1981 remembered

[Myles Na G.]

Myles - re read the last chapter of main streets post you get the answer to your question quite clearly.

Thanks, but I wasn't aware that I'd asked a question. 

[mylestheslasher]

Myles - re read the last chapter of main streets post you get the answer to your question quite clearly.

Thanks, but I wasn't aware that I'd asked a question. 

OK Myles - Try this, The pointless ramble you went on in your last post was addressed in the last Chapter of Main Streets post.

[Myles Na G.]

Myles - re read the last chapter of main streets post you get the answer to your question quite clearly.

Thanks, but I wasn't aware that I'd asked a question. 

OK Myles - Try this, The pointless ramble you went on in your last post was addressed in the last Chapter of Main Streets post.

Ok Myles, try this - you're still wrong.

[glens abu]

 Great how they will always be remembered even in other countries.

This week Florence City Council voted to name a street after Bobby Sands who died on hunger strike in 1981 fighting for political status. There was a discussion and when it came to a vote 33 city councillors out of 34 voted in favour of the street naming and there was just one abstention.

There were three other streets newly named after Oriana Fallaci, a well-known journalist and writer from Florence; Ilaria Alpi, a brave young journalist killed in an ambush in Mogadishu, Somalia; and world-renowned Italian film director Mario Monicelli.

Irish republican supporters hope that the move will encourage other municipalities to act and honour Bobby Sands and his comrades in similar ways.

[Evil Genius]

Great how they will always be remembered even in other countries.

Some people have additional memories of 1981.

The morning after Bobby Sands's suicide, New Lodge milkman Eric Guiney, aged 45 from Rathcoole, had his milk float attacked by a mob of rioters. Eric's son Desmond, aged 14, was also in the milk float at the time, Mr. Guiney giving Desmond a lift to the bus stop when they were attacked by stone throwers at the junction of The New Lodge Road and Antrim Road. Mr. Guiney was hit on the head by a rock, causing the milk float to crash into a lamp post. The mob continued the attack, even as ambulance workers tried to rescue them from the wreckage.. They then set fire to the vehicle. Desmond died of his injuries three days later (8th May). His father was to die on 13th May, without knowing the fate of his son, since he never regained consciousness.

Some of those "commemorating" Sands's death might care to watch the following 4 minute video montage. Or maybe not.

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150308024585427

No Hierarchy of Victims, eh? 

[Nally Stand]

"whatabout........"

[ardal]

EG has a very valid point, I'm sure he could also include examples of RC victims of abuse during the same period if he wished.

What was Bobby sands convicted of and sentenced to?
Not sure but I think he may have been in a car with 4 or 5 others, there was perhaps one pistol. no fingerprints, but a life sentence?

[glens abu]

Yeah Ardel that auld bastard Thatcher has a lot to answer for.

[Evil Genius]

EG has a very valid point, I'm sure he could also include examples of RC victims of abuse during the same period if he wished.

I mentioned the Guineys because I was living in Belfast at the time and remember being disgusted that someone who (let's face it) had committed suicide was being venerated around the world etc, whilst two entirely innocent victims who died directly as a result of the violence inspired by Sands's death, would be forgotten within the week.

As for innocent RC victims, I could of course cite any number* of these, but there are two essential differences between their plight and those of the Hunger Strikers being commemorated in this thread. First, those poor innocents had no way of avoiding their fate, whereas the Suicides did. Second, those people did not choose to get involved in paramilitary organisations which inflicted untold terror upon others, unlike the (so-called) Loyalists of the UDA/UVF etc, or the Hunger Strikers of the IRA and INLA.


* - Though none that died the day after Sands's death.

What was Bobby sands convicted of and sentenced to?
Not sure but I think he may have been in a car with 4 or 5 others, there was perhaps one pistol. no fingerprints, but a life sentence?

Sands was first convicted of possession of firearms when he was found with some guns in a house which was raided by the Army. He was sentenced to five years, but only served half that time.
Within months of his release, he was again arrested, in the following circumstances.
The Provisionals bombed a furniture store in Dunmurry, but as they made their getaway, they were intercepted by the RUC. A gun battle ensued, in which two Provos were injured, but the rest of the gang managed to make their escape, leaving their two fallen comrades behind. Almost immediately afterwards, a car was stopped near the scene of the gun battle, with Sands being one of the four occupants. In the car was a pistol, which was later shown to have been fired at the RUC in the earlier confrontation.
Subsequently Sands was charged with involvement in the bombing and the gun battle, but not convicted, since it could not actually be proven* that he had actually taken part in them. However, he could not deny possession of a weapon, since he was "caught with a smoking gun" (literally) and so this time he was sentenced to 14 years for his second offence.

It is also worth mentioning that four years into his second sentence, Sands was chosen by the Provos to be their "Officer Commanding" [sic] in the Maze, in succession** to Brendan Hughes, who had started his own hunger strike. Which rather suggests that Sands was no mere "foot soldier" who just got caught up in events which were bigger than him etc, but was instead a committed and dedicated leader of what was arguably the most ruthless terrorist organisation in Europe in the second half of the 20th Century.


* - No Justice for an Irishman in a British Court, eh?

** - Incidentally, when Sands himself went on hunger strike, he chose for his  successor as "OC" the mass sectarian murderer Brendan "Bik" McFarlane (Google "Bayardo Bar Massacre").

[Forever Green]

Great how they will always be remembered even in other countries.

This week Florence City Council voted to name a street after Bobby Sands who died on hunger strike in 1981 fighting for political status. There was a discussion and when it came to a vote 33 city councillors out of 34 voted in favour of the street naming and there was just one abstention.

There were three other streets newly named after Oriana Fallaci, a well-known journalist and writer from Florence; Ilaria Alpi, a brave young journalist killed in an ambush in Mogadishu, Somalia; and world-renowned Italian film director Mario Monicelli.

Irish republican supporters hope that the move will encourage other municipalities to act and honour Bobby Sands and his comrades in similar ways.

Good to hear. Not only an inspiration to some of his fellow Irishmen but to people throughout the world

[sheamy]

but was instead a committed and dedicated leader of what was arguably the most ruthless terrorist organisation in Europe in the second half of the 20th Century.

and here was me thinking they handed OC titles out with raffle tickets...one man's blah blah blah is another man's...blah blah blah.

[Trout]

I see this is the shit the republicans are selling now, streets named after Bobbie Sands as some sort of achievement. I suppose you need to sell something, the war was lost, the Brits are still in charge, unification is not happening any time soon, Sinn Fein are administering Tory cuts. But there is a street in Eritrea named after Bobbie Sands so all is right with the world. Laughable.

[Evil Genius]

I see this is the shit the republicans are selling now, streets named after Bobbie Sands as some sort of achievement. I suppose you need to sell something, the war was lost, the Brits are still in charge, unification is not happening any time soon, Sinn Fein are administering Tory cuts. But there is a street in Eritrea named after Bobbie Sands so all is right with the world. Laughable.

Be fair, Trout, they also got some very tasteful souvenirs to remember them by, too, like this classic 25th Anniversary special from their good friends in Noraid:



(Yep, it's a Dinner plate. Who said the Yanks don't do irony...)

P.S. It's not just Eritrea, there's a Bobby Sands Street in Tehran, too. With a Burger Bar in it. And his picture.

[Rossfan]

Sands was no mere "foot soldier" who just got caught up in events which were bigger than him etc, but was instead a committed and dedicated leader of what was arguably the most ruthless terrorist organisation in Europe in the second half of the 20th Century.

I suggest the British Army or the many secret police forces of Eastern Europe would   be more worthy of that title.

[sheamy]

Give me a tacky burger joint over Britain's disgusting history in the middle east any day...