Joe Brolly

[Kickham csc]

Great lads altogether were Sinn Fein/IRA. A man who approved strapping an innocent to a tractor bomb ended up as Ulster Education minister, and ran for President of Ireland.

Fcuk sake lads 20+ years on and we are still raking over this sort of shit. SF abandoned that position on legitimate atrgets at least 20 years ago, dissidents have been quite rightly denounced as traitors. What came out of the piece on the view last night is that some nationalists will never accept the PSNI and that is a pathetic position to take. We need to get to the situation where PSNI officers can live in the communities they serve. We also need more representation from the catholic community at least up to 45%. Finally Joe Brolly is right, Kickhams need to make their peace with Peadar, for the clubs' sake and for his, if that involves an apology for the actions/inactions of their members, perceived or real then it is imo a price worth paying.

Is it really? Try telling that to the relatives of Loughinisland victims, among many others.

Another irony, the people who were against Peadar joining the police were of the opinion that the PSNI couldn't be trusted, that they were an extension of the RUC / Special Branch.

Have  people forgot that the PSNI (Special Branch) actually obstructed the investigation into the attack on Peadar. Additionally the PSNI failed to warn him of a pending attack on a Catholic policeman in the area prior to the attack. (Other Catholic officers in the area were informed the night before that an attack on a local Catholic policeman / woman was imminent , but Peadar wasn't informed)

[Kickham csc]

Great lads altogether were Sinn Fein/IRA. A man who approved strapping an innocent to a tractor bomb ended up as Ulster Education minister, and ran for President of Ireland.

Fcuk sake lads 20+ years on and we are still raking over this sort of shit. SF abandoned that position on legitimate atrgets at least 20 years ago, dissidents have been quite rightly denounced as traitors. What came out of the piece on the view last night is that some nationalists will never accept the PSNI and that is a pathetic position to take. We need to get to the situation where PSNI officers can live in the communities they serve. We also need more representation from the catholic community at least up to 45%. Finally Joe Brolly is right, Kickhams need to make their peace with Peadar, for the clubs' sake and for his, if that involves an apology for the actions/inactions of their members, perceived or real then it is imo a price worth paying.

Is it really? Try telling that to the relatives of Loughinisland victims, among many others.

Another irony, the people who were against Peadar joining the police were of the opinion that the PSNI couldn't be trusted, that they were an extension of the RUC / Special Branch.

Have  people forgot that the PSNI (Special Branch) actually obstructed the investigation into the attack on Peadar. Additionally the PSNI failed to warn him of a pending attack on a Catholic policeman in the area prior to the attack. (Other Catholic officers in the area were informed the night before that an attack on a local Catholic policeman / woman was imminent , but Peadar wasn't informed)

But hey, it's all Creggan GAC fault

[Spike]

Joe doesn't hanker for recognition. I agree with some of his articles, completely disagree with others, but each time, I'm sure its Joes own opinion. He does get carried away, but it isn't a deliberate tactic in the hope of gaining any extra kudos - it's how he feels at that time.

Exactly and unlike some of us on here Joe actually gets paid to write pieces for the various papers and what is wrong with that? So you don't like what he has written, that's not his fault, you are jealous that he is making a decent living from his various enterprises, again not his problem. Joe whatever your opinion of him did not turn his back on a friend, he gave him his kidney. The thing about a free society is that you should be able to express an opinion, take a job that you like, and make a life for you and your family with out been shunned, ridiculed, ostracised or blown up. There is an unpalatable truth in this story and again it is not Joe's fault. There is and has always been an ambivalence in Ireland on all sides to violence when it suits.

Again, your speaking when you don't know the facts, and the article is not "unpalatable truth", it's a one sided hack job on a community. A community which included people who supported Peadar during the time in question who I know feel badly let down that a more balanced picture wasn't presented, and I for one would appreciate an apology from Peadar and Joe about not representing the facts truthfully.

Joe Brolly demanding courage from Creggan about issuing an apology.... hopefully in next weeks newspaper he can issue an apology on behalf of Kevin Lynches, for all the pain that he caused....... sorry Joe has already discussed how proud he was to be a friend of Kevin.....f**king hypocrite

Ironically, what this article has achieved is to burn / weaken the bridges between Peadar and the people who actually supported him and his family before, during and after the attack.  We are an extremely tight community, and all that this has done is to tighten the community together, both people who supported Peadar and people who didn't, because we feel the god name of Creggan is under attack.

The other f**king irony that people don't get, is that Peadar was related to about half of the club committee at the time. I mean uncles, cousins etc on the committee. So he is pissed off at his own family. If this was the case, surely a better approach would have been to talk to his family and express his displeasure about the club and have theme approach the club about a reconciliation. Nope, not a word. Instead lets blindside the community on the front page of national papers.  This article has made a reconciliation harder.

I know for a fact that his parents home was inundated with visitors after the attack with people expressing their shock and dismay at what happened. Unfortunately Peadar moved to Bangor after the attack and the close bonds of living in a community was broken. Maybe this alienation of not living within the community is an added factor, but he was definitely not ostracised by the whole community.

IF the club does come out with a statement, which I suspect they will do now,  I for one will be disappointed if the apology doesn't highlight the deep fear and distrust of the PSNI, due to years of systematic harassment and threats that we experienced at the hand of the RUC/ Army, to provide a background to the environment at the time. I will be equally disappointed if the statement doesn't challenge the accuracy of article with the fact that people did speak out in support of Peadar, and that he attended club dinner dances and played soccer on the 4 G for years after he came out.

Well said.   I can get that Peadar isn't a happy man at the moment, I can get that he feels ostracised and alone in North Down. I can get that his injuries and daily struggles can leave a person bitter and have a rage.  What happened to the man is personally unthinkable and most likely id be bitter too if it happened to me but I think Peadar letting Joe Brolly (amateur journalist) use him for a sensationalist unbalanced and factually incorrect story was completely the wrong move and has now completely tarnished the good name of Creggan in outsiders minds. Not just for nationalist / republican tendencies, but their good personal names and how they shunned one of their own when it was plainly not the truth.   Maybe he's lashing out and Brolly was a vehicle for this but surely a balanced piece of writing and reconciliation piece was the way to go. Now he is more alone than ever with no one but a pile of internet strangers patting him on the back.   

Thanks to Joe

I don't agree with scholarships etc in his name - sounds a faux gesture, but perhaps for the sake of the man's personal state of mind some unification with the club and community could be done. I'm sure there are a lot of people very angry about the article from creggan, just like Peadar is, but if anything good is to come out of Joe's lazy journalism, perhaps its a community taking back one their own, despite theirs and his feelings, and rehabilitate a man back into the parish. Give him some hope as he looks to be in a bad place mentally.

[JimStynes]

If I was a member of Creggan club I definitely wouldn't want anything to do with Peadar Heffron now.

[Jim Bob]

Sinn Fein supporters during the troubles supported all the activities of the IRA. They supported the murder of what they classed as legitimate targets and made excuses for the IRA when they murdered innocent civilians.
I have never heard a Sinn Fein supporter criticise the IRA in any shape or form

You should get out more.

Been out enough to know what I said is right ! Been listening to it long enough

[Kickham csc]

Joe doesn't hanker for recognition. I agree with some of his articles, completely disagree with others, but each time, I'm sure its Joes own opinion. He does get carried away, but it isn't a deliberate tactic in the hope of gaining any extra kudos - it's how he feels at that time.

Exactly and unlike some of us on here Joe actually gets paid to write pieces for the various papers and what is wrong with that? So you don't like what he has written, that's not his fault, you are jealous that he is making a decent living from his various enterprises, again not his problem. Joe whatever your opinion of him did not turn his back on a friend, he gave him his kidney. The thing about a free society is that you should be able to express an opinion, take a job that you like, and make a life for you and your family with out been shunned, ridiculed, ostracised or blown up. There is an unpalatable truth in this story and again it is not Joe's fault. There is and has always been an ambivalence in Ireland on all sides to violence when it suits.

Again, your speaking when you don't know the facts, and the article is not "unpalatable truth", it's a one sided hack job on a community. A community which included people who supported Peadar during the time in question who I know feel badly let down that a more balanced picture wasn't presented, and I for one would appreciate an apology from Peadar and Joe about not representing the facts truthfully.

Joe Brolly demanding courage from Creggan about issuing an apology.... hopefully in next weeks newspaper he can issue an apology on behalf of Kevin Lynches, for all the pain that he caused....... sorry Joe has already discussed how proud he was to be a friend of Kevin.....f**king hypocrite

Ironically, what this article has achieved is to burn / weaken the bridges between Peadar and the people who actually supported him and his family before, during and after the attack.  We are an extremely tight community, and all that this has done is to tighten the community together, both people who supported Peadar and people who didn't, because we feel the god name of Creggan is under attack.

The other f**king irony that people don't get, is that Peadar was related to about half of the club committee at the time. I mean uncles, cousins etc on the committee. So he is pissed off at his own family. If this was the case, surely a better approach would have been to talk to his family and express his displeasure about the club and have theme approach the club about a reconciliation. Nope, not a word. Instead lets blindside the community on the front page of national papers.  This article has made a reconciliation harder.

I know for a fact that his parents home was inundated with visitors after the attack with people expressing their shock and dismay at what happened. Unfortunately Peadar moved to Bangor after the attack and the close bonds of living in a community was broken. Maybe this alienation of not living within the community is an added factor, but he was definitely not ostracised by the whole community.

IF the club does come out with a statement, which I suspect they will do now,  I for one will be disappointed if the apology doesn't highlight the deep fear and distrust of the PSNI, due to years of systematic harassment and threats that we experienced at the hand of the RUC/ Army, to provide a background to the environment at the time. I will be equally disappointed if the statement doesn't challenge the accuracy of article with the fact that people did speak out in support of Peadar, and that he attended club dinner dances and played soccer on the 4 G for years after he came out.

Well said.   I can get that Peadar isn't a happy man at the moment, I can get that he feels ostracised and alone in North Down. I can get that his injuries and daily struggles can leave a person bitter and have a rage.  What happened to the man is personally unthinkable and most likely id be bitter too if it happened to me but I think Peadar letting Joe Brolly (amateur journalist) use him for a sensationalist unbalanced and factually incorrect story was completely the wrong move and has now completely tarnished the good name of Creggan in outsiders minds. Not just for nationalist / republican tendencies, but their good personal names and how they shunned one of their own when it was plainly not the truth.   Maybe he's lashing out and Brolly was a vehicle for this but surely a balanced piece of writing and reconciliation piece was the way to go. Now he is more alone than ever with no one but a pile of internet strangers patting him on the back.   

Thanks to Joe

I don't agree with scholarships etc in his name - sounds a faux gesture, but perhaps for the sake of the man's personal state of mind some unification with the club and community could be done. I'm sure there are a lot of people very angry about the article from creggan, just like Peadar is, but if anything good is to come out of Joe's lazy journalism, perhaps its a community taking back one their own, despite theirs and his feelings, and rehabilitate a man back into the parish. Give him some hope as he looks to be in a bad place mentally.

I agree with everything you have said, and I really wish for Peadar, who I consider a friend, to be reconciled to the community.

But Joe's last pierce is beyond the pale; using the fllwoing to paint the character of the community;
treachery
cowardice
rotten to the core
How good were these men
stand in the pub like a sheep
where is your courage? Where is your honour?"

Sounds like Joe wanted a quicker response to justify his article and is now trying to strong arm - shame Creggan into a response.

If he was genuinely interested in Peadar's interests, surely he knows he has gone too far

[Owen Brannigan]

This letter published in today's Irish News shows the mentality that is being criticised:

[crookes]

This letter published in today's Irish News shows the mentality that is being criticised:

No, it doesn't. The supposed mentality of the entire Creggan community is being criticised.

I sort of thought that Brolly was going to go the direction of saying it was a problem with the entire GAA mentality towards the PSNI a few days after the initial Independent article, but he seems to have solely focused his efforts into blackening the creggan club and community name.

If what your saying is right kickham csc, lines like this from the IN today "but their is something rotten at the core" when talking about the creggan club, will surely leave Brolly owing an apology to them.

[Nailer]

Did Mr Heffron not transfer to the St Paul's club in Hollywood and play for them prior to being targeted?

[Wildweasel74]

Well is it ok to join the police now cause SINN FEIN SAYS SO?? but it wasnt 10-15yrs ago cause Sinn Fein told people not to join>

As for what Brolly said, i havent read his latest post on Creggan, but they should have issued a statement last week after this came out instead of saying nothing.

Reality is we all are to ready to blame unionists, uda/uvf etc for all the ills and troubles in the north, but the same mentality exists within our own community.
bullying by political parties, shadowy groups in the background to intimidate to get their way.

[Spike]

Well is it ok to join the police now cause SINN FEIN SAYS SO?? but it wasnt 10-15yrs ago cause Sinn Fein told people not to join>

As for what Brolly said, i havent read his latest post on Creggan, but they should have issued a statement last week after this came out instead of saying nothing.

Reality is we all are to ready to blame unionists, uda/uvf etc for all the ills and troubles in the north, but the same mentality exists within our own community.
bullying by political parties, shadowy groups in the background to intimidate to get their way.

Bovine dung.  Id guarantee not one Political party or shadowy
Group had anything to do with the initial reactions within that club. 

History, politics and sectarianism towards nationalists aside,  anecdotely i can say that 95% of police officers i have met from UK , Ireland, Europe, australasia, asia, the americas and africa have all been complete and utter ar@÷holes. A lot of unionist people cant have them in their areas.    To be politically correct, ill suggest theyre trained that way rather than just that way by nature

[Wildweasel74]

so who did the 4 characters who called in at training 1 night represent?

[Spike]

so who did the 4 characters who called in at training 1 night represent?

Even Peadar didnt say who they were. Every club has a mixture of aupporters, not to know this displays ignorance of gaa clubs

[Avondhu star]

Well is it ok to join the police now cause SINN FEIN SAYS SO?? but it wasnt 10-15yrs ago cause Sinn Fein told people not to join>

As for what Brolly said, i havent read his latest post on Creggan, but they should have issued a statement last week after this came out instead of saying nothing.

Reality is we all are to ready to blame unionists, uda/uvf etc for all the ills and troubles in the north, but the same mentality exists within our own community.
bullying by political parties, shadowy groups in the background to intimidate to get their way.

Bovine dung.  Id guarantee not one Political party or shadowy
Group had anything to do with the initial reactions within that club. 

History, politics and sectarianism towards nationalists aside,  anecdotely i can say that 95% of police officers i have met from UK , Ireland, Europe, australasia, asia, the americas and africa have all been complete and utter ar@÷holes.    To be politically correct, ill suggest theyre trained that way rather than just that way by nature

Most people would say the same thing about people from Antrim "anecdotally"
For f**k sake if it wasn't for a dodgy rope bridge and a few rocks left by Find mccool we could leave the kip to its inbreds

[Rossfan]

What an intelligent contribution to the discussion....