Shame.

arybvtcw0eolkf

The last remaining veteran of the war of independence was laid to rest on Friday in Co.Cork (his name escapes me right at the moment).

And neither the government or the Presidents office would send a representative to it.

I think thats a damn shame.

HAPPYGIRL

Its actually a total disgrace.

My grandad joined the guards in 1920 and the stories he used tell tell about the veterans from the war were scarey, they truly were incredibly brave. True heros, for that not to be acknowledged is a real shame.

HAPPYGIRL

HAPPYGIRL wrote:

Its actually a total disgrace.

My grandad joined the guards in 1920 and the stories he used tell tell about the veterans from the war were scarey, they truly were incredibly brave. True heros, for that not to be acknowledged is a real shame.

Which side was he on?

HAPPYGIRL

He joined the garda Siochana when it was formed.

Isn't the fact that the country is running really well testament to their courage and leadership in the early years.

HAPPYGIRL

Totally agree, and for their contribution to be ignored is a real disgrace.

zAbbo

Giving out at no representative being sent to the funeral when you couldn't even be bothered finding out what his name, is also a disgrace

(Dan Keating)

thefinalstage

Why exactly should they have cared?

Degag

Mairt wrote:

The last remaining veteran of the war of independence was laid to rest on Friday in Co.Cork (his name escapes me right at the moment).

And neither the government or the Presidents office would send a representative to it.

I think thats a damn shame.

Co. Kerry actually... he lived about 5 miles away from me, never spoke to him but often met him on the road walking.

ericl

From the rte website.

The funeral has taken place of Dan Keating, the last surviving IRA veteran of the War of Independence.

He was 105 years old.

Mr Keating was born in Castlemaine, Co Kerry and joined the IRA while still in his teens.

He was involved in ambushes during the War of Independence, including one on the night before the truce was declared.

He took the Republican side during the Civil War and opposed partition for the rest of his life.


R.I.P.

Vorsprung

There's a feature on BBC News about him here. To be honest it sounds like he wouldn't have wanted a "Free State" representative there.

arybvtcw0eolkf

zabbo wrote:

Giving out at no representative being sent to the funeral when you couldn't even be bothered finding out what his name, is also a disgrace

(Dan Keating)

Oh sorry, I'm such a disgrace for caring and bringing it to people attention and not remembering the chaps name at 2am :rolleyes: (btw, had just finished a split shift which began at 9am. I could hardly remember my own name!).

Anyway, regardless of the chaps politics then and now to ignore him and his contribution on his death is a cry shame

Heinrich

The 10 year budget was probably used up on the Haughey Damp Squib State Funeral!

ruskin

I think the government wouldnt send a representative to his funeral because it might not look very pc to their unionist friends. Why does it seem that modern Ireland has turned its back on the sacrifices and blood of those brave people?

GhostInTheRuins

By the sounds of things in that bbc link, I doubt he would have wanted any representatives from the government or the presidents office at his funeral.

Dave!

ruskin wrote:

I think the government wouldnt send a representative to his funeral because it might not look very pc to their unionist friends. Why does it seem that modern Ireland has turned its back on the sacrifices and blood of those brave people?

Not likely. Fianna Fáil are trying to emphasise their Republican image, remember? See the 1916 commemorative parade last year... I'd say they would have jumped at the chance to stick a few FF faces into the funeral pictures.

Anto McC

It is a shame but do we know if he wanted anyone there?

Sonnenblumen

zabbo wrote:

Giving out at no representative being sent to the funeral when you couldn't even be bothered finding out what his name, is also a disgrace

(Dan Keating)

Well said really catches where the Irish today are at. Fecking fickle moaners.

The man may not have sought or desired a Disney style funeral.

I mean why would anyone with a lifelong opposition to Partition want a modern day inept freeloading TD etc present at his funeral.

Not sure if the country today is all that wonderfully refective of original republican values?

All deaths should be respected. To die with dignity is a great honour and no doubt Dan Keating did so.

RIP

bunny shooter

I wrote a small booklet on the old IRA in my area in 1995/1996. The epilogue seems appropiate here.

http://homepage.tinet.ie/~150/page62.html

Shame they have been ignored. May he and all his comrades be remembered forever as the heroes they are

The e-mail address, address and phone number/s on the site are dead. PM on boards if anyone wants to contact me. All the material and books are out of print also.

dotsman

Not a fan of speaking ill of the recent dead, but seeing as many people here seem to have a romantic view of things, here we go:
Whatever about his actions during the War of Independence, since then he has been an enemy of the state and strong supporter of murder/terrorism, refusing to acknowledge the legitimacy of our nation and unwilling to observe the democratic views of the vast majority of the people in this country.

He wouldn't have wanted anybody from a government he refused to recognise to attend his funeral. Also, had a representative from the government of the Republic of Ireland attended, it would most likely have led to a controversial scene as many of the people attending the funeral would have shared his political views.

cornbb

dotsman wrote:

Not a fan of speaking ill of the recent dead, but seeing as many people here seem to have a romantic view of things, here we go:
Whatever about his actions during the War of Independence, since then he has been an enemy of the state and strong supporter of murder/terrorism, refusing to acknowledge the legitimacy of our nation and unwilling to observe the democratic views of the vast majority of the people in this country.

He wouldn't have wanted anybody from a government he refused to recognise to attend his funeral. Also, had a representative from the government of the Republic of Ireland attended, it would most likely have led to a controversial scene as many of the people attending the funeral would have shared his political views.

QFT. With all due respect to a dead man, his political views were the sort that the current peace process are trying to replace with an air of mutual respect and tolerance. He was around to experience the atmosphere in the 1910s-1920s, I'll give him that, but you'd think his views and opinions would have matured a little more since then.

MooseJam

wow the end of an era, it really is history now

bunny shooter

Many of his comrades were shot by the British and then by their own. Different times. Different people. Forgotten times. Forgotten people. Their legacy is nothing for us to be proud of really. I don't think the Ireland we have is the Ireland they fought and hoped for. Materialistic, individualistic, introverted and selling out our heritage and nationality for money and in the name of progress

Cheeky_gal

Ugh! Hearing this type of sh*t annoys the hell outta me!

arybvtcw0eolkf

Cheeky_gal wrote:

Ugh! Hearing this type of sh*t annoys the hell outta me!

Your computer speaks to you?

Cheeky_gal

Mairt wrote:

Your computer speaks to you?

Eh, I'm supposed to be the cheeky one here!!!

walrusgumble

i thought they stopped all that politicans attending every funeral in their parish even when they dont know the person (votes getter cough cough), i wonder would the bull or healy rae have popped over if he died during the elections. sorry for been cynical.

whatever his opinion after 1921, he served his country and that should be respected. rip

MagicMarker

Couldn't give a bollix to be quite honest.

T-Boner

walrusgumble wrote:

whatever his opinion after 1921, he served his country and that should be respected. rip

And thats how I'd see it too.

As the OP said, regardless of his politics (the deceased) then and now, he served his country. For the good or bad, thats the readers choice. But his and his comrades sacrifices set this country on the road to independence.

R.I.P.

Dyr

dotsman wrote:

Whatever about his actions during the War of Independence, since then he has been an enemy of the state and strong supporter of murder/terrorism, refusing to acknowledge the legitimacy of our nation and unwilling to observe the democratic views of the vast majority of the people in this country.

Given that he was one of the people who founded this state (and through murder and terrorism too begob!) he could hardly be an enemy of it. And frankly the way things played out time proved him right IMO. We're in different times and we cant change the past but it's sad to see that generation pass into history.

Terry

Bambi wrote:

Given that he was one of the people who founded this state (and through murder and terrorism too begob!) he could hardly be an enemy of it. And frankly the way things played out time proved him right IMO. We're in different times and we cant change the past but it's sad to see that generation pass into history.

I know you were being sarcastic with your terrorism statement, but that's something which has always bugged me.

It's not terrorism if you're fighting an occupying army.

GhostInTheRuins

Terry wrote:

It's not terrorism if you're fighting an occupying army.

You probably wouldn't be saying that if they lost.

Dyr

Terry wrote:

I know you were being sarcastic with your terrorism statement, but that's something which has always bugged me.

It's not terrorism if you're fighting an occupying army.

I would argue that as far as posterity is concerned, it's not terrorism if you win.

Terry

Well the fight went on for hundreds of years, so I'm fairly sure it would still be going on today had they not succeeded.

lukin

He didn't support the peace process, he called it a "surrender process".
That's his right I suppose but if he didn't support it then that means that he would prefer it if the IRA to carry on sectarian killings and the targeting of civilians.
I respect him for his part in gaining Irish Independence but I can't understand why he would want a return to the horrific violence that scarred this island for so long.

Degag

lukin wrote:

He didn't support the peace process, he called it a "surrender process".
That's his right I suppose but if he didn't support it then that means that he would prefer it if the IRA to carry on sectarian killings and the targeting of civilians.
I respect him for his part in gaining Irish Independence but I can't understand why he would want a return to the horrific violence that scarred this island for so long.

Hmmm, i understand what you are saying, but i think his viwpoint was that the fight for a 32 county ireland had stopped. He fought in a war, he felt that the war was still in continuation and a war has casualties. Things have changed but its hard a people like that to change their viewpoints.

Interestingly he refused the €2500 he was to receive from the President for his 100th birthday because he was "appalled" that she planned on walking down o'connell street with the queen.

arybvtcw0eolkf

Tackle69 wrote:

Interestingly he refused the €2500 he was to receive from the President for his 100th birthday because he was "appalled" that she planned on walking down o'connell street with the queen.

What queen?.

BnA

MagicMarker wrote:

Couldn't give a bollix to be quite honest.

It utterly repulses me to see the kind of self centred, selfish, soulless and utterly cultureless twats that inhabit this country today whose only bloody concern is what kind of table they get in the bloody sushi bar on a Saturday night.

mikemac

Mairt wrote:

The last remaining veteran of the war of independence was laid to rest on Friday in Co.Cork (his name escapes me right at the moment).

And neither the government or the Presidents office would send a representative to it.

I think thats a damn shame.

I think it's a damn shame you couldn't be bothered to learn his name before posting here

arybvtcw0eolkf

micmclo wrote:

I think it's a damn shame you couldn't be bothered to learn his name before posting here

I think you should try adding something original to the thread.

***edit*** = :rolleyes: ***finished editing***

mise_me_fein

I think this thread should be closed. Too many people taking the p!ss and the like.

Probably should have been some state representative, end of story.

All that other stuff should be in another thread.

Terry

BnA wrote:

It utterly repulses me to see the kind of self centred, selfish, soulless and utterly cultureless twats that inhabit this country today whose only bloody concern is what kind of table they get in the bloody sushi bar on a Saturday night.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, no matter how retarded it is.

Dave!

mise_me_fein wrote:

Probably should have been some state representative, end of story.

Not really end of story, since the question still remains about whether he would have wanted a Free Stater there!

But I'm sure this thread has run its course....

arybvtcw0eolkf

DaveMcG wrote:

Not really end of story, since the question still remains about whether he would have wanted a Free Stater there!

But I'm sure this thread has run its course....

Nothing ends until Terry sings, this is AH after all.

mise_me_fein

Just think you should respect the dead and all that.

As regards to whether he would have wanted a Free Stater there, well we'll probably never know that now.