I was interested to read on Slugger that the Galway council of trade unions is to put forward a motion calling for July 12th to be made a public holiday in the Irish Republic as well as Northern Ireland at the upcoming ICTU congress in Belfast, according to a report in the Sunday Tribune.
The reasons are apparently twofold; to recognise the other tradition on this island and to get Irish workers another public holiday as they are currently shortchanged in comparison to their European counterparts.

If the ICTU passes the motion, it will likely be put to Taoiseach Bertie Ahern when talks about a new national pay deal start in September.

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I will come out and say that I think this is a bad idea. I'm all in favour of all-Ireland proposals and for ways to show Unionists that we respect their identity, but not if it means paying homage to a holiday which is all about sticking two fingers up at Catholics and commemorating the killing of Catholics at the Battle of the Boyne. To celebrate the 12th of July in the Republic would be a slap in the face to nationalists in Ireland's north. If we're in need of another public holiday, let us make Bloomsday on June 16th a public holiday and let us use it primarily as a celebration for the city of Dublin and for Dublin culture!

# posted by United Irelander @ 4:05 PM