What do you think of the IRA?

Oriel · 19-02-2004 02:32AM #1

Sorry if this has been brought up before.
It's just that I was talking about this with 2 other (Catholic) housemates there today.
One (grew up in Ardoyne, Belfast) said they did a lot of good in his area, protecting the familes from the RUC (nka PSNI).
The other (grew up in Clough Mills, another IRA central) said they aren't doing "the cause" any good at all, a point being the fact that the majority of them don't even go to mass or have religous beliefs at all - and that it's all about politics not religion at all. Which I believe also.

Personally, I think any active members of the IRA are worthless scum, and should be shot where they stand. But I guess that's just an opinion. I'm a Catholic, and have more Protestant friends than Catholc friends. I've been brought up to be more mature than to bring things down to that level.

Is the IRA doing any good at all? (Ignoring the thosands of competely innocent lives of course).

/edit - the guy from Clough Mills. His uncle was in the IRA for one reason only - they used to get the males in the "discos" (back then) drag them outside saying more or less "Are you going to join us or not?" It was a case of "join us or you're getting a beating here and now, which is it?".

Agent Smith · 19-02-2004 02:44AM

a shower of wanker's imo.

(yes i am cathlioc and i think there should be a 32 county republic)

Oriel · 19-02-2004 02:46AM

Just a few examples, which I wish didn't exist.

Stephen Lynn (30) Protestant
Status: Civilian (Civ), Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot while renovating house, Upper Crumlin Road, Belfast. Previous owner of the house was the intended target.

Kenneth Lynn (28) Protestant
Status: Civilian (Civ), Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot while renovating house, Upper Crumlin Road, Belfast. Previous owner of the house was the intended target.

Ian Sproule (23) Protestant
Status: Civilian (Civ), Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot outside his parents' home, Liskleen Road, Killen, Castlederg, County Tyrone.

Samuel McCrum (62) Protestant
Status: Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC), Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Off duty. Shot at his wife's shop, Antrim Street, Lisburn, County Antrim.

Peter Ryan (35) Catholic
Status: Irish Republican Army (IRA), Killed by: British Army (BA)
Shot during ambush by undercover British Army (BA) members, while driving through Coagh, County Tyrone.

Ruairi Finnis (21) Catholic
Status: Irish Republican Army (IRA), Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Found shot behind row of shops, Central Drive, Creggan, Derry. Alleged informer.

Gerard Burns (37) Catholic
Status: Irish National Liberation Army (INLA), Killed by: Irish National Liberation Army (INLA)
Found shot at the back of house, New Barnsley Park, Ballymurphy, Belfast. Alleged informer.

Francis Ryan (25) Catholic
Status: Irish Republican Army (IRA), Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Died in premature explosion while carrying bomb along St Peter's Street, St. Albans, Herts. England.

kopijack · 19-02-2004 08:44AM

There is bad on both sides...

has it moved from religion to politics? I would say it has.

I get the feeling that people are starting to get fed up with all of it....Well a lot of the young people in Derry that I know.

It will go on.

What about the UVF and LVF? they are no saints

Doctor J · 19-02-2004 09:07AM

There is evil on both sides, it doesn't matter whether your protestant, catholic, hindu, whatever

Any terrorist deserves eternal suffering and I'd include a terrorist in a uniform. There is no need for murder on this island.

Besdies, aren't they (nationalist and unionist terrorists) all about drugs these days?

SheroN · 19-02-2004 09:13AM

It hasn't been about religon for many many years.

rs · 19-02-2004 09:22AM

I'd like to see Ireland as a 32 county country.

However, then I see adults shouting and throwing things at children on their way to school on the news. No-one who behaves like that should be allowed call themselves Irish. I don't think I want the north back.

I think at this stage Nothern Ireland should become a country on it's own. Then they can work together and make it great, or destroy each other. There should be no option of being either part of the UK or Ireland. If they are not British or Irish anymore, they'll just have to figure out what they are for themselves.

And all the terrorists (whatever gang they belong to), what have they ever accomplished? How have they made the situation in the North any better?

They haven't.

Simple as that.

The_Goose · 19-02-2004 09:23AM

Originally posted by Doctor J

Besdies, aren't they (nationalist and unionist terrorists) all about drugs these days?

Selling them or stopping them??

I ve never lived in the north, or come into contact with any situation up there(thank god), but down in the south in the bally back arse of no where there's a group of grown men with ra tattoo's and where their celtic jersey's 365 days a year!!
who beleave in death to the queen, ****in pros's and alll that, but have never been to the north and wouldn't have a clue what a gun look's like!! These people are the problem i think, who immortalise the ira and beleave them to be hero's!!!
They had a purpose, when the black and tan's were terrorising the country, but there is no need for them anymore, and same goes for the rest!!!
We have our freedom there is no way in hell we re gettin 32 counties so live and let live!!! Maybe if the country concentrated on running what it has the place wouldn't be goin to hell!!!!!
RIP IRA UVF etc.

hedgetrimmer · 19-02-2004 09:49AM

Sure, in about 20-20 years, Europe will be one state... what will happen to the 26/32 issue then?

cournioni · 19-02-2004 10:05AM

The way things are going in the north hedgetrimmer, it'll be a race issue at that stage. I think that is what will be focused on, rather than the Protestant/Catholic thing.

ferdi · 19-02-2004 10:09AM

She went away for the holidays
Said she's going to LA
But she never got there
She never got there,
She never got there, they say

The IRA took my baby away
They took her away, away from me
The IRA took my baby away
They took her away, away from me

yellum · 19-02-2004 10:10AM

Originally posted by hedgetrimmer
Sure, in about 20-20 years, Europe will be one state... what will happen to the 26/32 issue then?

In 20 years there'll be a catholic majority in Northern Ireland.

elexes · 19-02-2004 10:19AM

personaly im fed up with hearing about all the probloms in the north . if it could be made its own country with seperate laws etc. away from the political force of the republic and the uk id be much happier . i used to think that it would be better if the north was part of the republic . now im not so sure

tho it dose give me ids on how to solve the northern problom and some world health issues tho .. but the human rights groups would go ape if they done what im thinking .....

oooo evil thoughts

Doctor J · 19-02-2004 10:45AM

I wonder how many of these 'catholics' are/will be catholics because they believe the tenets of catholicism and follow it's laws or because they are ill-informed about protestanism and just see marches and union jacks. How many of these celtic shirted catholics actually attend mass every sunday and worship God and Jesus and live their lives in accordance with the scriptures?

The same goes for the 'protestants'.

Where does it say a catholic has to be a nationalist and a protestant has to be a unionist?

User45701 · 19-02-2004 10:49AM

I understand them and why they do what they do.
I just dont understand why they and other orginasations on the other side both should just target oneanother that way no civy caustualty

Epitaph · 19-02-2004 12:27PM

Originally posted by Doctor J
Where does it say a catholic has to be a nationalist and a protestant has to be a unionist?

Very true, I think Parnell was Protestant.

And all the Ra/Me Feiners should be put in a deep hole and smothered with dirt and Loyalist paramilitaries, IMO.

Re the drugs issue: I think an awful lot of IRA members are involved in drug running and protection racketeering at the moment. Supposed to be generating funds for "The Cause" but are just lining their pockets with the proceeds of human misery.

/hires contractors to build a big hole

SheroN · 19-02-2004 12:28PM

wolfe tone was a protestant...as was robert emett.

Macseamusa · 19-02-2004 12:30PM

does anyone else feel that this is old.... just let the british rule it, end all this ****, this murder, whats the point, we will all know that northern ireland is part of ireland even if its ruled by someone else.

Doctor J · 19-02-2004 01:28PM

Yep, just cut it off, drag it into the Atlantic and say "We'll be sinking this on 19 March, those of you who think this shytty piece of earth is worth dying for, tie yourself to something heavy"

A united Ireland is a pipe dream. Does it really matter or is it just some romantic bullshyt fed into us from birth (and vice versa for our unionist northern brothers and sisters)?

I mean, so Bertie and his crew of eeejits gets to screw up an extra six counties. Is that worth killing folk for? Methinks not.

And yes, some of the most prominent Republicans have been Protestant, something the modern bigots tend to overlook.

Exit · 19-02-2004 01:46PM

Originally posted by Doctor J
Yep, just cut it off, drag it into the Atlantic and say "We'll be sinking this on 19 March, those of you who think this shytty piece of earth is worth dying for, tie yourself to something heavy"

Agree 100%

DeVore · 19-02-2004 01:55PM

Yup, I always felt the border on the map was Gods outline for where the scissors-cut was to go.

Gerry Adams is as smart as Ian Paisley is pretty and vice versa.

Thank god for soft drugs, young people are now too loved up or stoned to bother getting involved. Hurrah for political apathy!

DeV.

jesus_thats_gre · 19-02-2004 02:11PM

I think we are lucky enough to say the IRA is pretty much something of the past. While I do not agree with the killing of innocent lives, or any lives at that fact, I do recognise the work they done to earn us our own nation. Of course I am talking about the Offical IRA and partly the Provisional IRA. Down here in the Republic we will never really see what good the IRA really done during the 60's, 70', 80's or 90's as half of it is exaduarated propoganda.

The initial post mentioned something about some IRA members not practising their religion. I really think this is pretty much irrelevent to be honest. The modern "struggle" came from a religous minority (practising or not) being descriminated against by the religious (practising or not) majority. People like Ian Paisley played on peoples fears and exadurated the meaning of any involvement of the Irish goverment to gain support for his party/beliefs. The vast majority of people in Northern Ireland have always wanted peace and equality, but it was selfish political leaders that led them down the route which has led to now.

The recent peace iniatives grew out of the peoples desire for peace and the willingness of some political and paramilitary leaders to put their neck out and go against the natural tide of their organisation.

If I don't make sense, apologies my head is dead!

The Real IRA on the other hand are stuck in the past and really need to accept that the world has passed them by

jesus_thats_gre · 19-02-2004 02:16PM

We couldn't afford the North. The people up there have got used to so much such as virtually free prescriptions and doctor visits, superior infrastructure and so on. I don't think the majority would be willing to give that up and I don't think we would be willing to give it to them.

bdiddy · 19-02-2004 02:23PM

I agree completely with jesus here. The IRA have served us well and have played a pivitol role in the recent Peace movement(at least i think thats what he/she was sayin). 10 year cease fire anyone? I also think they're right not to disband just yet, they should wait for significant movement from all sides towards the implementation of the agreement(including thier own parts) and if(hopefully when) the agreement is nearing its full implementation and the PSNI is fully established as an equal and efficient police force the IRA should be no more.

Doctor J · 19-02-2004 02:29PM

By that logic then the UVF are doing "us" a favour too? They haven't 'officially' killed or injured anyone in a while, so they should hang on with their weapons until there's some signicant movement from all sides?

If everybody's hanging on until somebody else does something, what is going to be achieved? :dunno:

The_Goose · 19-02-2004 04:46PM

All i wouldtake to set the whole thing off again would be one killing of one by the other, and all **** would break lose again!
Hopefully in time the eejit's still holding on to there pipe dreams will die soon and every one up there can live safer live's!
as for the RIRA, renagade's!!

bdiddy · 19-02-2004 04:47PM

you cant expect the paramilitarys to do all the work, thats why we've got politicans. If the politicans can take the opportunity handed to them by the paramilitarys(from both sides) then i for one would be confident we would see more(or less as you mite want to put it) action from the paramilitarys.

BuffyBot · 19-02-2004 06:58PM

Murdering scumbags.

But then, the other side wasn't much better.

mike65 · 19-02-2004 07:03PM

Me stunned at the last few posts!

For a glimpse into the provos current mindset listen here-

http://www.rte.ie/rams/radio/latest/Tue/rte-liveline.smil
(fast foward to 18 mins in)

and
http://www.rte.ie/rams/radio/latest/Wed/rte-liveline.smil
from the start.

Mike.

LegacyUser · 19-02-2004 07:25PM

warrenpoint was gas

Our man in Havana · 19-02-2004 09:15PM

I don't ever want a 32 county ireland. I would sooner move out if that ever happens. They if they want start an indepandant state free of both UK and Eire.

What do you think of the IRA?

Comments