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Taoiseach shocked and dismayed at Sinn Fein TDs tweet on IRA attacks

Hqrry113

Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he was “shocked and dismayed” by a controversial tweet sent by a Sinn Féin TD that referenced IRA attacks during the War of Independence and the Troubles.

On Saturday, the Laois-Offaly TD tweeted in reference to the Kilmichael Ambush in 1920 and the Narrow Water Massacre in Warrenpoint, Co Down in 1979, claiming they were “the 2 IRA operations that taught the elite of d British army and the establishment the cost of occupying Ireland. Pity for everyone they were such slow learners”.

Eighteen British soldiers were killed at Warrenpoint by the Provisional IRA on August 27th 1979 a deaf civilian was also killed after soldiers fired across the border into the Irish republic after the attack out of anger and rage.

In the 1920 incident at Kilmichael, a total of 17 British soldiers were killed, alongside three members of the War of Independence-era IRA.

Mr Martin said that the tweet by Laois-Offaly TD Brian Stanley was “appalling” and has done “huge damage”

Do you really think the tweet was all that bad or is Michael just point scoring?

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hatrickpatrick

Hamsterchops wrote: »

Deflection ^

It's not deflection. Blanch seems to regard the Crown Forces in Northern Ireland as an overwhelmingly good thing with just a few bad apples. I have been disagreeing with this for several pages and Blanch continues to sidestep.

As far as I'm concerned, he who throws the first punch is responsible for the fist fight which follows. The RUC started the conflict and the British Army escalated it. If they had allowed Catholics to march in peace, there would have been no conflict. And they started it because they were not a leitimate police force, they were an instrument of an oppressive and bigoted state. Ergo, they deserved every act of violence committed against them. It was their own fault. If they didn't want to be met with violence, they shouldn't have started the violence.

ShamNNspace

blanch152 wrote: »

https://www.thejournal.ie/brian-stanley-delete-twitter-facebook-5288468-Dec2020/

Micheal Martin puts it better than I can:

"I wasn’t entirely satisfied with the nature of the apology that was made. It’s part of a wider agenda by Sinn Fein to essentially justify the narrative of the last 30-odd years. That’s a problem for me and I think it’s a problem in terms of making sure that younger generations, growing up in this country are not hoodwinked or not misled into thinking that all these deeds over the last 30 years were glorious ones, they were far from it. "

The IRA were wrong in everything they did, all decent people know that.

A childlike summation from the taoiseach, then again I would expect no more from him coming from where he did and never having been touched by the injustice, the gerrymandering, the indiscriminate attacks, the apparteid that existed in the North of this country up to the time the troubles broke out again in the late sixties early seventies. He and his likes had the luxury to look on and tut-tut when sections of the community were being burned out and ethnically cleansed from certain areas in the early seventies, we would have been a long time waiting, a very long time for help to come from that quarter. He's found his political soulmate now and I wish them all the best, they deserve each other, maybe they'll finally get around to organising that commemoration for the gentle black n tans they've been wanting to do for a while now

jimwallace197

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/public-accounts-committee-credibility-now-in-question-over-stanley-tweet-taoiseach-says-39826258.html

Interesting to see he is calling for the resignation of Brian Stanley but is ok with his own Justice Minister appointing supreme court (Fine Gael supporting) judges on her own(blatant corruption) and his tanaiste leaking confidential documents (blatant corruption 2) to third parties amongst many many other things since he and his colleagues got into power.

But is insistent on a sinn fein td who tweeted something not particularly pc in todays modern world resigning from his position despite this td apologizing and removing the tweet.

Is there no end to the hypocrisy and arrogance of this government.

Its time this school teacher from Cork was shown the door himself, an utter embarrassment.

Ash.J.Williams

jimwallace197 wrote: »

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/public-accounts-committee-credibility-now-in-question-over-stanley-tweet-taoiseach-says-39826258.html

Interesting to see he is calling for the resignation of Brian Stanley but is ok with his own Justice Minister appointing supreme court (Fine Gael supporting) judges on her own(blatant corruption) and his tanaiste leaking confidential documents (blatant corruption 2) to third parties amongst many many other things since he and his colleagues got into power.

But is insistent on a sinn fein td who tweeted something not particularly pc in todays modern world resigning from his position despite this td apologizing and removing the tweet.

Is there no end to the hypocrisy and arrogance of this government.

Its time this school teacher from Cork was shown the door himself, an utter embarrassment.

Helen Mc is a beacon of honesty , she was outstanding during brexit negotiations.

Floppybits

This is nothing more than Martin and FG trying to settle a score for the last few weeks. Nothing else. I looks like that Martin has left FF in all but name and has gone full FG.

Solutionking

ShamNNspace wrote: »

A childlike summation from the taoiseach, then again I would expect no more from him coming from where he did and never having been touched by the injustice, the gerrymandering, the indiscriminate attacks, the apparteid that existed in the North of this country up to the time the troubles broke out again in the late sixties early seventies. He and his likes had the luxury to look on and tut-tut when sections of the community were being burned out and ethnically cleansed from certain areas in the early seventies, we would have been a long time waiting, a very long time for help to come from that quarter. He's found his political soulmate now and I wish them all the best, they deserve each other, maybe they'll finally get around to organising that commemoration for the gentle black n tans they've been wanting to do for a while now

FG = Black & Tans
FF = No
I think you are a little confused.

Nice little story anyway.

suicide_circus

SF didnt manage to land a fatal blow after Leo's little faux pas and now Mr Stanley gifted them an open net. That's politics. It's basically a soap opera, no one actually gives a fook about any of these bloopers, it's all point scoring nonsense.

golfball37

Ash.J.Williams wrote: »

Helen Mc is a beacon of honesty , she was outstanding during brexit negotiations.

Holding Coveneys brolly was it? I agree with the honest part she was handed the Woulfe mess by Flanagan and Varadkar and she just had to swallow it.

rdwight

Floppybits wrote: »

Over a tweet when Varadkar walks away with nothing done against him for leaking confidential documents or McEntee appointing a FG crony to the Supreme Court at Leo's bidding. Not a chance

All this is is FG throwing a tantrum because they have been exposed over the last couple of weeks. Let's not forget the tweets body shaming Mary Lou. Nothing but a distraction from the governments handling of the Leo leak , McEntee appointing crony Woulfe to the Supreme Court and the vote the other night not to pay student nurses.

Has a member of the Oireacthas been fat-shaming Mary Lou?

James Brown

suicide_circus wrote: »

SF didnt manage to land a fatal blow after Leo's little faux pas and now Mr Stanley gifted them an open net. That's politics. It's basically a soap opera, no one actually gives a fook about any of these bloopers, it's all point scoring nonsense.

Fatal blow? The opposition showed the lack of ethics within the FF/FG/Green government. They'd need hold themselves accountable for a 'fatal blow' and that's something FF/FG/Green don't do.
Agreed. Mostly to cover up sticking it to the student nurses.

Solutionking

suicide_circus wrote: »

SF didnt manage to land a fatal blow after Leo's little faux pas and now Mr Stanley gifted them an open net. That's politics. It's basically a soap opera, no one actually gives a fook about any of these bloopers, it's all point scoring nonsense.

Leo sat in his seat laughing at them one of the days. Pearse was doing his usual ranting and raving and Leo the Kitten sat laughing at them.

The poor SF supporters on here think it was a "great sucess" but Leo is sitting still laughing at them. Even McEntee, they spent a week crying about her, she came in and walked out not a finger on here.

Jinglejangle69

Floppybits wrote: »

Over a tweet when Varadkar walks away with nothing done against him for leaking confidential documents or McEntee appointing a FG crony to the Supreme Court at Leo's bidding. Not a chance

All this is is FG throwing a tantrum because they have been exposed over the last couple of weeks. Let's not forget the tweets body shaming Mary Lou. Nothing but a distraction from the governments handling of the Leo leak , McEntee appointing crony Woulfe to the Supreme Court and the vote the other night not to pay student nurses.

So when one party does something wrong do we just point out what another party did wrong and around we go?

No wonder Irish politics is an absolute state.

Will never be accountability.

This isn't aimed at any one party. All of them.

Once one is called out they will just say well what about so and so.

It's pathetic.

hatrickpatrick

Jinglejangle69 wrote: »

So when one party does something wrong do we just point out what another party did wrong and around we go?

It's what FG have been doing since 2011, any time FF or FG asked them a question from opposition. Deflect with whataboutery instead of answering the question. It's deplorable.

Stanley's tweets regarding Varadkar and COVID are also deplorable by the way. His IRA tweets are not, in my view, but for the former he should apologise at the very least and, in my view, he really should resign. That's just me, obviously.

bobbysands81

Blazer wrote: »

We're supposed to be moving on from all this bull****.
How are the protestants up north ever supposed to believe in unification when you still have muppets like this clown tweeting out this crap?
Or do SF even care about what they think and if unification happens these people think they can do likewise to the prods like what they did to the catholics?
Seriously what has that achieved but just murder and death on both sides.
Its time for these SF clowns to get into the 21st century, put on their big boy pants, tell the IRA head honchos to **** off and die and maybe then they'll be ready to actually lead a country.
But I doubt it by their recent behaviour.

Nice rant... but what did Stanley say that was disgusting?

FrancieBrady

suicide_circus wrote: »

SF didnt manage to land a fatal blow after Leo's little faux pas and now Mr Stanley gifted them an open net. That's politics. It's basically a soap opera, no one actually gives a fook about any of these bloopers, it's all point scoring nonsense.

It is and this is going to be a bloody government as a result...what's the list of resignations already?

It will be ding dong dog eat dog because this is it - the end of the power share. So many battles going on. FF v FG. FF and FG V SF, who is going to die out and who will hold on to fight another day.
I'll bet FF and FG never guessed that the end of civil war politics would see SF emerging again knocking at the gate.

Fascinating days ahead for politics nerds.

feargale

WrenBoy wrote: »

If this "Shocked and Dismayed" him, then I don't think he's really up to running a Government in hard times, too much stress on the poor thing.

And poor Brian Stanley needs time with his family to recover from the shock of a tap on the knuckles. Selective equality of esteem? Selective kid gloves!

Anyway it's nice that a family get to take their wounded soldier in. Alot of families didn't.

Normal One

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

It's not deflection. Blanch seems to regard the Crown Forces in Northern Ireland as an overwhelmingly good thing with just a few bad apples. I have been disagreeing with this for several pages and Blanch continues to sidestep.

As far as I'm concerned, he who throws the first punch is responsible for the fist fight which follows. The RUC started the conflict and the British Army escalated it. If they had allowed Catholics to march in peace, there would have been no conflict. And they started it because they were not a leitimate police force, they were an instrument of an oppressive and bigoted state. Ergo, they deserved every act of violence committed against them. It was their own fault. If they didn't want to be met with violence, they shouldn't have started the violence.

Well said.

Also worth remembering that 49 years ago tonight, the UVF, aided by the RUC and British forces, bombed McGurks bar in Belfast, killing 15 Catholics including 2 children.

https://www.irishnews.com/news/northernirelandnews/2020/12/03/news/new-evidence-about-mcgurk-s-bar-bombing-to-be-revealed-2148869/

Kermit.de.frog

This party has serious issues.

https://twitter.com/aoifegracemoore/status/1334978386972831745

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/sinn-f%C3%A9in-member-resigns-amid-claims-party-is-trying-to-silence-her-1.4427938

Ireland2020

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

This party has serious issues.

https://twitter.com/aoifegracemoore/status/1334978386972831745

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/sinn-f%C3%A9in-member-resigns-amid-claims-party-is-trying-to-silence-her-1.4427938

That's not good at all

Just like the FG lad in the Senead ehp is a rapist il admit it's wrong if it's true

jelem

typical ploy of FG and FF to aid going back 3 years in order to disrupt PAC.
wont go back 2 years and jail their minister whom presided over lies and fraudulent
accounting which showed up there is no viable audit system to stop fraud and embezzlement by
minister in charge and department. Its all just errors lol.
why they want to disrupt PAC what is coming down the line.

hatrickpatrick

If this latest story is true it's appalling. Whipped politics at its finest. However, I stand by what I've been saying - I seriously doubt this controversy will significantly damage Sinn Féin's support among young people - unless a new party steps in with a commitment to tackle the cost of living. Every other party with the exception of the SocDems has either flat out refused to deal with this issue or gone into coalition with a party which flat out refused to deal with it, and it is the issue which is driving Sinn Fein support. Not the past. Not personalities. Not social media. The cost of living. Something Fine Gael have gleefully cheered the hyperinflation of as a "recovery" and FF have sat silently on the sidelines denying being part of a de facto coalition for the past four years.

This sh!te pisses me off massively both because it's appallingly wrong and because it makes the chances of keeping FFG out at the next election diminish. But I still reckon they won't diminish by much. People will likely weigh some horrific tweets on one hand, and the fact that they've had to scrimp on food for a month to save four figures in rent for a studio apartment, and vote accordingly.

Kermit.de.frog

Biggest problem with SF is their standard of representative. We are talking basic stuff here. I can't imagine any of their TD's representing this country at any level as ministers competently.

That's a big problem for them. Shouting 'Up the ra" in pubs is not going to attract the talent they need either.

From top to bottom they have serious issues.

timthumbni

Nay surprises here in Norn Iron. A disgusting tweet from a SF elected member. His comments are about as welcome as Liam adams offer of babysitting........

christy c

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

If this latest story is true it's appalling. Whipped politics at its finest. However, I stand by what I've been saying - I seriously doubt this controversy will significantly damage Sinn Féin's support among young people - unless a new party steps in with a commitment to tackle the cost of living. Every other party with the exception of the SocDems has either flat out refused to deal with this issue or gone into coalition with a party which flat out refused to deal with it, and it is the issue which is driving Sinn Fein support. Not the past. Not personalities. Not social media. The cost of living. Something Fine Gael have gleefully cheered the hyperinflation of as a "recovery" and FF have sat silently on the sidelines denying being part of a de facto coalition for the past four years.

This sh!te pisses me off massively both because it's appallingly wrong and because it makes the chances of keeping FFG out at the next election diminish. But I still reckon they won't diminish by much. People will likely weigh some horrific tweets on one hand, and the fact that they've had to scrimp on food for a month to save four figures in rent for a studio apartment, and vote accordingly.

I suspect you are right and this will likely will not make much difference either way to voters. SF's utterly stupid pension idea has raised its ugly head again, I'd much prefer they were sent packing over something like that rather than anything to do with a tweet.

While housing remains an issue, it will leave room for idiots like Pearse Doherty to thrive.

a very cool kid

When are the provos ever going to learn that 2 wrongs don't make a right?

An eye for an eye makes the world blind.

For all the cribbing, the RUC and the British Army have been gone decades but the Provisional IRA are still here....

The SF party are definitely trying to legitimise the Provo acts of the past 30-40 years. If they're such heroes why the need?

a very cool kid

christy c wrote: »

I suspect you are right and this will likely will not make much difference either way to voters. SF's utterly stupid pension idea has raised its ugly head again, I'd much prefer they were sent packing over something like that rather than anything to do with a tweet.

While housing remains an issue, it will leave room for idiots like Pearse Doherty to thrive.

It's ok.Eoin "the smart one" O Broin wrote a book about housing. Apparently you can build with no cost of capital of depreciation rates and when the state sets up construction companies there are no costs involved, the workers get below market salaries and suppliers are giving the material away free...

V8 Interceptor

blanch152 wrote: »

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/brian-stanleys-wife-says-public-funds-should-be-removed-from-rte-when-sinn-fein-wins-power-39826258.html

The fightback begins!

"Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley made the comments on Facebook where she argued that when Sinn Féin get into Government it should remove all public funds from RTÉ."

"In the comments beneath the post she added: "When SF get into Government one of the first things it should do is remove all public funds from RTÉ.""

Shoot the messenger again. When I talk about the threat to democracy from Sinn Fein, these are the type of references that I mean. There is no hesitation to resort to threats when under pressure.

https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2020/1204/1182305-brian-stanley-tweet/

Paschal Donohoe puts it well here:

"Their tone on politics, their tone about how they speak about those who have different political views to them, at many times and in many cases, I don't believe it's acceptable.

"And I believe it poisons the well of how we debate politics in our country."

We see it on these boards where those who oppose Sinn Fein are accused of lying and agendas and all sorts by scurrilous posters. Attack the messenger, try to discredit them, try to censor them, threaten them etc. All part of a nasty poisonous Sinn Fein culture that extends across the media spectrum and enunciated so well by Stanley's wife.

I would agree with the Councillor in this instance.

Sean.3516

In the original tweet re. IRA attacks Stanley made two booboos.

No.1
Stanley, like a lot of Sinners, deliberately conflates the “original” IRA of the War of Independence with the Provisional IRA of the Troubles as though they were the same organisation acting in the same context. The “original” IRA was the legitimate army of the Irish Republic, sanctioned by the democratically elected first Dáil. They fought the War of Independence from 1919 until 1921 when the Irish Republic transitioned into the Free State (democratically I might add).

The Provisional IRA was a criminal organisation that used the turmoil over civil rights in the North as a pretext to engage in violence against British personnel in the North and routinely attacked civilians from the opposing community. They claimed to be acting on behalf of an Irish Republic with the goal of reunification when in fact they were never sanctioned by Dáil Éireann and never had any democratic backing whatsoever.

To imply that the latter was acting in the same moral context as the former is quite disgusting but it’s textbook Sinn Fein.

No.2
The “Pity for everyone they were such slow learners.” comment outright gloating at “the British” is kinda yucky coming from a TD from a party that signed up to the GFA, acknowledging that whether Sinn Fein likes it or not, the North is controlled by Britain and will be until a majority of the people there desire otherwise and that violence wasn’t nor ever would be a solution.

As for the supposedly homophobic tweet I couldn’t give a toss. I despise this tactic of taking old tweets and using them to destroy people. I think Stanley’s explanation for it is acceptable considering it was 3 years ago.(Stanley and Varadkar were no less prominent then than they are today) and it obviously didn’t stir much controversy at the time.

V8 Interceptor

Sean.3516 wrote: »

IThey fought the War of Independence from 1919 until 1921.

As an amature historian I prefer the term Anglo-Irish war Sir.

Hamsterchops

FrancieBrady wrote: »

Listening to Catherine Murphy and his colleagues and the CC he seems to have garnered respect for his work on the PAC.

Were they telling lies?

I don't know if they were telling lies, but he's been let go and told to stay away for at least a week.
..... until the dust settles or until he can be replaced?