Photos » rishblogs » Bonfire Night
Taken on: 2006-06-23 22:10:04
It was Bonfire Night in Cork yesterday. It's celebrated on St. John's Eve and there have been bonfires lit in Cork for as long as I remember. Not all parts of the country celebrate the night, and I heard on the radio 2 days ago that there may be a by-law passed in Cork banning the lighting of bonfires that night because of the danger to people, property and the fire services.
Unfortunately each year the fire services are attacked with rocks and other weapons when they go to certain areas of the city.
If it's a community activity, it can be licensed for approved locations and appropriate safety measures implemented.
Jail them all. I say.
On the other hand, there were younger kids there with their parents who rushed up to us when they saw Oscar and gathered around him petting him and rubbing him!
Last year, some of the charming local youths were lighting a bonfire quite close to my house in an adjacent dry field, full of gorse and dry grass. They hurled abuse and stones at me as they ran away when I took the fire down with a shovel, and then when I came back with a camera, my status changed immediately to paedophile.
I like Michael McDowell more every time he calls for a bit of order.