Death Notices

[Armamike]

I always got the impression the Good Friday Agreement sat very uneasily with Trimble and he was a reluctant actor rather than someone with any kind of vision for a settlement here.  Seemed to me that he found himself in a position where he had no choice but to go along.  The British Governments under Major and Blair I think would have made it clear or at least implied it that there was no other show in town for unionism.  Maybe that's being unfair, but that was always my impression. 

[93-DY-SAM]

I always got the impression the Good Friday Agreement sat very uneasily with Trimble and he was a reluctant actor rather than someone with any kind of vision for a settlement here.  Seemed to me that he found himself in a position where he had no choice but to go along.  The British Governments under Major and Blair I think would have made it clear or at least implied it that there was no other show in town for unionism.  Maybe that's being unfair, but that was always my impression.

I don't think that is unfair. I've always felt Trimble and the UUP were dragged along in the process and why many Unionists still have an issue with the GFA today.

[imtommygunn]

Yeah I would agree though he still deserves some credit IMO.

A lot of people complaining about the NIP breaching the GFA (I have no idea when people started calling it the Belfast agreement - is it a Derry / Londonderry thing??) don't support it at all anyway. Jeffrey harping on about it and is anti it as they come. It annoys me that there is not significant media coverage of this.

[tiempo]

Parity of esteem... of course he didn't want to sign up to it, he's a lodge man ffs. John Major would've let the Unionists away with delay and obstruction til kingdom come, same as the current Tories are. It was the landslide Labour victory that turned the tide politically in addition to American intervention.

Trimble was the right man in the wrong place at the wrong time as far as Unionism is concerned, was your common garden klansman underneath it all.

[Rossfan]

May he Rest in Peace.
He was probably a very unwilling participant in doing the right thing but at least he did it.

I presume those calling it Belfast Agreement are some kind of fundamentalist Protestants who can't use the term "Good Friday" as it might be a "Romish" thing.

[Bord na Mona man]

Trimble was probably looking at the long game. A few concessions to Nationalists in 1998 might appease them a little and slow down the momentum towards a united Ireland.

[johnnycool]

Trimble was probably looking at the long game. A few concessions to Nationalists in 1998 might appease them a little and slow down the momentum towards a united Ireland.

Some noted political commentator at the time suggested that Unionists had won a great deal in the GFA yet deemed it a defeat whereas Nationalists had conceded a lot but celebrated it as a victory.

That probably tells you more about the unionist mindset as our betters than anything else.

[J70]

May he Rest in Peace.
He was probably a very unwilling participant in doing the right thing but at least he did it.

I presume those calling it Belfast Agreement are some kind of fundamentalist Protestants who can't use the term "Good Friday" as it might be a "Romish" thing.

The unionist side have always called it that.

[Milltown Row2]

May he Rest in Peace.
He was probably a very unwilling participant in doing the right thing but at least he did it.

I presume those calling it Belfast Agreement are some kind of fundamentalist Protestants who can't use the term "Good Friday" as it might be a "Romish" thing.

The unionist side have always called it that.

I thought they called it (DUP) the Belfast agreement because they were not part of it, had nothing to do with the content of if, I think soft unionists call it still the Good Friday agreement

[weareros]

It's official name was "The Belfast Agreement."

[Rossfan]

Trimble was probably looking at the long game. A few concessions to Nationalists in 1998 might appease them a little and slow down the momentum towards a united Ireland.

Some noted political commentator at the time suggested that Unionists had won a great deal in the GFA yet deemed it a defeat whereas Nationalists had conceded a lot but celebrated it as a victory.

That probably tells you more about the unionist mindset as our betters than anything else.

Doesn't it just.
Can't recall who said this now...
Unionists got a great deal but were too thick to realise it, Nationalists got a bad deal but were too clever to admit it.

[tiempo]

Trimble was probably looking at the long game. A few concessions to Nationalists in 1998 might appease them a little and slow down the momentum towards a united Ireland.

Some noted political commentator at the time suggested that Unionists had won a great deal in the GFA yet deemed it a defeat whereas Nationalists had conceded a lot but celebrated it as a victory.

That probably tells you more about the unionist mindset as our betters than anything else.

Doesn't it just.
Can't recall who said this now...
Unionists got a great deal but were too thick to realise it, Nationalists got a bad deal but were too clever to admit it.

Disagree, end to the conflict, parity of esteem (still working towards), mechanism for unification

There was a third party of course, the south, the establishment got what they wanted too, to wash their hands of the north

Unionists while they also got the benefits of the conflict ending lost their inbuilt dogma, hence their perceived loss

[seafoid]

Trimble was probably looking at the long game. A few concessions to Nationalists in 1998 might appease them a little and slow down the momentum towards a united Ireland.

Some noted political commentator at the time suggested that Unionists had won a great deal in the GFA yet deemed it a defeat whereas Nationalists had conceded a lot but celebrated it as a victory.

That probably tells you more about the unionist mindset as our betters than anything else.

Doesn't it just.
Can't recall who said this now...
Unionists got a great deal but were too thick to realise it, Nationalists got a bad deal but were too clever to admit it.

Disagree, end to the conflict, parity of esteem (still working towards), mechanism for unification

There was a third party of course, the south, the establishment got what they wanted too, to wash their hands of the north

Unionists while they also got the benefits of the conflict ending lost their inbuilt dogma, hence their perceived loss

Unionists we're the big losers. Pre Troubles the UUP controlled power and didn't give nationalists a look in. The GFA did not return to that system. Unionists had to share power under the GFA, which also gave Dublin a role in NI. Unionist abuse of power caused the Troubles. There was to be no going back.

[johnnycool]

Trimble was probably looking at the long game. A few concessions to Nationalists in 1998 might appease them a little and slow down the momentum towards a united Ireland.

Some noted political commentator at the time suggested that Unionists had won a great deal in the GFA yet deemed it a defeat whereas Nationalists had conceded a lot but celebrated it as a victory.

That probably tells you more about the unionist mindset as our betters than anything else.

Doesn't it just.
Can't recall who said this now...
Unionists got a great deal but were too thick to realise it, Nationalists got a bad deal but were too clever to admit it.

Disagree, end to the conflict, parity of esteem (still working towards), mechanism for unification

There was a third party of course, the south, the establishment got what they wanted too, to wash their hands of the north

Unionists while they also got the benefits of the conflict ending lost their inbuilt dogma, hence their perceived loss

Unionists we're the big losers. Pre Troubles the UUP controlled power and didn't give nationalists a look in. The GFA did not return to that system. Unionists had to share power under the GFA, which also gave Dublin a role in NI. Unionist abuse of power caused the Troubles. There was to be no going back.

Unionism has always looked to wield a veto of sorts if it's not via the petition of concern it'll be as they're doing now and not nominating speakers or joint/deputy first ministers.

And before you all say SF did the same with Arlene, please remember SF were actually slower to call for Arlene to step aside than Alliance and the SDLP in the midst of the RHI scandal as Conor Murphy suggested what went on would have brought down most governments in the western world and didn't get back up due to loyalist stake holders undermining Arlene and Hamilton's agreement to do so.

[imtommygunn]

Trimble was probably looking at the long game. A few concessions to Nationalists in 1998 might appease them a little and slow down the momentum towards a united Ireland.

Some noted political commentator at the time suggested that Unionists had won a great deal in the GFA yet deemed it a defeat whereas Nationalists had conceded a lot but celebrated it as a victory.

That probably tells you more about the unionist mindset as our betters than anything else.

Doesn't it just.
Can't recall who said this now...
Unionists got a great deal but were too thick to realise it, Nationalists got a bad deal but were too clever to admit it.

Disagree, end to the conflict, parity of esteem (still working towards), mechanism for unification

There was a third party of course, the south, the establishment got what they wanted too, to wash their hands of the north

Unionists while they also got the benefits of the conflict ending lost their inbuilt dogma, hence their perceived loss

Yeah there was no bad deal.