Irish mercenaries, unionist coat trailers and the Bard of Dunclug

[fitzroyalty]

Eirig on the march.

...look at them there.What a great bunch o lads

[slow corner back]

Class HS anyone who can link carey faughs to shankill loyalists has earned a pint when I run into them!

[Donagh]

30,000 prods "welcomed" their troops home today, while a Sinn Fein backed rabble of 200 turned up to protest. There were probably more people in Casement today to watch St Galls than at the protest and that says enough about how interested the Nationalist people of Belfast are in such a protest. Would 30,000 people have turned up if Sinn Fein hadnt kicked up such a fuss?
Pints if you are so concerned about the parade why didnt you fly home and take Donagh to it. They could do with another 2 idiots, at least you would make the crowd bigger.

You're a very bitter man 5iveTimes. Sad that, but before you lose the run of yourself, let me point out a few things. Firstly the SF protest had closer to 2000 people and not the 200 you say. That's 2000 people who came onto the street to make a dignified protest against these murderers being allowed to walk through an Irish city. Now you might like to condemn them as a "rabble" from the comfort of your bolt hole across the border but from what I could see before and after they set off, the vast majority were good respectable and conscientious people, something which was clearly evident from the way they conducted themselves.

I didn't attend the SF protest because I was already committed to going along with a few friends from éirígí and I wanted to get a look around the town when the RIR were marching through, something I wouldn't have been able to do from behind the SF lines. Now besides the fact that this figure of 30,000 is an absolutely ridiculous inflation of the numbers and the éirígí numbers have been underestimated, what I saw in town was extremely depressing. On the numbers, both sides (footpaths) of Wellington Place and Chichester St were jammed packed. Big crowd yes, but nowhere near the numbers that participated in the Hunger Strike rally there two years ago and that was estimated at between 15-20k.

What was depressing was the type and behaviour of people that turned out to "welcome the boys home". Rather than being there to welcome anyone home, a large proportion of that crowd where there simply to wind-up the nationalists protesters. The foul sectarian language was probably the worst I have ever experienced. I can see now why they reckon a large percentage of the unionist middle class don't vote - if this bunch of venomous spidy scumbags is the best the unionist parties can drag onto the streets to support them, no respectable person would want to be associated with them. The cheers and support of the bystanders not just of the RIR when they came past but from the UDA gangsters who openly paraded themselves up and down the road with their faces covered was sad and bewildering.

All credit of the day must go to the SF and to a lesser extent the éirígí protesters who conducted themselves in a dignified way in the face of enormous provocation. The unionists wanted republicans to present themselves a the mirror image of the lowlife loyalists by wrecking the city. That they didn't despite the best efforts of the DUP and UDA is credit to those on the protest and big Bobby Storey who seemed to be organising the marshals. Looks like Peter the Punt will have to scrapping around for another reason to deny the devolution of P&J now that ploy didn't work.

The SF demonstrators could easily have stopped that parade today of they had resorted to violence but they didn't. The fact that it took thousands of PSNI and loyalists gangsters to enable a walk for the RIR through your so called British city was enough to see the point made and to make sure it's not attempted again.

[Main Street]

The War of Terror against Afghanis has cost the US about $173 Billion so far.
Those B Specials did not come cheap.


The War of Terror  against Iraq  has cost $657 Billion



Report for US Congress  in a pdf file
http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RL33110.pdf

[Rossfan]

It's no wonder Western Capitalism has gone broke.
Ironic that it was fighting in Afghanistan which was the straw that emptied the Soviet coffers too.

[Maguire01]

What was depressing was the type and behaviour of people that turned out to "welcome the boys home". Rather than being there to welcome anyone home, a large proportion of that crowd where there simply to wind-up the nationalists protesters. The foul sectarian language was probably the worst I have ever experienced. I can see now why they reckon a large percentage of the unionist middle class don't vote - if this bunch of venomous spidy scumbags is the best the unionist parties can drag onto the streets to support them, no respectable person would want to be associated with them. The cheers and support of the bystanders not just of the RIR when they came past but from the UDA gangsters who openly paraded themselves up and down the road with their faces covered was sad and bewildering.

Eh, these people would never have been on the streets in the first place had the protests not been called. It was the protests that raised the profile of today's march and in turn attracted this loyalist support. Otherwise today's crowd would most likely have been a scattering of old people and soldiers' families.

It wasn't the march that brough these people out - it was the protests.


And what about the people in Short Strand and The Markets? Were the residents under house arrest for the weekend? Or was that really your sensationalism I referred to before the march?

[Donagh]

Eh, these people would never have been on the streets in the first place had the protests not been called. It was the protests that raised the profile of today's march and in turn attracted this loyalist support. Otherwise today's crowd would most likely have been a scattering of old people and soldiers' families.

It wasn't the march that brough these people out - it was the protests.


And what about the people in Short Strand and The Markets? Were the residents under house arrest for the weekend? Or was that really your sensationalism I referred to before the march?

A march by the RIR had to be opposed on principle. The only thing to be decided then was the nature of that protest. That was sucessfully achieved.

Yes, from what I hear the Short Strand and Markets were under siege for quite a long time.

[Maguire01]

A march by the RIR had to be opposed on principle. The only thing to be decided then was the nature of that protest. That was sucessfully achieved.

The point still stands that it was these protests that brought loyalists onto the streets. I respect the standpoint that some will want to protest on principle, but don't think you necessarily have to be out on the streets to register a protest.

Yes, from what I hear the Short Strand and Markets were under siege for quite a long time.

Define 'under siege'? From my understanding, i would have expected this to be headline news.

[Donagh]

Sounds like Windsor Park on a 'good' night:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sb00agFsZko

[ziggysego]

The news said one person was arrested. Which side?

[Tonto]

Sounds like Windsor Park on a 'good' night:

You've been?

I don't know when the last time Windsor would have had 30,000 people in it, though.

[ziggysego]

Must have been an away game Tonto

[Main Street]

The release of the black ballons was a good stunt and a fitting tribute.

Looked to be a very dignified, good natured and well behaved demonstration.

[give her dixie]

So called Republicans on this board and in general in the North of Ireland need to take their heads out of the sand or in the case of pints, take your head from up your own arse and have a look around you. Northern Ireland is still part of the UK, in fact the union with Britain is probably stronger than ever. Ireland now has no constitutional claim over the six counties. Idiots fantasists like Donagh can bullsh*t all they want about smashing the system from within, but we cannot get away from the fact that Sinn Fein are now happily administering British rule in the North of Ireland and they are a laughing stock in the South. The IRA have gone away, they have surrendered their arms and been disbanded. Thanks to Adams & Co. Republicanism is nothing more than a romantic ideal. We wont see a United Ireland in my lifetime or indeed the lifetime of anyone on this board.
I hate Britain with a passion, I hate everything about it and what it stands for. I`ve just watched a cheating black british racing driver cheat his way to the FIA world title. I managed to say that without using the N word. I hate the fact the the RIR are parading round Belfast today after their time in Iraq/Afghanistan, but I have to accept that Belfast is still under British rule and will continue to be so indefinitely. Sinn Fein are not only kidding themselves, but each and every idiot that votes for them, by saying anything different. Sinn Fein seems to have divided loyalties these days, they are torn between the Crown and the half crown. Either way they are still taking the queens shilling.

So, 5ive Times, how did Lewis Hamilton cheat his way to a world title this year?
And what difference does it make if he is black or white?
Your racism on this topic is a disgrace, so grow up.

[Baile an tuaigh]

People who want to remain part of British rule in Ireland are now down to a majority in two Counties. We just have to be patient. Since the IRA British ceasefire I have seen a massive change in some Unionists. Example being some people in our village who are of British dissent will no longer fly Union Jacks in July. Only out of respect for their Irish neighbors. Small steps but over all we are going in the right direction. Ireland is far too small to be divided. These triumphalist parades are a step back but we must remain focused in building the new Ireland with equality and tolerance for its people. A Unionist politician told my brother recently "we know an All-Ireland is inevitable we are just trying to slow the process down". It was never going to happen with the flick of a switch.