REMEMBER the union flag protests?
I know they seem like a distant far off bad dream but those three months of madness remain ingrained in my memory for all the wrong reasons.
It was of course the winter given that the vote to fly the flag on designated days was taken in December 2012.
I spent three months coming to work dressed like an Arctic explorer, wearing three pairs of socks and two jumpers and yet still numb from the cold. Standing at the side of the road covering the nightly protests and weekly marches that often resulted in violence was a cold and depressing experience.
Until then I hadn't realised that all through my journalistic career I'd only ever covered summer riots, what with violence here being a seasonal event.
It was a terrible time for business owners and those employed in the hospitality trade but also turned into a pretty bad time for the young people, mainly young men, who, pumped up by the irresponsible words of politicians and civic leaders, found themselves in front of a magistrate or behind a cell door as a result.
While we've all moved on with our lives those people now bear a criminal record that will follow them around for life. Many already from areas of social and educational disadvantage are as a result practically unemployable.
Anyway the reason I've been reminiscing this week is that there was a warning that a proposal to hold a civic reception to honour both the Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland teams at Belfast city hall could lead to 'flag style protests'.
The event was proposed by the SDLP to recognise the achievements of both teams in qualifying for this year's Euro finals in France. Councillor Declan Boyle said he proposed the motion to "celebrate the sporting success of Michael O'Neill and Martin O'Neill and their teams. In 2016, Northern Ireland should be mature enough to do that".
I laughed out loud at the mature bit.
Both managers are for the first time both from Northern Ireland and both worthy of recognition for how far they've already brought the two teams given the size of our little island.
The warning that we face flag protests mark two was made by PUP leader Billy Hutchinson, who appears to be regressing back to the 1980s. At one time one of the more progressive voices of loyalism alongside the late David Ervine he now seems hell bent on turning loyalism into a parody of itself.
He qualified his comments by adding that Premiership players who refused to wear the poppy wouldn't be 'welcome' at City Hall. This was a specific reference to Ireland international James McClean. In the parody loyalist world he should be held down and a poppy nailed to his chest because that's what our forefathers who died for our freedom would have wanted.
It's a shame to see this type of playing to the lowest common denominator by the PUP, a pity because the party has lately - by virtue of people such as the forward thinking Dr John Kyle - to be a party on the ascent, that is until their leader opens his mouth and puts both feet in it.
The fact is both teams should be equally welcomed, honoured and supported because the right to chose national identity is enshrined in the Good Friday Agreement.
The treaty states clearly irrespective of Northern Ireland's constitutional status within the United Kingdom citizens can "identify themselves and be accepted as Irish or British, or both."
The agreement also affirmed rigorous impartiality on behalf of all the people "in the diversity of their identities and traditions and shall be founded on the principles of full respect for, and equality of, civil, political, social and cultural rights, of freedom from discrimination for all citizens, and of parity of esteem and of just and equal treatment for the identity, ethos and aspirations of both communities".
Identifying as Irish is a right, supporting the national football team you feel reflects your nationality has parity whether that be the Republic or Northern Ireland and having both teams of sporting heroes to Belfast city hall would be a lovely, uniting gesture before the boys in both shades of green head for France.
It would be great if we could for once have maturity around this issue and show young people unity among civic leaders and the sporting heroes they should be aspiring to, real role models, unlike the flag wrapped Neanderthals who promise nothing but a winter riot.
