GavinBelfast

I have a drink on the 11th Night, ya know why, tradition, it’s part of my heritage. The community I grew up in, my family’s background, it’s all part of me. Whether I personally subscribe to it or not is inconsequential. Amy, at some point will be out on the 11th Night and be near a bonfire. It might sound stupid, it might (no, it does) offend people, but the 11th Night, it’s what we do, that’s who we are.

I don’t enjoy the bands too much, too much standing about involved. I will however, if I can, go and stand on the Lisburn Road for several hours on the 12th. Why? My parents took us there when we were young. When I was a teenager, I’d go there with my mates with a carry-out. Now, I go because of family and because it’s our day. Not the orange order’s day, OUR day, my family, my friends, my community.

It’s like people from the US, they go mad with the fireworks on the 4th of July. Why? Celebration, tradition, it’s what they do. There’s probably something more to it but I doubt at this stage it really matters. They enjoyed fireworks when they were kids. They want that nostalgia. They can also entertain their kids with fireworks, carrying on the tradition.


At some point, Amy will have an Ulster fry on the morning of the Irish Cup final if Linfield are involved. That’s a Maxwell family tradition, we don’t have many but that one’s set in stone. That might sound daft to you, eating a heart-stiffling meal before a bunch of fella’s boot a ball about a field. It isn’t daft to me, an Irish Cup final with Linfield involved is one of the greatest things in my live.
I said to my brother at the last one, “These are the days we live for”, he’s 14 and thought I was being weird(er), he’ll get it one day, as will Amy. I think it’s especially important to us Maxwell’s, being so messed up, it means more when even a few of us have that meal together, then go and enjoy the biggest match of the season, as a family, something to share.