St Patricks Day

[shazbang]

I live in Belfast and the council have just unveiled their plans for St Patricks Day events. This is the first year the council has given any funding towards this. They are stipulating however that no emblems or flags will be allowed. I understand the emblems not being allowed as it could spark off trouble but not being allowed to have Irish flags is, in my opinion, pointless. St Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland and yet we aren't allowed to wave Irish flags. I mean, in England on St Georges Day all you could see was a sea of red, white and blue. Flags were hung out of windows and children had their face painted with the Union Jack. Does anyone else have any views on this?

[Whickerman]

So long as there are no double standards, i can't see a problem. In fariness, it's not like you see hordes of Orangemen waving banners or raising flags at their marches, is it?

[shazbang]

Whickerman I hope you were being sarcastic. Do you live in Northern Ireland? If you dont then how can you make a statement like that. At the Orange 12th July parades all you can see are the 'Red Hand of Ulster' and 'Union Jack' flags. These have never been banned.

[Whickerman]

Sorry Shazbang - my tongue was firmly in my cheek when i made my post - my apologies if that wasn't clear.

[mushroom25]

I could be wrong, but isn't the "Irish Flag" that of Eire, the Irish Republic?

[mrrobbo15]

.......its a shame a flag can/could cause trouble.....

imagine all the people, living life in peace (you may say im a dreamer).......

[shazbang]

mushroom dont get me started. Northern Ireland is part of Ireland (hence the name Northern Ireland) and also Great Britain. It does not have its own individual flag. The red hand of ulster was made unofficial in 1973. Now if we are celebrating St Patricks Day i.e. the patron saint of Ireland, what flag do you suggest we wave? and also may I ask you what flag you fly on the day you celebrate your patron saint?

[mushroom25]

Shazbang, I don't believe in symbols whatever they represent, if they are taken to mean a tribal sense of belonging. The cross of St George is for me defiled by the thuggery typical at football matches, or Lad's Weekends Away in Amsterdam. Being proud of your identity shouldn't mean kicking s**t out of those who don't belong.

When I was working in Antrim last year, I found the need shown by some to paint red hands on lamp posts just unbelievable. Sadly those same people see the tricolour as representing the republicanism they seem to abhor. Sadly it's not going to go away. Maybe your city fathers are just being pragmatic.

[undercovers]

come to london instead - we love st. patricks day over here... come on we'll give you a silly guinness hat and maybe even a novelty flag :)

[slimjim]

Agree. Come to England to celebrate. We're capable of waving flags without killing each other because of what they stand for.

BTW, shazbang, I get the distinct impression that this was never really a question but more an opportunity for you to put your views across. You didn't seem to appreciate any of the answers that were given.

[noxlumos]

I imagine shazbang is just ticked off that he/she can't wave their flag in their own country on our National saint's day for fear of upsetting the orangemen. By definition they'll find something to whinge about and cause trouble over anyway so you may as well take your flag along and wave it in any case. I can scarcely see anyone taking any notice to be honest.I'm from the Falls Rd area originally, where abouts are you Shazbang?

[THECORBYLOON]

shazbang you seem to be a wee bit confused. What is the flag of Ireland? Northern Ireland is not part of Great Britain, it's part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain And Northern Ireland. It had its own flag prior to 1973 and since then its flag is the Union Flag although many would say it is the Ulster or Red Hand Flag. Saint Patrick's flag is a red saltire on a white background so why don't you fly that?

You say that on Saint George's Day there was a sea of red, white & blue and children had Union Flags on their faces. Alas, many English folk are confused about the flag of their own country which is a red cross on a white background and not a hint of blue in sight.......

[lindapinda]

I think slimjim,hit the nail on the head there!! Very perceptive! Discussion not allowed apparently!!

[bernardo]

That's completely diriculous. It's like having a big chocolate-flavoured chocolate cake with chocolate topping and chocolate-flavoured icing, but without allowing any chocolate. I hope that everybody will go ahead with their celebrations and simply ignore the ban.

[noxlumos]

I think the problem is corbyloon that certainly in republican areas people really would prefer to fly the tricolour as they won't recognise the Union flag, it's nothing to do with confusion, just where you are socially in the political spectrum of things over there.

As for your kids having their faces painted with a Union Jack instead of the Cross of Saint George on his Patron Saint's Day, be very glad your people are so confused and unifiedly patriotic, that way you don't have the malachai that we have with flags as demonstrated above.

[shazbang]

Sorry guys, I post from work so only got a chance to read your replies this morning.

Slimjim, I posted this because I wanted to hear a range of views on this and welcome any and all given, not just the ones that agree with me. Thank you everyone for the generous invite across the water to join the celebrations over there. It seems a bit sad though that people in other countries can celebrate our patron saint better than we can without all the negativity that surrounds it.

Mushroom I completely agree that a lot of people do see it as an opportunity to cause trouble but the majority of us just want to have a good time.

Corbyloon, if Northern Ireland is not part of Great Britain but the United Kingdom then why do the loyalists here consider themselves to be British and if Northern Ireland is nothing to do with the Republic of Ireland, how come I've got an Irish passport?

Hey Noxlumos, have seen you post on here before and knew you were from the Falls, thought I might see you on this thread. I'm also from the Falls and still live here, just beside Curleys. I gather you've moved?

Just a final note - I wish that everyone in Northern Ireland would come along and celebrate, not just the Catholic people.

[sam82]

I live in Scotland, and my primary School was St Patricks, we didnt bother waving any sort of flags and our school really went to town in celebrating St Patricks day, we all made our own Shamrock whether it was a badge, into a hat, a t shirt type one, depending on the age group and the imagination, it was great fun, then we would go to mass then back to the school for more fun and games!

[johnlambert]

shazbang

is the brodway cinema still on the falls? I was involved in an incident there in 1980 when I was a young squaddie,

[shazbang]

No John, that was taken down years and years ago. I dont even remember it being there and I was born in 1978 but have heard many stories about it from my mum and nan.

[johnlambert]

there was an old tramp who used to live in it, one night a bunch of youths tried to burn him out, fortunately for him we were on patrol and arrested them, I also seem to remember the IRA punishment squads would take their victims around the backand kneecap them so maybe it's a good job it gone.