45 Comments

• seamus60 | Oct 31, 2012, 08:23 AM EDT

  Seano. Its difficult to get confused when in an earlier post you stated that Gerry Adams would sully his name by admitting to being a soldier in the PIRA. You degenerate a lot of good peoples name with that statement. You then go on to acuse me of not dealing with the present, I then point out that the issues i have highlighted are the present and will have considerable bearing on the way forward. you also accuse me of having no vision. Lets deal with the present, with your good self joining an ever growing number of people condemning the party you put your faith in ,for their participation in doing to Nationalists what we thought only the Brits and or Unionist politicians would do. If any thing was wrong then its wrong now regardless of who dish`s it out under any disguise like it being imposed on them by the big bad Brit Gov.

• seamus60 | Oct 31, 2012, 08:07 AM EDT

  Mairead. As a marcher on Bloody Sunday I walked behind no specific banner of which there were many. Just as any time I Marched at any civil rights organised marchs for Civil rights in General. As you have explained Internment was just the latest abuse inflicted on Nationalists because of their new found stance against corupt authority. The same coruption we see again ,only with the assistance of our own. If what I have said can be constrewed as rewriting history, hardly anything to get concerned about in comparison to the likes of what we now know about the Hunger strikes etc. As for how much has changed tell that to Marian Price or the Catholic folk in North Belfast who live in housing not much better than we did in 69.

• maireadinmelb | Oct 31, 2012, 03:34 AM EDT

  seamus you do not further your argument by changing history! The march on bloody sunday was an anti internment rally. IT was not about other issues. the context of history at that time was the beginings of a human rights movement concerned iwth gerrymandering and housing. given the usual british response that ensued and the over reaction they introduced internment which led to the Bloody SUnday march. YOu cannot say that the current status of those in the occupied terrortories is the same as in '69 - there are now elections held on a one man one vote principle there may only be minimal improvement but there has been some!!

• seanomelb | Oct 30, 2012, 06:23 PM EDT

  You seem to miss the point I make Seamus. Is it a lack of understanding what I write or you are in denial?? I never condoned gerrymandering and always supported the bloody sunday march. I think you need to get over yourself.

• seamus60 | Oct 30, 2012, 09:13 AM EDT

  Thank you Niall for allowing my posts that had gone astray earlier.

• seamus60 | Oct 30, 2012, 07:57 AM EDT

  Seano. If you call my lamblasting such issues like Gerrymandering and Internment( 2 of the key issues why people marched on Bloody Sunday)as norrow minded, then I`m proud to be called it. I have stated many times that the leadership of SF is the problem and their running the party as they ran the army is no way forward for anyone. Because I havent laid out any detailed plan for the future doesn`t mean theirs is the best either. Do we need more fatcat politicians who wish to rule through deceit, we have more than enough of them. What are we to do about the above mentioned issues effecting Nationalists, resurfaced aided by our so called own side ? By not speaking out we are entering into denial of the rights sought by those who protested 40 years ago. what are we to do about this radical welfare reform that is an attack on the people the party have always depended on during war time ?. Issues happening in real time need dealt with in real time. Other wise nothing goes forward. We have conceded over 30 years and thousands of lives to discover we are back as we started.

• seanomelb | Oct 29, 2012, 09:43 PM EDT

  Seamus I agreed with you that there is an argument of Sinn Fein selling out to a form of free stateism ( to coin a word). It is you who has a closed mind and fails to deal with the present. You are consumed by your narrow view and you fail to give a case for going forward.

• seamus60 | Oct 29, 2012, 07:59 PM EDT

  Seano. If you`re not prepared to educate me on the bleeding obvious, what am I to do ? (thats another question mark). The old SF mentality is engraved in your mindset. Try going into any of their sites without paying and tell me how many bloggs you come accross where the reply section is open. They remain closed in order that people like Adams and Morrison can make grand statements without fear of contridiction. At least Niall who does not answer to posters on the dicection of his articles allows them remain open for debate.

• seanomelb | Oct 29, 2012, 05:58 PM EDT

  If "parroting" my last post is the best you can do fair enough.

• seamus60 | Oct 29, 2012, 03:18 PM EDT

  Niall will you be replying to Maloneys yesterday in Nuzhound to this one.

• seamus60 | Oct 29, 2012, 03:01 PM EDT

  PhlutiePhan. With respect, Adams a radical socialist, radical yes socialist no. His party only 2 weeks ago had the power to stop a radical welfare reform scheme from being imposed on the most vunerable people ( regardless of religion) in the North. They did`nt and now atempt to blame everyone else. Lets not forget either how they are more than happy with donations from multinationals involved in very unsavoury actions against their workers. But hardly surprising, Brendan Hughs exposed that the PRM was actually exploiting republican prisoners on their release from prison.

• seamus60 | Oct 29, 2012, 02:26 PM EDT

  Seano. You`ve already made it clear i`m too bitter for you, why would i need you as a mouthpiece when you admit to having next to, or no conscience. Same old SF rebutals have long passed their sell-out date

• PhlutiePhan | Oct 29, 2012, 11:17 AM EDT

  The evil of Gerry Adams can stand on its own. Moloney is only the one who is lifitng the mantle of deceit. The father of my grandmother killed a Black and Tan and that is why he left the old sod. Gerry Adams has morphed into a radical socialist in the image of Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez. The Brits have wanted to allow the reunification of Ireland for quite some time. However, they reject the radical socialism which would occur. As a Navy vet, I was told this on a Med cruise by two temp duty Brit officers one of whom lost two brothers in "The Troubles". This only reinforces my own beliefs of the plan of estruction of the land of St. Patrick. The snakes have returned.

• seanomelb | Oct 28, 2012, 06:19 PM EDT

  Seamus I'm not your mouthpiece and I answer according to my conscience. I'm not here to rubber stamp your bitterness.

• Realist | Oct 28, 2012, 06:04 PM EDT

  seamus60: As Brendan Hughes put it, "....it's a British solution to an Irish Republican problem". The arguments re-run on this site, week in, week out were lost years ago. To be honest, it was always going to end like this with Sinn Fein reduced to painting letter boxes green in border towns and "stalking their lost deeds" as Anthony McIntyre put it. All are now just acting out the roles carved out for them....people like Seano do not understand this, but that's as it should be. His thinking is done for him by others and he'll eat up without question whatever they set before him.

• seamus60 | Oct 28, 2012, 03:29 PM EDT

  Ferg. It appears you are not allowed to know any of the reasons.

• seamus60 | Oct 28, 2012, 03:19 PM EDT

  Seano. Bleeding obvious ? Though i don`t expect you to answer as you never do.

• seamus60 | Oct 28, 2012, 03:13 PM EDT

  Sorry folks it appears Niall is being very selective on what he`s allowing me to reply.

• seamus60 | Oct 28, 2012, 03:08 PM EDT

  Mairead. They do indeed call themselves republicans, that doesn`t mean they are. They do call people to inform to the British on any individual who decides to take up arms or assist in any way those who are still trying to remove an occupying force from Ireland by this method as per the Proclamation. Assisting an occupier in this manner is hardly the work of republicans unless they are involved in treason. I myself believe that at this time, for differant reasons there is no place for military action by any brave Irish men or woman who are particapating in their entitlement. Even so I will always believe that anyone who endangers them in their fight are enemies of Republicanism. Token jestures such as those recently by SF in regards to political prisoners are an insult to all who have fought and died for the cause.

• Fergananim | Oct 28, 2012, 01:33 AM EDT

  Moloney "only interviewed IRA figures who hated Adams for various reasons." Such as ..?

• seanomelb | Oct 27, 2012, 09:39 PM EDT

  Seamus you are a little to bitter for me and fail to see the bleeding obvious.

• maireadinmelb | Oct 27, 2012, 05:13 PM EDT

  Seamus I agree with you - but they do call themselves republicans and the MSM present them as modern republicans. Anyone else is a "terrorist" or a "dissadend" Considering that some of them and their advisers have been prisoners (includes those interned in teh legistlation who may never have been convicted) they should worry! Whilst it appears that Belfast SF etc are trying to get on with governing the community the other side continue to try to return to old issues and prejudices! Are they progressing who knows? but the definition of a republican is changing in some regards, like mysogeny here in Australia!

• seamus60 | Oct 27, 2012, 11:33 AM EDT

  Sammi. The whole exercise by the RUC is to stop many more ex combatants who may have been thinking of telling their story to such projects from doing so. They waited for these statements to be entered into the uni before going after them. Had they gone after them earlier in Belfast it would have been more a local concern with a small audiance. Retrieving the same from the USA however is international news with an international audiance, most likely consisting of many ex combatants from various conflicts, who have now got the message " whistle blowers will be persued". A concern that should be to the forefront for Niall considering his occupation. The belated brit interest to the statements in the project have also been a god send to Adams as he needs something to reignite his credentials as an Irish Republican. Nothing better than something like this to give the impression the brits will follow him to the end of the earth in order to nail him for his past. He`s been here all along with plenty of reasons to nail him, reasons that sent many around him to prison yet he remained free. A man they could do business with.

• glb1962 | Oct 27, 2012, 09:59 AM EDT

  Great job, hitting the truth so many seem to be oblivious to in this project. I'm sure Boston College has certainly learned a lesson that all in academia will profit from.

• seamus60 | Oct 27, 2012, 06:59 AM EDT

  Mairead. Republicans aren`t arguing for scraps off a british table. There are those who can`t get enough and those who will tell them where to stick them. Why would republicans argue to get exprisoners jobs in a Gov that has cemented partition and help physically enforce it. Calling Irish men and woman as traitors to the island of Ireland,because they remain faithfull to the Proclamation, shaking the Queens hand, allowing the party to vote for and inflict such measures as Gerrymander at expence to Catholics yet again or Internment hardly entitles one to retain the identity as a Republican.

• seamus60 | Oct 27, 2012, 06:42 AM EDT

  Seano. Nice one, is the fact that anyone was a soldier in the IRA a sully to their name ? It wasn`t a sully for Adams when he travelled the country in the early days giving the impression he was indeed a senior member. He was shot several times with a Magnum 44 and was walking round Donegal only days later with his arm in a sling. We have since been told the brits had supplied the weapon and had removed most of the powder from the bullets. Do you really think if the brits had wanted him dead he would have lived any longer than Jean Mc Conville ?. A stick to beat him with for his republican activities, what republican activities ? They only beat him now to exagerate his republicanism.

• maireadinmelb | Oct 27, 2012, 03:22 AM EDT

  It looks like a repetition of history! Republicans arguing amongest themselves for the scraps from a british table! They did it with "the treaty" and they will do it with the "gfa"! Stop arguing like children and focus on real issues - What about a report on the moves by the Belfast parliament (for want of a better word) who wish to ban all ex prisoners from any government position? or the Illegal continued holding of Marion Price and others?? Let them divide and conquer and they will buy another 100 years of control!

• seanomelb | Oct 27, 2012, 12:25 AM EDT

  Seamus60!! he interviewed loyalist terrorist and who knows what crap they told him. I believe Adams was on the army council with McGuinness and Daithi O'Connell why should he give the British and the west Brits in Leinster house an admission which only serves to sully his name and revisit old wounds. You should remember he was shot by pro British assassins thus rendering him a key figure in Sinn Fein. I know you feel that Adams and co have sold the family farm with another "free state" style treaty and their is justification in your argument, but let us not give the enemies of Irish nationalism a stick to beat him with for his republican activities. If he was on the army council good on him.

• dan Breen | Oct 26, 2012, 09:54 PM EDT

  Wake up Mr.President ! YOU'RE DREAMING AGAIN ! BOO-HOO, THEY ARE MAKING GERRY OUT TO BE A BAD GUY. I won't have it! Lord O"DOWD ,IF YOU HAVE ANY BALLS WHY DON'T YOU DEBATE HIM IN PUBLC ,( AN NOT BEHIND YOUR COLUMN,) so the IRISH/AMERICANS CAN SEE WHO IS Actually LYING ? Lord O'Dowd wishes he could write as good as Mr.Moloney can. I guess it was Mr.Moloney, who had Marion Price lock up,. Keep Dreaming, one day you will be president,(of what I don"t know) if your wife lets you ! Boo-hoo, No lie can live forever !MLK !

• seamus60 | Oct 26, 2012, 08:32 PM EDT

  Seano. He interviewed loyalist combatants as well. The project was by design a conduit for people to tell THEIR storys, in order that the history books would not just consist of the usual one fits all storyline preferred by those holding power at the end of any conflict.Again ,why would he interview Adams or any of his yesmen when they would be compelled to feed more crap into the mix in order to back up their leaders many denials to date. God forbid Adams ever got the truth commission he pretends he wants, when the statements of these few Republicans get so many of your knickers in a twist.Even though you know how many times he has been caught out as a liar you take sides against some one like Brendan Hughs. A brave man who unlike Adams led from the front.

• seanomelb | Oct 26, 2012, 06:58 PM EDT

  A good expose Niall. Only interview the people who'll give you the answers you want and that's how Moloney gathered his so-called truths. The political discourse damning Adams is the fear of his ability to strengthen Sinn Fein a make it a majority party. If you strip away the so-called border Sinn Fein would most probably be the biggest party in Ireland,remember 1918.

• seamus60 | Oct 26, 2012, 06:56 PM EDT

  Redbranch. We only have to look at investigative journalism in the North.Its all but gone, no place here for the truth. It won`t help the end game or any of the big players who have used and abused all around them for a living.

• RedBranch | Oct 26, 2012, 04:11 PM EDT

  Well done Seamus, good points, keep 'em coming. As an aside deep in the bowles of Conway Mill off the Falls Rd. is a museum to the 'struggle', 'war'; It is a confined space and has a somewhat claustrophobic air, but what on display is real enough including the American made (and contributed ) Armalites. In the small library / refrence section is a book 'A Secret History of the IRA' by one Ed Moloney. Glancing through it it seems to be all about Adams. His rise as a ruthless commander and his movement into politics casting all but a few others aside to seize power. Funny place to find a book like that.

• seamus60 | Oct 26, 2012, 12:47 PM EDT

  Patto69. Lots of people have it in for Adams, are they not entitled to their opinion for whatever their reasons. What we do know is that neither Adams or Morrison can deny being liars. They`ve been caught out so many times only a fool would take their word. They sought out the views of people who were`nt the fools still being controlled by Adams and the brits. You swipe at good people there with a very wide and disrespectful brush in regards to peoples medical conditions and or Habits. At least these people have done the walk whilst Adams and others were protected from all sides. Rest in peace Brendan Hughs. One of the most respected republicans ever to grace the country.

• patto69 | Oct 26, 2012, 10:43 AM EDT

  Seamus60, the only people who were naive were the poor sods who bought into the false promises of legal cover by Moloney and his paid poodle Mc Intyre. The e-mail communication clearly states that Moloney has it in for Adams and has done from the word go. Moloney and Mc Intyre have made their feelings on the process clear from the offset, so let's not have any malarkey over an alleged bona fide historical project or unbiased journalism. They sought out the views of people who were vehemently anti Adams, some of them drink and drug addled. Then tried to hold their testimony up as an educational project. The only surprise is the amount of un-educated fools who believed them.

• sammi | Oct 26, 2012, 10:03 AM EDT

  I may be stupid or possibly I am missing something but if Moloney and company are motivated by an anti-Adams sentiment and the Boston College interviews are full of material damaging to Adams, then why are they fighting so hard to prevent the PSNI getting its hands on them? And if the material is damaging also to the peace process and he is against the peace process then isn't that another reason not to stop the handover. Shouldn't he be actually wanting the PSNI to get the material? It seems to me there is a logical flaw in your argument. If you're right then resisting the PSNI all the way up to the Supreme Court shouldn't be happening.

• seamus60 | Oct 26, 2012, 07:59 AM EDT

  oatto69. Stop being so naieve. Anti peace process propaganda. LOL. The old peace process destabaliser has long since been flogged to death. But in honesty its the only thing that Adams or Mc Guinness can muster up as a reason for keeping them around the place. They are surplus to requirements since Martin cemented the process as tight as the arms in the ground, when he shaked his Queens hand. Lets all have the history as Adams wants it to potray him.lol. God forbid anyone with another opinion gets a look in. Niall has let his journalism down and abandoned all perspective of balance. Adams has had plenty of bonus`s over the years if you want to really go there.

• patto69 | Oct 26, 2012, 05:50 AM EDT

  Very good column from Niall and he rightly points out that the whole point of the so called 'project' was to accumulate a nest egg of anti Peace Process propaganda that would be leaked out for years to come. The accompanying books and the profits from same were to be a handy bonus.

• Seanmor | Oct 26, 2012, 12:27 AM EDT

  I wonder what position the Dáil crowd hold on this issue.

• seamus60 | Oct 25, 2012, 06:43 PM EDT

  Redbranch. But Gerrys great friends with Peter King and we all know what his main interests are these days. Not a lot to do with civil liberties or peoples rights.

• seamus60 | Oct 25, 2012, 06:36 PM EDT

  Am I off your xmas list Niall. not allowing me to post anymore

• seamus60 | Oct 25, 2012, 06:33 PM EDT

  Western. Nialls behaving like certain Belfast journalists who in their day could only earn money by attacking Adams. Rowan a great example who recently admitted he was locked out of the SF loop before and doesn`t want to be again. He`s now like Adams and Mc Guinness`s personal journalist. Niall why not have people who have or had a disliking for Adams or anyone else tell their story. Just look at the Hungerstrike where Adams and Morrisson changed their story so many times ,they can`t remember their origionals and don`t want to talk about it. You have let your profession down by depriving it of any balance. You obviously believe it right that Adams account of the troubles is the one to be recorded for the history books, but at least allow others their past unless you can prove differant. Theres no shortage of people up for debate, only SF never turn up.

• westernbogman | Oct 25, 2012, 05:32 PM EDT

  Leave it to O'Dowd to use the forum of his paper to air a personal vendetta...and to cite Danny Morrison...can anyone, anywhere have less credibility and be more of a pathological liar than he?? How O'Dowd expects anyone to take him serious after years of trashing Gerry Adams in his paper is mind boggling...now he's got Gerry's back and takes great offense at Moloney's work at BC. As for the hiring of an 'anti-Adams' researcher...what is O'Dowd talking about?? McIntyre is a highly intellectual writer whose likes weren't found on every street corner. Although, you could have found hundreds that felt the same about Adams. For O'Dowd to make Moloney's work a "Get Adams" exercise is disingenuous at best. McGuinness didn't fair to well in the book either. In any event this article is a sucker punch thrown by a little man.

• RedBranch | Oct 25, 2012, 03:25 PM EDT

  Gerry Adams is a liar. Niall O'Dowd said as much in this column a couple of weeks back by acknowledging his IRA membership, something Gerry Adams has been at pains to continually deny. Anthony McIntyre is an IRA hero who served 19 years in jail and to see him painted as other than this does not reflect well on the author. What Irish America may want to consider is why they continue to back a figure who had been notably anti-American at times and has been President of the Sinn Fein organization since the first Regan administration.

• seamus60 | Oct 25, 2012, 10:57 AM EDT

  Yet you give your whole hearted alegiance to the bearded one who is proven as a prolific liar. To use the word of another proven liar Danny Bangers is hardly allowing your article any more credability either. Why will neither Adams or Morrison take to a platform in front of republicans and state their case on issues like the Hungerstrikes. They can`t because they have changed their stories so many times they can`t remember their origionals. Unlike Ricky O Rawe who has also been daubed a money grabber by the 2 liars mentioned above. The truth will have to be dragged screaming and kicking from a certain leadership. Thank god someone is prepared to do it.