101 Comments

• RobinForester | Feb 26, 2013, 11:57 PM EST

  Time to face real facts: The Brits are the money nation and financiers of the world, and Ireland is going to need a big friend to bail it out, so like they said in the 1960s film West Side Story, ''Play it cool man, play it cool". A £50-85 BILLION loan maybe required to restore Ireland financial stabilty and this is 'what I'm hinting at'?

• seamus60 | Jul 27, 2012, 01:50 PM EDT

  Her handshake in green to Martin impressed me.We need the Brits on board for secret talks about NI and the way forward.The Brits are following the plan to the letter Sirpeter. We need the brits who are following the plan to the letter. would that be the same brits whose participation in any type of truth commission is good enough reason for Gerry and Martin to rule out their acknowledgement of same???? Surely if they`re to be trusted on the the above they would be acceptable participants in a truth commission. Lets not read too much into what colour the queen wore when shaking her ministers hand either. The Para`s wore the same colour on Bloody Sunday.

• sirpeter | Jul 20, 2012, 08:30 AM EDT

  UnRealist..Lol.Yes I am clearly an expert when I switch to personal attack mode too.Not every comment here deserves a respectful response.Yours obviously didn't deserve one.As General Tom Barry once said "The British went into the gutter and into the gutter we had to follow them"By the way I see the Orange Order like burning Polish flags now as well on British Protestant community bonfires.It's ok though it's not anti-Catholic,it's not written down.lololol

• sirpeter | Jul 20, 2012, 06:21 AM EDT

  UnRealist..Lol.But he wasn't just any old retired sailor was he?He was Admiral of the Fleet.Order of the Garter~Order of the Bath~Order of Merit~Order of the Star of India~Order of the Indian Empire~Royal Victorian Order~Privy Council of the United Kingdom ect ect.The list goes on and on.What an arrogant man for him to think his age gave him immunity from his past and the positions he held.A lifetime upholding British imperialism.How much blood was on his hands in India alone?But that doesn't matter to you because it wasn't British blood.You're argument against blowing him up is "I say, old chap, that's just not cricket"He's retired.lololol.~~I say, old chap,you're not playing by the rules"(our rules)You can't plant bombs when we are not looking,you must use aircraft for bombing so we have an excellent sporting chance to kill you old chap.lololol.To be fair you won't find me arguing against the bombing of Dresden or Hiroshima.I repeat what part of war and killing don't people understand?That's why I call you UnRealist.Devoid of reality.

• Realist | Jul 19, 2012, 12:57 PM EDT

  sirpeter: "personal attack"? Lol....no, just you being caught out by your own words yet again my friend. Also, what has blowing a 79-year-old retired sailor to pieces got to do with "war"? By the way, I'm surprised to learn that the author of the following 'contribution' is so sensitive...."Realist..Go fu*k yourself OK!!..You long streak of piss..You don't get to question me anymore..Get it!! Fu*kface." By your own admission, "When it comes to going low, I'm an expert." Clearly....lol.

• sirpeter | Jul 18, 2012, 10:37 PM EDT

  UnRealist.This article is getting on.It's hardly worth my cyberland ink.You see I don't consider the death of Lord Mountbatten a murder.That's where we have a difference of opinion.I'm still delighted at the death of Lord Mountbatten.What part of war don't you understand?Anyway my arguments are better than yours.Your comment below is a personal attack.I like that.That wasn't you when I read your comments months ago.Your stiff upper lip is beginning to quiver auld chap.lol

• Realist | Jul 15, 2012, 04:31 PM EDT

  sirpeter: Lol....are you in tears again? My friend, regardless of what the voices in your head are telling you, you give me far too much credit....it's the easiest thing in the World to catch you with your pants down. As I stated earlier, all your own work. Take a look at the bottom of this very page, I cut and pasted what you wrote about HM Queen Elizabeth and laughing at the murder of the 79-year-old Lord Mountbatten, his daughter's 83-year-old mother-in-law, and 2 teenage children on 5th February 2011. Did you not write this? Did I not cut and paste it from this very site? I'm really not against you, you know....but you just never learn and that, in a way, is an endearing quality. I love the way you have to get the last word in also....it really matters to you, doesn't it? Lol.

• sirpeter | Jul 13, 2012, 04:08 PM EDT

  UnRealist.You really are a compulsive liar.You can't cut and paste anything I wrote.And there is nothing on the internet that would agree with your views to cut and paste either.Try Stormfront...lol

• Realist | Jul 13, 2012, 12:50 PM EDT

  sirpeter: Lol....I am not against you my friend, really. It's just that you don't have very good arguments and cannot debate in any civilized or coherent manner. However, mostly I simply cut and paste your own words. It's easy and clearly quite effective. I can't take credit for it - all your own work....lol.

• sirpeter | Jul 13, 2012, 10:14 AM EDT

  UnRealist. LOL.I didn't find it strange that you picked up on Seano's misunderstanding of my comment at all.I saw it myself a few weeks back.His misunderstanding is hardly my fault.What amuses me though is how desperate you are to find something/anything no matter how trivial that you can use against me.Be a man and get up off the ground and drop that fistful of dust you are trying to throw at me.I'm not finished yet giving your weak Billy Boy comments a good hammering on IC.Also have a good look at that You Tube addy I posted on the Billy boy article.Have a good look at your father with the Billy Boy club.

• Realist | Jul 12, 2012, 06:05 PM EDT

  sirpeter: Lol....strange you feel the need to explain yourself on this, but who are you trying to convince? Me or you?

• sirpeter | Jul 12, 2012, 07:18 AM EDT

  Unrealist.Seano misunderstood a deeper meaning to what I was saying.That's all that happened.Just like my sarcastic comment below.You can take it at face value or look for a deeper meaning.You either get it or you don't Billy Boy.Don't forget your pointy head to-day and do as ye are told by the parades commission.LOL

• Realist | Jul 11, 2012, 08:55 AM EDT

  sirpeter: Lol....my friend, what a journey....you've gone from threats of physical violence (punctuated will foul language and sectarian cat calling) towards HM Queen Elizabeth, to repeated lying about said threats, to now your 'road to Damascus' moment when she's suddenly ok for shaking hands wearing green. As seano pointed out a few weeks ago, I think you're more than a little perplexed with what you've been told to believe and accept.

• sirpeter | Jul 10, 2012, 05:21 PM EDT

  seamus60. Every Ulsterman is full of morals and priciples ;));))

• seamus60 | Jul 10, 2012, 12:33 PM EDT

  Sirpeter. We`ll just have to agree that when it comes to morals and principle, my barometer is a little high for you to achieve. But thats ok. We can`t all be the same. Life would be as boring as supporting SF.

• sirpeter | Jul 10, 2012, 09:59 AM EDT

  UnRealist lol...methinks it matters not what youthinks.

• Realist | Jul 10, 2012, 07:42 AM EDT

  sirpeter: Lol....methinks the lady doth protest too much.

• sirpeter | Jul 09, 2012, 09:15 PM EDT

  Seamus60 & Unrealist.So now if I'm flexible and understanding.Willing to give an inch or two when I saw a genuine effort by Lizzy.That makes me a bought man?lolol.I call it as I see it.Her handshake in green to Martin impressed me.We need the Brits on board for secret talks about NI and the way forward.The Brits are following the plan to the letter.Most loyalist politicians are on board.Sinn Fein and the Democratic Unity Party (Dup)are looking forward to Dáil Éireann.They want all of Ireland.I do have little chats.And it is about how we can buy people.Important people.But not ye rabble.Ye will do as ye are told.LOL

• Realist | Jul 09, 2012, 06:18 PM EDT

  seamus60: Lol....I don't think "bought" is the correct word. It seems someone may have had a little chat with sirpeter....to bring him back on message, as it were.

• seamus60 | Jul 09, 2012, 04:50 PM EDT

  Sirpeter. You`re easy bought.

• sirpeter | Jul 09, 2012, 10:30 AM EDT

  UnRealist.You must remember this was before her visit.I didn't think she would make such a positive contribution to the peace process with her symbolic gestures and her handshake with Martin.I have revised my opinion of her to some degree.I think the plan by the Brits is to make a genuine effort at reconciliation.I have softened somewhat towards her.I now don't wish she had an "accident" anymore and I think I can except any of them coming over anytime.The next step now is for the Orange Order to make a few radical changes.I'm still very suspicious of the Billy Boy motives for marching.Maybe integrate with the St Patrick's Day parade.Both communities won't argue over Christianity invading Ireland.If they can march with Catholics for starters in a celebration.A few more steps in helping bring unity to everybody in Ireland and I might even argue why it's in the best interest of Ireland to tolerate and even support the Orange Order tradition.But not at the moment.

• Realist | Jul 08, 2012, 08:52 AM EDT

  sirpeter: On 5th February 2011 at 02:17 Eastern Standard Time you wrote, and I quote, "Liz Windsor can rot in hell as well as her bloodsucking dysfunctional family..I hope someone pushes her down some stairs accidentally on purpose. This one Irishman who won't be greeting the head of the British armed forces. Still we can only hope something might happen..The last time was when we scattered Mountbatten's Imperial ass from Sligo to Donegal in 1979.The crabs ate like royalty that day tee-hee..A great day for Ireland. He who lives by the sword dies by the sword. I hope she knows the risks."

• Realist | Jul 07, 2012, 07:05 AM EDT

  seamus60: I'm afraid I can't take the credit for that assessment....those are the late Brendan Hughes' words, not mine.

• sirpeter | Jul 06, 2012, 12:33 PM EDT

  Seano.lol

• seanomelb | Jul 03, 2012, 07:09 PM EDT

  poor old Towngate he's scurried from the building again poor man.LOL

• sirpeter | Jul 02, 2012, 08:39 PM EDT

  Creakygate.You're right about the Queen having blood on her hands.The Royal family are partial to the old bloodsports.But any clarification on which peasant subjects neck she would like to wring.Myself and Seano are not subjects of the Queen at all.

• sirpeter | Jul 02, 2012, 08:25 PM EDT

  Seano.lol.I forgot about this article and the comment I made.YUP!!they are all here.I even rounded up Creakygate.He went into meltdown a good few months back when he lost an argument and now refuses to speak to me lol.The Betsy issue was some comment I was suppose to have made about having a scud missile or a WMD in my back garden or something.I couldn't find the comment and the article again.Anyway I saw no blackhawk helicopters circling overhead.lol.I guess they read a few comments from Unrealist and knew he was a Billy Boy with a great imagination.He's even saying the Brits set up the whole peace process.Well if they did it stopped the killing.I guess we can all blame the Brits for not setting it up sooner.All in favour say YAY!! LOL

• seanomelb | Jul 01, 2012, 06:57 PM EDT

  Towngate is back the man who stated that Patrick Pearse was a fascist racist.How Irish of him oops! I meant to say how west Brit of him.

• seamus60 | Jul 01, 2012, 02:08 PM EDT

  Realist it really pains me to agree but a spades a spade.

• Towngate | Jul 01, 2012, 06:31 AM EDT

  The Queen of Northern Ireland and Great Britain famously had blood on her hands when she was photographed wringing a pheasants neck to end its suffering. No prizes for guessing which of her peasant subjects she'd like to do that to!

• Realist | Jul 01, 2012, 05:22 AM EDT

  "All republicans have gained are smoke and mirrors and nothing of substance. The British control the show and are always willing to follow the logic of the unionists".

• Realist | Jul 01, 2012, 05:03 AM EDT

  "The sad thing about all this is that the British set this up. This is the British answer to the Republican problem in Ireland. It’s a British solution, it’s not an Irish solution. It’s not a solution that we have control of"...."Never in the history of republicanism was so much sacrificed and so little gained...."....Brendan Hughes, former Provisional IRA "O/C", the H-Blocks.

• seanomelb | Jun 30, 2012, 07:47 PM EDT

  Realist!!so many words and so little said. BTW sirpeter how were you going to assassinate Betsy with a handshake maybe you gotta laugh at some posts or you'd go crazy.

• seamus60 | Jun 30, 2012, 11:09 AM EDT

  Sirpeter. Check out what ex SF politicians, of whom there are many have said about the decision making process`s within the party and how they are forced out when atempting to highlight such issues. Problem is Gerry and Marty are running the party as they did the army. With the differance that party members just get shown the door, where as Vols met a much worse end. How did Gerry keep getting elected ? God only knows but I often wonder how the churchs garnish so much faith from people starving to death in third world countrys as well. SF the party have made contaminated nearly everything they have touched since getting into Gov. The 11plus, Waterboard scandals, Farmer grants having to be paid back, Millions and millions from hard pressed schooling budgets being sent back to the treasury and lost forever due to underspend,millions more sent back from school build projects, Sectarianism on employment issues, Allowing the underminding of Patton reforms, Stamping all over Nationalist communities and siding with orange parades, Implimenting Gerry mandering, neglection of former prisoners welfare issues and the list goes on. You appear to be very selective on what you read. Perhaps such issues are too left wing for you. But I`ll even the play field for you, you can rebutt all of this by replying with their acheivements since the GFA came into play.

• Realist | Jun 30, 2012, 06:20 AM EDT

  sirpeter: Lol....I know you’re only passing on what you’ve been told to think....but I'm not sure anyone's going to take lectures on outreach and credibility from an individual who regularly uses terms of sectarian abuse such as "Billy Boy", "Hun", and "West Brit", advocates (among other signs of aggressive insecurity) an assassination attempt on HM Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to the Republic of Ireland last year (and later lied about it when caught out on this very site), and also consistently presents the anschluss of Northern Ireland to a founder member of the PIGS charity franchise as a ‘good idea’. Just like the ceasefire of the tout-ridden Provisional IRA in 1994, their final surrender of weapons in 2005, Provisional Sinn Fein taking their places (and wages) in a British partitionist government after 1998, and now politely standing in line with all of her other government ministers to meet and acknowledge the British head of state - not choices by the Republican movement....they were inevitabilities – “nowhere left to go”. Now reduced to painting letter boxes green and spluttering out night school Irish (when they remember to do it, that is)....and after all that....7% in favour of a "united Ireland"....lol. Sinn Fein, rather like the SNP in Scotland, find themselves in government but impotent on ever delivering the central plank of their manifestos; respectively, a “united Ireland” and an “independent Scotland”. That's the reality my friend and little wonder.

• sirpeter | Jun 29, 2012, 11:52 PM EDT

  Seano.I try my best with these NI guys.But they are the biggest pack of liars to walk the earth.They are incapable of reality.They have a history of setting Catholics houses on fire and want to talk about the enraged Catholic who stabbed a Prod to death and call the the Catholic a terrorist.They have a mental disorder.I think someone important said that about alot of people from NI.I can't remember lol.I know that's sweeping but I can't get no sense or meaning out of them.I mean would you be bothered pretending you are a Nationalist when you are a Billy Boy.Sometimes I try to take a big leap into their world of bullsh*t and say something they approve of just to see their reaction.They are like feral cats they just take advantage of what you say and try to mount ya.Seano my man~~Fallsers was never going to meet ya.These people have an apartheid mindset.They are KKK,Afrikaners,Nazi's,White supremacists,Hutu,Georgie Boy Dillions and Billy Boys.You see it on TV.They have no rational argument. They depend on they likes of rational people reacting badly to their bullsh*t to give them a sense of identity and self-importance.

• seanomelb | Jun 29, 2012, 08:00 PM EDT

  Have ya run out of red white and blue tissues Fallser.Sirpeter he lied about his Melbourne visit stating he was in Tiger Bay no such place in Melb. He must have been in Cardiff, he wouldn't know the difference anyway

• FallsRNat | Jun 29, 2012, 02:58 PM EDT

  In 2001 belfast city had Lower Falls as the most deprived area in NI, now it is the Shankill, so money has been poured into 1 working class area & not another, the politicians of both sides of Ireland inc the shinners, spend money on their little fiefdoms. The sectarian divide is as bitter as ever, we need a working class non political party that can unite to deliver better lives for all of the working class areas no matter what political persuasion, PSF are never going to deliver a UI by shaking the queen's hand, people on the ground judge parties by results & what is the shinners contribution to distributing funds to loyalist areas, zero. In Derry the EU money was spent on Catholic areas by an SDLP party, the Waterside development that got little of the cash was funded by charities from both SI & UK who could see the exclusion of the loyalist area as a major cause of resentment, pity even the SDLP were caught in the spiral of sectarian politics - all for one & one for all, should be the motto, not all for me & none for you.

• sirpeter | Jun 28, 2012, 06:24 PM EDT

  seamus60.Hang on a sec there now.I was just talking about Gerry and not Sinn Fein and the information I got was from one NI article.I need more information than that.I've excepted nothing.NI is very sectarian and polarised.It's not easy getting an unbiased balanced opinion.I mean Seamus you are totally polarised in your opinion.You say Sinn Fein can do no right.But Sinn Fein are not the only parties in NI.I don't just blame FF for the mess the Republic is in.All the other parties are there too and they know what's happening as well.FG & Lab are implementing the same policies as FF.Like NI we also are stuck with the politicians we have.West Belfast kept voting Gerry in didn't they?And that my point about sectarian politics serves no one in NI- especially those on the ‘bottom rungs’ of the economic ladder.Sectarian parties are indistinguishable to an outsider and are more concerned with in-fighting than with doing their job.This is why I believe in a United Ireland.Partition and sectarianism has just dragged down the whole country and has made sh*te of NI in every way.I'll tell you one thing the only poor Prods in the country are in NI.That's if Cork is anything to go by.We have mixed clubs down here and there is never any problem.

• seamus60 | Jun 28, 2012, 01:38 PM EDT

  Sirpeter . Now you`re learning and can do nothing else but agree with the reality that Gerry done nothing for West Belfast but make war. Be it with unionists around a table or in a back room with MI5/6. You still expect the people of the 26 counties to hail him a messiah coming to cure all their problems. Most people wouldn`t care as much had they both gone into a room and had a bloodbath. But why would they when they both had foot soldiers to do the blood and guts stuff. The bottom line has just been accepted by yourself. They have acheived nothing apart from stopping war ( the one they kept going) and would have no control over now anyway as all the foot soldiers know how and who used and abused them. The people of the 26 or even the 32 need people who are going to fix econimics etc. Adams and his party only have a track record of taking all they can with very little return.They `ve made a hash of everything they touch in an 06 gov. where britian allows it to continue at a high financial cost for peaces sake. The people in the 26 deserve better than we have at the moment. Thats a fact.

• sirpeter | Jun 28, 2012, 01:02 PM EDT

  seamus60.You say Quote"West Belfast is STILL one of the most DEPRIVED area`s in Europe,another great achievement of SF`s"Unquote.West Belfast was ALWAYS a deprived area.Seamus look at it this way.Sinn Fein and the DUP now just sit around a table shouting at each other where as 30 years ago if you put them in the same room it would have been a bloodbath.That to me is mighty progress.I will admit it appears Gerry Adams hasn't done much for West Belfast.Why I don't really know.At the end of the day I guess sectarian politics serves no one in NI- especially those on the ‘bottom rungs’ of the economic ladder.

• ancavker | Jun 28, 2012, 11:43 AM EDT

  citizen: The north was created so that the unionists would be a majority. Only problem is they took a lot of people and a big chunk of territory with them that they should not have at the time. And that was the root of the problem. Do I have to explain this to you over and over?

• seamus60 | Jun 28, 2012, 11:21 AM EDT

  Sirpeter the SDLP had already undermined the loyalist mindset. They had obtained things like fair employment legislation etc. Many of their achievements for Nationalists stalled in the starting blocks because of military activity by us Republicans. We who believed Gerry and Martin when they said the same SDLP were stoops to the british. Remember statements like votes and mandates will do nothing for Irish Freedom. Only the cuttingt edge of the IRA will ever be able to remove Britian from our land. Yet all those stoop achievements are now fully endorsed and even claimed as their own by SF. Look at the headlines today, everything is about peace. Everything else is irellivent as long as the word peace remains to the forefront. Now i understand the meaning of peace at any cost.

• sirpeter | Jun 28, 2012, 11:05 AM EDT

  citizen69.It's the mindset that was similar.Mitchel McLaughlin's answer saying Sinn Fein undermined the loyalist mindset is what I'm on about.The level or type of oppression is irrelevant.

• maireadinmelb | Jun 28, 2012, 06:19 AM EDT

  Rangers is showing the same mathematical ability as his football club! Let him be and hopefully he too will go the way of his club!

• seamus60 | Jun 27, 2012, 09:35 PM EDT

  Poor being thinks Nationalists are breeding like rabbits cause their church says they have to. Didn`t stop a certain Unionist minister anouncing 4 new housing projects in loyalist area`s last week. But thats ok as theres no where near the demand for them. But hey if that doesn`t bother SF either, who are we to cry about it.

• seanomelb | Jun 27, 2012, 08:44 PM EDT

  rangers 11 has found his way from NUZHOUND into mainstream IC well I suppose he can be forgiven, dragging those arms along the ground is difficult for a dinosaur like him and a slow brain to match.LOL

• seamus60 | Jun 27, 2012, 08:38 PM EDT

  Rangers. of course you`ll be putting these forensic figures where your mouth is, so to speak. Lets see them.

• seamus60 | Jun 27, 2012, 08:35 PM EDT

  CONGRATULATIONS Rangers. Exactly what your crew said in the 60`s before the civil rights group put manners into them. You should have explained that forensic jibberish to SF. They could at least have had some sort of excuse for the Nationalists in N Belfast when they were caught out. LOL

• rangers11 | Jun 27, 2012, 06:53 PM EDT

  TO THE DISSIDENT APOLOGISTS LIKE 60, WHY DONT YOU EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE WHY THER IS SO MUCH NATIONALIST HOUSING STRESS IN N BELFAST ? 1. MASSIVE OVERBREEDING OF PEOPLE WHO CANT SUPPORT THEMSELVES, NEVER MIND KIDS !! 2. DUPLICATING NAMES ON HOUSING WAITING LISTS GIVES THE IMPRESSION OF MASSIVE HOUSING NEED AMONGST NATIONALISTS. FORENSIC EXAMINATION OF THE FIGURES CLEARLY SHOWS MASSIVE DUPLICITY . I JUST WONDER AT WHO'S REQUEST ???

• seamus60 | Jun 27, 2012, 06:51 PM EDT

  Sinn Fein made the unionist community realise they were not right in maintaining unionist political domination in NI.And the paramilitary organizations were never going to stop unless there was change Sirpeter if you believe what you wrote above see a doctor (not one who operates) Sunningdale for slow learners jumps straight out of it. The saying "how many horses can you ride at the same time" is being put to shame by SF`s atempt at wearing every partys coat. I sincerely hope you don`t require some of the very embarrassing statements from Martin to jog your memory. But they were good for recruitment at the time. Not that Martin worries whatever happened to those same recruits.

• seamus60 | Jun 27, 2012, 06:35 PM EDT

  Sirpeter. Its not such a silly question to the people of North Belfast who are in dire need of housing. Now being denied to them by SF and the DUP. Gerry mandering is hardly a great achievement for any party, is it ? Even worse if any of those on the emergency housing list have children nearing 11plus age. Another great achievement by SF. Remember the water board scandal etc etc. All great SF achievements. In 2005 Gerry and Martin ORDERED the IRA to return all weapons to base. How are they having to keep the peace when they destroyed all the peoples weapons. West Belfast still one of the most DEPRIVED area`s in europe, another great achievement of SF`s. The money that the brits now allow SF associates is the money not filtering down to the people, how do you believe it will on a 32 county level ? Anything i say is normally already covered by the press so i have no problem highlighting shortfalls in political representation by those great ones you speak of in SF. Things above are shortfalls for all the people, answer them and I`ll get round to my personal problems with the party. I wouldn`t just vote for any old peado shelterer ye know.

• seamus60 | Jun 27, 2012, 06:13 PM EDT

  Realist have SF really lost so much since 2006. I know they`ve achieved very little politically for Nationalists in the North and even less for Republicans and Republicanism. Oh how secure the union must feel today. Why wouldn`t it.

• Bythebay | Jun 27, 2012, 02:41 PM EDT

  seanomelb, and your truth is you're an Aussie Brit, part of Queen Elizabeth II's Commonwealth, a country which can't support independence.

• Bythebay | Jun 27, 2012, 02:40 PM EDT

  Sparklet, these are the people of Northern Ireland UK, not Ireland. Ireland wasn't part of the IRA Provo Terrorism in Northern Ireland. We in Ireland have many years of excellent relations with the United Kingdom which is our nearest neighbor and largest trading partner.

• Sparklet | Jun 27, 2012, 01:43 PM EDT

  Carrollclan, you're in a minority and you offer nothing constructive. The people of Ireland don't want to keep fighting and don't want your kind of attitude. The past is over and we're moving forward. Get used to it. Stop trying to force your ideals on the majority and behaving as badly as those whose behaviour you apparently despise. You're being a hypocrite.

• citizen69 | Jun 27, 2012, 12:01 PM EDT

  Sirpeter, I think it's a bit rich to compare slavery in the USA to Northern Ireland. The reason NI parliament was dominated by Unionism is because the Unionists were the biggest party and got the most votes, in the same way that the Republic of Ireland was dominated by Republicanism.

• sirpeter | Jun 27, 2012, 11:09 AM EDT

  Unrealist.Mitchel McLaughlin's answer was a very good one.Sinn Fein made the unionist community realise they were not right in maintaining unionist political domination in NI.And the paramilitary organizations were never going to stop unless there was change.Millions of people in the Southern States of America considered they were right to maintain slavery.But doubts set in eventually.Oppressors may reign for a while but in the end they all fall.

• Collette2 | Jun 27, 2012, 01:14 AM EDT

  She'll able to look God in the eye and say "yes they're for real, do with them as you will". All counts when you get to heaven.

• seanomelb | Jun 26, 2012, 08:49 PM EDT

  Seamus/realist/redbranch and all the other naysayers "To deny the truth is to deny yourself".

• sirpeter | Jun 26, 2012, 08:09 PM EDT

  Seamus60.I'm still reading the Blanket site.I can see the site are extremely far left and hate Gerry Adams with a passion.I guess Sinn Fein isn't left enough for them.They feel betrayed.As I said before just left of center is a good place to be at the moment in Ireland.We need able politicians FIRST AND FOREMOST.I believe Sinn Fein have the most skilled politicians in the country.Seamus IC doesn't allow us here to elaborate much.Yourself and Unrealist just post soundbites.At least when I comment I say something and I'm willing to back it up.You made four comments on this page and all you said is you dislike Gerry Adams.We get the picture but anyone could fit that into one comment.

• sirpeter | Jun 26, 2012, 07:31 PM EDT

  Seamus60.I consider that a pretty silly question.Sinn fein are continuing to help maintain the peace in NI.In my opinion they are doing this very successfully.Seamus I get the impression that you think maintaining peace and reconciliation between Nationalists and Loyalists and keeping a working relationship going not much of an achievement.The peace process is ongoing and will be for quite some time to come.In April 2005, Gerry Adams called for the IRA to lay down its weapons.On 28 July 2005, the IRA announced the end of its campaign, and promised complete decommissioning of all its weapons.In July 2007, the British Army formally ended Operation Banner, their mission in Northern Ireland which began 38 years earlier, in 1969.As a political party do I really need to spell out what they have achieved?What do YOU think they should have achieved since the start of the peace process? At the moment I suppose they are trying to shake off been called a bunch of murderers and 30 years of bad media publicity and build trust with the people of the whole island so they get the votes so they can implement their policies.You say money is not filtering down to those who need it.Fair enough.Well lets give Sinn Fein an overall majority North and South of the border and we'll see what they can achieve.Taking in North and South they have 43 seats out of 274.How much do you think they are going to be able to do? Vote for them and we'll see can they do a better job.

• Realist | Jun 26, 2012, 06:49 PM EDT

  seamus60: Sinn Fein's Mitchel McLaughlin was asked pretty much the same question on BBC Radio 4's Today Programme in 2006....after some hesitation he responded with, "The degree of uncertainty and the lack of confidence in the unionist community".

• seamus60 | Jun 26, 2012, 05:03 PM EDT

  Sirpeter. Again I will ask you, what have SF achieved since the start of the peace process ?

• RedBranch | Jun 26, 2012, 02:42 PM EDT

  And Mr.McGuinness will be shaking Mr.Robinson's hand when?

• Bernadett | Jun 26, 2012, 02:30 PM EDT

  Well said ciaradexy

• ciaradexy | Jun 26, 2012, 06:42 AM EDT

  This meeting is brilliant. Finally the majority of people will be able to move on and those of us on this island wont have to worry about being being killed for either side of a 'cause'.

• maireadinmelb | Jun 26, 2012, 06:20 AM EDT

  citizen 69 - considering that one can be held without charge, and can be convicted without a jury of one's peers I would say there are still a lot of rights missing in Mr Mcguinness' part of the world! Not to mention the shoot to kill policy and the protection granted to British soldiers since 1972 as reported on this site!

• seamus60 | Jun 26, 2012, 06:11 AM EDT

  Families of IRA dead, back Meeting. Another statemant from Gerry to SKY news. The man knows no depths, as those same families have been trying to find out why they were not being allowed a voice into the decision making of the meeting. SF yet again use and abuse the Republican dead to further their own end. Go on Gerry ignore the families of the dead who marched to City Hall in Belfast on Saturday demanding Truth and Justice before Jubalation. Gerry and Martin ignore them in a week when its been exposed that most of their loved ones murderers were always exempt from prosecution. Just like Martin and Gerry were. Ruling by fooling.

• IrelandNorth | Jun 26, 2012, 05:49 AM EDT

  One hates to spoil the inherent numerical integrity of 32 comments. But yes, some sections of the British press/media, (not unlike their 26 county journalistic paramours) are distinctly lacking in humility. Sky TV showed one with leading headline "Our Forgiving Queen". Unfortunately, humility is not the forté of colonialists/imperialists, not least British. Yet one does intuit that EIIR desires a more egalitarian "... partnership of equals ..." with Ireland, and to reverse the calumnies of Her nominal predecessor during this decade of centenaries. Alas, reactionary Home and Colonial elements within the Council of Ten (richest families who own England) may try to sabotage HM's preliminary manoeuvres towards the democratisation of Ireland.

• seamus60 | Jun 26, 2012, 05:32 AM EDT

  You`ve hit the nail on the head FallsNat.

• seamus60 | Jun 26, 2012, 05:30 AM EDT

  He might have well just done this in 1973. We "all" would have got more out of it.

• citizen69 | Jun 26, 2012, 01:37 AM EDT

  @Rebelforce: The IRA weren't fighting for any 'rights'. It was the non violent civil rights movement that won those. The IRA were fighting for a united Ireland... epic fail. The only "rights" the IRA wanted to give you were the rights to kneecap, beat & shoot you without recourse to a fair trial or any type of justice, the right to extort protection money from local nationalist businessmen, the right to destroy the economy and take away badly needed local jobs and the right to instantly install themselves as the "true & legitimate" government of Ireland even though they had never received one single democratic vote. Yep, that the "rights" the IRA wanted for you!

• Rebelforce | Jun 25, 2012, 11:58 PM EDT

  Ofcourse Niall O'Dowd is right to point out that Britain's mighty empire was won by bullets and bombs not tea and crumpets, and that the British never shrank from using violence and terror to further their political goals in Ireland. If it weren't for Irishmen like Martin McGuiness who were willing to fight an extremely effective guerilla war for their rights, it is doubtful we would have a representative, power-sharing assembly in northern Ireland today.

• casualMBA | Jun 25, 2012, 10:40 PM EDT

  A handshake and nod to Martin McGuinness is a reach over an emotional chasm for the Queen, but not an economic one. Heart warming media coverage would seem to secure rather than jeopardize Windsor interests in Northern Ireland. The royal family may be decidedly less receptive to extending an olive branch to leading O'Neills advocating just recompense for confiscated O'Neill lands.

• pilib04 | Jun 25, 2012, 09:56 PM EDT

  Kilsally, you do know who Henry Dupre LaBouchere was, do you not? The author of the Butchers Apron. He was also a leader of the Liberal Party who served 20 some years in Westminster. He proposed a coalition government that would include Irish nationalist and radical Liberals. This led to a split in the Liberal Party with Unionist Liberals leaving for the Tories. Now, Kilsally, what are you going on about. Apparently something that I did not even post. Please reread my post for content, not what you THINK I wrote.

• sirpeter | Jun 25, 2012, 07:43 PM EDT

  Fallsers.What's decommissioned is "A Protestant parliament for a Protestant people."Wasn't that the main plan? Poor Craigavon he must be saying it's all gone wrong.God rest his apartheid black heart.His Protestant statelet to quote the wicked witch of the East is melting!!melting!!melting!!

• aloistmartin | Jun 25, 2012, 07:18 PM EDT

  LOL @?..! Lillie the Lion !

• seanomelb | Jun 25, 2012, 06:05 PM EDT

  Good honest article Niall,nut you have drawn the west Brits,anti nationalists and the bitter and twisted anti Irish out of the woodwork. The queen has shaken hands with more blood thirsty tyrants than dracula. Sparklet is correct when she says the English really couldn't give a hang about the six counties.Most polls taken in England supports that premise.

• FallsRNat | Jun 25, 2012, 05:14 PM EDT

  warrenpoint - the Queen is still the monarch of UK/NI & the Commonwealth, PIRA/SF stood for a UI with no compromise, every republican movement before them & after have been labelled either as sellouts or in deniability of peace with SF leading the charge to a UI within 10 years, well you have to ask, who compromised their principles to accept partition after 30 years of the Troubles, who takes the queen's shilling & sits in an Ulster govt, the brits always did play the long game & now they have finally decommisioned the republican movement.

• Curitiba | Jun 25, 2012, 04:26 PM EDT

  I gasped a bit when I read the headline, but then I realised this isn't the Daily Mail. I couldn't ever imagine a headline like that in an English newspaper.

• peterson | Jun 25, 2012, 03:50 PM EDT

  It is best to learn from and forget the past then make improvements for the future.

• Sparklet | Jun 25, 2012, 03:07 PM EDT

  Warrenpoint, you'd hate to be a British citizen or a British MP? Because the British people themselves, don't actually worry about losing the relics of their empire. Believe it or not, people have moved on. Your average Brit citizen doesn't lose sleep over whether Ireland becomes united or not. What they would be concerned about is whether the people in the province want it, because I'd bet nine out of ten of them don't have a clue about the history - they just think they do, because the media only ever spell out 'their' side. I've got friends who were pretty shocked when I educated them about a lot of things. Don't hold grudges against people who are basically innocent in the whole sorry mess.

• RedBranch | Jun 25, 2012, 03:07 PM EDT

  Ah the 10 the 10, 31 years in cold clay and its come to this, sacrifice indeed!

• ancavker | Jun 25, 2012, 01:27 PM EDT

  kilsally: It does not change the fact that the partition of Ireland was wrong, and led to the violence.

• warrenpoint00 | Jun 25, 2012, 01:06 PM EDT

  She is coming to Ireland to shake the hand of the IRA.She is basically saying well done Martin you brought us to the table now what can we do for you from here on. Wow just incredible.Man I would hate to be british, they just seem to be losing everything that they have stolen.

• michaelidaho | Jun 25, 2012, 12:58 PM EDT

  It is a very good to see that Queen Elizabeth and Martin McGuiness can move on from the tragedies of the past, especially when they each suffered personally from the Northern Ireland conflict. Some people in the British press and IC just want to babble on endlessly about the sad and painful relationship between the UK and Ireland.

• citizen69 | Jun 25, 2012, 12:44 PM EDT

  Niall, those 500,000 unwilling Irish subjects aren't so unwilling now are they? The latest poll suggests only 7% of them want to ditch the Queen's realm.

• Kilsally | Jun 25, 2012, 11:57 AM EDT

  pilib04 - erm the Union flag is comprised several flags and is not the flag of England. The flag of England is the red cross on a white background. slainte9 - what about IRA attacks of Northern Irish citizens and those in the Republic? The old propoganda about British occupation has thankfully been totally undermined by the internet giving the people of Northern Ireland a worldwide voice. The victims forum has just been agreed by all NI parties and were appointed roughly inline with those who were made victims - two thirds of victims were Northern Irish Protestants and a third Northern Irish Catholics - British security forces (including Northern Irish police and soldiers) killed comparatively few compared to Republican paramilitaries and Loyalist paramilitaries - look at the University of Ulster CAIN website.

• Sparklet | Jun 25, 2012, 11:53 AM EDT

  It's a bit daft to keep referring to Queen Elizabeth as German especially as the UK has fought two wars against Germany. A lot of British people surely have Norman ancestry - it doesn't make them French! Cheap, incorrect, jibes add nothing to a debate.

• Kilsally | Jun 25, 2012, 11:51 AM EDT

  article misses two points - firstly as Head of State she is going to meet people as part of her duty - her opinion doesnt come into it - that would be for the politicians - you mistakenly compare the monarch with the Prime Minister or the US President. You also forget that the Queen`s cousin along with some children were blown up by the IRA off the coast of Ireland

• pilib04 | Jun 25, 2012, 11:43 AM EDT

  I hope Martin has brushed up on his German. Or has Elizabeth Saxe-Gotha and Coburg learned English. To be sure, I too completely support this Sinn Fein initiative to greet Elizabeth and to continue to build upon the Good Friday Agreement. Give peace a chance.

• SeamusMor | Jun 25, 2012, 11:38 AM EDT

  Like Lady McBeth, the stain won't wash off the German lady's hands. McGuinness should wear surgical gloves when shaking hands with her.

• Sparklet | Jun 25, 2012, 11:26 AM EDT

  Slainte9 says: IRA attacks on British civilians were absolutely wrong, but it never would have come to that if Britain hadn't let the supremacists in Northern Ireland have their way. Truest words ever spoken on this site. The UK Governments of the time got it totally wrong, and the sad part is, it didn't need foresight, or anything complicated - it was all about what was right and decent. It wasn't rocket science.

• YoungPike | Jun 25, 2012, 10:26 AM EDT

  I'm glad that McGuinness is meeting the Queen, but I wish that Irish-Americans could finally abandon their antipathy towards Britain. A nation doesn't build and empire by being warm and cuddly, but Britain today is an entirely different entity culturally, socially & ethnically.

• donal1951 | Jun 25, 2012, 10:25 AM EDT

  The Queen's forces, granted not under her command, committed as many acts of terror in the 20th century as the IRA, And to give Elizabeth credit, I think she knows it.

• slainte9 | Jun 25, 2012, 10:23 AM EDT

  Elizabeth meeting McGuinness is different for the British than her meetin Mandela and Amin. Amin was a British protege. Mandela led a rebellion against white supremacist who seceded from Britain. Elizabeth is more like South African leader Willem de Klerk meeting Nelson Mandela. There's a lot of baggage the leader of Anglo-Saxon the oppressors have to get past, including attacks by the oppressed on the oppressors. IRA attacks on British civilians were absolutely wrong, but it never would have come to that if Britain hadn't let the supremacists in Northern Ireland have their way.

• pilib04 | Jun 25, 2012, 10:09 AM EDT

  You got it right, Niall. As head of the British State she has the blood of the "Butcher's Apron" on her hands. Perhaps, she could stop in Ballymurphey and offer her heartfelt apologies. Maybe a trip to Derry. Has she ever uttered regret for An Ghorta Mhoir? WHERE IS THE FLAG OF ENGLAND? Henry Dupre LaBouchere Wherever the savage nations To coddle, coerce or scare, You may look for the vaunted emblem For the Flag of England is there! II Aye, it waves over the blazing hovels Whence its African victims fly To be shot by explosive bullets Or wretchedly starve and die: Or where the beachcomber hammers The isles of tbe southern sea - From the peak of his hellish vessel The English flag flies free! III The Maori, full of hate, curses With his fleeting, dying breath. And the Arab hath hissed his curses As he spat at its folds in death. The hapless fellah hath feared it On Tel el Kebir's parched plain. And the blood of the Zulu hath stained it, With a deep indelible stain. IV It has floated over scenes of pillage And flaunted over deeds of shame. It has waved o'er the fell marauder As he ravished with Sword and flame: It has looked on ruthless slaughter And assassination dire and grim. And has heard the shrieks of its victims Drown even the jingo hymn. V Where is the flag of England? Seek the land where the natives rot And decay, and assured extinction Must soon be the people's lot. Go to the once fair island Where disease and death are rife And the greed of colossal commerce Now fattens on human life. VI Where is the flag of England? Go sail where the rich galleons come With their shoddy and wasted cotton, And beer and Bibles and rum. Seek the land where brute force hath triumphed And hypocrisy hath its lair. And your question will thus be answered For the flag of England is there!

• jamieLM | Jun 25, 2012, 10:09 AM EDT

  If you're going to demonize QE for shaking the hands of "bad guys," then you should include many of the world's leaders over the years, including many of our past presidents. hermitTalker is right. Obama has met with the Chinese who have a poor record in their treatment of dissidents, Christians, and Tibetans whom they've been known to torture and kill. Then there's Putin. You think he doesn't have "blood on his hands"? Obama has had to shake Putin's hand while entertaining him in the WH. I'm sure lots of leaders have held their noses while being diplomatic with people they despised. QE doesn't run the British govt. or dictate their political policies. She's just a figurehead who does what she's advised to do by people who hold the real power.

• hermitTalker | Jun 25, 2012, 09:25 AM EDT

  There is a huge difference between meeting former pro-terrorist leaders AND people like Obama kissing up to the Chinese who kill dissidents at home, persecute Christians, and Tibet's Buddhists and will do nothing as Russia does to stop slaughter od children and women in Syria

• Portia777 | Jun 25, 2012, 09:03 AM EDT

  She loves blood thirsty people