Sinn FŽéin TD Brian Stanley, chairman of the Public Accoounts Committee, has apologised for a now-deleted tweet referencing incidents from the War of Independence and the Troubles, saying it was “inappropriate and insensitive”.

This morning/afternoon.

Via RTÉ:

The vice-chair of PAC and Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy said while Mr Stanley had apologised and deleted the tweet, this was not sufficient to resolve the matter.

Ms Murphy told RTÉ News she was appalled by the tweet, adding Mr Stanley’s actions so far are not sufficient and there cannot be “business as usual” at the PAC on Wednesday.

One PAC member, Fine Gael’s Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, told RTÉ’s Today with Claire Byrne that, at a minimum, Mr Stanley should recuse himself as PAC chair…

…Fianna Fáil’s Marc MacSharry said while the comments were very inappropriate and insensitive, Mr Stanley was a good chair and should not resign.

Meanwhile…

fellow PAC member, Cormac Devlin, said it was a matter for Mr Stanley about what do to next.., Labour’s Sean Sherlock, Independent Verona Murphy also said he had apologised and should remain as PAC Chair…Fine Gael’s Alan Dillon said it was a personal choice for Mr Stanley, while the Green TD Neasa Hourigan declined to comment….Sinn Féin PAC member Imelda Munster said Mr Stanley is a really good and fair chairperson….

Committee divided over Stanley position as PAC chair (RTÉ)

Kilmichael ambush?

Narrow Water ambush?

RollingNews

Meanwhile…

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158 thoughts on “Ambushed

  1. Dr.Fart

    varadkar won’t let this go for as long as he lives. he’ll still be going on about it on his deathbed

      1. Dr.Fart

        He’s sent Coveney out to bat. He’s since retweeted and shared Coveney’s remarks on it. If it was up to either of those Tory wannabes they’d have the entire island under British control.

          1. Dr.Fart

            I know what you’re trying to do, and it’s only a point if time remains still. at the moment he’ll be trying to hold off, because he’s seeing how everyone keeps saying how obsessed he is with SF. But he won’t be able to bite his tongue on it, he’s no restraint. It’s coming. He’s already retweeting others comments on it.

          2. ReproBertie

            Yes, let’s come back in a few days and you can show the countless examples of how Leo won’t let this go.

    1. Dr.Fart

      what’s your problem with the IRA? For a start, they barely exist. They certainly aren’t active anyway. And when they were they were trying to evict foreign invaders. What do you hate about that so much?

        1. Toby

          Ah, we all wish for the Noble savage. But they don’t exist. War is messy, and dirty. And mostly unnecessary if countries stopped invading others.

          1. Toby

            Ah, are you gone full Ruth Dudley Edwards? Stockholm syndrome? Apologist? You were nice and safe from it all Id say. Fumbling in a greasy till…

            There would never be a need for the IRA if the Brits hadnt occupied Ireland. And they would still be here if it wasn’t for them.

            If you’d like that, then be honest. But you cant have your cake and eat it.

          2. ReproBertie

            Being disgusted by the IRA murdering innocent people means I’m disgusted by the IRA murdering innocent people. If it makes it easier for you to invent reasons for me to be disgusted by the IRA murdering innocent people so that you can gloss over the IRA murdering innocent people then that’s your denial issue.

            The Brits didn’t leave due to the murder of any of the innocent people I listed above, despite what you might like to tell yourself. All of them were murdered after partition and the Brits are still in Northern Ireland.

          3. Anti Bots

            War! Define war? Go on. What war murders innocent people, robs, extorts, kills guards and police, north ans south, has people out collecting for the POWS, smuggles people, drugs, guns all for the so called “war”. Grow up, read some history books. The BS that the ra won a war is so kiddish. What did they win? A 6 county statlet that does not have its owe govt, that is supported by the English taxpayers by billions every year. You won the war? Ha ha.

          4. Junkface

            The IRA were a disgusting terrorist group who ruined thousands of lives and murdered so many innocent people in Ireland and the UK. I can’t believe anyone would think their actions were justified.

          5. Toby

            The IRA did what they had to do to get the Brits out of NI. And it worked. All is fair in Love and War.

            When you invade a country and subjugate them to your rule. You should expect push back.

            Ask Israel.

          6. ReproBertie

            “The IRA did what they had to do to get the Brits out of NI. And it worked”
            Except for the Brits still being in NI.

          7. Toby

            They are not on the streets. they are not on the checkpoints or on the mountain tops. they are not torturing or murdering in jails. They are not buggering in Kincora. Their vile spawn has been ejected and only hollow voices like your remain. You are alone. They have abandoned you.

          8. ReproBertie

            I’m alone? No poor deluded Toby, I’m with the millions who were happy to see the IRA put their guns and bombs away and stop killing innocent people. I’m with the millions who wanted peace and look forward to a United Ireland being achieved through peaceful means.

          9. Toby

            You can finally look forward to that now that the Brit soldiers have gone. Personally, I have no desire for a United Ireland while that Unionist toxicity remains both North and South. Who would be mad enough to vote to absorb a million people who hate our very existence. Im sure you’d welcome them. Make you feel less alone, more complete. Shoneen.

        2. Kate

          Good God…3 people disappeared.
          It’s well over the thousand mark in the Republic. We have a major problem with up to 40+ vanishing without a trace every year and poor resources.

          1. Rob_G

            I don’t think you understood the comment; Det Garda Jerry McCabe is not one of the disappeared – he is from a separate IRA atrocity.

      1. Cian

        Foreign invaders?
        The Normans were invited into Ireland 800 years ago, and stayed.
        The Viking invaded 1300 years ago and stayed.
        There were four waves of Celtic migrations or invasions: 700–500 BC, 500 BC, 300 BC, 100 BC who stayed.
        We’re all descended from “foreign invaders” if you go back far enough.

        And then there is the current “modern” invasion – 15% of the people here are foreign-born.

          1. Micko

            Indeed Cian, Janet

            Stephen Fry made a similar point beautifully when he was in Oz.

            People’s reliance on a surname or the ancestry of a single line is rubbish.

            https://youtu.be/zD0DbwFIOt0?t=365

            His point starts about 6:00 – when he talks about his appearance on “Who do you think you are”

            It’s brilliant

          2. Janet, dreams of an alternate universe

            tribalism is an evil that has plagued this island for too long, may it sink into the past

        1. Dr.Fart

          well then answer my question, but replace “foreign invaders” with “invading British presence”

          1. Cian

            your “invading British presence” is nonsense.
            There was an invasion 800 years ago.
            800 years ago.

            Do you know what the world was like 800 years ago? Should all other boundaries be reverted to the 1200 version? Should the USA revert to native americans? Canada back to first people? Mexico and all the rest of the America to the Olmec, Teotihuacan, Maya, Zapotec, Mixtec, Huastec, Purepecha, Toltec, and Mexica/Aztecs? Africa broken into 12th century tribal boundaries? Do you want to reintroduce the Holy Roman Empire?

            Remove the Brits and break Ireland into 5 kingdoms? Is that what you want?

        2. Toby

          Whats your point Cian and Janet? That the Brits were just visiting? Disgusting, revisionist belittling of the hurt, murder and suffering cause by the occupying British forces here.

          Get away with your west Brit revisionism.

          1. Cian

            Its not revisionism.
            It’s history.
            Today’s borders are different to the borders 800 years ago all over the world.

            Do you want all the Norman “invaders” to leave too?

            Anyone with the following “foreign” surnames needs to leave the pure Irish republic within 48 hours:

            Aylward, Barron, Barrett, Barrie, Barry, Bermingham, Blake, Bluitt, Bonds, Bourke, Brannagh, Brett, Britt, Britton, Brown, Browne, Burke, Brew, Bryan, Butler, Campion, Cantillon, Cantwell, Carew, Chambers, Claire, Clare, Codd, Cody ,Cogan, Colfer, Condon, Comerford, Cooney, Courcey, Crosbie, Crozier ,Cullen ,Cummiskey, Cusack, Dalton, Darcy, D’Arcy, Day, Dillon, Fagan, Field, Fitzgerald, Fitzgibbon, Fitzhenry, Fitzsimmons, Fitzsimons, Fitzstephens, Fleming, Flemming, Francis, French, Furlong, Gibbons, Grace, Griffin, Griffith, Hackett, Hays,Hussey ,Jordan, Joyce, Keating, Lacey ,Lawless, Liston, Logan, Lucey, Lynch, Lyons, Marshall, Martin, McQuillan, Molyneux, Morris, Morrissey, Nagle, Nangle, Nugent, Plunkett, Power, Powers, Prendergast, Punch, Prior, Purcell, Redmond, Rice,Roach, Roberts, Roche, Rochford, Russell, Savage, Sinnott ,Stapleton ,Stephens ,Talbot ,Tyrrell, Wade, Wall, Walsh, Welsh, White, Wolfe ,Wyse,

          2. Janet, dreams of an alternate universe

            no that’s not what I was inferring at all and in no way wish to belittle this islands history

          3. Toby

            Its also history that the Brits subjected Ireland to centuries of terror- taking their land, their language, their freedom. Like many of the places they invaded around the world.

            Its also history that they made their fortune on the back of those they surpassed and those they enslaved.

            Its also history that the IRA and the Irish had to sacrifice thousands of young men and women to get them out of here.

            Its also history that we have peace in NI now because of the IRA.

            But your type of self loathing revisionists will always be with us.

          4. Cian

            Its also history that we have peace in NI now because of the IRA.

            Haahaa

            There is peace in NI becasue IRA stopped bombing and shooting people.

          5. Toby

            When you and your mates in the British army agreed to their terms, the IRA laid down their arms. But you would be foolish to think the resolve went with them. Or that they have gone away. Thank god, they know that as long as people and attitudes like yours exist, they are still needed.

            Why wouldn’t another generation be emboldened by them that went before and rise again when needed? You were here 800 years after all. Whats a hundred ears to get you out?

          6. Cian

            @Toby – what make someone Irish? Do they have to be born here? have 2 irish-born parents; 4 Irish born grandparents; 8 Irish-born great-grandparents….

            …how many generations back to be Irish? 5? 10? 20? 100?

          7. Andrew

            Toby, there’s a barstool waiting for you after lockdown . You can regale your mates with your pretend ‘war’ soon enough.
            Your heroes were gangsters, common criminals and had no mandate.

            Cowards and touts mostly

          8. Toby

            Those “cowards and touts” will forever be heroes. They are now supported by hundreds of thousands in the Democratic process. They have faced down empire and won. they have inspired millions all over the world to never accept bigotry and oppression.

            they deserve their place on the barstool.

            And you Andrew? What have you done from the safety and privilege of your chaise longue? May you never feel oppression, you’d be the first to inform.

          9. Anti Bots

            What’s your point about war, and no Brits presence in NI? There are still there, propping up your little statlet that has no govt. But yeah, you won the war……..revisionism my back side. You lost, and badly. Killed thousands in doing so. Extorted, robbed all the rest. But who is in were in NI. Not you thieves, you just keep on thieving.

          10. GiggidyGoo

            @Cian
            Are all of those ‘Norman Invaders’ claiming a number of Irish counties for France, or Scandinavian countries?

          11. Cian

            @GG
            yes, anyone with any of those surnames is most likely a direct descendant of a “Norman Invader” and, by your logic, should leave the country.

          12. GiggidyGoo

            @Cian
            ?
            I asked “Are all of those ‘Norman Invaders’ claiming a number of Irish counties for France, or Scandinavian countries?”

            And you say “Yes”

            Links please.

    1. Jockey

      I wonder if Sinn Fein will ever split into 2 branches. All these bozos will be turfed out one way or another. There is a handful of educated people in there who must be getting tired of others behaving like it’s 1920 and not 2020.

  2. bisted

    …the graffiti at the time says a lot:
    15 dead but not forgotten
    We got 18 and Mountbatten

    – this was aimed at the paratroopers who were viewed as another version of the black and tans…to this day it is viewed as an act of revenge for Bloody Sunday…

  3. Jockey

    Not the nicest news story to read in the same week we read their support is higher than ever. Democracy doesn’t work if the voters aren’t educated enough to see that this option is worse than the option they dislike.

  4. Toby

    It still baffles me that people are surprised or horrified at the IRA. They were trying to evict an oppressing foreign force that brutalised this country for centuries. As someone wisely said- the sad truth is that sometimes violence is necessary, and sometimes violence works.

    What did you want them to do? Stand idly by?

        1. Anti Bots

          And Goo is back as opposed to Fart. Tell us all, as a so-called Irish nationalist, is it not shameful to be paid in the UK? Your and chargers getting paid by the same queen?

          1. Anti Bots

            Jaysus Goo, why take everything so personally. No idea what MLAL is. And using ROFL is up there with LOL – so childish. But is it not embarrassing being paid by the queen’s shilling? I’d be upset being an Irish nationalist not to get paid and indeed pay taxes in my own country.

    1. Jockey

      It has been 100 years since the 32 counties were divided into 26 and 6. They’re finally standing idly by now. Don’t you think it’s better? Or would you rather they behave how they did on/before 15 August 1998?

    2. Toby

      Of course violence worked. I can walk through Belfast now with no soldiers on the streets, checkpoints in my way, thousands interned, bombs being detonated. It worked here in the south 100 years ago, and that is why we have a free, independent republic now.

      Unfortunately, violence is the only thing the British understood. That and negative economic impact.

      If the colour of the post office boxes is your metric, then you have no clue what this is about. After a relatively little number of killings, our post boxes are green. Give us time and fertility.

      1. ReproBertie

        “I can walk through Belfast now with no soldiers on the streets, checkpoints in my way, thousands interned, bombs being detonated” because the IRA stopped their campaign of violence.

          1. Toby

            Another Joe Duffy here….. Go and talk to Rob-G. Yourself and himself can discuss the Kincora boys home and your beloved Brits.

            Disgusting, using children when your argument fails,. Have some self respect.

          2. ReproBertie

            I would argue that murdering the childer is the act of a coward.

            How unfortunate that the reality of the IRA’s campaign of murder and eventual ceasefire stands in the way of your revisionist take on their history.

          3. ReproBertie

            “Anyone who uses children to justify centuries of oppression is really sick.”

            Good thing nobody is doing that then.

          4. Toby

            You’re the one who brought children into it mate. Im just calling out your cowardly use of kids to justify British atrocities. Its pure Joe Duffy.

          5. Toby

            Dragging dead children in to win your argument is as disgusting as Joe Duffy profiting about them in his bukes,

          6. ReproBertie

            But you’re fine with your heroes in the IRA murdering children to win an argument?

            Also, show me where I justified British atrocities, mate.

          7. Toby

            God I pity you. Walking around in a country you hate, wishing for an oppressor that abandoned you, and reduced to bringing dead children out to try and get sympathy for your sick argument.

          8. ReproBertie

            Hilarious. You can’t address a single point because you might have to deal with the reality of the IRA’s campaign and that would shatter your childish illusion.

            History is history, you don’t get to pick which bits to remember.

          9. Toby

            Im proud of the sacrifices the IRA made for the people of Northern Ireland. Its why there are no soldiers on the streets. Its why we are a republic in the south. Its why Sinn Fein are so popular.

            You feel alone, abandoned and betrayed. I get it. But you should know better than expect loyalty from the Brits.

          10. ReproBertie

            The IRA that won our independence have nothing to do with the child murderers in Northern Ireland that you’re so proud of.

          11. GiggidyGoo

            @Repro.

            The current Ceann Comhairle hadn’t much time for children’s safety when he wrote a reference for a child abuser. https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-30984794.html

            Interestingly, the CC in a letter to the victim, this year, he stated
            “Out of deference to this Office, I cannot engage in campaigning nor can I actively participate in political matters,”

            Yet here he is commenting on a tweet by a member of a political party.

            What was that you were saying about children? Need we mention Noonan and Grace too?

          12. ReproBertie

            Why the whataboutery Giggidy?

            Toby said “It still baffles me that people are surprised or horrified at the IRA”. I pointed out that the murdering of children, and other innocents, is my reason. He went off on one with sectarian and racist insults.

            None of this has anything to do with the current Ceann Comhairle and his past.

          13. GiggidyGoo

            @Repro
            Oh but it does have a relationship with this story. Not whatabouttery at all when the CC wades into something he shouldn’t. https://www.thejournal.ie/ceann-comhairle-tells-dup-leader-that-brian-stanley-tweet-was-disrespectful-and-requires-credible-political-response-5285634-Dec2020/

            Toby didn’t bring in the subject of children. You did, to score political points. Well the CC has entered this particular fray, hence my reference to him and what his party stands for, plus to even out, I mentioned Noonan.

          14. ReproBertie

            No Giggidy. I introduced the matter of children murdered by the IRA to help Toby understand why some people are still horrified by the IRA. Now you’re playing whataboutery with it because the Dáil have decided that a stupid tweet is the big issue of the week and, for some reason, you think that you have to run interference.

            I don’t care about the tweet. I don’t think one stupid tweet, since deleted, reflects on anyone but the person who tweeted it. When called on it he deleted it. End of story as far as I’m concerned. I’d much prefer if both sides of the Dáil could grow up and do their jobs instead of this constant childish game of point scoring and he said but she said but don’t forget what he said that time about the other thing.

          15. GiggidyGoo

            You’re posting your comments under a particular article. If theyre not relevant to the article, but to another subject (children) then you’re the whatabouttery merchant.
            My whatabouttery is as relevant as yours then.

          16. ReproBertie

            Whatever Gig. I responded to a comment under this topic. You run interference on this all you like. I’ve no interest in the tweet and how the Dáil is reacting to it but I’m sure you can find someone to play whataboutery with somewhere.

      2. Cian

        You could have walked through Belfast in 1960 with no soldiers on the streets, checkpoints in my way, thousands interned, bombs being detonated.

        1. Toby

          Not true.I would have gotten arrested on some trumped up charge, or beaten or my house raided. So I don’t know what Belfast you are talking about? Were you there?

          Thankfully, a small group of people committed to equality and fairness, fought for their rights and made the streets safe for catholics and nationalists.

          In any other country, these would be praised. But the small self loathing cohort of Irish Brits prefer to believe that it was a noble occupation and the IRA unwanted terrorists.

          Today of course, Sinn Fein is the fastest growing party in both jurisdictions because the electorate actually respect the sacrifices they made to drive the Brits out and bring peace to this country.

          1. ReproBertie

            “made the streets safe for catholics and nationalists” except those they thought might be informers or those that were caught in their explosions or those they forced to drive cars loaded with explosives to checkpoints.

          2. ReproBertie

            How pathetic you are that the truth sets you resorting to insults but if you think your childish and racist insults have even the slightest effect on me you’re entirely wrong Toby.

          3. Toby

            Its the only way I can describe the attitude of an Irish person who would roll out dead children out to justify the actions of an empire building coloniser that caused so much suffering to his fellow citizens. They really are the actions of a self-loathing colonised mind.

          4. ReproBertie

            “justify the actions of an empire building coloniser that caused so much suffering to his fellow citizens.”

            Something nobody is doing. A fine straw man you’ve introduced but it won’t distract people from seeing that your attempt to glorify the children murdering IRA is falling on deaf ears. If you can’t handle people talking about what the IRA did then maybe don’t run around wondering why people are horrified by the IRA.

            How much suffering did the IRA bring to fellow citizens? You know, through all the murders and bombings.

          5. Rob_G

            Leave him to the height he has grew – Toby is clearly 17, I was like that when I was his age. I’m sure he will get a bit of sense when he gets older.

          6. :-Joe

            Well said Toby, here above and below..

            You’re wasting your time with the likes of gob_r and the politically confused and deluded young F-f/g wannabe prefect cian or the rest of the tory-F-f/g supporting hive minds floating around and ready to jump all over any defence of imperialist britain at the expense of independent thought on Irish culture…

            RebroBertie is clearly off the map in comments above as you’ve pointed out already.

            You don’t need any advice from me but I’ll say this anyway..

            Remember, there’s no point arguing with eejits, they’ll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience, all while everyone else is unable to tell each of you apart from one another..

            If it were a choice between these eejits and their kind of deusional version of Ireland or…?.. Well then “Up the RA!” is still a better alternative… haha..

            :-J

          7. ReproBertie

            Another child murderer apologist who’d rather pretend that the IRA never hurt innocents.

            Remember :-Joe, when it came down to it Martin McGuinness and Gerry Adams recognised that the IRA’s campaign of violence was achieving nothing and convinced them to lay down their arms. We’ve had 20 years of peace (mostly) since then and the last thing this island needs is a bunch of fantasists who’ve never had a squaddie point a rifle at them and who’ve never sat for hours being interrogated under the PTA while their family and loved ones worried themselves sick over where you were and what had happened to you, deciding that it’s time to stir up more sectarian hatred and bigotry by glorifying the murder gangs.

          8. :-Joe

            Helen Lovejoy has joined the debate..
            – At least in spirit anyway…

            Is it DID / Split personality disorder?.. You decide…

            :-J

          9. ReproBertie

            Helen Lovejoy? Ah right, because I’m not willing to look beyond the IRA’s murdering of innocent people, including children. Gotcha. More stupid name calling to distract from the point.

            Riddled with informers, losing support and achieving nothing. I know fantasists like yourself hate the reality but that was the IRA when Gerry and Martin saw sense.

        2. yupyup

          Ah yes, such a utopia. Housing, opportunities and jobs aplenty for Catholics.

          Those friendly B-specials on patrol. The little rascals.

          (1960 probably not a good year to use Cian, internment on both sides of the border that particular year)

          1. Cian

            I choose 1960 at random, but now you say it in Ireland internment was ended March 1959, and Northern Irish did the same in 1961, becasue the “Border campaign” was waning.

        3. GiggidyGoo

          You’ve a very childish view of history Cian. There were small matters of keeping catholics out of jobs for instance in the 60’s, and the rest.

          1. Rob_G

            Yeah – it was a real bonanza of jobs for Catholics (and indeed Protestants) once the Troubles started – would you ever log off the internet for 30 minutes and read a book for once in your life.

          2. Cian

            I didn’t say NI was perfect in the 1960s. It wasn’t.

            I said that you could walk around Belfast without seeing army checkpoints or being bombed.

            Try to keep up.

      3. John

        And all that peace took was for the IRA and Sinn Fein to surrender to British control.
        Campaign of freeing Ireland from British influence failed. Got peace though. I suppose you gotta take the little victories.

        1. Toby

          The Brits were scared because the IRA started hitting them where it hurt. In the Square Mile. John Major came looking for peace. When the Brits finally agreed to IRA terms. The IRA laid down their weapons. It was a major victory that has inspired many other freedom fighters.

          1. Anti Bots

            You clearly have not read a history book. Where is London’s Square Mile. Go on, like all you shinner bots on here, anwser a question where is it?. How many innocent people were killed in this Square Mile. Go on I dare you to answer a question based on fact as opposed to you talking shxxte to your mates, in between extorting innocent business owners.

          2. Toby

            You got scared when you couldn’t insure the square mile. The men in grey went to Major, Major went cap in hand to the IRA. The rest is history.

          3. Anti Bots

            What a dozy B end you are. Define the Square Mile?. Go on Goo, Fart, Mustard, and the new Toby, define the square mile? You haven’t a clue. Where is it? How many innocents were killed there? But you “Irish Nationalists” are still getting paid in sterling. Losers. How are you not embarrassed posting this crap.

          4. Toby

            Why would I be embarrassed for the IRA bringing down an empire and stopping centuries of oppression? A cause for pride surely?

      1. Toby

        Ah the Joe Duffy answer!! I was waiting for someone to ride the childer… when all else fails we can use the childer as a human shield for our revisionist lies and self loathing justification. Seriously, so predictable and disgusting. Why don’t you ask Mountbatten about how he loved the childer?

        1. Andrew

          ride the childer Toby? No that’s what the nonces in the IRA got up to. Liam Adams and many,many more. Common criminals and perverts who grassed as soon as the pressure came on.

  5. Gavin

    I get he shouldn’t have phrased it the way he did, but its war, its bloody and messy and people died, in this case combatants, even wikipedia considers it a defining moment in the war between the IRA and the British and a well executed Guerilla attack, both sides did shitty stuff

  6. Anti Bots

    Ah sure, he did nothing. Not like he was a judge who went to a dinner or a party leader who attended a terrorist. Fart Goo and Mustard, all the same person will be on here for hours defending him. I know this won’t be posted because you cannot critic shinners or the Ra on BS. You have bell people on here criticizing every one and anyone in Irish life, but if yo say anything about the shinners, no comments with be posted. Grow a pair bodger and your other silly name, and post this comment.

  7. Charger Salmons

    *** Pops head around door ***
    Yup,still fighting amongst themselves.
    *** Closes door quietly and heads off with a jaunty stride and whistling a merry tune ***

    1. Toby

      Yep. Colonialism leaves scars. It leaves dead people. It leaves a lot of suffering. It leaves a lot of infighting. And it will do for a long time. Loyalist Belfast is the poorest, sickest and least educated area of Europe.

      Thats what your scum soldiers left.

      But you are scared too. Downing St, Canary Wharf, Sligo. All reminders of what could be next.

      1. Charger Salmons

        Toby is a steam tram who works on Thomas the Tank Engine’s Branch Line with his coach Henrietta.
        Toby is wise and always willing to share his experience and knowledge with the other engines. He is careful with every job he undertakes, causing him to rarely have any accidents.
        Toby and Henrietta are accompanied by a coach called Victoria and a luggage van named Elsie.
        Nice Toby.

          1. Charger Salmons

            You seem perturbed Grasshopper.
            Such anger and bile gnawing away at your insides and filled with an uncommon hatred even towards your fellow Irish folk.
            Remember what Confucius said: “Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.”
            He also said that prawn crackers come with the order.
            Wise words.

          2. Toby

            How many unnecessary graves have your people filled? The cancer of history. The only good thing you ever gave us was the teapot.

            Watching the Crown here and imagining the horror Dicky put those boys through. And he was the favourite Uncle. Andrew was the favourite son. Both adored, embraced and idolised by the Royals and their subjects, Imagine the sickness of a country that has that in their monarchy, and Bojo the beater, father of who knows as prime minister. But Meghan on the other hand. the tan done her in.

            Witness the sickness.

  8. Daisy Chainsaw

    Varadkar made a big deal about having to remove his portrait of Michael Collins when he rotated out of the Taoiseach job. Michael Collins himself was responsible for a lot of ambushes to get the Brits out of Ireland. You can’t have a gra for the Big Fella and distain for his “terrorist” actions!

  9. Kolmo

    Holy-moly, this was a grim thread. There was a war. The worst things happened. It ended 25+ years ago. I’d suspect 90% of the commentators here never lived anywhere near the North or ever even visited during the troubles by the level of breathless moral high-ground on display.
    It was a thoughtless tweet btw. Violence happened, glorifying it, from wherever quarter it came, helps no one.

    1. ReproBertie

      Or maybe some of us commenting on it remember it all too well and are disgusted by attempts to glorify it.

    2. Janet, dreams of an alternate universe

      nicely put
      it was far more complicated than two sides for a start, anyone from the north could tell you it was never black and white

      1. scottser

        not only that J, but it seems like people can’t have an opinion on our history one way or the other any more and any attempt at nuance is repeatedly shot down. so that tweet guy expresses an opinion in line with his politics and the politics of those who voted for him – he shouldn’t delete it, he should stand over it and defend it if he can.

        and to everyone on here, without getting too whatabout, politicians everywhere put their feet in it all the time about far more serious issues and they are excused as ‘boo-boo’s’. successive tan prime ministers happily covered up illegal activities against their own and irish citizens, colluded with murderers and employed fanatics to kill not just in ireland but around the globe. if you hate violence, then at least have the decency to condemn it everywhere.

          1. Cian

            You know I don’t deal in absolutes.
            I don’t know all the details on all the instances of violence. It is possible that there were a small number of instances where violence may have been warranted.

        1. :-Joe

          You know as well as the dog on the street that he had to delete and apologise or their would have been a corporate-state media shyte-storm against SF of epic proportions, the likes of which not ever seen before and weaponised to an exdtreme level of violence to wash away all their recent hypocrasy and corruption along with it…

          Anyone aware of the simple fact that the privaleges and rights of freedom of speech, publishing, journalism, politics and democracy is on it’s knees in this very moment in the west, not forgetting the insanity going on in such shining examples of humanity in China, Saudia Arabia.. or Israel…?

          Anyone still remember we have an unelected(directly mandated by a public vote) Tanaiste and soon to be Taoiseach, for the second time who has failed at every single brief he was ever involved in. Arguably, also at the very career path he is most qualified for. A mockery of the hypocratic oath indeed..

          Unless success means only that you survived and moved your useless sack of invertibrate self up the slippery grease pole to a better position…

          IRA violence in the face of just the 21st century ‘murican and british imperialism alone (Along with support from many other countries including the tory-F-f/g face of Ireland) is hardly worth talking about by any comparison…
          – To the scale of ants vs planets.

          I agree with your humanist and pacifist sentiments against all forms of violence all the same. An eye for an eye is willfully risking being even more blind etc.

          :-J

      2. Rob_G

        What a load of mealy-mouthed bullpoop – it’s very black and white to say: “blowing up a lot of young people in a pub is wrong, burning people alive just for meeting a friend in a hotel is wrong” – there is zero complicated about that.

    3. Toby

      Exactly. Every year Britain glorifies its colonial actions. Celebrating Empire, especially when it was created by brute force is a disgusting act when you consider the feelings of those who suffered at its hands.

      1. Cian

        I hope nobody tells Toby how many Irish served in the British Empire and her conquering armies.

        All those brutish Irish Regiments.

        Truely shocking.

      2. Toby

        IM smart enough to know the difference between a paid grunt trying to make a few bob in the trenches, and the superior Empire builders that drove them there. British have centuries of form from slavery to invasion, to colonisation, subjugation, plantation. A real dark history with an instrisic medieval cruelty. The IRA stood against that. A tiny army, big enemy = Dirty fight. What do you expect? Marquis of Queensbury with an Empire?

        1. Cian

          indeed.

          Luckly none of the ‘innocent’ Irish grunts were officers. Generals. Or in any way responsible for the invasion of half the empire.

          1. Toby

            Ah, the old “sure the British Empire is actually the fault of the Irish” trick. Gluttony caused the famine too. The days of having our history explained to us by empire apologists are over. Sling your hook.

  10. johnny

    hm.
    “A deal worth €125.5m. No minutes. No emails. No proposal in writing. No evaluation of property before sale. Ending in a potential loss to the tax-payer of €29m. On top of that, director involved in the sale ended up as director in com-pany which bought the package. Farcical” Public accounts committee chairman, Brian Stanley tweeting four hours after the NAMA hearing on 8th October 2020″

    oct hearings.

    “..the Comptroller and Auditor General’s special report 109 on NAMA’s management and disposal of the Project Nantes loans, a matter that was raised with the last Committee of Public Accounts.”

    https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/committee_of_public_accounts/2020-10-08/3/

    This coming Thursday the PAC is scheduled to publish its report into Project Nantes.

    “Project Nantes was a €352m par value loan portfolio linked to Olan Cremin, Thomas Dowd and Peter Donnelly which were sold in 2012 to a Luxembourgish entity for around €26m, in an off-market transaction which was not subsequently acknowledged or advertised by NAMA (as it has done with many disposals). The buyer of Project Nantes was Clairvue-Nantes Luxco Sarl, whose ditectors included Mark Donnelly who was, it is alleged, an associate of the borrowers.In May 2017, then TD Mick Wallace began raising questions about the probity of the trans-action in the Dail.”

    NWL388.

    1. johnny

      shorter-report drops Thursday-or does it Catherine?

      unhappy-he is/ was CEO of largest asset management company in world-unhappy:)

      “To say that I was flabbergasted would be an understatement. I was very unhappy,” Mr McDonagh told the Public Accounts Committee. He added that to the best of his knowledge no one within Nama had been privy to that information.”

      https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-40061582.html

        1. johnny

          -passed the first round interview to work there,to run their us loan book,they sold it too quickly:)
          physc test was next – net worth was problematic – i offered work for avg industrial wage…
          had me as trouble maker – but one most senior asset managers there left go work for abu dabi investments.
          they were behind the blanch deal that recently defaulted-he’s out work at moment:)
          they JV’d or joint ventured The Blanchardstown Centre with Blackstone,he was the ahem mastermind.

          …departed Nama last September after two years and five months as a senior asset manager to take up a new role as real estate adviser with the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA).
          https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/eleven-key-officials-who-left-nama-where-they-are-now-29561270.html

  11. goldenbrown

    LOL

    stoopid chitter post

    but why are we all so obsessed with Red C polls?

    I mean, that’s what all this is really about, no?

  12. RuilleBuille

    All this faux outrage is a result of the opinion poll in yesterdays SBP.

    It had headlined News at One, Joe Duffy, Hard Shoulder, Drivetime plus the usual politicians. Full scale onslaught on SF does not work.

    1. :-Joe

      +100%

      The real problem is that when you see enough people copping on you know they’re already working extra-hard to find an alternative solution to keep the serf’s and pleb’s in check for the next century..

      I’m sure F-f/g 2.0b will be pushing out it’s latest 21st century updates even to all it’s legacy devices very soon…unfortunately for the rest of the sane Irish people.

      Check in with the likes of cian and gob_r, they’re early adopters and blank test-bed slates either respectively or both at the same time…

      :-J

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