RIC Clearly Now

at

Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar and Fine Gael TD Charlie Flanagan speaking to journalists last month

This morning.

Ben Haugh and Ronan Early, in The Times Ireland edition, reports:

“Leo Varadkar received hundreds of angry emails about the plan to commemorate the RIC, including dozens from lifelong Fine Gael supporters who said they would never vote for the party again.

…Documents released to The Times under freedom of information laws show that more than 200 people contacted Mr Varadkar’s office shortly after the event was announced, calling for it to be cancelled. A further 250 people contacted Charlie Flanagan, the justice minister, to complain.”

Election 2020: Hundreds ‘didn’t vote for Fine Gael over RIC commemoration row’ (Ben Haugh, Ronan Early, The Times Ireland edition)

Previously: “Obscene”

“We Maybe Should Reconsider These Commemorations” [Updated]

Rollingnews

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31 thoughts on “RIC Clearly Now

    1. 01101101 01100011

      hm, I suspect not a matter of IQ

      the more I’m reading these (and other stories) around the former Government it seems a bit like a cabin fever took over or something, kinda like those final weeks in WW2 when the German middle and upper classes of a certain persuasion partied like its 1999 until they were dead (scene borrowing that from a movie called Fury but I did read of historical evidence of that kind of wartime nuttery)

      this sounds straight up to me like that Flanagan guy got cocky and this is something he really really wanted personally and tried to do despite the reality for some bizarre reason, ah who knows

      1. Spaghetti Hoop

        Flanagan alone was adamant that the event proceeded – reflected in his disappointment when it was ‘deferred’.

        What’s remarkable is that had it gone ahead, there were hardly any other official commemorative events planned in January to ‘balance’ it which were pro-independence. And that’s odd given that we won the war. It was also the first event of this important year – a ‘flag-bearer’ or ‘setting the tone’ as events people might say. Very odd for such a controversial topic to kick off the centenary.

        Since it has still to be officially cancelled, and because I’m interested in the entire year of commemorating 1920, I decided to check out the events page on the ‘Decade of Centenaries’ website; https://www.decadeofcentenaries.com/. The events are listed there on the home page. Take a look at the vast array of events remaining once the RIC one was removed.

        1. 01101101 01100011

          Hi Daisy
          that’s interesting, so mini family dynasties really are a big part of politics…and a bit of nepotism I’d imagine is in the mixer there too
          my view of it just gets worse and worse

          from Wikipedia:
          Oliver J Flanagan
          on 9 July 1943, to urge the government to emulate the Nazis and “rout the Jews out of this country.. where the bees are there is honey, and where the Jews are there is money”

          holy crapola!

          1. 01101101 01100011

            I knew the madcap stories about companies like IBM, Bayer, Porsche, Krupps and the like but wowsers that’s shocking

  1. dhod

    I think the swing gate scandal was the beginning of the end for FG. In a country where businesses are closing due to insurance costs and claims culture we had politicians in Maria Bailey and Alan Farrell that are jumping on the claims bandwagon rather than tackling it. FG bumbled through it rather than calling out Bailey and giving her the boot immediately-this caused understandable anger. Even right up to the end of her days, Coveney was defending her.
    The RIC carry on seemed to be the straw that broke the camel’s back

    1. V

      the RIC thing was what shifted their own core vote and made them stay at home on Saturday

      But the issue was neither Swing Gate or Greedy Murphy

      What really collapsed Fine Gael was the quality of the Ministers they now had
      Regina, Eoghan, Simon (the Wickla one), Charlie F – and Frances Fitz before him in Justice

      All were were in big Ministeries that Fine Gael would say their lads were best ever Ministers those departments ever had, Micheal Noonan, Garret Fitz, Peter Barry, Paddy Cooney, Gemma Hussey, even Alan Dukes and Enda Kenny

      This, the 31st Government, the weakest and most useless this country ever had, and Fianna Fail have to ship some of the fall out themselves, particularly the leadership of Fianna Fail
      Absolutely no way would Charlie Haughey have left the likes of Eoghan Murphy stay put, and the likes of Regina Doherty wouldn’t even get a look in, naw’ mind Social Welfare

      1. dhod

        Eoghan Murphy being re-elected is really baffling and disappointing. I’m in Dub B South and in the lead up it felt as if he was on the way out despite it being a FG stronghold. He canvassed much harder than anyone else in our constituency and had a huge team of orange jacketed disciples working for him. Somehow it seems to have worked

        1. V

          He had two things going for him with the DBS voter
          He was their only Minister on the Ballot, which believe it or not is a significant help
          He also had the most visible campaign

          When it all comes out in the wash, I actually expect his local campaign to have been the most expensive in the Country.

          Like, between the high profile shop front pop up office at the Triangle in Ranelagh, and the orange kits that came with matching umbrellas.
          He didn’t just make do with the National Campaign posters either.
          He went all out and didn’t spare a cent.

          It also helped that he is one of them. In fact the four returned were pure DBS. Even Chris Andrews whose accent would change from street to street, and wasn’t a bit shy about his Fianna Fail or his RTÉ connections either.
          Of all the new Shinners – his win is probably the most flimsiest.

  2. Madam X

    The big problem for FG was the political inexperience of some advisors . Grey heads lacking. Charlie Flanagan made a monumental blunder. Bubble politics is the only conclusion

  3. bisted

    …sorry to see Charlie ‘friend of israel’ Flanagan retain his seat…but then, it’s been in the family a long time…there’s a proud history to live down to…

    1. Spaghetti Hoop

      More would have written to their local representatives requesting an official objection on their behalf. So I do think 450 is only half the story.

  4. 01101101 01100011

    btw Broadsheet

    I think that’s really smart of you

    Please continue to post more stories published outside the state when you see them

    I reckon its really important to read an outside perspective especially given the seemingly incestuous nature of many of the actors (the whole show) on our local stage

  5. RuilleBuille

    Charlie shouting ‘up the Black and Tans!’ didn’t attract the same media attention as ‘up the ‘RA!’ did.

    But it did attract the ire of the voters.

  6. Dr.Fart

    it’s one of many examples of the public expressing dissapproval of an FG action and Varadkar pressing ahead with a “i know better than you do” attitude.

  7. DOC

    Eoghan Murphy is 37 years old and a Millionaires son. He survived two no confidence votes in the space of Fourteen months September 2018 (59-49) and November 2019 (59-56) The writing was on the wall

    Simon Harris dropped out of D.I.T. failing a Journalism course and went straight in to politics. Leo is a G.P. and he knows how tough the Health Ministry is and yet he gave a portfolio with a Turnover of 17 Billion to a 34 year old

    Two inexperienced Men who were out of their depth.
    It is easy to see where the problem is

    1. Ringsend Incinerator

      “Simon Harris dropped out of D.I.T. failing a Journalism course”

      Seriously? In this country? How is that even possible…

      1. GiggidyGoo

        And became a Health Minister overseeing one of the largest budgets in the country. But didn’t attend any Children’s Hospital meetings. A boy letting on to do a mans job.

      2. Lilly

        Smart move dropping out of a journalism course in favour of a career in politics, if that’s where his interest lay.

  8. GiggidyGoo

    So, like Mairia Cahill and Austin Whatshisname, the media and FFG have now moved on and forgotten about Paul Quinn. Not a word. All is quiet. And that is your typical MSM and ‘Civil War’ parties modus operandum. Like the three F’s. Find, f…., forget. FFFG

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