Nelson's Pillar

maryishere wrote: »

The Pillar had been used for generations as a tourist attraction / viewing platform. .............

Who gives a rats ass? You can complain about the failure to replace it with something decent but theres no way that should have been allowed remain.

Fratton Fred wrote:

Was that the one led by err, colonist/planters?

Protestant nationalists fred.

Diomed wrote:

Why do we need someone that symbolises resistance to the British regime? My world does not revolve around anti-British thoughts. To me they are just another European country, long gone for here. ?

Going on your earlier posts I'd say you've rather a fonder view of them than that.

maryishere wrote:

Nelson was a Navy officer and hundreds of Dubliners worked under him. His navy was the navy of these islands.

It was the British navy, not the irish.

maryishere wrote:

How about some parity of esteem for all our dead ancestors?

But serving in the crown forces - with the possible exception of WWII - deserves no esteem whatsoever, let alone parity.

maryishere wrote:

Throughout the whole war, the Germans killed 27,300 Belgian civilians directly,
and an additional 62,000 via the deprivation of food and shelter (not counting
deaths from the Spanish flu epidemic).

.....which would be as nothing compared to the regular slaughter carried out by the British in Africa, Asia and so on. And of course there was the Bengal famine. But I suppose black and brown people don't count.

Marsyishere wrote:

As a well know Irish commentator said during the week, it it was not for the
British forces you would be speaking German now.

O Noes!!!! We'd be speaking the language of Kant, Heidegger and Wittgenstein....Daimler, Benz, Diesel, Von Braun....the native tongue of Einstein and Planck....wed be like beasts in the field!!!!!!!!!!!

Marsyishere wrote:

Nelson wanted a fairer society too, I'm sure.

.....Nelson Mandela, maybe.

maryishere wrote:

And he , with his navy which was up to a third Irish, helped to defend these
island against invasion from Europe at the time

The british WERE the poxy invaders.....and don't come back with "if it wasn't for Nelson we'd be speaking French"

This thread is catmint to Shinners.

Nodin wrote: »

There was a conflict, your side lost, live with it. In a hundred years nobody will admit to having any hankering for the empire this side of the border.

I was born in Ireland, my father, mother and grandparents were born in Ireland, my granduncle was a well know fighter in the 1910s and 1920s. Unlike most of the anti-Brit posters on here my credentials are impeccable. I actually am Irish.

What I do not like is people from another country, Northern Ireland, telling Irish citizens that we must be west Brits because we do not agree with their aim to destabilize this country. Their idea of a 100th anniversary celebration of 1916 is bombing and killing (car bomb in the news this week).

I have heard Northerners shouting abuse at people in O'Connell Street claiming that we sold them down the river to the Brits. The fact that partition happened about 50 years before any of the bystanders was born escaped the Northerners.

Good citizens of Ireland pay taxes and obey the law. Bad citizens evade taxes and break the law - bomb our monuments, don't pay excise duty on fuel, kill people and bury them in bogs.

diomed wrote: »

I have heard Northerners shouting abuse at people in O'Connell Street claiming that we sold them down the river to the Brits. The fact that partition happened about 50 years before any of the bystanders was born escaped the Northerners.

Well, they still struggle to behave themselves in their own country. They have only begun to master that art over the last decade or so. The chances of them behaving themselves when they are "on tour" are slim to none. Easter is going to be a lovely time in Dublin city centre. Any respectable person will be steering well clear of the place. I feel sorry for our police. They are going to have a busy few days. Let's hope they get through it all, safe and well.

Ice Maiden wrote: »

No they weren't talking about loyalists on and leading up to the twalfth.

I know that, neither was I. I was talking about their neighbours in NI who aspire to being Irish. Unionist and Loyalist people behave themselves when they come down here.

It would have been taken down eventually. While many detest the Spire, I do appreciate what it symbolises.

Fratton Fred wrote: »

The little Irelanders are out in force today.

No Fred, theres nothing "little irelander" about wanting to remove the symbols of empire from prominence.

Bambi wrote: »

Apparently it caused a lot of gaiety and general amusement when it was done, so that's obviously a good thing

...applause, gaiety and general amusement. The vast majority were glad it was gone, a majority that's grown over time. Here we just have the last hold outs and a few WUMS.

Iwasfrozen wrote: »

Nelson was by all accounts a pretty swell guy. What exactly do you oppose about him? His nationality? That he defended England? That Irishmen served under him? What exactly is the problem?

It's a monument to another countrys military placed in the main street of the capital as a triumphalist symbol. I see you've dropped the "vote on it" line and adopted another tack.

At least someone got rid of it. It was glorifying the British Occupation of Ireland.