* . *
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact
Friday, July 11, 2025
Earth-News
  • Home
  • Business
  • Entertainment
    Immersive sports and entertainment venue Cosm set to build its 5th location in Cleveland – WKYC

    Cosm Reveals Exciting Vision for Its 5th Immersive Sports and Entertainment Venue in Cleveland

    Monumental Sports & Entertainment’s Samantha Brady on the Power of the RSN’s Direct-to-Consumer Streaming Service Monumental+ – Sports Video Group

    Samantha Brady Reveals How Monumental+ is Transforming Sports Streaming with Direct-to-Consumer Access

    Moses Singer Welcomes Entertainment and Intellectual Property Partner Frederick Bimbler – Yahoo Finance

    Moses Singer Expands Team with New Entertainment and Intellectual Property Partner Frederick Bimbler

    Longhua District and Max-Matching Entertainments, supported by RWS Global forge strategic partnership to develop international IP-themed entertainment complex – Amusement Today

    Longhua District and Max-Matching Entertainments, supported by RWS Global forge strategic partnership to develop international IP-themed entertainment complex – Amusement Today

    Government whip to withdraw Entertainment Complex Bill on July 9 – Nation Thailand

    Government whip to withdraw Entertainment Complex Bill on July 9 – Nation Thailand

    Magicians and Battlebots light up Las Vegas entertainment scene – KSNV

    Magicians and Battlebots Take Las Vegas Entertainment by Storm

  • General
  • Health
  • News

    Cracking the Code: Why China’s Economic Challenges Aren’t Shaking Markets, Unlike America’s” – Bloomberg

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Trending Tags

    • Trump Inauguration
    • United Stated
    • White House
    • Market Stories
    • Election Results
  • Science
  • Sports
  • Technology
    Stallion Uranium Provides Update on Technology Data Acquisition Agreement – GlobeNewswire

    Stallion Uranium Announces Exciting Progress in Technology Data Acquisition Agreement

    2025 WE Local Prague Recap: Inspiring Women in Engineering and Technology – Society of Women Engineers

    2025 WE Local Prague Recap: Inspiring Women in Engineering and Technology – Society of Women Engineers

    SMPTE Opens Early Bird Registration for Media Technology Summit – TVTechnology

    SMPTE Launches Early Bird Registration for Exciting Media Technology Summit

    Google Fiber puts Nokia network slicing technology to the test – Fierce Network

    Google Fiber Puts Nokia’s Network Slicing Technology to the Ultimate Test

    Kaseya Extends Community Investment with Addition of Technology Marketing Toolkit – Kaseya

    Kaseya Extends Community Investment with Addition of Technology Marketing Toolkit – Kaseya

    AI and the Trust Revolution: How Technology Is Transforming Human Connections – Foreign Affairs

    AI and the Trust Revolution: How Technology Is Transforming Human Connections – Foreign Affairs

    Trending Tags

    • Nintendo Switch
    • CES 2017
    • Playstation 4 Pro
    • Mark Zuckerberg
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Business
  • Entertainment
    Immersive sports and entertainment venue Cosm set to build its 5th location in Cleveland – WKYC

    Cosm Reveals Exciting Vision for Its 5th Immersive Sports and Entertainment Venue in Cleveland

    Monumental Sports & Entertainment’s Samantha Brady on the Power of the RSN’s Direct-to-Consumer Streaming Service Monumental+ – Sports Video Group

    Samantha Brady Reveals How Monumental+ is Transforming Sports Streaming with Direct-to-Consumer Access

    Moses Singer Welcomes Entertainment and Intellectual Property Partner Frederick Bimbler – Yahoo Finance

    Moses Singer Expands Team with New Entertainment and Intellectual Property Partner Frederick Bimbler

    Longhua District and Max-Matching Entertainments, supported by RWS Global forge strategic partnership to develop international IP-themed entertainment complex – Amusement Today

    Longhua District and Max-Matching Entertainments, supported by RWS Global forge strategic partnership to develop international IP-themed entertainment complex – Amusement Today

    Government whip to withdraw Entertainment Complex Bill on July 9 – Nation Thailand

    Government whip to withdraw Entertainment Complex Bill on July 9 – Nation Thailand

    Magicians and Battlebots light up Las Vegas entertainment scene – KSNV

    Magicians and Battlebots Take Las Vegas Entertainment by Storm

  • General
  • Health
  • News

    Cracking the Code: Why China’s Economic Challenges Aren’t Shaking Markets, Unlike America’s” – Bloomberg

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Trending Tags

    • Trump Inauguration
    • United Stated
    • White House
    • Market Stories
    • Election Results
  • Science
  • Sports
  • Technology
    Stallion Uranium Provides Update on Technology Data Acquisition Agreement – GlobeNewswire

    Stallion Uranium Announces Exciting Progress in Technology Data Acquisition Agreement

    2025 WE Local Prague Recap: Inspiring Women in Engineering and Technology – Society of Women Engineers

    2025 WE Local Prague Recap: Inspiring Women in Engineering and Technology – Society of Women Engineers

    SMPTE Opens Early Bird Registration for Media Technology Summit – TVTechnology

    SMPTE Launches Early Bird Registration for Exciting Media Technology Summit

    Google Fiber puts Nokia network slicing technology to the test – Fierce Network

    Google Fiber Puts Nokia’s Network Slicing Technology to the Ultimate Test

    Kaseya Extends Community Investment with Addition of Technology Marketing Toolkit – Kaseya

    Kaseya Extends Community Investment with Addition of Technology Marketing Toolkit – Kaseya

    AI and the Trust Revolution: How Technology Is Transforming Human Connections – Foreign Affairs

    AI and the Trust Revolution: How Technology Is Transforming Human Connections – Foreign Affairs

    Trending Tags

    • Nintendo Switch
    • CES 2017
    • Playstation 4 Pro
    • Mark Zuckerberg
No Result
View All Result
Earth-News
No Result
View All Result
Home News

July 12 is not the day for an all-Island holiday — but ‘Reconciliation Sunday’ should be considered

July 12, 2023
in News
July 12 is not the day for an all-Island holiday — but ‘Reconciliation Sunday’ should be considered
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

When Green TD Patrick Costello called for the Irish Government to make July 12 a public holiday in the Republic of Ireland (as it is in Northern Ireland), he did not anticipate the furore that it would cause.

I believe that Mr Costello is a decent person, and naively thought that his idea would be a gesture of reconciliation towards the unionist tradition.

However, despite his noble intentions, in choosing July 12 as the date for an all-island public holiday, he couldn’t have chosen a more inappropriate vehicle for promoting mutual understanding and reconciliation.

In the calendar of Northern Ireland’s troubled history, celebrations around July 12 have always aroused sectarian passions, resulting in attacks in certain areas on members of the Catholic community that border loyalist trouble spots.

As a consequence, and in order to avoid these, there has always been an annual mass exodus of many Catholics out of Northern Ireland until the celebrations end.

I should also stress that, in my experience, the overwhelming majority of the Protestant community were not involved in any such attacks on their Catholic neighbours in sensitive areas — if anything their actions would be to reassure their Catholic neighbours that they would protect them.

Burning bonfires 

The lighting of massive bonfires on the night of July 11 throughout loyalist areas in Northern Ireland is at the centre of the celebrations for July 12, commemorating the victory of Protestant King William of Orange over Catholic King James II at the Battle of the Boyne, which ensured a Protestant ascendancy in Ireland.

People watch the burning of the loyalist Corcrain bonfire in Portadown, Co Armagh, to usher in the Eleventh night ahead of the Twelfth commemorations. Picture: PAPeople watch the burning of the loyalist Corcrain bonfire in Portadown, Co Armagh, to usher in the Eleventh night ahead of the Twelfth commemorations. Picture: PA

In my younger days, it was an effigy of the Pope that was burnt at the top of the bonfire.

I always found this ironic as my understanding of European history and politics was that King William and the Papacy had been allies in their battles with Louis XIV (the sun king of France) in the 1690s.

Even more surprisingly, some Italian academics in 2008 claimed that they had found papers that Pope Innocent XI actually bankrolled King Billy in 1688. (I leave the final conclusions on that to the academics).

In more recent times, the effigies that are burnt on the bonfires are election posters of nationalist politicians of all hues and Alliance politicians.

A effigy of Sinn Féin's Stormont leader Michelle O'Neill on the Eastvale Avenue bonfire in Dungannon, on July 11, 2023. Picture: Liam McBurney/PA WireA effigy of Sinn Féin’s Stormont leader Michelle O’Neill on the Eastvale Avenue bonfire in Dungannon, on July 11, 2023. Picture: Liam McBurney/PA Wire

I think a few of mine also met a similar fate in the 1987 Westminster general election which was dominated by the loyalist campaign against the Anglo-Irish Agreement.

In recent weeks, posters of Taoiseach Leo Varadkar have adorned some bonfires.

Other items burnt on the bonfires in recent times are placards with the capital letters KAT. These letters stand for “Kill All Taigs”.

Having explained in detail why July 12 would not be a suitable date for an all-Ireland public holiday, I do not want to ignore the merit of Mr Costello’s idea of a possible “Day of Reconciliation” to be celebrated throughout the island of Ireland.

My alternative suggestion would be that one Sunday annually in the same month of each year should be designated as “Reconciliation Sunday”.

The main objective of this would be to provide closure and healing for those families who lost family members during the conflict.

In all, 3,532 people died as a consequence of the Northern Ireland Troubles (half of these were civilians). Some of the deaths occurred in the Republic of Ireland. Republican terrorist organisations were responsible for 60% of all murders, and loyalists were responsible for 30%.

The pain of those who lost family members during the conflict has still not ceased.

Sinn Féin regularly holds events glorifying the actions of IRA volunteers, including many who were the perpetrators of some of the most sectarian atrocities.

Loyalists do likewise, and both paint murals of their murdering comrades to mark out their territory boundaries. The British government proposals on legacy which have been universally rejected have added further hurt.

‘Reconciliation Day’

All these actions increase the pain and suffering of those families, preventing closure and reconciliation.

I think it would be an excellent idea for the main churches throughout the island of Ireland to draw up proposals for holding a Reconciliation Service in all of their places of worship.

The service could be simply one service on that day.

I would also suggest that there is an agreed prayer for reconciliation, and an end to the pain that the families continue to experience read out at the service, followed by a minute’s silence.

This could, where appropriate, be followed by a ringing of church bells.

I don’t for one minute think that this would be a magic formula.

However, I do believe that it would be a demonstration that we do recognise the suffering they still experience, and we care about them.

John Cushnahan is a former Fine Gael MEP and leader of the Alliance Party in Northern Ireland.

>>> Read full article>>>
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source : Irish Examiner – https://www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/commentanalysis/arid-41181178.html

Tags: all-IslandHolidaynews
Previous Post

PAC to question RTÉ executives after original testimony ‘blown out of the water’ 

Next Post

Crackdown ‘needed’ on far-right agitators targeting Cork library staff

Rice Museum: Architecture Rooted in Rural Memory and Ecology – ArchDaily

Rice Museum: Architecture Rooted in Rural Memory and Ecology – ArchDaily

July 11, 2025
Japan Shifts Space Policy from Science to Security – JAPAN Forward

Japan Shifts Space Policy from Science to Security – JAPAN Forward

July 11, 2025
Scientists Develop Glowing Tool To Reveal Cancer Cells – Newsweek

Scientists Develop Glowing Tool To Reveal Cancer Cells – Newsweek

July 11, 2025
The Real Lifestyle And WILDGO Partner To Transform Tokenized Real Estate – BlockchainReporter

The Real Lifestyle And WILDGO Partner To Transform Tokenized Real Estate – BlockchainReporter

July 11, 2025
A Lean World Health Organization for the Global Good – Center for Global Development

Transforming the World Health Organization for Greater Global Impact

July 11, 2025
I upgraded to premium economy for a 13-hour flight on a budget airline. It lacked some perks, but it was still worth the price. – Business Insider

I Upgraded to Premium Economy on a 13-Hour Budget Airline Flight – Here’s What It Was Really Like

July 11, 2025

Givēon’s Soul-Stirring Old-School R&B Heartbreak

July 11, 2025
Blanchard Valley Health System Announces Changes to the Board of Trustees – Bluffton Icon

Blanchard Valley Health System Announces Exciting Updates to Board of Trustees

July 11, 2025
IRS clears way for churches to endorse political candidates – Fox Business

IRS clears way for churches to endorse political candidates – Fox Business

July 11, 2025
Stallion Uranium Provides Update on Technology Data Acquisition Agreement – GlobeNewswire

Stallion Uranium Announces Exciting Progress in Technology Data Acquisition Agreement

July 11, 2025

Categories

Archives

July 2025
MTWTFSS
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031 
« Jun    
Earth-News.info

The Earth News is an independent English-language daily published Website from all around the World News

Browse by Category

  • Business (20,132)
  • Ecology (716)
  • Economy (739)
  • Entertainment (21,626)
  • General (15,836)
  • Health (9,776)
  • Lifestyle (746)
  • News (22,149)
  • People (741)
  • Politics (749)
  • Science (15,957)
  • Sports (21,237)
  • Technology (15,724)
  • World (722)

Recent News

Rice Museum: Architecture Rooted in Rural Memory and Ecology – ArchDaily

Rice Museum: Architecture Rooted in Rural Memory and Ecology – ArchDaily

July 11, 2025
Japan Shifts Space Policy from Science to Security – JAPAN Forward

Japan Shifts Space Policy from Science to Security – JAPAN Forward

July 11, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact

© 2023 earth-news.info

No Result
View All Result

© 2023 earth-news.info

No Result
View All Result

© 2023 earth-news.info

Go to mobile version