The Loyal Orders and various band organisations have united in a public call for people not to drink alcohol and respect bye-laws against public drinking at this year’s Twelfth celebration to ensure a positive family atmosphere.
The words of Brian O’Nolan, variously Brian Ó Nualláin, Myles na gCopaleen, Myles na Gopaleen and, of course, Flann O’Brien. That O’Nolan was referencing his own dissolute student days at UCD only mildly distracts from the prophetic undertone of his words: I paid no attention whatsoever to books or study and regarded lectures as a [...] read our review »
Short answer: very little, other than he enjoyed the environs of Hillsborough Castle, enjoyed working with the local politicians, and has Gerry Adams to thank for Bobby his dog. Peter Mandelson’s book The Third Man has captured media headlines in recent weeks as the Times serialised the most juicy bits. But what did he have [...] read our review »
Writer Christopher Hitchens has died aged 62. He was as contrary as he was brilliant. Here is a brief In Memoriam from Vanity Fair (his outlet of choice since 1992) and, here, a longer tribute from his friend Christopher Buckley Stanley in The New Yorker. Better, perhaps, though to post one of Hitchens’ own writings in [...] read our review »
Dub,
there is no organised opposition to the parade in fact quite the opposite. so you guys are nice. when there is bit of tension you guys aren’t.
That’s just a load of crap if you ask me; whiterock and Drumcree are the obvious examples in favour of your claim, but what about the dozens of smaller of church parades which the Shinner’s are trying to end? You don’t see the OO waving their ceremonial swords around there.
Getting drunk has just become one of them features of a 12th. Its called having fun. And believe you me, you haven’t seen a drunk Orangeman til you’ve been to Rossnowlagh, that’s what I meant earlier by saying the Sandhouse does a steady trade!
is it shinners who make a lot of the retinue in orange parades in ni drunk, urinate in people’s gardens, stop outside catholic chapels and pubs and beat the drums extra loudly, allow lodge banners with uvf and uda terrorists on them, shout obscenities at passers by.. no of course it is not
Mefinks you have quite a creative view of what the majority of 12ths are like, count the number or Orange Order banners in existence and then count the number with reference to UVF/UDA/bullshit and then you will see how small that problem actually is. Granted if you are a regular attendee of parades on the Shankill or Portadown you may encounter quite a few but that’s because of where they are coming from. That’s a problem that needs solved in that area, so don’t sweep the OO with the same brush. You go to most parades in Tyrone, Londonderry, Antrim, Fermanagh and you will not see a single shameful banner. Even then it is an isolated problem in Down and Armagh.
i repeat that if these things happened in donegal the oo would be genuinely mortified and would be besides themselves as to how they could make amends and rightly so…
And I repeat that those things don’t happen in Donegal because the bands come from the border Counties, ie no paramilitary nonsense. It has absolutely nothing to do with whether the shiners are in the area or not.
btw i am intrigued that you call the donegal orangemen irish orangemen (which of course they are), surely you and all northern orangemen are also irish orangemen??
I thought 1921 pretty much answered that question. Obviously we are not.
Lib2016,
Unfortunately far too many of us have been exposed to the ‘tunes’ and behaviour of the Orange Order
Quite a sweeping statement don’t ya think?
Personally I welcome the recognition by many Orangemen that they have a problem and would prefer to believe that rehabilitation begins with the admission that there is a problem
Must of missed that one…