A Tangled Web

The English Lose in Lisbon, the Irish Lose in Lisburn



Today, I telephoned Lisburn City Council to congratulate them on their stance regarding the scheduled interference of a representative from the Irish Republic. Quite what the Republic of Ireland has to do with the internal affairs of a council within the United Kingdom is beyond me!! Nevertheless, the government of the Republic thought it judicious to send a 'monitor' to observe the selection process for the positions of Mayor and Deputy Mayor. Need I remind anyone that the invitation came from Lisburn Sinn Fein councillor, and convicted murderer, Paul Butler.



This latest whinge-fest, augmented by Sinn Fein's 'Brothers in Arms (excuse the pun), the SDLP, arose because Irish nationalism thought it was receiving a raw deal in being omitted from a number of the council's top jobs. The fact that similar practices have occurred, and do occur, in nationalist-controlled councils without a whisper from pro-Union representatives, has not been mentioned. How careless!!



Irish nationalism is a philosophy which only bestows hollow gestures from a position of unbridled strength. Hence the tradition in a few councils of indeed sharing power with those from the local Unionist minority. Nationalist councillors in Londonderry and elsewhere opt for power sharing as a means of reminding minority pro-Union members of their capacity to grant (and thus remove) any semblance of power in the council chamber. It certainly does not arise out of any love for the Unionist tradition. Nationalist quasi-fascistic perspectives on the tenets of Protestant culture can be seen graphically here and here.



Thankfully the Irish Government decided to back down. Here's to them deciding to lessen their pernicious influence in other spheres of Northern Ireland's political life. Cheers!!