Sometimes it makes one wonder. What on earth could the four things in the above heading have in common? It's somewhat like the old chestnut: Are you a Catholic atheist or a Protestant atheist? Not too long ago the answer could get one into serious trouble depending on who was asking the question.

Are those days gone in the Twenty-six and the Wee Six? Not by a long chalk. For those not familiar with the vernacular, the Twenty-six form the truncated Republic of Ireland, the Wee Six the truncated Province of Ulster still under British rule.

Take the case reported by Gary Kelly in the Irish Independent on October 18, 2004.

A group of young people were left badly shaken when they were attacked by youths who mistook them for Catholics.

The incident happened outside the Dundonald Ice Bowl, east Belfast on Saturday night as a group of 10 teenagers from a Protestant church group were on a bus.

A youth approached and asked them where they were from.

He was told they were from Armagh.

Shortly afterwards a young man in the party was struck on the head by a stone which smashed through a window.

A second window was also broken by a missile.

It was a matter of the right answer being given to the wrong person. Being from Armagh they were immediately suspected of being Catholic. The thought that Protestants could also come from Armagh never entered the warped minds of their questioner and his mates. Hence Protestant stones were cast unwittingly at Protestant pates.

Then there was the story aired by the British Broadcasting Corporation telling how police had to remove a large number of flags which were put up outside two Catholic churches and a convent in Larne, County Antrim.

They said the action was taken as part of their commitment to ensuring that paramilitary and other flags were not displayed in a provocative manner likely to cause a breach of the peace.

Councillor Danny O'Connor welcomed the move, but said more needed to be done.

"There are still a large number of flags flying in mixed areas and estates and I would encourage them to take a further step and to remove those as well," he said.

"People are fearful because they can't understand why it's happened now. People are used to seeing flags going up at the 12th of July, but there seems to be no good reason for them going up at the minute, other than the marking out of territory."

Flying Prod flags over Papish churches is now a no-no in Larne.

Just in case you thought such questions arise no more in the Twenty-six Counties, in Kilkenny, lampooned for its fighting cats, parishioners attending the Black Abbey (Catholic) church are up in arms over the recent imposition of car-parking fees of 3 per hour by Kilkenny Borough Council.

In an attempt to quell passions, at a public meeting attended by several councillors and up to 100 parishioners it was tentatively agreed that church-goers should be allowed to park for two hours free of charge.

But then it was pointed out it would be wrong to give Catholics free parking to attend the Black Abbey and to fine Protestants for parking to go to St Canice's Cathedral.

Reduced to its essentials, authorities might have to determine the age-old question: Is that a Catholic car or a Protestant car?

Happily, Canada has been helping since 1986 to bridge the carefully fostered divide between the two main communities in partitioned Ireland. Successive Canadian governments have contributed more than $6 million to the International Fund for Ireland, earmarked toward providing job training, gaining work experience, and helping personal development for young people of both backgrounds.

One main thrust is to give them an opportunity to live together away from the stultifying environment of sectarianism. More than 14,000 young people have been assisted in this way, and their experiences living together for short periods in Canada have smoothed away mutual suspicions and given them a fresh understanding of themselves and their counterparts in both communities.

More than 170 years ago the Canadian experience was lauded for calming the passions of sectarianism in Ireland. In an editorial in the Canadian Freeman of June 23, 1831, Francis Collins wrote:

This, thank God, is a land of civil and religious liberty, where every man enjoys the freedom of conscience, and every Irishman whose blood has been cooled by one or two Canadian winters must see the blind folly of party spirit and religious animosity, so long the scourge and degradation of his native land.

Collins was a native of Newry, County Down, who fought for freedom of the Press in both Ireland and Canada. He knew what Canada could offer his countrymen. Happily Canada can still provide a model for both groups in his native land. Canadians deserve the praise and thanks of all Ireland.

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