Backward Orange

When does a political attending the funeral of a murdered police officer become a disciplinary matter? Well only if the location in Northern Ireland, the police officer Catholic and the Politicians members of the Loyal Orders.

LOL 821 St Simon's Church Total Abstinence from the Sandy Row may complain against Ulster Unionist leader Tom Elliot and minister for Regional Development for attending Constable Ronan Kerr's Requiem Mass in April. However, the majority of people in Northern Ireland were pleased to see representatives of all our parties attending such a funeral that led to a public outpouring of grief and outrage. As you can see from the picture below there was cross party support, with Alliance MLA Chris Lyttle on the left, thier MP Naomi Long just behind me and the SDLP's Conall McDevitt and DUP's Jim Wells side by side on the right.

Copyright © Kevin Cooper Photoline

The UUP leadership rather than showing political expediency as stated by the Sandy Row Lodge were actually reflecting the public mood, something that maybe the Orange Order would do well to reflect on. A funeral for someone who was serving the whole community and was murdered in cold blood should be attended by all our political leaders.

The Catholic Church lifted their restrictions on members attending other churches in the 60s to enable this to happen. I've even been to an Ordination of a new minister in Donegal at which the local catholic priest not only attended but took part. Yet the Orange Order still on paper ban their members from attending a service in a Catholic Church, even if it is a funeral. So work colleagues, friends or in this case brave police officers cannot be given the respect they deserve as human beings by Orange Order members giving their respects. They do not have to take part in the service or partake in the Mass, but merely have to sit there and they are seen as traitors.

It is time for the Orange Order to catch up with the rest of us in Northern Ireland and realise that attending a funeral isn't going to change someones political stance, but is merely how we pay respects to those who have lost their lives, their family and friends.

Gerry Adams Statement on Ronan Kerr

It's not everyday that I link to a video clip of Gerry Adams, but having listened to his statement in the Dáil Éireann yesterday, I am moved to do so.

He talks about the feelings in the North as a result of the murder on Saturday. He talks about the need to take things forward in a democratic matter and through the peace process.

One thing I am shocked by the the emptiness of the majority of the chamber with only the Sinn Féin benches being full. This is something that does affect all of Ireland and I praise Sinn Féin for actually bringing this to the floor of the Dáil, but the lack of support from the rest of the elected representatives is shocking, I hope it was not political point scoring at Sinn Féin without thinking about the wider consequences of a peace together. Sadly it did look like Sinn Féin were themselves largely alone at a time when they were actually reaching out for the good of the many.

Gather for Peace, Democracy and Justice 1pm Belfast City Hall

 Later at 1pm I'll have made my way into Belfast City centre and hope many of you who are able will do likewise and those who are elsewhere will take a moment to bow you head with the people of Ireland (yes all of it) to pay respect to Constable Ronan Kerr and to stand with us as we proclaim "Not in Our Name". Here is a statement from the Irish Congress of Trade Unions Northern Ireland (ICTU NI)

Dear Colleagues

Following the brutal murder of Constable Ronan Kerr, Congress will be providing an opportunity for Trade Union members and the greater public to assemble at Belfast City Hall, at 1pm on Wednesday 6th April, to show our abhorrence of the murder of PSNI Constable Ronan Kerr.

At this event a short statement will be read by the Vice Chair of the Northern Ireland Committee and no other Speeches will take place. The event will finish at 1.15pm.

We would urge you to encourage as many people as possible to attend this brief event in support of democracy, peace and justice across Northern Ireland.

Peter Bunting
Assistant General Secretary
ICTU NI


Further Statement from ICTU
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Peter Bunting, Assistant General Secretary of the ICTU, said: 
“The murder of Police Officer Ronan Kerr in Omagh was an attack on a brave public servant and therefore an attack on every worker who serves the community and works towards a better future.

“The assassins targeted Constable Kerr because he was Catholic, and that makes this a sectarian murder, deliberately aimed at intimidating one section of the community.

“All citizens must stand together to show that we will not be intimidated by violence or threats from armed groups who should now publicly disband

“This public event being organised by the Trade Union Movement is open to all citizens, the vast majority of whom support the democracy we have achieved in this region. We all depend upon the maintenance of peace, democracy and justice.


“We urge all people who can attend the short event at Belfast City Hall at 1pm on Wednesday 6th April to do so.”

http://www.ictuni.org/

Omagh a Tale of Two Bombings

Inspired by Michael's post about the last time Omagh made all the wrong headlines I thought I'd look at what my memories where of that day back then and the differences with now.

It was a glorious afternoon on 15 August 1998. I was wearing just by polo shirt as I was playing on the NICS bowling green, on the Stormont Estate, in a Junior Irish Cup Semi-Final match. That afternoon I first suspected something was wrong by an increase in traffic heading into the estate and up towards the Castle and the Office of the Secretary of State.

Later on near the end of the match some of the spectators were huddled inside the club house, they then told us at the end that something had happened in Omagh, so the celebrations of reaching my first Irish Cup Final were somewhat muted as we headed back to Bangor to catch up on the news.

Saturday the 2 April 2011 was a mixed day. At time the sun was bursting out of the heavens at others it was overcast and even raining. The news this time, as my friend Phil wrote, was spreading via Twitter. I'd read the first reports on the train on my way back to Bangor after being part of the banner drop for the Yes! to Fairer Votes.

But this time within hours there was grass roots condemnation appearing from all sides (well almost) across Twitter, the hashtag #NotinMyName was trending late on Saturday. We didn't have Twitter back in 1998, people found out in their own time through car radios, portables at football games, or when they got back in after the afternoon shopping or gardening. Now many of us found out as we were going about what we were doing and we able to comment our own feelings to a few or many. We could also follow the views of others through the #Omagh #NotinMyName #PSNI etc hashtags.

As Phil said in his Tweet we could also see the disgusting side of a very small number of individuals who felt that the loss of a 25 year old's life at the start of a career in a role he was looking forward to was right. Thankfully that is only a small handful, overwhelmingly people are outraged at what has happened and never want to revisit those dark days again.

Looking around us today, life is going on in Northern Ireland. Some of the political parties postponed press conferences until tomorrow, Sinn Féin pushed theirs back so as not to clash with the FM and dFM statement. there are a couple of security alerts and suspect devices, so we are being vigilant once again (but then those of us brought up in the troubles have never really ceased to be). But overwhelmingly the people here want peace, we've tasted it and want it to continue. "Not in my name" is the cry of many this weekend and going forward will remain the message to those who want to drag us back into a era of fear and uncertainty.