bubblypop wrote: » Ridiculous. Ireland had always been part of the UK, that was life. So any of the Irishmen who joined the police, did just that, joined their police force.
MrMusician18 wrote: » Not a great performance by Flanagan on drive time to say the least and Wilson wasn't up for letting him off the hook.
Millionaire only not wrote: » She was poor enough a good presenter would have done like gay Byrne did to Padraig Flynn with his arrogance ! Flanagan was full of it this evening too !
beggars_bush wrote: » I think ye are all getting very worked up about nothing
Larbre34 wrote: » Hidden in the shadows while all the nationalist and republican elements get a "decade of commemoration" And I say this as an avowed nationalist, who craves reunification and whose wife's family have links to some of the great Protestant agitators. The only way to escape unionist brickbats is to stop behaving exactly like them!!
Church on Tuesday wrote: » It will be interesting to see how the Civil War commemorations play out because, quite frankly, some massive skeletons in the closet will be tumbling out and a lot of uncomfortable truths. We'd want to be ready and adult about that.
Snow Garden wrote: » He was terrible on drivetime. Have FG any decent TDs?
Church on Tuesday wrote: » Didn't really see anything wrong with the basic concept of commemoration TBH. It was rather naive of the Government to think this would ever really fly. People have their views and ultimately they are fairly entrenched views that are simply not for moving. Which is fair enough. The simple reality is that Irish history, partially societal Irish history, is complex and extremely nuanced; if we continue to just follow one narrative then we won't ever really educate ourselves. I say that as the proud grandson of a man who fought in the War of Independence and from a fairly nationalist background, however, my great great(?) grand uncle was an RIC constable and a well regarded man too. Keeping the peace (like a regular Guard today). A job basically. It will be interesting to see how the Civil War commemorations play out because, quite frankly, some massive skeletons in the closet will be tumbling out and a lot of uncomfortable truths. We'd want to be ready and adult about that.
bubblypop wrote: » Just the attitude that means we will never be a united country. If that's what you want, you need to include all people living here.
Jinglejangle69 wrote: » Can people now realise the hurt Irish families who had members killed by the PIRA feel when they see Sinn Féin bombers asking for votes and standing in the Dáil or commemorating PIRA volunteers. Works both ways folks.
ReginaldSmythV wrote: » No it doesn’t. This is Ireland. Commemorate whoever you want in the UK.
FrancieBrady wrote: » Nobody is stopping the family members of the RIC/DMP or even the B&T's from commemorating their family members. Why would you represent it as that? It had nothing to do with families of the deceased. It was about the integrity of a state commemorating organisations that tried to prevent that state from existing.
Galwayguy35 wrote: » So we should commerate traitors and murderers just to keep Lizzie Winsdors fan club happy? No thanks.
Jinglejangle69 wrote: » Huh? The PIRA killed over 400 Irish Catholics during the troubles. Why should they be commemorated? The RIC shouldnt and neither should the PIRA by Sinn Féin.
Jinglejangle69 wrote: » Didn't the IRA and Sinn Féin not recognise the state until recently? They didn't really care about the state that was formed much back then.
FrancieBrady wrote: » We managed to hold inclusive and respectful commemoration for all those killed in the Rising in 2016 (albeit after this same government where forced to withdraw an insulting video and had their cards marked). There is mutual respect, what there isn't is a tolerance for whitewashing and rehabilitating enemies of this state whether they be British or Irish.
FrancieBrady wrote: » The state doesn't hold commemorations for the IRA or Sinn Fein either as far as I know.
The Rape of Lucretia wrote: » Those killed in the rising were the enemies of the state of the time. The RIC were the state and legitimate. They cannot be relabled post hoc. Had the British subsequently invaded the south and reneged on The Treaty, then they would indeed have been emenies of the Free State. But before that, they werent. That it will now be left to voluntary supporters to mount this deferred commemoration is reminder, of a magnitude that we have not seen for decades, of how backward, of how poorly, and immaturely, much of southern Ireland has come to term with its past.
ygolometsipe wrote: » This will go down in history as the biggest self sabotage by a political party right before an election. The memes are great!!! never liked this Fine Gael government TBH...
Fann Linn wrote: » So moving forward with your logic, you want to commemorate a force that indulged in state sponsored terrorism.