The Race for the ARAS.....

[sheamy]

Sums the whole thing up well...I hope the anti nordy brigade can read and understand.

After reading that I come away with 'phallic symbols and Miriam not being able to help herself'. Jesus, Freud would have a field day with me :-)

very good post or blog or whatever it is. I said before many pages back, only far less intelligently, that there was a collective and/or selective amnesia south of the border over the last 100 years which results in anger so typified by the media and political classes, and also results in the totally absurd state of mind to fall over themselves to welcome the head of a state who has butchered millions of people in recent years. Anyone who expressed any reservations was just backward or a republican lunatic. The mind is a wonderful thing indeed.

Perhaps it's all just the passing of time, I dunno, but the phenomena the author speaks of are there. It sums it up pretty well, I agree. Also worth noting that Freud also said that 'That the Irish are impervious to psycho analysis'. Picked that one up watching 'The Departed'. Great show.

[AQMP]

http://www.facebook.com/Martin4President?sk=app_196506863720166

Full footage of McGuinness' rally in Dublin tonight, MC'd by Colm Meaney. Another packed house.

I'm confused.  When did Robbie Savage come out for Martin McGuinness

[ballinaman]

Powerful article, Ulick 

'Tis that!

Great article.

[lynchbhoy]

(For the mentally-challenged, and Lynchbhoy, the moral of the story is that merely ceasing to kill people any more does not make one a 'Peacemaker')
* - I know, I know, it's like claiming that Gerry Adams had links to the IRA. Ridiculous, really...

jeez where did that come from !
nice to see that again you show your true worth - when you cant use your unionist/loyalist lying crap on the board to convince people with your sectarian bullsiht  - you resort to attempted insults .
As I hadnt engaged you in this 'debate' I am delighted to see that you my presence seems to preoccupy you !
Keep on running , soon enough all yer sectarian pals will be over with you in blighty (god help the poor English !!)

[bcarrier]

He paid back 19k. It's a non story.

Paying back the loan is NOT the issue. The issue is whether assets and goodwill were transferred to a new company undervalue in order to disenfranchise Louth Enterprise Board as a SHAREHOLDER. Hiding behind "his advisers" and  a possible non disclosure clause in the settlement only convince me that he has something to hide. There is a story there IMO.

[Declan]

Got this from a mate:

maybe gallagher is the biggest spoofer of all ...

he was inolved in one company and managed to get himself on the
dragons den ..as the big entrepeneur ..and that was in the housing
boom ..and his setup was  sponsored by the state and he had the
connections to do that ...

state employee and rory o hanlon employee before that ..

probably can not believe himself...a confidence man .......

[lynchbhoy]

Got this from a mate:
maybe gallagher is the biggest spoofer of all ...
he was inolved in one company and managed to get himself on the
dragons den ..as the big entrepeneur ..and that was in the housing
boom ..and his setup was  sponsored by the state and he had the
connections to do that ...
state employee and rory o hanlon employee before that ..
probably can not believe himself...a confidence man .......

well while not being the worst thing in the world, his company were wiring up houses but the problem was that it was all proprietary stuff- so if it couldnt connect to their wiring (even with transformers etc) it didnt work. The company at least last i heard had come a cropper not just due to the downturn, but because they were completely isolated by not having standard connectivity (eg Cat 5 or Cat 6).
Great idea, but lack of availability and lack of selection was always going to hamstring such a technical adventure.

Declan - before you say it - if he is a spoofer /confidence man - he's real FF stock !!!!

[Jim_Murphy_74]

ye really don't give a f**k about the Republic, the constant insults that are thrown at our state on here by 6 county folk is a disgrace.

Be fair, Mayo, this particular Nordie considers it his patriotic duty 

Still, it's nice to know that Wee Marty's intervention in the Election has contributed so much towards uniting Irishmen and women everywhere 

Of course even the Shinners on here spent the week prior to Martin's nomination discussing (as their party did) about Sinn Féin's electoral strategy to "shore up" support. 

Such high brow contributions as uniting people, or even affording the office respect came after the event.

/Jim.

[Declan]

These letter give a fair window into the discussions around wee Marty I think

Sir, – It is distressing to think that so many of our electorate would even consider electing a member of the Sinn Féin party to the highest office in the land, and commander of our Army, given that it is only very recently they begrudgingly stated that, and I quote, "The killing of Garda Jerry McCabe, [not the murder], was wrong". This organisation has through its other senior members over the years refused to condemn the murders of our Garda, Army and civilians.

It's a frightening proposition that Martin McGuinness might be head of our country and Army and to date we have been unable to extract a full CV from him.

Throughout the 1970s, I, as a member of An Garda Síochána and based on the Derry border, pursued Mr McGuinness, who was known as the leader of the IRA in Derry. Under his control terrible atrocities were committed.

Events at the time that spring to mind are the bombing of Bellaghy village in Co Derry, the killing and maiming scores of people and the murder with a magnum revolver of two RUC members, one a Catholic and the other a Protestant, at a family celebration in front of their children.

Mr McGuinness is being very disingenuous with the people of Ireland, but of course this is nothing new.

We must, even at this late stage, ask him to fill in the large gaps in his CV for the post applied for. – Yours, etc,

MATTHEW A FARRELL,

Clonskeagh Road, Dublin 6.


A chara, – I refer to David Kelly's letter regarding the regrettable death of his father as a member of the Permanent Defence Forces (PDF) in 1983, allegedly at the hands of an Irish Republican Army (IRA) unit, and his contention that Mr McGuinness, as a supposed member of a presumed IRA army council, is somehow aware of the identity of those involved.

As a member of the PDF from 1977 to 1980, I recall coverage of the incident in the media, and being as saddened as much as anyone else at the loss of such life. Alas, membership of all armies or defence forces is a peculiarly hazardous occupation, as I recall being reminded often enough before pay parades on Friday mornings.

While the loss of all life is profoundly disturbing and distressing, the use of such death for electoral advantage is more pernicious and insidious.

In the interests of justice and fair play, perhaps Mr Kelly could tell the electorate of this State, (which is about to elect the commander-in-chief of the Defence Forces), if he knowingly or unknowingly is allowing his father's death to be used for anyone's political gain? Citizens have a right to character and reputation. Courts of criminal justice are the appropriate fora for prosecuting alleged offences.

Accused are entitled to a presumption of innocence until proven guilty.

Burden of proof in a criminal trial is beyond all reasonable doubt. In some sections of the media one is guilty by suspicion – until proven innocent, particularly if a working-class lad from Derry with ideas above his station.

Given the concerted campaign against a McGuinness presidency in almost the entire Southern media, and the highly subjective journalism readers are consistently exposed to, I wouldn't be optimistic about having this letter published anytime soon, or confident that all candidates are enjoying equal opportunities. – Is mise,

CIARAN MAC AODHA-O CINNEIDE MA (ex-MP Cpl),

Bothar Brid Teampaillchriost

Baile Átha Cliath 8.

[cicfada]

Genuine question here for those who supported the "armed struggle"! Could it not be argued that the fight against the  Crown forces from 1919 to 1922 was supported by the majority of people ? But the IRA of 1969 onwards did not have the support of the majority of Nationalists in the North never mind the majority of Irish people?? I mean it is only since there has been a permanency  to the end of the conflict that  Sinn Fein have  become the largest Nationalist party hasn't it??

[Ulick]

Of course even the Shinners on here spent the week prior to Martin's nomination discussing (as their party did) about Sinn Féin's electoral strategy to "shore up" support. 

Such high brow contributions as uniting people, or even affording the office respect came after the event.

/Jim.

That's nonsense Jim, but then why let the truth get in the way of an oul winge eh?

For those who want to check for themselves if Jim is being truthful or on a flight of fancy, the posts for the week before McGuinness's nomination starts here:
http://gaaboard.com/board/index.php?topic=19419.135

[Ulick]

Genuine question here for those who supported the "armed struggle"! Could it not be argued that the fight against the  Crown forces from 1919 to 1922 was supported by the majority of people ? But the IRA of 1969 onwards did not have the support of the majority of Nationalists in the North never mind the majority of Irish people?? I mean it is only since there has been a permanency  to the end of the conflict that  Sinn Fein have  become the largest Nationalist party hasn't it??

Don't want to act as thread police cicfada, but this thread is picking up that much steam it's difficult to following everything. Maybe you should consider starting another thread for your historical debate and leave this one for the election?

[sheamy]

Genuine question here for those who supported the "armed struggle"! Could it not be argued that the fight against the  Crown forces from 1919 to 1922 was supported by the majority of people ? But the IRA of 1969 onwards did not have the support of the majority of Nationalists in the North never mind the majority of Irish people?? I mean it is only since there has been a permanency  to the end of the conflict that  Sinn Fein have  become the largest Nationalist party hasn't it??

What metric are you using to support that claim?

Over 100,000 people attended the funeral of Bobby Sands in 1981. He received over 30,000 votes a few months previous in a Westminster election. There was no serious political party representative of republicanism. Indeed, it was these very events that showed republicans how much support they actually had and led directly to the rise and rise of SF.

This is another myth trotted out in the Dublin media. The one that begins with 'John Hume didn't join the IRA'. This from the same people who completely demonised John Hume in the early 80's for talking with republicans.

The latest version, as used by Grey Mitchel on Prime Time the other night, of this is 'Dana grew up in Derry and didn't join the IRA'. 

[cicfada]

Genuine question here for those who supported the "armed struggle"! Could it not be argued that the fight against the  Crown forces from 1919 to 1922 was supported by the majority of people ? But the IRA of 1969 onwards did not have the support of the majority of Nationalists in the North never mind the majority of Irish people?? I mean it is only since there has been a permanency  to the end of the conflict that  Sinn Fein have  become the largest Nationalist party hasn't it??

Don't want to act as thread police cicfada, but this thread is picking up that much steam it's difficult to following everything. Maybe you should consider starting another thread for your historical debate and leave this one for the election?

fair enough  I will leave it off for now! I suppose there is enough craic going on  in the election itself  to keep us entertained here!

[lynchbhoy]

These letter give a fair window into the discussions around wee Marty I think

Sir, – It is distressing to think that so many of our electorate would even consider electing a member of the Sinn Féin party to the highest office in the land, and commander of our Army, given that it is only very recently they begrudgingly stated that, and I quote, "The killing of Garda Jerry McCabe, [not the murder], was wrong". This organisation has through its other senior members over the years refused to condemn the murders of our Garda, Army and civilians.
on Friday mornings.
etc
etc

yes Dec, I'd say these are indicative of what a lot of people think of McGuinness etc.
What gets me though is that they still blame sf for what the IRA did.
Thats comparing Dominic McGlinchey to mary lou.
I can say now that there is no way that mary lou and the majority of modern day shinners are any closer to the IRA than some of the blueshirt boyos on here.

cicfada - I would have thought given the observance of 1916 rising (and the abuse metted out to the rebels from Dublins citizens and throughout Ireland) that there was feck all support for republicans or IRA in 1916 - 1922.
People got dragged into a war by accident/necessity at the time.
But yes this is another topic.