The IRA

[pauldominic]

Yeh, got loads of respect for an organisation that bombed Warrington the day before Mothers Day and killed 2 kids, that gained my respect like the Manchester, Birmingham, London, Belfast bombings they sure knew how too gain respect, fuckers to a man / woman.

I sit on both sides of this fence being born in England with an Irish Grandmother and Catholic relatives in Leitrim and Donegal.

Essentially its an unhappy story and doesn't reflect well on either country although I would argue that the first stone was cast during the English Civil War by Cromwell.

While I respect what he achieved in terms of parliamentary democracy, he was a cultural philistine in Ireland.

My respect goes to the politicians who climbed Mount Everest on both sides to heal the relationship between two great countries.

Tony Blair, Mo Mowlam, Kiaran Fitzgerald and yes - even Martin McGuiness, Gerry Adams and Ian Paisley.

-- Thu Aug 04, 2011 2:57 pm --

I don't know it at all. Their war was agains the british government not the military in particular. So in their eyes the British mainland was a legitimate target - not civilians. However they did kill civilians and thats indefensible, inexcusable and disgusting. The British army have also killed civilians and the same applies to them.

You talk as if it is 6 of one and half a dozen of the other, when it was nothing of the kind. Although, regrettably the army sometimes overstepped the mark, killing innocent civilians was never done as a matter of policy, whereas the IRA did, as it's prime objective.
The idea, was to sicken and demoralise the British population; something that this shower of thugs, murderers and gangsters never achieved.

Just like the Black and Tans brigade didn't achieve in 1920/1

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/easterrising/aftermath/af05.shtml" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/ea ... af05.shtml</a>

Ireland was also part of Great Britain until the 20th Century and the government let the Famine happen: -

<a class="postlink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Famine_%28Ireland%29#Causes_and_contributing_factors" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Fami ... ng_factors</a><br /><br />-- Thu Aug 04, 2011 3:07 pm --<br /><br />

My uncle, was involved in the 'loyalist paramilitary' for years, he was based in the east end of glasgow and is well known for it. I've met johnny adaire, michael stone and billy wright as a youth. I was not impressed with any of of them.

Funnily enough, my wife's grandad and who lives in the village in county kerry where the ira was formed, was one of the founder members of it. I have listened to stories from both perspectives, and only came to the conclusion, that it must've been hell for all, whatever side you were on, or the innocent's caught in the middle.

Very good post Glen.

Well said.

 

[BlueHammer85]

Just read all 33 pages

My conclusion

IRA = Terrorist c*nts

Bristish Army = Bully c*nts

and my eyes hurt

 

[Cheesy]

Last year the RIRA stated that members of the Armed Forces and their families are considered legitimate targets. That's the sort of people we are dealing with.

 

[red 2 hats]

This thread shows one thing, that sympathizers of the IRA have, and will always have a hatred towards anything British, they will instill into their children what has been instilled into them, hatred and mis-trust.

 

[Anonymous]

This thread shows one thing, that sympathizers of the IRA have, and will always have a hatred towards anything British, they will instill into their children what has been instilled into them, hatred and mis-trust.

I think it more the case that hatred of one side is instilled in the other on both sides.

 

[pauldominic]

This thread shows one thing, that sympathizers of the IRA have, and will always have a hatred towards anything British, they will instill into their children what has been instilled into them, hatred and mis-trust.

Historical issues take a *very* long time to heal.

As soon as we arrived in Paisley in 1986, everyone wanted to know what denomination / church we went to and quite a few were amazed that a Catholic had married a protestant.

I understand the historical struggle but the IRA is a consequence of many policies on the British side.

 

[AlexWilliamsGloves]

I see what you are saying mate, but how can you say I'm wrong when dissidents won't accept Sinn Fein's move into politics away from armed struggle or when the Orange Order refuse to work with the Parades Commission etc, etc.

I've got immediate family in the North and they all voted for peace too. But just back from the North the weekend just past and this has not changed. Members of the District Policing Board are still being threatened. Chap arrested with a rifle in his car. Community workers property being vandalised. On the other side, pipe bomb discovered in a kids' park. Houses attacked because the occupants are not Protestant (yes I know this goes on in Catholic areas too before anyone jumps in) but the fact we talk about Catholic/Protestant areas in the first place, ghettoisation if you will, ably demonstrates my point. Both my wife and I were left in no uncertain terms we should not have been in a particular bar one night a couple of years ago and were subtly interrogated as to our business there - and this from what you would call people on "our side"!

Of course, there have been huge strides forward over the last few years and to deny that would be churlish, but to say I'm wrong when I say both sides still won't meet in the middle is a bit wide of the mark in my experience.

Yeah but Dissidents and Orangemen are dicks :-).....cue the abuse from whatever "sympathisers" there may be...but before you judge me, you dont know my back ground :-)

Anyhoo...both those groups and their various cohorts are ultimately the minority...and the way i look at it, the amount of people in favour of peace, and working towards peace has increased...this is a good thing. The obvious reaction by those opposed is to try and bounce back/react against...

We can never expect "peace" to just suddenly happen and we all get along lovely....its will take generations...however, the first biggest step has been taken, and i genuinely believe its still getting better.

The fact that people are surprised there are "uprisings" astounds me....of course these dicks will keep trying to make their presence felt...but they are losing, may not ever go away....but as long as we dont go back to how it was.

The paramilitary activity you read and hear about is just those dicks flexing their muscles in the only way they know how.

Ghettoisation (cool word) has always been here...before and as a result of the troubles. You cant expect people to just get up and move into areas they dont know. "Oh, we have peace..lets move to that other shit part of town"...thats not just a polarised issue...its geography

With regard to the bar you were in...fair play, but by the sound of it...its not a bar id like to be in anyway.

Essentially, most people have experiences of contentious issues and areas....they are still all in the minority...its not the norm.

I agree, we havent entirely "met in the middle"...we never will, thats the point of the peace process...its about learning to live with each other, not winning a particularly war or argument.Those dicks are all about winning an argument...unfiortunately for them, that argument only applies to them....the rest of us dont give a toss

 

[Anonymous]

Fair play AWG and amen to that brother!

 

[AlexWilliamsGloves]

:-)

 

[db79ctid]

Correct.
Michael stone was given a firearm and grenades to kill adams and mcginness, at a funeral in milltown by the british army.[/quote]

Even if you say it was a legitimate war them 2 cunts should face war crimes prosecution[/quote]

As should a lit of British military and politicians who helped in colusion to kill innocent Catholics. No side is blameless