President Michael Higgins pulls out of 1916 Belfast event

Long story short, there was an agreement by all parties that there'd be three dinners for three events - Ulster Covenant, Easter Rising, and Battle of the Somme.

DUP have boycotted the Easter Rising one, breaking said agreement, and forcing the Irish President to pull out. Now saying they never agreed to attend at all.

Rather embarrassing for Belfast and NI for this to have happened.

http://www.u.tv/News/2016/03/31/Irish-President-pulls-out-of-1916-Belfast-event-56633

DrumSteve

Painfully predictable.

Conall Cernach

Deleted User wrote: »

Long story short, there was an agreement by all parties that there'd be three dinners for three events - Ulster Covenant, Easter Rising, and Battle of the Somme.

DUP have boycotted the Easter Rising one, breaking said agreement, and forcing the Irish President to pull out. Now saying they never agreed to attend at all.

Rather embarrassing for Belfast and NI for this to have happened.

http://www.u.tv/News/2016/03/31/Irish-President-pulls-out-of-1916-Belfast-event-56633

Have you ever met a Unionist? This won't embarrass them at all, just the opposite.

The Backwards Man

I am completely gobsmacked by this sucker punch of a development.

LDN_Irish

Mickey D should go to all 3 all the same. Mainly to not be petty but I'd go solely for the free dinners.

rafatoni

They will NEVERRRRRR NEVERRRRR......

joeysoap

LDN_Irish wrote: »

Mickey D should go to all 3 all the same. Mainly to not be petty but I'd go solely for the free dinners.

I think he might have had enough dinners .....:)

bilston

Conall Cernach wrote: »

Have you ever met a Unionist? This won't embarrass them at all, just the opposite.

How many Unionists have you met?

BalcombeSt4

Deleted User wrote: »

Long story short, there was an agreement by all parties that there'd be three dinners for three events - Ulster Covenant, Easter Rising, and Battle of the Somme.

DUP have boycotted the Easter Rising one, breaking said agreement, and forcing the Irish President to pull out. Now saying they never agreed to attend at all.

Rather embarrassing for Belfast and NI for this to have happened.

http://www.u.tv/News/2016/03/31/Irish-President-pulls-out-of-1916-Belfast-event-56633

The DUP? get out of here, I don't believe they'd boycott a Nationalist event, bet the TUV will be there tho in all t's glory.

bilston

Actually having just read the BBC report it says that while no one from the DUP will be attending they have no problem with the Irish President attending. Seems to me he should have attended anyway. The only person making a headline out of this story is Michael D Higgins, or at least those advising him.

Chijj

I actually feel sorry for the average nordie who has politicians who purely amount to petulant children over non-issues.

Both sides of the divide.

BalcombeSt4

bilston wrote: »

How many Unionists have you met?

I don't think I have, I'm sure your average joe Unionist is grand but they seem to be the exception tho it's thosse women who wear UJ dresses & fellas who dance on police vans & shout at Nolan on the Nolan show about trivel things who are the norm & tell George Galloway to go back to Britain, the irony seemed to be lost on the Loyalists & his mates, maybe they Ulster Nationalists.

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

Elessar

Time for the vote methinks. Don't catholics/republicans outnumber protestants/loyalists now in NI anyway?

BalcombeSt4

Chijj wrote: »

I actually feel sorry for the average nordie who has politicians who purely amount to petulant children over non-issues.

Both sides of the divide.

I think it would have been a lot easier for Sinn Fein to have worked wit the PUP instead of the DUP. SF & PUP are both leftys and are bound to agree on some issues, the DUP seem so righ-wing on nearlly every social issue it would be impossible for SF to agree with them.

Badly Drunk Boy

bilston wrote: »

Actually having just read the BBC report it says that while no one from the DUP will be attending they have no problem with the Irish President attending. Seems to me he should have attended anyway. The only person making a headline out of this story is Michael D Higgins, or at least those advising him.

It doesn't matter whether the DUP objected to him being there or not. They decided they weren't going. Did you read his reason for withdrawing?

"The President accepted the invitation to the civic dinner on the basis that there was cross-party support for the invitation," he said.

"This now is no longer the case, leaving the President with no other option but to withdraw as he does not want to become embroiled in matters of political controversy."

bucketybuck

Same old same old from the unionists. It amazes me that they never realise how stupid they look pretty much all the time.

magma69

bucketybuck wrote: »

Same old same old from the unionists. It amazes me that they never realise how stupid they look pretty much all the time.

They manage to make Sinn Fein look like a reasonable party. That's quite an achievement tbf.

bilston

Badly Drunk Boy wrote: »

It doesn't matter whether the DUP objected to him being there or not. They decided they weren't going. Did you read his reason for withdrawing?

Yes I did. I'm saying he still should have gone.

karma_

The absolute funniest quote I stumbled upon was this belter from Arlene, (whilst talking about all the dead of '16 being remembered) “and at least that was progress”.

bilston

I'm interested to know why anyone would think the DUP should attend anyway?

CrowdedHouse

He'll be able to go to Rovers v Galway in Tallaght now instead

MacauDragon

rafatoni wrote: »

They will NEVERRRRRR NEVERRRRR......

Neither will rick astley.

DrumSteve

MacauDragon wrote: »

Neither will rick astley.

Surrender to us Taigs?

jojofizzio

rafatoni wrote: »

They will NEVERRRRRR NEVERRRRR......

Get back together???

iDave

Arlene showing herself to be as scummy as her predecessors.

Clonmel1000

Makes you wish we had a 32 county Ireland doesn't it.....

Red Kev

Elessar wrote: »

Time for the vote methinks. Don't catholics/republicans outnumber protestants/loyalists now in NI anyway?

Firstly, it's about 60%-40% population in favour of "protestant/unionist".

Secondly, about half the "nationalist" population of NI want to remain with the UK.

Thirdly, you would need a referendum in the RoI. I think if you honestly gave the people the choice here, faced with the rising security issues and costs of that, then a lot of people would be against it.

Fourthly, you need some form of international agreement to allow all this to happen, the UK would need to agree to this.

To my knowledge no party has proposed a referendum on the issue in the Dail, I'd like to see it happen so we can put the issue to bed for at least another generation.

It's that exact kind of petulant crap in the OP that turns me fully off a united Ireland, we have enough issues of our own without taking on more problems. NI needs to sort itself out, drop the sectarianism and try to reconcile itself in the long run.

I'm up in North Antrim several times a year for work, most people don't give a crap about who their work colleagues/neighbours are, but a significant number of politicians on both sides use it to flame votes for themselves rather than having the populace think along more regular voting lines like the rest of Europe such as voting left, right, liberal, green etc.

Shame, as it's a lovely place with great people.

bilston

bilston wrote: »

I'm interested to know why anyone would think the DUP should attend anyway?

Because politicians are supposed to represent all the people, not just their "side" - so if this event means a lot to many people in the North then they should go.

It doesn't mean they have to support the Rising. It's called diplomacy.

The Randy Riverbeast

Deleted User wrote: »

Because politicians are supposed to represent all the people, not just their "side" - so if this event means a lot to many people in the North then they should go.

It doesn't mean they have to support the Rising. It's called diplomacy.

They're the DUP, acting in such a manner is beyond them.

enzo roco

CrowdedHouse wrote: »

He'll be able to go to Rovers v Galway in Tallaght now instead

That sounds terrible. To sit and watch that match, he doesnt deserve it.

Charles Babbage

In this respect Michael D. has shown that his political stature is less than his physical stature. The commemoration of the 1916 Rising, an event for all Irish people, has been characterised by a disgusting and exclusionary partitionism.

Red Kev wrote: »

Firstly, it's about 60%-40% population in favour of "protestant/unionist".

Really what year is it on your planet, 1975?
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/number-of-protestants-working-fulltime-to-be-eclipsed-by-catholics-in-labour-market-first-in-northern-ireland-34586274.html

Red Kev wrote: »

Secondly, about half the "nationalist" population of NI want to remain with the UK.

They vote for nationalist parties to arrange things so that leaving the UK is feasible. Unfortunately the useless politicians couldn't organise a pissup in a brewery.

Red Kev wrote: »

Fourthly, you need some form of international agreement to allow all this to happen, the UK would need to agree to this.

That would be called the Good Friday Agreement.

Flipper22

bilston wrote: »

Actually having just read the BBC report it says that while no one from the DUP will be attending they have no problem with the Irish President attending. Seems to me he should have attended anyway. The only person making a headline out of this story is Michael D Higgins, or at least those advising him.

The issue is that he agreed to go to all three on the basis of cross party support and attendance at all three. He wouldn't want to appear to support anything even mildly contentious which is what the DUP have done by refusing to attend.

I think the real difference is that many in the South try their best to draw a distinction between 'old' violence and the troubles. Unionists have no truck with the independence of the South and so can see that this is utter nonsense.

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

timthumbni

BalcombeSt4 wrote: »

I think it would have been a lot easier for Sinn Fein to have worked wit the PUP instead of the DUP. SF & PUP are both leftys and are bound to agree on some issues, the DUP seem so righ-wing on nearlly every social issue it would be impossible for SF to agree with them.

Whilst I agree that SF and the PUP have a lot in common (both being the political wing of terrorists) I'm not sure what Good it would do. Barely any unionists vote for the PUP so SF may as well talk to the monster raving looney party.

I wonder aside from you user name relating to an IRA gang do you really have any idea about Northern Ireland? It would seem not.

Flipper22

Patww79 wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

??

The Republic obviously

Charles Babbage

Patww79 wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

he means the 26 counties, as you well know.

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

timthumbni

BalcombeSt4 wrote: »

I don't think I have, I'm sure your average joe Unionist is grand but they seem to be the exception tho it's thosse women who wear UJ dresses & fellas who dance on police vans & shout at Nolan on the Nolan show about trivel things who are the norm & tell George Galloway to go back to Britain, the irony seemed to be lost on the Loyalists & his mates, maybe they Ulster Nationalists.

Just saw this one. Right so you haven't met any unionists, but you go on to post the above drivel. Excellent. Re the Nolan show you should know it's like the Jerry springer of Norn iron. He acts the devils advocate (look it up) and both sides lap it up. It's not something anyone should watch or listen to the radio show but there's always an audience.... Just like a car crash...

Jimoslimos

Red Kev wrote: »

Firstly, it's about 60%-40% population in favour of "protestant/unionist".

Secondly, about half the "nationalist" population of NI want to remain with the UK.

Thirdly, you would need a referendum in the RoI. I think if you honestly gave the people the choice here, faced with the rising security issues and costs of that, then a lot of people would be against it.

Fourthly, you need some form of international agreement to allow all this to happen, the UK would need to agree to this.

To my knowledge no party has proposed a referendum on the issue in the Dail, I'd like to see it happen so we can put the issue to bed for at least another generation.

It's that exact kind of petulant crap in the OP that turns me fully off a united Ireland, we have enough issues of our own without taking on more problems. NI needs to sort itself out, drop the sectarianism and try to reconcile itself in the long run.

I'm up in North Antrim several times a year for work, most people don't give a crap about who their work colleagues/neighbours are, but a significant number of politicians on both sides use it to flame votes for themselves rather than having the populace think along more regular voting lines like the rest of Europe such as voting left, right, liberal, green etc.

Shame, as it's a lovely place with great people.

I agree with a lot of your post, a UI is unlikely to happen anytime soon regardless of shifts in religion demographics.

However in the points highlighted you're essentially arguing for appeasement of terrorists and ignoring the Good Friday Agreement. Mealy-mouthed cowardice

Hercule Poirot

Patww79 wrote: »

So, Ireland then.

Ireland = 32 counties

Republic of Ireland = 26 counties

Northern Ireland = 6 counties

uck51js9zml2yt

Clonmel1000 wrote: »

Makes you wish we had a 32 county Ireland doesn't it.....

No !! Would you really want all those bigoted Nordies a part of the country and more of them in the Dail. having 1 in Kildare St is bad enough:D

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

Charles Babbage

Patww79 wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Ireland has 32 counties, as you also well know.

Do these immature posts amuse you?

seamus

Red Kev wrote: »

Thirdly, you would need a referendum in the RoI. I think if you honestly gave the people the choice here, faced with the rising security issues and costs of that, then a lot of people would be against it.

It would definitely require a lot of consideration. First off would be the vote in NI. This has to happen first because ultimately the decision affects them the most.
If that vote wasn't a comprehensive "yes" (I'm thinking turnout of 80% with a two-thirds majority voting "yes", then it would be folly for people in the RoI to vote in favour of it.

Far better the situation we have now with a relatively peaceful North poised to grow its economy, than a 32-county Republic under siege from Unionist terrorism.

Fourthly, you need some form of international agreement to allow all this to happen, the UK would need to agree to this.

I don't think the UK would be too concerned to be honest. If they were happy that the votes were free, fair and representative (e.g. the unionist community hadn't boycotted it), they would likely give whatever assistance they could to moving it across.

The Scottish referendum showed that while the UK will obviously encourage a nation to remain in the union, it won't stand in the way of one asking to leave.

nullzero

Northern Ireland should become an independent state and stop relying on support from the UK. All the sectarian sh1t would be forced to stop when they realize that they have no economy and little to offer the world. The most petty people and inconsequential place on earth. They need a good dose of reality.

Rezident

Unionists make me smile, they're like children, except without all the advantages of children.

jimgoose

keano_afc

So the Queen comes here, gets a great reception, visits the Garden of Remembrance and then throws out a cupla focal. No animosity. But the DUP just cant stomach the idea of the same cordiality being extended to our President. Sums it up really.

timthumbni

I'm not sure what the big issue is here. The council dinner will still go ahead will it not??? If mr Higgins decides not to attend then surely that's an issue for him and the organisers.

Are they saying the unionists should be forced to attend?? Or that they said they would go originally and now won't.

CrabRevolution

keano_afc wrote: »

So the Queen comes here, gets a great reception, visits the Garden of Remembrance and then throws out a cupla focal. No animosity. But the DUP just cant stomach the idea of the same cordiality being extended to our President. Sums it up really.

The UK ambassador was present for the 1916 parade Sunday, and said it had a very inclusive feel to it. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-35908742

From what I can see, most ordinary people in Britain don't care as much about Ireland's past or politics. Most are indifferent about the north, and support for the union with the north is "softer", so to speak, compared to their connection to union with Scotland. They define themselves by what they are: British (and/or Welsh, English, Scottish).

Unionists up north define themselves by what they reckon they aren't, namely Irish. They feel the need to put down Ireland and Irishness because their "identity" consists simply of not wanting to be Irish.

That's the reason the OO wants to march through nationalist areas. It's the reason they burn hundreds of tricolours every July on bonfires.

It's the same reason why over in Britain, while there's not much support, there's not much hostility to Welsh or Scots Gaelic, they're ambivalent to indigenous languages really. Names like Alba and Cymru are proudly emblazoned on jerseys and crests there. They're proud of their heritage.

Meanwhile up North the unionists do their best to accentuate that they aren't from Ireland and that the Irish language is nothing to them. They do their utmost to denigrate and put down the Irish language, calling it a foreign language, mocking it in their own assembly and giving out about simple things like manhole covers for having Irish on them.

It's the same reason that 98% of the UK was and still are fine with the Union Flag only being flown from certain buildings on designated days. When this was extended to Belfast, there was uproar and protests amongst unionsts. It's not enough to simply be, and act like a normal part of the UK for them, the flag had to be up for 365 days a year.