I met a man just outside Kilkeel, we got to talking and he told me how he played flute for some loyalist band, during the 12TH, silly me I took if for granted that he was one of those bigoted prods.

That was until he told me that his own band was part of the Hibernians,Star of Newry, cannot remember the proper title. He told me how members of either band would fill in for each other and were welcomed by all.

Not the N.I. I know, the person was talking about the late 50's -early 60's, were was the so called offence about the bands back then that we hear about today? The man I was talking to lies the blame at the feet of our so called community leaders and the bigots who were allowed to pick up the ball and run with it.

Do not tell me this did not happen as many people have related the same kind of story when I asked about it. A recent BBC program had people talking about the same type of occurrence's.

Who would have thought? the Hibs and OO sharing the same musicians,my Grandmother tells me about the time she was a wee girl, she is 93 now, seeing the Nuns making Union jack flags bunting etc and selling it in the field on the 12th. Who would have thought Catholics would have been allowed in the sacred ground of the OO field?

The problems that have come about were not only instigated from one side otherwise such incidents would not have happened. Scum have been allowed to drive a wedge between us in N.I. and as CB put it someone is gaining enough to keep the mess going.

This is our fault pure and simple, not the British, not the Irish Government, ours, we let the situation spiral out of control from having people from different sides filling in as musicians to having the so called hated CATHOLICS making and selling the symbol of the British oppressors. What a bunch of mopy responsibility ducking hypocrites we ALL are.