47 Comments

• PghIrish | Jul 16, 2010, 02:03 PM EDT

  To my fellow US Irish diaspora: It's obvious our collective work toward peace and reconciliation in the North is not done. The International Fund for Ireland needs to review and priortize its programs and come back stronger than ever, in spite of what certain self-interested individuals claim. Please support extension of the IFI. and lets continue to make a difference there.

• citizen69 | Jul 14, 2010, 04:32 AM EDT

  @S.Connolly: I think you'll find i am correct. I didn't mention the leader of Sinn Fein. Gerry KELLY is a Sinn Fein minister in the Northern Ireland government and the SF representative for North Belfast. You obviously know little about Northern Ireland yet you seem to feel informed enough to comment.

• Realist | Jul 14, 2010, 03:32 AM EDT

  S.Connolly: citizen69 was correct. Gerry Kelly of Sinn Fein condemned these rioters, who, he said were shipped in from miles away to be 'offended'. I agree with him as there are many reports in the press today about local people in North Belfast not recognizing those causing the trouble (louts being bused in from as far afield as Londonderry) - but then the whole World can see that too....lol. By the way, the Republic of Ireland has 26 counties and is an independent nation.

• S.Connolly | Jul 14, 2010, 01:10 AM EDT

  Oops Citizen 69...Sinn Fein's leader is Gerry ADAMS...let's be correct please. Ireland will never be free until all 26 are one...a free Ireland.

• Seamus59 | Jul 14, 2010, 12:27 AM EDT

  They also burn effigies of the Pope. Such is the depth of their Christianity and love of neighbour!

• belfastgirl1 | Jul 13, 2010, 06:43 PM EDT

  Southernpride: As I stated before, YOU ARE AN IDIOT!!!!! Read our history. The south abandoned the North when Britain ceded free state status to them. Sláinte

• belfastgirl1 | Jul 13, 2010, 06:35 PM EDT

  Searlit: Glad to hear you haven't given up on beautiful Northern Ireland. When you do go, I know you will have a wonderful time. Sláinte.

• Searlit | Jul 13, 2010, 01:10 PM EDT

  Belfastgirl1: I haven't given up on Northern Ireland. I know it's beautiful and that there are lots of beautiful people there. The Orangemen juvenile antics just bring the worst out in me. I'm waiting for them to come to their senses, stubborn and ridiculous as that seems.

• Realist | Jul 13, 2010, 01:07 PM EDT

  citizen69: I totally agree. Behold the "Ireland of equals" where the parades commission decision is just fine in Drumcree but when it goes the other way in Ardoyne, the police and rule of law that eveyone supports are attacked. It just exposes how poorly house-trained some Republicans still are. They've been taught from the cradle to wreck and destroy (whilst claiming the maximum benefits from the very British state they claim to despise). I suggest they heed the wise words of Northern Ireland British Minister Gerry Kelly and pack it in.

• citizen69 | Jul 13, 2010, 04:04 AM EDT

  Even Sinn Fein's Gerry Kelly has said that these riots have been organized by dissident republicans from OUTSIDE of these areas. Brought in specifically to riot and cause tensions in a cynical attempt to draw orangemen into conflict.

• Greenblood | Jul 13, 2010, 02:47 AM EDT

  Here's a good idea I dare the Orange Order marching parade to march through Catholic Streets without the police to protect them.

• Southernpride | Jul 12, 2010, 10:43 PM EDT

  Northern Ireland ia an embarrassment to The real Irish people in the South of Ireland. Those Catholic/protestant lunatics bring nothing but shame to Ireland.

• wilmaslainte | Jul 12, 2010, 07:42 PM EDT

  I think the Orange order celebrations should be banned. To allow a group to burn the Irish Flag in Ireland is a disgrace. This is just perpetuating the hatred and division of the Irish people.

• oldbear | Jul 12, 2010, 07:29 PM EDT

  I'm of Irish heritage and a retired law enforcement officer - most of my years as street sgt. It could happn on the moon but I retain empathy for the men/women in uniform. Tough job esp. in riotous times. Yes, lost some friends doing their duty. I was quite lucky. Regardless of ethnicity I pray the outcome will be a more peacefull one for police and public. WE had our race riots and here there are conflicts among Christians.

• ArdeeOne | Jul 12, 2010, 06:42 PM EDT

  To read what some of you write, it sounds like you think the only "real" Irish are Irish Catholics.To me, that's a very narrow, parochial view. Some of the Protestants in Northern Ireland did not want to be part of the Republic because they would have been subjected to Catholic laws prohibiting such things as divorce or birth control. Why would they want to give up the freedom they enjoyed under the British? Is there not room for many types of Irish, as there is room in America for many types of Americans? Must it depend on religion? After all, ethnically, the Scots-Irish and the Irish are virtually the same.

• belfastgirl1 | Jul 12, 2010, 06:30 PM EDT

  @Southernpride; YOU ARE A IDIOT!!! Try to learn a little more of your Country, and that includes the north. ERIN GO BRAGH! Slainte!!!

• Aliciarose | Jul 12, 2010, 06:19 PM EDT

  Well, here we go again. Bitter hatred still simmers below. They only march through Catholic areas to get the people going. I hope these idiots realise that "Old King Billy" was a homoesexual. While these marches go on at this time of the year, there will be no inner peace.

• belfastgirl1 | Jul 12, 2010, 06:11 PM EDT

  @ SearLit: Please don't give up on Northern Ireland because of idiots. It is a very safe and beautiful place. Don't go during marching season. The months of May and Sept are beautiful times to go.. Don't forget you can find trouble in any Country. Like anywhere, you just have to learn the areas to avoid. Please gives us a try.

• AmAncINED | Jul 12, 2010, 05:27 PM EDT

  The Confederacy is demonized in the U.S. because those stubborn "states-rights" yahoos in the South wanted to keep slavery alive and well and spread it to the new states joining the Union. They didn't want the Federal Govt. to interfere with their slave-trade business or anything else. The Civil War was a shameful, needless, waste of lives. Nothing to celebrate there, unlike the war for independence from England. Can't imagine any parade to celebrate April 9 when the South surrendered to U.S. Grant.

• Searlit | Jul 12, 2010, 05:06 PM EDT

  This behavior is what has kept me from visiting Northern Ireland, so far. I would like to see the rest of Ireland, but with people still taunting and batiting, and the threat of violence there, well it's just not welcoming. The parades should be re-routed away from Catholic neighborhoods. It's so easy to see that.

• citizen69 | Jul 12, 2010, 04:49 PM EDT

  @ Nelsonbarry & LiamDavid: Are you so blinded by your partisan views that you cannot understand today's news from Belfast? It is republicans who organized these riots, republicans who planted the roadside bomb, republicans who have shot at the police, republicans who have hijacked vehicles. republicans who have taken over a public bus full of people and forced the driver to take it to a police station telling him there is a bomb onboard. But yet you claim it is the protestants who are the bigots here? Protestants who are hurting innocent people? Protestants who are taunting people who are different from them? Open your eyes! Who is being bigoted today? Is your idea of a united Ireland one were irish protestants are not tolerated?

• citizen69 | Jul 12, 2010, 04:31 PM EDT

  @ Chieftain :please enlighten me as to how my comment makes zero sense.

• Southernpride | Jul 12, 2010, 03:41 PM EDT

  It's quite amusing to see Scots-Irish, Presbyterian simpletons marching and being attacked by Catholic simpletons. Just another day in the mad, dysfunctiol world of N.I.

• Nelsonbarry | Jul 12, 2010, 03:39 PM EDT

  Big deal, You guys won a battle in the 17th century. Now why don't you turn your energy to making your Ireland work for everybody. What good is a celabration when people get hurt. it's suposed to be a time of joy, there is no joy in hurting innocent people. If that's what you want to do, there is room for you in Iraq. Take your Orange flags there, I'm sure everyone will be impressed.

• LiamDavid | Jul 12, 2010, 03:00 PM EDT

  I’m afraid that the Orange Order and all those who revel in these events seem to be missing some component or synapse in their brain that would help them understand that a celebration that does nothing but provide bigots an opportunity to taunt anyone different than themselves, burning people’s national flag, hurling insults against their religion, shoving their lopped sided version of history into the faces of others, pounding their drums as loud as possible, hoping that the sounds of their drums will in some way convince the rest of the world that their raciest damming actions and words are nothing but a simple historical commemoration. Not a commemoration of hatred by those who represent intruders into others home! Please Lord; drag these simpletons and all of their orange banners and flags, drums, and moronic people over to London. Maybe their English sponsors need some of this idiotic noise for a change.

• Chieftain | Jul 12, 2010, 02:57 PM EDT

  @citizen69- that is exactly my point; you come back with a statement that makes zero sense. Do yourself and the rest of us a favor and go back to the hole you climbed out of and keep living your sheltered narrow minded insignificant life. I am waiting for another stupid rant by you.....

• sandymountgirl | Jul 12, 2010, 01:42 PM EDT

  When will it end? I have been to Ireland many times and absolutely love it there, but I have never been to Northern Ireland. I have been told by the Irish that it is safe there but I'm not so sure. This fighting has been going on for so long, the rest of the world is tired of it, aren't the Irish and British as well???

• JamesMurphy | Jul 12, 2010, 01:36 PM EDT

  If the whole Orange Order marching parade nonsense wasn't so pathetic it would be hilarious.

• citizen69 | Jul 12, 2010, 01:30 PM EDT

  @Southernpride: What a stupid statement! The Republic of Ireland has a much higher unemployment rate than Northern Ireland. These riots are carried out by a tiny minority of people. Generally Northern Ireland is safer place to be than the south of Ireland. The Republic has one of the highest rates of gun crime and drug use in Europe.

• citizen69 | Jul 12, 2010, 01:14 PM EDT

  @Chieftain: Learn some history. The US did not win a war against an "invading army" unless you happen to be native american. If it wasn't for the foreign invaders then the colonial americans wouldn't have been there in the first place! Secondly the Orange celebrations commemorate a battle on a battlefield between soldiers from many nations. It has nothing to do with kicking people out of their homes as you say. No wonder you don't want a debate as you seem to be bereft of the facts.

• slainte9 | Jul 12, 2010, 01:07 PM EDT

  There's no question that the Irish were the big losers as a result of the outcome of the Battle of the Boyne. However, this was a battle between an English-Dutch coalition and an English-French coalition. There were a few Irish troops on both sides. The Dutch side won, the deciding factor being 16,000 Dutch troops armed with the latest flintlock muskets. The Dutch colors are Orange (does anyone here follow soccer?). The Dutch brought the Penal Laws to Ireland, and Apartheid to Africa. Why in heavens name are the Irish celebrating Dutch bigotry symbolized by the Orange of William of Orange-Nassau, the Dutch ally of Winston Churchill's ancestor, the ruthless John Churchill, the Duke of Marlbough. Probably because the learned Irish monks who saved Western civilization and brought light to Europe's Dark Ages practiced celibacy.

• Southernpride | Jul 12, 2010, 01:05 PM EDT

  Most people in N.I. are unemployed, and have no desire to work. So they have become good at rioting and bombing, and shooting innoent people. The Catholics and Protestants in N.I. act in a sub-human way towards each other and are an embarrassment to the good, honest, hard working people in the South of Ireland, who wants nothing to do with them

• IrishProud | Jul 12, 2010, 12:09 PM EDT

  Horrible! What do the rioters expect to gain from all of this? It's hard to believe that in this day and age the roots of hatred and prejuduce lie in religion. A lot of Irish have roots both in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. What do they think of this?

• Chieftain | Jul 12, 2010, 11:54 AM EDT

  @ Citizen69: US does celebrate a war from an invading army; very much comparable to the invading army of, again the English, on Irish territory. Tell you what...someone will come to your house and kick out you and your family, then from that point on they celebrate the "victory" while burning pictures that were left over once a year. Essentially, that is why Northern Ireland is a different country, once again the English invades and tries to conquer, unsuccesslly though. As Ireland fought back, successfully. Not getting into a debate with you as it would be pointless ergo I am just trying to convey the true meaning of these Orange celebrations. Erin Go Bragh!

• citizen69 | Jul 12, 2010, 11:49 AM EDT

  @tsullivan1218: Getting back to the article, this violence had nothing to do with "taunting Orange celebrations". It was nationalist/republicans that started these riots. It was nationalist/republicans that shot the policemen, it was nationalist/republicans that planted the bomb. So just who is being intolerant here?

• citizen69 | Jul 12, 2010, 11:42 AM EDT

  @lparsons: the near obliteration of native americans is hardly a relevant comparison now is it? This is a commemoration of one battle in an international war that had a huge European-wide significance at the time. the US does celebrate a WAR of independence does it not?

• lparsons | Jul 12, 2010, 11:31 AM EDT

  Can't imagine the US having a holiday celebration commemorating the near obliteration of Native Americans. There are ugly parts of all our historical National pasts that need to remain just that----past!! Whatever is NI thinking to celebrate such an ugly part of the past.

• citizen69 | Jul 12, 2010, 11:16 AM EDT

  @murrayGirl: Yes unfortunately a lot of bonfires do have Irish Tricolors atop of them as many loyalists see the flag as representing the IRA but I have never heard of any bonfire having "photographs of politicians with Catholic backgrounds" being burned and certainly not "each year" as claimed here, but then Irish Central is blatantly anti-orange.

• tsullivan1218 | Jul 12, 2010, 11:08 AM EDT

  These taunting Orange celebrations are definitely the ugliest tradition and the ugliest part of Ireland.

• MurrayGirl | Jul 12, 2010, 10:51 AM EDT

  "The annual Orange Order celebrations are to honor the 17th century battlefield victory over Irish Catholics." "Each year the pro-British Protestant groups burn Irish flags and photographs of politicians with Catholic backgrounds." Are you serious? This is what happens, and it's not condemned in 2010? Orange culture is one thing, but to have the above events is quite different. That is why there will always be "trouble" in NI.

• citizen69 | Jul 12, 2010, 10:41 AM EDT

  @ Katecait: This has NOTHING to do with the Orange Order! This is all about pre-planned riots by Nationalists against the police. You obviously believe those celebrating Orange culture have no right to exist. Should Ireland demonize Orange Irish in the same way the US continues to demonize the Confederacy in the war you speak of?

• keltyeire | Jul 12, 2010, 10:38 AM EDT

  I'll be noting this kind of happening in my second life it'll still br going on,too many memories now, history tells the true story, how can one feel when your grandmother was burned out of her cottage!!!

• Katecait | Jul 12, 2010, 10:28 AM EDT

  As long as the Orange Order is allowed to be celebrated, is anyone surprised by the violence? Can't imagine the USA celebrating Union Civil War celebrations.

• mcdolan | Jul 12, 2010, 10:19 AM EDT

  Absolutely disgusting behaviour! Let's please move on from this nightmare of nearly 40 years. And it doesn't matter who started it -- troublemakers all, no matter the colours. Grow up and get on with living, please.

• citizen69 | Jul 12, 2010, 09:53 AM EDT

  This article seems to be trying to pin blame on the protestant community for these clashes but it seems dissident backed nationalist youths were to blame for most of these incidents. In at least one of the confrontations, where the police officers were shot, no unionists were involved. Crowds of nationalists attacked the police.

• wuilso127 | Jul 12, 2010, 09:45 AM EDT

  Article fails to note in what place in NI this incident occurred. London's Derry, or Belfast?

• Southernpride | Jul 12, 2010, 09:26 AM EDT

  It's no suprise that 90% of the people in the South of Ireland wants nothing to do with with those mad Protestant/Catholic sectarian lunatics