What joy and delight the visit last month of Her Majesty
the Queen to Northern Ireland produced on the part of her
loyal subjects in this part of the United Kingdom.
If every proof were needed of how deep the sense of loyalty
and devotion to the Crown is in this loyal Province, it was
provided during those three glorious days in May when the
Queen and Prince Philip visited various parts of Northern
Ireland.
And how marvellous it was to see the relaxed atmosphere,
with Her Majesty able to walk about without the overpowering
security which had – understandably – featured in
so many recent visits to the Province. The fact that she was
able to stroll around, accept flowers from children and chat
to adults without formality was a great boost for the people
of Northern Ireland. Orangemen, Orangewomen and their families,
and the Unionist population in general were overjoyed at the
visit.
In fairness, the more tolerant attitude of the nationalist
leaders and people towards the Royal visit was most welcome.
Sinn Fein was not officially represented at any of the events
or meeting with civic and political leaders, but the organisation
refrained from demonstrations and making an issue out of the
visit.
That has to be welcomed by all fair-minded people, and if
the same tolerant attitude was to be shown towards the Orange
parades which have been the target of unfair vitriol in recent
times, it would improve the situation throughout Northern
Ireland.
Yet, as everyone knows, some Orange church parades have been
physically opposed, and when plans were made for a small,
harmless, and entirely historical cultural Orange event in
Dublin a few years ago it was brutally aborted due to threats
of physical violence.
Perhaps there is a new feeling and approach on the part of
republicans – time will tell.
But to return to the Queen’s visit it was a truly memorable
occasion and only the visit to Ulster in Coronation Year 1952,
or visits in 1964 and 1966 could rival it for colour and for
the crowds.
There may be an increase in British republicanism on the
mainland, as sections of the Press keep asserting, but it
certainly does not exist among the British-orientated population
of Northern Ireland.
Here the feeling of allegiance and loyalty to the Crown is
as strong as ever and while it may be more refrained and more
disciplined than formerly, it still exists.
Here the population have no desire to exchange the constitutional
Monarchy which has served the United Kingdom so well for centuries,
for a socialist republic or any other form of republic for
that matter.
In the days when Northern Ireland had its own Parliament,
Prime Ministers Craigavon and Brookeborough proudly proclaimed
that Ulster people were ‘King’s men’ or ‘Queen’s
men’ and that is still the case.
The Orange Order is a cornerstone of a larger segment of
loyalty to Crown and to Monarch, and it will not be exchanging
this for republicanism.
Orangemen are royalists, and the Order really could not accommodate
those Protestants within its membership who would exchange
that for a British republic.
The Queen is a monarch whose life and example has epitomised
all that is best in a United Kingdom which has changed so
radically since the day when she was crowned in 1953. Standards
of public life have changed, religion and respect for the
law and other institutions have declined, to be replaced by
false gods and ideals. But Elizabeth the Second has not changed,
and she is still the guardian of all that is best in this
nation and its overseas Commonwealth.
Times do change, as do attitudes, and values, but few people
in this Golden Jubilee Year can argue against the case for
the Monarchy and its retention. The fact that millions still
give an undiminished allegiance and loyalty to the Crown owes
almost everything to the quiet dedication and example of Her
Majesty the Queen and her Consort.
Those who planned the Queen’s Northern Ireland visit
deserve praise and commendation, it was great that she was
able to visit counties Fermanagh and Tyrone, as well as the
more easterly parts of Northern Ireland. The people in the
west have had special pressures and challenges to their loyalty,
and they richly deserved the visit of their Queen – hence
the delight on the part of the people of Ballinamallard and
Omagh.
Jubilee year has got off to a magnificent start in the Province,
the hope and prayer must be that the people of Northern Ireland
can celebrate this year in a happy and dignified manner, and
that it marks a new beginning for the people of this Province
and country.
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