Bonfires of hate

Pic: From Irish News.

This picture is of the loyalist bonfire in Ballycraigy Estate in Antrim.

I appreciate I have some readers from the US so I need to go thru some basic info.

Its a tradition within Loyalist working class communities to build massive bonfire to light on the 11 July, the evening before the main Orange marches on July 12.

Regrettably these are yet further opportunities for hate to surface and provide those taking part with the platform to burn flags belonging to the Irish Republic. In the case of the bonfire above a flag has been marked KAT. This represents Kill all Taigs, the word Taig being an insult used to represent members of the Nationalist / Republican community in Northern Ireland.

In essence the builders of this bonfire, the community it exists within, the spectators are accepting the burning of the flag of the Irish Republic and the sentiment that all Nationalists should be killed. This is nasty, offensive and entirely unacceptable. Worse still, Antrim Borough Council have provided £3,000 funding to the organisers of this bonfire.

I plan to write to the council asking for the funding to be withdrawn.