I was on my way home from a meeting on Monday night past when I noticed a carefully "constructed" bonfire on the Westland Road. Why you may ask did this particular bonfire catch my attention when there are scores of them going up all over North Belfast and the city in general?
Well, how and where do I begin? The Westland bonfire is particularly noticeable due to the fact that the UDA's K Company had decorated this "community" attraction in its paraphernalia.
Did they do so in a subtle manner? Not a chance, it had two UDA flags and a banner on it declaring their ownership of this soon to be light in the night sky.
I am mentioning this because of the numerous debates that circulate in this city on the issue of cultural equality.
Cultural equality sounds great, but it doesn't always occur in a manner that benefits a modern multi-cultural city.
Over the years some politicians and communities of the Nationalist/Republican persuasion have fought long battles to secure Belfast City Council funding for events of a somewhat Irish nature, for example, the St Patrick's Day parade into the city centre, which has now, after a long and hard battle finally received that funding.
Until this month, the all embracing and tolerant DUP and their servants in the UUP just couldn't bring themselves to support an event that at worst represents the 47% of this city that consider themselves to be Irish, but in reality was striving to be incrementally inclusive. Not yet inclusive, but trying to be.
Last year, for example, they couldn't support the St Patrick's Day parade due to the fact that it was single identity.
However, within a matter of days they were drawing up plans to fund to the tune of between £1500-2000, eight then it became more bonfire sites in the city.
Now I may be getting confused in my old age, but I could never really see how the DUP/UUP could square funding loyalist eleventh night "remember we beat the Catholics" bonfires, as against not funding the "single identity" St Paddy's parade. It gets even better, at one meeting about the bonfires; the issue of paramilitaries came up. I stated that the council could not fund an event that had connections with illegal organisations.
I objected to the funding for the Westland event if the UDA were involved (which last year saw a UDA colour party fire off a volley of shots).
Assurances were given that it would be sorted out. What I saw on Monday just goes against that.
The UDA (decent and misunderstood bunch of thugs) would not be involved, we were told. As a rate payer I would like to see the receipts.
I believe that all of the cultures that constitute the multi-ethnic fabric of Belfast should not just be acknowledged, but celebrated. That includes St Patrick's Day and that includes the Twelfth of July.
I wish those people who want to have a peaceful and enjoyable Twelfth of July well and I hope that we can all enjoy St Patrick's Day next year.
