Orange ratchet up tension in Portadown with Drumcree march breach
Having introduced a weekly Wednesday night protest march to accompany the pre-existing weekend protest march, Orangemen in Portadown have attempted to ratchet up the tension in Portadown following recent sectarian rioting by breaching a Parades Commission determination and marching to the edge of the Ballyoran estate.
Interestingly, Suzanne Breen had noted in the Sunday World a couple of days ago that the Order failed to attempt to march the road on July 3rd, when PSNI officers didn’t show up to accept a protest letter from the Order. On that occasion, the Orangemen contacted the PSNI, who sent an officer to assume the appropriate role in the Order’s Drumcreew pageant, though Breen did quote a loyalist as condemning the Orangemen for “not having the guts” to seize the opportunity to proceed with their march.
So they suddenly decided that they did, (after all), “have the guts” to attempt a march along a piece of virtual wasteland but their new found bravado subsequently deserted them again once The Ballyoran Estate came into view.
And so they toddled off home in time for tea…
Not really The Spirit of The Boyne now, is it…?
i expect the same results as this illegal parade
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/sinn-fein-ministers-mcguinness-and-murphy-in-illegal-parade-15130786.html
Interestingly a republican stated ‘Well done marty and murphy, glad to see there’s still a bit of revolutionary in them.
just wish they wouldn’t condemn everyone else for having it.’
http://www.irishrepublican.net/forum/showthread.php?68139-Sinn-Fein-Ministers-McGuinness-And-Murphy-In-Illegal-Parade
“[John O'Dowd] called on the order to engage in dialogue with residents to “resolve the marching issue”.” … Beeb link
Would that be with prominent dissident Republican Breandán Mac Cionnaith, the former political adviser to O’Dowd?
Perhaps Breandán was unhappy with SF HQ’s about flip-flop on opposition to Loyal Order parades and on policing. If he has no longer anything to say to SF he’s unlikely to want to talk to the Loyal Orders.
‘though Breen did quote a loyalist as condemning the Orangemen for “not having the guts” to seize the opportunity to proceed with their march.’
In the light of this ‘hold me back’ parade, perhaps yellow is a more appropriate colour than orange?
i wonder did sin fin ever get round to commenting on this illegal parade..
http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/local/sinn_fein_linked_parade_was_illegal_1_2286494
Im sure Breandan appreciates a return to the Spotlight from his self imposed obscurity on the republican fringe. But as usual he didnt make any sense.
But surely its just a case of Life (almost) imitating Art.
Hasnt “Give My Head Peace” already had a little scenr where (in the middle of night) Uncle Andy drops sash wearing Big Mervyn off at the corner of Garvaghy Road and tells him to run like hell.
So no change really.
If Orangemen can have a sham fight, they are entitled to a sham march while the band plays “Im Walking Backwards for Christmas”. (“Christmas” makes it a hymn).
And now a further opportunity to once again….
REG EMPEY AND GANDHI SET FOR THE GARVAGHY in 2010
Articles can exclusively reveal that world famous actor Ben Kingsley has said YES to re-creating his role of Mahatma Gandhi and YES to leading a peace march down the Garvaghy Road, Portadown. This latest initiative to end the long running Drumcree dispute is the brainchild of Ulster Unionist leader Sir Reg Empey who hopes to score a knockout blow in his titanic make or break election battle with the DUP’s Reverend Willie McCrea for the constituency of South Antrim
Articles can exclusively divulge that the idea came to light in a document mistakenly left on a Stormont photocopier. An embarrassed spokesman for Sir Reg initially denied its existence but later called back to confirm its authenticity. Sir Reg Empey himself refused to comment immediately but invited Articles to a press conference to be held Monday of next week.
Sir Reg Empey sets out his proposals in a memorandum addressed to fellow unionist Harry Hamilton, the Freddie Mercury impersonator, who is standing for election in Upper Bann, the constituency in which Drumcree near Portadown is located. Empey speculates as to the possible reaction of key players, emphasises the need to massage public opinion in advance and ends with this appeal to Mr Hamilton “If we want to end this impasse, we cannot be impassive, we have to be imaginative, we have to be creative, we have to break free.”
In detail, the proposal envisages Sir Ben Kingsley dressed as Gandhi hand in hand with Sir Reg Empey and Harry Hamilton together with the Grand Master of the Portadown Loyal Orange Lodge leading a small procession of Orangemen down the Garvaghy Road singing a peace song the chorus of which runs:
“We’re going Gandhi
Down the Garvaghy
With Sir Reg Empey
And Freddie Mercury
Everything’s raji
It’s a kinda of magi….c”
The vision continues… “The massed Garvaghy Road residents will part allowing the Orangemen to walk through and then fall in beside them singing from the same sheet. The whole drama to unfold in the absence of any security forces in the anticipation – carefully choreographed beforehand – that all parties merely wish to bring the present dispute to an end and start afresh and that there are to be no winners and no losers.”
Reaction on the ground was immediate and mixed. A spokesman for Portadown Loyal Orange Lodge said “Gandhi you say – which Gandhi is that then, where’s he from ..Delhi? ah LondonDelhi you mean. But seriously if you’re asking me whether our reaction would be positive then the answer is yes. We are determined to walk the Garvaghy Road, if Empey can fix it and this fellow Gandhi wants to come along too, then we’re right behind them”
Breandan Mac Cionnaith of the Garvaghy Road Resident’s Coalition was more guarded and recalled memories of David Trimble and the Reverend Ian Paisley dancing a jig. “We’ve been through too much to let them (the Orange Order) through just like that. I’d have to be convinced of their sincerity. Perhaps if the Orangemen forgot their suits and sashes for the day and dressed up like Gandhi – OK they could keep their bowler hats and their umbrellas – just so that the symbolism is clear to all, well we could possibly run with that.”
Meanwhile Mr Hamilton refused to take my call. A spokesman claimed not to know of the document’s existence raising the possibility that the Freddie Mercury impersonator has disassociated himself already from what is the latest in a long line of political initiatives from the ever creative Ulster Unionist leader and strategist.
Sir Reg Empey’s opponent in South Antrim, the Reverend Willie McCrea, was less reticent “He can’t sing, he can’t dance and he can’t find a seat. It doesn’t matter where this fellow runs for election; East Belfast, Upper Bann in the future or South Antrim this time around, the good unionist people of Ulster will not vote him in.”
Last night, the final word fell to Mr. Kingsley who speaking from his London home said “I am willing to do anything I can to help bring peace to a troubled community.”
Articles
And for those readers puzzled by the word “raji” the Ulster Scots Agency confirms that it is Ullans for great news.
Nevin,
“[John O'Dowd] called on the order to engage in dialogue with residents to “resolve the marching issue”.”
I guess it depends on the competing definitions of “resolve”:
We have been pursuing the principle of talks for the past five years – talks without preconditions – and the GRRC doesn’t want to know: Portadown district master Darryl Hewitt
I think if the Garvagy road residents were into solutions they would phone the police first insead of going on the TV.
Can it be that they don’t care about the parade any more, the Orange are failing to wind anybody up while putting themselves in the commission’s black book,, and that Brendan is actually redundant?
This stuff is so last century.
I’m no fan of the Orange Order and I’m not trying to defend them but this photo seems to back up their claims that they marched to the bridge to hand over thier request to proceed down Garvaghy Rd.
http://img.u.tv/galleries/7/7/7/777/290×160/drumcree_standoff_10072011.jpg
The Parades Commission ruled they cannot enter Garvaghy Rd and if this picture is from Wednesday nights parade it would seem they only proceeded to the bottom of the hill and not onto the Garvaghy Rd.
I might be wrong and I’m sure someone will correct me if I am
Al
Look at the photo file name you linked
drumcree_standoff_10072011.jpg
10-07-2011
which was three sundays back.
Residents’ Group ratchet up tension in Newtownbutler with 12th march breach
http://www.impartialreporter.com/news/roundup/articles/2011/07/28/394128-psni-to-investigate-twelfth-protest/
Ah yes thanks Mac. I’m not great with technology at times!
It seems from this photo which I’ve only just found that indeed they did walk down Druncree Rd right to the edge of Ballyoran:
http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/54320000/jpg/_54320889_drumcree.jpg
In which case those identified should be dealt with accordingly
“Ah yes thanks Mac. I’m not great with technology at times!”
Easy mistake to make, although that image has been processed for display on line, the data in an image contains more than just what it looks like.
Digital cameras can add a lot of meta-data to the file, where the photo was taken, what type of camera, when the photo was taken, how far away the subject was, was a flash used etc etc.
A perfect example of a lesson learned was provided by the Israeli Government when they released photographs of weapons they alleged were on board the Turkish ship they attacked. Unfortunately for the Israelis, they forgot to remove the meta data that showed the photos were taken months before they attacked the ship.
‘ unfortunately for the Israelis’ ??
I don’t think they lost much sleep over it !!
BTB –
Why just state:
“But what about this”
in all of your posts – it will have exactly the same effect, be exactly the same point and save us having to click through your whataboutery links.
@between the bridges
Google: ‘sinn’ ‘fein’ ‘illegal’ ‘parade’
Clever.
“I don’t think they lost much sleep over it !! ”
One of the ‘benefits’ of lacking a conscience.
mmmmmm. Slightly disinegnious description of Ms Breen’s piece. Heres a few lines…
“Orangemen fail to walk ‘open’ road”
“The Order has kicked up a stink over the fact that it’s been banned from walking its ‘traditional route’ through the nationalist area since 1998….. Yet when Orangemen had the opportunity to march down the Garvaghy Road earlier this month, they bottled it.”
“on 3 July when the Orange delegation arrived at the bridge, they found no police there. The road ahead lay clear for them to walk along.Yet instead of seizing the chance to continue marching and enter the nationalist area, the Orangemen lost their nerve.”
“..the Orangemen’s climbdown came as they announced they are intensifying their protest at Drumcree.”
The Orangemen obeyed the law, did what they were meant to and abracadabra… lovely piece of impartial journalism ripping them to shreds, challenging them and proclaiming their lack of integrity and cowardice.
It was a non-story. More manufactured stuff to get a dig. Anyone with any remote knowledge knows that there have been a plethora of occasions with no police. And anyway, if the OO wanted to walk down the road without permission they could do it any night they wanted!
What happened the other night (if anything really did) is at least in part due to Ms Breen’s goading and abuse last week!! Pull the tigers tail and all that.
Im an Orangeman. If i walk down the side of the Garvaghy road today to the lovely Thai takeaway would i be breaching a PC ruling or breaking the law?? Last night some people who happened to be at a protest and who happened to be Orangemen went for a walk along a Country road- there was or is nothing in law that says they cant.
Oh, and good oul John saying the Orange should talk to the Residents… locally they have been trying for several years. But the Residents group says no. Well they have won so why would they?? So much for wanting mutual understanding.
For those unfamiliar with the geography have a look at the google map for the area, as you can see from the satelite image the parade is still on the bridge waiting!
http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=54.4402,-6.45893&spn=0.01,0.01&t=h&q=54.4402,-6.45893
How did they manage that? co-incidence or making use of resources?
Anyways, going by the picture supplied by AL above they have barely walked the length of the bunglaow beside the road!
hopping the comrade…
my sincere apologies i have to admit to been unaware of the ‘rule’ that my post’s had to meet with your approval/s. the fact is that the majority of breach’s of PC guidelines are by republicans, ranging from non notification to symbolism. The number of illegal republican parades is higher than the number of illegal PUL parades, given that the ratio of PUL to Rep parades is approx 10 to 1 this tells its own story. I will provide no links as this would be in breach of said ‘rule’.
BTB.
I’ll leave it to MF to explain the concept of whataboutery – suffice to say you have proven adept at it.
Use links to back up your arguments concerning the blog topic – not stray off it by focusing on what “the other side” are doing which excuses the point made in the blog.
As such perhaps you would provide evidence that incidents of Rep events/parades/protests breaking PC rules and guidelines are higher that the corresponding PUL infringements?
Hopping The Border – Agreed.
Instead of dealing with the issue outlined in the original post, the commenter has posted links to similar incidents from the ‘other-side’.
What point the commenter is meant to be making is vague, perhaps it’s “well they do it, why shouldn’t we?” or perhaps it’s more along the lines of “we’re both just as bad as each other, eh?”
In fact it’s neither as the commenter has gone as far to say the ‘other-side’ is actually worse than ‘our-side’.
All the while failing to comment on the outlined incident of alleged wrong-doing.
I here-by request a “Slugger ‘Whataboutery’ Award” to be instated. It could be attached to the side of a commenters name similar to a yellow or red card, for a week or so, when someone fails so terribly at not falling into the oh-so-easy trap…
BTB,
“given that the ratio of PUL to Rep parades is approx 10 to 1″
Yes, and that fact tells it’s own story too. Therin lies the problem.
A what-a-boutery card (Wab), may be a good idea. It could possibly improve the level of discussion by keeping people focused on the topic at hand.
Trying to “ratchet up tension”? You mean like writing an excessive number of blog posts showing nothing but sheer intolerance for a bunch of old men to silently walk home from church? sounds about right.