The Williamite victory consolidated the confiscation of Irish-owned land and ushered in new Penal Laws on the majority of Irish people. The idea of the majority of Irish people celebrating William’s victory at the Boyne is grotesque. It is not about parity of esteem, any more than celebrating partition is. It is celebrating the reduction of the status of Irish people to helotry.
One might as well celebrate the arrival of the Potato Blight and take our cue from the genocidal TIMES of London.
I think that Ireland should, like most of Europe, free her people from inessential servile work on Holy Days and let those of them who want to attend religious services do so without having to beg their employers for concessions.
If the citizens want to continue aping the British with Gombeen Breaks known as Bank Holidays there would be few who would begrudge them that.
But if Battles and Bloodshed are to be celebrated we should insist on parity of esteem On November 28 we should celebrate THE BOYS OF KILMICHAEL and on 27 AUGUST the WARRENPOINT AMBUSH. In both cases gangs of swaggering murderous terrorists were annihilated. Less bloody affairs than Aughrim and the Boyne, admittedly, but sparks of light after centuries of darkness.
I know my sentiments will not be shared by Blueshirts or by THE IRISH TIMES which rejoiced in Hitler’s accession to power. I don’t deny them the right to think what they like but I’m damned I’m bound to join them in Fascist salutes.
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