Did any of our Northern posters go out to see the parades or did yiz come down to the south for the day,I was always interested in asking this because I cant imagine it would be the safest place in the world for a Catholic to be and you cant stay in the house all day

Duffy89 (Wexford) - Posts: 3320 - 13/07/2009 16:31:21    344026

I live just off the Ormeau Road in Belfast and I'm not working in the area this week because of the parades. I am currently down working in the company office in Sligo. Last wednesday there was a major parade past my area. I could hear the drumming from around 6 but paid no attention. Me and one of the housemates then decided to go over to the Pavillion bar for a game of pool and we were just in having a drink when the parade went right past the window. Very surreal, it lasted about 5 minutes and then they were gone. It was the first time I had seen the parade.

And to answer your question, even If I was in the area I wouldn't go watch it because as bad as it was being caught up in a weeknight parade, on the 12th July parades everyone is off work and tanked to the gills. Most of them are fine but it only takes a small minority of idiots to start something if they know you are of a different persuasion.

Loughduff Lad (Cavan) - Posts: 2466 - 13/07/2009 17:14:07    344150

Stayed in Gweedore all weekend and came up today but stopped in Downings to milk it yeno! Cant stick that oul craic on the 11th and 12th

Orlaith (Derry) - Posts: 4282 - 13/07/2009 17:15:17    344156

theres always nice people no matter where you go but it only takes one dopey ******* to cause trouble,I cant possibly imagine what ye all go through up there to be honest

Duffy89 (Wexford) - Posts: 3320 - 13/07/2009 17:21:51    344168

I dont think that there is a need to be parading in Catholic areas by the apprentice boys! Why do they do it? They close the whole of Derry and for us normal people who dont march round our days are ruined with riots!

Orlaith (Derry) - Posts: 4282 - 13/07/2009 17:27:12    344182

Couldn't give a monkeys if they paraded past my house once a year but NO! you have to have your mini 12ths church parade Somme parade,black parade Apprentice boys parade I could go on and on. Makes the Oktoberfest look like a Garden party Father Jack might enjoy it .

fortyfive (Tyrone) - Posts: 5929 - 13/07/2009 18:39:07    344300

Just watched on the News a Drummer from a Band parading in Derry strike! a protester with a Drum stick in front of a PSNI officer and he was allowed to walk on I hope they can Identify this Man and charge him with assault. Nothing inclusive in this Orange fest .

fortyfive (Tyrone) - Posts: 5929 - 13/07/2009 18:44:22    344306

Julys a funny month in the North, brings out the worst in some people your neighbour can suddenly stop talking to you the Union flag bunting and Scottish Flags appears on every lamp post in towns and cities all over the country, yet when GAA fans support their county in finals with flying the county colours these same people object saying they feel offended by this, its not as if Ulster teams make the all Ireland final every year ,but every 12th of July we have to put up with their flag waving Drum banging, pole twisting Bible bashing, awful music.

DynamoDooher (Tyrone) - Posts: 423 - 13/07/2009 19:00:38    344324

the Tesco incident is another example,the hatred is still as bad as ever !

Duffy89 (Wexford) - Posts: 3320 - 13/07/2009 19:34:33    344356

Well said Dynamo dooher! Aye did yous see that in the news tonight? See if that was one of us did that during a parade the parade would be stopped and the man arrested! But just shows you how different people get treated!

Orlaith (Derry) - Posts: 4282 - 13/07/2009 19:38:51    344362

Orlaith that one incident that your referring to probably lead to trouble flaring at a peaceful protest. Saddens me. have your March then go Home no need to have a second one on the way home and then March again when you get home. Pray for Rain as like CRICKET and Wimbledon rains stops Play and playing flutes.

DynamoDooher (Tyrone) - Posts: 423 - 13/07/2009 19:55:17    344385

It's just kicked off in Ardoyne tonight with petrol bombs, plastic bullets and water canons all being used. This place is full of hatred that will never go away. The PSNI have turned on Catholic residents in North Belfast to push a provocative Orange Order march through a Catholic district. When push comes to shove Orange Dis Order will always win over law & order, that's the nature of the sectarian apartheid Northern state. Peace Process??? That's a laugh, there isn't one.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9816 - 13/07/2009 19:58:57    344393

I've never lived to witness the troubles but do you honestly not think there is a peace process? I would of thought the days of the troubles were far darker than these mild rivalrys! I reckon there is a peace process but I strongly doubt a united Ireland within the next 10 years!

Orlaith (Derry) - Posts: 4282 - 13/07/2009 20:25:40    344427

Myself, the Missus and the kids had a great time at Navan (Ard Macha) Fort outside Armagh city this morning and early afternoon. There was only one other family there which was a shame as the welcome we got, the guided tour, the centre itself, the Living History Iron-Age house (really really excellent), the film show of Ulster - Ard Macha stories and then the Fort itself were all excellent. There was even a cuppa and bickies on the house. Get off your lazy arses and visit the place and get some culture.

No sign of any Orange men at Ard Macha as it was a little before their time!

sam2008 (Tyrone) - Posts: 799 - 13/07/2009 20:45:46    344462

My Neighbour left this morning in there car suited and booted acknowledged each other with a courteous nod and smile, he just retuned with a Union jack and Ulster flag car flag lol must have seen my car last September but I had 4 flags and 2 wind socks on mine.

DynamoDooher (Tyrone) - Posts: 423 - 13/07/2009 22:21:06    344574

sam2008

Is there a navan in armagh .

Dellboypolecat (Tyrone) - Posts: 15069 - 13/07/2009 22:39:44    344617

navan fort

tomaoo7 (Dublin) - Posts: 5896 - 13/07/2009 23:04:29    344657

tomaoo7
County: Dublin
Posts: 3875

344657
navan fort Goodman Tomaoo7 you know your Geography Hows the head Guinness good yesterday.

williewentwell (Tyrone) - Posts: 1712 - 13/07/2009 23:22:29    344691

When the Ardoyne Holy Cross dispute was going on in 2001 I said at the time that we would only really see the horrible consequences of it in years to come. Many of the young people who were caught up are now teenagers but their views and opinions were formed back in those awful days so it comes as no surprise to me that sectarianism is as rampant in todays youth as it is in older people. We have reaped what we have sown and that is very worrying. There is an official Peace Process with smiles and chuckles up at Stormont but it has not really filtered down to many. The two communities hate each other as deeply as they did 40 years ago and it could very easily drift back into the dark days if some incident was to happen which would lead to the snowball effect of violence. That's my big fear as it's hard to control these things once they start.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9816 - 13/07/2009 23:24:36    344697

tomaoo7
County: Dublin
Posts: 3875

344657
navan fort


Well done forgot about that.

Dellboypolecat (Tyrone) - Posts: 15069 - 13/07/2009 23:35:07    344714