Northern Ireland journeys from building ships to screen hits

And as to the Marching season, this perhaps, if they could stop bickering between each other, is one of the most attractive pageantry that NI can offer

Interesting comment. I have mixed thoughts. The music and pageantry can be great. But there is also that bowler-hatted darkness that hangs around. I'm not from Northern Ireland, I grew up in Glasgow. But perhaps not so different.

One big memory I have is of going to Toronto in July when I was about 20 and thinking I was in the New World. Shiny buildings, big cars, happy people. And then we got stuck in a traffic jam - road closed ahead for a parade. That's nice, I thought, and then I saw it was an Orange parade. And it seemed just as ugly as what I thought I'd left behind.

I've met many great people from Northern Ireland. One thing I think we share is the head scratching towards the scenes in the videos below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mC1SlB_cYv8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mdbq1jO30ko

We still have much to learn from the Dutch when it comes to Orange parades. If only it was like that in Northern Ireland and Scotland.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Q8pZwxEglM