Symbolism leaves McIlroy’s Olympic hopes flagging

Holywood golfer’s assertion last September that he felt more British than Irish was met with a consternation that bordered on the ridiculous.

Walking around downtown Belfast earlier this week, it was nigh on impossible to get a sense of the recent brouhaha and violence that has left numerous police officers injured and resulted in the arrest of more than 100 people and counting.

The cafes and shops littered around City Hall were populated with the usual smattering of local and not-so-local going about their business, all oblivious to the lack of a Union Jack atop the fine old civic building for another day.