Emotion and tension ran high in Coleraine on Friday evening, but did not spill over into trouble as loyalist bands paraded on the night that Kevin McDaid's remains were brought home.
The father-of-four, beaten by a sectarian mob after Rangers won the Scottish Premier League title, will be buried on Monday.
Neighbours and family gathered to see his coffin borne past the spot where he died and into his home on the Heights estate.
Soon afterwards, the voluntarily re-routed Pride of the Bann parade passed off without incident.
The restraint was welcomed by PSNI chief superindendent Alan McCrum, who said: "I am aware of the efforts that were made by parade organisers, public representatives and community leaders, from both communities, who worked together to ensure that the parade in Coleraine was a peaceful one.
"It was important for Coleraine as a town that the parade was incident free, and it is also important to recognise the responsible attitude adopted by the organisers.
"They deserve credit for the voluntary steps that they took in altering the parade route, and for recognising the genuine concerns and wishes of the residents of Somerset Drive.
"I believe that this will prove to be an important if tentative first step towards restoring community relations in the town.
"The public response to the murder of Kevin McDaid last Sunday shows us that sectarianism has no place in Coleraine or any other town in the Province, and we must all communicate with each other and work together to reduce community tension and ensure that everyone in society is allowed to live their life in peace."
© UTV News