News coming through that a pensioner drowned tonight while attempting to swim across a lake in Bessbrook to remove two tricolours.This place is mental
Its with great sadness that I must inform you all of the tragic death of FAIR member Ossy Bradley who just a few hours ago was drowned whilst performing a selfless act of citizenship in Bessbrook. Ossy who worked tirelessly for victims in the area attempted to remove two Irish Tricolours from an Island in the towns pond and replace them with Union Jacks. The two Irish Tricolours had been reported and indeed they should have been removed but were not. Regrettably Ossy was then forced into taking matters into his own hands and tragically died as a consequence. A great friend of Mrs Lemon (Kingsmills massacre) Ossy was all to aware of how much hurt these foreign flags were causing and the IRAs message that they were delivering to the local unionist community. I at this time call for funding to be given to the IRA victims of that area who have no support group, no one who could have taken up such matters and seen them resolved. Tragically we now see the death of a man due to republican intimidation and the governments attempted "silencing" of IRA victims. As we have always said the victims will not be going away and we will not tolerate republican intimidation. FOOTNOTE, this evening the council sent men over in canoes and removed the tricolors. Safe in the arms of Jesus.
Willy F
Quote from: give her dixie on July 28, 2014, 09:55:40 PM
Its with great sadness that I must inform you all of the tragic death of FAIR member Ossy Bradley who just a few hours ago was drowned whilst performing a selfless act of citizenship in Bessbrook. Ossy who worked tirelessly for victims in the area attempted to remove two Irish Tricolours from an Island in the towns pond and replace them with Union Jacks. The two Irish Tricolours had been reported and indeed they should have been removed but were not. Regrettably Ossy was then forced into taking matters into his own hands and tragically died as a consequence. A great friend of Mrs Lemon (Kingsmills massacre) Ossy was all to aware of how much hurt these foreign flags were causing and the IRAs message that they were delivering to the local unionist community. I at this time call for funding to be given to the IRA victims of that area who have no support group, no one who could have taken up such matters and seen them resolved. Tragically we now see the death of a man due to republican intimidation and the governments attempted "silencing" of IRA victims. As we have always said the victims will not be going away and we will not tolerate republican intimidation. FOOTNOTE, this evening the council sent men over in canoes and removed the tricolors. Safe in the arms of Jesus.
Willy F
Are the tricolours now in the arms of Jesus ?
No fenian, whether human or inanimate ( as these flags) can ever hope to rest in the arms of Jesus
Pathetic drowned by his own hatred
Quote from: give her dixie on July 28, 2014, 09:55:40 PM
Ossy was all to aware of how much hurt these foreign flags were causing
(https://scontent-a-ams.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xaf1/t1.0-9/10344778_679543048792782_6499813791453422489_n.jpg)
The BBC is reporting that Ossy was attempting to replace the tricolours with union jacks.
Absolutely no sympathy what so ever. If he had of been at home cutting the grass he would be fine. Instead he was trying to act the hero. Even if he were just removing the flags then fair enough but no, he had to try to replace them with his beloved flag.
Natural selection I think it is called.
hard to know what to say about this story....lunacy
republican intimidation. ole Willie doesn't mention about Unionist intimidation with all the union jack up, many in neutral areas, doesn't know what intimidation is!! Sorry to hear a man drowned but what is a old aged pensionher thinking rowing across here to take off flags, that in itself is the height of madness.
I cant understand why the unionist community is fascinated with flags, there are Irish tricolours and palestine flags up in my own town and noticed there going to the train in portadown also this morning, to be honest i perfer flags in general aren't flow, theres no respect in flying a flag of a lamppost and it makes a place look run down and pretty shitty to be honest
Quote from: J OGorman on July 28, 2014, 10:38:12 PM
hard to know what to say about this story....lunacy
Exactly, I'm lost for words........
Very sad and tragic story. But were there no boats near hand, it being a lake ?.
Words really fail you with this.
Tragedy and such a waste.
Quote from: orangeman on July 28, 2014, 11:04:15 PM
Very sad and tragic story. But were there no boats near hand, it being a lake ?.
It's not a lake, it is a man made pond, built to supply water to Bessbrook mill during the mid ninteenth century. It is not that big, about 250 metres by 100 metres, but many people have drowned there over the years.
He was 68. I could see through it if he was 18. He should've known better. I find it hard to have any sympathy here whatsoever.
This epitomises the tragic cost of blindly following ideology.
He wanted to fight his cause, but a family now has to deal with a pointless tragedy.
Quote from: give her dixie on July 28, 2014, 09:55:40 PM
Its with great sadness that I must inform you all of the tragic death of FAIR member Ossy Bradley who just a few hours ago was drowned whilst performing a selfless act of citizenship in Bessbrook. Ossy who worked tirelessly for victims in the area attempted to remove two Irish Tricolours from an Island in the towns pond and replace them with Union Jacks. The two Irish Tricolours had been reported and indeed they should have been removed but were not. Regrettably Ossy was then forced into taking matters into his own hands and tragically died as a consequence. A great friend of Mrs Lemon (Kingsmills massacre) Ossy was all to aware of how much hurt these foreign flags were causing and the IRAs message that they were delivering to the local unionist community. I at this time call for funding to be given to the IRA victims of that area who have no support group, no one who could have taken up such matters and seen them resolved. Tragically we now see the death of a man due to republican intimidation and the governments attempted "silencing" of IRA victims. As we have always said the victims will not be going away and we will not tolerate republican intimidation. FOOTNOTE, this evening the council sent men over in canoes and removed the tricolors. Safe in the arms of Jesus.
Willy F
The sentence in bold...WHY? ::)
RIOTING and terror returned to the City of Belfast on Monday 28 September 1964. That evening a detachment of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, acting on the explicit instruction of Brian McConnell, Minister of Home Affairs, attacked the Divis Street headquarters of the Republican Party in West Belfast. Their mission was to remove an Irish tricolour.
This took place during a general election for the British House of Commons, an assembly in which the six Counties have twelve seats, besides having its own parliament of 52 members. The Republicans had nominated Liam McMillan to contest West Belfast; the other candidates in the constituency were Unionist, Republican Labour and Local Labour.
When McConnell, himself a Unionist, ordered the police to move against the Republican headquarters he was responding to pressure from Ian K. Paisley, leader of the Free Presbyterians. Paisley had threatened that if the RUC did not remove the tricolour he would lead a march of his followers to Divis Street and take it down himself.
For several days before this threat was uttered, the RUC and the Ministry of Home Affairs had been pestered by anonymous telephone callers, all complaining about the tricolour and demanding its removal. Anonymous callers had also warned the Republicans that their headquarters would be burned if they continued to display the Irish flag.
James Kilfedder, the. Unionist candidate in West Belfast, complained about the tricolour too, and sent this telegram to McConnell: "Remove tricolour in Divis Street which is aimed to provoke and insult loyalists of Belfast."
McConnell acted, even though Divis Street is in a part of Belfast where few of those people whom Kilfedder described as "loyalists" are to be seen. He held a conference of his senior police officers on Monday morning and ordered that the flag be removed. His authority to do this was the Flags and Emblems (Display) Act. At the same time, exercising the power given to him by the Public Order Act of 1961, he restricted a Paisleyite protest march to an area within the vicinity of the City Hall. This was a part of Belfast which the minister considered to be a safe distance from Divis Street.
Traffic was brought to a standstill on Monday night of 28 September when it became known that the RUC were coming to seize the flag. More than 2,000 Republican supporters blocked the roadway and scores of constables were rushed to the scene in armoured cars. The constables, though armed with sten-guns, rifles, revolvers, riot-batons and shields, were made to look ridiculous by groups of little boys who ran about with miniature tricolour emblems which they stuck on walls, trolley-buses, police-cars and the windows of the Republican headquarters.
The RUC, using pickaxes, smashed down the doors of the Republican headquarters and taken possession of the flag. They carried it away through a barrage of stones and empty bottles, and to the prolonged jeers of crowds of youngsters.
Darwin award
Folks I would urge caution in relation to any comments posted here about this incident. Knowing Willie and his mates, they would gladly use stuff like that to tarnish the GAA and indeed, perhaps, try to compare us with those Israelis, on the hills above Gaza, who are cheering the actions of the IDF. Setting aside the absurdity of what happened, a man has lost his life and his loved ones are in mourning, let's not forget that
Very sad incident in Bessbrook.
Quote from: THE MIGHTY QUINN on July 29, 2014, 06:08:58 AM
Folks I would urge caution in relation to any comments posted here about this incident. Knowing Willie and his mates, they would gladly use stuff like that to tarnish the GAA and indeed, perhaps, try to compare us with those Israelis, on the hills above Gaza, who are cheering the actions of the IDF. Setting aside the absurdity of what happened, a man has lost his life and his loved ones are in mourning, let's not forget that
So lets be intimidated by a bigoted wee bastard like Willie?
No ... Just don't lower your comments to the levels he operates in. Is there a need to give the man substainance just at this sensitive time? Muppets last post is on the money without being offensive.
Quote from: give her dixie on July 28, 2014, 09:55:40 PM
Its with great sadness that I must inform you all of the tragic death of FAIR member Ossy Bradley who just a few hours ago was drowned whilst performing a selfless act of citizenship in Bessbrook. Ossy who worked tirelessly for victims in the area attempted to remove two Irish Tricolours from an Island in the towns pond and replace them with Union Jacks. The two Irish Tricolours had been reported and indeed they should have been removed but were not. Regrettably Ossy was then forced into taking matters into his own hands and tragically died as a consequence. A great friend of Mrs Lemon (Kingsmills massacre) Ossy was all to aware of how much hurt these foreign flags were causing and the IRAs message that they were delivering to the local unionist community. I at this time call for funding to be given to the IRA victims of that area who have no support group, no one who could have taken up such matters and seen them resolved. Tragically we now see the death of a man due to republican intimidation and the governments attempted "silencing" of IRA victims. As we have always said the victims will not be going away and we will not tolerate republican intimidation. FOOTNOTE, this evening the council sent men over in canoes and removed the tricolors. Safe in the arms of Jesus.
Willy F
What a sc**bag Willie Frazer is - using this sad event for his own purposes in attempting to both stir up tensions, and get money. He is beneath contempt.
Quote from: haranguerer on July 29, 2014, 08:53:04 AM
Quote from: give her dixie on July 28, 2014, 09:55:40 PM
Its with great sadness that I must inform you all of the tragic death of FAIR member Ossy Bradley who just a few hours ago was drowned whilst performing a selfless act of citizenship in Bessbrook. Ossy who worked tirelessly for victims in the area attempted to remove two Irish Tricolours from an Island in the towns pond and replace them with Union Jacks. The two Irish Tricolours had been reported and indeed they should have been removed but were not. Regrettably Ossy was then forced into taking matters into his own hands and tragically died as a consequence. A great friend of Mrs Lemon (Kingsmills massacre) Ossy was all to aware of how much hurt these foreign flags were causing and the IRAs message that they were delivering to the local unionist community. I at this time call for funding to be given to the IRA victims of that area who have no support group, no one who could have taken up such matters and seen them resolved. Tragically we now see the death of a man due to republican intimidation and the governments attempted "silencing" of IRA victims. As we have always said the victims will not be going away and we will not tolerate republican intimidation. FOOTNOTE, this evening the council sent men over in canoes and removed the tricolors. Safe in the arms of Jesus.
Willy F
What a sc**bag Willie Frazer is - using this sad event for his own purposes in attempting to both stir up tensions, and get money. He is beneath contempt.
Which is why it is best to leave him to his own devices. This incident speaks for itself on so many levels there is no need to comment further on it and give them anything else on a plate.
At the end of the day it is a human tragedy as well.
Quote from: Agent Orange on July 28, 2014, 10:30:10 PM
Quote from: give her dixie on July 28, 2014, 09:55:40 PM
Ossy was all to aware of how much hurt these foreign flags were causing
(https://scontent-a-ams.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xaf1/t1.0-9/10344778_679543048792782_6499813791453422489_n.jpg)
Who's who?
Very sad, feel for his family.
so a member of a sectarian terrorist organisation 'fair' died from his own stupidity caused by his own hatred and desire to provoke nationalist Irish in the area as well as 'terrorise' by taking down the Tricolour and replacing it with union flag!
ludicrous.
I hope the grieving family are comforted in some way.
but thugs like this guy and frazier are no loss to society. Same goes for any on the nationalist side I might add - but most if not all of these have copped on by now.
Can the police take flags down? Noticed in one of the main streets in Lurgan yesterday a few LVF flags are hanging about, if a tricolour can be removed then surely the LVF ones should be too.
Did they not take some down on the ormeau road a while back(union jacks I think they were)?
There was a politician on about these tricolours and how they should be removed last week. It was either SDLP or Sinn Fein but I think it was the latter??
Quote from: imtommygunn on July 29, 2014, 03:37:57 PM
Did they not take some down on the ormeau road a while back(union jacks I think they were)?
There was a politician on about these tricolours and how they should be removed last week. It was either SDLP or Sinn Fein but I think it was the latter??
No they PSNI said no new flags would be allowed to be erected on the Ormeau, but the existing ones were not taken down.
The PSNI position has always been they will only act to prevent a breach of the peace i.e. they'll only stop them being erected and will only take them down if it's likely there will be trouble otherwise.
Aha. The UVF flags seem to from time to time disappear and then reappear again.
Quote from: nrico2006 on July 29, 2014, 03:20:12 PM
Can the police take flags down? Noticed in one of the main streets in Lurgan yesterday a few LVF flags are hanging about, if a tricolour can be removed then surely the LVF ones should be too.
The banbridge road into lurgan is littered with uvf, uda and uff flags right up to the top of the town. One of my colleagues phoned the psni about it a few weeks back, told to phone the council, she done that only to be told phone the psni. Same shit different year.
Quote from: imtommygunn on July 29, 2014, 03:37:57 PM
Did they not take some down on the ormeau road a while back(union jacks I think they were)?
There was a politician on about these tricolours and how they should be removed last week. It was either SDLP or Sinn Fein but I think it was the latter??
They did indeed... what cause is a couple of tricolours hanging out of a tree going to serve anyway? Some people really need to catch themselves on.
Some complete idiots painted kerbstones in our Town the other week and Sinn Fein lambasted them for it. It's ridiculous behaviour really and equates to vandalism! A group got together and cleaned it up which was about the only good thing to come out of it.
This event is a complete tragedy for the man's family and friends.
It encapsulates in microcosm a lot of what is wrong in the North. First of all people who think that hanging the flag they give allegiance to off the end of a tree branch in some way gives it respect. Then a 68 year old man driven by what...pride, Britishness, hatred, bigotry, fear, God alone knows...loses his life in an attempt to treat his flag with the same lack of respect as themmuns treat theirs??
Finally UUP MLA for the area Danny Kennedy, because it's in his DNA to have a go at themmuns whatever the circumstances, when it was pointed out to him that SF had called for the Tricolours to be removed replied "It's a pity their words weren't matched by actions" one of the most crassly stupid, bewildering, and contradictory comments I've ever heard from a Northern politician (and I've heard my fair share).
Quote from: AQMP on July 29, 2014, 05:33:52 PM
This event is a complete tragedy for the man's family and friends.
It encapsulates in microcosm a lot of what is wrong in the North. First of all people who think that hanging the flag they give allegiance to off the end of a tree branch in some way gives it respect. Then a 68 year old man driven by what...pride, Britishness, hatred, bigotry, fear, God alone knows...loses his life in an attempt to treat his flag with the same lack of respect as themmuns treat theirs??
Exactly. SF have treated the flag with contempt for years, they may now have reached a modest maturity but some elements don't seem to appreciate that they should not do what their Da was encouraged to do.
One hopes the fact that the aged deceased felt the need to do this reflects less bigotry among the younger generation, but I wouldn't bet on it.
Ridiculous for unionists and unionist media to blame this on a flag when this was a death by misadventure inspired by irrational hatred.At the same time the same unionists hypocritically demand that the union flag be flown everywhere 365 days a year
The thing I'm wondering is at what point will it be made official that we are not only dealing with bigotry, but we are dealing with a race of people for whom basic intelligence is severely lacking. There is more than bigotry in these pockets of the north, there is down right stupidity. I mean that with no joke or tongue in cheek - a man has died here. A man has died trying to swim across a lake to pull down some flags. A 68 year old man.
Just difficult to comprehend. And as for suggestions that it lies at the door of those who put the flags up. I have no time for people abusing the Irish flag, but that is bullshit. It should be hung appropriately, with respect. If some teenager from Ardoyne fell off a ladder and broke his neck trying to take down a union flag would they take responsibility?
Quote from: imtommygunn on July 29, 2014, 04:17:47 PM
Aha. The UVF flags seem to from time to time disappear and then reappear again.
The para trooper flag is still flying in drumahoe as you come into Derry.
+ Garvagh too, its easy to see how they associate with the Israelis, anything that remotely doesn't go there way, they are bitching about it, with threats of violence etc.
http://fb.me/6VwpXGTVP (http://fb.me/6VwpXGTVP)
Wullie on facebook.
This really is shocking that someone died in this way and it is now being used as a political point scoring exercise.
Quote from: imtommygunn on July 29, 2014, 10:28:20 PM
http://fb.me/6VwpXGTVP (http://fb.me/6VwpXGTVP)
Wullie on facebook.
This really is shocking that someone died in this way and it is now being used as a political point scoring exercise.
If some political satirist made up a character like this and wrote about him it would never be published. What an arsehole. Someone said earlier about the level of "intelligence"these people have/had. The more worrying thing for me is that these people are allowed to breed!
It's not just that... Some people deem him a leader!!
Couldn't give two hoots about your man, even if he was a republican I wouldn't have any sympathy for someone who uses flegs to offend people.
It's like something you would read in the Ulster saga.
In Ulster flegs aren't cultural symbols, they are symbols of hatred toward themuns.
Our gutless politicians will never have the balls to ban flegs altogether.
The unionists who had family killed in the troubles seem to be more bitter than the nationalists, Patrick Kieltys father was killed and you never hear him acting like big Willie Frazer or your man here.
Speaking of Frazer, I read that some of the old Frazer clan of lowland Scotland fought against the English during the Scottish wars of independence, I'd love to tell big Willie that.
Quote from: hairyUlsterman on July 29, 2014, 10:43:49 PM
In Ulster flegs aren't cultural symbols, they are symbols of hatred toward themuns.
Not in Cavan, Monaghan or Donegal ;)
Quote from: hairyUlsterman on July 29, 2014, 10:48:12 PM
The unionists who had family killed in the troubles seem to be more bitter than the nationalists, Patrick Kieltys father was killed and you never hear him acting like big Willie Frazer or your man here.
Speaking of Frazer, I read that some of the old Frazer clan of lowland Scotland fought against the English during the Scottish wars of independence, I'd love to tell big Willie that.
Very true.....
On the other hand, one of them has made a career trying to be amusing and using the troubles as his material ! 15 years on, and still using the same material.
Fairplay to Kielty though !
Quote from: Rossfan on July 30, 2014, 10:48:47 AM
Quote from: hairyUlsterman on July 29, 2014, 10:43:49 PM
In Ulster flegs aren't cultural symbols, they are symbols of hatred toward themuns.
Not in Cavan, Monaghan or Donegal ;)
you ever been to Donegal?