Editing Robin Eames (section)

==Drumcree controversy==
{{main|Drumcree conflict}}
[[Drumcree Church]], a rural parish near [[Portadown]], became the site of a major political incident in 1996, when the annual Orangemen's march was banned from returning to the centre of Portadown via the Nationalist Garvaghy road after attending worship at Drumcree parish church. This decision was made by the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary and not the Northern Ireland parades commission who, at this time, did not have authority to prohibit parades, existing only as an advisory body. Public unrest and violence escalated and over the next three summers the situation was unstable, with other parades coming under first police and later commission sanction.

Archbishop Eames, as diocesan bishop and civil leader found himself immersed in the search for a resolution to the issue. Within the wider Church of Ireland there was unease as it is a broad church in theology and politics and has within its congregations nationalists in the south and unionists in the north. Eames, along with the rector of Drumcree, had to navigate this wider political and social controversy and sought political assistance for his efforts to defuse tension.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2019-12-30 |title=Archbishop Robin Eames' 'private' intervention over parades |language=en |work=Irish News |url=http://www.irishnews.com/news/northernirelandnews/2019/12/30/news/archbishop-robin-eames-private-intervention-over-parades-1801450/ |access-date=2020-10-16 |archive-date=18 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201018224654/https://www.irishnews.com/news/northernirelandnews/2019/12/30/news/archbishop-robin-eames-private-intervention-over-parades-1801450/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Some bishops in the Republic of Ireland called for Eames to close the parish church. Notable among these was Bishop [[John Neill (archbishop of Dublin)|John Neill]] who later became [[Archbishop of Dublin (Church of Ireland)|Archbishop of Dublin]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=Eames ... the optimist who brought sides together |language=en-GB |work=Belfast Telegraph |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/life/eames-the-optimist-who-brought-sides-together-28118226.html |access-date=2020-10-16 |issn=0307-1235 |archive-date=28 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220228185315/https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/life/eames-the-optimist-who-brought-sides-together-28118226.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Eames refused to do so, believing this action could have precipitated greater unrest and possibly bloodshed. Eames described the Drumcree controversy as his "own personal Calvary".<ref>{{Cite news |last=O'Brien |first=Martin |date=2016-05-12 |title=Pastoring in troubled times |language=en-US |work=The Irish Catholic |url=https://www.irishcatholic.com/pastoring-in-troubled-times/ |access-date=2020-10-16 |archive-date=18 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818163336/https://www.irishcatholic.com/pastoring-in-troubled-times/ |url-status=live }}</ref>