It warms the heart, makes your toes curl up in delight when you hear of a dignified and respectful display of identity. We had this on the Ormeau Road in 2018. Under a ‘protocol’ (EH?) involving unionist parties like the DUP and PUP, plus some local loyalists, there was an agreement that union flags and similar banners would be flown on the Ormeau Road from the middle of June to the beginning of September. There’d be only one flag per lamppost, and the lamppost at the entrance to the Good Shepherd Catholic Churth would be left flag-free.
So now, you carpers and critics – how’s that for unionist generosity? Yes, of course it’s against the law to fly such flags on lampposts, even for a single day, let alone some three months. But look at all the months each year when unionists have the big heart that agrees NOT to fly lamppost flags – around nine months! Never let it be said unionists didn’t extend the hand of friendship to their nationalist neighbours.
But wait. It appears that some unionists totally forgot about this, um, protocol. There are a number of union flags – looking a bit damp and tattered – still attached to Ormeau Road lampposts. But there is method behind this unionist madness: Irish street names have been added to a number of streets. You can almost feel the fear and apprehension from unionist neighbours as they walk by these signs. The implication is that if the Irish street-names are removed (some unionists have already removed the offending Irish language signs unilaterally) then unionists will – maybe – go back to doing the three-months-of-lawbreaking-through-flag-flying-June-to-September.
Oh dear. Oh dearohdearohdear. What to do?
I have a solution. The balance of union flags with Irish language street names is an imperfect one : street names are sitting there 365 days a year, traumatising innocent unionist. So what I say is, take them down. Quit having Irish street names, and while you’re at it, stop those Irish language classes that are everywhere. Replace them with – you guessed – the Irish tricolour! Then you’d have a perfect balance – union flags accepted, alongside Irish flags. I expect even the most knuckle-dragging of loyalists would accept this as an equitable solution to a stubborn problem.
No, don’t thank me. Thank the unionist commitment to parity of esteem.
Your idea is too sensible Jude.