Now held up as an example to other areas, it is hard to believe that it was Derry's August 12 Apprentice Boys march which led to the Battle of the Bogside and riots on a near-annual basis.
In 1969 it was opposition to the parade by the city's Catholic majority that kick-started the Battle of the Bogside – which many believe marked the moment the Troubles passed the point of no return.
Each August 12 the Apprentice Boys celebrate the 'Relief of Derry', when three ships carrying provisions broke a huge wooden boom across Lough Foyle to lift King James's 1689 siege of the city.
Thousands of Apprentice Boys descend on Derry every year for the march, which had been a source of contention long before the Troubles.
Surprisingly, the earliest celebrations to mark the lifting of the siege were truly pluralist.
In 1789, a century after the siege, Catholic bishop Dr Philip McDevitt led his clergy on to Derry's walls to join their Protestant neighbours for a thanksgiving service.
But such pluralism was short lived and by 1832, with the Apprentice Boys movement taking a key role in the annual commemorations, trouble was brewing.
Throughout the 19th century the August march – and a December parade which marks the start of the siege – frequently led to sectarian clashes. Early accounts exist of efforts to prevent the annual march on public order grounds.
In 1860 efforts were made by Bishop Higgins to ban the flying of the Apprentice Boys Crimson flag from St Columb's Cathedral, but he was thwarted when the Apprentice Boys took over the church.
In December of the same year a huge police presence tried to stop the organisation from marking Lundy's Day but failed. The following year police were drafted in again because of clashes between the Apprentice Boys and Bogsiders.
Throughout the last century Catholic Derry came more and more to view the Apprentice Boys' marches as little more than a coat-trailing exercise.
Visiting members of the loyal order traditionally went on to Derry's walls to throw pennies at the Catholic Bogsiders below.
Throughout the Troubles the August parade was a major source of tension. But it took on even more intensity in the late 1990s, particularly after the 1996 Drumcree march was forced down Garvaghy Road.
Millions of pounds worth of damage was caused to Derry's city centre in August riots. The situation became so bad that in 1997 the then- secretary of state Sir Patrick Mayhew, banned the August march in the interest of public order. This was after he had forced the previous year's march through.
The history of the march makes the agreement reached in recent years all the more astonishing.
Faced with huge business losses and Derry's image being tarnished on an annual basis, the city's business community began a talks process in 1997.
It initially faced obstacles, but following long and painstaking work, progress started to come.
Running side by side with the talks was an effort by the Apprentice Boys to explain its ethos and get its own house in order.
Eight years ago the organisation established the Maiden City Festival, which runs for the week leading up to the August march, raising the profile of the cultural side of the Boys' activities through dance and drama.
While the Bogside Residents' Group and the Apprentice Boys were involved in talks, the parades of the late 1990s still did not pass off peacefully.
But the loyal order gradually brought about change within its own ranks, starting to use highly-trained marshals and imposing a new discipline on its members.
While no solution was ever reached over feeder parades outside Derry, agreement was secured over the main parade based on the Apprentice Boys' respecting the city's Catholic majority.
The Bogside Residents' Group agreed not to protest against the loyal order's parades and the result was virtually trouble-free days in August and December and an example to other areas. NOW held up as an example to other areas, it is hard to believe that it was Derry's August 12 Apprentice Boys march which led to the Battle of the Bogside and riots on a near-annual basis.
In 1969 it was opposition to the parade by the city's Catholic majority that kick-started the Battle of the Bogside – which many believe marked the moment the Troubles passed the point of no return.
Each August 12 the Apprentice Boys celebrate the 'Relief of Derry', when three ships carrying provisions broke a huge wooden boom across Lough Foyle to lift King James's 1689 siege of the city.
Thousands of Apprentice Boys descend on Derry every year for the march, which had been a source of contention long before the Troubles.
Surprisingly, the earliest celebrations to mark the lifting of the siege were truly pluralist.
In 1789, a century after the siege, Catholic bishop Dr Philip McDevitt led his clergy on to Derry's walls to join their Protestant neighbours for a thanksgiving service.
But such pluralism was short lived and by 1832, with the Apprentice Boys movement taking a key role in the annual commemorations, trouble was brewing.
Throughout the 19th century the August march – and a December parade which marks the start of the siege – frequently led to sectarian clashes. Early accounts exist of efforts to prevent the annual march on public order grounds.
In 1860 efforts were made by Bishop Higgins to ban the flying of the Apprentice Boys Crimson flag from St Columb's Cathedral, but he was thwarted when the Apprentice Boys took over the church.
In December of the same year a huge police presence tried to stop the organisation from marking Lundy's Day but failed. The following year police were drafted in again because of clashes between the Apprentice Boys and Bogsiders.
Throughout the last century Catholic Derry came more and more to view the Apprentice Boys' marches as little more than a coat-trailing exercise.
Visiting members of the loyal order traditionally went on to Derry's walls to throw pennies at the Catholic Bogsiders below.
Throughout the Troubles the August parade was a major source of tension. But it took on even more intensity in the late 1990s, particularly after the 1996 Drumcree march was forced down Garvaghy Road.
Millions of pounds worth of damage was caused to Derry's city centre in August riots. The situation became so bad that in 1997 the then- secretary of state Sir Patrick Mayhew, banned the August march in the interest of public order. This was after he had forced the previous year's march through.
The history of the march makes the agreement reached in recent years all the more astonishing.
Faced with huge business losses and Derry's image being tarnished on an annual basis, the city's business community began a talks process in 1997.
It initially faced obstacles, but following long and painstaking work, progress started to come.
Running side by side with the talks was an effort by the Apprentice Boys to explain its ethos and get its own house in order.
Eight years ago the organisation established the Maiden City Festival, which runs for the week leading up to the August march, raising the profile of the cultural side of the Boys' activities through dance and drama.
While the Bogside Residents' Group and the Apprentice Boys were involved in talks, the parades of the late 1990s still did not pass off peacefully.
But the loyal order gradually brought about change within its own ranks, starting to use highly-trained marshals and imposing a new discipline on its members.
While no solution was ever reached over feeder parades outside Derry, agreement was secured over the main parade based on the Apprentice Boys' respecting the city's Catholic majority.
The Bogside Residents' Group agreed not to protest against the loyal order's parades and the result was virtually trouble-free days in August and December and an example to other areas.
Key figures in process
The key figures in the Derry Apprentice Boys marching process are:
Apprentice Boys – the loyal order's negotiating team normally includes DUP assembly member William Hay, Apprentice Boys general secretary and Derry business man Billy Moore, along with the organisation's governor, William Allen. Throughout the initial years of talks, a key figure was former governor Alistair Simpson.
Bogside Residents Group – the group's leader is Bogside resident Donnacha Mac Niallais, a son of former Sinn Féin assembly member Mary Nelis. Mr Mac Niallais unsuccessfully contested the 2001 local government elections for Sinn Féin. He is usually accompanied in talks by Charles Lamberton, manager of a Bogside community centre.
Talks Chairman – held under the auspices of Derry's Chamber of Commerce, the city's successful talks model is facilitated and chaired by businessman Garvan O'Doherty, who owns a number of hotels in Derry.
While the talks were initially chaired jointly by Mr O'Doherty and fellow businessman Brendan Duddy, Mr O'Doherty has taken sole control since 2002.
