Councillors clash on bonfire issue

The members of Derry City and Strabane District Council have clashed on the issue of bonfires and the items placed on them by their builders.

Speaking at the July full council meeting on Wednesday afternoon, Deputy Mayor Alderman Niree McMorris referred to the poppy wreath she had placed at the War Memorial in Derry’s Diamond on July 1 to commemorate the Battle of the Somme.

“This service and wreath laying ceremony were to honour and remember those who gave their lives in 1916 to secure the freedoms we all enjoy today,” said Ald McMorris.

“Men and women from both religions fought and died together and they were all remembered equally and unequivocally right across this nation,” she added.

"It is unfortunate that in this city, we are repeatedly seeing these commemorative poppy wreaths stolen only later to find them placed in bonfires. The gift the fallen gave to our country and nation should be treasured by every one of us as the sacrifice they made will never and should never be forgotten.

“Due to this, I would like to ask officers to do a scope of work looking into how we can potentially secure the wreaths from theft and vandalism going forward. We will remember them.”

Cllr Brian Tierney said he agreed with Ald McMorris that wreaths should not be stolen and placed on bonfires. However, Cllr Tierney expressed concern at council officers being asked to come up with ideas about how poppy wreaths could be secured at the War Memorial.

“I think there's a wider issue in relation to this,” he added. “Ald Norris talked about poppy wreaths ending up on bonfires and for many years many of us from a Nationalist background have been trying to stop that.

“We have been trying to work to make sure poppy wreaths and other items that may offend people are removed from bonfires right up until they are lit.

“But what we see, unfortunately from my perspective, is that in the run-up to July bonfires, there is radio silence from people when items are placed on bonfires which may offend people from a Nationalist background. Then in July, after The Twelfth, we all focus on August 15 and one particular area.

“There is more that needs to be done than securing poppy wreaths at the Cenotaph to make this stop.

“For example, if we were to agree to recommit to working to do away with bonfires then there would be no bonfire to place a poppy wreath on. But some people won't do that. Some people can't get there. I wish they could. It's certainly a place where I hope we get to very soon but securing poppy wreaths is not the way to do this.

“Removing money from this Council's good relations budget by the Executive is not the way to do this. We need all the support we can to build relationships between communities to try and bed in the tolerance for other people's cultures and traditions. Until that happens, you can secure all the poppy wreaths you want. It isn’t going to stop. There's a bigger conversation. There's a bigger piece of work to do than securing poppy wreaths.”

Cllr Paul Gallagher agreed council officers should not be “wasting their time on this and and trying to police this”.

He added: “The image and the perception of Poppy Wreaths goes a long way back but it also comes a long way forward. The perception is that it represents the British army and its ilk in this country that was murdering people in the ‘20s, the ‘30s, the ‘40s, the ‘50s, the ‘60s the ‘70s, the ‘80s and the '90s.

“That's what people see it as and they see it whether people like it or not. They see it as an image of hate of murdering Irish people in Ireland. I don't think it's the job of Council officers to be protecting it.

“I think if anyone wants to lay a poppy wreath they should do so and take up the protocol that others have taken - lay the wreath and then lift it.

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“They know it is antagonizing people in the local areas and in the middle of the city center and in other places like Strabane, Castlederg It just rattles people up and that's all it's doing, that's what the the purpose of it is, so I don't approve it.”

Cllr Gary Donnelly said he agreed with Cllr Gallagher’s description of what the poppy wreath meant to a lot of people within the Republican or Nationalist community.

“Having said that I do think they should be burned on bonfires. I think it's wrong and I'm on record as saying that,” he added.

“But I agree with Cllr Tierney. The same pattern happens every year. Nothing has been said in this chamber about a a sign on a bonfire that said ‘No Taigs’ only yards from a primary school that consists of mixed pupils.

“There's nothing being said in this chamber about burning people of colour, refugees in a boat.

“So I think it's a we bit deeper than securing these wreaths. Somebody needs to take the lead here and it needs to be across the board. It can't be one side and it needs to be called out wherever it is.”