Northern magistrate - a refreshing view.

[Murph]

someone in the IRA 20 years ago is now referred to as being in the old IRA.

[Northern Voice]

There's nothing that looks as bad as a tattered flag that has been flying all year round. If people want to fly flags all year round they should be prepared to maintain them.

[British Citizen]

I don't understand how the UVF flag is allowed. I once saw a marching band on Royal Avenue, belfast with UVF emblems on their jackets. I was told it refers to the Ulster Volunteers and Ulster Volunteer Force from 1913

That is entirely true. Exactly the same reason they carried by many marching bands across Northern Ireland.

[British Citizen]

The blight is simply that virtually every main arterial route is festooned with these flags. It can be a problem on the republican/nationalist side but is no where near the scale on the unionist/loyalist side.

It is time that a serious attempt was made to tackle this problem. Examples of where the PSNI act as guard while known paramilitaries use a cherry picker to flood the Ormeau Rd with flags have to be knocked on the head once and for all.

"We do it too by the other side are far worse!"

Grow up Pat, perhaps you should sort out the anti-protestant graffiti and foreign flags in your own ghettos before commenting on other areas.

I'm talking about the thousands of instances of 'KAH' (Kill All Huns) sprayed across Republican areas of north Belfast.

Oh, and how do you think I felt calling out to work one afternoon at the Clan Eirann GAA club in Kilwilkie, Lurgan with the kerbstones painted green, white and orange, tricolours flying outside and an IRA CD being played by the bar staff who were working? Is that not just as intimidating?

[picador]

That is entirely true. Exactly the same reason they carried by many marching bands across Northern Ireland.

And if you believe that you came up the Lagan in a bubble!

[British Citizen]

someone in the IRA 20 years ago is now referred to as being in the old IRA.

So you'd class sectarian murderer Brendan 'Bik' McFarlane (who gunned down 5 innocent protestants sitting in a bar) in the same group as Lord Edward Carson?

[British Citizen]

And if you believe that you came up the Lagan in a bubble!

No piccy, I know that from personal experience.

[picador]

So you'd class sectarian murderer Brendan 'Bik' McFarlane (who gunned down 5 innocent protestants sitting in a bar) in the same group as Lord Edward Carson?

Carson was much, much worse.

[Aspherical123]

Let's just say that Coleraine has it's moments.

As for the UVF flag, the supporters of that group do indeed claim the historical aspect, re WW1, as a reason to fly the flag.

The blight is simply that virtually every main arterial route is festooned with these flags. It can be a problem on the republican/nationalist side but is no where near the scale on the unionist/loyalist side.

It is time that a serious attempt was made to tackle this problem. Examples of where the PSNI act as guard while known paramilitaries use a cherry picker to flood the Ormeau Rd with flags have to be knocked on the head once and for all.

Thats what happens when you seek to bomb and shoot a culture out of existence, you simply makes its advocates want to show their colours even more, and thats on both sides.

Sinn Fein fly Irish flags dont they ?

[British Citizen]

Carson was much, much worse.

I don't recall him opening fire on a group of women and children standing at a taxi rank after having just slaughtered 5 innocent civilians. Civilians who's only crime was to be drinking in a bar in a protestant area.