peace and reconcilation at the maze

[Nally Stand]

Some of ye Nordies just refuse to budge an inch from your own thick prejudices and appear to just love spouting it out loud.
The Maze is a place of history, there's a story to be told, one of the biggest stories in modern Irish history.
The EU is providing a grant to build a centre where the story can be told. What's there to be afraid of?

Are you afraid that people might gain a perspective about history that's different to your? Are you afraid that the story told about that history, be different from how you would tell it? 
Actually, do have anything sensible at all to say on the matter?

AFAIA there will not be a booth in the corner somewhere for a 'creationist' account of events.

The place should be bulldozed and forgotten about.  Nothing to do with people with different perspectives etc.

Why? Whether you like it or not it's a site of huge significance in Irish history.

Because it is a reminder of miserable times which should be forgotten about and consigned to history.

So your model is that the past should "be forgotten" and that we should say no way to something which would in all likelihood become one of the biggest attractions for tourists in Ireland? Should Robben Island be flattened? What about Auschwitz? They just "reminders of miserable times which should be forgotten about" too?

[michaelg]

Some of ye Nordies just refuse to budge an inch from your own thick prejudices and appear to just love spouting it out loud.
The Maze is a place of history, there's a story to be told, one of the biggest stories in modern Irish history.
The EU is providing a grant to build a centre where the story can be told. What's there to be afraid of?

Are you afraid that people might gain a perspective about history that's different to your? Are you afraid that the story told about that history, be different from how you would tell it? 
Actually, do have anything sensible at all to say on the matter?

AFAIA there will not be a booth in the corner somewhere for a 'creationist' account of events.

The place should be bulldozed and forgotten about.  Nothing to do with people with different perspectives etc.

Why? Whether you like it or not it's a site of huge significance in Irish history.

Because it is a reminder of miserable times which should be forgotten about and consigned to history.

So your model is that the past should "be forgotten" and that we should say no way to something which would in all likelihood become one of the biggest attractions for tourists in Ireland? Should Robben Island be flattened? What about Auschwitz? They just "reminders of miserable times which should be forgotten about" too?

It's just my opinion.  Perhaps "not dwelt on" is more appropriate than "be forgotten".  I live here, so to be honest, I am not that bothered about its appeal as tourist attraction. 

[Eamonnca1]

People from San Francisco have never visited Alcatraz. Doesn't stop hundreds of tourists from passing through it every day.

Plenty of New Yorkers have never been up the Statue of Liberty or the Empire State Building.

I think you'll find that tourist attractions are usually aimed at tourists, not the locals.

[dillinger]

Who is going to do the tour guides?

You would need to have two doing it at the same time, one a Republican Historian and the other a Loyalist Historian.

Fairs fair.

[Eamonnca1]

Audio tours solve that problem.

[brokencrossbar1]

Who is going to do the tour guides?

You would need to have two doing it at the same time, one a Republican Historian and the other a Loyalist Historian.

Fairs fair.

There would be some wrangling over what's in and what's out!!!  The story of the Maze is something which is currently being developed outside of the whole prison site.  There are many stories that will be told and not just about prisoners or prison officers.  People who lived in the Maze have important stories to tell.  Whether unionists/loyalists like it the best way to deal with the past is to look it straight in the eye and accept it happened, and not only did it happen but it happened differently for some people than from others.  The past cannot be changed but there is great learning to be gained from looking to it, analysing it and learning the lessons from it and not just brushing the whole lot under the mat in front of the fire. 

[Nally Stand]

Audio tours solve that problem.

Couldn't fault the guide we had - just someone who told the details of the place, told a few stories from both sides, and as far as the hospital cells where the Hunger Strikers died, we were just given the facts as to which of the men died in each one of the handful of cells and were told a few details about the routine of the hospital block etc.

[armaghniac]

You could put one audio guide in each ear and get alternative tours

The prison service is aa sat for makkan Norlin Airlan saufer fur the haill commontie..........

The imperialist screws oppressed the freedom fighters at every opportunity........

[lawnseed]

Audio tours solve that problem.

Couldn't fault the guide we had - just someone who told the details of the place, told a few stories from both sides, and as far as the hospital cells where the Hunger Strikers died, we were just given the facts as to which of the men died in each one of the handful of cells and were told a few details about the routine of the hospital block etc.

i'd be interested in that tour nally. how'd you get on it?

[Nally Stand]

Audio tours solve that problem.

Couldn't fault the guide we had - just someone who told the details of the place, told a few stories from both sides, and as far as the hospital cells where the Hunger Strikers died, we were just given the facts as to which of the men died in each one of the handful of cells and were told a few details about the routine of the hospital block etc.

i'd be interested in that tour nally. how'd you get on it?

As part of the consultation period, different groups could apply to see around the site. I don't think it's still operating on that basis anymore. I suspect there are no more tours at the minute, not sure though.

[lawnseed]

Audio tours solve that problem.

Couldn't fault the guide we had - just someone who told the details of the place, told a few stories from both sides, and as far as the hospital cells where the Hunger Strikers died, we were just given the facts as to which of the men died in each one of the handful of cells and were told a few details about the routine of the hospital block etc.

i'd be interested in that tour nally. how'd you get on it?

As part of the consultation period, different groups could apply to see around the site. I don't think it's still operating on that basis anymore. I suspect there are no more tours at the minute, not sure though.

ive been to dachau and robben. robben wasnt great. armagh jail is one creepy hole, the last prisioner hanged there was a forteen year old kid. its in the process of being turned into a hotel i'll give it a miss

[Eamonnca1]

Isn't Colditz a hotel now?

[Nally Stand]

Only done Long Kesh, Crumlin Rd and Kilmainham myself. Each interesting for their own reasons.

[Tony Baloney]

Audio tours solve that problem.

Couldn't fault the guide we had - just someone who told the details of the place, told a few stories from both sides, and as far as the hospital cells where the Hunger Strikers died, we were just given the facts as to which of the men died in each one of the handful of cells and were told a few details about the routine of the hospital block etc.

i'd be interested in that tour nally. how'd you get on it?

As part of the consultation period, different groups could apply to see around the site. I don't think it's still operating on that basis anymore. I suspect there are no more tours at the minute, not sure though.

ive been to dachau and robben. robben wasnt great. armagh jail is one creepy hole, the last prisioner hanged there was a forteen year old kid. its in the process of being turned into a hotel i'll give it a miss

Took the wains round Armagh jail last year on one of those European Heritage open days. Must have been torture being locked up there able to hear ones on the Mall and coming and coming from pubs etc.

[lawnseed]

Isn't Colditz a hotel now?

i think your right amy. in armagh theres a handrail that runs around to landing of the second floor. in it theres a hinged part that they opened, the noose was attached to the ceiling above and you were simply pushed off the landing infront of the entire prisioners and witnesses some spot to spend the night