Why is there no Bobby Sands Street in Ireland?

UglyBolloxFace

In Ireland why hasn't there been a street named after Bobby Sands? If Iran and other countries, such as France, can do it, why can't we?

In my opinion we should honour him. Say whatever you want about the man himself, whether you agree with him or not, but you cannot deny his bravery, courage, strength and conviction to a cause.

For those of you who are not aware, Iran changed the name of the street where the British Embassy is located from Winston Churchill St. to Bobby Sands St.
The British, rather than have the name 'Bobby Sands' appear on their Embassy address, changed to a different door of the building so that they could use a different street name.

The British Govt. has been lobbying Iran for years to change the name, but after numerous attempts the Iranian Govt. resisted, notably after receiving this petition http://66.39.93.123/wp-content/uploa...n-petition.pdf

Now I'm not saying the Irish Govt. should rename Merrion Road (current address of the British Embassy in Dublin) to Bobby Sands Road, but why are we not honouring him?

Let's try have a rational debate here.

Duffy the Vampire Slayer

Kind of off-topic but there are a lot of streets and towns which I'm surprised weren't renamed after independence. Binghamstown in Mayo comes to mind, as its named after a landlord family notorious for their behaviour during the famine.

Laois_Man

Coz it's Ireland and we're obsessed with what everyone thinks of us!

meditraitor

Probably something to do with the planning laws...

sensibleken

France has a Bobby Sand's street?

enda1

You want to name a street in Ireland after someone from the UK who killed themselves?
That's ... weird.

UglyBolloxFace

enda1 wrote: »

You want to name a street in Ireland after someone from the UK who killed themselves?
That's ... weird.

Without getting into too much further discussion here - he considered, and had a right to consider, himself Irish and not British.

Duffy the Vampire Slayer

sensibleken wrote: »

France has a Bobby Sand's street?

Apparently there are several Rue Bobby Sands throughout France, mostly named by left-wing city councils.

Duffy the Vampire Slayer

enda1 wrote: »

You want to name a street in Ireland after someone from the UK who killed themselves?
That's ... weird.

Seeing as our current President is from the UK I don't think this argument carries much weight.

enda1

UglyBolloxFace wrote: »

Without getting into too much further discussion here - he considered, and had a right to consider, himself Irish and not British.

I consider myself the greatest musician of all time. Unfortunately the facts seem to disagree...

Either way, it was his fight in his country, not ours. Such an antagonistic move when relations between our two countries is at an all time high would be very counterproductive.

Wolfe Tone

There are hunger striker memorials all over the island.

As for naming a road after him, the powers that be would never allow that. I think it would be a good idea though! We have Wolfe Tone street, others named after other republican freedom fighters, why not Bobby? I for one rank him on a par with the likes of Pearse, Connolly and Tone. His sacrifice changed the course of Irish history, just as much imo, as that of the 1916 rebels.


Bobby Sands, soldier and poet, died 30 years ago today.

"We must see our present fight right through to the very end."

And he did. For that, and other things, I admire him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmU4KdymT5E

maybe because he was a terrorist and convicted and in jail for firearms possession

Maybe Im being silly but we shouldnt encourage terrorism, murder or that sort of thing by naming streets after whackjobs

Denerick

I don't like naming public areas or buildings after political figures; its needlessly divisive. There is a reason we don't name these things after political figures anymore, but instead opt for the less controversial cultural figures; ie, the Sean O'Casy bridge. Nobody works up a sweat about a bridge named after a writer since so few have actually read their works. Its win win really.

And Bobby Sands is no hero. He was a convicted terrorist who went on hunger strike. No more and no less.

Wolfe Tone

Deleted User wrote: »

maybe because he was a terrorist and convicted and in jail for firearms possession

Maybe Im being silly but we shouldnt encourage terrorism, murder or that sort of thing by naming streets after whackjobs

Sure the 1916 rebels where convicted and executed...

Buzz Buzz

Maybe because he was in IRA activist, and thus many peoples eyes a terrorist. Along with the fact he dodged prison twice due to lack of evidence although linked to aleast one bombing at shootout with the RUC, but was finally charged caught on gun charges. You can hardly compare that to the Prime Minister of Britain. And I certainly wouldn't naming anything after him now that the IRA seem to be becoming alot more active recently, God knows those scumbags don't need another reason for doing what what they do.

Denerick

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

Sure the 1916 rebels where convicted and executed...

Who were fanatics and terrorists.

What part of this do you not get?

irishh_bob

Deleted User wrote: »

maybe because he was a terrorist and convicted and in jail for firearms possession

Maybe Im being silly but we shouldnt encourage terrorism, murder or that sort of thing by naming streets after whackjobs

tell that to the patrons of george washington university

Wolfe Tone

Denerick wrote: »

Who were fanatics and terrorists.

What part of this do you not get?

Ah Denerick.


Thankfully most people don't share your opinion.



Anyway, I'm off out to pop down to the hunger striker memorial.

sensibleken

I think we should have a street named after liam clancy. if we had one named after Sands you'd have to be too carefull what you put on it

yupyup7up

loads of french streets named after him heres one

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&q=rue+bobby+sands&aq=&sll=47.233921,-1.65179&sspn=0.004269,0.015514&ie=UTF8&rq=1&ev=zi&split=1&radius=0.44&hq=rue+bobby+sands&hnear=&ll=47.233921,-1.65179&spn=0.004269,0.015514&z=16

another in Tehran, Iran

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Bobby+Sands,+Tehran,+Iran&aq=0&sll=47.233921,-1.65179&sspn=0.004269,0.015514&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Bobby+Sands,+Behjat+Abad,+Tehran,+Iran&ll=35.696166,51.417539&spn=0.002553,0.007757&z=17

Hookah

They should rename Dublin's Thompson St. as Bobby Sands St., reputedly the narrowest street in Dublin.

Denerick

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

Ah Denerick.


Thankfully most people don't share your opinion.



Anyway, I'm off out to pop down to the hunger striker memorial.

I think you'll find that this is a surprisingly common opinion, at least to anyone who has stopped to think and/or read about it for more than five minutes.

jive

Denerick wrote: »

I think you'll find that this is a surprisingly common opinion, at least to anyone who has stopped to think and/or read about it for more than five minutes.

nope

Snickers Man

Maybe we don't want to encourage his loopy sister and her friends in the 32-county Sovereignty Committee.

BTW, do we have any streets named after John Hume, who did a damn sight more than anybody in Sinn Fein (or any of its offshoots) to set the Peace Process in motion?

I think he deserves it way more than Sands.

neil_hosey

Buzz Buzz wrote: »

Maybe because he was in IRA activist, and thus many peoples eyes a terrorist. Along with the fact he dodged prison twice due to lack of evidence although linked to aleast one bombing at shootout with the RUC, but was finally charged caught on gun charges. You can hardly compare that to the Prime Minister of Britain. And I certainly wouldn't naming anything after him now that the IRA seem to be becoming alot more active recently, God knows those scumbags don't need another reason for doing what what they do.

are you for feckin real?? do you any idea of the difference between sands and the current bunch of wánkbags? Bobby sands had the mandate of his people!

Duffy the Vampire Slayer

This thread is like a yo-yo. I'm not even sure if AH and Politics are different forums anymore.

sensibleken

just wondering wolfe tone and keith afc (he'll be here soon enough). do you guys have any other interests? genuine question, dont mean to be sarky

dan719

neil_hosey wrote: »

are you for feckin real?? do you any idea of the difference between sands and the current bunch of wánkbags? Bobby sands had the mandate of his people!

There was a vote held on whether or not the IRA should commit atrocities back in the day? Really? F*cking hell, I never read that in the history books.

Kasabian

One man's freedom fighter and all.....................

Bobby Sands a man willing to die for what he believed in.
He was all right in my book.

Wibbs

Denerick wrote: »

Who were fanatics and terrorists.

What part of this do you not get?

Ehh bit of a stretch to compare the 1916ers and Bobby Sands to be fair.

yupyup7up wrote: »

loads of french streets named after him heres one

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&q=rue+bobby+sands&aq=&sll=47.233921,-1.65179&sspn=0.004269,0.015514&ie=UTF8&rq=1&ev=zi&split=1&radius=0.44&hq=rue+bobby+sands&hnear=&ll=47.233921,-1.65179&spn=0.004269,0.015514&z=16

another in Tehran, Iran

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Bobby+Sands,+Tehran,+Iran&aq=0&sll=47.233921,-1.65179&sspn=0.004269,0.015514&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Bobby+Sands,+Behjat+Abad,+Tehran,+Iran&ll=35.696166,51.417539&spn=0.002553,0.007757&z=17

Did you not even read what the thread was about?

UglyBolloxFace

Duffy the Vampire Slayer wrote: »

This thread is like a yo-yo. I'm not even sure if AH and Politics are different forums anymore.

Off topic, but I agree - why was it sent back here?

dan719

Kasabian wrote: »

One man's freedom fighter and all.....................

Bobby Sands a man willing to die for what he believed in.
He was all right in my book.

I have no problem with a man willing to die for what he believes in. I have a serious issue when he wants other innocent people to die for it too.

KeithAFC

Billy Mcfadzean > Bobby Sands.

mickydoomsux

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

Bobby Sands, soldier and poet, died 30 years ago today.

You seem to have mispelled "terrorist".

bigwormbundoran

I'd say there will be eventually now myself

Theres a Joe McDonnell drive in Sligo though

R P McMurphy

dan719 wrote: »

There was a vote held on whether or not the IRA should commit atrocities back in the day? Really? F*cking hell, I never read that in the history books.

He was an MP when he died

My name is URL

In Tehran, Iran, President Abolhassan Bani-Sadr sent a message of condolence to the Sands family. The government renamed Winston Churchill Boulevard, the location of the Embassy of the United Kingdom in Tehran, to Bobby Sands Street, prompting the embassy to move its entrance door to Ferdowsi Avenue to avoid using Bobby Sands Street on its letterhead.

lol

sensibleken

KeithAFC wrote: »

Billy Mcfadzean > Bobby Sands.

i particularly enjoyed his rendition of dont worry be happy

dlofnep

Bobby Sands was as courageous as any man has ever been. What he put his body through for the principle of being declared a prisoner of war was tremendously courageous.

The same people who label Bobby Sands as a terrorist are always the same people who give the British Army a free pass on the role they played in perpetuating conflict in Ireland. Bobby saw his friends locked up without trial, his community harassed and intimidated, his friends being murdered, and his cultural and social aspirations curbed. Is it any wonder why the IRA had so many young men who were willing to give their lives to remove what was a tyrannical rule by Britain?

The word 'terrorist' has no meaning. It is simply a propaganda word peddled by the media to denote one group as the 'baddies' and the other as the 'goodies'. Typical cowboys and indians mentality.

To me, Bobby Sands was one of the bravest men Ireland has ever seen. I stand by this, and will always stand by this statement.

Pauleta

Sands threw a strop because he had to wear pyjamas instead of his normal clothes and then killed himself. Why would we name a street after them

Madam

yupyup7up wrote: »

loads of french streets named after him heres one

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&q=rue+bobby+sands&aq=&sll=47.233921,-1.65179&sspn=0.004269,0.015514&ie=UTF8&rq=1&ev=zi&split=1&radius=0.44&hq=rue+bobby+sands&hnear=&ll=47.233921,-1.65179&spn=0.004269,0.015514&z=16



Would he have stayed in the Brit Hotel if he was still here:rolleyes:

ejmaztec

Whatever opinion anyone has of Bobby Sands, the Irish government is hardly likely to allow a street to be named after a person who was, as far as they're concerned, a member of a proscribed organisation. In their eyes it would be the same as a Wayne Dundon Terrace.

dan719

R P McMurphy wrote: »

He was an MP when he died

The seat he won had previously had a nationalist majority of circa 5000 or so. He won by a thousand votes or so after other nationalist parties have been cajoled (read threatened) into withdrawing. Hardly a ringing endorsement. You do realise there is a referendum happening in the UK today to address the issue of so called safe seats? I.e. A monkey running as the sole nationalist candiadate would have won the election.

Kasabian

dan719 wrote: »

I have no problem with a man willing to die for what he believes in. I have a serious issue when he wants other innocent people to die for it too.

Like a hundred times before in AH this thread will inevitably become a them and us thread so I am just going to leave it there as I could never possibly see eye to eye with many on such a sensitive subject.

Hookah

dlofnep wrote: »

The same people who label Bobby Sands as a terrorist are always the same people who give the British Army a free pass on the role they played in perpetuating conflict in Ireland. Bobby saw his friends locked up without trial, his community harassed and intimidated, his friends being murdered, and his cultural and social aspirations curbed. Is it any wonder why the IRA had so many young men who were willing to give their lives to remove what was a tyrannical rule by Britain?

When I was in my teens, I remember the IRA kneecapping, beating, torturing, exiling and killing young men, for political gain, because they were involved in the sale of hash or ecstasy.

What's the difference between them and the Brits? Freedom fighters me hole.

MagicMarker

lol at this being moved to AH.

dan719

Kasabian wrote: »

Like a hundred times before in AH this thread will inevitably become a them and us thread so I am just going to leave it there as I could never possibly see eye to eye with many on such a sensitive subject.

What's tribal or 'them and us' about my post that you quoted?

mickydoomsux

dlofnep wrote: »

To me, Bobby Sands was one of the bravest men Ireland has ever seen

Northern Ireland you mean. You know, the bit of the island that is part of the UK, not Ireland.

KeithAFC

Bobby Sands would be a dissident now, one of those other folk running around planting bombs under PSNI cars.

sensibleken

KeithAFC wrote: »

Bobby Sands would be a dissident now, one of those other folk running around planting bombs under PSNI cars.

he'd be a zombie

bigwormbundoran

KeithAFC wrote: »

Bobby Sands would be a dissident now, one of those other folk running around planting bombs under PSNI cars.

How do you know this?