THIS year the Twelfth and the Lady of the Lake Festival will combine in Irvinestown for the first time.
In preparation for this, police have issued their traffic advice for the Twelfth’s celebrations on Friday.
Delays are expected from 10am as participants and supporters arrive to assemble at Castle Irvine Estate (Necarne Castle) in preparation. At approximately 12pm, the parade will leave the estate and proceed along Castle Street, Mill Street, Main Street (left-hand side), Fair Green Street, Kesh Road, and to the demonstration field opposite Kesh Road/ junction of Moneykee Road.
At approximately 3pm, the parade will leave the demonstration field and proceed on its return journey. It is expected to disperse at around 5.30pm.
There will be parking restrictions along the parade route. Officers will be on the ground to accommodate the flow of traffic and to avoid potential delays, and if travelling between Omagh to Enniskillen, road users may wish to seek another route if not attending a parade.
Traditionally the festival starts on a Friday, but this year it will commence tomorrow (July 11) when the new Lady of the Lake is traditionally unveiled to a large crowd on the town’s Main Street.
This year’s festival will run until Sunday, July 21.
County Grand Master Mervyn Byers was looking forward to both events combining for the first time.
“Irvinestown has always been a very community-orientated place and this is a great example of this,” Mr Byers said.
“This year we have got together to help bring the best out of both events. We plan to also make use of Necarne [Castle Irvine Estate] as plenty of things have been held at it in the past.”
“The marquee that will go up at Necarne for the Twelfth will stay up for the duration of the festival and its activities. Combining the two events will help businesses in Irvinestown as well.
“At the moment, the plan is for all the bands to go to Necarne and assemble there. All the buses and cars will all be there,” Mr Byers added. “We hope that the Lady of the Lake will be part of the Twelfth too.
“One idea is to have her in the parade in a vintage car with her ladies-in-waiting. The Lady of the Lake alternates between a Catholic and a Protestant girl every year. This year it’s a Protestant girl’s turn, so that should keep people happy.
“There probably will not be many festival activities on the day of the Twelfth and the festival’s opening ceremony will have been held the night before on the Main Street anyway.”
Not to be outdone, Lady of the Lake Festival supremo Joe Mahon, also intends to bring his own brand of entertainment to the big occasion if he gets the chance.
“Joe’s talking about doing something at the Twelfth. Drumharvey Pipe Band is celebrating 90 years and Joe wants to play the big drum with them,” Mr Byers told the Herald.
“He could do this on the festival’s opening night or at some stage on the day of the Twelfth. He was even talking about riding a horse in the parade, but that is definitely not going to happen!”
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