Culture

While surfing the Internet I came across a number of Irish-American websites excitedly counting down to ‘Paddy’s Day’. I began thinking about Christmas and its annual countdown and the similarities between it and St. Patrick’s Day. For St. Patrick’s day celebrations have as much to do with a 5th century teetotal Christian fundamentalist, as Christmas has to do with the birth of Christ.

I for one am amused by Paddy’s day. Not least by the sight of “Plastic Paddy’s” everywhere bedecked in green, with leprechaun hats, black thorn sticks, the obligatory pint of Guinness and sometimes an Irish tricolour. Indeed even I, in the past, have been known to join in the festivities of celebrating our “Patron Saint” (minus the hat, stick and tricolour) and from what I can remember I thoroughly enjoyed my indulgement of Paddywhackery culture (for it is anything but authentic Irish culture). But the most amusing thing of all about March 17th or there abouts, is the seriousness with which both our tribes and Irish America take it. Some DUPer will always be waiting in the wings to inform “us Prods” that Saint Patrick “Is ours too, you know”, like somehow we didn’t?!

And the small but dreadfully annoying ‘grumpy Prod brigade’ so disdainful of supposed “Irishness”, however unauthentic, plastic or non-threatening it is, must insist on projecting their misery onto others by demanding parades with no green, no tricolours (mmm…what about the orange bit?), no alcohol, basically no fun for anyone!

Lest I should forget all those “liberal internationalist” Republicans out there, I’m also equally amused by their idea of what an “authentic” St. Patrick’s day is, much like the one mentioned above, only with Celtic shirts, Armalite T-shirts, Toicfaidh Ar La key-rings and various pro-IRA tack! “We’re not alienatin’ anybody, so we’re not” is the cry from rebel whiners when you question their precious sacrosanct expression of “Irishness”, considering they’re supposedly defenders of traditional Irish culture its surprising their clinginess to a decidedly unauthentic display of pure plastic paddyness.

As with most things in Northern Ireland St. Patrick’s day is a means by which to express our ingrained sectarianism and hatreds for one another. I do not believe St. Patrick’s day is something of great importance or significance, to either our culture, identity or conflict, rather it is a non-issue made into a sectarian mud flinging exercise and propaganda battle. Of course I can see the fun side to it and am not a complete dreary sod, I don’t think it should be banned, suppressed or excluded, nor do I believe it has much authenticity or relation to Irishness. After all Irishness defined as a celebration of the Irish Nationalist identity and republican cause, is only a narrow view of what it means for someone to be ‘Irish’. There are the Anglo-Irish, Ulster-Scots, Anglicans, Presbyterians, Methodists, Atheists, non-indigenous people of various backgrounds and religions. If I am to celebrate my Irishness as I see it, I cannot express it fully in the context of a republican “triumphalist coat trailing exercise”, my symbols of identity, culture, history and heritage are not respected in the context of such a supposed celebration of Irelands ‘Patron Saint’.

Solution? I’m not sure if there is a solution beyond my own idealism. Ideally I’d like to see a celebration in Northern Ireland that was truly inclusive, all embracing, open minded and welcoming. Where not only are tricolours, Gaelic culture and nationalist symbols celebrated, but were all the other strains of Irishness were equitably accounted for and given space. If it were up to me I’d have everybody bring as many flags as they’d like, British, Irish or other. Imagine if you would a sea of red, white & blue; green, white & orange? If you think it would be a colour clash then perhaps you should tell that to Irish-Americans where Paddy’s day parades in the USA are awash with tricolours and stars & stripes. Think about a lively music performance of bodhrans, tin-whistles, fiddles, flutes and bagpipes…and dare I suggest lambegs? If you believe lambeg drums are threatening then you’ve never heard one played well (yes such a thing is possible) and it is regarded amongst ‘Prods’ with the same passion as a bodhran player regards his small but worthy tool.

There is more than one musical tradition in Ireland, one identity, one type of cultural tradition, if inclusiveness is supposedly the bottom line of a multi-cultural society - which Britain and Ireland pride themselves on being - then we should be able to incorporate each others culture into our celebrating St. Patrick’s day and beyond that limited scope as well, by doing so we might be able to strip away the negative sectarian cloud hanging over our various traditions and cultural celebrations. I have no doubt this will NOT happen. Sectarianism appears to be Northern Ireland’s main cultural tradition - and until people are brave enough to truly be inclusive and tolerant - then we’ll forever be going around in circles.

“Those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it”

Friday, January 19th, 2007 // Northern Ireland: Politics

OK, I haven’t technically sorted out the long-running Parades issue just yet, but I think I’ve got a viable blueprint, provided the communities in question have the leadership and resolve to pull it off.

So, Let’s Work Out The Grievances

The Orange Order are the parading Kings (and Queens) of Northern Ireland. They organise more expeditions per year than your local hiking group and are generally well-attended by certain sections of the community.

These Parades don’t exactly knock the socks off some Nationalist residents, who steadfastly refuse to allow parades to pass through ‘their’ areas. And no wonder. We only have to look to the violence on the Springfield Road last year when marchers were denied access to the Whiterock. Would you want those yahoos ripping tiles off your roof and smashing up your car?

But then, is it possible that Nationalists are provoked into reacting by their local resident’s groups? I mean, if managed properly how long would a parade take to pass through the area? An hour, two at most. Better still, instead of pretending to be prisoners in your own home, come out and support the parade because you can. If you must get caught up in symbolism, let it be positive.

Right, are you with me so far? In summary: Orange Order - your entourage is carrying too much riff raff. Nationalist residents - you’re getting too shirty about a parade that’ll have passed in an hour.

The Spirit Of Reconciliation

OK. Swallow hard people, this is where we have to accommodate.

Orange Order & Guests: Leave the rabble behind. It may be the Queen’s highway, but this is a bridge building exercise. If anyone on the day looks like they’re geared for trouble, tell them to watch the parade via BBC1 or meet you down the Kneebreakers later. Likewise, anyone with terrorist connections should probably stay at home too.

The people of the Nationalist area you are proposing to walk through aren’t thrilled about the music. Perhaps an appropriate silence as you pass through would be a fitting mark of respect.

On the plus side, if all goes well this year, next year’s parade will be a doddle to organise and we might not need the Parades Commission to intervene.

Nationalist Residents: You are inviting the Protestant people into your area under friendly terms. Don’t underestimate the significance of this.

I’d like to see a welcoming gesture at the interface, with a selection of members of the community greeting the parade as it begins to pass through. Perhaps a banner celebrating the occasion and welcoming the parade through and an appropriate photo op handshake between the leader of the parade and one of the residents.

To come back to the issue of disenfranchisement from September, it might show that the two areas aren’t all that different. It might show Protestants that West Belfast Catholics live much the same way and have similar lifestyles. It’s not Beverley Hills on the Falls Road compared with Ethiopia on the Shankill!

A Model For The Future?

Am I being stunningly naive as usual? Are both parties so consumed by bigotry that they don’t want a solution to this? Or are they simply allowing themselves to be stirred up by their ‘community leaders’?

Not to blow my own trumpet, but I think this is a fine model for peaceful parades in Northern Ireland. On both sides.

No-one can ‘win’ the parades issue. It is something that recurrs every year and isn’t likely to stop. The best that everybody can hope for is a peaceful compromise.

Wednesday, May 31st, 2006 // Northern Ireland: Politics

Paul at The Northern Irish Magyar is hosting a very interesting debate on the subject of Irishness.

Despite my RC upbringing, I wasn’t indoctrinated with attendant Republican or even Nationalist values. I always viewed Northern Ireland as a seperate entity, quite apart from either Ireland or Britain. Paul sums it up well in the comments:

political Republicanism has succeeded in greatly narrowing the definition of Irishness for their own political ends

I would argue that similarly Unionism/Loyalism have narrowed the definition of Britishness (in Northern Ireland at least) to representing a group of pompous, bigotted, intransigent stick-in-the-muds! I’ve never been comfortable with either label.

Another well-made point is that pre-partition, everyone on the island would have defined themselves as ‘Irish’, simply because it wasn’t an issue. A history book I’ve been reading recently has reminded me of the fact.

Interesting to see a number of mostly Unionist bloggers considering national identity and playing with the concept of being Irish while remaining British. I’ll leave you with an inspirational quote:

We appeal to you not to fall into the 1916 trap and risk a fragile new relationship for the whole island, by pressing for the fulfilment of an old political romance. We in our turn will come to acknowledge an over-arching Irishness we all can share. This is an age for forging new relationships, not for breaking up old ones. Irish unity of the traditional kind is no more for our time than it was in 1916.

Works for me!

Monday, April 24th, 2006 // Northern Ireland: Politics