fer fecks sake.. MING!!!??

[Billys Boots]

it beggars belief that a SF apologist would have an issue with being represented by a criminal.

Since when is 'a criminal' 'criminals'?  Even in Nally Stand-world?

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

What exactly are you blaming on SF or the IRA in the 60s/70s/80s/90s/00s?

I for one would love an answer to hardstations question

Nally, this seems to give the impression that there are a few people in doubht.

O scratch Omagh, apologies, but its a shame I couldn't scratch the rest from the record isn't it 

[Nally Stand]

What exactly are you blaming on SF or the IRA in the 60s/70s/80s/90s/00s?

I for one would love an answer to hardstations question

Nally, this seems to give the impression that there are a few people in doubht.

O scratch Omagh, apologies, but its a shame I couldn't scratch the rest from the record isn't it 

Could you reply to my full post instead of just a few bits of it? Good man.

Chiefly: WHO claimed the IRA never did anything wrong?

And: If you are so vocally opposed to the IRA, can I therefor assume you are similarly opposed to the IRA of the early 20th Century? (They did after all fight for the same ideals, and did both carry out certain wrong acts (robberies, disappearings, sectarian killings)?

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/weekend/2010/0626/1224273343794.html

I see common ground between Luke and the new government on Health Care reform. He also is right that Bord na Mona is a bigger threat to Irish raised bogs than traditional bog cutting, where the bog fauna grows back every year.

From Ming the Merciless to Ming the Mayor
Mayor Ming: Cllr Luke Flanagan of Castlerea.Photograph: Mick McCormackIn this section »


Roscommon councillors will make Luke 'Ming the Merciless' Flanagan mayor of the county on a platform of health reform rather than his usual campaign to legalise cannabis

HE HAS BEEN described as a shaven-headed Charles Stewart Parnell and the epitome of persistence, and on Monday he will become mayor of his native county (in effect, Cathaoirleach of Roscommon County Council). "Barring hiccups, of course – you know anything can happen in politics," says Luke "Ming the Merciless" Flanagan.

And the independent Roscommon councillor, who is best known for his shaven head, beard and sideburns, and his Flash Gordon comic-strip character middle name, has already ensured that anything can happen during his 13-year political career in the west.

Written off many times as a Monster Raving Loony Party-style eccentric, Flanagan has a commitment to social justice extending beyond his long-running campaign to legalise cannabis.

As he points out, it was a health issue that led to the effort to elect him Roscommon town's first citizen. An alliance of Fine Gael, Sinn Féin and independent councillors vehemently opposes the downgrading of Roscommon County Hospital. "Fianna Fáil has had the rug pulled from under them on this one," Flanagan says. A pact agreed by the alliance means he should hold the mayoral chain this year, with Fine Gael taking it for the next three.

Flanagan freely admits that "personal experience" provides much of his political focus. When his late mother, Lily, was diagnosed with cancer he had a taste of the health services – and didn't like what he saw. "At the same time, my father-in-law would not be alive today if it wasn't for the treatment he got in Roscommon," he adds.

In 1997 his experience with the law drove him to run in the general election, on a ticket urging the legalisation of cannabis and as a protest candidate against his landlord, Fianna Fáil TD Frank Fahey. Flanagan got 548 votes.

Early in 1998 he presented himself at Mill Street Garda Station in Galway, having been convicted for possessing cannabis and having refused to pay the £150 fine. To his chagrin he learned his father, Luke, had paid the fine. "My mother put him up to it," Flanagan says, remembering his mother's quote in this newspaper that "I wouldn't like my son to go to prison." His father was dubbed Ming the Merciful from then on.

Luke jnr had his way later that year, however, when he served nine days of a 15-day sentence in Loughan House open prison, in Co Cavan, for refusing to pay a fine imposed for breach of the Litter Pollution Act.

He ran in the 1999 European elections, polling a respectable 5,000 votes in Connacht-Ulster, and in 2001 he made headlines again when he sent 200 cannabis cigarettes to members of the Oireachtas, as part of his campaign to legalise cannabis.

In the 2004 local elections he topped the poll in Roscommon, and was re-elected on the first count last June.

Now the father of two children,aged five and seven, he has spoken out about the influence of the drinks lobby, about cuts to a teenage health initiative in his area and, most recently, about the rights of turf-cutters affected by the EU-led ban on harvesting in 32 raised bogs.

Again, this is an issue that touches him personally. "My grand-uncle Harry Fleming cut the same area of bog for 67 years, and my father after him, and now me," he said. "When we didn't have much money at home it was the turf that my father took in on his Ferguson tractor that kept us in clothes and insured the Hillman Hunter." He believes that if the EU and the Minister for the Environment, John Gormley, are interested in protecting raised bogs, they would first "repair the damage done by Bord na Móna".

Flanagan intends to run for the Dáil again, and, like his comic-book hero, he doesn't give up easily. "And watch out for my T-shirt at the Connacht senior final," he says. "It's something to do with Nama."

[deiseach]

His father was dubbed Ming the Merciful from then on.

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

What exactly are you blaming on SF or the IRA in the 60s/70s/80s/90s/00s?

I for one would love an answer to hardstations question

Nally, this seems to give the impression that there are a few people in doubht.

O scratch Omagh, apologies, but its a shame I couldn't scratch the rest from the record isn't it 

Could you reply to my full post instead of just a few bits of it? Good man.

Chiefly: WHO claimed the IRA never did anything wrong?

And: If you are so vocally opposed to the IRA, can I therefor assume you are similarly opposed to the IRA of the early 20th Century? (They did after all fight for the same ideals, and did both carry out certain wrong acts (robberies, disappearings, sectarian killings)?

ffs sake read the posts I have quoted, its clear that some people do not think it is bloody obvious that they did alot of evil stuff. By the way this is a thread about Luke Ming Flanagan, are SF that narcissistic?

[Nally Stand]

it beggars belief that a SF apologist would have an issue with being represented by a criminal.

Since when is 'a criminal' 'criminals'?  Even in Nally Stand-world?

Jaysus keep squirming...

So if you are shocked that "a SF apologist would have an issue with being represented by a criminal" does that not suggest that all SF voters support criminals? If you meant one SF criminal individual, would you not then say that it shocks youu that "an apologist for a certain SF member would have an issue with being represented by a criminal?"

Jaysus man, if you want to call SF criminals, then tear away, but don't start denying that its what you meant. Have the courage of your convictions or else admit you were simply spouting sh1te that you don't actually believe to be true when you stated :

it beggars belief that a SF apologist would have an issue with being represented by a criminal.

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

His father was dubbed Ming the Merciful from then on.

+1

[Nally Stand]

What exactly are you blaming on SF or the IRA in the 60s/70s/80s/90s/00s?

I for one would love an answer to hardstations question

Nally, this seems to give the impression that there are a few people in doubht.

O scratch Omagh, apologies, but its a shame I couldn't scratch the rest from the record isn't it 

Could you reply to my full post instead of just a few bits of it? Good man.

Chiefly: WHO claimed the IRA never did anything wrong?

And: If you are so vocally opposed to the IRA, can I therefor assume you are similarly opposed to the IRA of the early 20th Century? (They did after all fight for the same ideals, and did both carry out certain wrong acts (robberies, disappearings, sectarian killings)?

For ffs sake read the posts I have quoted, its clear that some people do not think it is bloody obvious that they did alot of evil stuff. By the way this is a thread about Luke Ming Flanagan, are SF that narcissistic?

You seemed happy enough to talk about SF up until now. Is it only a problem when I ask you questions you can't answer?

You'd make some politician. Masterful avoiding of the question. Let's try for a specific set of answers this time though:
1. You stated that there were people here who were "apparantly denying that the IRA or Sinn Féin have done anything wrong in the last 4 or 5 decades". Just tell me then, WHO claimed the IRA never did anything wrong? Just give me a name or wuote to back it up, it's all I ask.

2. If you are so vocally opposed to the IRA, can I therefor assume you are similarly opposed to the IRA of the early 20th Century? (They did after all fight for the same ideals, and did both carry out certain wrong acts (robberies, disappearings, sectarian killings)?

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

What exactly are you blaming on SF or the IRA in the 60s/70s/80s/90s/00s?

I for one would love an answer to hardstations question

Nally, this seems to give the impression that there are a few people in doubht.

O scratch Omagh, apologies, but its a shame I couldn't scratch the rest from the record isn't it 

Could you reply to my full post instead of just a few bits of it? Good man.

Chiefly: WHO claimed the IRA never did anything wrong?

And: If you are so vocally opposed to the IRA, can I therefor assume you are similarly opposed to the IRA of the early 20th Century? (They did after all fight for the same ideals, and did both carry out certain wrong acts (robberies, disappearings, sectarian killings)?

For ffs sake read the posts I have quoted, its clear that some people do not think it is bloody obvious that they did alot of evil stuff. By the way this is a thread about Luke Ming Flanagan, are SF that narcissistic?

You seemed happy enough to talk about SF up until now. Is it only a problem when I ask you questions you can't answer?

You'd make some politician. Masterful avoiding of the question. Let's try for a specific set of answers this time though:
1. You stated that "people apparantly denying that the IRA or Sinn Féin have done anything wrong in the last 4 or 5 decades". Just tell me then, WHO claimed the IRA never did anything wrong? Just give me a name or wuote to back it up, it's all I ask.

2. If you are so vocally opposed to the IRA, can I therefor assume you are similarly opposed to the IRA of the early 20th Century? (They did after all fight for the same ideals, and did both carry out certain wrong acts (robberies, disappearings, sectarian killings)?

1. Are you blind look at my previous quotes. Read the entire thread carefully again.

2. My points about the IRA & Sinn Féin were in reference to the constant references to the Blueshirts and Free Staters.

Its also a shame that a certain party were taking rival election posters down during the GE, still struggling with democracy it seems.

Back to Ming.

[Nally Stand]

What exactly are you blaming on SF or the IRA in the 60s/70s/80s/90s/00s?

I for one would love an answer to hardstations question

Nally, this seems to give the impression that there are a few people in doubht.

O scratch Omagh, apologies, but its a shame I couldn't scratch the rest from the record isn't it 

Could you reply to my full post instead of just a few bits of it? Good man.

Chiefly: WHO claimed the IRA never did anything wrong?

And: If you are so vocally opposed to the IRA, can I therefor assume you are similarly opposed to the IRA of the early 20th Century? (They did after all fight for the same ideals, and did both carry out certain wrong acts (robberies, disappearings, sectarian killings)?

For ffs sake read the posts I have quoted, its clear that some people do not think it is bloody obvious that they did alot of evil stuff. By the way this is a thread about Luke Ming Flanagan, are SF that narcissistic?

You seemed happy enough to talk about SF up until now. Is it only a problem when I ask you questions you can't answer?

You'd make some politician. Masterful avoiding of the question. Let's try for a specific set of answers this time though:
1. You stated that "people apparantly denying that the IRA or Sinn Féin have done anything wrong in the last 4 or 5 decades". Just tell me then, WHO claimed the IRA never did anything wrong? Just give me a name or wuote to back it up, it's all I ask.

2. If you are so vocally opposed to the IRA, can I therefor assume you are similarly opposed to the IRA of the early 20th Century? (They did after all fight for the same ideals, and did both carry out certain wrong acts (robberies, disappearings, sectarian killings)?

1. Are you blind look at my previous quotes. Read the entire thread carefully again.

2. My points about the IRA & Sinn Féin were in reference to the constant references to the Blueshirts and Free Staters.

Its also a shame that a certain party were taking rival election posters down during the GE, still struggling with democracy it seems.

Back to Ming.

Mayo, just for the sake of putting the issue to bed, give me one specific answer to each specific question because you have repeatedly avoided answering both specifically. I'm not asking much of you there.

1. You stated that there were "people apparantly denying that the IRA or Sinn Féin have done anything wrong in the last 4 or 5 decades".
WHO claimed the IRA never did anything wrong? Just give me a name or quote to back it up, it's all I ask.

2. If you are so vocally opposed to the IRA, can I therefor assume you are similarly opposed to the IRA of the early 20th Century? (They did after all fight for the same ideals, and did both carry out certain wrong acts (robberies, disappearings, sectarian killings)?

[magpie seanie]

I think someone needs to lock this thread and let it float off into the ether...

[deiseach]

2. If you are so vocally opposed to the IRA, can I therefor assume you are similarly opposed to the IRA of the early 20th Century? (They did after all fight for the same ideals, and did both carry out certain wrong acts (robberies, disappearings, sectarian killings)?

Anogther old chestnut, although one I have a lot of sympathy with. I can understand the fury of Nationalist up North throughout the Troubles at being lectured by southern politicians about murder and terror against the Brits from the security of the land carved out by murder and terror against the Brits. However, I can easily distinguish between the legitimacy of waging a campaign against RIC men and waging a campaign against the Guards. That, if nothing else, represents a big difference between the two

[Nally Stand]

2. If you are so vocally opposed to the IRA, can I therefor assume you are similarly opposed to the IRA of the early 20th Century? (They did after all fight for the same ideals, and did both carry out certain wrong acts (robberies, disappearings, sectarian killings)?

Anogther old chestnut, although one I have a lot of sympathy with. I can understand the fury of Nationalist up North throughout the Troubles at being lectured by southern politicians about murder and terror against the Brits from the security of the land carved out by murder and terror against the Brits. However, I can easily distinguish between the legitimacy of waging a campaign against RIC men and waging a campaign against the Guards. That, if nothing else, represents a big difference between the two

The IRA waged a campaign against the guards?

[Banana Man]

2. If you are so vocally opposed to the IRA, can I therefor assume you are similarly opposed to the IRA of the early 20th Century? (They did after all fight for the same ideals, and did both carry out certain wrong acts (robberies, disappearings, sectarian killings)?

Anogther old chestnut, although one I have a lot of sympathy with. I can understand the fury of Nationalist up North throughout the Troubles at being lectured by southern politicians about murder and terror against the Brits from the security of the land carved out by murder and terror against the Brits. However, I can easily distinguish between the legitimacy of waging a campaign against RIC men and waging a campaign against the Guards. That, if nothing else, represents a big difference between the two

you were actually going well there until the bit in bold lad