Competition proposed to design flag for Northern Ireland
From IRISH TIMES July 21st, 2000
By GERRY MORIARTY
A competition to design a Northern Ireland flag has been proposed as a possible
means of settling the persistent and contentious problem of flags. The Belfast-based
think tank Democratic Dialogue suggested a competition to create community
consensus on the issue. The organisation said such a flag could re-brand
Northern Ireland as "a normal, civic society". The highly emotive issue
of flags and emblems is proving stubbornly difficult to resolve. The number
of UDA and UVF flags flying in loyalist areas represents territorial competitiveness
between the two paramilitary groupings. Sinn Féin Ministers Mr Martin McGuinness
and Ms Bairbre de Brun refuse to allow the union flag over their departments
on the 20 designated days for hoisting the flag. Democratic Dialogue acknowledges
that it might be thought implausible that a new flag could earn universal
approval in Northern Ireland, considering how thorny an issue it has proved
for nationalists and unionists. But it points out that the "initially much-derided
`Y-front' flag of the `new' South Africa has managed to achieve such a status
in a matter of a few years". Agreement between the parties on a flag would
"greatly enhance mutual trust" and increase public confidence in "the durability
of the new dispensation," said Democratic Dialogue. |
