Stand-off in Portadown over Orange March.

Why on earth was it agreed to let them march again . Well done to the people opposing it; I hope they succeed and no one is hurt. Peace in Ireland is so precious and shouldn’t be threatened in any way.

The best solution would be for the protesters to go in, shut the door, ignore them, and let them have their little march, then we can get on with caring about important issues.

nadateturbe

The best solution would be for the protesters to go in, shut the door, ignore them, and let them have their little march, then we can get on with caring about important issues.

In NI it is an important issue.

It certainly is.
And important to thousands here.
I don't know why they suddenly allowed this.

In Ireland nothing changes.
So utterly childish.

That's why my Irish ancestors left the country, that plus the famine.

30 years of relative peace. Why on Earth risk that?

Pathetic! Celebrating a victorious battle over a catholic king well over 300 years ago. At least we don't have to put up with that nonsense in England no one cares whether your neighbour's catholic or protestant.

The legal right hand there doesn’t seem to know what the legal left hand is doing.
Given the go ahead for a march then the Police blocking it and the First Minister joining the Catholic protests.
They need to sort themselves out.

Sago

nadateturbe

The best solution would be for the protesters to go in, shut the door, ignore them, and let them have their little march, then we can get on with caring about important issues.

In NI it is an important issue.

Sago people have got their priorities wrong in NI. I live here, I know that if older people could just forget the past - both "sides" - the younger generations might have a better future. There are more important issues than a flipping border, flags, Irish language etc. Everyday problems are more important.
Perhaps these men shouldn't be allowed to march, but wouldn't it be simpler just to ignore them?

M0nica

That's why my Irish ancestors left the country, that plus the famine.

Good decision.

nadateturbe

Sago

nadateturbe

The best solution would be for the protesters to go in, shut the door, ignore them, and let them have their little march, then we can get on with caring about important issues.

In NI it is an important issue.

Sago people have got their priorities wrong in NI. I live here, I know that if older people could just forget the past - both "sides" - the younger generations might have a better future. There are more important issues than a flipping border, flags, Irish language etc. Everyday problems are more important.
Perhaps these men shouldn't be allowed to march, but wouldn't it be simpler just to ignore them?

Unfortunately from both sides there is aggravation, the flags, the kerb stones etc.

The Orange marches are deliberately provocative.

I still find it hard to comprehend there are still barriers/peace gates on the Falls and Shankhill Rd areas.

It’s all very precarious.

I agree the past should be buried and forgotten but it’s so deep rooted, I don’t think it will ever happen.

My late Father (awful man) spoke Gaelic as his first language, lived and worked in England from the age of 30 and was die hard pro IRA, deep down he hated the English.

He was very highly educated but could never see the other side.

I think if he had gone back to live in Ireland he would have ended up in prison foe a terrorist crime.

The point is we have had years of (mainly) peace.
What were they thinking?

In another 100 years it would probably be behind us and more like May day or Bonfire night (not meaning fireworks!).

Monica there was no famine it was a crop failure.Manipulated by the British government to rid the country of the poor who were in the main catholics.
There were boat loads of food leaving Ireland every day ..it just wasn,t for the poor.
The people who were desperate were offered food IF they denounced their religion and of course those who had money never went hungry.
Catholics in NI were treated as second class citizens right up until the 1970,s…
Maybe you should read the facts.
Some of my ancestors came here during the hunger time ,the last of my granny,s family came in 1972 because life for catholics was anything but equal.
It’s all documented and if you are interested it’s worth reading the truth .
The so called troubles was a civil rights issue !

I often thought at the time of the IRA bombing campaign in England, they may well have hated the English. Did ir not occur some of those English would have encompassed the children of Irish. Probably didn't care though. Many of my school friends were second generation Irish but as would be expected sounded English, one such friend two Irish parents, cut glass English accent. My mother told me, my grandmother's people from Ireland were Fenians and fiercly nationalistic. Still came over here though.

paddyann54

Monica there was no famine it was a crop failure.Manipulated by the British government to rid the country of the poor who were in the main catholics.
There were boat loads of food leaving Ireland every day ..it just wasn,t for the poor.
The people who were desperate were offered food IF they denounced their religion and of course those who had money never went hungry.
Catholics in NI were treated as second class citizens right up until the 1970,s…
Maybe you should read the facts.
Some of my ancestors came here during the hunger time ,the last of my granny,s family came in 1972 because life for catholics was anything but equal.
It’s all documented and if you are interested it’s worth reading the truth .
The so called troubles was a civil rights issue !

I think we are all aware of Irish history.

I too am an Irish Catholic but you have to let it go!

It wasn't till I moved here that I became aware of the real history here, it wasn't taught in England, and I recently found out that catholics in N.I couldn't vote till 1969, I think before commenting research the history, and why when all was peaceful they started this march through Catholic areas, majority of people live happily together,
I still need to read more myself, but so far I am saddened to the core

Yes I think those of us born and raised catholic with Irish ancestory have done our reading and research on the social history of Ireland to know civil rights were pivotal. Of course you have to let it go unless you happen to be of the disposition to hate the entire population of one country based on what their government were doing in the 19th century, when a majority of the population were disenfranchised and malnourished themselves anyway. Some do like to keep it all going though don't they? To be English, even though we're often a composite of other nationalities is to be forever in the wrong best not to forget that Thank goodness there's always someone to remind us of the inate evilness of the English character. So a big Mea Culpa from me on behalf of the nation. Hope that'll do it, for the time being at any rate.

Shell951 its not true that catholics couldn't vote until 1969, but voting conditions and gerrymandering favoured unionists.

Our politicians don't help.
Both unionist and Republican politicians support things they shouldn't, which are divisive. Instead of trying to sort problems that affect everyday life.

All men and women had the vote in NI from the 1921-22 agreement, earlier than the mainland for women. It is true though that, as nadateturbe states, certain conditions such as gerrymandering meant Catholics were more likely to be affected, but poor Protestants also suffered. That said everyone has an equal vote now just as they do in most countries in the world where they too have had to fight for it.
As to the Drumcree dispute, before July 1st 1916 this service did give thanks for William of Orange winning the war which established the UK as a Protestant country. Incidentally, the only reason William went to Ireland was because James II fled there. William had zero interest in Ireland but the rest, as they say, is history. From 1st July 1916 it became a service for the Fallen at the battle of the Somme with over 2000 NI soldiers dying on the first day. Soldiers from all Ireland fought for England and those from the town are commemorated at that service and recorded on the war memorial in the centre of town. The Orangemen who attend that service of commemoration have traditionally walked back into town via that route. 28 years ago they were prevented from doing so because the residents of the road had become almost exclusively Catholic households. They were told that they could walk this year under certain conditions which they adhered to. I think one has to ask who gains most in power control over 'their' people' from them being prevented from completing a legal return to town. Divide and rule works across most of the world. It doesn't always deliver the best conditions and rights for its people.

The voting thing was one of thr reasons for the civil rights movement i Northern Ireland

As I remember …… if you owned a business you had an extra vote , if owned a business you were more likely to be a Protestant so Unionist votes kept them in power

aggie

The voting thing was one of thr reasons for the civil rights movement i Northern Ireland

As I remember …… if you owned a business you had an extra vote , if owned a business you were more likely to be a Protestant so Unionist votes kept them in power

All true Aggie.

The reason the parade has been allowed is because the Parades Commission's decision to ban it was overturned in the High Court as the Parades Commission had made a total cockup.

There are restrictions on the number allowed to parade down Garvaghy Road and l suspect the number trying to parade is so far in excess of that restriction that the police can't allow it to continue, mainly for safety reasons.

There is now an inquiry into the Parades Commission.

What is the Garvaghy Road dispute all about? - BBC News share.google/dfD3Bf36VEUwR3zFH