Sinn Fein cancels bomber commemoration

RandomName2 · 19-02-2021 12:23am #1

Shelved plan to salute 1996 bomber lays bare Irish fault lines

Sinn Fein councilor for Gorey Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin, a teacher at a local gaelscoil, had been promoting Sinn Féin online commemoration to mark 25 years since the PIRA bomber's death. The PIRA member died when the bomb he was carrying on a London bus, blew up prematurely (as IRA bombs were known to do) thankfully killing him, but unfortunately wounding several civilians, one of whom later died from complications.

Note that the planned commemoration was to do with the bomber, not the civilian (who was a Dubliner) who died.

Since controversy has arisen about the planned commemoration, it has now been silently cancelled. However the incident has raised questions about Sinn Fein's position in relation to past terrorism.

blanch152 · 19-02-2021 1:26am

RandomName2 wrote: »

Shelved plan to salute 1996 bomber lays bare Irish fault lines

Sinn Fein councilor for Gorey Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin, a teacher at a local gaelscoil, had been promoting Sinn Féin online commemoration to mark 25 years since the PIRA bomber's death. The PIRA member died when the bomb he was carrying on a London bus, blew up prematurely (as IRA bombs were known to do) thankfully killing him, but unfortunately wounding several civilians, one of whom later died from complications.

Note that the planned commemoration was to do with the bomber, not the civilian (who was a Dubliner) who died.

Since controversy has arisen about the planned commemoration, it has now been silently cancelled. However the incident has raised questions about Sinn Fein's position in relation to past terrorism.

Were you surprised?

I wasn’t.

There are no depths to which they won’t sink.

Rodney Bathgate · 19-02-2021 1:29am

Scum.

Phoebas · 19-02-2021 1:35am

RandomName2 wrote: »

However the incident has raised questions about Sinn Fein's position in relation to past terrorism.

I'm not sure that it has raised any questions about Sinn Fein's position in relation to past terrorism.

We know what their position is. They're in favour of it.

jimmycrackcorm · 19-02-2021 1:39am

It will be very interesting to see how a Sinn Fein government here will handle these situations. I think we will see after the next election. But it'll be very embarrassing from an international standpoint.

James Brown · 19-02-2021 1:46am

Phoebas wrote: »

I'm not sure that it has raised any questions about Sinn Fein's position in relation to past terrorism.

We know what their position is. They're in favour of it.

Agreed. I think a commemoration for the IRA dead might have been a better idea.
I can't understand why people still pretend they just found out SF and the IRA were linked and some ex-IRA are in SF.
Also SF don't apologise for the IRA nor pretend they didn't support them. It's a poor attempt at faux moral outrage to keep suggesting they do and are in some kind of an awkward spot or would feel embarrassed.

Phoebas · 19-02-2021 1:53am

James Brown wrote: »

Agreed. I think a commemoration for the IRA dead might have been a better idea.
I can't understand why people still pretend they just found out SF and the IRA were linked and some ex-IRA are in SF.
Also SF don't apologise for the IRA nor pretend they didn't support them. It's a poor attempt at faux moral outrage to keep suggesting they do and are in some kind of an awkward spot or would feel embarrassed.

It's because SF talk out of both sides of their mouths on the issue. They'll talk about how terrible it all was at the very same time as celebrating their comrades who were it's perpetrators.

slipperyox · 19-02-2021 1:54am

A teacher that has been taught.

Gatling · 19-02-2021 1:55am

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

It will be very interesting to see how a Sinn Fein government here will handle these situations. I think we will see after the next election. But it'll be very embarrassing from an international standpoint.

They will go the route of naming places and buildings after their killers calling them national heros followed by the volunteers commemoration day

jm08 · 19-02-2021 1:59am

RandomName2 wrote: »

Shelved plan to salute 1996 bomber lays bare Irish fault lines

Sinn Fein councilor for Gorey Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin, a teacher at a local gaelscoil, had been promoting Sinn Féin online commemoration to mark 25 years since the PIRA bomber's death. The PIRA member died when the bomb he was carrying on a London bus, blew up prematurely (as IRA bombs were known to do) thankfully killing him, but unfortunately wounding several civilians, one of whom later died from complications.

Note that the planned commemoration was to do with the bomber, not the civilian (who was a Dubliner) who died.

Since controversy has arisen about the planned commemoration, it has now been silently cancelled. However the incident has raised questions about Sinn Fein's position in relation to past terrorism.

First of all, the commemoration was being organised by the father of Edward O'Brien, who was killed. His family had no idea that he was in the IRA by the way. The family called off the commemoration because they were receiving threats and abuse.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-40229735.html

By the way, O'Brien was the only one killed in the bombing. There were 7 people injured however. You should try and get your facts straight.

James Brown · 19-02-2021 2:00am

Phoebas wrote: »

It's because SF talk out of both sides of their mouths on the issue. They'll talk about how terrible it all was at the very same time as celebrating their comrades who were it's perpetrators.

Heard them talk about specific instances like that but not 'it all'.

James Brown · 19-02-2021 2:02am

jm08 wrote: »

First of all, the commemoration was being organised by the father of Edward O'Brien, who was killed. His family had no idea that he was in the IRA by the way. The family called off the commemoration because they were receiving threats and abuse.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-40229735.html

By the way, O'Brien was the only one killed in the bombing. There were 7 people injured however. You should try and get your facts straight.

Thanks for clarifying. I should know better than to take some posters at their word.

jm08 · 19-02-2021 2:12am

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

It will be very interesting to see how a Sinn Fein government here will handle these situations. I think we will see after the next election. But it'll be very embarrassing from an international standpoint.

Plenty of precedence from the two revolutionary parties in the Dail (Fianna Fail and Fine Gael) to understand what happens.

Fine Gael executed about 80 civil war fighters when they came to power after the Treaty. Within about 10 years, Fine Gael had to take it on the chin and sit in the Dail with Dev as Taoiseach. Fine Gael have an annual memorial at Beal na Blath to commemorate Michael Collins who would have been the one that ordered the execution of the Anti-Treaty leaders. Whereas Fianna Fail/Fianna Gael were killing Irish people, at least the IRA had a foreign adversary.

jimmycrackcorm · 19-02-2021 2:18am

jm08 wrote: »

First of all, the commemoration was being organised by the father of Edward O'Brien, who was killed. His family had no idea that he was in the IRA by the way. The family called off the commemoration because they were receiving threats and abuse.

So, they had no idea he was in the IRA.
They don't like getting threats and abuse.
But his father was organizing a commemoration to reminisce that he was on his way to actually cause death.

Ever so slightly ironic.

jm08 · 19-02-2021 2:31am

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

So, they had no idea he was in the IRA.
They don't like getting threats and abuse.
But his father was organizing a commemoration to reminisce that he was on his way to actually cause death.

Ever so slightly ironic.

From the Irish Times:

O’Brien had known republican sympathies and used to sell An Phoblacht on the streets of Gorey, but his family had no suspicion he was involved in the IRA.
When he went to Britain in 1995, they thought he was working on a building site in Glasgow.
It was only when gardaí called to the family home after his death that his parents knew he was involved in the IRA.
The family later issued a statement through their solicitor unreservedly condemning all paramilitary organisations.

The statement said that O’Brien had had no involvement whatsoever in any illegal organisation while he lived in the family home in Gorey.
“Neither they, nor any member of their extended family, have, or have ever had, any involvement of any description with any paramilitary grouping,” the statement said.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/online-commemoration-for-ira-volunteer-who-died-in-bus-bomb-is-cancelled-1.4488821

No matter what he might have done, he was still their son. And this is how they were commemorating it (from Irish Times).

An image promoting the commemoration had superimposed the Tricolour with a photograph of O’Brien and the inscription “forever in our hearts” along with the Wexford GAA crest.

Looks more like they were aligning themselves with Wexford GAA rather than the IRA.

Of course Leo was lying again to the Dail:

Mr Varadkar said O’Brien’s family did not support the commemoration.

So, to summarise what I think happened (just from reading the Examiner and Irish Times).
1) Family of O'Brien were organisating an online commemoration.
2) They got abuse for it and decided to cancel it.

3) Their local Sinn Fein rep. helped them to publicise that it was called off.

Fine Gael hacks start spinning like no bodies business.

19-02-2021 2:37am

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

It will be very interesting to see how a Sinn Fein government here will handle these situations. I think we will see after the next election. But it'll be very embarrassing from an international standpoint.

It really won't.

World politics is chockablock with people/parties with connections to all sorts of ne'er do wells.

A Sinn Féin led government would be far from an outlier.

James Brown · 19-02-2021 4:13am

[Deleted User] wrote: »

It really won't.

World politics is chockablock with people/parties with connections to all sorts of ne'er do wells.

A Sinn Féin led government would be far from an outlier.

There's a lot of people have no idea about nor intetest in Northern Ireland A party with an association to an armed force which signed up for peace decades ago wouldn't be a thing.

Montage of Feck · 19-02-2021 9:16am

FG was never a revolutionary party, counter revolutionaries would be a better description. And when FF got into power under Dev they turned out to be even more conservitive.

CrazyFather1 · 19-02-2021 10:13am

To be honest at this stage who cares. Sinn Fein are just Sinn Fein.
This will happen all the time so getting all outraged about it each time will make no difference.

The people who remember exactly who they are will never vote for them. That's not going to change.

This constant slips just continue to remind all the rest of the voters who they are.
At this stage let them off, no point trying to attack SF, they do it all on their own.

All the shouting about "government of chaos", list out all the issues SF have had over the last 12 months and they are really neck & neck with the government.

In terms of actually doing any good for the people of Ireland, that is the biggest issue for SF. They have done nothing. The big insurance bill Pearse worked on since 2009 was a joke, every other political party could have wrote it in a few weeks and ended up in the exact same place.

Sunny Disposition · 19-02-2021 10:35am

Felt very sorry for the family at the time, bad enough to lose your son but to find out he was in the IRA too...
The condemnation of commemorations is politically motivated nonsense. Condemn the actions by all means, and I would have despised what the IRA were doing, but condemning the commemoration of the dead is nonsensical. Extending that logic there should be no anniversary masses.
The person being commemorated in this instance was little more than a misguided boy, drawn into the deep waters of Irish history. Understandably some people have no sympathy for him, at the time I hadn’t myself, but condemning other people for remembering him is still wrong.

celt262 · 19-02-2021 11:02am

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

It will be very interesting to see how a Sinn Fein government here will handle these situations. I think we will see after the next election. But it'll be very embarrassing from an international standpoint.

Anyone who ever hid guns/bomb making equipment/made bombs/planted bombs/carried out murder etc will be held in the highest esteem and there will be many events to celebrate their contribution to the cause.

McMurphy · 19-02-2021 11:04am

celt262 wrote: »

Anyone who ever hid guns/bomb making equipment/made bombs/planted bombs/carried out murder etc will be held in the highest esteem and there will be many events to celebrate their contribution to the cause.

Shinners beaten to it again...

Bubbaclaus · 19-02-2021 2:23pm

jm08 wrote: »

So, to summarise what I think happened (just from reading the Examiner and Irish Times).
1) Family of O'Brien were organisating an online commemoration.
2) They got abuse for it and decided to cancel it.

3) Their local Sinn Fein rep. helped them to publicise that it was called off.

I'm confused by this post. So SFs only involvement was publicising that it was called off? Who issued the "Volunteer" O'Brien promotional stuff then, given it was hardly the family?

tipptom · 19-02-2021 2:50pm

Gatling wrote: »

They will go the route of naming places and buildings after their killers calling them national heros followed by the volunteers commemoration day

Hopefully,be nice for our next new government to rename a few streets that was named after British terrorists with men and women who fought against impossible odds against the British terrorists in NI and gained some equality that they were never going to be given there.

The more the Irish Times and the rest of the Irish media try to subvert democracy the more certain it becomes

blanch152 · 19-02-2021 2:52pm

The family have the right to mourn their son in private and in a dignified manner.

The reason this has got condemnation is that Sinn Fein jumped on the bandwagon to turn it into a public commemoration of a terrorist, replete with IRA paraphernalia, logos and references to "Oglaigh na hEireann".

Gatling · 19-02-2021 2:58pm

tipptom wrote: »

with men and women who fought against impossible odds against the British terrorists in NI and gained some equality that they were never going to be given there.

The killed more civilians than soldiers by a significant number and when they got killed trying to carry out attacks they cried how unfair it was ,

walshb · 19-02-2021 3:01pm

SF need to cop the fook on and disassociate with this

I could kind of understand if it was 40 years ago when we were in very hostile times.

My jaysus, both sides have come such a long way to build peace and keep on progressing...

Man carrying a bomb on a bus to do possible untold damage....

Just leave it alone, SF....

21 years of age.....whole life ahead of him, and this is the road he took.....

I say this as someone who was never anti SF or anti IRA during the heat of the troubles....but we have moved on since then.,,,,there is no place for this now, nor this type of public endorsing commemoration.

19-02-2021 3:06pm

Gatling wrote: »

The killed more civilians than soldiers by a significant number and when they got killed trying to carry out attacks they cried how unfair it was ,

This is patently untrue,the ira killed 1200 security force members

The 600 or so "civilans",include circa 300 killed in attacks on retired members of security force

Only for likes of this young lad,willing to carry the fight to the english,particularly post ceasefire,they would be no good friday agreement

That being said,i do believe online commerations are a load of ****,and wouldnt watch one (would offline)but like rememberence sunday,people should be allowed commerate their dead

19-02-2021 3:16pm

walshb wrote: »

I say this as someone who was never anti SF or anti IRA during the heat of the troubles....but we have moved in since then.,,,,there is no place for this now, nor this type of public endorsing commemoration.

Theres a whole kind of sub-culture,that most people simply arent aware of surronding these commerations

Pre-pandemic times,they would be one on most weekends and likely a larger one,once every 3 months or so

walshb · 19-02-2021 3:19pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Theres a whole kind of sub-culture,that most people simply arent aware of surronding these commerations

Pre-pandemic times,they would be one on most weekends and likely a larger one,once every 3 months or so

I know. I see them on one.

Men dressed up in army gear n all..😖

tipptom · 19-02-2021 3:21pm

Gatling wrote: »

The killed more civilians than soldiers by a significant number and when they got killed trying to carry out attacks they cried how unfair it was ,

The native Irish were been murdered by civilians armed and sent by the British government/army.
You treat people like savages in their own home then you are going to get a savage responce eventually,the Catholics in NI took all these abuses up to the point of the British allowing civilians to burn them out of their homes

The British didnt care about this savagery because it was out of sight until they were given a taste of it in their own country and only REALLY cared then when their financial districts started getting inconvenienced

Now they have won the equality and are soon to be in government in both North and South i would not begrudge them a few street namings and i would have an issue with some of their policys and some of their members

19-02-2021 3:23pm

walshb wrote: »

I know. I see them on one.

Men dressed up in army gear n all..ðŸ˜–

Wouldnt have huge time for pomp and pagentry of em myself tbf.....but its a good way to meet up with mates and bit of craic to be had

Gatling · 19-02-2021 3:24pm

Deleted User wrote: »

This is patently untrue,the ira killed 1200 security force members

640 British soldiers Vs something like 1800 civilians ,not all of death of soldiers came at the hand of the Ra, considering the number of soldiers who served in Ni during the troubles 300,000 +

McMurphy · 19-02-2021 3:27pm

walshb wrote: »

I say this as someone who was never anti SF or anti IRA during the heat of the troubles....but we have moved in since then.,,,,there is no place for this now, nor this type of public endorsing commemoration.

Let me get this straight, you were never "anti SF or anti IRA" during the troubles, but anyone remotely familiar with your posts in here will know you certainly come across as being fairly critical of them now.

Man wasn't critical of the Provos or Sinn Fein during troubles, but is post ceasefire......

You a dissident bro?

19-02-2021 3:31pm

Gatling wrote: »

640 British soldiers Vs something like 1800 civilians ,not all of death of soldiers can at the hand of the Ra

the ira didnt 1800 hundred civilans

They are cited as 1705 killings,of which circa 1200 are security forces (ruc,sas,udr etc)

Roughly 80 of its own members via accident/execution

Roughly 300 in attacks on retired security force members ,(think some innocents caught up there admitedley)

(Unless yous think ruc were civilan,yous been sold a lie)

Where as brits/loyalists roughly 1500,of which circa 1100 are civilains,

Gatling · 19-02-2021 3:47pm

tipptom wrote: »

The native Irish were been murdered by civilians armed and sent by the British government/army.
You treat people like savages in their own home then you are going to get a savage responce eventually,

Like blowing up pubs ,shops full of men women and children execution of innocent people for perceived crimes against the Ra,
A bunch of cowards proclaiming themselves as heroes ,

Gatling · 19-02-2021 3:53pm

Deleted User wrote: »

the ira didnt 1800 hundred civilans

They are cited as 1705 killings,of which circa 1200 are security forces (ruc,sas,udr etc)

3500 deaths in Ni 52% were civilians and the ira was responsible of 62% of those deaths which adds up to something like 1300

McMurphy · 19-02-2021 3:58pm

Gatling wrote: »

3500 deaths in Ni 52% were civilians and the ira was responsible of 62% of those deaths which adds up to something like 1300

Source?

19-02-2021 4:00pm

Gatling wrote: »

3500 deaths in Ni 52% were civilians and the ira was responsible of 62% of those deaths which adds up to something like 1300

Would this not tell to yous,in light of above facts,the only ones fighting somewhat fair was the ira??

Security forces are not civilans

Yous been sold a line of lies and misrepresentations about the troubles...the 1st pub bombing,which caused 16 deaths btw, (mcgurks bar) was by loyalists and blamed offially on the ira by swcurity forces for 30 plus years

Would it be true,that loyalists whom got 80% of their intel from security forces,managed to kill 90% innocents.....likes of glennane gang,(off duty security force members) killed 151 people of whom 149 had no involvement what so ever in republicanism and the 2 anolmies were caught up in bomb attack on a pub?

jm08 · 19-02-2021 4:07pm

blanch152 wrote: »

The family have the right to mourn their son in private and in a dignified manner.

The reason this has got condemnation is that Sinn Fein jumped on the bandwagon to turn it into a public commemoration of a terrorist, replete with IRA paraphernalia, logos and references to "Oglaigh na hEireann".

Have you got a link to that please?

In the meantime, this is what SF has to say about it in your favourite newspaper.

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/sinn-fein-councillor-says-nothing-to-apologise-for-after-party-sponsored-event-for-ira-bomber-40110080.html

All yours Blanch:

“The party helped the family organise a short online tribute to their son and brother,” Cllr Ó Súilleabháin told Alan Corcoran on South East Radio.
‘There is a family bereavement here. That's the first and foremost consideration. In a week when a family should have been allowed to remember their son or brother, I just found it so disappointing that they had to be subjected to the vilest online abuse, carried out in a very organised way and we'll say very targeted way,” the Sinn Féin councillor claimed.
“It wasn't random. It was done by a local political gang. Then we had the cheap political point-scoring not just from Senator [Gerard] Craughwell but from local Senator Malcolm Byrne.”

tipptom · 19-02-2021 4:17pm

Gatling wrote: »

Like blowing up pubs ,shops full of men women and children execution of innocent people for perceived crimes against the Ra,
A bunch of cowards proclaiming themselves as heroes ,

The British were the terrorists and are known all over the world as bully boy terrorists,specialising in the murder of innocent civilians for the crime of trying to survive in their own country from the debasment of outside terrorists

They didnt care about their shops or pubs in Britain or the people in them and witheld and delayed warnings so that lives would be lost just to gain propaganda
The only time the British government/army/mi5 started to care and capitulate when it was brought to their own country was when their financial districts started getting hit,but thats YOUR terrorist heros for you and the real cowards.

grayzer75 · 19-02-2021 4:24pm

Another thread full of hypocritical Blueshirts boiling their piss, comical to say the least........

Harry Palmr · 19-02-2021 4:25pm

tipptom wrote: »

The British were the terrorists and are known all over the world as bully boy terrorists,specialising in the murder of innocent civilians for the crime of trying to survive in their own country from the debasment of outside terrorists

They didnt care about their shops or pubs in Britain or the people in them and witheld and delayed warnings so that lives would be lost just to gain propaganda
The only time the British government/army/mi5 started to care and capitulate when it was brought to their own country was when their financial districts started getting hit,but thats YOUR terrorist heros for you and the real cowards.

And so it begins, another tedious thread.

Just Watch Troubles: A Secret History,. The Provos were infiltrated to feck, the peace process was ongoing behind the scenes because the PIRA knew they were fighting a war that wasn't going to be won even if it wasn't going to be "lost" as such. Everyone sued for peace in the end.

19-02-2021 4:26pm

jm08 wrote: »

Have you got a link to that please?

In the meantime, this is what SF has to say about it in your favourite newspaper.

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/sinn-fein-councillor-says-nothing-to-apologise-for-after-party-sponsored-event-for-ira-bomber-40110080.html

All yours Blanch:

“The party helped the family organise a short online tribute to their son and brother,” Cllr Ó Súilleabháin told Alan Corcoran on South East Radio.
‘There is a family bereavement here. That's the first and foremost consideration. In a week when a family should have been allowed to remember their son or brother, I just found it so disappointing that they had to be subjected to the vilest online abuse, carried out in a very organised way and we'll say very targeted way,” the Sinn Féin councillor claimed.
“It wasn't random. It was done by a local political gang. Then we had the cheap political point-scoring not just from Senator [Gerard] Craughwell but from local Senator Malcolm Byrne.”

Im suprised ffg in their new found want for positive online discourse,havnt publically come out and condemned the abuse this family have received

19-02-2021 4:32pm

jm08 wrote: »

First of all, the commemoration was being organised by the father of Edward O'Brien, who was killed. His family had no idea that he was in the IRA by the way. The family called off the commemoration because they were receiving threats and abuse.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-40229735.html

By the way, O'Brien was the only one killed in the bombing. There were 7 people injured however. You should try and get your facts straight.

Commemorating your dead son is one thing. Doing so when he was on his way to cause untold grief, pain and suffering, as well as death and permanent disfigurement is delusional and should never have gotten off the ground. It doesn't matter whether you knew it or not. He was a scumbag, we're all lucky that he 'only' killed himself (tell that to the bus driver....oh, you can't, because he's permanently deaf!) and they should be ashamed for trying to commemorate his death in any public way. I, for one, have serious issues with the Irish flag being associated with scumbags like him.

jm08 wrote: »

No matter what he might have done, he was still their son. And this is how they were commemorating it (from Irish Times).

Looks more like they were aligning themselves with Wexford GAA rather than the IRA.

Of course Leo was lying again to the Dail:

So, to summarise what I think happened (just from reading the Examiner and Irish Times).
1) Family of O'Brien were organisating an online commemoration.
2) They got abuse for it and decided to cancel it.

3) Their local Sinn Fein rep. helped them to publicise that it was called off.

Fine Gael hacks start spinning like no bodies business.

Commemorating a terrorist. That's what they were doing, in the eyes of the world, not commemorating their son. They were bigging up a coward who wanted to kill and maim. Doesn't matter what he did in his life up to that point, the second he decided to pack a bomb in a bag and board a bus , then all bets are off. They should be disowning him instead of commemorating him.

If they wanted to commemorate him in private, they could have done so and nobody would be talking about it. Instead, they went all public and rightfully received abuse for it. Your attempts to distance Sinn Féin from this are laughable, same as your attempts to pour scorn on the other parties for condemning it. One vital component you've conveniently missed from your summary:

The Edward O’Brien online commemoration, which was organised by Ed’s father Miley and supported by Sinn Féin, has been cancelled at the request of family, due to significant online abuse targeting the family

Ask yourself, why where they supporting the commemoration in the first instance?
Was he a member of Sinn Féin?
Was he carrying out the bombing with their blessing?
Did they know about it?
Or are they guilty of the same bull**** that all the paramilitary knuckle draggers are guilty of, glorifying violence and death and destruction of their 'heroes' because they were waving the corect colour flag?

He was nothing more than sadistic killer, at heart. This guy should be forgotten about, not lionised. Sinn Féin themselves were first in the queue to give out about the RIC and DMP commemoration that was proposed. Now they're at the forefront of this ****e. GTFO of here with that nonsense.

Shameful, and anyone who defends remembering this scumbag is guilty by association.

blanch152 · 19-02-2021 4:33pm

jm08 wrote: »

Have you got a link to that please?

In the meantime, this is what SF has to say about it in your favourite newspaper.

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/sinn-fein-councillor-says-nothing-to-apologise-for-after-party-sponsored-event-for-ira-bomber-40110080.html

All yours Blanch:

“The party helped the family organise a short online tribute to their son and brother,” Cllr Ó Súilleabháin told Alan Corcoran on South East Radio.
‘There is a family bereavement here. That's the first and foremost consideration. In a week when a family should have been allowed to remember their son or brother, I just found it so disappointing that they had to be subjected to the vilest online abuse, carried out in a very organised way and we'll say very targeted way,” the Sinn Féin councillor claimed.
“It wasn't random. It was done by a local political gang. Then we had the cheap political point-scoring not just from Senator [Gerard] Craughwell but from local Senator Malcolm Byrne.”

You know we had a family anniversary two weeks ago. We didn't need to organise a public online shindig to commemorate the person who meant something to us. We got together on Zoom and had an hour of chatting and remembering.

Why would you organise an online tribute unless you were celebrating his activity in the IRA?

19-02-2021 4:34pm

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Commemorating your dead son is one thing. Doing so when he was on his way to cause untold grief, pain and suffering, as well as death and permanent disfigurement is delusional and should never have gotten off the ground. It doesn't matter whether you knew it or not. He was a scumbag, we're all lucky that he 'only' killed himself (tell that to the bus driver....oh, you can't, because he's permanently deaf!) and they should be ashamed for trying to commemorate his death in any public way. I, for one, have serious issues with the Irish flag being associated with scumbags like him.

Commemorating a terrorist. That's what they were doing, in the eyes of the world, not commemorating their son. They were bigging up a coward who wanted to kill and maim. Doesn't matter what he did in his life up to that point, the second he decided to pack a bomb in a bag and board a bus , then all bets are off. They should be disowning him instead of commemorating him.

If they wanted to commemorate him in private, they could have done so and nobody would be talking about it. Instead, they went all public and rightfully received abuse for it. Your attempts to distance Sinn Féin from this are laughable, same as your attempts to pour scorn on the other parties for condemning it. One vital component you've conveniently missed from your summary:

Ask yourself, why where they supporting the commemoration in the first instance?
Was he a member of Sinn Féin?
Was he carrying out the bombing with their blessing?
Did they know about it?
Or are they guilty of the same bull**** that all the paramilitary knuckle draggers are guilty of, glorifying violence and death and destruction of their 'heroes' because they were waving the corect colour flag?

He was nothing more than sadistic killer, at heart. This guy should be forgotten about, not lionised. Sinn Féin themselves were first in the queue to give out about the RIC and DMP commemoration was proposed. Now they're at the forefront of this ****e. GTFO of here with that nonsense.

Shameful, and anyone who defends remembering this scumbag is guilty by association.

not a scumbag though.....we allow wearing of poppies in this country....but anyone who died for ireland or whats to remember is screamed scumbag at.......wtf?

walshb · 19-02-2021 4:36pm

McMurphy wrote: »

Let me get this straight, you were never "anti SF or anti IRA" during the troubles, but anyone remotely familiar with your posts in here will know you certainly come across as being fairly critical of them now.

Man wasn't critical of the Provos or Sinn Fein during troubles, but is post ceasefire......

You a dissident bro?

It's 2021, bro. I have grown up and matured and moved with the times

I have embraced and celebrated the progress Ireland and Britain have made these past decades, and I am very proud of it.

SF and IRA generally had my understanding and concern when they were very much up against the power of the British and Unionists up North.

Times have gladly changed, and they have changed because of the likes of SF and IRA persistence in fighting for their people, and fighting for equality up North

I am just not caught stuck in the past on this.....

As for SF and their policies and talents as possible leaders of a democratic Ireland.........my god, they are so uninspiring..I'd not at all be enamored to see them get in. Driven by pure populism wind-blowing.

blanch152 · 19-02-2021 4:45pm

walshb wrote: »

It's 2021, bro. I have grown up and matured and moved with the times

I have embraced and celebrated the progress Ireland and Britain have made these past decades, and I am very proud of it.

SF and IRA generally had my understanding and concern when they were very much up against the power of the British and Unionists up North.

Times have gladly changed, and they have changed because of the likes of SF and IRA persistence in fighting for their people, and fighting for equality up North

I am just not caught stuck in the past on this.....

As for SF and their policies and talents as possible leaders of a democratic Ireland.........my god, they are so uninspiring..I'd not at all be enamored to see them get in. Driven by pure populism wind-blowing.

There are a lot of people who supported Sinn Fein and the IRA when they were young, but who as they matured, moved away from that support. That has always been the way.

19-02-2021 4:47pm

Deleted User wrote: »

not a scumbag though.....we allow wearing of poppies in this country....but anyone who died for ireland or whats to remember is screamed scumbag at.......wtf?

Died for Ireland? He did in his bollocks.

He died trying to kill innocent people that had nothing to do with Ireland......with his head filled with twee, one-eyed nonsense from someone else too chicken-sh1t to carry a bomb themselves. Thank god he was too much of a thick to be able to make the bomb properly and only blew himself up.

If a son of mine was ignorant enough to fall for that muck and callous enough to want to avenge it by blowing up a load of honest folk going to/from work, AND was stupid enough to blow hismelf to bits, I'd be mortified.

You should learn how to spell Ireland correctly, by the way. Seeing as you have such a romanticised grá for the land, then you may as well honour it by at least getting the spelling in order.

McMurphy · 19-02-2021 4:49pm

walshb wrote: »

It's 2021, bro. I have grown up and matured and moved with the times

I have embraced and celebrated the progress Ireland and Britain have made these past decades, and I am very proud of it.

SF and IRA generally had my understanding and concern when they were very much up against the power of the British and Unionists up North.

Times have gladly changed, and they have changed because of the likes of SF and IRA persistence in fighting for their people, and fighting for equality up North

I am just not caught stuck in the past on this.....

As for SF and their policies and talents as possible leaders of a democratic Ireland.........my god, they are so uninspiring..I'd not at all be enamored to see them get in. Driven by pure populism wind-blowing.

You're on here expecting me to believe that you thought the Ra and Shinners were right on freedom fighters, bombing and blasting and their way to achieve their goals, you recognise the equalities and changes brought in, somewhat due in part (you atone yourself) to the Provos campaign.

And you only have an issue now because they commemorate certain events in history, or the deaths of comrade's, friends or family?

To summarize, you're cool with them blowing things up, but aren't so cool with them remembering the past.

Sorry walshb, I don't buy that myself.

Sinn Fein cancels bomber commemoration

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