Get ready to wave them flegs - Lily Windsor's coming

[muppet]

If this had exploded on a bus full of Irish people ...... it would certainly have shown that English Queen where to get off.

"A Longford man resident appeared in court in connection with the viable device found on a bus from Longford to Dublin on the night before the Queen's visit to Ireland.

60 year old Donal Billings of St Bridget's Court, Drumlish in Co Longford was arrested at the Battery Road yesterday.

He was charged with the unlawful possession of an improvised explosive device at Longford railway station car park on the 16 May.

Gardai in Longford received a call alerting them to the bomb on board the bus as it made its way to Dublin.

It was stopped in Maynooth just after 9 o clock, where army bomb disposal experts made it safe.

At a special sitting of the Special Criminal Court in Dublin last night, Dectvie Inspector Pat Finlay gave evidence that when charged, Mr Billings replied ''Ní hea''.

He was remanded in custody until Thursday when an application for bail is expected to be heard"

hopefully this clown will spend the rest of his days in a cell. These idiots have no place in our society. These are the same crooks that threw a bomb in to the santander bank in Derry on saturday.
No regard for life, but some idiots still support them.
A united ireland will not come about through violence. And if there was a vote on it in the morning the vast majority would vote against it. It would not suit the vast majority of people who care more about having a roof over their heads and affording to educate and feed their children to enter a bankrupt country.
Thats just a fact.

I don't think he had done his homework. Liz would have been more likely to be on the Castlebar bus not the Ballina one.

[LeoMc]

If this had exploded on a bus full of Irish people ...... it would certainly have shown that English Queen where to get off.

"A Longford man resident appeared in court in connection with the viable device found on a bus from Longford to Dublin on the night before the Queen's visit to Ireland.

60 year old Donal Billings of St Bridget's Court, Drumlish in Co Longford was arrested at the Battery Road yesterday.

He was charged with the unlawful possession of an improvised explosive device at Longford railway station car park on the 16 May.

Gardai in Longford received a call alerting them to the bomb on board the bus as it made its way to Dublin.

It was stopped in Maynooth just after 9 o clock, where army bomb disposal experts made it safe.

At a special sitting of the Special Criminal Court in Dublin last night, Dectvie Inspector Pat Finlay gave evidence that when charged, Mr Billings replied ''Ní hea''.

He was remanded in custody until Thursday when an application for bail is expected to be heard"

hopefully this clown will spend the rest of his days in a cell. These idiots have no place in our society. These are the same crooks that threw a bomb in to the santander bank in Derry on saturday.
No regard for life, but some idiots still support them.
A united ireland will not come about through violence. And if there was a vote on it in the morning the vast majority would vote against it. It would not suit the vast majority of people who care more about having a roof over their heads and affording to educate and feed their children to enter a bankrupt country.
Thats just a fact.

I don't think he had done his homework. Liz would have been more likely to be on the Castlebar bus not the Ballina one.

Do the UK pensioners free bus passes get you on CIE buses?

[Evil Genius]

EG as you ignored my post I can only assume that like a well organised residents group you are going out of your way to take offence.

Assuming you mean post #772, I can honestly say I was not "ignoring" it, out of a desire to take offence or for any other reason. Rather, you will see that I had been trying to respond to other posters in turn, before first, I got overwhelmed by the volume and second, the thread veered way off course.

However, if you really want an answer, here it is.

"EG the Ulster Council is the body which is responsible for outreach and was represented by it's President who shook the Queens hand. Because some County Boards opted out should not be taken as representative of the views of the majority of members. As a life long Gael I don't really care wether Tom Elliott wants to go to matches or not, his recent comments show exactly where he stands. I welcome the Queens visit as a symbolic gesture to our shared history and as a Gael have no issue with it. However I do understand that some events from the recent troubles are still raw for some members e.g. Aiden McAnespie, Crossmaglen's ground, Sean Brown etc... In the same way Unionist victims still hurt. These view points must be respected you can't force healing. But yesterday was a small step along the way. The Irish ethos of the GAA is going to be an impediment to most Unionists embracing it in the short term, but in the long term who knows. Progress though could be heard in the sounds of silence from Sinn Fein and these Countys who did not fully endorse the visit. In the past there would have been significant protest."

In that I am a soccer fan, I am in one sense rather glad to observe the GAA's (frankly abject) failure to appeal to the Unionist community in NI. But leaving aside selfish interests, as a bit of a fan of all sports and someone who wants to see better uinderstanding between people, I wish it were otherwise.

So, considering it is the GAA's stated aim to be open to all in Ireland, how are they doing so far? You clearly see the glass as being "half full". I consider it to be "half empty" (if that).  In support of your contention, you point to the progress whicyh has been made so far, which you believe all the more significant because of the context of McAnespie/Crossmaglen/Brown etc.

But without wishing to appear callous, such grievances have no great significance to, or impact upon, the people whom the GAA professes its anxiety to influence (ordinary Unionists), since as you acknowledge, they/we have hurts and grievances of our own to look to.

And in  any case, if the logjam of mistrust, ignorance and misunderstanding etc is to be broken, the first* move must  surely come from the GAA, since it is no great loss to Unionists if that doesn't happen? In which context, the conscious and deliberate snub by the northern GAA Reps at Croke constitutes, imo, a step backwards   rather than forward, since Unionists may reasonably ask if eg the Queen may go to the Garden of Remembrance and bow her head to the people comemorated there, why cannot those Reps then go to Croke Park and shake her hand?

Would the sky really have fallen in over Clones? 

P.S. It is not the "Irish ethos" of the GAA to which Unionists (may reasonably) object, but rather its Nationalist  ethos.


* - Of course, if the GAA were to extend their hand in friendship and Unionists still refused to reciprocate, then they (GAA) would be justified in concluding that there was no more they could or should reasonably do. However, even if a minority insisted on standing apart, I would not expect that from the generality of Unionists.

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

* - Of course, if the GAA were to extend their hand in friendship and Unionists still refused to reciprocate, then they (GAA) would be justified in concluding that there was no more they could or should reasonably do. However, even if a minority insisted on standing apart, I would not expect that from the generality of Unionists.

The GAA offered the Northern Ireland Soccer team the use of Croke Park, the Unionist soccer team (Northern Ireland) was unwilling to take up the GAA's most gracious and generous offer.

[Maguire01]

Martina Anderson was on Nolan this morning talking about the bomb at the bank in Derry. A caller, who said he was a member of SF, talked about how only a United Ireland would ensure an end to such violence and "bring dissidents on Board".

He then went on about how "the Unionists can come along with us" (i.e. into a United Ireland) and then he said... wait for it... "they can see the welcome the Queen got in the Republic last week".

You couldn't make it up! SF was opposed to the visit. They didn't welcome the Queen. But now this guy reckons the warm welcome should show Unionists that the Republic is not a cold house for them. Which is true. But if that is the case, this caller could only logically conclude that Sinn Féin made a mistake in not joining in that welcome. And that such decisions by Sinn Féin's are counter-productive to their goal. Although that has been obvious to many for some time.

[mylestheslasher]

EG as you ignored my post I can only assume that like a well organised residents group you are going out of your way to take offence.

Assuming you mean post #772, I can honestly say I was not "ignoring" it, out of a desire to take offence or for any other reason. Rather, you will see that I had been trying to respond to other posters in turn, before first, I got overwhelmed by the volume and second, the thread veered way off course.

However, if you really want an answer, here it is.

"EG the Ulster Council is the body which is responsible for outreach and was represented by it's President who shook the Queens hand. Because some County Boards opted out should not be taken as representative of the views of the majority of members. As a life long Gael I don't really care wether Tom Elliott wants to go to matches or not, his recent comments show exactly where he stands. I welcome the Queens visit as a symbolic gesture to our shared history and as a Gael have no issue with it. However I do understand that some events from the recent troubles are still raw for some members e.g. Aiden McAnespie, Crossmaglen's ground, Sean Brown etc... In the same way Unionist victims still hurt. These view points must be respected you can't force healing. But yesterday was a small step along the way. The Irish ethos of the GAA is going to be an impediment to most Unionists embracing it in the short term, but in the long term who knows. Progress though could be heard in the sounds of silence from Sinn Fein and these Countys who did not fully endorse the visit. In the past there would have been significant protest."

In that I am a soccer fan, I am in one sense rather glad to observe the GAA's (frankly abject) failure to appeal to the Unionist community in NI. But leaving aside selfish interests, as a bit of a fan of all sports and someone who wants to see better uinderstanding between people, I wish it were otherwise.

So, considering it is the GAA's stated aim to be open to all in Ireland, how are they doing so far? You clearly see the glass as being "half full". I consider it to be "half empty" (if that).  In support of your contention, you point to the progress whicyh has been made so far, which you believe all the more significant because of the context of McAnespie/Crossmaglen/Brown etc.

But without wishing to appear callous, such grievances have no great significance to, or impact upon, the people whom the GAA professes its anxiety to influence (ordinary Unionists), since as you acknowledge, they/we have hurts and grievances of our own to look to.

And in  any case, if the logjam of mistrust, ignorance and misunderstanding etc is to be broken, the first* move must  surely come from the GAA, since it is no great loss to Unionists if that doesn't happen? In which context, the conscious and deliberate snub by the northern GAA Reps at Croke constitutes, imo, a step backwards   rather than forward, since Unionists may reasonably ask if eg the Queen may go to the Garden of Remembrance and bow her head to the people comemorated there, why cannot those Reps then go to Croke Park and shake her hand?

Would the sky really have fallen in over Clones? 

P.S. It is not the "Irish ethos" of the GAA to which Unionists (may reasonably) object, but rather its Nationalist  ethos.


* - Of course, if the GAA were to extend their hand in friendship and Unionists still refused to reciprocate, then they (GAA) would be justified in concluding that there was no more they could or should reasonably do. However, even if a minority insisted on standing apart, I would not expect that from the generality of Unionists.

You know eg I was born in ulster, 7 miles south if the border and I played gaa with protestants on almost every team. We use to have slagging from both sides about Celtic and rangers and training being on after mass. On the pitch we would be in for the row if any of our team mates was in bother. I would say tthat these protestants, many with relatives north of the border, were bemused with the anti gaa rants from northern unionist politicians. I reckon it is the old divide and conquer up there, make sure to classify gaa as something tge catholics do and I think your unionist fear mongering politicians have been the biggest barrier to unionists playing gaa and while I welcome the gaa still trying to reach out I wonder when will a well known unionist make the big step and tog out for a gaa team.

[lynchbhoy]

Martina Anderson was on Nolan this morning talking about the bomb at the bank in Derry. A caller, who said he was a member of SF, talked about how only a United Ireland would ensure an end to such violence and "bring dissidents on Board".
He then went on about how "the Unionists can come along with us" (i.e. into a United Ireland) and then he said... wait for it... "they can see the welcome the Queen got in the Republic last week".
You couldn't make it up! SF was opposed to the visit. They didn't welcome the Queen. But now this guy reckons the warm welcome should show Unionists that the Republic is not a cold house for them. Which is true. But if that is the case, this caller could only logically conclude that Sinn Féin made a mistake in not joining in that welcome. And that such decisions by Sinn Féin's are counter-productive to their goal. Although that has been obvious to many for some time.

I wouldnt have agreed with sf's stance on the queens visit - but maybe they thought they had to 'object' to it to appease a lot of their voters.
Apart from this (the sf aspect), it sounds like what the caller said was pretty spot on though !

[Applesisapples]

EG as you ignored my post I can only assume that like a well organised residents group you are going out of your way to take offence.

Assuming you mean post #772, I can honestly say I was not "ignoring" it, out of a desire to take offence or for any other reason. Rather, you will see that I had been trying to respond to other posters in turn, before first, I got overwhelmed by the volume and second, the thread veered way off course.

However, if you really want an answer, here it is.

"EG the Ulster Council is the body which is responsible for outreach and was represented by it's President who shook the Queens hand. Because some County Boards opted out should not be taken as representative of the views of the majority of members. As a life long Gael I don't really care wether Tom Elliott wants to go to matches or not, his recent comments show exactly where he stands. I welcome the Queens visit as a symbolic gesture to our shared history and as a Gael have no issue with it. However I do understand that some events from the recent troubles are still raw for some members e.g. Aiden McAnespie, Crossmaglen's ground, Sean Brown etc... In the same way Unionist victims still hurt. These view points must be respected you can't force healing. But yesterday was a small step along the way. The Irish ethos of the GAA is going to be an impediment to most Unionists embracing it in the short term, but in the long term who knows. Progress though could be heard in the sounds of silence from Sinn Fein and these Countys who did not fully endorse the visit. In the past there would have been significant protest."

In that I am a soccer fan, I am in one sense rather glad to observe the GAA's (frankly abject) failure to appeal to the Unionist community in NI. But leaving aside selfish interests, as a bit of a fan of all sports and someone who wants to see better uinderstanding between people, I wish it were otherwise.

So, considering it is the GAA's stated aim to be open to all in Ireland, how are they doing so far? You clearly see the glass as being "half full". I consider it to be "half empty" (if that).  In support of your contention, you point to the progress whicyh has been made so far, which you believe all the more significant because of the context of McAnespie/Crossmaglen/Brown etc.

But without wishing to appear callous, such grievances have no great significance to, or impact upon, the people whom the GAA professes its anxiety to influence (ordinary Unionists), since as you acknowledge, they/we have hurts and grievances of our own to look to.

And in  any case, if the logjam of mistrust, ignorance and misunderstanding etc is to be broken, the first* move must  surely come from the GAA, since it is no great loss to Unionists if that doesn't happen? In which context, the conscious and deliberate snub by the northern GAA Reps at Croke constitutes, imo, a step backwards   rather than forward, since Unionists may reasonably ask if eg the Queen may go to the Garden of Remembrance and bow her head to the people comemorated there, why cannot those Reps then go to Croke Park and shake her hand?

Would the sky really have fallen in over Clones? 

P.S. It is not the "Irish ethos" of the GAA to which Unionists (may reasonably) object, but rather its Nationalist  ethos.


* - Of course, if the GAA were to extend their hand in friendship and Unionists still refused to reciprocate, then they (GAA) would be justified in concluding that there was no more they could or should reasonably do. However, even if a minority insisted on standing apart, I would not expect that from the generality of Unionists.

EG you have hit the nail on the head because to many GAA members in Ulster its is of no real consequence whether Unionists wish to engage or not and that is sad. The GAA is an organisation founded to promote Nationalist ethos and Irish culture and that again is a problem for Unionists but it can't take away from the efforts of the Ulster Council. I don't believe you understand the Nationalist view point, especially here in the North or if you do you couldn't give a fig for it. As a community from partition we have been used to giving due consideration to the feelings of or Unionist neighbours who in turn have been used to being the "majority" and that still colours attitudes of many Unionists including your good self. It's in the Psyche.

[AQMP]

EG as you ignored my post I can only assume that like a well organised residents group you are going out of your way to take offence.

Assuming you mean post #772, I can honestly say I was not "ignoring" it, out of a desire to take offence or for any other reason. Rather, you will see that I had been trying to respond to other posters in turn, before first, I got overwhelmed by the volume and second, the thread veered way off course.

However, if you really want an answer, here it is.

"EG the Ulster Council is the body which is responsible for outreach and was represented by it's President who shook the Queens hand. Because some County Boards opted out should not be taken as representative of the views of the majority of members. As a life long Gael I don't really care wether Tom Elliott wants to go to matches or not, his recent comments show exactly where he stands. I welcome the Queens visit as a symbolic gesture to our shared history and as a Gael have no issue with it. However I do understand that some events from the recent troubles are still raw for some members e.g. Aiden McAnespie, Crossmaglen's ground, Sean Brown etc... In the same way Unionist victims still hurt. These view points must be respected you can't force healing. But yesterday was a small step along the way. The Irish ethos of the GAA is going to be an impediment to most Unionists embracing it in the short term, but in the long term who knows. Progress though could be heard in the sounds of silence from Sinn Fein and these Countys who did not fully endorse the visit. In the past there would have been significant protest."

In that I am a soccer fan, I am in one sense rather glad to observe the GAA's (frankly abject) failure to appeal to the Unionist community in NI. But leaving aside selfish interests, as a bit of a fan of all sports and someone who wants to see better uinderstanding between people, I wish it were otherwise.

So, considering it is the GAA's stated aim to be open to all in Ireland, how are they doing so far? You clearly see the glass as being "half full". I consider it to be "half empty" (if that).  In support of your contention, you point to the progress whicyh has been made so far, which you believe all the more significant because of the context of McAnespie/Crossmaglen/Brown etc.

But without wishing to appear callous, such grievances have no great significance to, or impact upon, the people whom the GAA professes its anxiety to influence (ordinary Unionists), since as you acknowledge, they/we have hurts and grievances of our own to look to.

And in  any case, if the logjam of mistrust, ignorance and misunderstanding etc is to be broken, the first* move must  surely come from the GAA, since it is no great loss to Unionists if that doesn't happen? In which context, the conscious and deliberate snub by the northern GAA Reps at Croke constitutes, imo, a step backwards   rather than forward, since Unionists may reasonably ask if eg the Queen may go to the Garden of Remembrance and bow her head to the people comemorated there, why cannot those Reps then go to Croke Park and shake her hand?

Would the sky really have fallen in over Clones? 

P.S. It is not the "Irish ethos" of the GAA to which Unionists (may reasonably) object, but rather its Nationalist  ethos.


* - Of course, if the GAA were to extend their hand in friendship and Unionists still refused to reciprocate, then they (GAA) would be justified in concluding that there was no more they could or should reasonably do. However, even if a minority insisted on standing apart, I would not expect that from the generality of Unionists.

[Eamonnca1]

Of course, if the GAA were to extend their hand in friendship and Unionists still refused to reciprocate, then they (GAA) would be justified in concluding that there was no more they could or should reasonably do.

What's with the 'if'? The GAA has reached out with the hand of friendship. Your reaction has been to piss on it.

[Eamonnca1]

You clearly see the glass as being "half full". I consider it to be "half empty" (if that). 

Correction: It's 95% full, you can only see the 5% that's missing.

[Nally Stand]

Good to see her visit has enhanced the process of developing good relations, just like we were told it would

http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0524/bombings.html

[lawnseed]

lads lads you have to see the big picture here. while I'm am vehemently opposed to the queen of england coming to Dublin we must look at where the 26 counties find themselves, 1. the government  since the foundation of the state have been rotten and corrupt passing their power from generation to generation like royalty. 2. these selfish b**tards have sunk the Irish people into debts that it will take 100years to clear if ever. 3. what we are seeing is large blocks of power emerging who are divvying up the worlds dwindling resources and basically ireland is aligning itself with Britain and America.(hence the use of Shannon etc) while trying to keep in with the Europeans. 4. the rise in the strenght of stirling makes ireland more attractive to Brit holiday makers whose numbers have fallen 15% since last year the ash cloud stuff also makes ireland attractive and if the queen has a nice time all the better.(they need their £££'s) 5. paisley has just been wined and dined all round Dublin visits like this paved the way for what we all strive for-- a peaceful and inclusive country.. theres no easy way to get rid of 900,000 prods. people will notice if they start disappearing, we must accommodate them and truthfully there are alot of them who have been everywhere and never been south. 6. this move by cowen should finally get the idea out of our heads that the freestaters give a flying fuk what we think here in the 6 counties. we are in this crap on our own and we always have been. 7. as for protests anyone protesting will be portrayed as knuckle trailing trouble makers and the state police will have no hesitation in beating the living sh1te out of them, and the state broadcaster will make sure that only drunken hippy types are shown (badly dressed) getting whacked, whereas only nice people will meet Liz. 8. the English monarchy still own a huge amount of property here eg lord Shirley carrickmacross, lord caledon caledon and on and on.. they still own areas of Dublin newry Belfast cork limerick on and on.. buildings that the people in them cant even find out who owns them because they are handled by agents. eg donegal square in Belfast has nothing to do with donegal the county, the land there is owned by lord donegal, these lands were awarded to the lords by the royals and remain the gift of the monarchy. while Liz will not see all her property rest assured she will be among friends and relations when she makes it to Dublin.
Finally this whole thing will go down well cause Irish people are stupid- they take it up the arse. it doesn't matter whether its the queen, the Irish chieftains, the politicians, the clergy, the bankers, the landlords, the Brits, the yanks etc etc we've been doing it since the vikings, a boat load or two of guys wearing horns on their heads landed here and gave a whole country a kicking and took all our good looking women away back to Scandinavia and left us with the mullingar heifers we have now. and what did we do? NOTHING! its what we do best

After a bad morning, that has cheered me up no end - that piece in bold in particular is up there with the best that's been written on this board

[mylestheslasher]

Lawnseeds grasp of irish history is fascinating.

[Maguire01]

Lawnseeds grasp of irish history is fascinating.