Who says I was speaking on behalf of the Orange Order? There are many parades through Belfast all year round. Do I grump about the ones I don't like or don't want to be associated with? No. I avoid them.
Hello. I was getting lunch and did have a google about Portugal - I was unaware that Macau was part of the Empire until 1999 - there you go, staying a whole 2 years later than Chris Patten. I don't see how that means that British influence didn't **** China over several generations, though.
It sits in a side room at the back of the disused Senate Chamber inside Stormont's Parliament Buildings. The painting depicts King William III's arrival in Ireland A monumental canvas apparently depicting the arrival of King William III in Ireland in the 1690s, it was purchased by the old Northern Ireland government back in March 1933. But the controversial work of art was vandalised soon afterwards and has not been on public display for more than 20 years. Now some say the time has come to hang it somewhere more prominent. Buying the picture, thought to be the work of William of Orange's court artist Pieter van der Muelen, cost the old Stormont government £209 and four shillings. Unionist MPs cheered when they heard of its acquisition. But those cheers gave way to bewilderment when the canvas was unveiled. There in the foreground is a figure which looks like King Billy on his white charger. But floating above him on a cloud is someone who appears to be Pope Innocent XI, apparently blessing his ally as he makes his way towards the Battle of the Boyne. A figure believed to be Pope Innocent XI appears to bless William III For those who celebrate the victory of the Protestant King William over the Catholic King James this may be an inconvenient reminder of the facts of 17th century great power politics. But the Ulster Museum's Keeper of History, Trevor Parkhill, explains that "there is a well documented record that the Pope had a 'Te Deum' sung in the Vatican on hearing the outcome of the Battle of the Boyne". "As Stalin would have said, they were objective allies in the 1690s against the Sun King Louis XIV who was at that time the most dominant authority in power in Europe," he added. Back in the 1930s some couldn't stomach that kind of talk. In May 1933 a group of visitors from the Scottish Protestant League were touring Parliament Buildings when they came face to face with King Billy and the Pope. Art attack An enraged Glasgow councillor, Charles Forester, threw red paint over Innocent XI. His companion Mary Ratcliffe slashed the canvas with a knife. Both were arrested and fined £65 when they appeared in court in Downpatrick. The painting was restored for a cost of £32 and 10 shillings. The authorities at Stormont decided it would be a wise move to shift it to a less exposed spot. Its precise whereabouts inside Parliament Buildings were unknown from 1936 until 1975 when the picture was moved to the Belfast Public Record Office. It went on public display there until 1983 when it was returned to the speaker's office at Stormont. Art experts dispute whether the painting is the work of Pieter van der Meulen and whether the subject really is King William of Orange. Public display But the attack on the canvas has made it part of Stormont folklore. Damian McCarney, who writes for Daily Ireland and the Andersonstown News recently had a private viewing. In his opinion, "a reproduction of it doesn't do it justice". "Whenever you first encounter the painting you are awe struck by the size of this epic tale unfolding in front of you," he said. "So in a visual sense it deserves to be displayed. "But I believe the story behind it will capture the imagination of a lot of people as well. "Here's a painting which attracted controversy and was attacked for no justifiable reason. "I think a lot of people can respond to that. It has echoes of the sectarian past and now we're coming to a more tolerant period in history now is the time for it to be restored to its rightful place in the southern corridors of the Stormont assembly." http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/5263210.stm daft ****s
Any **** who goes and watches one of these parades (OO/FOI etc) must be a sad case! The "music" is barely listenable! And your surrounded by ****in yahoos, bitter twisted wrecks and the dregs of society!
Well as much as i'm sure oyu would like to think i am lying, i'm afraid i am not - even if that pains such a devout knuckedragger as yourself. Anyhow, I think one of the morons is a member of a lodge that supports the UDA and the other ****wit is a member of a lodge that supports the UFF or some other ****, so i am a regular witness to their 'discussions' along with many a Rangers fan who looks as bemused as i do when they start chest beating and arguing over which terrorist organisation was 'better'. Yeah, so plenty of reasons to keep the marches! End of the day, it's dying out. Same as Prods in NI incidentally! I think the birth rate of Catholics is now 3-1 of Prods, so all within good time i suppose. Have you proof he wasn't a bummer? Exactly. So he was. He well loved the cock and you all love him for it.
So you aren't comparing them? You just happened to mention them in the same context as "traditions" that have went on for many years? How am I joking my way out of an arguement. These men have as much right as anyone else to march on these streets. If you don't like it, deal with it.
Why should the majority of the public have to simply deal with it - to suit the views of a small majority???? No forward thinking individual should want these types of parades on our streets...
Yes. I'm sure you and your "workmates" are aware that the UDA and the UFF are the same group. So that's a big fat NO then, you don't have any proof that he was gay. You sound like you know your stuff.
China ****ed itself up by closing off itself from the rest of the world, indeed an arrogance swept over the nation during the 14th and 15th centuries that sowed the seeds of destruction that overcame the country during the 19th and 20th centuries. To solely blame the British is just silly.
