Irish flag being ‘hijacked’ to intimidate residents in Meath – ‘They want a reaction’
“Welcome” signs should be placed under the many Irish tricolours that have been recently erected along local roads in Navan, a Meath councillor has suggested at the November council meeting.
Independent Councillor Alan Lawes said the flags may be intimidating residents, especially those placed close to schools.
There are now calls for “Welcome” signs to be installed beneath the flags to reclaim the national symbol and ease tensions.
Aontú councillor Emer Tóibín raised the matter at last week’s Navan Municipal District meeting, questioning whether the council planned to respond.
“For some people, the flags are causing significant unease, while others have no problem with them. What approach will the council take?” she asked.
Cllr Lawes said the displays were designed to spark division.
“They want a reaction, they want a reaction from the likes of us. They can be considered patriots but they are not – they are racists and bigots. They are hijacking the Irish flag,” he said.
“For me the Irish flag stands for peace, unity and respect. I think we need to put out a message that these flags can be very intimidating when they are put up around schools. People from the migrant community feel very intimidated by them.”
Cllr Lawes added that councillors were proud of the tricolour but said the individuals erecting the flags did not represent Navan. Referring to a recent dispute in Kells, where a councillor faced online backlash after requesting a flag’s removal, he proposed a different approach.
“Maybe we should put up ‘welcome’ signs around them. We own the flag as a symbol of unity and peace. The people who put these flags up had no relevance to Navan, they don’t do any work in the town,” he said.
Mayor Padraig Fitzsimons said the issue had effectively been pushed onto local authorities. “It is very divisive,” he said.
Director of Services Martin Murray confirmed the council has no specific policy on public flag displays and does not intend to intervene at this time.
Meanwhile, official protocols for flying the Tricolour state it should be raised only between dawn and dusk unless illuminated at night, must never touch the ground, and should always feature the correct proportions and a true orange rather than yellow.