Twelfth of July: Asking Protestants about Catholics

Protestant Loyalists flock from all over the UK and further afield to Belfast on the weekend of the 12th July to commemorate the Battle of the Boyne in 1690, when Protestant King William of Orange defeated Catholic King James II.

The celebrations have long offended the Irish nationalist community in the north, with parades frequently playing anti-Irish songs in majority Catholic areas and pushing a Protestant supremacist narrative.

We went to Belfast to ask the people what they think about their Catholic neighbours being intimidated by the Orange marches.

Reporter: Seán Hickey
Camera: Peter Cooney

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[Cthonic]

Orangemen are Irishmen, who in order to be thought of as Englishmen, march dressed as Scotsmen in honour of a Dutchman.

[Johnsmith]

The “you have st Patrick’s day” comparison is hilarious. The Irish flag is banned by most councils from being displayed in the parade. The parade is made up of community organisations (schools, youth clubs etc), Disney characters, Chinese dragons, Spanish dancers. It also lasts a single day. However, orange parades are year round. The UVF, UDA, Union Jack flags displayed on lampposts all year round. The parade is made up of the orange order that, still to this day is openly sectarian and misogynistic. The parade is full of Union jacks and British symbols. The bonfires are plastered in Irish flags, Irish symbols, pictures of Catholic politicians, sectarian slogans. The ones that aren’t covered in flags are still health hazards and houses have to be hosed down in case they melt. St Patrick’s day and the twelfth are not even remotely similar. It’s hilarious than you can build bonfires with 0 council objection but to build an Irish language school it has to under go consultation in case it “upsets the locals” or causes offence. You cant even have a bilingual sign without them throwing a fit. This country is a joke

[shanereid]

The difference is St Patrick's day isn't for a sectarian hate group.

[seanquinn]

3:30 "Catholics are welcome" as someone in the background is parading past with a UVF flag 😂

[adamoconnor]

Using st Patrick’s day as an excuse for sectarian marches is wild

[kindcitizen-oeck]

@5:53 “Catholics are still holding onto the past” From a man who is celebrating something that happened over 300 years ago.

[LOCHEEbhoy]

If it’s a day that both sides can enjoy why is it that most bonfires have anti catholic effigies on top off them just be honest it is and always will be an anti catholic event

[ToughLoveOvenGlove]

we don't burn english flags on st patrick's day...

[atverde]

These events tagged blindly as "this is a Protestant parade" and "that is a Catholic parade" without really understanding the meaning and history behind anything.

I grew up in the Protestant community in Belfast. As I grew up and broadened my horizons I realised that Catholics generally have a better grasp of what's behind their history and culture than Protestants do.

Making reference to St. Patrick is fairly meaningless. St. Patrick predates any existence of Catholicism or Protestantism so it's a valid celebration for everyone in theory.

[MAK]

Imagine your personality and life being all about obsessing over a king who wasn't even born in UK or Ireland.

[aarononon]

Something nobody mentioned - another reason most Catholics don't show up is because you're watching a bunch of middle aged men in suits walk about to the sound of drums and screeching flutes. Its like a worse version of a funeral

[peterlpool]

It’s only about bigotry. It might give Protestants some meaning and purpose, but it ultimately stems from bigotry and hatred. It’s a free society that allows these marches to continue so unfortunately I think nothing will change.

[deejmalik]

Not Catholic or Protestant but a former resident of Glasgow. My overwhelming feeling about the Orange marches from my experience was of an excuse to stir up sectarian hatred that expanded to racial attacks too. My mates and I would be targeted for being out not wearing orange or blue clothes or Rangers tops and then I would be yelled at, threatened and called the N word. Similarly I knew to expect crap when I had to walk past an orange lodge or a Rangers pub. Not to say all rangers fans or even orangemen are the same but there’s bad vibes to the whole thing and I find it completely false equivalency to compare a saints day who btw is the patron of the entire island of Ireland to a celebration of sectarian domination

[rocarolan]

The comparison to st Patricks day is wrong. St patricks day is a Christian holiday(1 day). Where as the 12th is a protestant day(marching season). If it was just one day people wouldnt have an issue. Buts all summer long.

[pillowpian]

I'm sure we Irish can get past the parades just fine. Burning the Irish flag, pictures of republican public servants etc is a wee bit of a turn off getting behind the 12th. So some movement from both sides is needed

[goldenappel]

2:03 The proud Scottish loyalist who hasn't realised the Queen has died

[sb]

The woman saying "they play their Gaelic sports".. in their ancestral homeland! Do they ever stop to think how that would sound if it was some other place, eg Australia. "People from all over the world come.. " - if loads of people travelled to Australia to celebrate a historical victory over the Aborigines in a battle against the British forces - would that mean the Aboriginal community should "suck it up" too..

[badgersgetabadname]

St Patricks day is a party. The 12th is about celebrating oppression and division.

[jacobitedynamite]

This is the reason Scotland isn't independent yet. Widespread stupidity.

[garyboyle]

It's really pathetic that these sorts of Marches still go on. It was hundreds of years ago. Move on.