no flags flying
For many years my life has been linked to this part of the world most accurately called the North of the island of Ireland. First my father came here with the army many times. Since 2002 I have been coming here many, many times, over 150 times in fact.
Growing up with the Army, there is a view about this part of the world Being English there is a view about this part of the world. In fact everyone has a view about this part of the world. But mine is changing.
As human beings we are all equal. Each part of the world has its own culture and differences that make it so interesting. One of the things I noticed most and became fascinated by was the predeliction of certain aspects of the various communities here to paint kerbstones in their ‘colours’, sometimes red, white and blue and sometimes orange white and green. These kerbstones would be accompanied by flags on lamposts or on houses, sometimes streets of houses sometimes lonely flagpoles. Finished with a street corner mural, these areas appeared to be the territories of different militia/paramilitaries/frightened public/proud public.
So strong are these images that a local company runs open top bus tours of the different areas.
There is now a local assembly governing this wonderful place. Local politicians meet at Stormont. Not MPs from over the water but local politicians representing local interests.
Last week I drove to Bushmills and Movanagher. I did not see a single flag along the road I drove on, for over a 100 miles. I saw some tired and flaking paint on a few kerbstones, but no fresh paint.
Today I drove to Enniskillen, then Armagh, Newry, Castlewellan and then Lurgan. There were a few flags but nothing like there were and I saw no kerbstones. For a 150 miles I saw no flags and then one, a lonely tattered Union Jack outside a town, then a few more, old and tired. One or two Tricolours but nothing more. As I left one town, I saw up on the side of one of the Mourn Mountains, a huge tricolour painted on the stone rock, its been there for decades.
So not all the flags have gone but you know, you can smell peace here, like the distinctive smell of fresh rain on hot roads or the smell of cut grass, peace is breaking out here. I can feel it.
