The conflicts in Ireland centre around problems from around 800 years ago, during the medieval period. The British and the Irish, as two opposing national groups could have set off the debates and differences between them. The problems may be about money – who owns businesses, land, property, etc. As well as politics and wealth, it could just as easily be down to religion – protestant and catholic beliefs. Put simply, it is all to do with the clash between the two cultures, unable to share.
The marches continue today as a historical, and now traditional celebration of protestant freedom. They often include people carrying banners, possibly with bands playing through the streets. The ‘Marching Season’ takes place from Easter through the summer, especially on July the 12th.
The reason some marches cause conflict and others do not is largely down to the location of the parade. The places and routes that the marches are held were decided on long ago, and obviously as these areas have changed over time, Catholics are now often disturbed by Protestants marching through their communities. For example, Portadown’s Garvaghly estate. The two religious groups clearly blame each other. While protestants claim the land they chose has protestant heritage, nationalists say the orange party are deliberately stirring tension.
Few right-wing nationalists may take this as an oppourtunity to cause trouble – like in the Drumcree incidents, whereby a lot of people were injured. Although, despite negative media coverage, many of the marches end in any violence and remain a time-honoured parade.
Development between Ireland and Britain is slow. The two are in difficult positions, and Britain continues not to give up the country while there are people living there who consider themselves British, and want to stay that way. The current situation in Ireland is in deadlock, but possibly there will, one day, be peace in Ireland.
