Marshalling and Safety Training with regards to Community Bonfires In Northern Ireland
Historically bonfires have been a consistent feature of traditional celebratory life in Northern Ireland. For the most part these fires have been associated with one section of the community either Protestant or Catholic, and subsequently they have been interpreted as sectarian events. Members from Unionist and Loyalist communities associate themselves with Eleventh night bonfires in July, that celebrate the victory of William of Orange at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. They also recognise the Siege of Derry through bonfire events during the month of December, which results in the burning of an effigy of Lundy. Although all of these events occurred many years ago, the custom of bonfire building and burning is still prominent within their communities today.In recent years there has been a growing recognition of the problematic nature of some of the long-established public bonfires. In particular, concern has focused on the environmental and safety impact of bonfires and a perceived lack of effective action being taken by public bodies to control them. As a result, in 2003 the Environmental Heritage Service (EHS) undertook to establish an Interagency Working Group on Bonfires.The overall aim was to minimise the environmental, economic, health and social impact of bonfires by the development of guidelines for communities and public bodies on the siting and management of bonfires.
