What’s the Issue with Bonfires? – by Michael Lagan

The fact that nationalists copy Loyalists in building bonfires in certain areas for cultural reasons is sheer hypocrisy considering for decades the hatred and loathing of bonfires by Catholics and nationalists in Loyalist areas was palpable.

The concern about the environmental element of the burning of pallets and, let’s be honest here, rubbish, sofas, the odd tyre and…boats (???) is something which is becoming more prevalent in today’s society owing in part to the fact the earth is in a literal climate emergency according to experts.  The fact that people get away with burning hundreds of thousands of pallets in NEI on a single night in July beggars belief, not least because at any other time of the year the organisers of those bonfires would be not only billed for the clean-up but would be landed before a court to answer for an environmental crime.  

Indeed DAERA’s own website states in regard to environmental waste – “Failure to take due diligence in dealing legally with your waste is likely to result in you being prosecuted.

Receiving a criminal record on conviction.

Receiving a significant fine (the maximum fine for each waste offence is now £50,000, and/or imprisonment).

Being directed to clean up the site with resulting significant costs.

Being referred for criminal confiscation, or civil recovery by the Serious Organized Crime Agency, where there has been benefit from criminality.”

Surely culture should evolve in line with society, and how society as a whole feels about it.  This somewhat occurred with the introduction of the ‘beacons’ which were and are funded by the local Council, which by the way, resemble more closely the actual beacons lit to signal the arrival of King William.  However, many within Loyalism and Unionism didn’t really take to the beacons due to the fact it eliminated the ‘collecting’ part of the bonfire culture.  That being spending from April to July collecting pallets and all other materials for the construction of the pyre itself.  In Larne, for instance, there was the Tullygarley beacon put in situ where the bonfire was once built, yet only 100 yards away on a derelict piece of land, another Tullygarley bonfire was erected – clearly by those who weren’t a bit happy about not being able to spend months collecting wood and…stuff.

In a bid to make this culture of division and fire more acceptable through tourism, the Craigyhill area of Larne attempted to, and to an extent achieved their goal in making their bonfire huge…and extremely dangerous.  The organisers went so far as to attempt to get the Guinness Book of Records to come and make their pyre a record-breaking however this was doomed from the outset as any attempt at record-breaking must abide by certain rules and sectarianism ain’t part of that.

You see, these bonfires, for Loyalism have always had an element of sectarianism to them.  From emblems and effigies of the Catholic church to political emblems and flags; bonfires have been political rather than cultural.  One might argue that politics can be cultural but then that makes Loyalist culture sectarian.  When a statue of the Virgin Mary or the Pope is placed on a bonfire, that instantly makes that culture sectarian.  When an Irish flag or election poster is placed on a bonfire is changed that bonfire to a political statement of hatred of one’s neighbour which is why we hear so much about ‘hate crimes’.  Loyalist culture, especially bonfires is somewhat skewed in its meaning.  It is one steeped in events of the past and morphed from one welcoming King William of Orange to Ireland, to one of a show of hatred for Catholicism, Irishness, and one of supremacism.

While I don’t agree with nationalist bonfires either, they are strictly political in a remembrance of internment but they still bring with them the environmental damage, the hurt on the other side, and the antisocial behavior.  

So what is the issue with bonfires?  For nationalists and Catholics, I’m pretty sure it isn’t the origins of the culture in 1690 which creates the tensions surrounding them, but more what the Loyalist culture has morphed into, being used as intimidation, a celebration of a perceived superiority and supremacy and actually sectarianism.  While there may not be any flags and emblems on the pyre during the run up to and the day of the 11th of July, you can be sure they’re all added just before the pyre is lit.  

For me, Loyalist bonfires instantly bring to mind intimidation, gerrymandering, Unionist rule and anti-Irish sentiment.  They bring to mind bands playing sectarian tunes, crowds chanting “U, U, UDA” and more.  The issue isn’t with what bonfires were, the issue is what they have become now and in the recent past.