The various republican factions use this Easter period to commemorate the failed Dublin Rising in 1916.
But one element of the republican commemorations makes me cringe every year - the poor standard of marching by the various colour parties.
As someone who has grown up with the Christian movement, the Boys’ Brigade (BB), squad drill and marching were key elements of our activities. The highlight of the annual BB calendar was the company display when parents, relatives and friends would gather in the church hall to see a range of items - including drill.
One of the toughest BB badges I completed in the Seventies was known as the Second Stage Drill. It comprised 12 weeks of BB battalion classes, followed by an exam on squad drill.
We were taught how to march, both quick and slow, right and left wheel, attention and stand at ease. So any time I see a parade of any kind involving marching, especially if it contains a colour party carrying flags, I’m always interested in how they conduct themselves.
This year, God Willing, I clock up 48 years in journalism - most of it in Northern Ireland - and I’ve reported on my fair share of parades, both loyalist and republican.
But there have been times when I’ve had to bite my tongue when reporting on republican parades when I see the quality - or lack of it - in the marching techniques of the colour parties.
Maybe its because many in republican colour parties like to wear sunglasses and cannot see how they are marching. Firstly, there needs to be consistency in the dress codes of the colour parties.
Everyone in a colour party should be dressed in the same attire - so make up your minds, are you wearing sunglasses, a beret, a jacket, or shirt and tie, shoes or black boots? You can’t mix and match when on parade, otherwise you’ll just look like a punk rock band.
Now, when it comes to your flags, decide whether the colours will be held straight up or at half mast. If you insist on carrying an Irish tricolour, make your mind up that its place is in the front of the colour party. It should only be dipped when passing a memorial.
But it’s the marching that really irks me. Why do republican colour parties insist on stamping their feet as they supposedly march? You are marching, not trying to squash a bug on the ground.
March properly, taking clear steps - and stop that silly habit of slamming your left foot on the ground; it makes you look totally amateurish. And tell the members of the colour party to all keep in step, and hold the flags with the same hand, with the other hand swinging as your march.
Journalism has taken me around many unusual corners over the years. Perhaps one of the most amusing was when I was covering a republican parade and a republican councillor, who knew about my BB experience, politely asked me to judge the bands!
It brought back memories of BB battalion drill competitions in the Seventies when, as companies, we would march in step to see which one of us was the best. There was also stiff competition to see who would also be the best drill sergeant giving orders to the boys on parade.
There have been times when reporting on republican parades that I’ve been tempted to say to the colour party - hold on lads, this is how it should be done! Obviously, common sense would tell me to keep my mouth shut, and quietly tut-tut to myself.
Then again, are republican colour parties trying to make a political point by not marching like the British military or loyalist band colour parties. Maybe the left foot stamp as they ‘march’ is really a republican two-fingers up to the concept of proper drilling.
Perhaps I should donate a trophy for the best republican colour party on parade which can actually march in step, look professional, and especially hold their flags at the proper angle?
Before BB competitions, we would practice our squad drill in the church hall for weeks on end. Perhaps the republican colour party members could take a leaf out of the BB drill book and take time to practice their marching.
As a BB traditionalist who still believes in the role of drill in the movement, I’m available for any republican colour party who needs a drill sergeant. In the meantime, a happy Easter to all and I live in hope that I will witness a good, precise and professional example of republican colour party marching this year.
But one element of the republican commemorations makes me cringe every year - the poor standard of marching by the various colour parties.
As someone who has grown up with the Christian movement, the Boys’ Brigade (BB), squad drill and marching were key elements of our activities. The highlight of the annual BB calendar was the company display when parents, relatives and friends would gather in the church hall to see a range of items - including drill.
One of the toughest BB badges I completed in the Seventies was known as the Second Stage Drill. It comprised 12 weeks of BB battalion classes, followed by an exam on squad drill.
We were taught how to march, both quick and slow, right and left wheel, attention and stand at ease. So any time I see a parade of any kind involving marching, especially if it contains a colour party carrying flags, I’m always interested in how they conduct themselves.
This year, God Willing, I clock up 48 years in journalism - most of it in Northern Ireland - and I’ve reported on my fair share of parades, both loyalist and republican.
But there have been times when I’ve had to bite my tongue when reporting on republican parades when I see the quality - or lack of it - in the marching techniques of the colour parties.
Maybe its because many in republican colour parties like to wear sunglasses and cannot see how they are marching. Firstly, there needs to be consistency in the dress codes of the colour parties.
Everyone in a colour party should be dressed in the same attire - so make up your minds, are you wearing sunglasses, a beret, a jacket, or shirt and tie, shoes or black boots? You can’t mix and match when on parade, otherwise you’ll just look like a punk rock band.
Now, when it comes to your flags, decide whether the colours will be held straight up or at half mast. If you insist on carrying an Irish tricolour, make your mind up that its place is in the front of the colour party. It should only be dipped when passing a memorial.
But it’s the marching that really irks me. Why do republican colour parties insist on stamping their feet as they supposedly march? You are marching, not trying to squash a bug on the ground.
March properly, taking clear steps - and stop that silly habit of slamming your left foot on the ground; it makes you look totally amateurish. And tell the members of the colour party to all keep in step, and hold the flags with the same hand, with the other hand swinging as your march.
Journalism has taken me around many unusual corners over the years. Perhaps one of the most amusing was when I was covering a republican parade and a republican councillor, who knew about my BB experience, politely asked me to judge the bands!
It brought back memories of BB battalion drill competitions in the Seventies when, as companies, we would march in step to see which one of us was the best. There was also stiff competition to see who would also be the best drill sergeant giving orders to the boys on parade.
There have been times when reporting on republican parades that I’ve been tempted to say to the colour party - hold on lads, this is how it should be done! Obviously, common sense would tell me to keep my mouth shut, and quietly tut-tut to myself.
Then again, are republican colour parties trying to make a political point by not marching like the British military or loyalist band colour parties. Maybe the left foot stamp as they ‘march’ is really a republican two-fingers up to the concept of proper drilling.
Perhaps I should donate a trophy for the best republican colour party on parade which can actually march in step, look professional, and especially hold their flags at the proper angle?
Before BB competitions, we would practice our squad drill in the church hall for weeks on end. Perhaps the republican colour party members could take a leaf out of the BB drill book and take time to practice their marching.
As a BB traditionalist who still believes in the role of drill in the movement, I’m available for any republican colour party who needs a drill sergeant. In the meantime, a happy Easter to all and I live in hope that I will witness a good, precise and professional example of republican colour party marching this year.
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| Follow Dr John Coulter on Twitter @JohnAHCoulter John is a Director for Belfast’s Christian radio station, Sunshine 1049 FM. |
