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While the unmarried pregnant women were sent to these institutions, then abused by those running the institutions and babies and mothers were dying in atrocious conditions, what was the equivalent in the North.  The attitudes in the North towards unmarried pregnant women were no different so what happened? 

What about the Silverwood Hotel? Anyone remember it?

An excellent question and one which has bothered me for quite some time. I've tried to answer concisely a few times and failed so sorry if this is not a great explanation. I'm taking an active role in my kids religious education. I think it's best to put them forward for the sacrements with their peers and let them make their own way when they're old enough to do so. I don't want to single them out at a young age because of my beliefs/concerns when they can sort it out for themselves at a possibly more appropriate time. Kids can be cruel so creating a "difference" when not really necessary is something I'd rather avoid. Hope this makes sense.

Well said again. I'd be much the same thinking as you and I think it's the right way to approach things.

+1

[Offaly has a population of 75,000 people and has eight senior teams.]

Former Offaly star Paraic Sullivan has used Twitter to defend the Faithful players:

In disbelief at some of the comments regarding football results at the weekend. It's alarming how many people are shocked by this. The game has changed significantly yet we still expect a competitive competition.  It's not a level playing field. All teams have different populations, amount of clubs, funding, amenities and previous success.

We are nearing professional standards in regards to time spent training and workload expected from players. Because of this, the teams with the best set-up(s) will prosper. It's just basic common sense.

Having a professional set-up in which the players train like athletes, recover like athletes and are athletes breeds success. All the rules and parameters have changed yet people's opinions and expectations remain the same. The game has evolved significantly in a short period and because the majority of the counties do not have the resources, funding or forward thinking, not only are they lagging behind but being embarrassed.

"It's not the players' fault. I can't reiterate that enough but unless there is some way of capping the funding or implementing something so that it is somewhat even across the board, we are in danger of seriously losing some teams from competing. That is the stark reality, and it's really sad to think that might happen.
To our own supporters, please give the guys a break. Offaly has a population of 75,000 people and has eight senior teams. Let's get real with our expectations. 1971, '72 and '81 are gone. No comparisons to today. Serves no purpose.

Players have full-time jobs, long commutes and other commitments. Lay off!

That editorial is ludicrous, safe to say Sam didn't write it (not that he doesn't write plenty of crap himself at times).

Sam is the political editor and the paper's editorial is written by Alistair Bushe or Ben Lowry.

The infighting has already begun after the pain of defeat:

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/emma-little-pengelly-blames-stalford-1-leaflet-distribution-and-voter-misinformation-for-south-belfast-election-failure-35503504.html

Edwin Poots drives home from the election count and encounters a bright white light which throws him out of his car and into the road stunned:

http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/parties-must-overcome-differences-and-make-northern-ireland-work-poots-1-7851237

Yes to that. It grates with me somewhat but it's simply a matter of the other half having the say. For me it's a game and I don't really care enough for it to be too divisive. They do nothing beyond what school asks of them.

Same here with us, my son is getting ready for his first communion at the moment. Last year at Easter they were talking about Jesus rising from the dead on Easter Sunday, on the way home he asked me was Jesus a zombie

He must be quite an intelligent child taking an abstract notion like the resurrection and relating it to his own life experience but I would have to ask why is he being allowed to watch the Walking Dead?

I think Pat Flanagan's days are numbered in Offaly, there has been a good bit of discontent lately from their supporters and a result like that can't be tolerated by a proud county like Offaly. The players are limited to be fair but a result like that only happens when there is a serious lack of motivation and organisation.

3 weeks ago : Offaly 0-23 - 1-07 Antrim

Today : Armagh: 6-22 - Offaly 0-10 !

    !

Is this the Offaly of Seamus Darby, the Lowry brothers and the Connor brothers?

https://youtu.be/Wxgju-2xbfQ

https://youtu.be/Kba6NYKQH5k

https://youtu.be/PICamSfnA2o

[Tyrone don't have Hospitals (well no A&E and obviously Maternity)]

By some misfortune, I was born in Lurgan!

As bad as that was, a huge number of us of a particular age were born in Portadown in the Carleton Maternity Hospital on Church Street regardless of where our parents were living.

A bit like no children have been born in Tyrone for at least 15 years.

Really? None? I find that hard to believe.

Most of them born in Armagh...lol (Craigavon Hospital). Tyrone don't have Hospitals (well no A&E and obviously Maternity)

Thanks to SF minister moving the only acute hospital and maternity unit to Enniskillen to buy votes in that constituency and now SWAH withers away due to lack of use (Tyrone children are born in Craigavon and Derry) and being unable to recruit consultants and doctors.  If you have any emergency they can't treat it but will patch you up and then send you to Belfast, Craigavon or Derry.  Most people now go direct to Craigavon or Altnagelvin, despite the SF failure to deliver the A5 to take you safely and quickly in either direction.  Thanks SF, it hasn't affected your vote in West Tyrone.

I think you need to look at the achievements of their Ministers over the years to realise just what has been done in terms of normal politics.

That would be a very short list. 

In West Tyrone, SF minister removed the acute hospital and moved it to Enniskillen where it withers away due to lack of use and failure to staff, failure to deliver the A5 extending from Ballygawley to Omagh and moving it to Derry.  Both vote buying exercises.  Unbelievable how they continue to receive vote in this area despite these massive failures which affect everyone on a day and daily basis.  Shows that there is no normal politics.

Vallankamous you've spent three (I didn't count em) pages splitting hairs. Everybody accepts you didn't vote on sectarian lines, can we please leave it at that.

His doctor encourages him to engage on these websites as it prevents him from his usual habit of eating the feathers in his pillow

He has admitted that he couldn't be bothered to drag his sorry ass to the polling booth and make his preference, so his views are irrelevant.  They weren't worth his time to go to the poll even to register a protest of any kind.  Mightn't even have his name on the electoral register.

Democratic Unionist Party   225,413   28.1%   
Sinn Féin   224,245   27.9%   
SDLP     95,958   11.9%   
Ulster Unionist Party   103,314   12.9%   
Alliance Party   72,717   9.1%   
Green Party   18,527   2.3%   
Traditional Unionist Voice   20,523   2.6%   
Independents   14,407   1.8%   
People Before Profit Alliance   14,100   1.8%   
Progressive Unionist Party of NI   5,590   0.7%
Conservatives   2,399   0.3%   
Others   6,122   0.8%   

Turnout   64.8%
Electorate: 1,254,709

Nationalist = 224,245 + 95,958 +14,100 = 334,303     26.6% of electorate     

Unionist =225,413 + 103,314 + 20,523 + 5,590 + 2,399 + 4,918 = 365,157    29.1% of electorate

Others =  72,717 + 18,527 + 14,407 - 4918 + 6,122 = 106,855     8.4% of electorate

Lads and lassies, I can't be bothered looking back the 20 pages since yesterday and I'm too tired to look it up anywhere
But has anyone the total first preferences for the parties ?

Democratic Unionist Party   225,413   28.1%   
Sinn Féin   224,245   27.9%   
SDLP     95,958   11.9%   
Ulster Unionist Party   103,314   12.9%   
Alliance Party   72,717   9.1%   
Green Party   18,527   2.3%   
Traditional Unionist Voice   20,523   2.6%   
Independents   14,407   1.8%   
People Before Profit Alliance   14,100   1.8%   
Progressive Unionist Party of NI   5,590   0.7%
Conservatives   2,399   0.3%   
Others   6,122   0.8%   

Turnout   64.8%
Electorate: 1,254,709

Does anyone know the number of MLAs needed for a party to be included in the D'Hondt allocation of the ministries?