NIreland loyalists light bonfires at start of marching season

(10 Jul 2021) To mark the start of Northern Ireland's annual marching season, loyalist groups set alight huge bonfires across the province on Friday evening.
In Portadown, the loyalist community built a 64-metre-high structure from thousands of wooden pallets.
Just before midnight the torches were lit and the pyre was set alight. Soon it came crashing down amidst intense fire and heat, while a few thousand onlookers cheered.
The fire brigade arrived and hosed down nearby houses to cool them down.
The tradition goes back to the 17th century and is a commemoration of the victory of Protestant King Willem III of Orange over Catholic King James II. Back then, the bonfires were lit to guide the ships of King William.
One of the bonfire organisers explained how he grew up in this community, the Edgarstown estate of Portadown, and learned how to build the annual bonfires. It's a knowledge passed on from generation to generation.
But politics are never far from the cultural, historic tradition. Tensions between communities across Northern Ireland have increased since Britain's departure from the EU.
A post-Brexit UK- EU trade deal has imposed customs and border checks on some goods moving between Northern Ireland and the rest of the U.K.
The arrangement was designed to avoid checks between Northern Ireland and Ireland because an open Irish border has helped underpin the peace process.
But unionists says the new checks amount to the creation of a border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK - something they fear undermines the region's place in the United Kingdom.
One Bonfire Committee member explained how the loyalist community felt betrayed by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and warned that the current tension could escalate soon.
Earlier in the afternoon, local flute bands paraded through the estate.
In the past, these pyres have often caused tense stand-offs with police and nationalist, Catholic demonstrators. This year, which is also the centenary of the creation of the state of Northern Ireland, the police warned of a small number of them causing concern where bonfires were built too close to houses or so-called interfaces separating opposing communities.
According to the Northern Ireland police service, some 250 bonfires have been built this summer. They will be lit between Friday and Sunday night.
On July 12, about a hundred Orange Order parades will take place across Northern Ireland. Normally there are about 18 larger gatherings but because of the COVID situation, the marches will be spread out more locally.
The first Orange Order march took place in Portadown in 1796.
Find out more about AP Archive: www.aparchive.c...
Twitter: / ap_archive
Facebook: / aparchives ​​
Instagram: / apnews
You can license this story through AP Archive: www.aparchive.c...

[@jonathanwilson4016]

Uk government has forgotten Northern Ireland but not normal decent people across the sea that liar said he was going to build the bridge which can be done and kopped out