Emma Mcllveen successful in high-profile Drumcree Parade Appeal

30th September 2026

Emma Mcllveen, 3PB's public law and employment barrister, successfully represented Alan Hynes, a member of the Orange Order, in a significant legal challenge of the long-running Drumcree parade dispute in Northern Ireland.

Emma acted as sole junior counsel for Mr Hynes in the Northern Ireland Court of Appeal, where the appeal was successful. The case was subsequently sent back to the High Court in Belfast for a further hearing before Mr Justice Humphreys, where Emma again represented Mr Hynes as a notice party.

The case followed the Orange Order’s proposed parade along Garvaghy Road in Portadown, a route that has been at the centre of significant political and community tensions since the 1990s.

The proceedings followed a High Court ruling concerning the legal effect of the Parade Commission’s decision about the proposed parade. The Court of Appeal ultimately upheld the appeal, permitting the parade to take place, with the matter then remitted to the High Court for further consideration.

This has been widely reported in the media including by ITV here and BBC News here.

If you wish to contact Emma, please email her on [email protected]. To instruct her, or see about her availability, please contact her clerks Russell Porter on [email protected] or Gemma Faulkner on [email protected] or by calling them on 020 7583 8055.