The BBC has done it again but in reverse this time for a change. No winning Irish athletes were claimed to be British this time. Their coverage of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee concert held in front of Buckingham Palace which mistakenly included a display of the Irish Tricolour flag has caused embarrassment for the BBC as well as uproar in many expected quarters. Nobody seems to have noticed that they failed to display the correct Welsh flag either.
Red Faces at the BBC
The BBC quickly issued a red faced apology following their display of the Irish flag showing it to represent Northern Ireland an entity which has no official flag. The Irish Tricolour was displayed when comedian Doc Brown spoke grovellingly of being ‘proud to be British.’
A massive online backlash immediately resulted with both Irish and Northern Irish officials, politicians and keyboard warriors expressing their offence at the BBC’s stupid mix up.
An embarrassed BBC spokesperson said: “The incorrect flag appeared in a brief montage during Doc Brown’s appearance last night. We apologise for the error, and the sequence will be edited on iPlayer.”
Irish Anger
Social media keyboard warriors were quick to share their views and anger online. Limerick Council’s Communications Officer Terry Brennan led the charge saying: “@BBCOne did you just include the Irish tricolour in a song about being ‘proud to be British’. Laaaddddssss!!!!”
One offended patriot followed by saying: “What’s that about, tricolour. Since when are we British?”
Unionist Anger
Jim Allister of Northern Ireland’s TUV expressed his anger at the BBC’s cock up saying: “Quite an appalling and wholly disrespectful blunder which contrasts with the professionalism of the range of Jubilee events. The lack of oversight, which permitted such a fundamental affront to this part of the UK, requires both explanation and apology.”
Not to be left out DUP MP for East ‘Londonderry’(?) Gregory Campbell said: “The Platinum Party at the Palace was a part of what will be regarded as an outstandingly successful recognition of Her Majesty’s 70 years as the Monarch. It was unfortunate that in a very short video clip during the event when the four Nations that make up the United Kingdom were visually represented by logos or flags that the Irish Tricolour was used instead of the Ulster Banner.’ Does he not know that officially there is no ‘Ulster Banner’?
Disaffection
This Tricolours display comes on top of Unionist feelings of disaffection over their place in the UK due to the Northern Ireland Protocol, and also amid the growing controversy about Northern Irish athletes being classified as Irish thus rendering them ineligible to compete in the upcoming Commonwealth Games.
BBC iPlayer Incorrect Correction
The BBC iPlayer quickly included a correction so that before being able to play ‘The Party at the Palace’ their correction reads: ‘This programme is subject to a correction. During Doc Brown’s performance, the Republic of Ireland flag was inadvertently used instead of the Northern Ireland flag.’ The BBC are still screwing up as there is no such thing as an official ‘Northern Ireland Flag’. Where will it all end?
Twitter users attacked the BBC for their un-researched wording of the correction by pointing out that Northern Ireland technically does not have any flag. Somebody got it right at last. The BBC just can’t get it right. They are still astonishingly clueless when it comes to Ireland.
