I’ve just finished my third radio interview of the day - each of which has been inspired by a press release from DUP MP Gregory Campbell (read it on the DUP website here). Gregory had picked up on the minor stir caused last week by the comments on Friday’s Shaun Doherty Show, where two people complained about the fact that the Union Jack was flying on the Main Street of the town. The vast majority of contributors - including myself and Sinn Fein councillor Padraig MacLochlainn - saw no issue with the flag being flown whatsoever.

I don’t have the audio of the Highland Radio piece, but I do have audio below from today’s Radio Ulster piece where Gregory Campbell and I discussed the issue.

To be clear; it’s a non-issue. A handful of people took issue with it, but the overwhelming majority of people are perfectly accepting of it. The flag was flown to welcome the UK judge, in the same way we flew the flag of every participating country. The 12 flags feature on all the brochures, in photos and in various other materials.

Some attitudes will never change, it seems. I’m more disappointed than surprised by the objections, but I’m particularly annoyed that a small handful of people can make the town seem backward and bigoted at a time when we’ve done so well in preparing the town for the Entente Florale competition.

(More info on the Entente Florale from this post)

Related Entries

• Update- May 14th 2007 (May 14, 2007)
• Town Council Budget, 2007 (December 20, 2006)
• The Continuing E-Voting Saga (October 19, 2006)
• So near…. (September 4, 2006)
• Policing Committee Meeting, Oct 15 2007 (October 15, 2007)

Posted in General Issues |

2 Responses to “Flying the Flag”

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1. Dan Sullivan Says:
   August 13th, 2008 at 8:57 pm

   I remember similar outrage from some folks about the flag in advance of the Ireland England rugby match in Croker, with statements about how they shouldn’t ever allow it to happen - missing completely the fact that it had already flown over Croker for the Special Olympics in 2003.

2. george black Says:
   October 24th, 2008 at 10:53 am

   i stumbled across a response to the above published in the donegal democrat by one j wood. whilst i am very aware of the historic symbolism of the union jack in ireland 2 things stuck me. firstly, that damian must have written the letter under a nom de plume (it can’t surely be real) to illustrate an example of backwardness and bigotry and secondly, its sad so little happens in donegal that the countys principle paper has to print such trash

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