Bonfires in Ireland.

[WataWalloper 3,261]

2 minutes ago, Chid said:

There used to be plenty of prods in the south of Ireland .. 

used to be haha 

[mushroom 13,943]

1 minute ago, Chid said:

There used to be plenty of prods in the south of Ireland .. 

Never met many in Cork mate lol

[mushroom 13,943]

4 minutes ago, WataWalloper said:

Cork must have kicked him out haha cos I was there everybody I met blessed me haha

I've been 3 times and always had a good craic

Never got blessed though lol

[Chid 6,747]

3 minutes ago, WataWalloper said:

used to be haha 

 

3 minutes ago, mushroom said:

Never met many in Cork mate lol

Back in the 1800s There used to be over 30 orange lodges in county cork .. since the partition of Ireland a lot of prods were driven out with accusations of being spies ect for the British government.. friends turned on friends all because of what religion they were . 

 

[WataWalloper 3,261]

Just now, Chid said:

 

Back in the 1800s There used to be over 30 orange lodges in county cork .. since the partition of Ireland a lot of prods were driven out with accusations of being spies ect for the British government.. friends turned on friends all because of what religion they were . 

 

Oh it’s a heavy subject mate, that’s why if I’m taking the piss I always take it out a both sides haha 

[Chid 6,747]

10 hours ago, byron said:

Any info from our Irish friends.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗗𝗼 𝗟𝗼𝘆𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗕𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗕𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗵 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁?

Every year on the 11th of July, skies across Ulster glow orange with the light of bonfires built in Loyalist communities. To some, it’s just a fire. But to those who build them, it’s so much more. It is a powerful symbol of identity, history, and belonging.

But where does it come from? Why the fire? And Why the 11th night?

 

Let’s break it down

 

𝟭. 𝗧𝗼 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺’𝘀 𝗩𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝘆𝗻𝗲 (𝟭𝟲𝟵𝟬)

The Eleventh Night bonfires mark the eve of the famous Battle of the Boyne, where Protestant King William of Orange defeated Catholic King James II in 1690. This battle was about more than just thrones. It was about securing religious and civil liberty. So on the night before the battle, just like William's men did over 300 years ago, fires are lit. Not out of hate, but out of remembrance and pride in the freedoms that followed and shaped the world.

 

𝟮. 𝗧𝗼 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗮 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗚𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴

This isn’t a new trend. Bonfires have long been a part of Protestant culture in Ulster, passed down from generation to generation. They’re built with care and pride, especially by young people who see it as their role to carry the torch, literally, of the culture they’ve inherited.

It's hands-on history. Instead of reading it in a book, you build it, you see it, you feel the heat from it. And through that, you connect with the past in a way that sticks with you.

 

𝟯. 𝗔 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗟𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝟭𝟲𝟵𝟬

Here’s something many don’t realise: bonfires were part of the original story of King William himself. When King William landed at Carrickfergus in 1690, locals lit bonfires across the countryside to guide him and his men. A sign of welcome, support, and direction as he landed in Ulster. The bonfires were beacons of hope, lit by people who believed in what he stood for. And the night before the Battle of the Boyne? William was actually shot. A musket ball hit him, and rumours spread through his army that he might be dead. To stop panic, William got on his horse and rode through the night, from fire to fire, around his army’s camp, showing his face and declaring, "I’m alive and ready to fight." Those fires lit the path of a king. And they still light the memory of that moment today.

 

𝟰. 𝗔 𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀

In many working-class Loyalist areas, the bonfire is the highlight of the year. It brings people together, not just to watch a fire, but to build something as a team. People of all ages help collect wood, erect flags, organise music, food, and activities.

On the night itself, you’ll see families gathered, kids playing, music blaring, burgers on the go, and a real sense of shared pride. The fire becomes a centrepiece, something built with purpose, pride, and a bit of joy too.

 

𝟱. 𝗔 𝗣𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 — 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁

Yes, some bonfires in the past have been controversial. But that’s not the full story. Many communities today work hard to make sure their bonfires are safe, respectful, and welcoming. They take pride in culture, not confrontation, choosing celebration over provocation.

With better planning, community leadership, and a focus on heritage, these events are increasingly positive, family-friendly, and inclusive. It’s about building up, not tearing down.

 

𝗜𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝗱…

Eleventh Night bonfires are a link in a long chain, from the fires of Carrickfergus in 1690, to the campfires at the Boyne, to the wooden stacks rising in our towns and estates today. They stand for history, heritage, and the unbroken spirit of a people who’ve faced hardship but still hold their heads high. It’s not about hate. It’s about heritage.

[WILF 49,544]

9 hours ago, jukel123 said:

The 12th of July commemorates the Battle of the Boyne when the Dutch protestant King defeated  the catholic King James. Religious bigotry is very important to both Irish and Scottish culture. Events are held each year by both factions to demonstrate that their particular faction is the way, the truth and the light. Its an annual blood letting of hatred.  It holds both countries back.  But, identity, hatred and bigotry are part of Irish and Scottish DNA . Going into  the wrong pub wearing a Rangers or Celtic scarf is equivalent to drawing a cartoon of Mohammad to crazy Islamists and can get you killed. I think this year some bonfires will have effigies of asylum seekers which will inflame emotions..pun intended.

Whatever the rights and wrongs of the asylum debate, it seems ironic to me that the Irish ,whose main export has been millions of  its people ( I'm one, second generation) over many centuries,  should be so, let's say, unwelcoming to migrants. Strikes me as weird too that the yanks who couldn't get enough migrant workers for decades are now proclaiming migrants to be number one enemy. Countries are becoming more isolationist and nationalistic. Maybe that will be  a good thing in the long run.  Countries like Japan and  more recently Denmark which have very low levels of immigration  have shared values and a very low crime rate. The melting pot theory has failed. Those countries which have had high levels of immigration have to work out how to reconcile dozens of factions each opposed to the other. The answer is...f**k knows.

Let’s have it right, the reason the European diaspora has managed to thrive and settle and build and nobody hates them is because they ain’t a load of backwards wogs who f**k everything up……there’s absolutely no mystery about it !

[WILF 49,544]

My wife is just reading that a few lads sang “The Sash” outside the shinners office……lol 

[WataWalloper 3,261]

Just now, WILF said:

My wife is just reading that a few lads sang “The Sash” outside the shinners office……lol 

When I was a kid, if I was grounded I knew that when my ole granny used to appear after her work for a brew with my ma, if I walked about the house whistling the sash I’d get kicked out haha haha 

[WILF 49,544]

Loyalist band filmed singing ‘The Sash’ outside office of Sinn Féin MLA

M.BELFASTTELEGRAPH.CO.UK

---

Members of a loyalist band have been filmed breaking into a rendition of The Sash just yards...

 

[WILF 49,544]

1 hour ago, Chid said:

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗗𝗼 𝗟𝗼𝘆𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗕𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗕𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗵 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁?

Every year on the 11th of July, skies across Ulster glow orange with the light of bonfires built in Loyalist communities. To some, it’s just a fire. But to those who build them, it’s so much more. It is a powerful symbol of identity, history, and belonging.

But where does it come from? Why the fire? And Why the 11th night?

 

Let’s break it down

 

𝟭. 𝗧𝗼 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺’𝘀 𝗩𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝘆𝗻𝗲 (𝟭𝟲𝟵𝟬)

The Eleventh Night bonfires mark the eve of the famous Battle of the Boyne, where Protestant King William of Orange defeated Catholic King James II in 1690. This battle was about more than just thrones. It was about securing religious and civil liberty. So on the night before the battle, just like William's men did over 300 years ago, fires are lit. Not out of hate, but out of remembrance and pride in the freedoms that followed and shaped the world.

 

𝟮. 𝗧𝗼 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗮 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗚𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴

This isn’t a new trend. Bonfires have long been a part of Protestant culture in Ulster, passed down from generation to generation. They’re built with care and pride, especially by young people who see it as their role to carry the torch, literally, of the culture they’ve inherited.

It's hands-on history. Instead of reading it in a book, you build it, you see it, you feel the heat from it. And through that, you connect with the past in a way that sticks with you.

 

𝟯. 𝗔 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗟𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝟭𝟲𝟵𝟬

Here’s something many don’t realise: bonfires were part of the original story of King William himself. When King William landed at Carrickfergus in 1690, locals lit bonfires across the countryside to guide him and his men. A sign of welcome, support, and direction as he landed in Ulster. The bonfires were beacons of hope, lit by people who believed in what he stood for. And the night before the Battle of the Boyne? William was actually shot. A musket ball hit him, and rumours spread through his army that he might be dead. To stop panic, William got on his horse and rode through the night, from fire to fire, around his army’s camp, showing his face and declaring, "I’m alive and ready to fight." Those fires lit the path of a king. And they still light the memory of that moment today.

 

𝟰. 𝗔 𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀

In many working-class Loyalist areas, the bonfire is the highlight of the year. It brings people together, not just to watch a fire, but to build something as a team. People of all ages help collect wood, erect flags, organise music, food, and activities.

On the night itself, you’ll see families gathered, kids playing, music blaring, burgers on the go, and a real sense of shared pride. The fire becomes a centrepiece, something built with purpose, pride, and a bit of joy too.

 

𝟱. 𝗔 𝗣𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 — 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁

Yes, some bonfires in the past have been controversial. But that’s not the full story. Many communities today work hard to make sure their bonfires are safe, respectful, and welcoming. They take pride in culture, not confrontation, choosing celebration over provocation.

With better planning, community leadership, and a focus on heritage, these events are increasingly positive, family-friendly, and inclusive. It’s about building up, not tearing down.

 

𝗜𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝗱…

Eleventh Night bonfires are a link in a long chain, from the fires of Carrickfergus in 1690, to the campfires at the Boyne, to the wooden stacks rising in our towns and estates today. They stand for history, heritage, and the unbroken spirit of a people who’ve faced hardship but still hold their heads high. It’s not about hate. It’s about heritage.

I’d go as far as to say that the 12th is the single biggest celebration of British culture in the whole land……zero fucks given ! 
 

[jukel123 9,229]

14 minutes ago, WILF said:

Let’s have it right, the reason the European diaspora has managed to thrive and settle and build and nobody hates them is because they ain’t a load of backwards wogs who f**k everything up……there’s absolutely no mystery about it !

Not like you to mention black people Wilf. Whatever has gotten into you?

[jukel123 9,229]

2 minutes ago, jukel123 said:

Not like you to mention black people Wilf. Whatever has gotten into you?

https://thomasnastcartoons.com/irish-catholic-cartoons/irish-stereotype/

[WataWalloper 3,261]

3 minutes ago, WILF said:

I’d go as far as to say that the 12th is the single biggest celebration of British culture in the whole land……zero fucks given ! 
 

Be a very sad day of it ever ends, even if you don’t like or agree with it 

[WILF 49,544]

6 minutes ago, jukel123 said:

Not like you to mention black people Wilf. Whatever has gotten into you?

Not at all mate, but it’s nonsense I’ve heard various people trundle out over here….”Well we were welcomed with open arms when we emigrated” like it’s the same thing…..it’s absolutely not the same thing.

One group of people make and do and build and create and thrive and behave with values……the other group just break stuff and behave like beasts……it’s not similar, it’s not even in the same ball park.

Its a completely illogical argument or comparison…..