DISSIDENT Orangemen last night forced the abandonment of a crucial meeting aimed at ending the Dunloy and Harryville controversies in Co Antrim.
A crowd of several hundred Orangemen forced their way into a meeting of the Co Antrim Grand Lodge held in Ballymena called to persuade Orangemen in Dunloy to accept a compromise deal. But County Grand Master, Mr Robert McIlroy, was forced to end proceedings because of the crowd's actions.
Among the protesters was Mr Joel Patton, leader of the dissident Spirit of Drumcree Orange Group. He addressed the demonstrators after the meeting telling them that Orangemen were not, prepared to accept any deals or compromises with "Sinn Fein/ IRA". He said he would lead the campaign against any such compromise.
A vote of no confidence was then passed unanimously by the Orangemen against Ant rim District leaders.
The proposed deal which was to have been discussed last night, was worked out after more than a month of secret tripartite mediation. It was organised by the Mediation Network.
The proposed deal would have involved three marches by loyalists through Dunloy this year.
Nationalists in Dunloy had already agreed to the deal - despite the presence of the Dunloy accordion band in the compromise marches. It incensed nationalists in Dunloy when it took part in a parade past Our Lady's Catholic Church in Harryville, Ballymena last month.
Loyalists have been picketing the church for six months because Orangemen have not been permitted to parade through Dunloy.
It was unclear last night whether the meeting between county officials and the Dunloy Orange Lodge would be rescheduled.
But the Secretary of Dunloy Lodge, Mr John Finlay, said as far as he was concerned there was no deal in the village. He reiterated his demand that Orangemen should he allowed to march through.