GREEN PARTY TD Patrick Costello caused controversy yesterday by proposing that the 12th of July should be celebrated as a public holiday in the Republic of Ireland. 

The annual event known as the ‘Twelfth’ marks the victory of Protestant King William of Orange over Catholic King James II in the Battle of the Boyne in 1690, an act that secured a Protestant line of succession for the British crown. It is an event widely celebrated by unionists and loyalists by parades and pageantry, including towering bonfires.

In a statement published on Tuesday, Costello said: “This day is an extremely important one historically for the island, and culturally for many people who live here.”

The call came during a week when a bonfire in Moygashel, Co Tyrone was lit with an Irish tricolour and a poster of Taoiseach Leo Varadkar on the top of it. Police are treating that incident as a hate crime.

In a rebuke of the suggestion, Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín said “many of the people of the north of Ireland will be bemused and shocked” by the proposal.

“Patrick must be incredibly naïve or have no knowledge of what is happening in the north of Ireland,” added Tóibín. 

Today we want to know… Do you think that the Twelfth should be a public holiday in the Republic of Ireland?