The inglorious Twelfth

John Hewitt, Ulster poet, at a 12th July march

Seamus Heaney wrote a poem, 'Orange Drums, Tyrone, 1966', about his experience of the Twelfth July:

'The lambeg balloons at his belly, weighs
Him back on his haunches, lodging thunder
Grossly there between his chin and his knees.
He is raised up by what he buckles under.

James Connolly describes the 12th July

Born in Edinburgh of Irish Parents, James Connolly was a one-time British soldier turned Irish revolutionary leader who headed the Easter Rising of 1916. Connolly wrote 'July the 12th', published in Forward on July 12 1913, where he described his visit to a 12th July march:

"As this Saturday is the 12th of July, and as I am supposed to be writing about the North of Ireland in particular, it becomes imperative that I say something about this great and glorious festival. 

Colin Bateman (@ColinBateman) - The Two Williams, King Billy and a "washed-up drunk"

My cartoon scribble of Colin Bateman

Colin Bateman wrote in 2006:

"I’ve come up with a story called The Two Williams, which features King Billy (that’s King William to you) on the eve of the Battle of the Boyne in 1690 accidentally changing places with his modern equivalent — a washed-up drunk whose only job in life is to lead the Orange parade every 12th of July."

When are we going to have a sensible debate about the conduct of parades? Ctd

"The real danger isnt Chua's ideas,the danger is that we might be too timid to discuss them" #triplepackage http://t.co/NzupDM7D7l
— Bloomsbury Australia (@BloomsburySyd) February 9, 2014

Loyalism's exemption from the rough and tumble of public discourse and from serious and sustained criticism is not because its claims are stronger, but because its radical fringe is more violent. Against a history of menace, threats and intimidation, who or what agency would stand alone?

As I have explored in my series, 'Political correctness is the worst kind of censorship,' I have attempted to show that we are incapable of confronting even the most chronic and grievous problems, lest we unsettle and cause offence. For as Jenni Russell (@Jennirsl) said in The Sunday Times:

"Because it challenges a liberal tenet: that exploring the cultural differences between groups amounts to racism."

When are we going to have an honest conversation about the conduct of PUL parades?

In response to the failure of the Haass talks, Alliance Leader David Ford said: "The real issue with parades was never about structures - the problem was behavior." This is interesting since the Belfast City Centre Management report here on the 12th July parades delivered a stinging indictment against the bands and Orange lodges that march through the capital city. It found tourists who complained of an "intimidatory atmosphere", "louts roaming around drunk" and an untidy public realm.

In my earlier post here I cited a 1925 essay by the Ulster MP W.D. Allen on an Orange demonstration in Tyrone.

"Silently, humorously, doggedly, they mass around a dripping platform, a remarkable feudal, patriarchal, tribal, historical anachronism in these days of moderation, toleration – whine, don’t fight – enlightenment."

I also looked at John Hewitt's 1970 poem, 'Conversations in Hungary' here:

"Our friends in Budapest
days later also, puzzled, queried why,
when the time's vibrant with technology,
Such violence should still be manifest.

Between two factions, in religion's name.
It is 300 years since, they declared,
divergent sects put claim and
counterclaim to arbitration of the torch
and sword."

Conor Cruise O'Brien said in 1996:

"I have, in an Orange context at an Orange House, urged them to see that marching through areas that don't want them is not good policy for the Orange Order itself or for the unionist community."

The first "Orange riot" on record was in 1824, in Abingdon, New York. The 'Orange Riots' of 1870 and 1871 in New York here were infamous. After this, the Congregationalist minister Merrill Richardson from the pulpit of his Madison Avenue church said that the time had come to take back New York City, for if "the higher classes will not govern, the lower classes will."

The 12th July - Belfast city centre management report

Cartoon I did for Slugger O'Toole for 12th July 2012 here.

Here's some of the main findings from the Belfast City Centre Management report on the effect of the 12th July parades on Belfast city centre.

- One "well-known High Street brand" had only seven customers.
- Store owners were now questioning whether it was worth continuing to open on 12 July.
- Businesses reported "an increase in tensions," with the perception that it had put people off coming into Belfast.
- Just over 80% of shops that opened reported trade below expectations.
- Just 7% of these businesses were happy with the number of people they got through their doors.  In contrast 80% were unhappy with a further 13% undecided.
- A big concern was people openly drinking alcohol on the streets, with large amounts of rubbish being left behind.
- Based on their 2013 experience, 65% of businesses would potentially not open next 12 July, something described as "frankly disappointing."
- 50% of businesses reported an unfriendly family atmosphere and several cited rising tensions as being a turnoff for some consumers.

The observation below was a stand-out comment and should make subject for very serious, frank consideration:

"Visit Belfast received complaints from tourists who talked of "an intimidatory atmosphere" and "louts roaming around drunk.""

When the news was shared on Facebook, an English inward migrant now domiciled in NI for some years said: 

"As someone who has lived here for quite a long time now, I can confirm that 12th July is absent a positive atmosphere. It's militaristic, nasty, sometimes vulgar, and not much fun." 

More on the anti-social behaviour and levels on drinking from the BCC Management report:

"One of the concerns most reported by the businesses was the openness with which individuals were drinking alcohol on the street[s]. This was the only type of anti-social behaviour reported, and there were no instances where PSNI assistance was required. Businesses believe that on-street drinking has remained an issue since the shop opening began in 2009 and this needs to be addressed. The condition of the public realm after the parades also remains a key issue, with reports of large amounts of rubbish, empty beer and other alcohol bottles and tins. The city centre took longer to clean than previous years with cleansing of Donegall Place not being complete until 13:30hrs. 

Visit Belfast received communication from visitors complaining about the condition of the public realm, especially the dirt and rubbish but, more significantly, also an "intimidatory atmosphere" with "louts roaming around the streets drunk".  

The complaint stated that the advertised Orangefest carnival atmosphere was not present; the correspondence concluded: "advertising this Orangefest as a celebration or carnival is not doing the city any good because it’s not living up to tourist expectations". This observation is important, as it is made by someone not familiar with the parades or the issues associated with them. Therefore it is an independent unbiased view."

Slugger covers it here, the BBC here and you can read the full report here.