Time the Confederate flag got the red card

THE power of symbolism should never be underestimated.

Symbols, and how they express beliefs can too often be expressions of hatred, confrontation, triumphalism and aggression. Just this week, the July 12 celebrations in the North saw the usual, but diminishing, stand offs and intimidation around a community’s ”right to march”.

That community, of course, would point to restrictions imposed on their national flag by another community in areas where they are in a position to do so. The union flag and the Tricolour may be just symbols but they are sparks in an incendiary situation as well.

In recent weeks, several of America’s southern states have confronted this issue by removing the Confederate battle flag from public buildings and discouraging its use. This change was provoked, made unavoidable really, by eight racist murders in Charlottesville.

That flag has been used by some Cork GAA supporters for decades as it, in their minds at least, symbolises the Rebel South. Unfortunately, it symbolises much, much more, much of it unsavoury and unacceptable.

Of course, or at least it must be hoped, the GAA supporters use the flag innocently but it so resonates with the barbarisms of another time that it should be, as has been requested this weekend, consigned to the past. A flag defending slavery has no place in this country much less at a sports ground.