BBC V RTE on croke park opening

[Hardy]

And what does a BRrit army helicopter in Crossmaglen have to do with rugby in Croke Park? Which members of the Irish or French rugby teams were in the helicopter? When is the British Army coming to Croke Park again? I think your justified gripe is with the British army, not the English rugby team. You're confusing the British 'Empire' with British sportsmen. For all you know all the members of the English team could be pro a 32-county united Ireland. And what about the Welsh and Scottish teams? Are they more acceptable?

I think the BBC went way beyond what anybody in this country would have expected of them in presenting the historical background in a very unflattering light from the British point of view. "Innocent crowd"; "British" auxiliaries; footage of civilians and kids wounded by British soldiers. To suggest that this is a pro-British presentation of the history is self-pitying, cringing shite.

I'm well aware of the subtleties of British propaganda and the BBC's historical role in it. This wasn't that. In contrast, it could be seen to be part of a pro-peace-process propaganda offensive, revising the traditional British version of the narrative, which would certainly not have shown Irish civilians wounded by Brit troops, nor called them innocent.

(GBB, the piece I'm referring to was a filmed piece, presented by Doyle, introduced by Inverdale as anchor. There must have been a separate piece by Inverdale. I haven't yet seen all the tape.).

[Hound]

I thought the BBC did a very good job.

The only thing I didnt like was the GAA clips they selected!

In one, Mikey Sheehy was through on goal, side-stepped the keeper and when faced with an empty net, hit the bladdy ball wide!
And another showing Kevin Moran first juggling the ball like its on fire, then toe-tapping the ball about 9 foot into the air!

[An Gaeilgoir]

have to agree with lawnseed completely. cant help but notice that some of the board members are a bit like the bbc, happy enough to put a nice wee gloss on it. eamonn dunphy was on tv the other night, his grand father was there on bloddy sunday and it was obvious the effect the stories his grandfather told had on him. perhaps if some of you had to run from crossmaglen pitch aged 14 because an army helicopter wanted to land you might take a different attitude. its part of history, dont forget the true meaning, despite the efforts of the bbc.

With all due respect that is part of your history,not part of the history of most people growing up in the south. It doesnt make our opinions any less that yours.

[paddypastit]

Well said Gaeilgoir - Will you dinasaours even disappear and let the rest of us get on with life and enjoy it.  God ye must be so miserable carrying around these deep rooted long held grudges.

[Gnevin]

I have to agree i found the BBC coverage allot better than the RTE coverage who just worked on the assumion , sure its croke park everyone knows the history .

[OirthearMhaigheo]

I think a little bit of perspective is needed before we go bashing our Northern brothers. we haven't lived in such a hostile atmosphere in the south, we grew up with things alot simpler and safer down here, as a result making it alot easier to "move on". Yes we should try and move on and look to the future, but I don't think we're in a place to lecture people who have witnessed first-hand some of the atrocities described earlier in Sth Armagh.

[Billys Boots]

I don't think we're in a place to lecture people who have witnessed first-hand some of the atrocities described earlier in Sth Armagh

Fine.  But I won't be lectured to on my 'Irishness' either, or told what my opinion should be.

[realredhandfan]

I thought RTE possibly patronised inadvertently the GAA, whilst BBC told it unemotionally and factually, as it was so to speak.  No more than that can be asked from the BBC.

[Kerry Mike]

The PSNI must have been reading the board today....


Historic Armagh watchtower demolished
   
  15:55 Tuesday February 13th 2007
   
Another milestone in Northern Ireland's search for normality was reached today when the last Army watchtower in south Armagh was demolished.
The observation post has towered above the police station in Crossmaglen village square for 15 years - built to stand guard over police officers and soldiers who could only travel in and out of the base by helicopter - and once there live in bomb proof underground bunkers.

Soon the soldiers themselves will be gone for good. Their numbers have already been reduced and their accommodation block removed. The last soldiers will be withdrawn from Crossmaglen by March 31.

Locals stood and watched as a large crane lifted the bullet and missile proof sangar from the top of the watchtower.

As a sign of changed times police officers walked freely among the crowds - albeit like all in Northern Ireland, still armed.

Local police commander Chief Superintendent Bobby Hunniford said the removal of the watchtower was ``a significant step as part of the ongoing normalisation process.''

The Police Service of Northern Ireland was, he said, committed to delivering an effective service to the border area and were already patrolling without military support, using cars not armoured vehicles, and also mounting beat patrols.

The symbolic demolition came just two weeks after Sinn Fein made the historic decision to support the police and the rule of law.

[passedit]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBLG5hlVhdE

[Hardy]

I checked and Star Spangler, etc. were right – there's another reference to Bloody Sunday in the programme and this time it refers to the murder of British agents.

Inverdale opens the programme standing in Croke Park – music, scenes of gaelic games, etc. It then cuts to him standing on Hill 16. This is the relevant part of what he says:

"You can't over-emphasise the significance of today to the Irish nation. This whole stadium symbolises the struggle for Irish independence from British rule. This absolutely vast terracing is called Hill 16, originally built from the rubble of the Easter rising in 1916.

"And it was here at Croke Park that fourteen people died when British troops, in retaliation for the murder of a dozen of their own agents, opened fire at the All-Ireland Final (sic) in 1920."

This commentary runs over the footage of civilians in hospital.

Hardly a justification of the killings in Croke Park, though.

[never kickt a ball]

Was it not Craig Doyle Hardy?

[Hardy]

Sorry - not making it clear. The Inverdale piece I refer to in my last post was part of the introduction to the programme - a kind of scene-set. We then go to studio, where Keith Wood gets to expand on the significance of the day to Irish people. Then Inverdale says "I think it's time for a history lesson" and we go to the Craig Doyle piece, which is more detailed than Inverdale's introductory piece and contains the reference to Bloody Sunday I quoted in my post yesaterday.

[never kickt a ball]

Sorry - not making it clear. The Inverdale piece I refer to in my last post was part of the introduction to the programme - a kind of scene-set. We then go to studio, where Keith Wood gets to expand on the significance of the day to Irish people. Then Inverdale says "I think it's time for a history lesson" and we go to the Craig Doyle piece, which is more detailed than Inverdale's introductory piece and contains the reference to Bloody Sunday I quoted in my post yesaterday.

Got you now Hardy

[saffron sam2]

I thought the BBC did a very good job.

The only thing I didnt like was the GAA clips they selected!

In one, Mikey Sheehy was through on goal, side-stepped the keeper and when faced with an empty net, hit the bladdy ball wide!
And another showing Kevin Moran first juggling the ball like its on fire, then toe-tapping the ball about 9 foot into the air!

The reason why they showed the Mikey Sheehy clip was because he was put through on goal by Mick Galwey, the only player to win an All-Ireland senior football medal ant to play senior international rugby for Ireland - the clip was about Galwey not Sheehy or indeed Gaelic football in general.

The Moran one could have been better, but again it was the player rather than Gaelic football who was being highlighted.