53 Comments

• seanomelb | Mar 11, 2013, 05:55 PM EDT

  You got it wrong again RobinForester I am Dublin born and 100% Irish bred. BTW I live in Australia. AS usual your objectivity is suspect. I never posted about WASPS in the Carolinas(you're loosing your grip on reality) and you are an English conservative. So you see Robin I have a heartfelt respect my country Ireland and you are still a POM.

• RobinForester | Mar 11, 2013, 05:16 AM EDT

  Seanomelb, do you want me to re-post your comments about how WASPS were great in North Carolina, but the Irish/Americans with their petty prejudices and hates were not, And for the record eveyone of my posts indicate love and concern for Ireland, you're an American, whilst I'm an English/Irish father Conservative Brit, and at a guess I have visited Ireland more times than you.

• seanomelb | Mar 10, 2013, 06:57 PM EDT

  Maybe Robin Foster should worry more about Brittain been in recession and the devaluation of the pound and not worry some much about a country he has no interest in other than to demean it.

• RobinForester | Mar 10, 2013, 12:44 AM EST

  @Ireland North: The Common Market is collapsing with debt, the membership countries frauds (and staff fiddles) are one reason, but the main reason is the EEC and Asian poor and mostly unemployed have been housed, fed and catered for out of all proportion to their value or non-existent skills. In 1961, Britain had it's own Common Market, England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales. Recently you have been arguing Ireland should ‘go it alone’ and remain aloof from the UK / England, since you’re aware that Ireland is bankrupt and friendless in the EEC, then may I ask you: "What do you recommend Ireland should do, to recover it’s prosperity and to safeguard, maintain and improve it’s citizens lives for the next 25 years"? Are you suggesting they should cultivate the Russians, Chinese or North Koreans as trading partners, and ignore the economic giant sitting on their doorstep?

• RobinForester | Mar 10, 2013, 12:33 AM EST

  @Ireland North: The Common Market is collapsing with debt, the membership countries frauds (and staff fiddles) are one reason, but the main reason is the EEC and Asian poor and mostly unemployed have been housed, fed and catered for out of all proportion to their value or non-existent skills. In 1961, Britain had it's own Common Market, England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales. Recently you have been arguing Ireland should ‘go it alone’ and remain aloof from the UK / England, since you’re aware that Ireland is bankrupt and friendless in the EEC, then may I ask you: "What do you recommend Ireland should do, to recover it’s prosperity and to safeguard, maintain and improve it’s citizens lives for the next 25 years"? Are you suggesting they should cultivate the Russians, Chinese or North Koreans as trading partners, and ignore the economic giant sitting on their doorstep?

• STEVENSTAR | Mar 09, 2013, 04:56 PM EST

  @IRELAND NORTH YOU SAY THAT BUT I KNOW YOUR AMERICAN...I DONT KNOW WHAT YOUR TROUBLE WITH THE BRITS IS.. BUT BLOODY HELL YOU'D WANT TO MOVE ON WITH IT.. IT'S 2013 WE'RE NOT BACK IN THE FAMINE YEARS .... IF I WAS YOU ID FOCUS ALL THIS ANGER AND ENERGY ABOUT IRELAND BEEN INDEPENDENT ECT AT THE BOYS OVER IN BRUSSELS AND THE EU WHO NOW RUN IRELAND AND DICTATE OUR BUDGETS TO IMMIGRATION TO EVERYTHING YOU DO IN YOUR DAILY LIFE INCLUDING HOW FAST YOU CAN DRIVE YOUR CAR DOWN THE MOTORWAY...AND AT THE END OF THE YEAR WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER MILLION OR SO ROMANIANS & BULGARIANS BEEN ALLOWED TO COME OVER ALONG WITH THE POLISH CHEZCS IN AND CLAIM 188EURO A WEEK DOLE FREE HOUSING FREE MEDICAL AND FREE CHILD BENEFITS.. ALL PAID FOR BY MY TAXES !!! WHY DONT YOU FOCUS YOUR ENERGY AT THAT ? IF YOUR SO PROUD TO BE AN INDEPENDENT IRISHMAN.. BESIDES TAKING THE CHEAP OF MAKING SMARMY REMARKS AT THE BRITS WHO ARE THE EASIER TARGET ...? OR MAYBE YOU DONT LIVE IN IRELAND AND DONT KNOW WHATS REALLY GOING ON HERE .. :)

• RobinForester | Mar 09, 2013, 03:06 PM EST

  Seamus60, You now have you the housing facts for N.I 1971 known to me, they indicated in 1971 N.I Catholics got more houses percentage wise than Protestants. So there was no discrimination whatsoever. A joke being passed around over here about: "How do you tell an IRA man from a Provo, answer: One's got shoes, and the other hasn't".

• IrelandNorth | Mar 09, 2013, 02:57 PM EST

  RobinForester! If nationality is determined by linguistics then you may have a point. Ách cén fáth, núair a bhí tú ag tíomáint tríd an Bhréatan Mór, ní raibh síad ábalta dó Pás Éireannach a leamh nuar a bhí sé as Gaelige? StevenStar! Son, I'm as Irish as they come. I agree with you to a point re Common Travel Area pre EU integration/subsumption, though not with your reasons for its existence. More independence denying than neighbourly facilitation, I fear.

• RobinForester | Mar 09, 2013, 07:09 AM EST

  Steven: US airports are the best part of the trip, I enjoy meeting the Fingerprint Man, you see both he and I know it's a joke, and before you step up to the counter 'You've already been assessed by him and passed the 'acceptance test'. Lets be fair he's on the lookout for Ali-bomb-Sally, and 'whatever he does, asks, wants I will cheerfully comply with, But that does not mean you can't tease him 'When he says the background checks are clear, why not give him a disbelieving stare and say "Are you sure?", "Are you sure your machines working?" "Have my convictions not shown up on it?" Don't you know if the ARRIVALS LOG says Brit, or IRISH FOREIGNER (I have to say this to keep Ireland North happy) the FingerPrint man knows he's going to have a pleasant and one hope laugh-a-minute 45 minutes, Just imagine your own thoughts whem Mombassa-Ben-Ali arrives, or Mrs Scowlie-Howlie from Massalla, it's fun and they deserve our thanks.

• RobinForester | Mar 09, 2013, 01:02 AM EST

  Steven: I spent 3 years in the US, when we moved in 3 people came with pies, turns out all 3 wanted us to join there church and donate 10% of earnings to further the Lords Work? I went job hunting in Bellevue, Seattle 1979 (sales) got an interview with a firm called MICROSOFT, I did not want to sell MICROSOFTS, as I knew nothing about toys. On a job I gets called in to see the big boss, he wants us to go out "to do some bonding together", I agree, so he takes me to a 'wife swapping party. I leave in disgust. We break down one night in the car; young couple gave us a tow home. We offer to take them out for a reward meal, in the gents toilet he tells me 'my wife really likes you and wonders would you like to come back to our place for a swap? I whisper to my wife what he'd said, she makes a “we must go excuse and we leave" I book an order from the City Council, the Manager, wants a Freebie set of the same goods for himself delivered to his home, I say it will be fine providing I can have a letter signed by the city-fathers authorising it, he laughs, gives me the order, and send me tickets to Council functions, and wants me to run for Office as a Councillor. Our two sons go missing, my wife gets a call from the Police, and they had been found up in the hills searching for gold and had been brought home for safety. Thank you Bellevue Police. They had seen a show on TV showing an old prospector finding gold in the streams. God Bless My America.

• STEVENSTAR | Mar 08, 2013, 06:19 PM EST

  @@@RobinForester | Mar 08, 2013, 05:50 PM EST >>>>>>>YOU ONLY HAVE TO LOOK AT MOST OF THE POSTS ON HERE FROM IRELAND NORTH AND YOU'LL SOON REALISE HIS AMERICAN NOT IRISH. HE MAKES SILLY STATEMENTS ALL THE TIME .. SAYING THAT WHEN WE IRISH TRAVEL TO THE UK WE ARE TREATED AS BRITISH CITIZENS .. THE REASON IS BECAUSE IRELAND AND THE UK HAVE THE TRAVEL COMMON AREA..ITS BEEN THERE LONG BEFORE THE EU ..... AND LET ME JUST SAY AS AN IRISH CITIZEN IM HAPPY TO HAVE THAT EVERY TIME I GOTO THE UK WHICH IS QUIET OFTEN...& NOT HAVE TO GO THROUGH PASSPORT CONTROL LIKE THE REST OF THE EU COUNTRIES.... BUT CAN I ALSO SAY ... AS AN IRISMAN EACH TIME I TRAVEL TO AMERICA ON A 2 WEEK HOLIDAY WITH A RETURN TICKET .. IM INTERROGATED, FINGER PRINTED, QUESTIONED, PHOTOGRAPHS OF MY EYE TAKEN AND LOOKED UP AND DOWN ETC ETC AND MADE TO FEEL LIKE SOME SECOND RATE CRIMINAL WHO IS TRYING TO SNEAK MY WAY INTO AMERICA.I FIND THAT REALLY TWO FACED.. ONE HAND THEY LOVVE US AND ON THE OTHER HAND COULDNT GIVE TWO F**KS ABOUT US..I FIND AMERICANS SOME OF THE MOST DELUDED PEOPLE ON THE PLANET SOME OF THEM ON HERE WHO HAVE NEVER EVEN BEEN TO IRELAND AND WERE BORN IN AMERICA ACTUALLY BELIEVE WITH ALL THEIR HEARTS THEIR IRISH PEOPLE.. I FIND THAT SCARY. HAHA!! VERY SCARY !!! SO IF YOU JUST TAKE THAT ONBOARD THEN YOU'LL REALISE THE MIND SETS OF SOME OF THE PEOPLE ON HERE.. THEY ARE OBSESSIVE AND FANATICAL ABOUT IRISH ANCESTARY AND THEY SCARE ME.. TO ME ITS JUST NOT NORMAL...BECAUSE IRISH AND AMERICAN CULTURES AND PEOPLE ARE POLES APART EXCEPT THEY JUST DONT GET THAT!!! ;)

• RobinForester | Mar 08, 2013, 06:01 PM EST

  ancavker: No, the English had visionaries, and they also had Pirates, and if you cross an Visionary with a Pirate you end up with an American, an Australian, a Canadian, a South African, and an Irishman, and their off-spring dig gold mines, toil in fields, climb mountains, build churches and court houses, lay roads, railway lines and sail rickety old ships around the world, when asked why they answer 'because it was there'.

• RobinForester | Mar 08, 2013, 05:50 PM EST

  Ireland North makes the point that when Irish citizens travel through GB, the British you meet insist on treating you has British whether you like it or not. I’m sorry about this and will do my hardest to change. Can anyone lend me am Irish phrase book so I can practice and improve my Irish welcome - language skills. est-ce que vous savez aller à la gare? / Wo ist der Bahnhof' / .gdzie jest stacjada / che parte è la stazionehvilken / vei er stasjonen / Or would you he prefer: Which way is the station. Answer: That way, go 200 yards turn left and your there?

• seanomelb | Mar 08, 2013, 05:30 PM EST

  Travelling through Dover(1966) one sign stated British passport holders andf the othe stated all other passport holders.The ignorant customs official refused to let us through and told us to go back on the British subjects line. Maybe Robin Foster was the british official,at the very least they were cut from the same cloth.

• IrelandNorth | Mar 08, 2013, 02:49 PM EST

  The English deny that Ireland is another country whilst acknowledging that the past is (A J Ayer). Transit through GB as an Irish citizen and they insist on treating you as British whether you like it or not. This is not historical illiteracy. It's political denial. John Bull just can't let go of Caitlín Ní Houlihán. His first and last possession!

• ancavker | Mar 08, 2013, 02:03 PM EST

  Robin: Actually Robin the Irish did believe in Home Rule, the little sctraps it would offer them. But England of course kept finding excuses to delay its implementation. And some Irish mocked an Irish rebellion, simply because they assumed it would fail like all the rest. Yet 1916 changed that. ANd in 1918 the Irish voted for indpenedence, and the IRA defended that vote, and shoed the Irish people we could win. As far as the U.S. we had our revolution because we had visionaries, and the rest is history. Many liberation and freedom movments start with just a few. It appears some E English just can't understand that. While you wish to opine on Irish and American history, you might want to do some of that for English history. Talk about a romanticizied history!

• RobinForester | Mar 08, 2013, 01:05 PM EST

  the next election. A Sassenach Scot. Seamus60, I really don't know what to do about you, I gave you the housing facts for 1971 known to me, they clearly indicated N.I Catholics got more houses percentage wise than Protestants, so what else can I do. Will you do me a big favour, will you read this bit of news I read today about travelling ages ago to the USA by ship, these people were not Irish but Germans immigrants, I was completely unaware ships captains would offer people free passage to the States providing you agreed to be sold on the dockside as a white-slave-laborers. Please read it a few times in order to absorb the message, the Brits were goody-goody two shoes in those days. I was going to take you for a night out at the dogs but because of 'all your lip' won't bother, so will be sending you a free ticket to America and will sell you on the dockside instead. Best regards. RF. See Passage to America. eyewitnesstohistory.com/passage.

• seamus60 | Mar 08, 2013, 07:57 AM EST

  Robin . The Northern Ireland Housing executive were set up by the British Gov to ensure housing by need rather than creed. Mc Guiness and Adams welcomed their presence since their their formation until very recently, when they spilled the beans on Gerrymandering being once again used at a terrible cost to the most needy Catholic families in North Belfast ( GIRWOOD) SF have also recently found fault with other groups put in place to ensure a fairer playing field such as the Fair Employment agency. Mc Guinness now wants to know where such groups get their MANDATE. All because they are doing what they were set up to do and always had the support of SF. That all changed however when Martin and others turned from poacher to gamekeeper.

• seamus60 | Mar 08, 2013, 07:07 AM EST

  Robin. Seize power by underhand tactics ? Find any of those world threatening materials in Iraq yet ? Yet your people who loss their sons and daughters in that conflict allow an instigator to make millions from it. Can`t see Blairs son being on any front line.

• seamus60 | Mar 08, 2013, 07:01 AM EST

  Rubin. please stop with your attempt at reinactment of MY history and that of most Nationalists in the North. Derry Corporation was not a small local authority west of the Bann. Play silly at discounting FACTS like Protestants who by their religion alone were much more likely to be in employment, able to buy homes, even have a vote etc etc. Next you`ll be educating us that the Civil rights movement was a load of old toss with no ledgitimate grievances. You remain in denial your precious Gov and security forces have gone totally overboard when dealing with Nationalists and as a consequence boosted recruitment numbers to the Freedom Fighters of Ireland. Sammy Devenny was an innocent man sitting at home with his young family when B Specials broke down his door and beat him to a pulp. His crime ? he was a Catholic.

• RobinForester | Mar 08, 2013, 01:25 AM EST

  Ref Seamus unchallegend claim about Housing Discrimination: Seamus60: Housing problems in Northern Ireland are greatly exaggerated. The accusations largely concerned a number of small local authority districts west of the Bann, especially Dungannon and in Fermanagh. The picture painted was widely believed. It is, however, untrue, as can be clearly seen in the 1971 census. In that year there were 148,000 local authority dwellings in Northern Ireland, of which between 45,000 and 55,000 were occupied by Catholic families. So the idea that there were few houses for Catholics is completely wrong. In fact, Catholics had a disproportionately large share of local authority housing. Catholics comprised 26.1% of households, but occupied 30.7% of local authority households. To put the figures another way, 4 out of every 10 Catholic families were in local authority houses compared with just over 3 out of every 10 Protestants. A major survey was undertaken in 1968 by an American professor based in Glasgow, Richard Rose. This was published in his book Governing Without Consensus. This survey also disproved the claims made about Unionist discrimination; there was none thanks to the honesty of local authority housing managers and officials.

• RobinForester | Mar 08, 2013, 12:55 AM EST

  Steven, 100% Accurate. In England people who matter are highly law abiding and even though they are mostly atheists they faithfully observe these rules: 'Obey the law and the Golden Rule of do unto others as you would expect etc.' They are like Ireland highly discriminating when it comes to voting and the Election of a new Government. Those running for Public Office must fit the honest person stereotype, which means we would never elect as PM a former Army Corporal to run the Country, or listen to anyone who claims to be a Nationalist or utters racist views, or who tries to seize power by underhand policies and tactics. As it happens I like Mrs A Merkel, the German Chancellor, and suspect she's too smart to ever reveal that taking over East Germany ruined the prosperous West Germany, she also knows the EEC is ready to collapse. In European terms Ireland is like Iceland an outsider with few friends. The problem that concerns me is the USA is sliding downhill from the most admired nation, to the least admired and this needs to be halted?

• seanomelb | Mar 08, 2013, 12:28 AM EST

  "the Irish were totally uninterested in home rule" The Irish nationalist party (sitting in Westminister)fought for "HOME RULE BILL" Which was past twice by the house of commons only to be parogued in the lords. If the lords had any foresight they would have passed the bill and the war of independence would most probably not have happened. RobinForester!! your lack of knowledge of Irish politics is shining through the uneducated mumblings you post on this site.

• STEVENSTAR | Mar 07, 2013, 06:31 PM EST

  Thats all we need now on top of everything else these idiots going around planting bombs !!!We're now in the year March 2013... Ireland is in an even Bigger mess it was 12months ago. More Taxes, Higher unemployment, more job losses & more people moving abroad, Property taxes, Water taxes. Why blame the Irish goverment? They dont run Ireland its Europe/ Brussels dictate everything now the Irish goverment are mere Puppets for Angela!! We owe the Germans Billions!!! There seems to be a real sinister anti British element on here cominng mainly From Americans & the few Irish republicans who are left. I for one like alot of more evolved Irish citizens who live in Ireland ...Believe we would be far better off Linked upto the UK and sterling and get our £Punt back...and to HELL WITH EUROPE.. The days of Maureen O Hara, The Quiet Man and all these hollywood images of Ireland are gone. Americans need to move on and if i had my way so would Europe the Euro and Angela Merkel (the new Hitler)Be gone!!!! and southern Ireland would be linked up with the Uk more as a trading partner etc etc Southern Ireland be linked to The Uk Scotland and Wales... Im comfortable in my irishness to not feel threatened by that like alot of old school people on here..!!! So when i read stories like this all these people do is cause trouble and make this couuntry a worses off place to live...

• RobinForester | Mar 07, 2013, 03:58 PM EST

  Seamus: All we can do is look back. People for obvious reasons including lack of education, lack of reading skills, or maybe because their evil and malicious take sides and adopt viewpoints which others view as wicked, indefensible or corrupt. The decision they take-they are answerable for. You cannot say 'Because of Bloody Sunday I did this', "I would say to that you didn't". I saw a poster recently from some early Clare Group, they threatened death, destriction and reprisals to all Irish people who did not share their views and informed on them. This is wrong and it's also highly illegal, So what do you believe in and how will Ireland benefit. Regards,

• IrelandNorth | Mar 07, 2013, 02:39 PM EST

  A recurring feature of Anglo-Irish relations down through the centuries has been long periods of playing the representative democracy game, and physical force/political violence out of sheer exasperation at being strung along. Imperialism and democracy are mutually incompatible, which makes a constitutional monarchy as oxymoronic as a partitioned island nation.

• seamus60 | Mar 07, 2013, 01:48 PM EST

  Robin. How come by your own admission of what the Brits done to the brave Patriots of sixteen they continued to duplicate the same mistakes. What has your rant about defencelessness got to do with my previous concerns for the same ? Loud mouth living in Armagh , what has Willie got to do with it ?

• seamus60 | Mar 07, 2013, 01:33 PM EST

  Robin. Trashing three houses is a very long way off not being able to get even the first or a basic vote because of your religion. AS for the shame not knowing the length of the Brandywell track, why would I, not being a gambler who joined my comrades out of a sense of duty after witnessing Bloody Sunday. Yeah the Bloody Sunday where ye reckon the victims should have known better than to ask for an end to internment that had their kin incarcerated without reason, other than to put further pressure on Nationalists in an attempt to yet again make the croppy boy lay down.

• RobinForester | Mar 07, 2013, 01:16 PM EST

  ancavker: Again you're right, I read age agothat the Irish were totally uninterested in Home Rule, or the IRA, and looked upon it with a certain humour and mockery.The Easter Rebellion was nothing more than a good news story, and had no support, until the English highly alarmed at the attempt to overthrow their nominal rule made the grave mistake of sending these men to trial (I would have said give them a good, stern lecture and 6 months in jail then send them home) instead you know what happened. One poor man was wounded badly, so they tied him to a chair because he was unable to stand and shot him. It was this mans death which revolted the whole of Ireland, both man, woman and child. And from then on it 'was Brits out'. As for the American Revolution, it would have happened eventually, if not then, then someday. I understand Scotland Yard still got three of the US Revolutionary leaders still listed as renegades, traitors, villains and turncoats, and these three will always appear on our 10 Most Wanted List. I've noticed when Bush, Reagan and Obama pass the Tower of London they always ask the driver to get a move on, to hurry up. Just fancy anyone stealing OUR USA from us.

• ancavker | Mar 07, 2013, 12:20 PM EST

  Robin: I am sure the leaders of 1916 assumed they would not win. There point was to assert in arms their right to freedom. Not the silly Home Rule talk shop and even that was denied to them over and over. They hoped and they were right that their sacrifice would encourage the Irish to get up off their knees (psychologically) and take their freedom. Their sacrifice was confirmed with the 1918 general election. A democractic mandate by the Irish people for freedom and independence. At that point England should have sat down and worked out a settlement. Of course they refused and the rest is history. Oh and by the way the American revolution was only supported by a minority of the Americans, and there too the rest is history.

• Smyrnian | Mar 07, 2013, 10:23 AM EST

  Ambition is very real and so is laziness and the desire on the part of many to leech off the hard work of others. Your 'philosophy' is way off the real world. Look around you! You want guaranteed equal results for all people irrespective of effort, ability or ambition?????

• 6countybrit | Mar 07, 2013, 09:15 AM EST

  22 SAS. End of.

• RobinForester | Mar 07, 2013, 04:48 AM EST

  Seamus, does SF Mean Sinn Fein? When are you ever going to look around you and work out why one mans rich, another poor, what we call loosely ambition is no such thing, it's a cross-section-display of education, breeding, background and respect and the ability to second guess the outcome good, bad or penalty. And in the real world we Do Not Pay £50-00 and come out of jail, we stay there. When you joined the Provos did you not think 'this could get me killed, jailed, give me a criminal record, and cause worry to all my family and children. I learnt friends are 'users', I imagine you know full well what I mean, and either you and dozens of others wish they'd been postmen, barmen, bosses, or owned a 80 acre farm, or 8000 acre farm. Your choice, and Derry is a 500 yard track, and if you don't know that you should be ashamed off yourself.

• RobinForester | Mar 07, 2013, 01:03 AM EST

  Seamus: When you write I get the impression you've been badly injured, Are you disabled?. And why do you always go for the cry-baby stuff', meaning the helpless, alleged defenceless person, the helpless tenant whose got rent arrears and why are the Police and State Officials always portrayed as bullies. If you and I were housing officers wouldn't we be tempted to say to some applicants: "Gorn, f-off, were not re-housing you, you've trashed 3 houses, your children run riot, your disliked by your neighbours, you've got 21 convictions, and you never stop bingeing and whingeing - not only that you boozed you're rent allowance and thats why you have arrears, so pixss-off and don't come back". Surely this must happen over and over again and you think they need help? they don't.

• RobinForester | Mar 07, 2013, 12:46 AM EST

  Seamus, there's no such thing as a defenceless, loud mouth living in Armagh, all he need do is run to a Solicitor for aid. And read this on another so called defenceless person> The case of William Joyce must be one of the most famous treason trials in British legal history. Joyce did not deny that he committed the acts alleged, he denied that he had a duty of allegiance. In 1922 the Joyce family moved to England. The period 1933-37 was a hectic time in Joyce's life. During 1933 – 37 he was a member of Oswald Mosley's British Union of Fascist's (BUF) movement. In August 1939, just before the outbreak of war, Joyce renewed his British Passport for another year. On 1 September 1939, two days before war was declared, Special Branch detectives went to arrest Joyce at his Earl's Court home. However, they found that William Joyce and his wife had left for Germany on 26 August. William Joyce made several radio broadcasts in English. Because William Joyce held a British Passport he had a duty of allegiance to the British crown. By broadcasting for the Germans, Joyce broke that allegiance and consequently committed high treason. The trial lasted three days. As High Treason carried a mandatory capital sentence, the judge sentenced William Joyce to death by hanging. He was hung.

• aloistmartin | Mar 06, 2013, 09:30 PM EST

  Let Freedom Ring !

• anglo-norman | Mar 06, 2013, 07:29 PM EST

  RobinForrester-RESPECT.

• seamus60 | Mar 06, 2013, 06:46 PM EST

  Robin. Lucky ye weren`t around in 68/9 when defencless Catholics were being beaten into the ground for just asking housing ( not even better ). just imagine the slaughter had they have had the down right cheek to ask for all the components of your wishlist. We`d still be sweeping the blood up. Get real.

• seamus60 | Mar 06, 2013, 06:38 PM EST

  Robin. Tactical error ? No nation in the world could take on the Brits ?. Obviously wrong on both, otherwise we`ve been fighting all along to remove a border that was`nt even there. You would have preferred us stupid paddys had just lazed round with our hands in our pockets waiting for the next famine. Anyway why go through all that when all our dishonorable leadership had to do was let the bully Brits do their usual like Bloody Sunday to ensure there would be no shortage of recruits.Some who would even refuse the criminalisation for their politics to the extent of Fasting to death. If only the stupid brits had relized just how many mourners would turn up and every one a potential vote. It must have made you sick that ordinary Paddy was`nt ever going to lay down. Lucky ye were always good at the smoke and mirror exercises and rich enough to buy the right people into collusion that would end in surrender.

• RobinForester | Mar 06, 2013, 05:56 PM EST

  Seamus: You’re old enough and wise enough to know that what they did in 1916 was a tactical error. No nation in the world could take on the Brits, a big mistake. Lets say I was in charge in 1914, first I'd rent Election Offices, give myself a good strong name party like “The Irish Democrat Party”, and I'd let it be known we seek better housing, more schools, fully equipped hospitals, loans to purchase farm equipment with easy credit terms. I would ask for a guaranteed quota for Irish Students to enrol `and attend Oxford, Cambridge and The Edinburgh Royal Infirmary Doctors Training Centre. We, the party would sponsor cattle shows, sheep show’s, chicken shows and even flower shows, THEN when our strength was 500 000 registered voter/members we would increase our demands, and, I'm certain you can guess where I'm heading and that would be the overall control of Ireland without any interference from others, I guarantee within 20 years the takeover would have happened with not one shot fired, not one Police Officer hurt or assaulted, and everyone happy.

• seanomelb | Mar 06, 2013, 05:40 PM EST

  1918 elections fixed the proclamation problem. I suppose you believe the American declaration of independence was illegal because the people did not vote for it until after the revolution. AS usual your full of sh#t.

• seamus60 | Mar 06, 2013, 05:39 PM EST

  IrelandNorth. These lads are being led like lambs to the slaughter because of all the Provo moles within their ranks. You are spot on about how such interceptions are being geographicly conducted in order to cause maximum disruption to the local population. Not wasted on the same population is the obvious fact that what used to take a few hours to clear now takes days and spans a much wider area. Adams and Mc Guinness have gave the false impression on many ocassions that they were more than prepared to talk to Republicans with unresolved issues. Total bull, they were`nt even prepared to take part in meetings designed to put myths relating to such issues as the Hungerstrike to bed. We now know why.

• merefalow | Mar 06, 2013, 05:39 PM EST

  yeh,ask them nicely and politely and they will go away apologising for a 1000 years of invasion, theivery, and political murder, and planting and genocide .and deportation etc etc etc etc etc.fo.

• seamus60 | Mar 06, 2013, 05:25 PM EST

  Robin. The useless document as you call it, is what has kept Irish Republicanism alive to the present day from a millitary and other perspectives. During the troubles it was the document used by those now enforcing British rule on the people of the six counties to excuse away all sorts of methods to rid Ireland of the occupier. They even adorn the same document on their office walls in Stormont, no doubt next to their other treasures such as a picture of the infamous handshake. They are the ones who have dissented from the relevant points of the document. For me and other Republicans to call the volunteers of today criminals we had better be prepared to call people like brave Bobby Sands the same. It ain`t gonna happen. As for the brave men of sixteen I believe they took the right action, otherwise we would all still be kissing the Brit Queens ass after a poo. As fed up stating, I am against millitary action as a means to free Ireland at this time however as some one who adheres to the document and its contents as a past combatant can not condemn anyone who decides to take up arms against an occupying force. Had the people of Ireland been asked to vote on the same, things might be differant, but we were`nt.

• IrelandNorth | Mar 06, 2013, 02:52 PM EST

  I hardly think an attempted mortar attack would be intended to do anything else. Perhaps they were trying to knock the UK out of the City of Culture motif? It mightn't be a bad idead for someone to try talking to them. Also, to what extent is evacuation of residents for genuine safety, or to purposely discomode people so as to depopularise any support? We don't need another Nanny state. We capable of changing our own nappies/diapers, thanks!

• RobinForester | Mar 06, 2013, 10:48 AM EST

  Seamus, what is a SF troll, what does SF mean? I honestly don't know, and for what it's worth I have kept greyhounds for over 30 years and still get the urge to buy another. Every good dog man can tell you all about Irish dogs, tracks, times and distances. Look up The Grand Champion, Ballybeg Prim, Pigalle Wonder, I was around then. I also used to keep a good racing pigeon. And did you know we have hundreds of top Irish pigeon men?

• RobinForester | Mar 06, 2013, 10:34 AM EST

  Seamus, I take it you mean the IRA Easter Uprising Proclamation. May I be honest and explain to you that it is a completely worthless document. It's an illegal declaration because the writers do not speak for the People of Ireland or reprsent them, nor have a written mandate to do so or any legal standing/ proof or authority. The correct course of action was to form an Home Rule Party, to win votes, to speak to the people and EXHIBIT A CODE OF GOOD BEHAVIOUR, then 5 years later at the right moment to ask for a Public Vote of Confidence, which if given entitled them to press Britain for Home Rule legitimately, or at the very worst to seek and obtain favourable concessions. The 1916 IRA leadership jumped the gun, they struck too soon and never prepared the ground for a gradual handover of power on friendly and peaceful terms. Lets say in Ireland 5 parties emerged all wanting to govern it, then the IRA may have only had 8% of the vote. This is the Democratic way, I agree it's slow, sure, certain, and forbids the use of bombs or street warfare, and these illegal acts told the People of Ireland that the IRA were unfit to govern. Period. You cannot be bully boys or engage in knee-capping and expect to win Mr Mrs Joe McMurphys vote. The people of Ireland are law abiding and ignoring this was a fundamental mistake.

• seamus60 | Mar 06, 2013, 08:47 AM EST

  Robin. you had such a good look, you know more than I do about the local dog racetrack. Had you read the Proclamation instead you may have answered my last question. Me beginning to think you are a SF troll.

• RobinForester | Mar 06, 2013, 04:09 AM EST

  Seamus, did you know any of these characters? And what are your view on bombing the local Police Station, or the hurling of stones and 1 petrol bomb at the arresting officers. Another OP said Ireland had home rule for years, and it's simply got worse with no obvious improvements, I trust you and your's are well, Londonderry does look a nice place, I had a look at it on You Tube. RF

• clevelander | Mar 05, 2013, 04:32 PM EST

  They have not gone away you know. They will never will go away.

• seamus60 | Mar 05, 2013, 03:14 PM EST

  Robin. Read the Proclamation.

• RobinForester | Mar 05, 2013, 02:43 PM EST

  I wish the Press and Police would not give these terrorists the cover-all-sins name of dissisdents. It makes them appear to be local worthies, people to be admired and respected. There not, they are terrorists and need to be shunned and totally outlawed. Making and handling explosives is dangerous, it's highly illegal and could I suggest a prison sentence of 14 years each is required. The same for any loyalist who dares to do the same thing -Prison for all of them-. They have no right to attack the Police, or to bring N.I into disrespute.

• pilib04 | Mar 05, 2013, 01:02 PM EST

  Not a word about the priest who foiled the bombing attempt on St. Marys Church in Newtownabbey last Saturday night. The Priest believed the bomb to be the work of Loyalist flag-rioters. But of course, no mention in world media. Belfast Telegraph had the story.