Last Friday, the
Metro newspaper ran the headline “Bad Old Days Are Back” on its front page, with reference to the outbreaks of violence. Just underneath was a headline referencing 12
th April, when some coronavirus restrictions loosened. What editors failed to notice was the controversy of placing the headline “Glorious Twelfth” below a piece on Northern Irish violence: unionists celebrate William of Orange’s victory at the Battle of the Boyne on 12
th July with parades and bonfires, often provoking sectarian clashes.
This is just one example of the dangerous lack of awareness in much of the UK about one of its constituent nations. Although equally prevalent in government, Northern Ireland is consistently viewed as little more than a political pawn.