Joe Brolly

[bannside]

Great article from Brolly....credit where its due!

Joe could be a serious player if he didn't have the potential to implode. Knows his stuff and can articulate and debate with the best. He's one person no one from the unionist family would want to go toe to toe with live, that's for sure.

[Angelo]

Some uncomfortable truths for some free staters there who feel they have a right to pontificate and moralise on the north. Before they do that maybe some acknowledgement and contrition for the contempt they have show northern natioanlists over the past 50 years might be in order.

MOPE

Triggered at being called out.

Quelle Suprise.

[APM]

Some uncomfortable truths for some free staters there who feel they have a right to pontificate and moralise on the north. Before they do that maybe some acknowledgement and contrition for the contempt they have show northern natioanlists over the past 50 years might be in order.

I have noticed some people, who I would normally regard as sensible and proportionate on the national question (even while arguing their own strongly held views), have been inclined lately to lose the run of themselves, play the man and descend into stereotyping.  People are getting very hot under the collar. 

You seem to be perpetually hot under the collar on a number of issues, but I've one question for you. 

You clearly have serious contempt for those in the south that you perceive to have sold out the North, either through the actions of their forefathers or their disinterest since.  If you want to achieve a UI you will need more than half of the southern population to be on board. We have seen that some are against a UI.  Some people on the south will be sitting on the fence.  Others will have a heart leaning towards a UI and a head leaning to the Status Quo.  Some people with a vote will be the "new Irish" who will not have a clue what you are on about, only that you come across like a zealot.
Do you think your comments persuade people sitting on the fence in the south that a United Ireland is worth it.?

[Angelo]

Some uncomfortable truths for some free staters there who feel they have a right to pontificate and moralise on the north. Before they do that maybe some acknowledgement and contrition for the contempt they have show northern natioanlists over the past 50 years might be in order.

I have noticed some people, who I would normally regard as sensible and proportionate on the national question (even while arguing their own strongly held views), have been inclined lately to lose the run of themselves, play the man and descend into stereotyping.  People are getting very hot under the collar. 

You seem to be perpetually hot under the collar on a number of issues, but I've one question for you. 

You clearly have serious contempt for those in the south that you perceive to have sold out the North, either through the actions of their forefathers or their disinterest since.  If you want to achieve a UI you will need more than half of the southern population to be on board. We have seen that some are against a UI.  Some people on the south will be sitting on the fence.  Others will have a heart leaning towards a UI and a head leaning to the Status Quo.  Some people with a vote will be the "new Irish" who will not have a clue what you are on about, only that you come across like a zealot.
Do you think your comments persuade people sitting on the fence in the south that a United Ireland is worth it.?

Do you want to rewrite. The contempt is not with me.

The contempt is with the Free State Establishment. Brolly's article touches on it there, for the past 50 years the free state establishment has shown nothing but contempt for the plight of the northern nationalist. It's about time some acknowledgement and contrition was shown, it's about time they owned up to their role in the troubles, that they were happy to be an onlooker to sectarianism, discrimination, violence and oppression that was foisted upon the northern nationalists.

I don't have to convince anyone. The demographics will do that, they are changing on both sides of the border. The young generation of the south have been foisted with a national debt by the establishment parties because they want to look after vested interest, a housing crisis is in place for the same reason, a dysfunctional two-tier health system is in place for the same reason.

I don't have to lower myself to be an Uncle Tom type figure who tries to swallow the disrespect and and contempt the Free State has shown us over the past 50 years and continues to insults nationalist victims of The Troubles by pulling up the IRA at every turn. I going to call out that despicable gaslighting and insulting behaviour for what it is. Any decent minded individual would acknowledge that the conduct of FF and FG in the past decade on legacy issues with The Troubles has been disgraceful.

You might want to show deference and beg those vile cretins to let us in but I want nothing to do with the sectarian culture fostered in the north and the elitist corrupt culture fostered in the south. We need a new Ireland, we have two failed states either side of the border and it's not for me to convince people, the negative issues on both sides of the border and the change in demographics and pulling this down one road and that's a United Ireland.

So maybe drop your pious attitude. If you want to defend Free State politicians and institution goading victims of The Troubles and their families then that's your prerogative but you won't ever hear me say anything positive about The Free State establishment as respect is a two way street and they've never even had the decency to acknowledge their betrayal and inaction.

[Rossfan]

Every time some extremist comes out with the term "freestater"(sic) it's another scatter of votes for the NO side.
Joe seems to be advocating Independence for the 6 Cos?

[Angelo]

Thankfully not everybody lives in the 1950s like you do Rossfan.

[Angelo]

There are two types of people in the Free State.

Republicans who acknowledge it is The Free State and want a United Ireland. They rightfully resent the establishment and the establishment political parties and figures who abandoned their kin across the border, who sat on and watched as they were brutalised and discriminated against, who never offered a helping hand.

A freestater on the other hand defends that mindset that saw the Free State not bother to help when all those injustices were happening because it wasn't their problem. It was their problem, it was their fault, they signed up to a sectarian state and abandoned their kin, left them with no option but to fend for themselves and then they moralise and pontificate to them for having the temerity to do so.

That's what riles a few of them up here. The fact that it's pointed out when they had the ability to do the selfless thing, the brave thing, the morally right thing to do - they washed their hands off it because they were cowards and self-serving effete arseholes. This is why they now have to pontificate on the Provos every time they are reminded of their treachery and cowardice. There is a long, long longstanding apology due from The Free State to northern nationalists.

[Itchy]

There are two types of people in the Free State.

Republicans who acknowledge it is The Free State and want a United Ireland. They rightfully resent the establishment and the establishment political parties and figures who abandoned their kin across the border, who sat on and watched as they were brutalised and discriminated against, who never offered a helping hand.

A freestater on the other hand defends that mindset that saw the Free State not bother to help when all those injustices were happening because it wasn't their problem. It was their problem, it was their fault, they signed up to a sectarian state and abandoned their kin, left them with no option but to fend for themselves and then they moralise and pontificate to them for having the temerity to do so.

That's what riles a few of them up here. The fact that it's pointed out when they had the ability to do the selfless thing, the brave thing, the morally right thing to do - they washed their hands off it because they were cowards and self-serving effete arseholes. This is why they now have to pontificate on the Provos every time they are reminded of their treachery and cowardice. There is a long, long longstanding apology due from The Free State to northern nationalists.

I come from a republican family. I've had members in jail. I have voted republican parties since could vote in the 90s. My county has had a SF TD since then. And I can tell you I dont fall into either of these 2 categories you spell out.

[Angelo]

There are two types of people in the Free State.

Republicans who acknowledge it is The Free State and want a United Ireland. They rightfully resent the establishment and the establishment political parties and figures who abandoned their kin across the border, who sat on and watched as they were brutalised and discriminated against, who never offered a helping hand.

A freestater on the other hand defends that mindset that saw the Free State not bother to help when all those injustices were happening because it wasn't their problem. It was their problem, it was their fault, they signed up to a sectarian state and abandoned their kin, left them with no option but to fend for themselves and then they moralise and pontificate to them for having the temerity to do so.

That's what riles a few of them up here. The fact that it's pointed out when they had the ability to do the selfless thing, the brave thing, the morally right thing to do - they washed their hands off it because they were cowards and self-serving effete arseholes. This is why they now have to pontificate on the Provos every time they are reminded of their treachery and cowardice. There is a long, long longstanding apology due from The Free State to northern nationalists.

I come from a republican family. I've had members in jail. I have voted republican parties since could vote in the 90s. My county has had a SF TD since then. And I can tell you I dont fall into either of these 2 categories you spell out.

So you're not ashamed of the Free State establishment's attitude to The Troubles?

[Itchy]

There are two types of people in the Free State.

Republicans who acknowledge it is The Free State and want a United Ireland. They rightfully resent the establishment and the establishment political parties and figures who abandoned their kin across the border, who sat on and watched as they were brutalised and discriminated against, who never offered a helping hand.

A freestater on the other hand defends that mindset that saw the Free State not bother to help when all those injustices were happening because it wasn't their problem. It was their problem, it was their fault, they signed up to a sectarian state and abandoned their kin, left them with no option but to fend for themselves and then they moralise and pontificate to them for having the temerity to do so.

That's what riles a few of them up here. The fact that it's pointed out when they had the ability to do the selfless thing, the brave thing, the morally right thing to do - they washed their hands off it because they were cowards and self-serving effete arseholes. This is why they now have to pontificate on the Provos every time they are reminded of their treachery and cowardice. There is a long, long longstanding apology due from The Free State to northern nationalists.

I come from a republican family. I've had members in jail. I have voted republican parties since could vote in the 90s. My county has had a SF TD since then. And I can tell you I dont fall into either of these 2 categories you spell out.

So you're not ashamed of the Free State establishment's attitude to The Troubles?

I'm ashamed of some things the Republic did and I'm also ashamed of some of the things my "northern kin" did too. But its water under the bridge

[Angelo]

There are two types of people in the Free State.

Republicans who acknowledge it is The Free State and want a United Ireland. They rightfully resent the establishment and the establishment political parties and figures who abandoned their kin across the border, who sat on and watched as they were brutalised and discriminated against, who never offered a helping hand.

A freestater on the other hand defends that mindset that saw the Free State not bother to help when all those injustices were happening because it wasn't their problem. It was their problem, it was their fault, they signed up to a sectarian state and abandoned their kin, left them with no option but to fend for themselves and then they moralise and pontificate to them for having the temerity to do so.

That's what riles a few of them up here. The fact that it's pointed out when they had the ability to do the selfless thing, the brave thing, the morally right thing to do - they washed their hands off it because they were cowards and self-serving effete arseholes. This is why they now have to pontificate on the Provos every time they are reminded of their treachery and cowardice. There is a long, long longstanding apology due from The Free State to northern nationalists.

I come from a republican family. I've had members in jail. I have voted republican parties since could vote in the 90s. My county has had a SF TD since then. And I can tell you I dont fall into either of these 2 categories you spell out.

So you're not ashamed of the Free State establishment's attitude to The Troubles?

I'm ashamed of some things the Republic did and I'm also ashamed of some of the things my "northern kin" did too. But its water under the bridge

There's never been any acknowledgement or contrition shown by the Free State and they still continue to arrogantly pontificate and moralise on The Troubles when they were complicit.

[Itchy]

There are two types of people in the Free State.

Republicans who acknowledge it is The Free State and want a United Ireland. They rightfully resent the establishment and the establishment political parties and figures who abandoned their kin across the border, who sat on and watched as they were brutalised and discriminated against, who never offered a helping hand.

A freestater on the other hand defends that mindset that saw the Free State not bother to help when all those injustices were happening because it wasn't their problem. It was their problem, it was their fault, they signed up to a sectarian state and abandoned their kin, left them with no option but to fend for themselves and then they moralise and pontificate to them for having the temerity to do so.

That's what riles a few of them up here. The fact that it's pointed out when they had the ability to do the selfless thing, the brave thing, the morally right thing to do - they washed their hands off it because they were cowards and self-serving effete arseholes. This is why they now have to pontificate on the Provos every time they are reminded of their treachery and cowardice. There is a long, long longstanding apology due from The Free State to northern nationalists.

I come from a republican family. I've had members in jail. I have voted republican parties since could vote in the 90s. My county has had a SF TD since then. And I can tell you I dont fall into either of these 2 categories you spell out.

So you're not ashamed of the Free State establishment's attitude to The Troubles?

I'm ashamed of some things the Republic did and I'm also ashamed of some of the things my "northern kin" did too. But its water under the bridge

There's never been any acknowledgement or contrition shown by the Free State and they still continue to arrogantly pontificate and moralise on The Troubles when they were complicit.

Who is this Free State? Is it a person,  Fianna Fail, Fine Gael or is it everyone? Does Mary Lou share this shame and contempt we are supposed to have. That bitterness in you will eat you from the inside out Angelo. The majority in the South want reunification. I dont know what you are hoping to achieve by insulting us or shaming us as "freestaters". Even my own republican credentials dont seem to appease you, are you one of these  "I am more republican than you" boys?

[Angelo]

By the Free State I refer to those who represent the state, the government officials, the state media, the figureheads. There needs to be an acknowledgement and contrition of their cowardice and treachery, they need to stop the "but the IRA" everytime they are reminded of their GFA commitments. They need to stop revising history and finally accept they completely failed northern nationalists and those who defend the Free State revisionism are as bad.

[sid waddell]

The "I hate Free Staters" mob are basically Ian O'Doherty, Eoghan Harris and Ruth Dudley Edwards repackaged in green

The lot of them should be banished to a windswept island off the Atlantic coast where they can bitch at each other like Ted Crilly and Dick Byrne

[seafoid]

By the Free State I refer to those who represent the state, the government officials, the state media, the figureheads. There needs to be an acknowledgement and contrition of their cowardice and treachery, they need to stop the "but the IRA" everytime they are reminded of their GFA commitments. They need to stop revising history and finally accept they completely failed northern nationalists and those who defend the Free State revisionism are as bad.

Until the establishment of the SDLP, northern nationalist leadership.was appalling .

Also blowing people up.was a bad look.
Stop blaming everything on the south.