Marching Season

Everybody likes a band, and especially a marching band. These spectacles are exciting and stimulate the blood of supporters. The sound of the massed pipes and drums never fail to confirm my Scottish blood. But wait a minute, I am a first generation Scot. My Dad was, and all his family still are Irish, so I can claim legitimately to have a vested interest in both countries and cultures.

The ‘Marching Season’ stirs my blood too, but for very different reasons. The name is given to the time in summer, in Northern Ireland, where masses of marchers take up their flutes and drums, and beat their way down the public streets, including those areas who are opposed to their views... and especially those opposing areas, to celebrate a battle some 300+ years ago. I am not aware of any other band which marches to a 300 year old tune. Do you? Once again, some marches were spoiled by sectarian opposition throwing stones, bottles and petrol bombs at the police. The authorities stood by and watched while the violence unfolded in the streets of Belfast, just like the old days of ‘the troubles’. Supporters of the march will say it’s their right to march wherever they want, and they are right. It is a free country after all, but freedom at what price? Is the price of blood and broken bodies enough?

To balance the scales, there are also the Irish Republican Hibernian marches, which are staged to say simply, we are here and you didn’t whip us 300 years ago after all. In my book, one side is as bad as the other. Neither are interested in anything other than their own narrow view, and each is right (in their own minds). Having said all that, let me make an observation about the minority of Republican protesters in Northern Ireland, living in a country they don’t like. They are happy to live in a more prosperous part of Ireland, and work there paying taxes, or if they are unemployed will happily draw benefit payments, and use the health services. If they have children, they will be educated in the same system as the one they are opposed to. I may be simplistic in my thinking, but would it not be the rational thing to move to the Southern part of the land where they can live out their own ideal lifestyle? That would let them march in the Hibernian parades without the threat of violence, and they wouldn’t have to put up with the Loyalist marches in the North which annoy them so much.

Let me try to balance things a little, while realising that there will always be a minority living among us, in our multi cultural society, who cannot be reasoned with. Why persist in marching to celebrate a 300 year old battle? Why keep old wounds open and sore? Would it be so very bad for society if these marches were stopped? Of course that applies to the other sectarian half of the problem, the Hibernian marches. These also attract trouble from the ‘opposite side’. If we are ever going to be able to live together, does it not follow that we shouldn’t intentionally wind the other side up? Of course it’s deliberate, what other reason can there be? The rest of us are only putting up with these marchers as they peddle their own hatred, and we can easily live without them. So, if either side doesn’t like where they live enough to make them violent against it, can they just leave and go elsewhere? Please? For the sake of the rest of us who want to live in peace with each other. Oh yes, Protestants and Catholics really can get on together. It’s really not difficult. Ordinary, good people do it all the time. It’s only the bad ones who can’t. These same ordinary, good people, can live without BOTH of these sectarian, troublesome, violent, hate filled parades!

Shared Campus

This small phrase caught my eye, and was a source of great encouragement to me. My old high school is involved in a project which will see a purpose built high school, jointly shared with the town's other high school. The significance is not lost on anyone who has lived in the West of Scotland, or like me, was born and educated there.

In the summer of 2013, Port Glasgow will open a shared high school campus, where Non Denominational and Roman Catholic pupils will be taught. True, the whole campus is still divided in certain areas, to 'protect the ethos' of the individual establishments, but large sections are open to all pupils to mix, mingle and eat together. In my book, that's progress!

Scotland in general, and the West of the country in particular, has suffered from sectarianism for far too long. I have always thought we could tackle the problem if we put our minds to it, and here is a very obvious big part of the solution. These young students have the first chance in the town to think of themselves as a single body, and not as 'us and them'. Can you imagine the benefits this simple step could have in years to come? Let's do the same thing all over Scotland every time a new school needs to be built, or an existing one extended. Congratulations to the forward thinking of the faith leaders, and the education authority for having the courage of their convictions. We should get behind the change, and help in all and any ways we can! Yes, I am encouraged!

Sectarianism-The Jury Decides

There were thousands who saw the attack happen live in open view on the touchline of the Celtic v Hearts game last year. Millions of others saw it replayed time and again on national TV. It was the talk of anyone who even had a passing interest in either football (Scotland's game) or bigotry (Scotland's shame). I think I speak for most ordinary people, that the unwarranted and unprovoked attack on the Celtic Manager, Neil Lennon, was based on a religious bias.

The court case against the accused was last week, and the jury decided. Not the police who were there to see and hear the attack, not the staff who were also in sight and earshot of the verbal and physical abuse, not the judge and not even the witnesses. It was the 'jury of our peers' who brought the not proven verdict. In other words, there was no proof of religious bias, in spite of reliable eye and ear witnesses!

I had mistakenly thought that we were trying to get on top of bigotry/religious bias/sectarianism in Scottish football and society, but it is now evident that the problem goes much deeper. A jury is not hand picked. It is a random group of ordinary folks who find themselves on the jury benches. They are the ones who are influenced by the legal arguments and the various witnesses, and yet they still brought a not proven verdict. Only Scotland (to my knowledge) has this halfway house of a verdict which sits between guilty and not guilty.

Since this random jury group made this strange decision, I have to conclude that we, as a society, cannot see our own bigoted and sectarian problem. Now, I am left to wonder if we even want to work at eradicating this evil. After all, it is only a problem if you see it as such, and for me it feels like trying to climb up a greasy rope. A lot of effort to get nowhere. Would someone please tell me I'm wrong, and encourage me??

It's Time!

It's summertime, it's July, it's the marching season in Northern Ireland and Scotland, and that means it's time for...

a/ Hatred. Can there be any other word to describe the feelings which run high during an Orange or Hibernian parade? These guys hate each other with a fury and vengeance. They may hide it well, as each side says how tolerant they are, but we know the truth, don't we?

b/ Sectarian chanting. While the beautiful game of football in Glasgow is trying to come to terms with this issue in its stadia, and making slow but steady progress, we have the whole reason for our hatred for each other on full display. Brightly coloured bigotry on the march, and we wonder why we have a problem in Scotland?

c/ Intolerance is something we all say we are against, but is a foreign concept at all these Orange and Hibernian marches. This feeling even spills over into the Social Networking sites where each side wish harm, or even call for the deaths of the opposite sides, and think it's ok.

d/ Drunkenness in the streets and at the rally after the marches is commonplace, and in fact, to be expected. To give this an air of respectability, the organisers will have invited ministers and priests to the appropriate rally, in the hope that it will appear acceptable. Let's hope the ministers and priests don't get mixed up and go to the wrong march!

e/ Swaggering, usually topless male youths appear in the streets from nowhere. There is a distinctive style of swagger which goes along with these sectarian marches and rallies, by their supporters. Have you noticed how proud and cocky these little men look, almost as if to say, go on challenge me to a fight.

f/ Normal, decent people stay away from the areas of the marches, and especially the rallies. If you do go, you better be wearing the appropriate colours, or you are in danger of at least verbal abuse.

This is one time of the year I do not like, because there is a tendency for people to wonder which side you are on, and that is the crux of the problem. I will avoid like the plague, the places these people are marching, and that's from either persuasion. Sadly, religion plays a part, where both sides claim to have God on their side as they abuse each other's point of view. My views are plain and well known. Ban all sectarian marches, which only serve to feed on the bigoted in society, who are only looking for an excuse to 'parade' their normally hidden allegiance to a set of colours. The battles celebrated and hated, are old. Very old. Can we not let them die along with those who fought in them? Or do we continue to hide behind the old excuse of, it's only a way of keeping my religious tradition alive?

Just for the record, the original Ancient Order of Hibernian motto in 1565 was “Friendship, Unity, and True Christian Charity”. The belief system of the Orange Order, celebrating a battle in 1690 is, “To cultivate Christian character, promote brotherly love and fellowship.” (Both statements taken from their own documentation, and in defence of their own tradition.) Just one question, What went wrong????

Tired and Fed Up

Yes, I am tired and fed up with all that's going on in Scotland in the name of football. Once again, we are beaming TV pictures across the world of Neil Lennon under attack, this time by an opposing team's fan. Fan? Yes, that's what they said, a fan! This time, it wasn't a Rangers fan, so what does that tell me? On the same day, it was reported that another bullet was mailed to Lennon, and this one found its way into the Celtic Club Headquarters.

Sectarianism and bigotry are not limited to the rival Glasgow teams, but further reaching into the heart of Scottish society. So let's strip away all the pretence of shock, and sand dancing round the issue. We have a problem between Roman Catholics and Protestants, big time. Please, please do not give me the old tired excuse that this is the work of a crank, and is not representative of the bulk of society.

Let's take a logical and reasoned approach, if we can.

It's a religious and not a football issue, and happens mostly at football grounds, at certain games. It doesn't happen at Asda or Tesco, or in the town centre.

It divides families by religion (not faith).

It cuts across all parts of our country.

It is usually fuelled by alcohol.

It's Catholics and Protestants hating each other. (It should be noted here that these religious bigots don't actually go to church or chapel)

It is NOT the work of an isolated few. It is the work of a significant minority, who are out to cause religious trouble.

The apologists for protecting and promoting the so called 'culture' of these football religions, need to wake up and smell the coffee.

How many 'isolated instances' does it take to make a 'group'?

How many 'groups' does it take to make a 'crowd'?

How many 'crowds' does it take to make a 'mob'?

How big does the 'mob' have to get before we do something?

What does it tell you when the vast majority will travel many miles, past their own local football grounds, to be at the home of their idols to attend a game of football?

It is time for these apologists to come out and be counted. They will say, “You can't blame us all for a small 'isolated instance' (see above). I enjoy a game of football, where we can sing some sectarian songs in peace, and I want to be associated with these people”. They will also ask, “You are surely not associating me with these bigots”? The answer is that they have associated themselves with these bigots on both sides, and by choice.

Of course the police and the club chiefs agree that this is a problem. You don't need to be a rocket scientist to work that out. We need some action. Since the clubs can't or won't do enough about the blight on the 'beautiful game' in our once great nation of Scotland, and the police can't be everywhere in the grounds to arrest all the troublemakers, and the supporters won't turn against their own supporter friends, how about this for a suggestion?

All followers (they can't be called fans) of Rangers and Celtic Football Clubs, return their season tickets, and stop going to the matches, home or away, and with any and all other teams? That would be a good start. No? Oh dear, did I say something wrong? Is it not that obvious, or are you standing too close to the problem to see it yourself? I heard our own Chic Young say on radio, “If you arrested everyone who sang a sectarian song at a match, it would be in the thousands”. He unwittingly makes my point.

For me at least, the title says it all. I am tired and fed up with all the problems associated with the Neil Lennon hatred, and the blind bigotry behind it, and if we are not big enough, and bold enough to stand against it, and deal with the problem at grass roots level, it won't be resolved at all. We know we cannot trust the authorities, clubs, politicians, or even the police, so please don't hide behind these excuses any longer. It will take at least a generation to make a change, but if we don't start now, we will be facing an even bigger problem soon. Do we have to wait for someone to die in the name of religion at the hands of a 'fan'? Fan? Don't make me laugh! And the Catholics can stop smiling. You cannot say you have no part to play in the whole sectarian thing. You have no reason to be smug. Do I have to mention the arrogant chantings and the foreign Irish Tricolour, so openly used to flaunt their own brand of hatred in the name of tradition? No, I didn't think so. There is as much hatred here, as with the die-hard protestants. All I ask is for you all to grow up and come out of the school playground, and behave like grown up, civilised, human beings. If that is too much to ask, then we need legislation to shut you down. What about the Christian community? Does the following Bible passage apply? Just asking...

..for what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? For we are the temple of the living God... Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord 2 Cor 14-17 (NIV)

Tradition or Sectarian?

Living in the West of Scotland has many benefits. The rugged countryside and heights of the mountains and Munros can be impressive and breathtaking. In good weather there are few places I would rather be! Except this weekend! There will be crowds in the thousands, dressed in red, white and blue, flocking to Inverclyde, to march, play the pipes, drums and flutes (actually piccolos). I am sure it will be a grand spectacle for marchers and supporters. I hope it stays peaceful and trouble free.


My concern is what brings them all here, from all over the UK and North America. It is a march to celebrate and relive a battle fought and won over 300 years ago in Ireland. The Orange Order has many followers across the world, many who are well intentioned and sincere in recognising their own 'tradition'. (That happens to be a convenient word to help describe a lifestyle which is not in keeping with today's society). This parade can also be described as 'sectarian'! There is a strong Irish influence in the West of Scotland, and other places in the UK, where many Irish immigrants put their roots down when they come from their homeland to settle in the mainland of the UK. I know, because my Dad was one of those who came to Scotland in the 1940's in search of work, and in so doing he met his wife, and stayed and raised his family in the same town! He taught us to keep a healthy distance from the Irish marching bands! He was a wise man.


The Irish influence has been great, and these same Irishmen helped build our roads, bridges and railways. Their effect on the UK economy would be impossible to calculate. However, the Irish influence has also caused problems. Religious differences run deep. Very deep, and often led to bitter fighting between the religious divide of Catholic and Protestant, sometimes within families as young men and women chose their life's partner in the communities where they settled. Anyone who lived through the 1950s onwards will recognise and have memories, some very sad, of that time of division.


The good news is that the Nation of Ireland has come a long way, and now embraces a peace process where Protestants and Catholics can live and work together in harmony. I suppose my question, and yes even worry, is why do we need to perpetuate the separation and celebrate the differences which caused so much trouble in Ireland, and around the UK? I like the thought of marching bands and music coming to Inverclyde, but not at the expense of progress in the fight against religious intolerance and prejudice.


To make this argument balanced, I do not think we can ignore the same effects achieved by the AOH (Ancient Order of Hibernians) who also have their equal, but opposite religious persuasion, with their own marching bands of green, white and gold, and who add to the whole mix of intolerance. Their own tradition goes back more than 300 years! We cannot continue to live in the past of 300 and more years ago. Surely, we will have to let go sometime? And come to think of it, maybe we will have to find that common ground to help us, should our combined traditions need it, to stand against another ideology and religious force! That may be closer than you think. What do you think of the idea of a united marching band, in say colours of green and blue? Now that I could handle!