Archive - Originally posted on "The Horse's Mouth" - 2009-05-29 06:35:31 - Graham Ellis
Many of the lampposts here in Northern Ireland are decorated with signs extolling you to vote as your first preference for "X" or "Y" in the European Parliament elections, which happen next week - a far cry from the subdued interest which we have seen for the South West seats in England.
In many ways I say "I wish we had that level of interest in Wiltshire". But I can't help feeling that the big interest is in past caused by the troubles that Northern Ireland went through in the last 40 years which, although faded, has left its mark and still the occasional spark. The news here is full of a man killed by what appears to be a sectarian mob in Coleraine, and of a parade re-routed / curtailed in the area as a result. And watching party election broadcasts and hearing a candidate interviewed on radio Ulster, there is still clearly a pain at what has happened here in the recent past, with some working together, but some remaining resolute in their refusal to work with those with whom they were at war a few years ago.
On second thoughts, perhaps I'm very happy that we don't have the same level of interest in the upcoming elections in Wiltshire if the way to achieve them had been to go through what Northern Ireland is still coming out of. The scars remain, and the price paid was clearly terrible.
