Martin McGuinness Resigns

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This afternoon.

Northern Ireland’s Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness announces his resignation.

More as they get it.

Earlier: Fostering Mistrust

Pic: Rollingnews/letter via Mark Davenport

Related posts:

Is It Just Us? All We Are Saying ‘I’ve Done My Bit’ Meanwhile, In Derry

56 thoughts on “Martin McGuinness Resigns”

    1. Charger Salmons

      I hear the poor fellow is not well.
      I do hope he dies a death as slow and lingering as some of his victims.

  2. Liam from Lixnaw

    whats with the capitalization on “deputy First Minister”

    And would a shinner sign off with “Yours sincerely” instead of something like “mise le meas” ?

    oddballs

    1. Daddy

      “mise le meas” isn’t owned by Shinners. It’s simply an Irish salutation which roughly means “with my respect”.

      Don’t be afraid of your own cultural heritage. It’s nothing to be ashamed of unless you’ve been so conditioned by generations of Fine Gael hatred of their own country.

      1. Mavis Ringwald

        @Daddy, you seem by your comment to be suggestion that there is a single tradition on this island, noted by your remark ‘Your own cultural heritage’ – perhaps you might accept that is more than one tradition and culture on this island, and thankfully we are the better for it. My cultural heritage is English, Scottish, German, Irish and French Huguenot and I’m no less ‘Irish’ than anyone else, and nothing to be ‘ashamed’ of either.

      2. ahjayzis

        Don’t be forcing your narrow interpretation of your own cultural heritage on others.

        English is my language, the Irish have made it their own more than any other adopter.
        It’s very un-Irish to put yourself in a position to question any man’s Irishness because they’re not sufficiently ‘throwback-gael’. A point made in the lyrics of our national anthem.

        1. Loan Some Cow Boy

          I often wondered about that

          Is that the bit that goes atá faoi gheall in Eireann?

          Why on earth would we be faoi gheall being so “proud” to be Irish and all?

          It always struck me that what he means is literally we are enslaved to be “Irish”.

          Heaven help us all.

        2. Nigel

          It;s VERY Irish to be so incredibly insecure about our Irishness that someone saying that the Irish language is part of the Irish heritage would cause such defensiveness.

          1. Loan Some Cow Boy

            No it isn’t – maybe for you

            What I think he’s saying is that Irishness isn’t defined by one narrow version of what our cultural heritage delineated by the ‘native’ language with which we identify

            It’s a bit like those idiots who criticise “Irish” soccer fans for following Man U or Liverpool – as technically this is not allowed you see?

          2. Nigel

            No it’s that the mere mention that actually ‘is mise le meas’ is not some ancient arcane code but a reasonably common and well-understood salutation in the modern version of what was once the common language of the country sets off responses about not narrowly defining our culture etc. Which is fair enough and perfectly true, in fairness, but still.

          4. Nigel

            No, it’s the dictionaries that gorge on us, jusayinlike. They fasten on your brain like vampires and make you their slave and eat your mind-meats and reproduce by sending words flying everywhere! Warn them, jusayinlike! Tell them they’re coming1 Tell them to keep watching the 1.region of the clouds or the upper air; 2. the upper atmosphere of the earth: the heavens or firmament, appearing as a great arch or vault; 3. the supernal or celestial heaven!

      3. Pat Harding

        Interesting, my ancestors came to Ireland in 1649 and settled in Tipperary. I would figure that after 368 years my “Irishness’ is no less natural than anyone else’s. If you go back far enough, everyone on this island has ancestors who originated elsewhere, unless of course Ireland is an exception to human evolution?

        Personally speaking, Ireland today is an overwhelmingly English speaking nation, and nothing is going to change that fact. While some might speak Gaelic as their first language (very few) and a small proportion may wish to speak it out of choice (which they are free to) the notion as provided for under Article 8 of the Constitution that ‘the Irish language as the national language is the first official language’ is plainly bonkers and the residual legacy of fanatics and romantic lunatics from a bygone era.

        Firstly the language is Gaelic and not “Irish”. Secondly Gaelic is a language which is not unique to Ireland, being spoken in parts of Scotland and formerly in the Isle of Man.

        Gaelic like Latin is historically interesting, but language is first and foremost a means of communication. Consider the following what sense would it make, were I to write this comment in latin or indeed norse, languages which were once spoken in Ireland (Latin in the church) and variations of Norse in the settlements established by the Norse and the Danish vikings?

        1. Djin Genie

          Actually, the term “Irish” is a contraction of “Irish Gaelic” and therefore perfectly correct. “Gaelic” is not preferred because it describes the language family and it’s confusing without the regional descriptor (Irish). Gaelic on its own more commonly refers to Scots Gaelic, as that is the native word for it in their tongue. “Gaeilge” is ours. Although they are somewhat mutually intelligible, Gaeilge/Irish and Scots Gaelic are not the same language, having evolved separately since the early middle ages.

    2. Murtles

      “Yours Sincerely” probably easier to understand in case of misinterpretation….. “Did he say something about mass?” and all that etc etc

    2. Joe Small

      I hope he dies roaring with the voices of the people he killed in his ears. But that’s just me.

        2. Vote Rep #1

          In some epic whitewashing of history, TIL that the provos only ever killed British soldiers during the troubles.

    3. Loan Some Cow Boy

      So do I.

      He’s the only political personage up there with any kudos and we will need strong leaders to maintain the progress we made in the era of Brexit as it already looks like being regressive.

  5. Daddy

    And of course the FGers will ignore the fact that Arlene Foster is entirely responsible for this mess and refused to do anything about it or take ownership of it. They’ll blame SF for taking down the Stormont Government. Good little Unionists that they are.

  6. kellma

    I’m no fan of SF but he had to do this. She had no business staying in her position given the clear as day conflict of interest presiding but she was not for moving. She was going nowhere and something had to give. It really stinks up north… even more so than down here..

  7. bisted

    …the shinners have been playing an absolute masterclass in the political long-game…I seldom agree with that FFer Mooneys analysis but this was truely a case of giving the DUP enough rope to hang themselves. The withdrawel of the £15k grant is something that happens on a daily basis in the north but the timing of this blatent act of vindictiveness and bigotry gives the shinners their Rosa Parks moment…

  8. Kolmo

    I don’t know why unionists think they are somehow superior/puritanical (and a lot do..) to the rest of their fellow islanders, the corruption and carry-on north is as greasy as the south, the unionist in the north have nothing to fear from a united Ireland, they’d fit like a glove, along with the many rose-tinted unionist revisionists we already have contriving ‘balance’ in the media and elsewhere…as is their wont

    1. Scundered

      During my early life I grew up in such a community, ok they don’t want a united Ireland but that shouldn’t be mistaken for thinking they are superior.

      In my experience on both sides all I see is mass misunderstanding, from both sides.

      1. ahjayzis

        I try to make a distinction between the DUP and DUP voters overall. I can’t believe they’re as 1950’s Alabamian as their politicians. The DUP is basically a parody. It’s such a shame elections up there are just tribal head-counts.

        1. Scundered

          If McGuinness and Foster were out of the way at least it might open up some space for new blood, and get rid of all the old wood in Stormont, I bet a new generation would show the most maturity.

    2. Junkface

      Unionists look like they started inbreeding way back, its hilarious that they are so puritanical, they’re like a long lost tribe of Gargoyles who fell off Cathedrals a long time ago.

  9. ahjayzis

    The DUP really, really go out of their way to paint Sinn Fein as the responsible, reasonable party.

    Fair play to MM for calling out their constant, sneering hatred for anyone who isn’t exactly like them.

    1. Loan Some Cow Boy

      fair play to this commenter for calling this exactly like it is and I don’t think he is a shinnerbot usually :)

  11. Truth in the News

    The RHI “Cash for Ash” has not dissimilar scheme down south, on which there is political
    silence, its the uniquely worded PSO Levy on your electricity bill which adds up to 350 odd
    Million Euro each year, a lot of the money is pocketed by venture capital and vulture investors
    and well heeled owners of peat burning power stations, who are will able to absorb the losses
    Why should electricity consumers bale out Wind Farm owners based in Texas and Australia.
    One must Congratulate McGuiness on finally bringing it down at this late state, and its not that
    there was not enough of effort over Christmas to resolve the issue…..Incidentally when will the
    the list of beneficiaries of the scheme be published.

  12. Kieran NYC

    So the Assembly comes down due to an old-fashioned, regular corruption/incompetence scandal instead of the usual “My God v Your God” tribal nonsense.

    That’s progress I guess.

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