Sinn Fein? They have gone away, you know.

[Hereiam]

What did the daughter say AQMP

[Avondhu star]

I can't help but think Barry's been caught by a bit of bad luck, if he'd done this in the middle of August no one would have batted an eyelid other than think he's a bin lid.

Trying to reduce the damage by saying he's so stupid that he didn't know the context of what he was doing is a truly incredible defence.

It's great fun watching the Shinners squirm and try to defend the muttonhead. Just shows that putting on a suit and trying to play serious politics is hard going when you have nothing between the ears like so many of the cult

[Applesisapples]

Ok guys, you are at work, you pull a stunt in the canteen at break time, nobody is hurt but some of your colleagues feel that you have offended them. you should have known they could take offence.
Your company tells the press your a bad boy and you'll face the consequences. They meet you after the incident has been debated ad naseum in the media. You get fired. There is no tangible proof you intended to offend your colleagues, is that fair?
McElduff is not funny, he should have known better and should in my opinion have known that a kingsmill loaf could in the hands of a republican be taken as being offensive.Leaving aside the trial by media, given that no one can know if he meant offence and taking him at his word it would not have been fair to deprive him of his livelihood? He has no record of being offensive and in his shoes given the bashing he took publicly from all including Declan Kearney I would have kept my seat in Westminister to protect my income. SF could not sack him on those grounds alone and that is before we consider fairness. He has been stupid, offended victims and paid a heavy price in how he has been publicly disowned by the party, give me an example from the DUP.

Different ball game when you are a politician, rightly or wrongly. Didn't a Tory minister resign before Xmas for touching a reporters knee (now known as sexual assault apparently). I would disagree that he has been disowned by SF, suspended for 3 months on full pay, not the harshest of punishments

A biy of a difference touching up a woman and confirming on video that you are a clown.

[Applesisapples]

I can't help but think Barry's been caught by a bit of bad luck, if he'd done this in the middle of August no one would have batted an eyelid other than think he's a bin lid.

Trying to reduce the damage by saying he's so stupid that he didn't know the context of what he was doing is a truly incredible defence.

It's great fun watching the Shinners squirm and try to defend the muttonhead. Just shows that putting on a suit and trying to play serious politics is hard going when you have nothing between the ears like so many of the cult

Ah the other side of the bomber coin. Number 1 not all SF reps are clowns. Number 2 all parties have at least one imbecile like McElduff. And number 3 in fairness to the shinners they have dealt with McElduff and McKay before him in a manner which other parties do not. You and the bomber should no by now that throwing insults about is not debate.

[AQMP]

What did the daughter say AQMP

This is someone reporting and commenting on what Blathnaid McElduff tweeted:

Arlene Foster's bullshit costs NI taxpayers £490million - no punishment. I send my da to get a loaf of bread & he gets suspended for 3 months because he happened to pick Kingsmill bread on the anniversary of the Kingsmill Massacre. Coincidences aren't allowed apparently. 

She claims her da was picking her up to give her a lift home so she sent him in to the shop - McCullagh's Classic Service Station Spar in Omagh - to get a loaf and some other things for the house. She also claims the family eat Kingsmill, which is why Barry happened to choose that brand of loaf. This is plausible, in fairness, as it's a pretty common brand of bread.

Anyway, according to Blathnaid, Barry took the opportunity to embarrass her - by putting the loaf on his head - as well as to promote the local business by recording a video of himself doing this and stating where he was.

In fairness, it appears that Barry does have a thing for balancing everyday objects on his head. Here is a photo collage (sent to me on social media) of Barry at other times in the recent past with various items of food or drink (such as a bottle, a can and a chocolate bar) balanced on his head.

Barry's original tweet stated: "Fred, where do the McCullaghs keep the bread?"

As Blathnaid points out, the mention of "Fred" (which, of course, rhymes with "bread") is an obvious reference to an old Spar advert.  She emphasises that the date - the anniversary of the Kingsmill massacre - happened to be a horrible coincidence.

[tiempo]

I can't help but think Barry's been caught by a bit of bad luck, if he'd done this in the middle of August no one would have batted an eyelid other than think he's a bin lid.

Try the 4th and 6th January.

Barry has a 364 day window to publish a photo or video of a loaf of Kingsmill on his head, that much is clear.

If he were to repeat the action on his first day back following suspension that would be ok wouldn't it because obviously it won't be 5th January.

Its a wonder the other inanimatie object resting on his head in previous adventures weren't equally assessed for relevance to any call issued during the war or having any connection with the war.

[Tubberman]

Sure he's suspended (from what, it's not like he takes his seat in Westminster anyway!) on full pay - save the tears lads...

[Il Bomber Destro]

Sure he's suspended (from what, it's not like he takes his seat in Westminster anyway!) on full pay - save the tears lads...

Who do you vote for?

[tonto1888]

Until the Summer I spent the previous 13 years living in England. I usually voted for independents who stood on platforms I believed in. In the recent general election I voted Labour. Before that I voted SF based on green v orange politics and family members standing for them. Now that my voting history is out of the way, I don't believe McElduff done this as a deliberate wind up. He was stupid. I don't think he realised it was the anniversary of Kingsmill. How many here can honestly say they knew? Don't want to comment on his punishment - or lack off.
Anyway, that's my tuppence worth

[AQMP]

I note some commentators are now referencing the tins of Celebrations beside Barry too.

[seafoid]

The SDLP missed out on succession planning to follow the retirement of a high profile well connected leader.

So did the Shinners.

[naka]

Until the Summer I spent the previous 13 years living in England. I usually voted for independents who stood on platforms I believed in. In the recent general election I voted Labour. Before that I voted SF based on green v orange politics and family members standing for them. Now that my voting history is out of the way, I don't believe McElduff done this as a deliberate wind up. He was stupid. I don't think he realised it was the anniversary of Kingsmill. How many here can honestly say they knew? Don't want to comment on his punishment - or lack off.
Anyway, that's my tuppence worth

tbf it was all over the news in the six counties that it was the anniversary, frig they even had willie frazer on the radio.
he is an elected representative so he should be smarter

[Minder]

Until the Summer I spent the previous 13 years living in England. I usually voted for independents who stood on platforms I believed in. In the recent general election I voted Labour. Before that I voted SF based on green v orange politics and family members standing for them. Now that my voting history is out of the way, I don't believe McElduff done this as a deliberate wind up. He was stupid. I don't think he realised it was the anniversary of Kingsmill. How many here can honestly say they knew? Don't want to comment on his punishment - or lack off.
Anyway, that's my tuppence worth

tbf it was all over the news in the six counties that it was the anniversary, frig they even had willie frazer on the radio.
he is an elected representative so he should be smarter

In normal grown up politics you would have to resign over this, even if there was no offence intended, it's the perception. But usual rules don't apply here.

[seafoid]

Are all of the massacres publicly remembered or just the big ones ?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Massacres_in_Northern_Ireland

[AQMP]

Are all of the massacres publicly remembered or just the big ones ?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Massacres_in_Northern_Ireland

Only some.  As with all conflicts, there's a hierarchy of massacres.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rathlin_Island_massacre

Is it time to move on??