BBC 1 NI are showing a documentary tonight (AT THE CROSSROADS, 10.35) examining the impact of the September 2001 Holy Cross protest where Loyalists tried to prevent Catholic children from getting to school in Ardoyne in North Belfast. It was one of the most hateful, nastiest, evil events of the Northern conflict and still arouses deep emotions and thoughts a decade on. Cross community relations suffered dreadfully and have never really recovered in that part of Belfast and the documentary shows 4 mothers and their 4 daughters who were involved. BBC Radio Ulster's TALKBACK programme was largely about this today and some of the opinions expressed, mainly by Unionists and Loyalists, show that sectarian, bigoted, anti-Catholic mindsets in the North haven't changed. Thoughts?

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9819 - 05/09/2011 13:13:40    1027297

...........yeah, and ye expect us to believe ye are all great mates up there nowadays!!.....Get real!!

Regards,

Snufalufagus....Laochra Gael

Snufalufagus (Dublin) - Posts: 8100 - 05/09/2011 13:23:26    1027305

Err.............that's the point I was making snuf!

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9819 - 05/09/2011 13:37:16    1027322

Got the wrong person, patrique is the lad who lives in:

Gumdrop house,
Lollipop lane,
Belfast,
NI.

Where everybody from NI lives in a tinkly winkly dreamland of cotton candy and marshmallows and if you dont like your neighbour just bake some more cos their all just sweet gingerbreadmen afterall!!!

Regards,

Snufalufagus....Laochra Gael

Snufalufagus (Dublin) - Posts: 8100 - 05/09/2011 13:45:36    1027332

I think you will find that's officially called Stormont snuf; they do live that type of life in there; detached and remote from reality.......but the grub is subsidised and the the expenses and pay are a hoot.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9819 - 05/09/2011 14:02:34    1027355

Holy Cross really was a disgusting exhibition of bigotry, which is still glossed over by all shades of unionism to this day - community problems, HC parents fault, police handling, biased media etc

I thought the 'protection' the PSNI afforded to the HC children was shockingly inadequate, those 'protestors' should have been batoned off the street well away from these children.

I hope the children that ran this torrent of hate have managed to grow happily into adulthood.

Have we learnt the lessons of Holy Cross ? I don't think so.

artisan (Down) - Posts: 1794 - 05/09/2011 15:40:44    1027473

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b014547x/Talkback_05_09_2011/

Link for talkback programme.

artisan (Down) - Posts: 1794 - 05/09/2011 16:00:17    1027499

it made me ashamed to be from Northern Ireland Grown Men and Women intimidating wee boys and Girls going to school , just when I thought we had turned the corner in our wee country and then this ,shame on those people who protested the same people who bang on about civil rights and being allowed to march up and down roads where they ain't wanted................... shame on you !!!

fortyfive (Tyrone) - Posts: 5929 - 05/09/2011 16:14:21    1027521

you only have to listen to certain unionist politicians they have not changed their mindset of keeping the taigs down anything nationalist is a threat and they want it abolished and dammed its not all its made out to be nationalist and republicans are to a degree getting on top but it will come to a point were the unionists will show their true colours and we are back to square one mark my words

ianog (Down) - Posts: 416 - 05/09/2011 16:37:15    1027550

I remember the holy cross incident alright. from my memory however I think the incident didnt recieve the coverage it deserved as 9/11 also happened around that time.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11637 - 05/09/2011 19:01:12    1027689

yew_tree
County: Mayo
Posts: 2954

1027689 I remember the holy cross incident alright. from my memory however I think the incident didnt recieve the coverage it deserved as 9/11 also happened around that time.
___________________
Yes yew tree, damn that 9/11!

brendtheredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 10897 - 05/09/2011 19:44:30    1027739

Ulsterman is there a link available where I could watch this or listen to the radio today? I dont have BBC iplayer because of where live. I lost a good friend during that time because of what he said about people from Ardoyne. It was a horrible time in the occupied six.

CheFinny (UK) - Posts: 1358 - 05/09/2011 20:34:51    1027797

CheFinny
County: UK
Posts: 1186

1027797 Ulsterman is there a link available where I could watch this or listen to the radio today? I dont have BBC iplayer because of where live. I lost a good friend during that time because of what he said about people from Ardoyne. It was a horrible time in the occupied six.
----------------------------------
Che, lost as in fell out or as in deceased, not being funny or anything and apologies if you take it the wrong way, just interested?

brendtheredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 10897 - 05/09/2011 20:46:39    1027804

I had some family involved in this and the memories are still very, very raw with them to this day; they get extremely emotional and moved to tears at the mere mention of it. The things that were shouted at the children, parents and clergy were just totally disgusting; pornographic material was waved at the kids; urine, faeces and used sanitary towels were thrown as well as blast bombs. Many people in the Catholic community who were involved in cross community work just left it virtually overnight because some of the ones they were trying to reach out to were standing amongst the 'protestors'. There is a lot of anger and bitterness to this day in Ardoyne and it's no surprise that's where many of the problems still are; this Holy Cross event has left a dreadful legacy that I believe will never heal.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9819 - 05/09/2011 21:04:18    1027822

Ulsterman
County: Antrim
Posts: 4137

I don't think anything enraged and saddened me quite as much as that whole episode and thta was quickly followed by 9/11 which was aother emotional roller-coaster. There was something utterly evil about Holy Cross, it is still scary watching it. Fascinating to re-read from the archives some of the Indo's articles - just as sickening to read.

arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4954 - 06/09/2011 08:12:34    1027897

this lot will never change, northern Ireland should move on and forget about certain about certain sections of the Unionist community as they are simply unwilling to conform to change, they deserve to be forgotten about and left behind.

Ned_Stormcrow (Cavan) - Posts: 1071 - 06/09/2011 10:45:46    1028071

The situation that developed at Holycross showed a total lack of political awareness by hard-core unionism.
To allow themselves to be shown on world-wide T.V. as a mob of slavering neanderthals was almost enough to stall
the peace process and banish the dream of cushy prosperity as M.L.A.'s for their leaders.

Hard-core Republicans seem to have enough political savvy to do their intimidating well away from the spot-light.

RAM85 (Westmeath) - Posts: 978 - 06/09/2011 11:19:51    1028101

looks like some of the parents haven't moved on, organising a reunion/commemoration on the 10th anniversary of holy cross wasn't very appropiate in my opinion. the rc church and the holy cross school were right to not get involved. some of them women featured on the bbc programe would scare ye, not a man to be seen either. some very evil b@$t@rd$ of women on both sides.

Gammy_Knee (USA) - Posts: 1482 - 06/09/2011 11:54:45    1028139

grammy_knee Its easy to look on from the outside and criticise the fact that these people have failed to move on. But im afraid its easier said than done to say they should move on. These people still have to live with the memories.

gotmilk (Fermanagh) - Posts: 4971 - 06/09/2011 12:05:00    1028151

I dont know what was more disgusting. The people who shouted the abuse or the parents who forced there Children to face it each day. Each as bad as each other. A sick society!

paddyogall (Mayo) - Posts: 5110 - 06/09/2011 13:36:15    1028251