Eamon Phoenix’s On This Day column in this paper provides readers with a daily reminder of the changing nature of power relationships in the north of Ireland over many generations. It was in one of Eamon’s pieces that I came across this story.
In 1942, the principal of Strabane Technical College was Thomas Carroll. In that year, Mr Carroll’s name featured prominently in local newspapers after he was unceremoniously sacked by the local education authority.
The reason for his dismissal was his decision to introduce Irish as a subject in the technical college’s curriculum.
The wholly illegal nature of his sacking led to large protest meetings in the town. Those speaking in defence of Mr Carroll included both the parish priest and the local Church of Ireland minister. Whilst he was not reinstated as principal of the technical college, Carroll was later appointed principal of a college in Newry.
In 1942, the unionist writ ran through this society. History, it is often said, repeats itself. Happily, that is not always the case.
Over the past year, there has been a sustained campaign alleging that the pre-eminent third level institution in the north of Ireland, Queen's University, was now a cold house for Protestant and unionist students.
This campaign first took the form of public and private attacks on university lecturers who had the temerity to articulate positions on Brexit and the constitutional question not consistent with the views of mainstream unionist politicians.
The persistent nature of these charges led to the union representing the majority of lecturers at Queen's accusing some unionist parties and politicians of attacks on academic freedom.
Of course, the fact that many avowedly pro-union academics have throughout the years openly and consistently articulated their political beliefs whilst holding prominent posts within the university remains an inconvenient truth ignored by those levelling the dubious charges.
More recently, there has been a concerted attempt to label the university as a virtual no-go area for Protestants on account of the fact that many students don GAA-based attire whilst walking around the university district, to and from classes. An online petition set up to highlight the campaign - supported by many prominent unionist commentators - alleges that Protestants and unionists are alienated from all universities in Northern Ireland, not just Queen's.
It is worth noting that the objection is not to a solitary GAA shirt nor colours attributed to a specific county nor club. Nope. The objection appears to be to any piece of attire, of any colours, in any way associated with the 2,000 plus clubs and counties that collectively make up the Gaelic Athletic Association.
Queen's University as an institution is named for the British Queen Victoria. The building within which students of all religious persuasions and political beliefs annually attend graduation ceremonies is named for a unionist politician, whilst in front of the university’s magnificent signature Lanyon building is to be found a British war memorial, upon which wreaths are laid every year to British forces engaged in conflicts throughout the decades, including those from the most recent conflict in this part of Ireland.
Many people could be forgiven for simply dismissing the cold house charge as yet another bogus grievance, to be shelved alongside the similarly ridiculous assertions that British culture was being eroded during the flag protests which took place at the entrance to City Hall grounds festooned with monuments and statues to British and unionist figures.
But that would be to miss what this is really about.
At the heart of the complaints and campaigns is a desire to push back against the acceptance of Northern Ireland as an increasingly diverse society with two main traditions that must be treated equally.
Unionism has a real problem with the uninhibited nature of modern youth, a generation predominantly of a culturally nationalist disposition no longer shackled by the coiled tongues nor reticence associated with this place during darker days. It is the youth who embraced and led the charge for an Dream Dearg and marriage equality, and they are not inclined to suppress their identity to appease the blinkered mindsets of others.
The world has gone and changed.
Loyal Ulster requires leaders to preach and demonstrate acceptance of difference, not petition for a return to the past.
