Sir, - Dr Peter North must be pretty brassed off at the prospect of the British government cravenly "kicking for touch" on the recommendations arising from his review of parades and marches. Although I have not read the review, I am sure that Dr North must have come to the same conclusion as many as observer in the past - that the majority of parades in Northern Ireland are nothing more than a form of "haka", a tribal display of large numbers, loud noises and colourful body ornaments designed to demoralise and intimidate the enemy.
In relation to release of this review, the BBC ran a clip of the Drumcree confrontation. The picture of serried ranks of sashed and bowlered Orangemen flowing over the green grassy slopes was startlingly reminiscent of the scene from the movie Zulu where wave after wave of warriors poured in on the gallant defenders of Rorke's Drift. Sadly, at places like Drumcree, to paraphrase Tom Shaipe, "the keffirs, though Orange not bleck, seem to be just as med". - Yours, etc.,
South Hill,
Dartry,
Dublin 6.