Poppy Watch

[The Worker]

I'd very much doubt roy keane was wearing his poppy as a tribute to johnny carey!!

[theticklemister]

I'd very much doubt roy keane was wearing his poppy as a tribute to johnny carey!!

He is wearing it for the good old ITV!

As Eoghan Quigg's father said a few years ago on X-Factor.............. 'When in Rome do what the Romans say!'

[Evil Genius]

I'd very much doubt roy keane was wearing his poppy as a tribute to johnny carey!!

As would I.

Anyhow, my point actually was that there are a whole variety of people who served in the British Armed Forces, for a whole variety of reasons.

Therefore it should be no surprise if a whole variety of people should wear the Poppy, for a whole variety of reasons of their own.

As for Keane, I don't doubt that he was required to wear it by ITV, nor that he could have refused to do so, had he wanted.

Mind you, had he done so, so conspicuous an action might have caused a bit of a stir.

And we all know how Roy likes the quiet life, don't we... 

[The Worker]

Good to see you admit to talking bullsh#t once in a while EG!

[bennydorano]

I'd very much doubt roy keane was wearing his poppy as a tribute to johnny carey!!

As would I.

Anyhow, my point actually was that there are a whole variety of people who served in the British Armed Forces, for a whole variety of reasons.

Therefore it should be no surprise if a whole variety of people should wear the Poppy, for a whole variety of reasons of their own.

As for Keane, I don't doubt that he was required to wear it by ITV, nor that he could have refused to do so, had he wanted.

Mind you, had he done so, so conspicuous an action might have caused a bit of a stir.

And we all know how Roy likes the quiet life, don't we... 

There is a bit of a Poppy Mafia culture in TV, didn't Donna Treanor on Newsline kick up a fuss a year or 2 ago about it. Seem to recall David Mitchell having a right go on HIGNFY too.

[nrico2006]

I'm sure Packie Bonner would have been very welcome at Celtic Park last night with his poppy on.

[nifan]

Tv channels insisting someone wear a poppy is ridiculous.
Only eejits are truly offended by someone choosing to wear or not wear a poppy.

[Ulick]

Frank and his poppy



http://www.judecollins.com/

Oh dear. It's that time of year again. Poppy time.  When those who don't wear the poppy are depicted as backward-looking anti-Brit bigots, stuffed with spleen and blind to the sacrifice of their fellow-countrymen. When politicians like Fine Gael's Frank Feighan can wear their poppy with pride in the Dail, to show how open-minded and progressive he is. "We have well and truly moved on from that dark, bloody era in the North before the evolution of the peace process" Frank says. "Thankfully, the peace dividend has delivered a new politics which has allowed us to publicly respect all traditions on this island". And that's why Frank's wearing a poppy.

And why not?  I expect at Easter, Frank will sport an Easter lily, to commemorate the courage of the men who gave their lives so that 'this island' could govern itself.  I shouldn't be surprised if Frank doesn't call for all RTÉ presenters to copy his example and wear an Easter lily on air... And pigs might what, you say? Fly?

Ah. Now I get it. "All traditions on this island" ( go on, Frank - go mad and call it 'Ireland') really means "certain traditions on this island". That'd explain why Frank and other southern politicians were so quiet when a BBC presenter in Belfast a few years ago was, um, persuaded that her non-poppy-wearing thinking was part of a false consciousness   and if she wanted to go on presenting she'd be well advised to make that false consciousness true. So she did. Saw her wearing on the other evening.

Of course, Frank may not have  heard about the white poppy campaign in England, where a lot of people want to distance themselves from the militaristic nature of Remembrance ceremonies.  He almost certainly hasn't heard Channel 4's Jon Snow who talks of 'poppy fascism', such is the pressure on presenters to toe the poppy line.

Here's the thing, Frank  If  you want to make public your views and loyalties to the rest of us (and your colleagues in the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly), that's fine. But if you do, you should be ready to speak out with equal boldness in defence of those who, for whatever reason, choose not to wear a poppy. And speak out even more boldly for those who choose to wear an Easter lily on any part of' this island.'  And, as with the poppy,  maybe lead by example.  Get your Easter lily in place, take a stroll down  Sandy Row or the main street of Aghohill, and you'll almost certainly learn something about respect for all traditions on this island.

[glens abu]

The SDLP man who wants other nationalists to wear a poppy

0 18 18Thursday, 8 November 2012





A well-known SDLP figure has urged fellow nationalists to try wearing a poppy this year.

“You might feel more comfortable than you imagine doing it,” said Liam Logan, the chair of the party’s North Down branch.

Mr Logan was speaking after Frank Feighan, a Fine Gael TD from Co Roscommon, announced he would wear a poppy in the Dail.

He yesterday became the first Irish parliamentarian to wear the emblem in the Dail for 16 years.

The symbol commemorates British military dead and benefits the wounded personnel and bereaved relatives.

Mr Feighan pointed out that 49,000 Irish soldiers died in the First World War alone, and that nearly a third of men of military age signed up.

Many nationalists from the north fought and died in regiments like the Connaught Rangers, based in Mr Feighan’s home town of Boyle.

“I don’t think it reduces me as an Irishman to acknowledge that so many Irish people died in both World Wars,” Mr Logan told the Belfast Telegraph.

He has been wearing a poppy, usually the smaller enamelled version. “I wore it last Sunday to Mass in Bangor where there were other people with poppies on. I wore it on Monday night to attend a talk on the Falls Road, and I normally wear it to my party’s annual conference. Nobody has ever said anything unpleasant to me about it,” he said. The Falls Road event was held in An Cultúrlann McAdam O Fiaich, an Irish language cultural centre housed in a former Presbyterian church.

The lecture was on ‘Stereotypes of the First Word War’ and it was given by Dr Ian Adamson of the Ullans (Ulster Scots language) academy, of which Mr Logan is a member.

“History is always more complicated than you think, but politicians have a tendency to extract from it only the lessons that support their own political views,” Mr Logan added.

Many nationalist soldiers who fought in the World Wars complained that they suffered discrimination in the Republic because they had been in the British Army, and in the north because they were Catholics.

In recent years there have been attempts by people like Paddy Harte, the Donegal TD, to reclaim and retell their history.

Two years ago Margaret Ritchie (right) became the first SDLP leader to publicly wear a poppy when she attended the cenotaph in Downpatrick on Remembrance Sunday as a mark of respect “and to show it is OK to do so”.

This year she said she will probably buy one in Westminster, but hasn’t decided whether to wear it as she won’t be attending a ceremony.

A party spokeswoman said: “SDLP leader Alasdair McDonnell will attend the cenotaph this Sunday to pay his respects.

“People should be free to wear the poppy or not wear the poppy without fear of rebuke,” the spokeswoman added.



Read more: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/the-sdlp-man-who-wants-other-nationalists-to-wear-a-poppy-16235276.html?r=RSS#ixzz2BddXvVap

[Farrandeelin]

Can somebody tell me, why do you have to wear an emblem at all to remember the British dead? Evil Genius? Anybody?

[bennydorano]

It's primarily a fundraiser for ex-forces i think, money raised goes to the Royal British Legion AFAIK.

[theticklemister]

I'm sure Packie Bonner would have been very welcome at Celtic Park last night with his poppy on.

Sure did the celtic rig not display a poppy a few years back for games??? is john reid (britains former lord lieutenent in ireland) not the chairman of the club?? Big packie would be in good company then.

[charlieTully]

I'm sure Packie Bonner would have been very welcome at Celtic Park last night with his poppy on.

Sure did the celtic rig not display a poppy a few years back for games??? is john reid (britains former lord lieutenent in ireland) not the chairman of the club?? Big packie would be in good company then.

the club donated 10k to the poppy appeal this year. seen a few staff wearing them last night. wouldnt wear it meself but each to their own. one thing though i work in the public sector, a few colleagues wear a one at work, can u imagine if someone were to wear an easter lilly, p45s all round i reckon.

[AQMP]

Caught a fleeting glimpse of Dara O Briain on the One Show (my kids watch it, honest!) last night, he didn't seem to be wearing one??

[theticklemister]

Caught a fleeting glimpse of Dara O Briain on the One Show (my kids watch it, honest!) last night, he didn't seem to be wearing one??

Maybe a repeat. Lol!!!