NATIONALIST residents in the Border village of Newtownbutler are hopeful of a breakthrough in the area's parading dispute after a decision by the Church of Ireland to drop a contentious loyalist march from an annual parish night next month.
The disputed annual band parade had primarily been a Church of Ireland parish event before developing into a "miniTwelfth". This year it will revert to a parish fete taking place a month later.
In August the fete will be held in local church grounds without a march of any kind.
The July 4th march has been a source of anger among nationalist residents who have unsuccessfully sought talks with the Orange Order and Royal Black Institution and who met the Parades Commission last Thursday.
The Newtownbutler Area Residents Association (NARA) had feared confrontation between marchers and residents had the parade gone ahead just two days before the Drumcree march.
Last summer the band parade passed off peacefully but marked the beginning of a summer of discontent in the Fermanagh village, with a riot breaking out at another march the same weekend.
The breakthrough is believed to have been made in recent days when local church leaders became involved in mediation over the parades issue in the village.
