So John Terry is innocent……..OK. I can of course make no comment. It is likely that the Football Association will look further into the incident which led him into Westminster Court. And likely that the crowds at Old Trafford, Loftus Road, White Hart Lane, Craven Cottage and the rest will remind John Terry of the incident…….a testimony as much to the nature of a football mob as any particular stance on the incident itself.
Next season looks like one where there will be increased degrees of animosity on the field. John Terry and Anton Ferdinand. John Terry and Rio Ferdinand. Rio Ferdinand and Ashley Cole…..the traditional pre match handshakes (actually its not a tradition at all) might well be the most interesting part of a lot of matches.
I am of course familiar with the term “Uncle Tom” from the American Civil Rights movement. In the 1960s, it was an epithet used by black Americans to describe fellow black Americans who were passive or even supportive of Authority.
I am also familiar with the term “coconut”….to describe a person who is “black on the outside and white on the inside”. Although I had not been familiar with the word “choc-ice” (seemingly used on a deleted Tweet by Rio Ferdinand in relation to Ashley Cole)……the phrase itself seems to update the “coconut” epithet.
Memorably Ashley Cole was a witness for John Terry.
People are often referred to as class traitors. And I wonder if some black, Asian or disadvantaged folks (like Norn Iron Catholics) reach a level of affluence that they desert their roots. Of course there are few more affluent people than Premiership footballers. Perhaps some are still associated with their roots….memorably Craig Bellamy and Rio Ferdinand. But others like David Beckham and Ashley Cole might be seen to be detached from their roots.
I am familiar with the term “Castle Catholic”…..an Irish Catholic attached to British administration. Originally this is a reference to Dublin Castle. But my moderate father was often vitriolic to those who he felt had moved away from their roots. For example G B Newe…..who took a job as a Minister of State in the disgraced Norn Iron Government in late 1971.
Of course Money…….sometimes detaches people from their roots. Or Geography. Or Ambition. Watching Eamonn Holmes on Sky News each morning…..indeed he seems to spend every waking hour on TV…..it is hard to imagine that he was once a wee lad from the Cavehill Road who went to St Malachys College in Belfast.
Actually now that I think about it GB Newe also went to St Malachys.
Local Geography……that is a Catholic brought up and living in (say) Larne, Carryduff, Bangor, Holywood, Lisburn is necessarily often obliged to suppress their nationalism. Some do with gusto. Others perhaps never had it in the first place.
Those who remember the 1970s comedy (and I use the term loosely) “It Aint Half Hot Mum” will remember the character Rangi Ram (played by Michael Bates) who rather strangely believed himself to be as British as the concert party he served. Of course they never accepted him.
Perhaps there are some Catholics in our leafy suburbs who want to distance themselves from their co-religionists. These “letsgetalongerists” are direct descendants of Castle Catholics and G B Newe.
Keeping An Eye On the Czar of Russia 
Bangor had it very easy during the troubles. Bombed twice during the 1970’s by the Provos. It was also bombed twice by the Provos in the 1990’s. Is Mick Fealty any relation to the Fealty family that owned the bar bombed twice by the UVF in Bangor High Street second time they killed a RUC Woman the first female copper killed in the troubles?
I dont want this to be about Mick Fealty, who I have met on two or three occasions and is a nice guy. People have different experiences of the Troubles. The experience of a Catholic in (say) Carrickfergus is different from mine in West Belfast. And in Life there is an element of nature and nurture.
The first seventeen years of my life I lived in a mixed side-street in West Belfast. It was mostly pre-Troubles and we all got on reasonably well except for the mad month of July. As the 1960s wore on the street became more “Catholic” as Protestants moved out to Gilnahirk and Rathcoole.
In 1970-71 I lived in a mixed NIHE Estate in West Belfast. The Protestants moved out in early 1971…they felt intimidated by the area. In fairness …if you FEEL intimidated then you ARE intimidated.
I lived in West Belfast until 1979. And left (partly because of an act of violence on me by the Official IRA some years previously)
Lived in a NIHE property in the Catholic part of Dungannon for two years.
Since marrying I have lived in Catholic villages.
The point Im making is that I am a product of (some might say “victim of”) my own history.
I now live in a small Catholic village.
Its several years since I actually saw an Orangeman.
And I know what is eating Ardoyne. Because the people are not that much different from me
For many years the SDLP and SF did not even put up candidates for election in North Down. Thankfully that is no longer the case. Ok they might not get elected but at least those who want to vote for them get the chance to do so. And don’t end up voting Alliance instead.
I think my feelings on the Alliance Party are well known.
More faces than the Albert Clock.
Arguably in the 1970s they provided a service. It would not have been possible for SDLP to have fielded a candidate in some places and AP was to some extent SDLP-lite. They had for example in Bangor, Newtownards, Carrickfergus the backing of the local Catholic parishes. Combine this vote (not enough for a quota even if people were prepared to raise their heads above the parapets) with a genuine moderate vote and you get people like Sean Neeson, Kieran McCarthy and others.
The problem is that Alliance is much changed from the 1970s and the fact that they are incumbent gives them the upper hand.
But deep down, I dont think many Catholics in (say) Bangor are that much different from their co-religionists in Derry or Downpatrick. They certainly should be afforded the chance to vote for realistic SDLP candidates.
The problem with Catholics having a low profile in some areas is that they dont actually WANT to be visible.
When a seat becomes winnable, there is a different dynamic.
I know of course that boundaries are not the same but look at South Belfast.
In 1973 SDLP got 6.3% of vote (Alliance got over 14%)
In 1975 SDLP got 6.4% of vote (Alliance 22%)
In 1982 SDLP got 9% (Alliance 24%)
SDLP had no Stormont seat until The Forum Election 1996 when they beat Alliance (21% to 12%).
Yes boundary changes. Yes Demographics. Yes Sinn Féin on the ballot. But Yes to “winnability”
The parish priests move around a bit in Down & Connor……transfers from curate in West Belfast to (say) Downpatrick to (say) Ballycastle to parish priest in (say) Carrickfergus. They are at heart the same people.
I’ve read Chris Donnelly talking about it that Sinn Fein need to have a council candidatr in each dea no matter how small the vote they get.
I have always said the same thing.
First off I think that all our main parties should field candidates in each DEA. It is I think their duty. And if candidates are not fielded then it means another party has an opportunity to build a profile.
The problem is not so much getting one person to stand in a DEA….the problem is getting ten nominations.
As I understand it (and I might be wrong) an Assembly candidate does not have to be resident in the constituency but his ten backers have to be resident.
As I understand it (and I might be wrong) a council candidate has to be resident in the Council area but not necessarily in the DEA. (but the nominations have to come from the DEA).
I dont think it would be a problem for (say) SDLP to get a candidate in every DEA (they have members in Holywood and Bangor West DEAs) but getting nominations in Groomsport and Abbey DEAs might be a problem.
I dont doubt that they could get ten VOTES in those areas.
Incidently at one point North Down constituency covered parts of Strangford and SDLP had a pretty good candidate back then (Sean Hollywood from Newry). The splitting of those seats didnt help but a high profile candidate would work wonders in North Down.
I have argued on other sites that people like me who believe that all parties have a DUTY to contest every vote…..should form a group, whereby ten nationalists in (say) Crossmaglen would sign the nomination papers of a DUP or UUP candidate, without prejudice of course….to give those candidates an ooprtunity to put their case. Likewise ten unionists signing SDLP or SF papers in (say) Bushmills would be genuine outreach.
Now that I am elderly one of the things on my list “to do before I die” is to stand for a council seat. Ideally Id like to stand in (say) Bangor….but probably not actually possible.
Ok, You just know I’m going to defend Bangor here? Last weekend we had a Fleadh Ceol in Bangor! Much of the music was in the said Fealty’s Bar! but also in others, there was a banner welcoming participants above the door of Wolseys. I have watched All Ireland matches including finals, in at least 3 different Bars in the town. I have sat in Restaurants and conversed in Irish with an adjacent table.
I have honestly never had an unpleasant exchange with anyone, despite my obviously non Bangor accent. We have a dodgy estate on the edge of town, where doesn’t?
Problem? YES. We need a viable alternative to vote for. I have raised this previously with Mr Fitz. What is needed is an active, energetic, dynamic, commited candidate who gets things done. With an office. Or even a phone number?
Rant over gents and ladies……. BD
Oh yes I agree. Bangor is almost apolitical. Slightly semi-detached and/or maverick….with a Green MLA and Sylvia Hermon. And high degrees of tolerance. I myself know a waitress in one of those bars who assured me that The Irish national Anthem was sung during a rugby match.
Wolseys (possibly unknown to the owners) used to host Bangors wiccan community.
I know Carryduff was a bit of a UDA hotbed in the 1970’s but have things not changed there? Holywood is about 25 percent catholic so more than Bangor with 10 percent but seems to have more polish people than anywhere else in the North?
Carryduff is long changed though it may take a few more years before the younger profile works its way up to voting age. Just have to look at the size of St Ita’s and nearby St Joseph primary schools.
“wiccan community” My God, I had to look that one up! Witches…..Now you’re full of surprises Mr Fitz, lol
Wiccan community does not surprise me I remember hearing about strange things happening out by Helens Bay. I met my first girlfriend in Wolseys by the way.
They were big fans of Buffy The Vampire Slayer. 🙂
I also remember reading that Bangor is the Swingers Capital of Ireland in a local newspaper.
http://theministerspen.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/nuala-mckeever-and-orange-order.html?m=1
“I also remember reading that Bangor is the Swingers Capital of Ireland in a local newspaper”
No comment, Mrs Bangordub might read this, not to mention Mrs FJH…….lol
http://www.sdlp.ie/index.php/newsroom_media/newsarticle/sdlp_to_hold_dublin_meetings_to_enhance_cross-border_co-operation
I see things are starting to happen Mr Fitz
Yes. But actually ongoing for a while.
The biggest “things” will be at local level.