Well...

arybvtcw0eolkf

Wasn't this an amazing week to be Irish.

We put the sin's of the past behind us with the queens visit.

I'm too young to remember much of Garret Fitzgerald's tenure as Taoiseach, but by all accounts an amazing man - sadly passed away this week and afforded a full state funeral, celebrated by thousands.

Then to cap it all, President Obama's whistle stop visit and getting in among the crowds to press the flesh, and his speech to a nation on College Green.

I know there'll be the cynical among you, but I don't remember a time like it.

A time we can really start to believe in ourselves, to start to feel strong again, to stand in the face of adversary and say "ya together we can do this sh*t"

Red Hand

You can blow and puff all ye like, but t'is a waste if ye only use it to cool another man's porridge.

admiralofthefleet

when the queen spoke irish and said 'a cairde' i said to myself 'fair play ma'am'

Goldenegg

Is feidir linn mo chara

kirving

I agree, it was a great week for Ireland.

Hopefully Obama will be back since he didn't actually get to stay the night, serious work to bring him anywhere to be fair.



College exams put a bit of a downer on it though.

CrazyRabbit

I was fairly cynical about Obama's visit, but he actually seemed really down-to-earth and certainly enjoyed himself. And I think there's some genuine affection for the Irish.

arybvtcw0eolkf

CrazyRabbit wrote: »

I was fairly cynical about Obama's visit, but he actually seemed really down-to-earth and certainly enjoyed himself. And I think there's some genuine affection for the Irish.

I thought the very same, like he was a proper man of the people.

Scuid Mhór

Not to mention I posted in this very thread.

watna

I'm glad Obama's visit went well. I read this article:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/oddstuff/5045915/Obamas-beast-limo-grounds-on-exit-ramp

and thought lots of things might have gone wrong or is that just an ungenerous interpretation of it by another country's media?

starviewadams

Manage to get 2 waves from The Queen when she passed the house and a glimpse of Obama today in town!

Throw in Leinster winning the auld Heineken Cup and it makes for a great week to be Irish!

J. Marston

But...but...but what about the cost of the security?

Rabble rabble...

Snappy the Moose

You were due another one of these thanks whoring threads in fairness.

Obama was great, the queen was meh.

squod

Legacy Wailing Shepherd wrote: »

.

We put the sin's of the past behind us with the queens visit.

Who's sins?

Massive win for those putting ''Is féidir linn'' on t-shirts, jocks and hoodies.

Ricardo G

And Enda's ''wrestlemania'' type speech today was fairly amusing ! Like the furher shouting to the nation

Freddie59

Legacy Wailing Shepherd wrote: »

We put the sin's of the past behind us with the queens visit.

Whose sins?

Legacy Wailing Shepherd wrote: »

I'm too young to remember much of Garret Fitzgerald's tenure as Taoiseach, but by all accounts an amazing man - sadly passed away this week and afforded a full state funeral, celebrated by thousands.

Who was, like the rest of them, grossly overpaid for what he did.

Legacy Wailing Shepherd wrote: »

I know there'll be the cynical among you, but I don't remember a time like it.

Italia '90.:D

Legacy Wailing Shepherd wrote: »

A time we can really start to believe in ourselves, to start to feel strong again, to stand in the face of adversary and say "ya together we can do this sh*t"

Em - there is that matter of 90 billion euro.;)

Terry

The only thing I take objection to in your post, Makikomi, is that you're too young to remember Fitzgerald's tenure.
I remember it and I'm younger than you.

Everything else was spot on.

Dudess

Yeah I remember Fitzgerald - I don't know how, but I remember the Anglo-Irish Agreement (I was seven) - and I'm younger than Terry. :pac:

squod

I remember him arguing with that wierdo Bruton a lot. Thumbs up for that GF.

Latchy

I watched it all on BBC news 24 and RTE player and if I was to pick one moement of the Queens visit that stands out for me , it would be when the Air Corp ,Navy and Cadet guard of honour were lined up at Aras waiting for the Queens arrival .The BBC commentator was saying '' the Irish Defence Forces '' ( and so on ) when the Camera slowly zoomed in on a young female sailor who along with her colleagues , were as rigid as any guard had to be and with a helicoptor quitely humming in the background , her face was beaming with pride while the 'EIRE' on her cap stood out and knowing that she was part of this historical and special event ...it was a lovely few moements .

I had myself being on a few guards of honour at Aras back in the 80s and I know one of the elderly Irish UN vets who was on the guard of honour in that same spot for JFK in 1963 .

But this was something different again and that young sailor lady and all who were part of it will never forget those historical moements when they were guard of honour for the Queen of England

.

Chuck Stone

We're all human beings at the end of the day.




.

OutlawPete

Terry wrote: »

The only thing I take objection to in your post, Makikomi, is that you're too young to remember Fitzgerald's tenure.
I remember it and I'm younger than you.

"Take objection to"?

Well, I'm between the both of you in age and I too would say I was too young to remember anything about his political career. The only thing I can remember about GF is myself and my mates robbing a box of stickers from the FG office in Swords and sticking them all over windows and cars, I was 13 ('87).

starbelgrade

Garret Fitzgerald's passing was very sad. He was a politician of extremely high morals - an honest man, a socialist, a man who wanted to see Ireland move forward, away from the trials & tribulations caused by Unionism & Nationalism, and the problems that religion has caused between people & it's interference in the running of our state.

He was a man well ahead of his times.

The meeting of the Queen & McAllese & their speeches was retrospectively made all the more poignant by his death - as it was a historical moment where the two figureheads of our states for once had the balls to publically put the past behind us & move on.

I'm sure that made Garrett a very proud man.

As for Obama - meh. I'm not really that impressed by the man... sure, he's charming & charismatic, but when it comes down to it, he's really not that much different from any of the US leaders who came before him & did similar whistle stops on our island. The only difference is, is that people seem to like him & he brings a warm feeling wherever he goes.

Personally, I can feel no warmth for a man who can order the execution of another human being, then watch it live on TV from the comfort of the White House. I find that abhorrent. Not so much the death of Bin Laden - a man who very few will miss - but for the blatant disregard towards the Declaration of Human Rights... a document which deserves a lot more respect than it was given by Obama when he ordered the death of another.

But if he makes people happy & it somehow finally gives people the feeling that Ireland now has a better future, then that's something which I cannot be too cynical about.. I find it a bit odd, but then again, a lot of things in life are so, but still manage to yield great results.

the groutch

Legacy Wailing Shepherd wrote: »

We put the sin's of the past behind us with the queens visit.

by spending €30m on bringing over a powerless figurehead, I thought only FF could be that wasteful

WindSock

National pride...isn't this where things begin to get messy?

General General

I saw a fair few folks get all dewy eyed over the Berlin wall coming down.. & look what happened there...

This is the worst kind of '...you know what? I've gotta feeling everything's going to be okay!" stream of horsesh!t thread/

starbelgrade

WindSock wrote: »

National pride...isn't this where things begin to get messy?

True. Look what happened the last time... Michael Flately kicked off the national pride thing with his Riverdance at the Eurovision, we all went mad with the credit cards, then ended up broke & depressed - albeit in bigger houses with nicer TVs & more bathrooms.

I predict a baby boom in 9 months, with the most popular names being Obama, Michelle, The Queen & Enda.

Goldenegg

Come on guys, less cynicism and more optimism!

Dunny

Cmon the Irish! Im going to have Lucky Charms for breakfast with Guinness instead of milk, a salad with shamrocks instead of lettuce for lunch, shpuds for dinner and fap to Endas speech tomorrow.

WindSock

starbelgrade wrote: »

True. Look what happened the last time... Michael Flately kicked off the national pride thing with his Riverdance at the Eurovision, we all went mad with the credit cards, then ended up broke & depressed - albeit in bigger houses with nicer TVs & more bathrooms.

I predict a baby boom in 9 months, with the most popular names being Obama, Michelle, The Queen & Enda.

Yeah we don't handle doing well, well. We are much better off been down trodden. It suits us, its in the psyche.

But I also mean nationalism, and idealism are the stuff wars are born of. Sorry, just been to see The Wall, it was awesome!

starbelgrade

Goldenegg wrote: »

Come on guys, less cynicism and more optimism!

Two friends, one an optimist and the other a pessimist, could never quite agree on any topic of discussion. One day the optimist decided he had found a good way to pull his friend out of his continual pessimistic thinking.

You see, the optimist owned a huntin' dog that could walk on water. His plan?
Take the Pessimist and the dog out duck hunting in a boat.

They got out into the middle of the lake, and the optimist shot down a duck. The dog immediately walked out across the water, retrieved the duck, and walked back to the boat.

The optimist looked at his pessimistic friend and said, 'What do you think about that?'

The pessimist replied, 'That dog can't swim, can he?'

Kanoe

and Jedward..don't forget the Jedward, they were brilliant too :pac:

Latchy

WindSock wrote: »

National pride...isn't this where things begin to get messy?

Not to be confused with the sort of patriotism that was around in 1916 and socialist Germany ,WW2 . Different times then and with the hindsight of history , can see how some might be concerned but there's now't wrong with being proud of your country at times even if it's seen by some as being a bit ...ghey .

DWCommuter

Chuck Stone wrote: »

We're all human beings at the end of the day.




.

Except fat people.;) AH takes no prisoners.:D

starbelgrade

DWCommuter wrote: »

Except fat people.;) AH takes no prisoners.:D

There's more to fat people than meets the eye.

Dunny

DWCommuter wrote: »

Except fat people.;) AH takes no prisoners.:D

Gingers are worse and the country is full of them...:pac:

Terry

OutlawPete wrote: »

"Take objection to"?

Well, I'm between the both of you in age and I too would say I was too young to remember anything about his political career. The only thing I can remember about GF is me and my mates robbing a box of stickers from the FG office in Swords and sticking them all over windows and cars, reckon I was about 11 ('84?).

I take objection to your questioning of my taking objection to taking objection to someone else's post.

As for age, I was 8/9 in 1984 and I can still clearly remember Fitzgerald.
Mind you, I don't remember him with the the misty eyed nostalgia that everyone seems to.

Anglo-Irish agreement aside, I have no respect for him. I'm not going to argue that in this thread though.

WindSock wrote: »

National pride...isn't this where things begin to get messy?

Every time.
If you're for a united Ireland, then you're a 'ra head. If you're not for a united Ireland, then you're a West Brit.
If you're realistic enough to want a united Ireland, but realise that it's not economically viable and will lead to increased terrorism, then you're a wanker.

Let's all give up and be nostalgic about the great times under Fitzgerald and Haughey, and then keep voting for FG or FF. Sure didn't they give Paddy down the road permission to build that big barn?
Great lads altogether.

DWCommuter

starbelgrade wrote: »

There's more to fat people than meets the eye.

Ah but Chuck was havin a go at fatties in another thread. Now were all just human beings according to chuck. Nothing like the Queen and Obama to make us all thin.

starbelgrade

Terry wrote: »

Sure didn't they give Paddy down the road permission to build that big barn?
.

Some people need big barns.

Especially farmers.

They put stuff in them, like cows & slated floors over concrete tanks that collect the shit & stop it from polluting the water.

Don't diss the big barns dude.. some of them are savagely handy.

Terry

WindSock wrote: »

Yeah we don't handle doing well, well. We are much better off been down trodden. It suits us, its in the psyche.

But I also mean nationalism, and idealism are the stuff wars are born of. Sorry, just been to see The Wall, it was awesome!

I asked for that ticket, and you said no.
I will continue to hold a grudge for the next 800 years.

Passed down through family and stuff.

DOC09UNAM

Paper of very big cracks.

Latchy

Mans not cold in the grave yet but anyhows , Fitzgerald was once seen arguing with his son over a neck tie and this was when he was Taoiseach so he obiously didn't have Charlies extravagance for 10 pairs of anything ..

sherdydan

Legacy Wailing Shepherd wrote: »

Wasn't this an amazing week to be Irish.

We put the sin's of the past behind us with the queens visit.

What sins are these you speak of?

General General

Goldenegg wrote: »

Come on guys, less cynicism and more optimism!

I'm actually very optimistic... for example, seeing that the US President's security team didn't foresee that a long wheel base limo' would face the problem that it did, well, that makes me figure that Obama will go on & on about that for the rest of his days & ensure Ireland a place in his heart.

I don't like the UK's securocracy but I am aware that a lot of decent people from the UK do regard the Queen as their 'head of state' - I think the visit went off well, better than I'd hoped & that given that most Irish youth seem to have a problem mastering the basics of one language, the closer ties that may develop from now on could be good for everyone involved.

However, I don't think anyone should say that it is time we moved on, unless they themselves have a considerable amount of personal tragedy to move on from.

Fitzgerald's passing reminded me of just how reformist his governments were & how sly/cynical Haughey was. Two sides of Ireland there & it seems that the better one is prevailing over time.

Also, I love that Noonan went over to Europe & said that the EU needs a success story given that it's got a disaster on its hands every three weeks or so. That made me feel that we've got someone over there who can actually put a case across.

starbelgrade

General General wrote: »

However, I don't think anyone should say that it is time we moved on, unless they themselves have a considerable amount of personal tragedy to move on from.

I agree with the rest of your post, but when people say "move on" in reference to the troubles, it's meant in a political & social sense. I don't think anyone's suggesting that anyone who has suffered personally should move on from their grief - that's a different story altogether.

K-9

Well it's been the culmination in a long, long process for me.

From Bloody Sunday to Hunger Strikes to the Anglo Irish Agreement. The start of the Irish Government as a serious player in Northern Ireland. Some still hate Garret for that sell out, 100's of 1'000's of Unionists marched in unison against the "Republican" sell out though.

John Hume, Adams and Reynolds on the pan Nationalist front. The Downing Street Declaration.

The IRA Ceasefire, the collapse of it. Gda. Gerry McCabe murdered and many a Guard before him.

Good Friday Agreement, eventually the Assembly.

I've been a keen follower of NI politics and despised the atrocities from all sides since 1985 and Enniskillen, I've vague memories of the Hunger Strikers and hearing about Bobby Sands dying on the radio. Read about gerrymandering etc. and many a story about Bloody Sunday and what Irish Catholics had to go through.

I remember Enniskillen, Loughgall, Gibraltar, Milltown, Casement Park, Shankhill Road, Greysteel, know about the history, Shoot to kill, Castlereagh, sectarianism etc. etc.

Put simply, we are in a, far, far better place and I hope no family has to go through what those families did. This maybe unimaginable to the younger posters on here and I hope it remains so.

starbelgrade

"How long, how long must we sing this song? How long, how lo-o-o-o-oooong?"

Eh, you can stop now, Bono.

Latchy

Kanoe wrote: »

and Jedward..don't forget the Jedward, they were brilliant too :pac:

3 great gigs in town in one week , somebodys got to loose out :pac:

K-9

starbelgrade wrote: »

"How long, how long must we sing this song? How long, how lo-o-o-o-oooong?"

Eh, you can stop now, Bono.

Cheesey but true!