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Irelandclick.com

Last year Stoneyford bandsmen were happy to walk the village main street. Now they’re looking to change their route so they can get up the noses of Catholic families in two new estates

With just over a week to go before the Twelfth, tensions are rising as high as the flags that are fluttering over the mixed villages of Dunmurry and Glenavy.

In the past couple of days the main street in Dunmurry has been flanked with alternating Union flags and Northern Ireland flags, put up in full view of the local PSNI station, while in Glenavy Orangemen from outside the town are preparing to erect their annual Orange arch. And tension is set to heighten further in South Antrim with news that loyalists have applied to march in Stoneyford on July 11, in a new route that will take them into two new housing developments.

Sinn Féin Lagan Valley representative, Paul Butler, has condemned the erection of flags in recent days as “total and utter madness”.

“Dunmurry has over the years witnessed a campaign of sectarianism,” he said. “This is a time when we should all be trying to work together for a peaceful summer, not marking out areas as unionist territory.”

Referring to the loyalist flags flying outside Dunmurry PSNI station, a PSNI spokesperson told the Andersonstown News: “Many of the issues surrounding the flying of flags cannot be resolved with a policing solution.

The matter can only be resolved by local communities and statutory agencies working together to find an acceptable answer. Where police action may be required, consultation and negotiation will take place with community representatives regarding local feeling on the flags displayed, and if required, their removal.”

The Lisburn City councillor has also called on the Orange Order to end its practice of erecting an Orange arch in Glenavy village every year to commemorate the Twelfth. It comes after Orangemen erected an Orange arch in the predominantly nationalist town of Crumlin on Monday night.

“There is no support from Glenavy’s Catholic community for this arch,” said Councillor Butler. “I am appealing to the Orange Order to help improve community relations in Glenavy by calling a halt to this practice. Erecting this arch in the middle of the village every year does nothing to help the already strained political atmosphere in the area.

“It is seen by the Catholic community as provocative and offensive. The demographics of Glenavy village have changed considerably over the years and the Orange Order must come to terms with that new reality.

“The Orange Order has to realise that they are imposing something on the vast majority of the population that they simply do not want. Glenavy village should be seen as a neutral place, where both communities can carry out their business, without any flags, emblems or Orange arches being displayed which are associated with one particular part of the community,” said the councillor.

Meanwhile, residents of the nearby village of Stoneyford are bracing themselves for a controversial loyalist band parade on July 11 which has altered its traditional route to take the bandsmen through two new housing developments. The parade has been organised by the Pride of the Village Flute Band with up to 60 participants taking part.

“The Beeches and Stonebridge Meadows have been added to the march route this year. The band parade in Stoneyford is usually along the main street of the village and you have to question why they want to march through these estates,” said Councillor Butler.

“It is widely believed that the only reason they changed the route is to intimidate and provoke Catholics living in these new estates who, of course, do not want this march.

“The organisers should respect the wishes of the local residents as there is no justifiable reason why this march should go into what is essentially small private housing developments made up of cul-de-sacs.”

Last year a Catholic family had to leave their home when the local Orange Order marched through The Beeches estate wearing Orange Volunteers t-shirts. The family were forced to flee after threats were made to them when they objected to the march.

This year the new housing development Stonebridge Meadows, which has only recently been built, has been added to the route.
“This is nothing other than an exercise in triumphalism and sectarian coat-trailing designed to strike fear into Catholics who have moved into these new houses,” concluded the councillor.

Meanwhile in the run-up to the proposed Orange Order march on the Springfield Road on July 12, Springfield residents will today meet the Parades Commission.

Journalist:: Francesca Ryan