Pitt Park – lower Newtownards Road – could be characterised by alcopops and the bonfire being set off fifteen minutes early … and then clambered over by the teenagers who had lit it.
The SDLP election poster for Magdalena Wolska joined the city’s Lord Mayor on the bonfire, along with a message for Neill [sic] Lennon.
The large bonfire in King George V Playing Fields was lit on time, but took light very fast, spoiling the anticipation and slow build-up (if that’s an asset in a bonfire). The top half burn fiercely sending a stream of sparks high up into the air that fell onto the crowd. People moved back quickly when some of the upper parts started to fall off as they burnt through.
The flags melted – but unlike three years ago, no one cheered. Numbers were down against my memory of three years ago. While many folk were carrying a few bottles in plastic bags, the atmosphere was still very good natured by the time I joined the flurry of folk leaving the park once the bonfire was well underway.
Alan Meban. Tweets as @alaninbelfast. Blogs about cinema and theatre over at Alan in Belfast. A freelancer who writes about and reports from civic, academic and political events, reviews cultural performances, chairs discussions, and live-tweets, streams and records lectures and conferences. He delivers social media training, coaching and consultancy, produces podcasts, is a member of Ofcom’s Advisory Committee for Northern Ireland, FactCheckNI board member, and is a member of the Corrymeela Community.