IRA infighting could cause problems in County Londonderry

According to Irish newspaper the Sunday Tribune, the South Derry brigade of the IRA (comprising around 25 members) are to split away from the provisionals because they are "disillusioned" that Sinn Fein are "wanting to sign up" to support of the PSNI (hat tip Fair Deal). The last time there was a serious split in the IRA Northern Ireland witnessed the birth of the Real IRA and, together with the rest of the world, witnessed one of the worst atrocities of the troubles - the Omagh bomb.

The group is said to include members in their 20s who joined the IRA post-ceasefire. If nothing else this demonstrates exactly why Unionists are right to call on the IRA to disband completely, and the fact that these men reportedly have access to weapons would seem to retrospectively justify the big deal that was being made over decommissioning. It's also strengthening the view, in my mind, that one of the biggest dangers facing Northern Ireland in the future will be youngsters radicalised by Sinn Fein and the DUP but who haven't had to live through the worst of the shit this country's had to endure during the 'troubles'.

Read more »

The weather's far too good at the minute to waste long periods of time sat in front of my computer posting here, but I found this on bebo and thought I'd share it:

1. We may suffer from high levels of sectarianism, but sectarianism has such a great community spirit behind it.
2. We beat England (and made a song about it)
3. We have 5 seasons; as well as autumn, spring, summer and winter we have riot season (AKA marching/silly season)
4. We have more terrorist organisations than the middle east
5. Harp.
6. We invented chavs (and they're called spides!!)
7. The home of the petrol bomb.
8. Hanging on to your wallet in Belfast could be an Olympic sport.
9. You can have your car stolen and the theives will try to sell it back to you.
10. If you lock your house up we will rob it but you can go out with your front door and windows open and we will not touch a thing (where's the fun?)
11. People will fight over Rangers and Celtic and don't actually know any players in the teams
12. The riot squad are so good they can train the English police riot squads
13. By the age of 15 we can make an average of at least 3 diffrent types of explosive
14. The average pregnancey age is 13½
15. We're the only country Germany are afraid of!

Apparently Sinn Fein's Mary Lou McDonald (MEP for Dublin, IIRC) has heard the plight of the West Belfast Festival and while attacking the whole July celebrations in Northern Ireland decided to mope on their behalf. Unfortunately fact-checking still doesn't seem too high on the Sinn Fein agenda. (Thanks to Miss Fitz at Slugger for highlighting this - it's rare I delve through the murky depths of what the Daily Ireland loosely terms news)

I wrote just over a fortnight ago about the Department of Social Development's decision to grant money to the Orange Order (£104k over 3 years) to help develop the celebrations into an event that would appeal to a wider audience. Disgusted that the government seems to be giving Protestants money, Mary Lou writes of her outrage at the cruel oppressor (the British government) denying the indigenous Gaels of west Belfast funding for their festival.

In actual fact the Northern Ireland events company reduced a rather generous funding package of £150k a year to around a third of that (still more than the Orange Order will be getting per annum), but over a week ago, Peter Hain boldly stepped in to throw an extra £100k of "transitional funding" at the festival (also blogged on Slugger). He also said 2 other Irish cultural festivals in Belfast would receive £20k and £25k under the same plan.

I guess once you've learned to whinge about how oppressed you are the MOPEing starts to take on a life of its own and before you know it you're inventing things to feel hard-done-by about! It's ok Mary, we understand. I won't hold my breath for a retraction.

Conviction: possession of landmines, conspiracy to kill members of the security forces, IRA membership, causing an explosion
Sentence: 20 years
Joined Hunger Strike: 29th May
Suicided: 13th July

Hurson was the 8th of 9 children born to a farming family from Cappagh (near Dungannon) who owned 30 acres of farmland. His mother, with whom he was said to have been very close, died when he was only 13 and it was Martin who found her when one day when she'd taken seriously ill.

His family didn't discuss politics and internment hadn't affected anyone from Cappagh, nevertheless east Tyrone was fast becoming a hotbed of republican terrorist activity and Martin Hurson wasn't going to be left out.

Hurson was arrested in November of 1976 and charged with IRA membership, possession of landmines used in terrorist attacks, conspiracy to kill members of the security forces and causing an explosion. He signed statements confessing to involvement in republican terrorist activities, but later claimed these were extracted under torture. In a retrial, the original statements were ruled inadmissible, but later statements obtained elsewhere were ruled sufficient to affirm Hurson's conviction.

Read more »

The BBC have an "in pictures" lookback at the 12th July celebrations yesterday, meanwhile, Beano productions is proud to present the Everything Ulster 12th July 2006 Slideshow: 75 seconds of photos of yesterday's Orange march.

Readers with RealPlayer can view my photograph slideshow here. If you don't have it you can download the Real Alternative to see it in all its glory.

Recently one commenter, dantheman, has refused to continue a discussion on slugger about the rights/wrongs of burning tricolours on bonfires, so here you go Dan, a thread of your very own - knock yourself out.

Burning a flag is not a legitimate political protest/statement of defiance (when loyalists do it) because... GO!

I mentioned in my 12th July post yesterday the braindead teeny-bopper with the UFF flag wrapped around her while I was watching the Orange parade head towards the field. When I returned to watch the parade on its return leg, I'm sad to say the situation had deteriorated quite a bit further.

How not to encourage respect for the Orange tradition

By the time I got to the main road where the parade would pass, a crowd of morons had already, in the time-honoured loyalist tradition of acting without thinking, erected banners of the UVF/YCV (and not the historic versions) as well as the UDA, as well as waving flags from those same organisations. It seems some of the braindead populace of Belfast are determined to oppose any efforts by the Orange Order to broaden the appeal of the 12th July celebrations.

Come on lads, wise up. The organisers want to get rid of all this bullshit from the celebrations. It's not like they're planning to include Irish tricolours in the parade or ask Sinn Fein (either directly or via their "residents groups") to give speeches at the field on the evils of Protestantism. It's in everyone's interest to ditch the paramilitary glorification. That includes the Orange Order, the loyalist communities and of course Joe Q Protestant who just wants to bring his kids for a day out to watch the bands without exposing them to banners or chants glorifying murderers.

As I mentioned earlier, I was out taking a few pictures of the 12th July parade in Belfast today as it made its way towards the field.

"Floats" carrying bands were introduced to the 12th July parade for the first time this year

While the steady drizzle was a slight disappointment after the beautiful sunshine of last years parade, it didn't seem to deter the crowds at all who, as usual, seemed to get caught up in the atmosphere and not notice themselves encroach further into the road with every passing band.

As well as the bands themselves there were a couple of floats this year; their inclusion aimed at broadening the appeal of the parade (the "floats" could perhaps more accurately described as hauliage lorries with the sides off, but the concept worked). One featured an Ulster-Scots folk band while a second carried an English drum band. As well as the local bands there seemed to be more than ever from Scotland this year, particularly Glasgow.

Marchers in World War One uniforms led one band

This year being the 90th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme set the theme for this year's parade, and one band was led by two men in the uniforms of the YCV and 36th Ulster Division from World War One and there were flags to both groups of volunteers at various intervals along the parade.

316 orange and purple balloons were released in the city centre - one for each year that has passed since 1690. Lord Laird was interviewed on TV, dressed in a 17th Century costume, and encouraged people to be proud of their heritage.

"This is a day which celebrates our culture - we are proud of our Ulster-Scots and Orange background. We want people to come out and join us, and people who don't know what we are about to come and understand who we are."
Lord Laird, Parade Organiser

It seems that most of the marches have so far gone ahead without much trouble (touch wood), despite the fact that restrictions have been imposed on a parade in Ardoyne and nationalist protesters blocked a feeder parade in Maghera.

I should add that, while I didn't hear any Billy Boys this year, I did notice one silly bitch (not part of the parade) wearing a UFF flag like a cape, but I suppose every long journey takes a lot of small steps.

I was out taking pictures of the bands today, planning on writing a little piece about the twelfth, since last year's got so many hits. Unfortunately, I came home to hear some disgusting and sickening acts had taken place last night in County Antrim.

At a bonfire in Ahoghill, near Ballymena, the tricolour atop the bonfire was decorated with writing mocking the sectarian murder of Michael McIlveen in Ballymena in May. The flag was adorned with the slogan "Fuck Mickybo". It's pathetic and disgusting. No normal person could take any satisfaction from that. I don't have so much of a problem with trying to burn posters of hunger strikers, these guys were paramilitaries after all, but to mock the death of an innocent teenager (who would sooner consider joining the British army than the waste-of-space paramilitaries) is pathetic.

Also in the same night, republicans carried out attacks on Orange Halls, including an arson attack that destroyed the Orange Hall in Lavin, near Armoy and Dunloy (scene of an illegal protest last year). There was also a paint bomb attack on an Orange Hall in Claudy, Co. Londonderry.

The hunger strikers were political prisoners. I love how this little gem goes so unquestioned in Irish America (and even by many in Northern Ireland). Kate McCabe is obviously a classic Irish American who begins her story with this quote from a Guantanamo Bay detainee who, obviously inspired by the myths of Bobby Sands more than the reality, compares his self-inflicted starvation with that of Mr Sands.

"Bobby Sands petitioned the British government to stop the illegitimate treatment [sic] of Irishmen without trial. "

Actually, no Mohammed. He didn't.

Detention of suspected terrorists without trial was ended by 1976, 5 years before the Bobby Sands took the decision to end his life. From that point on, anyone imprisoned on terrorist offences was tried in court. Hands up who thinks Kate "as an Irish American" McCabe corrected this glaring mistake.

Read more »