Irish Examiner view: Celebrating the centenary of Northern Ireland

Marchers and Orange Order bands from across the North and from North America gathered and referenced the signing of the Ulster Covenant of 1912

Members of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland march in the Northern Ireland centenary parade from Stormont to City Hall in Belfast. Picture: Niall Carson/PA 

Observing the tens of thousands of people who celebrated the centenary of Northern Ireland under the stony gaze of the statue of Edward Carson at Stormont, it is tempting to speculate how such key dates would be commemorated in a united Ireland. 

Preserving traditions is important to all peoples, on either side of the border and they will not be easily cast aside even with the passage of time. 

They will need to be accommodated.

Even with the relatively reduced tones of the event, postponed by a year because of the pandemic, marchers and Orange Order bands from across the North and from North America gathered and referenced The Siege of Derry in 1689 and the signing of the Ulster Covenant of 1912. 

Orange Order grand secretary Mervyn Gibson said supporters needed “to become persuaders for the union”.

First, the biggest Unionist party has to be persuaded to resume
power-sharing arrangements; that may prove to be the most intractable issue of the summer.