Comments on: What the Twelfth means to me…. http://oconallstreet.com/2009/07/12/what-the-twelfth-means-to-me/ Borderless thoughts on Politics, Public Affairs, the media and anything else that matters from Conall McDevitt, SDLP MLA for South Belfast Sat, 13 Mar 2010 09:24:30 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.3 hourly 1 By: Letitia Fitzpatrick http://oconallstreet.com/2009/07/12/what-the-twelfth-means-to-me/comment-page-1/#comment-17007 Letitia Fitzpatrick Mon, 13 Jul 2009 16:50:57 +0000 http://oconallstreet.com/?p=1720#comment-17007 Hi Conall, There were portaloos in Camden Street off the Lisburn Road this morning, and women and children were using them, but men were urinating in the alley nearby. During the 26 years when I covered the Twelfth and other Orange marches, and the sectarian trouble around them, I've been shot at by an IRA sniper, as I stood alone in a street with a camera crew; I've almost stood on a loyalist blast bomb and was saved by an Orangeman who called out a warning; and I've been shoved, threatened and verbally abused by loyalists and republicans, who accused the media of bias. I've seen so-called shows of strength by terrorist gunmen at bonfires on the Eleventh Night, when masked men fired shots into the air as men, women and children cheered. I found all of this intensely depressing. I also covered the Twelfth demonstrations in fields around the six counties of Northern Ireland, and was made very welcome, given tea and sandwiches, access to speakers and parking space, and people were very friendly. I don't really know what else to say about the Twelfth, loyalist parades, St Patrick's Day or Republican commemorations. Let's keep talking and trying to understand each other. Hi Conall,
There were portaloos in Camden Street off the Lisburn Road this morning, and women and children were using them, but men were urinating in the alley nearby.

During the 26 years when I covered the Twelfth and other Orange marches, and the sectarian trouble around them, I’ve been shot at by an IRA sniper, as I stood alone in a street with a camera crew; I’ve almost stood on a loyalist blast bomb and was saved by an Orangeman who called out a warning; and I’ve been shoved, threatened and verbally abused by loyalists and republicans, who accused the media of bias.

I’ve seen so-called shows of strength by terrorist gunmen at bonfires on the Eleventh Night, when masked men fired shots into the air as men, women and children cheered.

I found all of this intensely depressing.

I also covered the Twelfth demonstrations in fields around the six counties of Northern Ireland, and was made very welcome, given tea and sandwiches, access to speakers and parking space, and people were very friendly.

I don’t really know what else to say about the Twelfth, loyalist parades, St Patrick’s Day or Republican commemorations.

Let’s keep talking and trying to understand each other.

]]> By: Wolf http://oconallstreet.com/2009/07/12/what-the-twelfth-means-to-me/comment-page-1/#comment-16963 Wolf Sun, 12 Jul 2009 18:04:07 +0000 http://oconallstreet.com/?p=1720#comment-16963 Conall i fully understand where you are coming from. It is a very intimidating time. I can only imagine what it must be like for a Southerner like yourself. Norn Iron identity is something that constantly bothers me. Our identity is unknown as a collective. We dont have a collective identity full stop. It becomes really noticeable to me when watching sporting events where whole nations unite behind one flag and one set of beliefs. Nowhere more so i suppose than the US - where a hugely diverse population "love their country" etc etc. I will tell you that another horrible day for me is St Patrick's Day. Belfast city centre is just full of drunk gangs of rough looking youths with Irish tricolour flags tied on as capes.There is a horrible "this is who we are - you dont belong" intimidating undercurrent that is also present at the marching (more so with the 12th admittedly). Tribalism plain and simple. I remember being in the Bot one St Patrick's Day years ago and my friends and i having to leave as filled up with beer the men in the bar started to chant in unison "I-R-A" "I-R-A" "I-R-A" Also i recall being at a bonfire in Groomsport a few years back and seeing a dummy, draped in a tricolour, brought up to the top of the bonfire and with a noose around its neck it was attached to makeshift gallows. This was the final touch to the ready to go bonfire. It disgusted me. I can never see these events be anything here but divisive. Conall i fully understand where you are coming from. It is a very intimidating time. I can only imagine what it must be like for a Southerner like yourself.

Norn Iron identity is something that constantly bothers me. Our identity is unknown as a collective. We dont have a collective identity full stop.

It becomes really noticeable to me when watching sporting events where whole nations unite behind one flag and one set of beliefs. Nowhere more so i suppose than the US – where a hugely diverse population “love their country” etc etc.

I will tell you that another horrible day for me is St Patrick’s Day. Belfast city centre is just full of drunk gangs of rough looking youths with Irish tricolour flags tied on as capes.There is a horrible “this is who we are – you dont belong” intimidating undercurrent that is also present at the marching (more so with the 12th admittedly).

Tribalism plain and simple.

I remember being in the Bot one St Patrick’s Day years ago and my friends and i having to leave as filled up with beer the men in the bar started to chant in unison “I-R-A” “I-R-A” “I-R-A”

Also i recall being at a bonfire in Groomsport a few years back and seeing a dummy, draped in a tricolour, brought up to the top of the bonfire and with a noose around its neck it was attached to makeshift gallows. This was the final touch to the ready to go bonfire. It disgusted me.

I can never see these events be anything here but divisive.

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