Joe Brolly

[Asal Mor]

Absolutely brilliant and powerful piece from Joe today about Peadar Heffron, the GAA player who joined the PSNI and was subsequently outcast from his club and had his legs/arse blown off by a car bomb planted by his own people. Despicable bastards, not just the people who planted the bomb, but all of his former friends and clubmates who turned their backs on him.

[Rossfan]

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/we-have-no-closure-heartbroken-family-of-innocent-postman-36-who-was-left-in-vegetative-state-after-shooting-36270303.html
Another case for SF voters  to ponder on.

[Syferus]

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/we-have-no-closure-heartbroken-family-of-innocent-postman-36-who-was-left-in-vegetative-state-after-shooting-36270303.html
Another case for SF voters  to ponder on.

They don't be doing much of that. Whataboutry at best.

[imtommygunn]

Say someone very close (friendship wise) to you is being investigated for having sex with a minor. You're asked to provide a character reference for that person for the time you've known them up to this point. At this stage the case has not been settled yet. What do you do?

I think I would give a reference as it has nothing to do with the possible crime. If convicted, and you're approached to give a reference to lessen the punishment, then no. At this stage you know they're not the person you thought they were.

At what stage were the references given?

I wonder that too. Surely it is when nothing has been proven then they are innocent till proven guilty?

There have cases like this which have been completely fabricated.

[mrdeeds]

Absolutely brilliant and powerful piece from Joe today about Peadar Heffron, the GAA player who joined the PSNI and was subsequently outcast from his club and had his legs/arse blown off by a car bomb planted by his own people. Despicable b**tards, not just the people who planted the bomb, but all of his former friends and clubmates who turned their backs on him.

Read it. A great article. What a brave man. Hard to read at times.

[imtommygunn]

I do wonder what his old club will think of that article. Very sad the whole story to be honest.

[Gold]

Say someone very close (friendship wise) to you is being investigated for having sex with a minor. You're asked to provide a character reference for that person for the time you've known them up to this point. At this stage the case has not been settled yet. What do you do?

I think I would give a reference as it has nothing to do with the possible crime. If convicted, and you're approached to give a reference to lessen the punishment, then no. At this stage you know they're not the person you thought they were.

At what stage were the references given?

I wonder that too. Surely it is when nothing has been proven then they are innocent till proven guilty?

There have cases like this which have been completely fabricated.

No its only after theyve been found or plead guilty. Only used for sentencing purposes ...would be no use if innocent

[Wildweasel74]

i remember  Peadar Heffron at school, he was a few years below me, bit ironic himself and Declan McGlinchey were in the same year and some classes at school

[inthrough]

Excellent article by Brolly who, despite being a royal pain in the arse at times, really can hit the nail on the head when it comes to the things that really matter in this country.

[JimStynes]

A very good article and a very sad one. I feel really sorry for that fella. But I can't help but feel he was stupid for going through with it all. Did he really think people would welcome his decision, especially after so many warnings. Sadly this part of the world isn't there yet.

https://www.independent.ie/sport/columnists/joe-brolly/joe-brolly-spurned-bombed-and-maimed-by-his-own-kind-36270245.html

[Tony Baloney]

A very good article and a very sad one. I feel really sorry for that fella. But I can't help but feel he was stupid for going through with it all. Did he really think people would welcome his decision, especially after so many warnings. Sadly this part of the world isn't there yet.

https://www.independent.ie/sport/columnists/joe-brolly/joe-brolly-spurned-bombed-and-maimed-by-his-own-kind-36270245.html

That stubbornness that Brolly mentions in the article no doubt worked against him. He was naive in the extreme to think he would receive full support for his venture.

[Wildweasel74]

I think it says more about the people of creegan and the gaa club to be honest (and i would knew players his age from school) which i drive through each day, lad 4 houses up the road from me joined the police, played underage fball with us, nobody local had a problem with it, but he is never about anymore encase outsiders track him from the house which is sad. The reaction of his friends / teammates was pathetic, and childish, and the intimidation from the activists (ie: Sinn fein) says alot about them. Sure is life not rosy now as sinn fein are on the police board, joining the police now is ok cause they say so but no back then.

[inthrough]

This episode put to bed the lie that it is the big bad unionists who are responsible for everything that is wrong in the North.

Bigotry & hatefulness & sheer evil are alive & well on both sides despite talk about the "Peace Process".

Nothing much has changed & won't for generations as I see no real signs of engagement between both sides. Yes, the killing has, mostly, stopped but what you have now is two tribes occupying the same piece of ground but that is as far as it goes. They do their thing & we do ours.

Sad.

[vallankumous]

I think it says more about the people of creegan and the gaa club to be honest (and i would knew players his age from school) which i drive through each day, lad 4 houses up the road from me joined the police, played underage fball with us, nobody local had a problem with it, but he is never about anymore encase outsiders track him from the house which is sad. The reaction of his friends / teammates was pathetic, and childish, and the intimidation from the activists (ie: Sinn fein) says alot about them. Sure is life not rosy now as sinn fein are on the police board, joining the police now is ok cause they say so but no back then.

This is bull.
The reaction of his teammates is entirely understandable. What is not understandable is the suggestion that anyone would support an attack or want to see the lad hurt.
The cold response to joining the PSNI was expected and justified. This does not make those people bad people or people capable of hurting anyone. It's ok to be annoyed.

[inthrough]

I think it says more about the people of creegan and the gaa club to be honest (and i would knew players his age from school) which i drive through each day, lad 4 houses up the road from me joined the police, played underage fball with us, nobody local had a problem with it, but he is never about anymore encase outsiders track him from the house which is sad. The reaction of his friends / teammates was pathetic, and childish, and the intimidation from the activists (ie: Sinn fein) says alot about them. Sure is life not rosy now as sinn fein are on the police board, joining the police now is ok cause they say so but no back then.

This is bull.
The reaction of his teammates is entirely understandable. What is not understandable is the suggestion that anyone would support an attack or want to see the lad hurt.
The cold response to joining the PSNI was expected and justified. This does not make those people bad people or people capable of hurting anyone. It's ok to be annoyed.

Why on earth was a cold respone from his teammates "justified".

Nationalists spent decades trying to get rid of the RUC & have it replaced. The PSNI was the result of those efforts. Was it perfect? No. Is it perfect today? No.

But guess what? No police force is perfect & one way of ensuring same old same old was for nationalists to turn their backs on the new force. Brave men like Peadar paid the price for insular thinking & cowardice & I for one applaud him for it & I applaud Joe Brolly for highighting it.