Thousands gather to celebrate Northern Ireland centenary
Published: 04:05 PM,May 28,2022 | EDITED : 08:05 PM,May 28,2022
An Orange Order member displays his badges at Stormont as they gather for their Centenary parade, in Belfast on Saturday to mark the hundred years of the formation of the Northern Ireland State. - AFP
LONDON: Cries of 'no surrender' echoed at Stormont on Saturday as more than 10,000 people gathered to celebrate the centenary of Northern Ireland.
While political deadlock remains, people at the centenary event were upbeat and in a relaxed mood as they fanned out across the grounds of Stormont to celebrate the past, present and future of Northern Ireland.
They said the celebration, delayed by a year, was not overshadowed by the row over the Northern Ireland Protocol.
However, the post-Brexit arrangements which have paralysed politics in the region were mentioned repeatedly by speakers and others as one of the great threats to the place of Northern Ireland in the UK.
Grand Secretary of the Orange Order, Rev Mervyn Gibson, appealed for unity within unionism, as he hit out at US President Joe Biden and US Congressman Richard Neal in his speech at Stormont.
He suggested that 'compromise' might be necessary to secure the stability of Northern Ireland, telling the crowd: 'We do not live in a world as we would like it to be. We live in a world in the reality of today, with its challenges for this generation.'
There were cheers and applause during his speech as he defended the place of Northern Ireland in the UK.
'Someone tweeted ahead of today that we as unionists are living in times of uncertainty and opposition. They are right, but that is and always has been the case,' he told the crowd.
'We have always lived in such times due to those within who want to destroy Northern Ireland for the sake of some new utopian Ireland where we are told we will all be valued.
'A new Ireland where the planter after 400 years will finally be accepted.
'Let me respond to this magnanimous gesture: we neither need your permission nor acceptance.
'We are here longer than Joe and Richie's folks are in America. We are United Kingdom citizens by birth, Northern Irish through our culture and heritage, which makes us British by choice and conviction.
'We have no interest in becoming part of an all-Ireland. Save your breath.'
He continued: 'Not one Unionist politician, not one, believes the protocol is good for Northern Ireland,' he said.
'The majority of Unionists have voted that political Unionism do not join an executive until the wrongs lurking in the protocol are rooted out and thrown out.
'Let us make it very simple for our European neighbours, not least those on the other side of the border in the Republic of Ireland.
'Two key elements must go, no tweaking, no tampering, no fudge, no constructive ambiguity, no excuses.
'We will not tolerate any system, process or structure that will allow checks on any goods trading within the UK for use within the UK.
'No fundamental change to the protocol, then no functioning Assembly.' - dpa
While political deadlock remains, people at the centenary event were upbeat and in a relaxed mood as they fanned out across the grounds of Stormont to celebrate the past, present and future of Northern Ireland.
They said the celebration, delayed by a year, was not overshadowed by the row over the Northern Ireland Protocol.
However, the post-Brexit arrangements which have paralysed politics in the region were mentioned repeatedly by speakers and others as one of the great threats to the place of Northern Ireland in the UK.
Grand Secretary of the Orange Order, Rev Mervyn Gibson, appealed for unity within unionism, as he hit out at US President Joe Biden and US Congressman Richard Neal in his speech at Stormont.
He suggested that 'compromise' might be necessary to secure the stability of Northern Ireland, telling the crowd: 'We do not live in a world as we would like it to be. We live in a world in the reality of today, with its challenges for this generation.'
There were cheers and applause during his speech as he defended the place of Northern Ireland in the UK.
'Someone tweeted ahead of today that we as unionists are living in times of uncertainty and opposition. They are right, but that is and always has been the case,' he told the crowd.
'We have always lived in such times due to those within who want to destroy Northern Ireland for the sake of some new utopian Ireland where we are told we will all be valued.
'A new Ireland where the planter after 400 years will finally be accepted.
'Let me respond to this magnanimous gesture: we neither need your permission nor acceptance.
'We are here longer than Joe and Richie's folks are in America. We are United Kingdom citizens by birth, Northern Irish through our culture and heritage, which makes us British by choice and conviction.
'We have no interest in becoming part of an all-Ireland. Save your breath.'
He continued: 'Not one Unionist politician, not one, believes the protocol is good for Northern Ireland,' he said.
'The majority of Unionists have voted that political Unionism do not join an executive until the wrongs lurking in the protocol are rooted out and thrown out.
'Let us make it very simple for our European neighbours, not least those on the other side of the border in the Republic of Ireland.
'Two key elements must go, no tweaking, no tampering, no fudge, no constructive ambiguity, no excuses.
'We will not tolerate any system, process or structure that will allow checks on any goods trading within the UK for use within the UK.
'No fundamental change to the protocol, then no functioning Assembly.' - dpa