People overwhelmingly adhered to the advice on bonfires, which should be a template for the Twelfth celebrations today

The Eleventh night on Saturday was the first major test of the marching season in this year of the coronavirus pandemic.
News Letter editorialNews Letter editorial
News Letter editorial

The bonfires are not of themselves part of the marching calendar, but they are a long-established and much loved night among loyalists.

Given that it happens late in the evening and given that many of the participants are young, there is typically plenty of alcohol taken by many of the revellers.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

This year there, in addition to that, there were two key factors that could have made the evening an ugly one.

The first was the frustration that people around the world feel at restrictions due to Covid 19. There have been disturbances in many countries, most recently Serbia, as people feel frustrated at being cooped indoors and deep anxiety about their life prospects, as economies collapse.

In Northern Ireland, this year there has been the additional anger that is felt across the community at the mass social distancing breach at the IRA funeral of Bobby Storey, disgracefully presided over by Michelle O’Neill, the deputy first minister of this society. For three months she told the public what it could and could not do, then attended a calculated and huge breach of the limits on gatherings. Yesterday, Ms O’Neill had the nerve to scold unionist leaders about bonfires after republicans attacked police in the New Lodge.

To be clear, a small number of the bonfires were grossly over sized. Some attracted crowds. And worst of all, a number of fires had vile, shameful sectarian messages on them. Overwhelmingly though, blazes were small and lightly attended.

That is a major achievement and a template for today.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The advice is clear. As our front page image shows, bands and small parades are coming to you, or, if not, there other ways to join the festivities from home. With ongoing responsible conduct here and across these islands, Covid might be defeated and next year will be a more normal Twelfth.

It the meantime, today is a novel anniversary of 1690.

——— ———

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers — and consequently the revenue we receive — we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to newsletter.co.uk and enjoy unlimited access to the best Northern Ireland and UK news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Our journalism costs money and we rely on advertising, print and digital revenues to help to support them. By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website.

Alistair Bushe

Editor