Taoiseach Micheál Martin has echoed condemnation by church leaders of the burning of effigies of migrants in a boat atop a loyalist bonfire in Northern Ireland, but he has also expressed concern over the health risks of large bonfires in urban areas.
Mr Martin said that he shared the sentiments expressed by the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, John McDowell, over the installation of a boat with effigies of refugees on top of a huge bonfire in Moygashel near Dungannon in Co Tyrone.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) is treating the incident as a hate crime.
“I was dismayed when I saw images of that bonfire with the boat carrying migrants – Archbishop McDowell made a strong comment on it and he’s right – it’s racist, threatening, and offensive and it’s unchristian and lacking in any appreciation of human dignity,” Mr Martin said.
“My most fundamental observation in terms of these bonfires is the public health and safety – from a public health perspective, bonfires do terrible damage. I mean, this morning, it was reported that asbestos has been found at the site of one of the bonfires.”
Elsewhere, posters depicting the Irish rap group Kneecap, and Palestinian flags have appeared on other bonfires.
A bonfire in Eastvale Avenue in Dungannon, Co Tyrone, features the group on a poster with the wording “Kill Your Local Kneecap”, seemingly in response to a clip that emerged from a show in 2023 which appeared to show a Kneecap member declaring: “The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.”
More than 300 bonfires were lit ahead of Saturday’s Twelfth parades, which mark the victory of Protestant King William III over Catholic King James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.
The majority were set alight last night as part of the “Eleventh night” tradition and expected to pass off without incident.
The most contentious bonfire in Belfast was in the south of the city, due to the presence of asbestos at the site.
Separate concerns about the pyre – located in the unionist ‘village’ area off the Donegall Road - have been raised over its proximity to an electricity substation which powers Belfast’s two main hospitals.
Stormont’s Minister for the Environment, Andrew Muir, said it should not be set alight and pleaded with those set on who attending to “exercise caution”.
Mr Muir, an Alliance Party MLA, told the BBC: “There are many ways to celebrate, but not at this site.
“Personally I respect how important the 11th and 12th is, I understand its importance, but I’d plead with people to exercise caution and not to light this bonfire if they could.”
He added: “The removal of asbestos is very complex and delicate, it requires the site to be completely vacated. “The site has not been vacated and that’s one of the important issues.”
The Taoiseach said he found it “incredible” that people are burning asbestos.
“Burning material like that would cause lung cancer. There was a casualness about that, as a former minister for health has quite shocked me because let’s be honest, bonfires are bad for your health.”
The PSNI said on Thursday that the force would not agree to a request by Belfast City Council to remove the pyre.
It is estimated that the cost of policing the Twelfth will exceed £6 million (€6.9 million) this year – the highest since 2018 due to falling officer numbers and increased overtime pay.
In what is the busiest day of the year for policing in Northern Ireland, more than 4,000 officers will be deployed to staff parades, while 1,200 were on duty on the eleventh night to deal with any disorder.
Parades will take place in 18 venues across the North today as members of the Orange Order mark the 335th anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne.
The Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland estimates about 500,000 people will either take part in or watch the marches, on what is forecast to be one of the warmest days of the year. Additional reporting: PA
