{"id":2143,"date":"2013-07-15T10:04:14","date_gmt":"2013-07-15T09:04:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.longkeshinsideout.co.uk\/?p=2143"},"modified":"2013-07-15T10:04:14","modified_gmt":"2013-07-15T09:04:14","slug":"reflections-on-the-11th-and-12th-dr-dave-magee","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.longkeshinsideout.co.uk\/?p=2143","title":{"rendered":"Reflections on the 11th. and 12th.: Dr. Dave Magee"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ross Kemp won\u2019t tell you this: Some reflections on the 11th and 12th<\/h1>\n
Posted on July 14, 2013<\/a> by Francis Teeney<\/a><\/div>\n

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By Dr Dave Magee <\/strong><\/p>\n

University of Aberdeen<\/strong><\/p>\n

15\/07\/2013<\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

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In the past I have described some forms of Loyalist masculinity as \u2018the elephant in the peace process\u2019.\u00a0 We saw that again on the 12th and 13th July, when violence broke out in response to the Parades Commission\u2019s decision to block the return march up the Woodvale Road for certain sections of the Orange Order and bands.\u00a0 For some, trouble was almost inevitable.\u00a0 Indeed, Ross Kemp was here from England to capture what happened on film for a TV show.\u00a0 He won\u2019t have been disappointed.<\/p>\n

In this post I want to talk about another type of Loyalist masculinity that does not make for such good headlines, and one that neither Ross Kemp nor Stephen Nolan will be making programmes about anytime soon.<\/p>\n

On the 11th night I did a tour of several bonfire sites in communities I am familiar with.\u00a0 Often, in local communities, many (but not all) of these bonfires are organised by either UDA or UVF aligned groups.\u00a0 Early in the evening, when I was walking towards a UVF bonfire, a local resident I have known for many years shouted over to me, \u2018Make sure you come down to the UDA one later!\u2019\u00a0 We both laughed at the absurdity of it all.<\/p>\n

I won\u2019t name the area, but one of these bonfires was organised jointly by a local UVF ex-prisoners group and a community association.<\/p>\n

The main attraction of the night was a local rock tribute act, which went down brilliantly with the couple of hundred local men, women, and children who attended.\u00a0 There were burgers, beer, and (mostly bad) dancing.\u00a0 The event was free but there was a collection taken for a charity that works with people who have learning disabilities.\u00a0 The only hint of trouble was when one guy \u2013 he was from out of town and spoke with an English accent \u2013 who had too much to drink was told by security to go and take a five minute walk and calm down.\u00a0 When he returned there were smiles and handshakes.<\/p>\n

After the music was over, instead of a bonfire there was a beacon.\u00a0 This was, simply put, a metal cage shaped like a pyramid and filled with wood pulp.\u00a0 The organisers explained to me how proud they were that their beacon was eco-friendly.\u00a0 I mention this because it is unlikely that Stephen Nolan is going to run a show anytime soon on Loyalists who are concerned about the environmental impact of bonfires on their communities.<\/p>\n

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Given the publicity certain bonfires received in the past week it\u2019s worth noting that there were no statues, no effigies, and no Irish flags to be seen.\u00a0 The only way you would have known where you were was by a few Union flags and UVF flags scattered around the estate.\u00a0 However, there was one Irish flag in the area.\u00a0 If you did want to see it you would have to go to the UVF ex-prisoners community office, where it hangs on the wall, alongside a copy of the 1916 Irish Proclamation.\u00a0 And it\u2019s not there to throw darts at, it\u2019s part of a history project that is run in the centre.<\/p>\n

This, of course, is not the face of Loyalism that is portrayed in the media.\u00a0 It is progressive, tolerant, and focused on peace.\u00a0 After the antics of the Orange Order and the rest over the past couple of days they would do well to take notice of the example of these Loyalist ex-prisoners.<\/p>\n

So what of the violence seen then on the 12th day?\u00a0 For those of us who work for peace all the year round, such violence is not just an inconvenience or an embarrassment.\u00a0 It leaves us with a sick feeling in the pit of our stomach.\u00a0 It\u2019s like a knife through the heart.<\/p>\n

If we can conclude one thing from the history of conflict on this island, it is that violence will get us nowhere.\u00a0 It is a never ending spiral of pain and destruction.\u00a0 There are no easy answers to deeply rooted complex problems.\u00a0 We need community leaders and politicians with courage and creativity.\u00a0 The question is: \u2018Do they have what it takes?\u2019\u00a0 There is much work to be done.\u00a0 Perhaps instead of blaming others we can all start by taking a good look at ourselves and ask, \u2018What can I do that will make a difference?\u2019<\/p>\n

This article first appeared on Monday 15th July on….
\nwww.qub.ac.uk\/compromiseafterconflict<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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