SOME of the most revealing images to emerge from the latest Drumcree dispute were of the ‘Let Them Home Festival’ in Edgarstown, Portadown, held two Saturdays ago to show solidarity with the town’s district lodge.

What was striking was the paucity of the crowd – perhaps 300 people at most, including bandsmen.

Any of the bands might have been expected to drum up that many supporters on their own. Calls for support are known to have gone out across Northern Ireland.

The day started with rain but it was dry by the time the festival began. Edgarstown and the adjacent Corcrain area have over 5,000 residents and Corcrain’s July bonfire claims to attract twice that number.

Newton Emerson: Why can’t unionism just tell its hardline fringe to get stuffed?

Brian Feeney: How unionism lost the battle over Drumcree on social media

The festival was addressed by Jim Allister and Jamie Bryson, either of whom can normally fill a hall, plus DUP MP Carla Lockhart, who has 46% of the vote.

An Orange cause that can barely fill a bouncy castle in Portadown is a lost cause, so why are unionist parties unable to put it in that perspective?

History is said to belong to those who turn up. Even when very few people turn up, they are still more visible than those who stay at........

© The Irish News