Neil McCarthy: Loyalists and unionists stood firm this summer in the face of nationalist hypocrisy

This news story might seem the kind of thing that news editors will seize on to fill newspaper inches during the uneventful - from a political point of view - summer months, the so-called ‘silly season’. Yet it chimes with broader developments in Northern Ireland. It was also reported last week for example that the South East Antrim Brigade of the UDA was starting a process of “winding down”.

Loyalism in general is clearly defanging itself. What was particularly interesting in the Irish News article was the reported statement by Dr Edwards’ UDA contacts that the standing down of its London satellite is “a recognition that political and cultural activism is the only way forward”.

This summer the opponents of loyalism and unionism have seen just what this move towards political and cultural activism means in practice. It appears to mean avoiding any direct conflict with nationalist and republican communities whilst at the same time standing firm for the right of unionists and loyalists to celebrate their culture and articulate their political beliefs as they see fit. Republicans have for years insisted upon their right to express their political beliefs without censorship. They should not be surprised now that loyalists are doing the same.

The media agitation around what were dubbed the ‘asbestos bonfire’ and the ‘controversial’ annual bands parade at Portrush was an orchestrated campaign of bien-pensant liberal middle class Alliance thinking backed up by openly prejudiced Sinn Féin and SDLP political interventions. Health and safety concerns in the case of the bonfire or alleged traffic management concerns in the case of the bands parade were weaponised to seek to quash loyalist cultural and political expression. Unionism and loyalism stood firm; and they prevailed.

Portrush was a particular triumph. Contrary to media reporting, the bands did co-operate with the R and A, once they had made it clear that they were not going to be moved upon the principle of having their parade at the same time of year as they have done in the past. They moved their parade to 8.30pm and in fact would have moved it to 9pm if the Parades Commission had not insisted upon an 11pm curfew. Irish dancing took place at the same time as the parade in the town and there were traditional Irish music sessions in some of the pubs. The parading was dignified and colourful and there was a joyful family atmosphere.

Standing firm did not equate to boorish aggression or any intolerance of other cultural traditions, but equated to the opposite.

Moygashel too showed that if some nationalists and republicans insist upon unfettered rights to artistic expression up to and including the romanticisation of political violence then some unionists and loyalists will insist upon the same rights. Crass as it may have been, Moygashel also showed some elements within unionism and loyalism making common cause with the tsumami sweeping Great Britain since the final acceptance by the authorities there of the reality of what thousands of marginalised white working class girls have experienced in northern English towns.

Just as republicans and nationalists in NI seek to broaden their cultural and political horizons into an all-Ireland framework, so too are unionists and loyalists breaking out of their ‘a country apart’ isolation and seeking to position themselves within a broader British framework encompassing the concerns of their compatriots across the Irish Sea. In fact some loyalists have gone even further and sought to link up with widespread anti-immigration sentiment in the Republic. “The bastards” as Gerry Adams would say!

Renunciation of conflict does not equate to bowls of cherries and apple pie for everyone.

After the recent Joe Cahill children’s gaelic football competition and Kevin Lynch annual commemoration weekend – almost entirely unreprimanded by the same virtue signalling élites who were so exercised by a couple of bonfires and one band parade – it will be interesting to see how the upcoming parade commemorating Miami Showband bomber Harris Boyle is treated in the media. Sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander can be very ugly.

Yet it is difficult to imagine any other peaceful route to real reconciliation in Northern Ireland given a society where the first minister refers to terrorists as “local lads” and where honouring of terrorist godfathers such as Cahill is mainstreamed into children’s sports competitions.