The Orange Order is celebrating the biggest day in its marching calendar

The Protestant Orange Order wants to march down the Crumlin Road passed part of the nationalist Ardoyne district on Saturday as part of its 12 July celebrations.

The Northern Ireland Parades Commission has ruled that the parade should be allowed to take the route passed the Ardoyne shops on its way to join the main Belfast Orange demonstration in the city centre.

However, a resident in the Ardoyne area was granted leave to apply for a judicial review of the decision in the High Court in Belfast.

Minor violence

On Friday afternoon, the court upheld the Parades Commission's ruling.

Gerard McGuigan, speaking on behalf of the residents, said they would be mounting a protest on Saturday morning and evening as the Orangemen go through the area.

"We want a peaceful and dignified protest and I hope there will not be any violence," he said

Saturday's parades, which will take place across Northern Ireland, commemorate William of Orange's 1690 Battle of the Boyne victory over Catholic King James II.

Tens of thousands of Orangemen are expected to take part in parades in various locations including Belfast, Crossgar in County Down, Limavady in County Londonderry and Fintona in County Tyrone.

The Lord Mayor of Belfast, Martin Morgan of the SDLP, has appealed for calm over the weekend.

He said those involved in the parades should exercise "level-headedness and common sense" in the hope the parades will pass off peacefully.

Mr Morgan said the coming days were "notoriously difficult ones" for people throughout the province.

"At this time of year tensions are normally high and it is important that all those with influence in the community exercise that influence to ensure that parades pass off without incident," he said.

Last year, there were some minor disturbances as a parade passed through the disputed route in Ardoyne.

Bottles and stones were thrown after loyalist supporters accompanying the Orange Lodges and bands taunted a large crowd of nationalist protesters.

Belfast's most senior police officer said senior republicans had stopped violence during a nationalist protest in Ardoyne.