Nelson Mandela RIP

[J70]

That **** frasier making a real p***k of himself (i know its not hard) on the protestant coalition site in relation to mandela, that bollocks will never grow up

You should check out some of the right wing sites in the states - rejoicing in Mandela's death and having nothing whatsoever to say about him except that he was a terrorist and communist.

[Nally Stand]

Do you really think this is the right thread to try and score party political points?

Oh ffs.

[glens abu]

Do you really think this is the right thread to try and score party political points?

pot,kettle,black

[Nally Stand]

Adams invited by the ANC to Saturday's memorial service. Oddly, there's no mention of this on RTÉ. We're only told about Higgins, Gilmore (oh, and Bono) going to today's public memorial service.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-25302420

[armaghniac]

Oddly, there's no mention of this on RTÉ. We're only told about Higgins, Gilmore (oh, and Bono) going to today's public memorial service

.

Some people get to go to the wedding, some to the afters.

[Nally Stand]

Oddly, there's no mention of this on RTÉ. We're only told about Higgins, Gilmore (oh, and Bono) going to today's public memorial service

.

Some people get to go to the wedding, some to the afters.

If by "the wedding", you mean today's public event, he was also invited to it too, but was unable to attend. McGuinness is there today though (also not reported on RTÉ).

[Minder]

It's a conspiracy

[Rudi]

Normally I would start a craption competition, but I have too much respect for Mandela.

To emerge from 27 years in jail only to embrace your captors is something special. But to persuade your long suffering followers to start cheering for the 'enemy' in the way he did for the Springboks in 1995 was astonishing.

South Africa isn't there yet, but it is an an awful long way from where it was and that shouldn't be forgotten.

Mandela was far more than a great South African though. He was a real living icon of hope to people all over the world.

It will be weird explaining to my small kids who he was and what he did in their history studies, but I am looking forward to that question.

RIP to the greatest individual of my lifetime.

Vey good post - he was a superb individual, sums up my thoughts exactly. Humility and forgiveness in huge reserves. RIP.

As an aside, he did put his family in harms way, ultimately for the greater good of South African people and society in general. Would you be happy with your spouse, father, mother, brother, sister to do this?

[Eamonnca1]

His life's achievement was remarkable, and his message of forgiveness is one that I think has gotten a bit lost.

Having said that I'm not going to say much more until I've finished reading more about him.  I've made a start on The Long Walk to Freedom.

[johnneycool]

Very good article by Gerry thornley in the Irish times for those with selective memories

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/rugby-family-has-shameful-past-in-propping-up-apartheid-regime-1.1622452?page=1

I'm sure there were other sports persons and entertainers who ignored the anti apartheid protests and played in Sun City or wherever to their eternal shame.

[Shamrock Shore]

Seemingly yon lad that was doing all the signing beside the speakers at the rostrum was a spoofer and all he was doing was waving his arms around.

[J OGorman]

Very good article by Gerry thornley in the Irish times for those with selective memories

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/rugby-family-has-shameful-past-in-propping-up-apartheid-regime-1.1622452?page=1

I'm sure there were other sports persons and entertainers who ignored the anti apartheid protests and played in Sun City or wherever to their eternal shame.

Gerry has soccer week, golf the week after,  cricket then  etc...no want of news stories during that era. Time to loom forward as Mandela did

[BennyHarp]

This is crazy - the man doing the sign language at the memorial service was a fake, apparently making it up as he went along!

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/africa/man-doing-sign-language-at-mandela-memorial-was-a-fake-1.1624262

[deiseach]

Very good article by Gerry thornley in the Irish times for those with selective memories

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/rugby-family-has-shameful-past-in-propping-up-apartheid-regime-1.1622452?page=1

I'm sure there were other sports persons and entertainers who ignored the anti apartheid protests and played in Sun City or wherever to their eternal shame.

Gerry has soccer week, golf the week after,  cricket then  etc...no want of news stories during that era. Time to loom forward as Mandela did

Was soccer a sanction-busting sport? No danger of a whites-only national team.

[J OGorman]

Very good article by Gerry thornley in the Irish times for those with selective memories

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/rugby-family-has-shameful-past-in-propping-up-apartheid-regime-1.1622452?page=1

I'm sure there were other sports persons and entertainers who ignored the anti apartheid protests and played in Sun City or wherever to their eternal shame.

Gerry has soccer week, golf the week after,  cricket then  etc...no want of news stories during that era. Time to loom forward as Mandela did

Was soccer a sanction-busting sport? No danger of a whites-only national team.

the point is, this is old old news being rehashed to fill a few column inches. Look to the future time is upon us