hundreds of bonfires have been lit Northern Ireland to begin the celebrations of the twelfth of July, the most important date in the Protestant season for loyal-order parades.
Crowds gathered as towering pyres were lit in loyalist areas, with the largest “Eleventh Night” bonfire at the Craigyhill estate in Larne, Co Antrim.
But before the fires were lit, police said they were investigating multiple reports of flags, effigies and election posters being placed on bonfires.
Hundreds of people watched as the Craigyhill bonfire was lit at midnight, with organizers convinced they had broken the world record for tallest bonfire, after the pyre was measured at 202.3ft.
Nearby houses had their windows boarded up and firefighters sprayed properties to protect them from the heat of the massive bonfire.
The lead-up to the “Eleventh Night” celebrations was overshadowed by the death of a bonfire builder in Co Antrim on Saturday night.
John Steele, a window cleaner in his mid-thirties, was killed when he fell from a separate bonfire in Larne that was more than 15 meters high.
In all, more than 250 bonfires were built in loyalist neighborhoods in Northern Ireland.
The fires are traditionally lit on the eve of the “Twelve of July” – a day when members of Protestant loyal orders parade to commemorate the Battle of Boyne in 1690.
The battle that took place at the Boyne River north of Dublinsaw Protestant King William of Orange defeat Catholic King James II to secure a Protestant line of succession British Crown.
Most bonfires pass without incident each year, but a few remain the source of controversy.
This year there have been a number of complaints from nationalist and cross-community politicians about putting their images on the fires.
SDLP’s Paul Doherty condemned those who put his election poster on a bonfire in the west Belfast†
He said: “While I respect everyone’s right to celebrate their culture in their own way, we regularly see posters of nationalist representatives and hate speech on these bonfires and we need leaders in the union community to shout it out and create a times to end. and for everyone.
“I have also heard concerns about building this bonfire so close to the local community center and would like to ask participants to ensure that this bonfire runs as safely as possible without harming the local community or surrounding areas.”
Sadly, there has been a deafening silence from many union politicians in the face of this sort of sectarian intimidation
People For Profit, MLA Gerry Carroll said his election posters had also been placed on the bonfire.
He said: “Unfortunately, there has been a deafening silence from many union politicians in the face of this type of sectarian intimidation.
“It is time for leadership and to end this provocation.”
Alliance Party MLA Stewart Dickson tweeted: “Sad to see once again Alliance and other party election posters along with flags ranging from the EU to the Vatican and the Republic of Ireland on bonfires in East Antrim.”
The Northern Ireland Police Service (PSNI) tweeted: “Police have received a number of complaints regarding flags, effigies, election posters and other emblems being placed on bonfires.
“We are collecting evidence related to these complaints and will assess whether any criminal offenses have been committed.”
Another fire lit at midnight was on Adam Street in the loyalist Tigers Bay area of north Belfast. Nationalist residents of the nearby New Lodge estate have previously claimed the fire is too close to the interface between the two communities – something the bonfire builders have denied.
The PSNI plan for the Twelfth to be their busiest and most resource-intensive day of the year, with the Eleventh Night coming in second.
There will be 2,500 police officers on the Twelfth, which is about a third of the strength of the PSNI.
Later there will be 573 loyal order parades. Of these, 33 follow routes that are considered vulnerable.