So, what do you make of this.
Forget the green beer and even the green shamrocks: Belfast city council is organising a politically neutral St Patrick’s Day festival with neither a drink nor a tricolour in sight. The council seems set to approve a £110,000 budget for a politically correct festival in which the crowd will only be allowed to wave culturally neutral rainbow-coloured shamrock or a cross of St Patrick, which consists of a white cross on a blue background. Those wearing partisan clothing, such as Glasgow Rangers or Celtic tops, will be offered large green T-shirts to put over them. There is also expected to be a ban on people painting their faces green, white and orange, or in the colours of the Union Jack.
Why not go the whole hog and drop the name St. Patrick and substitute "Belfast Agreement Day"? There is little that is Christian about this day and it should be reflected in the name given to the rate-payer funded pointless jamboree.
"a cross of St Patrick, which consists of a white cross on a blue background"
I think you have discribed St Andrews' cross. If you look at the Union Flag St Patricks' cross is the red diagonal against a white background.
Posted by: pakman | November 06, 2005 at 12:04 PM
Yes, The article got it wrong - although there's been debate over the years as to what is the Cross of St Patrick - the Blueshirts in the 30's used a red Cross on a pale blue background as "the cross of Patrick".
Posted by: Madradin Ruad | November 06, 2005 at 12:11 PM
The redcoats used a red saltire on a white background.
Posted by: Garfield | November 06, 2005 at 02:28 PM
Sounds like there will be more tricolours on display in the parade that takes place in London than the one in Belfast!
Posted by: United Irelander | November 06, 2005 at 03:22 PM
Sounds like there will be more tricolours on display in the parade that takes place in London than the one in Belfast!
and if last year's anything to go by, more Union Flags in Dublin and the USA than in Belfast too.
Posted by: beano | November 07, 2005 at 01:44 AM
Sounds like there will be more tricolours on display in the parade that takes place in London than the one in Belfast!
and why not ? after all there are a lot more people from the country it represents in London than there are in Belfast :)
Posted by: Madradin Ruad | November 07, 2005 at 02:06 AM