Editorial: ​It is the sectarian use of Irish that makes unionists so wary of the language

The DUP is right to have joined the TUV in a nuanced reaction to the Irish language backlash in Clough, Co Down.

The episode was quickly depicted as unionist bigotry, just as any wariness about Irish language schools or GAA in areas of East Belfast has been depicted the same.

In fact, republican weaponising of Irish is at the heart of it not being wanted in areas that have a unionist tradition.

Both the DUP and TUV are right to say that posters are not the best way to articulate genuine concerns about the misuse of the Irish language. The wording 'St Malachy's not welcome at [Cumran Primary School]' was particularly unfortunate. As the primary school says, "respect for others is paramount".

But the tasteless and even aggressive nature of the poster does not make it a 'hate crime' as the PSNI are treating it. The word hatred is at risk of being devalued. We as a society know about real hatred, manifesting itself in terror, even murder.

Alan Lewis of the DUP is right to point out that the sectarian use of Gaelic by republicans "has led to genuine concerns within the unionist community, making the very mention of it being used or taught toxic".

And the TUV’s Harold McKee is justified in reflecting concerns about how Irish “has been imposed across the council area against the wishes of many communities".

This is happening across Northern Ireland where there is nationalist majority.

It is hypocritical, because images of, say, royalty or history lessons from an Orange perspective would not be survive in republican areas.

Similarly, while unionist leaders are expected to go to GAA games, despite the deeply republican ethos of many participants in those sports, there are few reciprocal gestures from republicans. In fact there is in some places a zero tolerance of parades.