Tomás Ó Flatharta

The left-wing Irish organization Éirígí has issued a very clear statement about the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) decision to limit live coverage of 2022 Orange Order marches in the north of Ireland. The BBC decision has provoked a furious unionist reaction, which might force the broadcaster to back down. https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/twelfth-july-unionists-slam-bbc-24191452?utm_source=belfast_live_newsletter&utm_campaign=breaking_daily_newsletter2&utm_medium=email.

These events occur after a video emerged in the public arena celebrating the murder of Michaela MacAreavy (daughter of the high-profile Gaelic Athletic Association [GAA] Manager Mickey Harte of Tyrone). The Irish Times reported that footage of the ‘vile chant’ was “understood to have been filmed” at an “Orange hall in Dundonald, Co Down”. (June 3 edition). In fact, there is no doubt that the “vile chant” was performed during Orange Order celebrations. Damage limitation continues, as the Orange Order, numerous Unionist politicians, and weasel-word forelock-tuggers pretend

Éirigí Statement :

It has emerged today that the BBC will no longer broadcast live daytime coverage of the main Orange Order ‘parade’ in the Six Counties on 12th July. #OrangeOrder

Instead their ‘celebratory’ coverage will be restricted to a pre-recorded round-up of Orange Order events across Ireland that will be broadcast on the evening of 12th July.

Unfortunately in Ireland the political establishment panders to the Orange Order by presenting it as some sort of harmless cultural organisation, when it is nothing of the sort!

Despite this pandering the Orange Order remains the same extreme far-right, racist, and sectarian organisation that it has always been and always will be.

While the scrapping of the live coverage of the Orange ‘parade’ through Belfast is welcome, it doesn’t go far enough. All ‘celebratory’ coverage of Orange events on the BBC and other outlets needs to end!

The overtly Orange state of the 1960s has been largely smashed by the collective efforts of Irish republicans over the last five decades of struggle.

The ending of live broadcasting of the main Orange Order ‘parade’ is just another indication of the changing nature of the Six County state.

The challenge facing Irish republicans now is to ensure that the old Orange state isn’t replaced by a less sectarian Six County state that will further prolong British rule in Ireland.

As we have done for more than 230 years, we can settle for nothing less than a new all-Ireland Republic. #ForANewRepublic