Despite the fact that yesterday's 12th July celebrations (BBC pictures), the first in years which didn't see the army assist the police) passed off peacefully and there seemed to be a much more welcoming atmosphere at the parades, it seems some just can't resist getting their kicks from burning Orange Halls, damaging homes or attacking buses. A friend also told me that a hoax bomb had been left outside his grandmother's house near Ardoyne, though I suppose that's an improvement on two years ago. One does have to wonder if this kind of intolerance in any way stems from the Pope's own attack on Protestant churches "ecclesial communities originating with the Reformation".

Whatever, for most people it didn't spoil what was a great day (weather aside) and seems to be a marked improvement on previous years. Hopefully that trend will continue and we can dispatch with the petty violence next year.