Ruairi O'Bradaigh is dead.

SoulandForm

I cant believe that there isnt a thread on this already. While he stood by a campaign which saw innocents slaughtered he spent his adult life fighting to remove the root cause of political violence in Ireland. In a world of Bertie Aherns he stood by his belief in the Irish Republic declared in 1916 and would accept no compromise with an order forced upon Ireland down the barrel of an English gun. I pray that his soul enters the Kingdom of Heavens.

If any of his family are reading this my prayers are with you too- and in your sorrow be proud.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/jun/06/ruairi-obradaigh-irish-republican-dies

Alias G

I presume no thread since he hasn't been particularly relevant in a long long time. Politics is ultimately the art of compromise.

SoulandForm

Alias G wrote: »

I presume no thread since he hasn't been particularly relevant in a long long time. Politics is ultimately the art of compromise.

His politics were not relevant in the 50s and 60s either but than came the last northern insurgency.

spank_inferno

SoulandForm wrote: »

I pray that his soul enters the Kingdom of Heavens.

He may have some questions to answer when he gets there.

SoulandForm

spank_inferno wrote: »

He may have some questions to answer when he gets there.

Indeed and that is why we should pray for him.

He will though have a lot less to answer for than a lot of people in Irish and UK public life.

getzls

Can't say i will mourn over him.

Cody Pomeray

SoulandForm wrote: »

His politics were not relevant in the 50s and 60s either but than came the last northern insurgency.

wtf... sideways cam in 1986?!

In all seriousness, it's unfortunate how his death has gone so unacknowledged.

Like him or loathe him, O Brádaigh was an important historical figure in granting the initial political legitimacy to the Provisional IRA within the Republican movement and was able to articulate an important defence of disruptive activities.

O Brádaigh's counter-current critique of modern Irish political life here in the south, as exemplified in the above video footage, provided a rare challenge to a decommissioned, impotent political class whose Republicanism and whose commitment to the founding principles of Irish independence had been placed in a sleepy abeyance.

To that extent , O Brádaigh had a valuable contribution to play.

However, we should be careful about eulogizing Ruairí O Brádaigh too lavishly.

O Brádaigh's greatest failure was his relentlessness. He refused to challenge his own political outlook, which never wavered. His insistence on following the archaic rules of Republican dogma to their very letter, unable to imagine or concede any better alternative, was almost Papal. Sometimes, there were even glimpses of de Valera.

Consistency is faint praise in a politician, so I won't insult his memory. O Brádaigh's intransigence, whilst initially appearing heroic and defiant - just the kind of man a fledgling militancy needed - later installed him in the cobwebs of the Northern Ireland Museum of Troubles and Other Curiosities. As with all politicians who lack foresight, and sometimes lack the courage to change, history has not been kind to the legacy of Ruairí O Brádaigh.

fryup

SoulandForm wrote: »

I cant believe that there isnt a thread on this already. While he stood by a campaign which saw innocents slaughtered he spent his adult life fighting to remove the root cause of political violence in Ireland. In a world of Bertie Aherns he stood by his belief in the Irish Republic declared in 1916 and would accept no compromise with an order forced upon Ireland down the barrel of an English gun. I pray that his soul enters the Kingdom of Heavens.

you want a man that stood by a campaign which saw innocents slaughtered to get into heaven

ffs:rolleyes:

pablomakaveli

The reason it was mostly ignored is because why would any decent person want to commemrate him? It's people like him the prolonged the Troubles. Forgetting people like him is better for everyone.

And if there was a heaven and hell he'd certainly be residing in the latter

Red About Town

Disturbances at his funeral in Roscommon today.

Cody Pomeray

Eh, riot gear at the graveside... why?

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/disturbances-at-ó-brádaigh-funeral-1.1422032

Over a dozen uniformed gardaí had surrounded the grave before the funeral procession arrived at the cemetery while members of the Emergency Response Unit had walked alongside the funeral procession as it continued from the Sacred Heart church to the graveyard...

...At the cemetery mourners became angry as gardaí surrounded the grave and there were jeers and shouts for respect for the family.
After some jostling officers were pushed back and gardaí in riot gear raised shields and briefly confronted those involved in the melee.

wolfpawnat

Cody Pomeray wrote: »

Eh, riot gear at the graveside... why?

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/disturbances-at-ó-brádaigh-funeral-1.1422032

Because even in death they fear him apparently. It is a disgrace to turn up to a funeral and do that. He was an old man, what trouble was there going to be?

Cody Pomeray

wolfpawnat wrote: »

Because even in death they fear him apparently. It is a disgrace to turn up to a funeral and do that. He was an old man, what trouble was there going to be?

I presume they wanted to look out for a gun salute, or they wanted to monitor the oration. That's understandable to an extent. But that doesn't explain the description given in the Irish Times, presuming it's accurate. Sounds like Gardaí fishing for a fight tbh.

wolfpawnat

Cody Pomeray wrote: »

I presume they wanted to look out for a gun salute, or they wanted to monitor the oration. That's understandable to an extent. But that doesn't explain the description given in the Irish Times, presuming it's accurate. Sounds like Gardaí fishing for a fight tbh.

According to what I have heard and read, they circled the grave and delayed both the walk to the grave from the church and prevented the speeches from taking place for a while. Now I understand that many would not agree with the contents of the speeches (I haven't heard them myself but I can imagine what would have been said) but still, a severe lack of respect for the dead.

mackerski

wolfpawnat wrote: »

a severe lack of respect for the dead.

As opposed to a lack of respect for the living, whose need might be seen to be greater.

wolfpawnat

mackerski wrote: »

As opposed to a lack of respect for the living, whose need might be seen to be greater.

Funny how when a republican dies, they are still spoken about as though they were the whole issue with the 6 counties, as though there was never two sides to the conflict, but when Thatcher bit the dust. "RIP, oh she's dead now, etc!"

Lemming

wolfpawnat wrote: »

but when Thatcher bit the dust. "RIP, oh she's dead now, etc!"

you think Irish-solution-to-an-Irish-problem Republicanism has some sort of monopoly on saying "good riddance" when someone dies? Get off your cross and on your bike with you.

Round these parts (I live in South Yorkshire these days..... and in fact not far away from some of the ugliest scenes of the Miners strikes) there were celebrations when Thatcher died. Lots of families & former miners with long memories. So it was less a case of "RIP" and very much more a case of "Ding-don the witch is dead", or "Meh" indifference to her. Eulogies were not forthcoming to say the least whether people celebrated or not.

With regards O'Bradaigh, history has not - and will not - be kind to his legacy as has already been said.

wolfpawnat

Lemming wrote: »

you think Irish-solution-to-an-Irish-problem Republicanism has some sort of monopoly on saying "good riddance" when someone dies? Get off your cross and on your bike with you.

Round these parts (I live in South Yorkshire these days..... and in fact not far away from some of the ugliest scenes of the Miners strikes) there were celebrations when Thatcher died. Lots of families & former miners with long memories. So it was less a case of "RIP" and very much more a case of "Ding-don the witch is dead", or "Meh" indifference to her. Eulogies were not forthcoming to say the least whether people celebrated or not.

With regards O'Bradaigh, history has not - and will not - be kind to his legacy as has already been said.

You can respect the dead and not agree with their politics.

There was a time there where Paisley was ill and was at risk of dying. I said then that I would not for a second agree with his politics, but I still said I wouldn't like to see him suffer. I feel that way about anyone. I stated I thought Lenihan was a horrific Finance Minister, but still, he was a young man. Going to an old man's funeral and preventing the family getting to the grave to bury someone is a sick act, it doesn't matter who they were or what they did!

mackerski

wolfpawnat wrote: »

Funny how when a republican dies, they are still spoken about as though they were the whole issue with the 6 counties, as though there was never two sides to the conflict, but when Thatcher bit the dust. "RIP, oh she's dead now, etc!"

I can only speak for myself, but I never commented on Thatcher's death. Everyone should be free to express their opinions, right?

wolfpawnat

mackerski wrote: »

I can only speak for myself, but I never commented on Thatcher's death. Everyone should be free to express their opinions, right?

Of course. I never said otherwise But as I said, the Special Branch preventing a funeral taking place smoothly for no good reason other than to annoy people is wrong!

theoneeyedman

From what I heard down here, most of the funeral goers today were aged people, contemporaries of mr o bradaigh and neighbours/families. There was some politicos there and old school 'shinners'. It was obvious the Gardai were determined to have a show of stength at hus funeral rather than have anyone else do it.

They weren't half as brave in Dublin a few months ago at Mr Ryans funeral

wolfpawnat

theoneeyedman wrote: »

From what I heard down here, most of the funeral goers today were aged people, contemporaries of mr o bradaigh and neighbours/families. There was some politicos there and old school 'shinners'. It was obvious the Gardai were determined to have a show of stength at hus funeral rather than have anyone else do it.

They weren't half as brave in Dublin a few months ago at Mr Ryans funeral

You see that's what irking me, huge issue there and nothing was done. An old man and they act worse than scumbags!

endacl

Rory Brady died? Ah well. Life goes on...

Red About Town

endacl wrote: »

Rory Brady died? Ah well. Life goes on...

Why refer to him as Rory Brady and not the Irish version of his name which he called himself?

endacl

Red About Town wrote: »

Why refer to him as Rory Brady and not the Irish version of his name which he called himself?

To demonstrate a lack of respect. For the man and for all he stood for.

Red About Town

Red About Town wrote: »

Why refer to him as Rory Brady and not the Irish version of his name which he called himself?

He was Ruairi in politics but in Roscommon Rory.

Alias G

Utterly abhorrent behaviour on the part of the Gardai. Admittedly, had they stood back and allowed a gun-fire salute, they would merely be taking stick from another quarter, but by the sounds of things, their actions today were awful.

Iwasfrozen

I don't believe in celebrating anyone's death but the removal of his influence in Northern Ireland is indeed to be welcomed. Whatever, I hope he finds peace RIP.

handlemaster

How many people said Whos dead !!! .I never heard of this guy before.

Iwasfrozen

handlemaster wrote: »

How many people said Whos dead !!! .I never heard of this guy before.

Republican SF leader.

handlemaster

Iwasfrozen wrote: »

Republican SF leader.

I read that after I didnt know or care to know for that manner that there was two IRA/ shinners groups.