Irish Current Affairs.

TonyM said:
I coach kids' hurling and football ( Gaelic) as do a huge number of dads. As someone who didnt play much at all as a kid it truly is an awesome experience for me. It's a great combo of sports for kids. They are learning the values of being rough and tough and the amount of practice needed to gain enough skill to be decent. Almost all of the kids love soccer more though for its simplicity and the trendiness of it. But I'd say almost all the parents prefer the GAA for their kids. It just oozes character.

I love how the GAA knits together families and communities. It really is miles ahead of soccer in that sense, at least in Cork.

That said there is an element of older GAA heads that are alien to the likes of us "dad coaches" and just about tolerate us but that's a generation that's phasing out just as dads no longer race to the pub after work.
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The GAA are certainly far better on the ground in Dublin, in now what is predominantly a middle class sport. Better organised, better facilities and social activities than your average soccer club. My kids play both, be interesting to see what they stick with when they're older, soccer is my first love so I hope it's that.
 
Spotlight on BBC NI tonight; A secret history of the troubles.

Should be very interesting. Recording it now. Well worth a watch.
 
bluethrunthru said:
It was - am now watching squaddies on the frontline.
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Yes same here.
Wow. That was both compulsive and uncomfortable viewing. I knew pretty much the history of how it started but there’s a lot of uncomfortable truths in that program.

I just hope things are allowed settle up North now and the British government have learned from mistakes of the past.
It’s a delicate balance up there and they’ve been let down so badly from all sides.
 
mancity2012_eamo said:
Yes same here.
Wow. That was both compulsive and uncomfortable viewing. I knew pretty much the history of how it started but there’s a lot of uncomfortable truths in that program.

I just hope things are allowed settle up North now and the British government have learned from mistakes of the past.
It’s a delicate balance up there and they’ve been let down so badly from all sides.
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Yes. I thought it was sad that former soldiers don't really know what effect that was positive their presence there gave - certainly they seemed to be of the opinion that the politicians let them down and allowed the conflict to continue for longer than it should have.

It looked to me in equipment and attitude that there was a sort of colonial approach to the deployment in Operation Banner and that didn't really change so inevitably soldiers that were welcomed as peace keepers at the outset soon became enemies and targets. Can't help but wonder if UN troops would have been able to defuse stuff earlier with their Blue Helmets?

The overwhelming take away from the soldiers stories was one of sadness at lives lost and destroyed for no gain felt by the said soldiers.
 
bluethrunthru said:
an upturn in dissident Republican violence.....hmmm.... I wonder why? What could make them think that their goal of a united Ireland is back on the agenda?
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I’d be equally afraid of Unionist violence if they see themselves as sold out, depending on what Boris’s next step is.
He’d sell out his own granny for his own aims. DUP shouldn’t be under any illusion.
 
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