'The Haunting Soldier' sculpture vandalised

Doctors room ghost · 22-11-2018 01:00PM

fryup wrote: »

don't you know its the "curried chips brigade"

you know the ones that hang out outside late night takeaways ... tracksuit wearing, celtic supporting, up the ra chanting, wolfe tones listening, low IQ toe-rags that unfortunately every town & city in this country has

(if only we could cull a certain segment of the population)

I’d be all for doing a pond rat cull.drown them in barrels of rainwater.nice and cheap and no impact on the environment.either that or fill a shipload and bring them about 30 miles out to sea. If they swim back unaided they have earned their entitlements for that week.repeat as necessary

Sundew · 22-11-2018 01:07PM

Roll on the Irish Civil War Commemorations!

whisky_galore · 22-11-2018 01:32PM

Can't say I'm surprised...it is Dublin/Dumpland after all.

Doctors room ghost · 22-11-2018 01:42PM

whisky_galore wrote: »

Can't say I'm surprised...it is Dublin/Dumpland after all.

Not good whiskey.that won’t go down well.expect discussion about junkies,culchies,heroin,copper faced jacks,nurses,Sam maguire,mayo people and sheep.may or may not contain references to molly Malone and coddle

22-11-2018 01:47PM

valoren wrote: »

Precisely. The statue itself represents a returning soldier, the body language, his expression implying despair, sadness, trauma, dismay etc. It is certainly in no way represented as a means of glorification either for having fought a fight or for fighting for the 'empire'.

This was a cowardly protest conducted in the most cowardly manner possible under the cover of darkness by cowards.

Maybe it represents one of the soldiers who tied a man to a chair so he could be shot, or one of the Staffordshires after murdering 15 people on North King Street, realising what they have done

Church on Tuesday · 22-11-2018 01:52PM

It's heartening to see most people here are appalled by this cowardly act of vandalism.

Apart from the usual suspects of course, but then that is to be expected.

Shows how far we have come as a proud nation and as a proud, inclusive and more importantly, aware people.

Ashbourne hoop · 22-11-2018 01:55PM

All the mindless vandalism has done, and it is mindless vandalism, is highlight the statue. There was a big crowd there at lunchtime taking pics. It's an impressive piece of work.

mattser · 22-11-2018 01:59PM

Church on Tuesday wrote: »

It's heartening to see most people here are appalled by this cowardly act of vandalism.

Apart from the usual suspects of course, but then that is to be expected.

Shows how far we have come as a proud nation and as a proud, inclusive and more importantly, aware people.

They're more to be pitied than laughed at or taken seriously.

Strazdas · 22-11-2018 01:59PM

Despicable thing to do. That sculpture represents the Irishmen who returned from WW1.

The fanatics who did this obviously think they're more Irish than the rest of us.

Who the hell vandalises a sculpture? It's not even a statue but is intended to be a work of art.

Strazdas · 22-11-2018 02:06PM

mattser wrote: »

They're more to be pitied than laughed at or taken seriously.

Every country has its collection of loons and fanatics who clutch to a particular political ideology (which usually involves them hating on people).

22-11-2018 02:07PM

riffmongous wrote: »

Maybe it represents one of the soldiers who tied a man to a chair so he could be shot, or one of the Staffordshires after murdering 15 people on North King Street, realising what they have done

Or one of the 5,999,999 who didn’t.

storker · 22-11-2018 02:11PM

Baron de Charlus wrote: »

Guarantee you there'll be at least some people along to defend this vandalism and rail about "the Brits".

...along with accusations of "cap-doffing" and "forelock-tugging".

valoren · 22-11-2018 02:17PM

riffmongous wrote: »

Maybe it represents one of the soldiers who tied a man to a chair so he could be shot, or one of the Staffordshires after murdering 15 people on North King Street, realising what they have done

It is to remember those soldiers from all sides who died in the war. A common humanity, a memorial from the Irish people. That's the great thing about art; it's completely subjective. If you want to interpret it as maybe representing that then that's all grand.

Unfortunately, pond scum got infuriated by a memorial statue to the point of vandalizing it. Whatever point, if at all, they are trying to make is lost as they did it like cowards.

Church on Tuesday · 22-11-2018 02:18PM

storker wrote: »

...along with accusations of "cap-doffing" and "forelock-tugging".

Whilst wearing English soccer kits.

Franz Von Peppercorn · 22-11-2018 02:20PM

RandomName2 wrote: »

But they were fighting for the British King, therefore by definition imperialists.

Don’t accept that. Yes they signed up for King and Empire. But the war wasn’t about expanding the British empire.

Never mind that volunteering was initially seen as a sign of good faith in relation to Home Rule, which was the first major step for Irish independence.

True.

Rory28 · 22-11-2018 02:21PM

I consider this an embarrassment for our country. No love for the monarchy but this is not about them, its about the regular soldier. Its easy for those who are saying the would not have taken "the queens shilling" now but if you had a family at home in 1914 and were penniless then would you be so principled?

The way we treated those coming back from the British army is a disgrace.

Sundew · 22-11-2018 02:22PM

riffmongous wrote: »

Maybe it represents one of the soldiers who tied a man to a chair so he could be shot, or one of the Staffordshires after murdering 15 people on North King Street, realising what they have done

Or perhaps it represents my Great-Uncle , who died in horrific circumstances in Gallipoli! As far as I’m concerned the person who did this may as well have pissed on his grave.
And it ain’t a Dublin thing either!
http://clareherald.com/2018/10/e70000-glass-memorial-to-ww1-dead-vandalised-in-ennis-19188/

Gravelly · 22-11-2018 02:27PM

In my experience the lads who go on about west brits, the queens shilling, etc. etc. know little to nothing about their own family's history, and they certainly don't have a clue of their grandfather or great-grandfathers motivations in joining up or not. There was little in the way of the luxury of principles at the time - most who joined up did it because they or their families would starve if they didn't, and most who didn't were either afraid (understandably) or they couldn't leave because of ties to a farm, family business, or sick or elderly relatives. I doubt many of our forebears would recognise the motivations we assign to them now.

Timberrrrrrrr · 22-11-2018 02:29PM

storker wrote: »

...along with accusations of "cap-doffing" and "forelock-tugging".

Makes me cringe when they start spouting that sh/te

Timberrrrrrrr · 22-11-2018 02:30PM

Church on Tuesday wrote: »

Whilst wearing English soccer kits.

And watching English tv channels but complaining about all of the poppies on show

Strazdas · 22-11-2018 02:31PM

Franz Von Peppercorn wrote: »

Don’t accept that. Yes they signed up for King and Empire. But the war wasn’t about expanding the British empire.

The Irish state didn't even exist in 1914 and nor was there an independence movement. Most Irish nationalists were merely looking for Home Rule which had already been promised by the British Government.

The idea that the men at the front were betraying the independence movement is idiotic in the extreme, as it didn't even exist for the first two years of the war (the IRB was a tiny and highly secretive organisation and even Pearse was initially in favour of Home Rule).

MrMusician18 · 22-11-2018 02:33PM

Rory28 wrote: »

I consider this an embarrassment for our country. No love for the monarchy but this is not about them, its about the regular soldier. Its easy for those who are saying the would not have taken "the queens shilling" now but if you had a family at home in 1914 and were penniless then would you be so principled?

The way we treated those coming back from the British army is a disgrace.

Given that is true for many that enlisted, it is hard to argue that those that did enlist did so out of principle.
There is a certain element of sanitising and rewriting history going on here, that the men who fought did so to defend the rights of small nations.

The reality is that it wasn't about principle for many, but about employment at a time when Ireland was suffering extreme economic hardship as a result of imperial policy.

JohnnyFlash · 22-11-2018 03:02PM

Deleted User wrote: »

How very Royal British Legion of you.

Deleted User wrote: »

Yes - you can read, yes?

Deleted User wrote: »

Another devastating cliched response from a long-standing apologist for the thugs of the British Empire.

You seem completely incapable of engaging in any sort of respectful debate when someone challenges you to come down off your green soapbox. You do this in every thread.

You insult, apply labels, and engage in this really weird sort of cultural cringe where you are so thin-skinned and unsure about your Irishness that you seek to apportion blame about pretty much everything that is wrong in this country to the legacy of having been at one stage colonised. It’s really bizarre, and a little bit worrying at this stage. You’ll do yourself a misfortune going round in such a state of anger all the time about Perfidious Albion. It can’t be good for your mental health.

Yip, ‘cap doffing’, forelock tugging, West Brit, Sindo Reader, Redmonite, John Bruton, jackeen, Tony O’Reilly, Blueshirt, Southern Unionist, crony capitalism, William Martin Murphy, Royalist etc etc.

Grayson · 22-11-2018 03:03PM

valoren wrote: »

It is to remember those soldiers from all sides who died in the war. A common humanity, a memorial from the Irish people. That's the great thing about art; it's completely subjective. If you want to interpret it as maybe representing that then that's all grand.

Unfortunately, pond scum got infuriated by a memorial statue to the point of vandalizing it. Whatever point, if at all, they are trying to make is lost as they did it like cowards.

There were WW1 graves in the cemetery across the road from where I went to secondary school. My history teacher brought us over there to show us. I used to try and imagine what their lives were like, what the war was like.

It's the same in every town in Ireland. There's graves from that war across the country. It's something that would have affected every part of the country.

And remember, even republicans like Tom Barry enlisted.

22-11-2018 03:06PM

Rory28 wrote: »

I consider this an embarrassment for our country. No love for the monarchy but this is not about them, its about the regular soldier. Its easy for those who are saying the would not have taken "the queens shilling" now but if you had a family at home in 1914 and were penniless then would you be so principled?

The way we treated those coming back from the British army is a disgrace.

I don't disagree much with that Rory, but what tends to irk a lot of people is that we've seen a lot of commemorating recently and it's all gone to great pains to focus purely on remembering the soldiers, and almost no criticism of why they died, instead it's all been thinly veiled militaristism and patriotism and never a word about the people and reasons who caused their suffering, which you'd think would be the most important thing to take from WW1, it's buildup and aftermath

kateee47298 · 22-11-2018 03:13PM

I don't really think that it was a form of protest, just an excuse to destroy something. I wonder do these people actually get enjoyment out of destroying something or whether they were just off their heads and thought it would be "a bit of craic". Shame on them.

CrankyHaus · 22-11-2018 03:13PM

Vandalising Art is a disgrace, but what did people expect when a tribute to "The British Soldier" was placed on one of the 1916 battle sites over the anniversary of Bloody Sunday?

I actually liked the installation myself but a little respect for our own history would have involved putting this piece on display in a less sensitive place at a less sensitive time.

What's next on the Agenda, sending the Iwo Jima memorial on tour to My Lai? Perhaps they can send this same memorial to Amritsar next year on 13 April and see how the Indians like it.

klaaaz · 22-11-2018 03:23PM

Strazdas wrote: »

Despicable thing to do. That sculpture represents the Irishmen who returned from WW1.

That's very odd. The sculpture was on display first in England to remember their soldiers. Pity you are making up propaganda.

Rory28 · 22-11-2018 03:27PM

riffmongous wrote: »

I don't disagree much with that Rory, but what tends to irk a lot of people is that we've seen a lot of commemorating recently and it's all gone to great pains to focus purely on remembering the soldiers, and almost no criticism of why they died, instead it's all been thinly veiled militaristism and patriotism and never a word about the people and reasons who caused their suffering, which you'd think would be the most important thing to take from WW1, it's buildup and aftermath

That is a fair point. They are remembered as heroes when in my opinion they were victims of an elite class that spared little thought for them at the time.

RandomName2 · 22-11-2018 03:43PM

riffmongous wrote: »

it's all been thinly veiled militaristism and patriotism and never a word about the people and reasons who caused their suffering, which you'd think would be the most important thing to take from WW1, it's buildup and aftermath

I have literally seen no commemoration of that nature but perhaps there has been to some degree in the UK, and I have not seen it.

Rather the remembrance seems to have been more in the nature of

Wifred Owen wrote:

In all my dreams before my helpless sight,
He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.

But instead of sympathy or empathy with the fallen of WW1 I find our embittered armchair nationalists in their dreams of perpetual conflict jeering at the long dead, all with an oily veil of militarism and faux patriotism.

'The Haunting Soldier' sculpture vandalised

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