Keith A, a couple of questions if you don't mind. One, you ay you have observed Orange parades in Co. Down, in what capacity?

Two, what/ who have been the major influences on your very clearly articulated position on anything and everything related to the six counties?

I ask this as it srikes me you bring a very singular vision to the party any time you engage in an exchange on this board - I hesitate to call it a dialogue as that does not seem to fit the general tenor and ,imo, intent of your postings.

Of course the reality, as anyone with a modicum of knowledge or experience of the place - as opposed to being a day tripper - will tell you, is that there are a significant number of people who eschew all and any of the extremist positions which have been witnessed down the years. Then there are those who, like yourself, prefer the position of armchair warrior and would have us believe you have a deep and well-developed insight into what is happening in that particular society. Sadly, I do not believe that can truly be the case simply from watching TV news and parroting the sectarian rubbish put out by one side. Of course, if you HAVE spent any extended time in the six counties, your partisanship may just be understandable. There are two sides to this issue and you would do well to make time trying to understand how people have ended up with such opposing views and perhaps, just perhaps, trying to make a constructive contribution.

FWIW, I have lived in England for many years now, having come from an area of Belfast which experienced some of the aorst atrocities of the whole saga, from Loyalist murder gangs, to Paras on the rampage killing illegally, to IRA bombings and assassinations. I am pleased that distance has given me an opportunity to be a bit more reflective and I can now honestly say that I count among my closest friends ex-Paras and soldiers who have served time in Northern Ireland, people from the Falls and from East Belfast who have marched in their respective sectarian beanfests and a wide range of people from all partsof Ireland. What I can say about these people is that we all, to a person, have had to make significant movement to reach an understanding and a genuine appreciation of the experiences which we have had as individuals. I guess the old adage that you shall know people by the friends they keep (and I read that as being that we share a breadth of understanding - learned, in truth - and a readiness to work at understanding differences). Sadly, if I apply the same yardstick to you I fear that you have a somewhat one-dimensional perspective which suggests you have a rather limited circle of acquaintances. Please do not take that as a personal slight, that is not my intention . If anything, I would like to see you broaden your experience and input.

When I first saw your handle, I wrongly read your place-de-guerre as "Hereford". I was wrong. But it isquite telling don't you think?. As many posters have said, marching in Northern Ireland is generally seen as triumphalist, or a knee-jerk reaction to triumphalism - 12th July and Easter Sunday alike. If you knew anything, really knew anything, about what makes the people of the six counties tick you might just be a bit more circumspect about sharing your armchair wisdom and insight so readily and actually make time to geta grasp of why people have ended up as polarised as the have.

Marches are not, and never have been, about a Sunday afternoon stroll to enjoy the scenery. That si true whether you are talking about Orange parades, AOH marches, EDL marches through Luton and Bradford, Remembrance Day parades, Muslim aspirations to march through Wootton Bassett or whatever else you can call up. Morris dancing in Hertford I will make an exception for. That is generally about harmless people using a bit of exercise to get pleasantly bevvied. And good luck to them.

Use that pension wisely, man. Get out of your armchair and go talk to people. It can only do you good.