Mayor “very hopeful” of Ballymena hosting Homecoming Parade

THEIR famous motto is ‘Faugh-a-ballagh (clear the way) and moves are currently afoot which could well allow the Royal Irisih Regiment to parade in Ballymena following their gruellling tour of duty in Afghanistan.

The Times has learned that Ballymena is a strong possibility for such a parade and borough’s First Citizen has high hopes that the town will soon have the honour of welcoming home the RIR troops currently completing a six-month tour of war-torn Afghanistan.

Servicemen and women only march where they have been invited to, according to the Ministry of Defence, and Mayor Maurice Mills said that an invitation to do so on their return had been issued by Ballymena Borough Council.

“To the best of my knowledge an invitation, both written and verbal, has gone out to senior Army personnel,” Mayor Mills told The Ballymena Times yesterday, Monday.

“I, myself, had spoken to senior Army personnel about this (a Ballymena Homecoming Parade) even before they went on tour and when I had the opportunity to meet senior personnel again at a function last week, I spoke again about holding a Homecoming Parade in Ballymena.

“I would be very hopeful that this will take place,” said Mr Mills.

An MoD spokesman told The Times yesterday: “The Royal Irish Regiment is currently completing a tour of duty in Afghanistan and is rightly focussed on the safe return.

“A number of events are being planned to mark the return from theatre not only for the Royal Irish Regiment but also all other personnel. Details of these events will be announced in due course,” said the spokesman who pointed out that “servicemen and women only march where they have been invited to march”.

The RIR are due back to their Shropshire base in just a few weeks’ time following a six-month tour of war-torn Afghanistan which has seen them lose three men.

Father of an RIR soldier serving in Afghanistan and local TUV Council candidate, David Lynn, welcomed reports that a ‘Welcome Home’ parade for returning soldiers is now likely in Ballymena.

He said: “This would be great news not just for the RIR but for the Ballymena, which has such deep-rooted ties to the Regiment.

“And, of course, as the proud father of a son presently serving in Afghanistan, I would be delighted by due civic recognition being given to the great number of local lads serving out there at the moment, remembering too that during this tour Ranger Gillespie from Galgorm suffered life-threatening injuries and soldiers from Coleraine, Bangor and Banbridge have lost their lives.”

Ald James Alexander, TUV Leader on Ballymena Council, said: “Once confirmed, it is essential that the Council co-operates fully in facilitating this deserving event.

“We’ve long been proud of our links to the RIR and, therefore, it is most fitting that Ballymena should welcome them home. Our prayer is that all will return safely,” he said.