Scotland's Shame

The religious bigotry still extant on the West Coast of Scotland was brought into sharp focus this week with the news that the Irish Premier Bertie Ahern has been forced to cancel a visit to the village of Carfinn in Lanarkshire. That Mr Ahern, leader of Scotland's oldest and nearest Celtic ally, has been messed about by the British Unionist Labour Party should come as no surprise to all who know and loathe them. Invited to dedicate a memorial to the victims of the Potato Famine, at a shrine in the Carfin Grotto, the visit was called off because of claims of 'possible sectarian violence' by local BULP MP Frank Roy.

The unveiling of the £10,000 Celtic Cross was scheduled for Sunday, the day that Celtic and Rangers play out another rerun of the Battle of the Boyne (albeit with 75% of players who have never heard of this rather obscure skirmish). Interference in this peaceful endeavour came from, amongst others, Dr John Reid (sidelined from Scottish Secretary to Northern Ireland Secretary for general uselessness), Helen Liddell (promoted to the Scottish Secretary's post as a good Brit), several unnamed London personnel and local Labourite MP Frank Roy (Liddell's sidekick and current aide). This unholy alliance managed to persuade others that a security risk existed if the Irish premier appeared on Scottish soil just after an Old Firm game. Imaginative scenarios were painted whereby hordes of screaming Loyalists would descend on the village to unleash their wrath at another righteous gubbing, draw or victory, and would concentrate their efforts on the Taoiseach. Of course, to those who may be familiar with the territory, it sounds like just another Saturday night. But the fact remains that by drawing such unwarranted attention to it, the notion of modern Scotland as a bigoted backwater (go on, deny it) is painted large on the world canvas.

Mr Ahern was in fact scheduled to attend the offending football match prior to his visit to the Pilgrimage Centre in Carfin Grotto. Just why London felt they had to get involved in this is beyond credibility. A Head of State visiting a colonial shrine merits protection from the awful denizens of said area, but given that most of them are of a, shall we say, similar persuasion, should have given the lie to the dire predictions. The cross itself was raised by local Protestants, who have expressed rightful pride in their work - would they have been part of these ravening hordes? I think not. Over the past 5 weeks these men, now branded as part of some imaginary problem, moved 5 tons of earth, raised the cross itself, and moved a statue of Saint Patrick to a site beside the cross. They took pride in their work in completing the garden and landscaping, and saw the visit as an official recognition of their hard work. Calling off this visit is hardly a landmark in ecumenical relations by any stretch of the imagination.

Reid, Roy and Brian Dempsey - businessman, former Celtic director and organiser of the monument ceremony - discussed Mr Ahern's impending visit in a House of Commons tea room in early January. Roy's action angered the Irish Government and astonished a number of senior political figures who claim that his close friend Reid, who has but recently taken over the Northern Ireland post, may have urged his actions in an attempt to appease Unionists in the peace process. Reid was accused of muddying the waters when he claimed that he had known "months ago" that Roy had concerns over the Taoiseach's visit. Roy has said publicly that he found out about the timing of the unveiling at the shrine only last Friday. It was also being claimed by a number of senior BULP figures yesterday that Roy acted to halt the event at the last minute only after he had been left out of the official welcoming line-up for Mr Ahern at the ceremony.

Scotland as a nation deserves an apology from this triumvirate of rogues - Reid, Liddell and Roy. London should also humbly apologise for poking its nose into an affair which was emphatically nothing to do with it. Historically, if London had not interfered in another nation's affairs 150 years ago, there would have been no need for the memorial in the first place. But then the lordly Whitehall Mandarins have proven time and time again that they are incapable of learning from history....

Return to Articles Index