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Robinson and McGuinness clash over Orange Order parades
Monday, 22 June 2009
Jonathan Porter/Presseye.com
Trouble at the Tour of the North Parade in north Belfast.
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The leaders of Northern Ireland's powersharing government were at loggerheads today over loyal order parades.
First Minister Peter Robinson hit out at comments by deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness who said the Orange Order had yet to make an effort to support a lasting peace.
Mr McGuinness warned that republicans could not be expected to permanently steward loyalist parades that passed through Catholic areas in the face of local opposition.
But Mr Robinson said republicans had contributed to parade tensions and called on Sinn Fein to promote a tolerance of loyal order parades.
"The comments by Martin McGuinness are an abdication of leadership by Sinn Fein on the parades issue," he said.
"His comments totally ignore the fact that Sinn Fein has a legacy of opposing and organising protests against loyal order parades right across Northern Ireland.
"The loyal orders are an integral part of our culture but there is intolerance towards parades by many in the nationalist and republican community.
"Rather than play to the gallery, Martin McGuinness should demonstrate leadership by promoting greater tolerance and respect of parades.
"This is the kind of maturity which will be required if we are to see a resolution to the parades issue."
Yesterday Mr McGuinness said that hundreds of Orange Order parades took place each year, but only a handful now caused controversy.
He said, however, the Order had to act to defuse tensions as other groups including republicans, loyalists and political parties had done during the peace process.
"The days of republicans stretching ourselves and our communities to maintain calm in the face of sectarian provocation cannot last forever," he said.
"It is time for the issue of contested parades to be dealt with once and for all."
He added: "Anything less from the Orange Order is an abdication of their responsibility and will have to be viewed as such by both governments - and in such a scenario that means a clear statement from both that nationalist communities will no longer be subjected to these sorts of triumphalist parades and measures taken to ensure that this happens."
But Mr Robinson said there was an intolerant attitude towards parades and he called for Sinn Fein to work against it.
Mr Robinson added: "As leader of the largest unionist Party in Northern Ireland, I am gravely concerned that there appears to be a backward movement by republicans with regard to parading.
"There will be other parades taking place within coming weeks and months.
"Sinn Fein must take on their mantle of leadership and maturity if Northern Ireland is not to be dragged into the past with further displays of violence and intolerance."
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Comments
115 Comments
I visited NI two weeks ago and was pleased to see that the republican areas have taken down the flags and banners in Belfast and Newry. Why have the loyalists not followed suit?
Posted by Eggmeat | 13.08.09, 23:07 GMT
'If you can't distinguish between the St. Pat's Day festive mood and the malevolence of OO parades then I most sincerely feel VERY sorry for you'
So, do you think I should go to the Holylands in Belfast next March 17th and celebrate my Irish protestant/unionist identity with those very charming people who bricked the PSNI, chanted republican slogans, waved Irish tricolours and wore Glasgow Celtic/GAA tops? Re-'I feel very sorry'/'ask the rest of the world' - vacuous condescending soundbytes.
Posted by bhamilton | 01.07.09, 07:15 GMT
SteveW,
"in Ireland you can only be Irish"
That's news to the people of the Republic - including the 400,000 non nationals (of whom 100,000 are British) living there.
By the way, how is the weather in England ?
Posted by Evergreen | 30.06.09, 13:35 GMT
L'Inconnu
'We were (and are) all Irish, end of story'
There, in a nutshell, was the price of survival in De Valeras Ireland. Pity it still didn't save them from the Ne Temere decrees.
In Britain you can be a scouser, janner, Brummie, Scottish or even Irish. In Ireland you can only be Irish.
Posted by SteveW | 30.06.09, 12:22 GMT
S 1 and Mickey (if you really exist)
If you can't distinguish between the St. Pat's Day festive mood and the malevolence of OO parades then I most sincerely feel VERY sorry for you.Thankfully ever increasing numbers of people realize that Protestant identity and freedom is under threat from no one. It's all in your minds in 2009.As for the past, we Catholics really DO forgive you, so don't be so paranoid - there's really no need for it anymore. But I realize you need your daily "fix" on the BT
Posted by Evergreen | 30.06.09, 10:08 GMT
To the blind fanatics of the OO - a REALITY check in 2009 :
The Catholic Church has NO ARMY or other means to impose it's views on you or curtail your freedoms. Nor does it aspire to. Welcome to the 21st century.
For the religious intolerance blueprint, read the 17th century Irish Penal Laws.
Posted by Evergreen | 30.06.09, 09:00 GMT
bhamilton,
Had your father NOT moved North YOU would have grown up in a far more stable, homogeneous, normal state, than the one in which you have presumably lived. If you don't accept MY word, ask the rest of the world outside of Stephen 1 and Mickey's foxhole.
Thankfully the signs are good, in spite of the death throes of the old "order", that sanity will eventually prevail for ALL the people in NI.
Posted by Evergreen | 30.06.09, 04:27 GMT
Hot air, Mickey, hot air.
No doubt some of the ones you are referring to probably only have to walk out their front door.
Posted by Ulysses31 | 26.06.09, 10:51 GMT
James, are you on the same planet? why oh why would the orange order walk behind a tricolour in this part of the uk? if its in the rep, then no problem.
Posted by stephen 1 | 26.06.09, 09:56 GMT
linconnu, you are factually wrong. Again. The OO is a protestant organisation, dedicated to preserving the freedom from the catholic church. I dont believe in god, so I dont really care.you might be irish, but I am not. I am British, an Ulsterman, and northern irish. St patricks day is a day for those in this part of the uk, who want to be irish to express their irishness. All I am asking for is parity of esteem. Or does that only count when it suits nationalists?
Posted by stephen 1 | 26.06.09, 09:54 GMT
Stephen 1 you've been shown up time and again, yet you continue your petty tirades. The Orange Order is a society dedicated to anti-Catholicism, they are by definition a sectarian/ bigoted movement. Their only aim is to show Catholics who's boss. Why do Protestants in the south eschew such nonsense if it's such an essential part of Protestant culture? I went to a Protestant school in Dublin and the Orange Order was only ever treated with contempt by us. We were (and are) all Irish, end of story.
Posted by L'Inconnu | 25.06.09, 22:19 GMT
Are Protestant's allowed to have a culture on the Island of Ireland under SF's shared future ??????
Posted by markgfc | 25.06.09, 17:02 GMT
Ulysses, it's a pity you couldn't persuade more folk not interested in 12th parades, to join you at the beach, rather than putting on their celtic tops, digging out their tricolours and heading down to yell expletives at passing bands. These people are actively going out of their way to be offended. The beach not good enough for them?
Posted by mickêy | 25.06.09, 14:27 GMT
James, the lodges in the rep are allowed to march with tricolours every year. Open your eyes, all of you, show some tolerance and respect.
So Orange Lodges march in Northern Ireland behind the Tricolour?
Posted by James G | 25.06.09, 13:49 GMT
Deary me, and people wonder why Northern Ireland is the way it is. Well, I'll be spending the 12th enjoying sun, sea, sand and continental beer.
Who knows, maybe I'll pick up a paper and read "Belfast is Burning" again. Who knows?
Posted by Ulysses31 | 25.06.09, 12:48 GMT
paint satrick, I was talking about in ni. Think before you post, or at least read in the correct context. Unionists feel excluded from paddys day as it has been hijacked by celtic topped youths chanting ira songs. Hardly something to embrace unionists, is it? Your comment is complete bull. I respect and tolerate your day and your right to have it, I just want the same for my community.
Posted by stephen 1 | 25.06.09, 07:56 GMT
The 4th July Independence Day celebrations , celebrate a battle between the Americans and the British , it is a battle that happened in the past , 200 years ago. Its a cultural celebration , no cries of triumphalism about that , no cries of living in the past or claims of coat trailing.
The Orange Order celebrtates the 12th of July , yes its in the past , 400 years ago , so what ?
Lots of cultures and traditions celebrate battles and ceremonies from the past.
Posted by Steve | 25.06.09, 00:55 GMT
Stephen 1 said: "St patricks day is celebrated by people who see themselves as irish. Nobody who sees themselves as non irish can therefore celebrate..."
Absolute rubbish. Go to London for example and see how many English people join in the fun. Nobody stops them and they don't think they are Irish - just want to have fun. This comment is complete bull. Wise up.
Posted by Paint Satrick | 24.06.09, 17:53 GMT
ulysses, you hit the nail on the head by the way. the order is exclusive, due to it being an organisation celebrating protestant culture. St patricks day is celebrated by people who see themselves as irish. Nobody who sees themselves as non irish can therefore celebrate, so it is also an exclusive event for the irish. St patricks day can never be seen as inclusive as it is solely all about being irish and has been subsequently hijacked. I am happy for the irish to celebrate, I want the same back
Posted by stephen 1 | 24.06.09, 17:28 GMT
the idioitc comparision between the kkk and the orange order is not even worth a response, grow up. I have been all over the world, and I do not celebrate st patricks day, and I do not consider myself irish. I notice not one of you posters has addressed the main point of my post; ie tolerance and respect. It seems nationalists only tolerate things which suit them. I find this ignorant and something which is enabling extremists to triumph over normal, rational people. Disappointing.
Posted by stephen 1 | 24.06.09, 17:24 GMT
115 Comments