Hunger strike commemoration at a GAA ground

[brokencrossbar1]

Lads the conspiracy stuff is funny.  I don't agree that they should have had the event on the field, it is too sensitive and open to condemnation by the most sensitive people in the world.  The reality is that SF are more popular and consequently more people who are involved with SF will be involved in voluntary groups.  They do a lot of "grass roots" work and providing sporting/social events is one of the basics of any voluntary organisation.  To suggest that this is being politicized to strenghten SF hold over the community is ridiculous.  Surely they would be more inclined to look at the structure of the party and the recent failures in the Local elections and how many people perceive them as being policy vacant.

[Maguire01]

The GAA is a very democratic organiisation and reflective of the coummunity is which the clubs are based and as such the simple fact is that the vast majority of GAA members in the north are either SF members or voters.

And the evidence for this is?
Anyway regardless of the political allegiances of GAA members, the GAA is supposed to be a non party political organisation. It shouldn't matter is the GAA is 100% SF members, that wouldn't give them the right to use the GAA as they wish.

I've already mentioned the PTAA filling Croke Park a few years ago. That organisation is also full of ex-IRA and SF members - what is going on there - a SF plot to fix the price of a pint?

Tell us more about this PTAA. Was it a SF event?

[Myles Na G.]

'No, I didn't forget Kingsmill, but I knew you did. I also knew you would bring it up (eventually), but I also know that it's another example of how confused about it all that you are.

Kingsmill was not a sanctioned IRA operation, however, I don't deny that there may have been individual IRA personnel involved, which is not the same thing (except perhaps in your mind).

In the context of the time, where loyalists were mounting daily murderous attacks on Catholics in that specific area of Armagh, it was a 'successful' act in that those loyalist attacks ceased (largely), however, I would never condone the taking of, or attack on, a life based on religion, and can only be abhorred.'

How do you know that Kingsmill was not a sanctioned IRA operation? Because the IRA leadership said so? This would be the same IRA leadership which denied for years any involvement in the fate of the Disappeared, the same leadership which lied and lied whenever it suited its purposes to do so and it thought it could get away with it? The same leadership which is even now having to explain to its own rank and file some of the discrepancies surrounding its account of the hunger strike negotiations with the British government? That's okay then - so long as you got it from a reliable source  Also, your explanation of the 'rationale' behind the Kingsmill attack is very familiar. It closely mirrors the justification used by loyalist paramilitaries for their murder of innocent Catholics, namely that it was aimed at putting pressure on republicans to stop their attacks on security forces by using the wider nationalist community almost as hostages. Like I said earlier, there was very little difference between loyalist and republican armed groups.

[Donagh]

And the evidence for this is?
Anyway regardless of the political allegiances of GAA members, the GAA is supposed to be a non party political organisation. It shouldn't matter is the GAA is 100% SF members, that wouldn't give them the right to use the GAA as they wish.
Tell us more about this PTAA. Was it a SF event?

1. voting patterns in areas where you find GAA clubs
2. no, it doesn't matter if it is full of SF members, I'm not the one who introduced SF to the thread. Equally being a SF member shouldn't preclude anyone from booking a GAA hall.
3. no it was a PTAA event.

[Maguire01]

And the evidence for this is?
Anyway regardless of the political allegiances of GAA members, the GAA is supposed to be a non party political organisation. It shouldn't matter is the GAA is 100% SF members, that wouldn't give them the right to use the GAA as they wish.
Tell us more about this PTAA. Was it a SF event?

1. voting patterns in areas where you find GAA clubs
2. no, it doesn't matter if it is full of SF members, I'm not the one who introduced SF to the thread. Equally being a SF member shouldn't preclude anyone from booking a GAA hall.
3. no it was a PTAA event.

1. I know plenty of people in such areas who wouldn't/don't vote for any party. There are few areas where electoral turnout is anywhere close to 100%. Therefore your 'vast majority' is merely an assumption. Anyway, as i've already said, it would be irrelevant even if 100% of GAA members were also SF members.

2. SF are central to this thread as it was their event. Of course being a SF member shouldn't preclude you from booking a GAA venue if it's for an appropriate use.

3. Then your reference to the PTAA event is as relevant as a Take That concert in Croke Park surely? I'm sure some SF members and voters were at Take That - it doesn't make it a political event as they weren't there as SF representatives.

[Donagh]

And the evidence for this is?
Anyway regardless of the political allegiances of GAA members, the GAA is supposed to be a non party political organisation. It shouldn't matter is the GAA is 100% SF members, that wouldn't give them the right to use the GAA as they wish.
Tell us more about this PTAA. Was it a SF event?

1. voting patterns in areas where you find GAA clubs
2. no, it doesn't matter if it is full of SF members, I'm not the one who introduced SF to the thread. Equally being a SF member shouldn't preclude anyone from booking a GAA hall.
3. no it was a PTAA event.

1. I know plenty of people in such areas who wouldn't/don't vote for any party. There are few areas where electoral turnout is anywhere close to 100%. Therefore your 'vast majority' is merely an assumption. Anyway, as i've already said, it would be irrelevant even if 100% of GAA members were also SF members.

2. SF are central to this thread as it was their event. Of course being a SF member shouldn't preclude you from booking a GAA venue if it's for an appropriate use.

3. Then your reference to the PTAA event is as relevant as a Take That concert in Croke Park surely? I'm sure some SF members and voters were at Take That - it doesn't make it a political event as they weren't there as SF representatives.

1. Do you disagree with the general point? Electoral stats are te best we have to go on and would probably provide a representative reflection. If you disagree then tell me why and give me some evidence as to the true stats.

2. Thank you. Now what is all the fuss about? The event was not party political and did not break any rules. 

3. Exactly. The only reason this event is getting so much attention is because some people are upset that SF members have taken the lead and it happened in the north. And how exactly do you know which SF members were there as "SF representatives" and not as members of the commeration committee, or as historical witnesses to something that happened near 30 years ago or simply as community leaders?

[Maguire01]

1. Do you disagree with the general point? Electoral stats are te best we have to go on and would probably provide a representative reflection. If you disagree then tell me why and give me some evidence as to the true stats.

But why do we have to "go on" anything? What does it matter if 100% of GAA members were SF members? It's irrelevant to this issue.
And I can't disprove anything any more than you can prove it.

2. Thank you. Now what is all the fuss about? The event was not party political and did not break any rules. 

It wasn't party political, yet it was organised by a political party, and members of a political party addressed the crowd, talking about their party's political policies? What relevance does SF's policy on the Lisbon Treaty, for example, have to a non party political commemoration?

3. Exactly. The only reason this event is getting so much attention is because some people are upset that SF members have taken the lead and it happened in the north. And how exactly do you know which SF members were there as "SF representatives" and not as members of the commeration committee, or as historical witnesses to something that happened near 30 years ago or simply as community leaders?

No, the reason this event is getting so much attention is because it was in a GAA ground. If it had been on the road, no one would have known nor cared.

And it's pretty obvious that members were there as SF representatives. Do you really expect people to believe that Gerry Adams was there as a 'community leader'? No, he was there as SF President. If he wasn't there as a SF representative, why is his speech littered with references to his party and its policies?

[Donagh]

It doesn't matter if the members are SF are not - that is my point. The event was organised by the commeration committee not SF. There may have been SF members on that committee but like the PTAA rally, that doesn't make it a SF or party political event. Adams was central to the Hunger Strikes regardless of his position in SF. No GAA rules were breached and this thread is only pandering to the agendas of the McDonnell and McCausland.

[Maguire01]

It doesn't matter if the members are SF are not - that is my point. The event was organised by the commeration committee not SF. There may have been SF members on that committee but like the PTAA rally, that doesn't make it a SF or party political event. Adams was central to the Hunger Strikes regardless of his position in SF. No GAA rules were breached and this thread is only pandering to the agendas of the McDonnell and McCausland.

Okay, so this wasn't a party political event and the SF members in attendance we're there as representatives of the party. How do you explain the content of Gerry's speech then?

Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams MP MLA [NOTE: Not attending as a 'community leader'] speaking at the National Hunger Strike Commemoration in Galbally, Co. Tyrone today said that Sinn Féin are not in the business of electoral politics for the sake of it but to bring about real change for the better in the lives of citizens.

Speaking about activism Mr Adams added:

"Activism for Irish republicans' means being firmly rooted and active in our local community; . . . and republican in our politics and motivation.

". . . our objectives are about a better Ireland, a reunited Ireland, a new inclusive society – and a new national Republic based on equality, freedom and justice."

In a strong attack on the Irish government Mr Adams said:

"The Irish government . . . is a bad government, taking bad decisions, in the interests of its money lender friends in the banks and among the developers.

"The decisions that have been taken so far and the decisions likely to emerge out of the McCarthy report and in the budget later this year, amount to an attack on the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in society.

"Instead of taxing the wealthy the Irish government is slashing public services and jobs and beating up on the unemployed, the elderly, the children and the sick."

Mr Adams said:

"The republican struggle was not and is not about bums on seats in the Executive or Parliament Buildings or Leinster House or the EU or any other forum just for the sake of it!

"Our representatives know this. They are about delivering. They are about using the political strength we have vested in them to deliver the rights and entitlements of citizens and to achieve our republican objectives.

"We are not in the business of electoral politics for the sake of it but to use the political mandate we receive to bring about real change for the better in the lives of citizens.

"Activism for Irish republicans means being firmly rooted and active in our local community; relevant in the work that we do; and republican in our politics and motivation.

"Republican politics are about the national and the social: the national and the local.

"In simple terms our objectives are about a better Ireland, a reunited Ireland, a new inclusive society – and a new national Republic based on equality, freedom and justice.

"There are a number of prongs to our activism and to our strategy.

"One is about bedding down the peace process.

"This means completing the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement; on the transfer of powers on policing and justice; on a Bill of Rights and on Acht na Gaeilge.

"It also means tackling disadvantage and poverty and injustice and delivering effective government.

"And it's also about reaching out to and engaging with unionism at all levels; community, church, political, the orange order, the working class and middle class.

"We who want a United Ireland must be prepared to persuade those who don't of the merits of our position.

"While all this is a huge challenge in many ways the work we do in the South is just as difficult.

"Since 1927 the politics of the southern state has been dominated by the two big conservative parties, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.

"The reality is that it is only in recent years that Sinn Féin has been able to seriously take on the task of building a long term political strategy in the south.

"It is a slow process but Republicans are about changing political conditions so that citizens are empowered to make their lives better, to reclaim their rights.

"The Irish government purports to be republican. There is nothing republican about its policies.

"It is not about equality or citizens rights.

"It is a bad government, taking bad decisions, in the interests of its money lender friends in the banks and among the developers.

"The decisions that have been taken so far and the decisions likely to emerge out of the McCarthy report and in the budget later this year, amount to an attack on the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in society.

"Instead of taxing the wealthy the Irish government is slashing public services and jobs and beating up on the unemployed, the elderly, the children and the sick.

"There is an urgent need to build opposition to the coalition government, and to the conservative forces in the state.

"They cannot be allowed to destroy the social fabric of Irish society.

"Our responsibility is to make republicanism relevant to our time by bringing forward commonsense and practical solutions to the chaos the conservative parties have caused.

"What is needed is a new politics delivering and implementing new policies that protect jobs, create new jobs, invest in public services and remove the threat of homelessness from tens of thousands of families.

"There are lots of potential allies out there. The prison protests in Armagh and the H Blocks brought together many people who disagreed on other issues.

"The hungerstrikes became a catalyst for a huge mass movement.

"In dire economic times, not dissimilar to today, prison candidates including Martin Hurson, received substantial votes and two prisoners were elected TDs.

"So while building Sinn Féin, we also have to help build an alliance for change.

"We have to come together with others to forge a stronger, united progressive and democratic movement for our country - one that aims to meet the needs of all citizens.

"Just as we did in that long hard summer of 1981.

"I believe that this can be done.

"The first hurdle we will face will be the re-run of the Lisbon Treaty.

"This was a bad treaty when it was first put to the electorate and it is still a bad treaty, negotiated by a bad government.

"Think about it: Would you buy a second hand treaty from this government?"

http://www.sinnfein.ie/contents/17162

Now tell me, was this a commemoration or a party political broadcast?

I don't think anyone can deny that this speech was party political with only the briefest of references to the subject of the commemoration.

[Donagh]

It doesn't matter if the members are SF are not - that is my point. The event was organised by the commeration committee not SF. There may have been SF members on that committee but like the PTAA rally, that doesn't make it a SF or party political event. Adams was central to the Hunger Strikes regardless of his position in SF. No GAA rules were breached and this thread is only pandering to the agendas of the McDonnell and McCausland.

Okay, so this wasn't a party political event and the SF members in attendance we're there as representatives of the party. How do you explain the content of Gerry's speech then?

Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams MP MLA [NOTE: Not attending as a 'community leader'] speaking at the National Hunger Strike Commemoration in Galbally, Co. Tyrone today said that Sinn Féin are not in the business of electoral politics for the sake of it but to bring about real change for the better in the lives of citizens.

Speaking about activism Mr Adams added:

"Activism for Irish republicans' means being firmly rooted and active in our local community; . . . and republican in our politics and motivation.

". . . our objectives are about a better Ireland, a reunited Ireland, a new inclusive society – and a new national Republic based on equality, freedom and justice."

In a strong attack on the Irish government Mr Adams said:

"The Irish government . . . is a bad government, taking bad decisions, in the interests of its money lender friends in the banks and among the developers.

"The decisions that have been taken so far and the decisions likely to emerge out of the McCarthy report and in the budget later this year, amount to an attack on the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in society.

"Instead of taxing the wealthy the Irish government is slashing public services and jobs and beating up on the unemployed, the elderly, the children and the sick."

Mr Adams said:

"The republican struggle was not and is not about bums on seats in the Executive or Parliament Buildings or Leinster House or the EU or any other forum just for the sake of it!

"Our representatives know this. They are about delivering. They are about using the political strength we have vested in them to deliver the rights and entitlements of citizens and to achieve our republican objectives.

"We are not in the business of electoral politics for the sake of it but to use the political mandate we receive to bring about real change for the better in the lives of citizens.

"Activism for Irish republicans means being firmly rooted and active in our local community; relevant in the work that we do; and republican in our politics and motivation.

"Republican politics are about the national and the social: the national and the local.

"In simple terms our objectives are about a better Ireland, a reunited Ireland, a new inclusive society – and a new national Republic based on equality, freedom and justice.

"There are a number of prongs to our activism and to our strategy.

"One is about bedding down the peace process.

"This means completing the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement; on the transfer of powers on policing and justice; on a Bill of Rights and on Acht na Gaeilge.

"It also means tackling disadvantage and poverty and injustice and delivering effective government.

"And it's also about reaching out to and engaging with unionism at all levels; community, church, political, the orange order, the working class and middle class.

"We who want a United Ireland must be prepared to persuade those who don't of the merits of our position.

"While all this is a huge challenge in many ways the work we do in the South is just as difficult.

"Since 1927 the politics of the southern state has been dominated by the two big conservative parties, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.

"The reality is that it is only in recent years that Sinn Féin has been able to seriously take on the task of building a long term political strategy in the south.

"It is a slow process but Republicans are about changing political conditions so that citizens are empowered to make their lives better, to reclaim their rights.

"The Irish government purports to be republican. There is nothing republican about its policies.

"It is not about equality or citizens rights.

"It is a bad government, taking bad decisions, in the interests of its money lender friends in the banks and among the developers.

"The decisions that have been taken so far and the decisions likely to emerge out of the McCarthy report and in the budget later this year, amount to an attack on the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in society.

"Instead of taxing the wealthy the Irish government is slashing public services and jobs and beating up on the unemployed, the elderly, the children and the sick.

"There is an urgent need to build opposition to the coalition government, and to the conservative forces in the state.

"They cannot be allowed to destroy the social fabric of Irish society.

"Our responsibility is to make republicanism relevant to our time by bringing forward commonsense and practical solutions to the chaos the conservative parties have caused.

"What is needed is a new politics delivering and implementing new policies that protect jobs, create new jobs, invest in public services and remove the threat of homelessness from tens of thousands of families.

"There are lots of potential allies out there. The prison protests in Armagh and the H Blocks brought together many people who disagreed on other issues.

"The hungerstrikes became a catalyst for a huge mass movement.

"In dire economic times, not dissimilar to today, prison candidates including Martin Hurson, received substantial votes and two prisoners were elected TDs.

"So while building Sinn Féin, we also have to help build an alliance for change.

"We have to come together with others to forge a stronger, united progressive and democratic movement for our country - one that aims to meet the needs of all citizens.

"Just as we did in that long hard summer of 1981.

"I believe that this can be done.

"The first hurdle we will face will be the re-run of the Lisbon Treaty.

"This was a bad treaty when it was first put to the electorate and it is still a bad treaty, negotiated by a bad government.

"Think about it: Would you buy a second hand treaty from this government?"

http://www.sinnfein.ie/contents/17162

Now tell me, was this a commemoration or a party political broadcast?

I don't think anyone can deny that this speech was party political with only the briefest of references to the subject of the commemoration.

Doesn't matter a f**k what Adams had to say, all politicians will take an opportunity if it's given to them. THe simple fact is that this event was not organised by SF and was not in breach of any rules. Neither btw were any of Hunger Strike exhibitions which were held in GAA halls up and down the country a couple of years ago or the event in Cavan which I previously mentioned. 

[DuffleKing]

Doesn't matter a f**k what Adams had to say, all politicians will take an opportunity if it's given to them. THe simple fact is that this event was not organised by SF and was not in breach of any rules. Neither btw were any of Hunger Strike exhibitions which were held in GAA halls up and down the country a couple of years ago or the event in Cavan which I previously mentioned.

In your opinion.

we'll see

[Maguire01]

Doesn't matter a f**k what Adams had to say, all politicians will take an opportunity if it's given to them. THe simple fact is that this event was not organised by SF and was not in breach of any rules.

Is this the infiltration that was alluded to a few pages back then? It wasn't organised or planned as a party political event, but was hijacked by party politics?

[Bud Wiser]

Maguire1, you would think that yourself and Duffle King were two Uighurs living in China the way ye are going on.  There was a commemeration of the hunger strikers in a field in Galbally and Gerry Adams said a few words which is about the size of it.   As it happens what Mr adams said is not far off the mark in that if the Hunger Strikers could see today the Ireland they were prepared to die for they would not be very happy with what we have and what we have came about as the direct result of greed by a few builders and bankers.  I have been to many commemerations of the Hunger Strike, I have been to see the play The Laughter of Our Children two times and on each occasion I have gone because I choose to go and on two occasions the play was held in a state funded facility.  The people that attended the event in Galbally choose to go and those selective pictures of the boys with the guns were not in fact a team of terrorists rounding up people and forcing them into the field.

[Donagh]

Last night while watching the last episode of 'The Wire' I noticed a Hunger Strikes poster hanging on the wall of a homeless shelter - looks like SF infiltrating the homeless community of Baltimore, USA. 

[lynchbhoy]

are you norman tebbit in disguise? if a territory is gerrymandered is it truly a democracy? you spout utter nonsense fella! you keep your tory love in there! i'd be angry if your weren't so obviously a tit.

Feck off will ya, there you go throwing around West Brit stuff, everyone knows that the Northern Ireland is a false entity that has no historical reference, except the ones it has created for itself since partition. Ulster would have made more sense, but the Brits knew that it might not take long for Nationalists to outvote Unionists. The Treaty had to happen because the British would have destroyed us all. The people knew the implications of voting for or against the Treaty, they voted for. The Good Friday Agreement was voted for North & South of the Border. Can people not accept that alot of people think what the Hunger Strikers did was Wrong, & many people can't stand Sinn Fein.

pray tell how you arrive at that little cracker ?

(ps - did you find out if all the hs were killers etc yet?)
FFS , you are yet another clueless fool without the info , yet feels like they can write with authority on the topic !