Northern Ireland

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar wants to be 'neighbour not an invader'

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is greeted by Grand Master of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland Edward Stevenson as he arrives at the Museum of Orange Heritage in Belfast. Picture by Hugh Russell
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is greeted by Grand Master of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland Edward Stevenson as he arrives at the Museum of Orange Heritage in Belfast. Picture by Hugh Russell Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is greeted by Grand Master of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland Edward Stevenson as he arrives at the Museum of Orange Heritage in Belfast. Picture by Hugh Russell

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said he wanted to be viewed in Northern Ireland as a neighbour not an invader, as he made symbolic visits in Belfast that spanned both orange and green traditions.

Mr Varadkar became the first Irish premier to visit the Orange Order's headquarters as he toured Schomberg House in a unionist part of east Belfast yesterday morning.

In the afternoon he travelled to the nationalist west of the city to launch the 30th outing of the renowned Feile an Phobail community festival.

After receiving a warm welcome at the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland - locals applauding him on arrival and departure - the Taoiseach said he hoped to forge better relations with the institution, and move on from past tensions between it and the Irish state.

"I believe that Protestant heritage, Protestant history, Orange heritage, is part of our shared history," he said.

"It's not just something that is about Northern Ireland - it's something that applies in all parts of Ireland and very often we can be too binary.

"Things are never as simple as north versus south or orange versus green - our history is very complex."

Mr Varadkar was later asked about fraying relations with unionist politicians over Brexit, a cooling that has seen him accused of aggressive tactics and bad manners by the DUP.

"My mother brought me up to have very good manners so I hope people don't think I am ill-mannerly at all," he replied.

"When I come north I see myself as a neighbour not as an invader, as the head of government of another jurisdiction.

"And I see this place, Northern Ireland, as a neighbouring jurisdiction but also one in which there are almost a million people who are Irish citizens and we need to acknowledge that, the fact that it does make it a unique place.

"What I am trying to do on this trip is to reach out to all communities in Northern Ireland to understand their needs and perspectives better and try to cement relationships that I think we can build on in the future."

The taoiseach said notwithstanding remarks from some politicians, he always received a very warm welcome from ordinary people in Northern Ireland.

Moments later he was surrounded by a group of local women who had been waiting at the gates of Schomberg House, keen to shake his hand.

During his tour of the Orange museum, Mr Varadkar met the leadership of the Order, including senior Orangemen from the Republic of Ireland. Two Orangemen from Co Donegal spoke with him in Irish.

He posed beside a sign commemorating the 1690 Battle of the Boyne and also paid respects at a memorial window dedicated to the 336 members of the organisation who were murdered during the Troubles.

Grand Master of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland Edward Stevenson said: "As a cross-border organisation, we welcome the Taoiseach's direct engagement with our members based in the border counties of the Republic and, in so doing, recognising the longstanding cultural identity of the Orange family in the south.

"It is also important to acknowledge the importance of the Taoiseach paying his respects to those members of our institution, many of whom served in the security forces, who were murdered by terrorists."

He said the Fine Gael leader's gesture "should not be underestimated".

The taoiseach kicked off a day of engagements in Belfast with a private meeting with Baroness Paisley, the widow of former DUP leader Ian Paisley, at a library dedicated to his memory in the east of the city.

He also had a private lunch with business leaders and academics at Queen's University in Belfast.

The Taoiseach rounded off his trip to Belfast by stopping for a pint of beer in Maverick gay bar in the city centre.

Barman James Magennis said: "It was great to see him and it's great to have a Taoiseach representing the LGBT community".