Major Chichester-Clark felt that the peaceful conclusion of the Twelfth parades that year made such a ban more difficult to implement. But he accepted the views of several ministers that it was highly unlikely that the British government and public would again countenance the mounting of such a massive protection operation.
Cabinet opinion was divided as to whether the government should apply for a long-term ban on all parades.
It was agreed that the matter would be discussed in the following week after the prime minister's talks with the British home secretary, Mr Maudling.
Following this meeting, on July 23rd, the Stormont government banned all public processions until January 1971.