King Charles III

[Dougal Maguire]

Yeah. SF running the show. They were banned when Lizzy first came over as queen. Who knows what it'll be like when William becomes king. Jamie Bryson has them sussed. He's comparing it with tge false sense of security created in long kesh before the 1983 mass escape

[armaghniac]

Yeah. SF running the show. They were banned when Lizzy first came over as queen. Who knows what it'll be like when William becomes king. Jamie Bryson has them sussed. He's comparing it with tge false sense of security created in long kesh before the 1983 mass escape

With any luck Charles will be the present when they haul down the Butcher's Apron for the last time.

[Denn Forever]

SF will now be taking their places in Parliment? 

[trailer]

SF will now be taking their places in Parliment?

There really is no logical reason now that they won't. It is probably the next step. Just like the next step in south is to be a party of government, in a parliament they didn't recognise and boycotted initially ironically. It may have taken 100 odd years but they are now what they often referred to others as - West Brit Stoops.

[armaghniac]

SF will now be taking their places in Parliment?

There really is no logical reason now that they won't. It is probably the next step. Just like the next step in south is to be a party of government, in a parliament they didn't recognise and boycotted initially ironically. It may have taken 100 odd years but they are now what they often referred to others as - West Brit Stoops.

If it is United Ireland you want then softly, softly, catchee monkey. 

[trailer]

SF will now be taking their places in Parliment?

There really is no logical reason now that they won't. It is probably the next step. Just like the next step in south is to be a party of government, in a parliament they didn't recognise and boycotted initially ironically. It may have taken 100 odd years but they are now what they often referred to others as - West Brit Stoops.

If it is United Ireland you want then softly, softly, catchee monkey.

Totally agree and this is where other constitutional nationalists have been for years. The only way is to seduce the Unionists and make them feel not threatened by the inevitable change. An Ireland for all.

[Fear Bun Na Sceilpe]

SF will now be taking their places in Parliment?

Yes

[johnnycool]

SF will now be taking their places in Parliment?

Yes

Why?

What has Colin and Claire achieved in their time over there?

[Fear Bun Na Sceilpe]

SF will now be taking their places in Parliment?

Yes

Why?

What has Colin and Claire achieved in their time over there?

Sure fiscal power is not fully devolved. Or are SF copping out?

[yellowcard]

What we witnessed yesterday is the very reason why the DUP pulled down Stormont in the first place. They couldn't and still can't stomach the thought of playing second fiddle to a nationalist party. The protocol was only ever used as cover to pull the institutions down in advance when they had correctly calculated that they would lose the Stormont election. That in built supremacism on which the northern state was founded will prove their ultimate downfall. Fear, division and hatred are still their main tactics of choice a century on and there is nothing positive or progressive that Unionism can offer in its current guise. Mountbatten himself wished for a united Ireland and it wouldn't surprise me if the current Royals had the same view. Everything they do is choreographed so that audible conversation did not happen by accident.

[Snapchap]

SF have now become the SDLP. They are on the same constitutional nationalist ground that Hume and Mallon et all occupied for so long. If this was the SF end game you have to wonder what it was all about. They clearly accept that NI is part of the UK until there is a democratic vote to change that. They are happy to administer British law.

How will there base see this? Stoops? Sell outs? Playing a blinder? Sinn Fein - SDLP for slow learners.

The DUP have once again played a bad hand badly and have been totally side lined in an event that is so dear to their hearts. How will their base respond? Problem is that similarly on the Nationalist side their is no alternative. The UUP nor the SDLP are resonating with voters.

Fair to say that SF are no longer Republicans now? Impossible to reconcile calling yourself a Republican (democratically elected head of state, written constitution etc.) and then kowtow to monarchy.

PBP made their objections to monarchy clear in a respectful way.

Did they kowtow? I didn't see any kowtowing. They didn't partake in the ridiculous curtsy caper etc. And they also made their objections to monarchy clear by only attending memorial events but staying away from the succession of the nonsense 'Proclamation' events which took place.

[Armagh18]

What we witnessed yesterday is the very reason why the DUP pulled down Stormont in the first place. They couldn't and still can't stomach the thought of playing second fiddle to a nationalist party. The protocol was only ever used as cover to pull the institutions down in advance when they had correctly calculated that they would lose the Stormont election. That in built supremacism on which the northern state was founded will prove their ultimate downfall. Fear, division and hatred are still their main tactics of choice a century on and there is nothing positive or progressive that Unionism can offer in its current guise. Mountbatten himself wished for a united Ireland and it wouldn't surprise me if the current Royals had the same view. Everything they do is choreographed so that audible conversation did not happen by accident.

It was funny looking at the DUPers playing second fiddle to be honest.

[Truth hurts]

Is most places off on Monday? What is the protocol for it as I see most big companies are nearly being shamed into it, are the schools etc closed, if you do not get it off do you get a day in lieu. Its confusing

[Snapchap]

Just to throw in my penny's worth as a SF voter...

It will never be comfortable watching SF politicians shaking hands with British monarchs while we remain partitioned, but that being said, it's abundantly clear why they did it. A quick listen to five or ten minutes of Radio Ulster Talkback this afternoon will spell it out. They have been getting lauded from (almost) all directions for how they've handled the last few days - most notably from middle grounders who are the very people that need to be brought on board for what is now an inevitable border poll and like all SF does - it's geared towards a successful border poll.

As I say, I take no pleasure seeing them greet monarchs, but the reality is that it's nothing new nowadays. No existing SF voters are going to get too annoyed today at Michelle O'Neill for shaking a royal's hand. Why would they? She didn't break any new ground. SF politicians, Michelle included, have been meeting british royals for the last ten years ever since Martin McGuinness took the step first back and shook Lizzie's hand in 2012.

Consider too that unionism has been in overdrive trying to be offended by overt displays of nationalism in the past few months (offended at rebel songs, offended at old footage of a garda car in the north, offended at GAA clubs seeking to use council facilities, offended at GAA clubs organising event named after a club member who happened to have the same name as a hunger striker. SF's conduct in the last few days really does sweep the carpet right from under the feet of unionism at a time when it is going out of it's way to find something to be offended by.

Seems to me that SF have had everything to gain and nothing really to lose this last week and that's how they've played it.

[Milltown Row2]

Is most places off on Monday? What is the protocol for it as I see most big companies are nearly being shamed into it, are the schools etc closed, if you do not get it off do you get a day in lieu. Its confusing

I'm working out of a doctors surgery and they are off, that said we are in Ballymena lol, but the trust gave the go ahead for them the other day, though a colleague of mine in Newry is saying the clinic that he is working out of is open.

Schools are closed al over as far as I know

The company I work for in the North are getting the day off, regardless if they are in a building that is staying open or one we own

I was off anyways as I'm actually in Liverpool, so was able to get that day back from my leave planner 

There are local councils asking shops to close or 'encouraging' them to close in some small towns, not surprising