Background
Portadown has long been a mainly-Protestant and unionist town. For example, at the height of the conflict in the 1990s, Protestants outnumbered Catholics four-to-one. The town's Catholics and nationalists claim that they have long suffered discrimination, especially in employment. Each summer the town centre is bedecked with unionist flags and symbols. This is to coincide with the "marching season", when numerous Protestant marches take place in the town. Throughout the 20th century, the police force (Royal Ulster Constabulary or RUC) was also almost wholly Protestant and its members were free to join groups such as the Orange Order. According to Peter Mulholland, a Portadown-born anthropologist, this fuelled a strong feeling of isolation among the Catholics and nationalists. He argued that the Orange marches annually "re-invigorate sectarianism" and serve to "re-assert the supremacy" of Protestants and unionists.
Read more about this topic: Drumcree Conflict
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