Was SF mistaken and if so will they retract

[Harry]

Parade band drum had K.A.T initials - McKay


North Antrim MLA Daithi McKay

« Previous « PreviousNext » Next »View GalleryADVERTISEMENTPublished Date:
10 June 2008
By Michael McGlade
NORTH Antrim MLA Daithí McKay has said that the community in the north end of Ballymena are disgusted at the organisers of the Pride of the Maine parade in Ballymena on Saturday night.
The Sinn Féin Assemblyman said the parade included references to the murder of Catholics. He claimed one of the bands which took part in the parade had the initials 'K.A.T.' printed on their bass drum which is an abbreviation for 'Kill all Taigs'. Local people, he said were "disgusted that not only were this band invited to take part in the parade they also paraded past the location were Michael McIlveen was killed, a victim of the sectarian murder they were promoting".

Mr McKay said: "I think that the organisers of this parade have sank to a new low after inviting a band to march past the Chapel roundabout and through the north end of the town which openly promotes the killing of Catholics.

"This was an act of sectarianism, the shouting of 'No Pope' at the Chapel roundabout by participants in the parade was sectarian and I would like to know when Unionist politicians are going to start showing leadership by condemning these acts. Indeed there is a major onus on the Mayor, as someone who is supposed to represent all the people of Ballymena to speak out.

"Similarly the recent Ballykeel parade through William Street saw a number of bands deliberately stopping outside the pubs on that street to play 'The Sash' and I am truly puzzled why Declan O'Loan and the SDLP commended the parade organisers and made no mention of the sectarian behaviour at this parade (just days before he was elected Deputy Mayor coincidentally).

"These issues need to be dealt with as they do affect the quality of people's life in this area, their freedom of movement, their freedom to socialise and their right to live free from sectarian harassment. We will continue to endeavour to secure these for people living here and I have no doubt that the decision to start issuing legally binding determinations on parades in this area is down to the work we are carrying out on the ground."

Ballymena Sinn Féin Representative Cllr. Padraig McShane said: "There were a number of breaches of the Parades Commission determination on the Pride of the Maine parade on Saturday night and we will be reporting these to the Commission. However the primary responsibility for enforcing determinations lies with the PSNI as determinations are the law. There is clearly a need for the PSNI to put in place a more effective and professional evidence gathering team to ensure that breaches of determinations and breaches of the law are recorded."

[Harry]

Could be an easy mistake to make but i believe it was an attempt to create divisons and label the parade in an unfair way. I have seen this band on many occassions and i always thought it was KAI on their base drum.

If he was wrong which i'm sure he is will he come out and apologise for wrongly labelling this band and the parade??

[Harry]

Band supporters hit back at McKay


Parade fans hit back at SF claims

« Previous « PreviousNext » Next »View Gallery""Mr McKay watched a dignified parade with his camcorder going, looking for any issues he could raise.""
Band supporterADVERTISEMENTPublished Date:
12 June 2008
By Des Blackadder
SUPPORTERS of Pride of the Maine Flute Band have hit back at Sinn Fein's Daithi McKay over his comments about the band's recent parade in Ballymena.
One supporter e-mailed the Times: "Nowhere on the drum or banner of this band or any other band that took place in this parade to my knowledge, was there any abbreviation of the term 'Kill all Taigs' as stated by McKay."

The supporter continued: "The accurate facts are:- The Band that the allegation is about and who were invited to the parade by Pride of the Maine flute band are actually called Sons of KAI, a Belfast band from Rathcoole. Sons of KAI flute band was named in honour of the once famous Rangers player Kai Johansen, a Danish player who played for Rangers Football Club.

"Mr McKay watched a very dignified parade with his camcorder going, specifically looking for any issues he could raise in the press. When he couldn't find any he simply invented issues for the press to highlight. In his press release, Mr McKay for whatever reason, has obviously given his community in Ballymena inaccurate information about this parade, the circulation of which has been fuelled by the story which your paper chose to print without checking the accuracy of the facts given.

"At the Pride of the Maine parade, parade marshalls had erected two very large posters well before and after the local Chapel. The first poster instructed that no band was to play music after that point, with the second instructing bands they could begin playing music after the second point.

"This ensured that no offending music was played at this contentious point and was a show of respect to the Ballymena catholic community. A marshall from Pride of the Maine flute band was positioned at each poster to make sure the instruction to stop playing was adhered to.

"The only contentious part of this parade was local Sein Fein members, including Mr McKay standing recording in close proximity to the parade with camcorders. Totally unnecessary as local PSNI members were also recording the incident with members of the parades commission in attendance.

"It should be remembered that a large volume of our marching bands provide a very worthwhile activity for hundreds of our young people, taking them off the streets into band halls where they learn committment and discipline. Many of these bands represent Northern Ireland in a very positive manner in Great Britain and abroad."

[earl]

Would this Kai Johansen be the rangers equivalent to King Kenny at LFC?

[Shades40]

Kill All Irish*
























*who vote no..........party political broadcast from Dublin ;D

[earl]

Back in yer box Adolf!

[Jim]

I don't know, I've never heard of KAI I don't know what it is, I've heard KAT. Can't really give my opinion if SF are wrong or not because I don't know.

What do you make of it Harry?

[earl]

I just want to know how big a player he was. I mean, if he was an average, or even an above average player, who is not remembered too well in Scotland, or revered in the same way as to adorn musical instruments, then this is obviously a way of trying to hide some blatant sectarianism in public. If he was the King Kenny of his day, I'd be willing to give the benefit of the doubt.

[Harry]

Well in all my time growing up in NI i never once knew of KAI. Certainly KAT was well known. It was sprayed on many gable walls. Kill All Irish!!! Never once heard of it or ever seen it used to represent this meaning.

If i'd of ever came accross this i would admit it but i haven't. 25 years knocking about Loyalist areas and never seen these letters used to symbolise this??? Says alot to me. Alot more than any SF rep.

He bloody well said that the skin had KAT not KAI. So he was wrong to begin with. Now we can't go backing down so instead we'll substitute Taigs for Irish!! Typical.

This parade was well marshalled, well organised and strict conditions laid down regarding the playing of music outside the chapel. The PSNI, parades commission were all there and it all passed off without incident. This doesn't suit SF and numbs their ability to play the big heroes of the poor nationalist community and nudge people in the right way when it comes to votes!!

Is he going to come out and say what he thought he saw. Was it KAT or KAI??

[Jim]

I don't know what to make of it and to be honest I don;t actually givea shit.

For those that do, www.google.co.uk/search?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-GB%3Aofficial&channel=s&hl=en&q=%22kill+all+irish%22&meta=&btnG=Google+Search
A simple search brings you a lot of results.

What does it matter? I've heard KAH many buckin times.

[Harry]

To me he is scraping the barrel. Last year he took to measuring bits of the road to see if he could find a breach of the conditions laid down. This year it is what is on the bass drum of one of the bands.

Is this what SF are all about?? Is this productive?? What lengths will they go to find something offensive. It seems that even when conditions are met by marchers that SF will find something else to complain about. It simply adds weight to the arguement that SF won't rest until the marches are banned.

This is very counter productivce and the SF rep needs to look at his own actions and see how it affects things. He seems to be driven by hatred. A man obsessed. Dangerous.

If all he has to moan about is this, then it goes to show how well the parade was marshalled.

[Harry]

Relating to KAI. I can understand why some would relate KAI to what they do in regards to Kill All Irish. Its one of those that may mean one thing to someone and something else to another.

Kai was a well thought of RFC player. I'm not a Rangers fan so i'm not qualified to judge whether he was a legend etc or not. Liverpool have many legends who were not legends in the playing sense but were remembered for other things.

[Harry]

It was just the annual Pride Of The Maine parade. KAI relates to me in that case and a great deal of other Unionists.

To me Setanta it is just nit picking. That band have been coming to the parades in Ballymena for yonks. Now i don't want to get embroiled in what the initials of a band actually stand for. It could be argued all day long and it will not be solved.

I'm interested in what actually happened at the parade and if conditions were adhered to. That is what he should worry about as well and if the marches meet conditions he should accept it and not ry and and further stir the pot with arguemnets like such

[Harry]

Here's a clip which clearly shows the Rangers emblem on their skin.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4qarsGWYVw

They have been about for a long time. They have been to Ballymena numerous times, like i said. I've seen them with my own eyes.

It has nothing to do with him being there. He is their to antagonise and to provoke. The PSNI are there as well as the parades commission. They ultimately will keep things in order.

All that a SF rep with a camcorder will do is cause trouble

[Harry]

I'm being dragged off and being drawn into a debate about a band not a parade.

You have satisfied my question that he should withdraw his statement. He was mistaken but i believe it was more delibrate than mistaken.

I'm satisfied that he was wrong. If so desired we could start a new thread on the KAI band and its roots.