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Periscope by Niall O'Dowd

In NYC Martin McGuinness talks Queen Elizabeth and peace in our time -- Sinn Fein leader recalls historic handshake and how old enemies change

Posted on Friday, July 13, 2012 at 08:11 AM
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Martin McGuinness
Peace comes dropping slow in Northern Ireland.

In New York this week, Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness recalled how just very recently hardline unionist Willie McCrea finally greeted him with a “hello” and recognized his existence—after 30 years or so of sharing the political space, first as enemies, now as government partners.

"That shows how the peace process has advanced nowadays," McGuinness said in an interview at our office.

Facts on the ground, communities working together, North and South, in ways that would never have been possible during the bad old days. New roads, new hospitals, and new business connections are all cementing the most successful peace process of the modern era.

Then of course there was the meeting and handshake between the former IRA commander and the Commander of the British Armed Forces, Queen Elizabeth, in Belfast recently.

“Haven’t washed my hand since,” McGuinness joked before getting serious.

He told the Queen that he acknowledged the hurt that the death of Lord Mountbatten, her relative and close confidante, who was blown up by the IRA in 1979, had caused her.

He didn’t try to slide the Mountbatten issue to one side or to elide the deep harm done in her majesty’s name to generations of nationalists.

It was an extraordinary moment he said, one that he had prepared for since the Queen made a major effort during her visit to the Irish Republic last year.

The debates in Northern Ireland these days are more likely about water rates than The Troubles. The fact that McGuinness was away from the North during the height of the Orange marching scene sends its own signal of normality.

We noted that all was changed, utterly illustrated by the fact that Lennox the dog who was condemned to die hogged the headlines over the July 12th build up.

The protestors outside the British and Irish consulates in New York last week were for Lennox, not the IRA, or attacking British perfidy.

Such is the new Northern Ireland that Martin McGuinness now jointly oversees with Peter Robinson the DUP leader.

It is a different landscape where much work needs to be done but the future looks bright indeed.

To insiders, McGuinness being greeted by Willie McCrea was every bit as big a deal as shaking hands with the Queen. Peace will continue to fall slowly but surely on the land.



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52 comments

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seamus60 | Jul 14, 2012, 07:54 PM EDT
Micheal. You only had to look at what way the armed millitia were facing their guns as the protesting Nationalists were being attacked by loyalists.

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seamus60 | Jul 14, 2012, 07:46 PM EDT
Sirpeter. Give Martin a chance. Yet no one on here will pony up to any of his acheivements since the GFA. Could that be because there are none of substance to the Nationalist population. Don`t say peace cause thats being played to death. The people in North Belfast have had enough, they are now enduring gerry mandering to accompany the brethern marching all over them. 2 years ago Gerry Kelly and Co were there in mass with their paid henchmen in blue bibs, bullying locals who had the bare faced cheek to protest against blatant secrarianism. Kelly stood there on thursday like a wasted force with thousands telling to get lost. Ye still havent told me what you think SF should be doing against abuse of human rights in the North. Or any of their ministers carrying out the same abuses. The SF mayor of Derry had his house raided by his brit recognised millitia on fri morn. The party came out with a no holes barred DEMAND for an explanation. Such demands are not afforded as representation to those Nationalists who don`t tow the party line anymore. Kevin Campbell (Derry SF Mayor) when asked a few weeks back about a spate of ongoing house raids at the bottom of his street simply replied to the journalist that the police were only doing their job. Surely they were only doing their job at his home. An Ireland of equals. LOL

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seamus60 | Jul 14, 2012, 07:27 PM EDT
Seano. Peter King also supported the IRA struggle. He abuses human rights on a dailly basis whilst Gerry and Martin remain his good friends. Mandello ensured a truth commission, something Martin and the brits shy away from. Should it not be high on the wish list ?.Odysseus221 the same would move us forward to an ideal position in which the historians could get their teeth into it for once and for all.

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Odysseus221 | Jul 14, 2012, 10:13 AM EDT
It is about time the Irish left the past to historians. As a Greek whose ancestors left Smyrna in a hurry, one has to move on and not hold onto hostilities and notions of the past. It ruins the soul.

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michaelidaho | Jul 14, 2012, 09:31 AM EDT
Yes, there has been a lot of progress in Northern Ireland and that is good to see. However, let us not be too complacent that everybody in NI has bought into this process. Just look at the video of the Orangeman, marching in a circle several times in front of a Catholic Church belting out sectarian songs just two days ago. I do not think this is what Gerry Adams meant, when appealing for calm before this July 12 he said, "Let the Unionists have their day." See you tube video: "Catholic Threatened as he watches an Orange Order Parade, New Lodge Area, 12th July 2012."

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enochsirishpub | Jul 13, 2012, 10:46 PM EDT
32!

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sirpeter | Jul 13, 2012, 10:08 PM EDT
seamus60.Maybe you should give Martin a chance?These handshakes send out a message from the top down.If he was prone to drown in his own importance he's have drowned a long time ago.I think he is doing alright.Look at that head in the pic.He's a guy with a long term plan and he knows it's working.

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sirpeter | Jul 13, 2012, 09:37 PM EDT
@TomSwinford.That's a good post.Nice balance to it.

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brianmack | Jul 13, 2012, 08:50 PM EDT
Great article and thanks Niall for enhancing the most miraculous events of my time, reconciliation in Ireland.

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seanomelb | Jul 13, 2012, 07:58 PM EDT
Seamus Mandela supported the IRA campaign when he was conducting his own armed insurrection in S.A. Maybe you're right about McGuinness,time will tell.

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seamus60 | Jul 13, 2012, 06:54 PM EDT
bushmanirish The brits know most of Martins dirty secrets. Haven`t they issued Immunity from prosedcution certs for a few. Seano Martin has long given up on the idea of Uniting Ireland. He is drowning in his own importance,the one that Britian and America have bestowed on him. The man even believes he`s on par with Mandello.

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seanomelb | Jul 13, 2012, 05:58 PM EDT
Stopping the marches will probably never happen but extracting the triumphalism from the marches is a must. It's a hard pill to swallow to see McGuinness and co. shake hands with the royals.How do we move on to a united Ireland unless we are inclusive and respect other beliefs. The GFA was not a panacea for northern nationalists and more needs to be done and inclusiveness includes the acceptance of all nationalists.Unification is the only way forward.

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bushmanirish | Jul 13, 2012, 05:54 PM EDT
Let us hope Mr. McGuinness never confides his particular secrets to Boston College.

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aloistmartin | Jul 13, 2012, 05:02 PM EDT
Is Mr. McGuinness buying Time, or has our faithful old friend developed a taste for English Tea`s and Pudding @?..!

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seamus60 | Jul 13, 2012, 04:15 PM EDT
Congratulations Niall. Martin must have been hard pushed answering all of your awkward questions. lol

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