Praise for celebration

Having attended the Scottish Amalgamated Committee’s annual ‘May Rally’ on Saturday, hosted by the Campsie Club, the Alderman said she had been impressed with the attitude of the business community.

“I had the good fortune to be over in Holytown for The which was being hosted by their local Campsie Club. It was an early start, with a wreath-laying ceremony at the Cenotaph in George Square, in Glasgow City Centre, followed by a march to Glasgow Green, were the buses waited to transport everyone to Holytown,” she said of Saturday’s activities.

“This was in stark contrast to my own experience of a parade in Londonderry, Northern Ireland, as the shops were open for business in Scotland and the whole event was seen as a tourist attraction. There were many visitors from America, Germany and France who delighted in the whole spectacle,” she said.

“On arrival it was quite evident and astonishing at the lack of police personnel that were on duty and the parade itself was an absolute delight to watch. The Millar Memorial Flute Band from Belfast were taking part and were at the head of the parade, celebrating their Centenary year and looking resplendent in their new uniforms. They were followed by my personal favourite and friends, Blackskull Flute Band from Glasgow.

“It was wonderful to see some familiar faces in the march as quite a few ABOD from here had made the effort to go and take part in this event. It was even better to meet up with some ‘old’ friends and make new ones as is the case with most of these events. Even the weather was accommodating as the sun shone during the whole parade with the only heavy shower happening at the end of the marching,” said the Alderman, adding: “It was a great social occasion that took place peacefully, honourable and without protest or disruption, something that all those concerned should be congratulated on. A great deal of hard work and planning had produced a celebration of Protestant Culture that I was proud to be part of and witness, and I will be raising the positive way in which this parade was viewed by the community in Glasgow at forthcoming meetings of Derry City Council and seeing what we can do here to implement positive change and generate economic prosperity from the parade season.”