Is cúis iontais é do chuid de mhuintir dheisceart na tíre go mbíonn trioblóid, foréigean agus doirteadh fola ó thuaidh ar lá áirithe amháin den bhliain, chuile bhliain. Some people of the south of Ireland are still surprised by the violence and bloodspill expected in the North on one particular day of the year.
Tá an dáta marcáilte síos ag gach Caitliceach, gach Protastúnach, gach náisiúnach, gach dílseoir, agus gach seicteach ó thuaidh. Is é an dara lá déag an lá de mhí Iúil a chothaíonn níos mó trioblóide ná aon lá eile sa tír. Cé go bhfuil síocháin ann ó thuaidh, tagann an phian agus an fhearg chun chinn gach bliain ar an lá céanna.
Tá an dá thaobh ceanndána. Tá na hOráistigh den tuairim go bhfuil sé de cheart acu a mbealach a dhéanamh ar aon bhóthar agus iad féin a chur in iúl ar a lá ceiliúrtha, ach tá an tuiscint ag an taobh eile nár cheart go ligfí dóibh é seo a dhéanamh, go háirithe in áiteanna Caitliceacha.
Cé acu atá i gceart? Cá bhfios faoin am seo, ach tá a fhios agam nár cheart go mbeadh aon fhuil caite ar shráideanna an Tuaiscirt a thuilleadh. Tá an-iomarca de sin déanta cheana féin.
An é gur chuid lárnach d’fhéiniúlacht na háite an choimhlint seo anois? An nós bliantúil é seo idir an dá ghrúpa? Nó, an bhfuil an fuath céanna fós san aer?
Leis an saibhriú cultúir atá tarlaithe sa tír seo le cúig bliana déag anuas, cheapfá go mbeimis in ann glacadh leis go bhfuil dhá ghrúpa ann, nach gcreideann an rud céanna agus ar féidir leo cur suas lena chéile. Nach é sin atá uainn? Nach é sin a dhéanaimid gach lá sa timpeallacht oibre agus sa bhaile fiú?
Is scríbhneoir agus léachtóir le Gaeilge í Siún Ní Dhuinn in UCD
Every northern Catholic, Protestant, Nationalist, Loyalist and sectarian has the date marked down. It is the 12th of July that causes the most unrest than any other day of the year.
Despite the peace that reigns for the most part, the pain and anger comes to surface every year on the same day.
Both sides are strong willed. The Orangemen are of the opinion that they have a right to march where they want, to express themselves on their day of celebration, but the other side’s understanding is that they should not be allowed to march, especially in Catholic areas.
Who is right? Who knows? But I do know that no more blood should be spilled on the streets of Northern Ireland. There has been too much of that already.
Is it that this has become an integral part of the North’s identity? Or is this more of an annual tradition between the two groups? Or is the same hatred still in the air?
With the richness of culture that has become part of the country for the last fifteen years you would think we would be able to accept that there are two groups, that don’t believe the same thing, but that can put up with each other. Isn’t that what we want? Isn’t that what we do every day in the work environment? And sometimes even at home?
Siún Ní Dhuinn is a writer and lecturer at UCD
