As Harland and Wolff, symbol of sectarianism in Northern Ireland, enters bankruptcy, we spare a thought for the 120-130 workers who are losing their jobs and the hardship their families will face.
We spare another for Catholic workers who underwent terrible pograms in this bastion of Unionism over the years.
For example: Wed July 21st, 1920
“The shipyard anti-Catholic pogram was brutal. Men recalled it for more than 30 years afterwards, Catholics with fear and more tolerant Protestants with something like shame.
Gangs of men armed with hammers, bars of iron, wooden staves,loaded revolvers roamed over the shipyard, asking who was Catholic and who was not.Many Catholics tried to escape by swimming across Belfast harbour. They were pelted with rivets, iron nuts and bolts, pieces of sharp steel”
The Mirror is not particularly upset that H&W is in the hands of administrators
We hope the administrators factor in removing those ghastly Samson and Goliath gantries,
eye-sores on the Belfast landscape, on which their Unionist and Loyalist sun is setting
Their maintenance costs. Good money for creditors could be got from their scrappage
Query: Will Belfast be rid of these symbols of Unionist domination, sectarianism and economic failure?
Workers and the DUP have attempted to convince the UK Govt to nationalise the plant or at least give it some money to continue for a while longer
“The UK Government has said there is no viable funding options available to it to save Belfast’s Harland & Wolff shipyard”
Query: Did the DUP leverage their “confidence and supply agreement” with the Conservative Party to gain support for H&W workers?
If so, they got nowhere –
The DUP said EU state aid rules prevent the government taking over.
The UK Government said the issue is a commercial matter.
Comment: which only goes to show how much the DUP count in PM Johnston’s Westminister Government, even though it has a majority of only 1
Or even how much they are expected to count after what appears to be a forthcoming General Election
Remember: The Loyal Orders are not what they once were
They are in marked decline due to an ageing demographic, no young members, general disinterest in the Orange Order as a vehicle of religious Protestantism and political Unionism
And the crowds of spectators just are not there
Query: WHY?
- All Orange Order marches are very boring
- There’s nothing exciting/innovative/interesting to see in elderly men in orange collarettes “parading the town” and stopping everybody else going about their normal daily business
Remember: An Orange Order parade consists of three parts: the Orangemen, the Flute bands and the spectators. And if the audience is just not interested in turning out to watch ….
If the DUP didn’t attempt leverage, it shows they don’t care about their voters.
All they are interested in is
a “Red, White and Blue” Brexit – to “ strengthen the Union”
*Make Remembrance Day a bank holiday
*Set up a new cultural institution for Northern Ireland.
*Build a bridge from Scotland to Ireland (PM Johnston’s latest idea for an impossibly unfeasible Bridge Too Far)
*Promote NI as it marks its centenary in 2021,
*Put flags on car number plates.
They would probably add in “Put Union Jacks on all foodstuffs produced in NI”
Remember: As the Scots say “If it’s got a Jack, put it back!”
Recommendation: Don’t buy local NI produce that is identified as “Made in Britain” and/or carries a Union Jack
And talking about the Scots, the Mirror would like to congratulate them on the support they are displaying for Independence according to the latest poll by Conservative Lord Ashcroft,
Comment: Ashcroft didn’t ask anybody in the 16-18 age-group or EU nationals living, studying and working in Scotland. Otherwise the swing to Independence would probably have been even greater.
Query: How’s Irish re-Unification coming along?
Refs and Pics
the mirror@wordpress.com 
I think Scotland will be first out the door. Remember that they were lied to during the last referendum. Told that the only way to stay in the EU was to stay in the UK. Now with the UK crashing out of Europe at the end of October with no deal in sight. Scots have no other choice in order to remain committed Europeans they have to leave England behind.
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All true, Hoboroad but it remains to be seen when FM Sturgeon calls IndyRef2, whether Westminster allows it and what Scotland will do if it doesn’t. Going through the International courts to uphold the Scottish right of self determination will take time
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