The decision by the British government not to fund Casement Park is a victory for unionism/loyalism. All opposition to it being funded emanated from that community.
True, it was often dressed up as a financial argument, that money that would have been used for it could have been better spent on other projects like health etc, but it was obvious to everyone in the nationalist community that the real, underlying reason was a deep anathema to everything and anything that could be construed as culturally Irish.
That includes Gaelic games, bilingual street signs and the Irish language.
So, yes, this is a major victory for unionism/loyalism, a community that demands a deep respect for those things it deems as loyalist culture, including bonfires that are emblazoned with messages of hate towards Catholics and nationalists.
It really is amazing that a minority community can dictate to the majority but this is historically a continuing structural inequality as is evidenced in the justice system, for example, with a police force with an overwhelming membership from a minority community, and until structural inequality is addressed from economic investment etc the manifestations of loyalism/orangeism/unionism will not change.
Nor would it change under the structures set up under the Good Friday Agreement which ensure cross-community support for any major societal change.
Of course, the Casement Park decision along with the cut in winter fuel allowance for pensioners has illustrated just what a toothless tiger the Stormont administration is.
Michelle O’Neill gave a commitment that Casement Park would be built on her watch. She should now fall on her sword and resign, but none of us expect that any more than from Mary Lou McDonald following the dismal election results down south earlier in the year.
Seán O’Fiach, Belfast BT11
