In one sense in the silliest of seasons, in another sense we’re in days of deadly seriousness. Silly, in that some dafts statements and actions have occurred over the past week or so, and deadly serious in that these statements and actions point us towards some very unpalatable realities.
To start with the silly stuff. This morning in the Indo we have David Quinn administering a verbal scourging to President Michael D Higgins (and his wife) for daring to suggest that the past hundred years have not brought about the kind of republic that Clarke, Pearse, Connolly and the others gave their lives for. Quinn suggests that had Ireland responded to the vision of equality offered, and supported by President Higgins, we ( meaning the south – you didn’t think he gives a damn about nordies?) would have ended up with a fascist or communist state. Eight out of ten in the silly stakes, David.
We’ve also had the Alliance Party getting agitated about the DUP’s refusal to take part in a Belfast City Hall dinner that was to have had President Higgins as its guest of honour. The dinner was to mark the anniversaries of the Easter Rising and the Battle of the Somme. Michael Long of the Alliance Party was on the radio this morning lamenting the DUP’s ducking out of the occasion, and the knock-on effect of having the Irish President withdraw from the dinner. Has Michael spoken to his party leader recently? Because David Ford made it clear he wouldn’t be attending any commemoration of Easter 1916 in Dublin because it’d give credibility to violent republicanism (usually referred to as ‘dissidents’) here in the north. Is there a power struggle going on within the Alliance Party, or does its ass not know what its elbow is doing and saying?
And finally we’ve had Arlene Foster declaring that the Easter Rising was an unlawful act, undemocratic, and perpetrated by a bunch of egotists who had only their own self-glorification in mind. Thanks, Arlene. Very helpful, that.
But then I suppose we must keep in mind that with an election around five weeks away, there is going to be a lot of silly stuff flying around.
And the serious issues? Well, maybe now isn’t the best time to consider them, since as I say politicians in the mouth of an election are given to hyperbole, and Arlene Foster and the DUP are keenly aware that uber-unionist Jim Allister and his TUV party are looking for the slightest signs of softening within the DUP, so that they can capitalize on same in the elections.
But even though these days may be the season for hyperbole and hard-line utterances, I still feel myself driven to a gloomy conclusion. “Love your enemies – it drives them nuts” might have been the mantra for Sinn Féin over the past twenty years. To be fair to SF, I don’t think they wanted to drive unionist politicians nuts – they have been on a path of genuine reconciliation since the Good Friday Agreement. But – and it really pains me to say it – it’s not working. I see little or no signs of any significant shift in entrenched unionist thinking. Twenty years have passed where the Shinners have made overture after overture with no response from unionism. There has been response from the British royal family, on a number of occasions, but nothing that I can see from unionism and unionist politicians. So if that unhappy reading of the past twenty years is correct, what now? Sooner or later violent republicanism is going to say “Look – that’s what you get when you enter politics here – sweet Fanny Adams”. And sooner or later violent loyalism/unionism is going to believe its own propaganda and act on the assumption that all things unionist are being stripped away. And I don’t think you need me to tell you how unionism/loyalism tends to act when they think the fenians are getting uppity.
I can’t disagree with you on that assessment, Jude. There is very little generosity of spirit or even reprocity from unionists, though to be fair to John Nd Basil, I think they were two of the few bent in that direction.
I’d be careful about describing how John or Basil are bent!
David Quinn is on the far right wing of the Catholic church who would have us live under the rul e of the likes of John Charles McQuade.His Northern equivalent are given carte blanche in the “Irish news ” on a daily basis to try and damage politically anybody who thinks that church and state should be separate.Ironically they seem also to have quite a cosy relationship with certain journalists who are also not slow at pushing the agenda of anti peace process elements.
Michael C
Who are these journalists in the Irish News who are “not slow at pushing the agenda of anti peace process elements”?
Try their SDLP backers!
For a moment it was as if April Fool had arrived early on RTÉ, with Sir Bob demonstrating his verbal ineptitude concerning the work of Yeats. Adolescent expletives and feigned caricatures simply reinforced the view that we have astrologers to make some commentators sound sincere.
The sound of drums will help drown the sound of the strident voices railing against the idea of having to pay a living wage as another sectarian head count is undertaken in some of the most socially and economically depressed parts of the country.
In Dublin it is a case of do not mention, Mahon, Moriarty or Flood. The time for mature recollection is over as some politicians struggle with safe texts. Speculation is mounting that we may not have to endure long nights at the round table. A séance is being scheduled. With the help of various spirits, efforts will be made to establish a programme for government around Carannog’s mystical altar, an initiative designed to woo floating voters, many still stranded beyond the Pale.
I sincerely believe that SF have pandered to Unionism/Loyalism for long enough…..they had their day in the sun and they blew it , 50 years of their belligerence and intolerance was nauseatingly more than enough , they are incapable of rational thought or reasoning and equality is a complete anathema to them…. This has tellingly led to voter apathy and despondency….. time to move on , concentrate on your own voters , give them something with teeth to show advancement and furtherance of our 32 county objective and leave the flat earthers and their 16th century cohorts where they belong……lost in the mists of time !!!
Michael D apparently made his decision to rescind his original decision on the basis that there was no longer cross-community support, and he didn’t want to become embroiled in controversy.
We know the DUP have decided to boycott this City Hall event (no surprise there), but has Mike Nesbitt made any decision on behalf of the UUP members? Not that I have heard, so they might attend.
Also we know that the Alliance will attend (though I’m not sure about their leader David Ford), and as they had previously designated themselves unionist, then that means there is cross-community support for the event.
On that basis the 26 county president has made a wrong decision, but was it deliberately or in a mistaken belief?
One thing he did clarify – if any party want to sabotage progress in our peace process, all they have to do is say ‘no’, and the so-called President of Ireland will run away as quick as his little legs (or his big Mercedes) will carry him.
What a God-awful day he has given Ireland!
I’m missing the problem here. Sinn Fein tell us that the the First and Deputy First Minister positions have equal powers. That’s the result of the GFA which all unionist parties, except the TUV, accept and support. So the Deputy First Minister attended the Easter commemorations in his capacity as OUR Deputy First Minister and we were all represented, whether we’re unionists or nationalists or we don’t actually care. Sinn Fein’s into this sort of thing, unionists aren’t. I don’t remember Shinners out for street parties on the Queen’s diamond jubillee or anyone getting upset with them.
What else are you asking unionists to do Jude? Are you saying now that shared power, devolved administration, equality legislation and prisoner releases aren’t enough and unionists must actively celebrate wars fought against them?
Although to be fair the Queen did get a hand shake from our (deputy) First Minister when she came to see us on her Diamond Jubilee tour. But when has a unionist refused to meet an Irish president in recent years, let alone shake their hand?
No, oddly enough, BYC. I used to think it’d be good if unionists would mount the occasional gesture of reconciliation – say shaking hands and talking on TV, inviting republicans to discussion forums, trying to make the GFA cross-border bodies work, delivering on promised Irish Language Act – that sort of thing. I used to. Now I’ve just about given up.
“Now I’ve just about given up.”
Me too Jude.
There are not many vacancies in the school for slow political learners!
“What else are you asking unionists to do Jude? Are you saying now that shared power, devolved administration, equality legislation and prisoner releases aren’t enough and unionists must actively celebrate wars fought against them?”
None of these are unionist concessions BYC.
Power sharing is based on mandate, vetoes had to be introduced because unionists abused their gerrymandered electoral majority offered through partition.
Equality legislation is a good thing for everyone in society. Just because unionists hate gays, Catholics, Muslims and just about anyone who isn’t protestant and British still does not mean it is a concession.
Prisoner releases were part of a peace settlement and were inclusive, again, not a unionist concession.
In fact, the British army and intelligence services offenders are the only ones who received special treatment and protection from the courts through national security state cover up.
The Unionist veto now effectively extends to Aras an Uachtarain.
President Higgins was coming to Belfast City Hall and Unionism agreed with it but are refusing to attend Brian. Higgins could still come but HE is refusing to. In many ways it is disrespectful from Higgins towards Nationalists in the North for him not to attend. Its not about having some sort of “veto”.
“President Higgins was coming to Belfast City Hall and Unionism agreed with it but are refusing to attend Brian. Higgins could still come but HE is refusing to. In many ways it is disrespectful from Higgins towards Nationalists in the North for him not to attend. Its not about having some sort of “veto”.”
I suppose if we had a say in voting for the president that might change things, but as things stand, Michael D obviously feels he as president does not represent the people of Belfast. Perhaps he should move Belfast off the Regional Engagements section on the website and move it to the international role section or just dump it altogether.
snouts in the trough all of them and when people say different your agin the processed peas is the war cry.voting only encourages them and you get more of the same they have been given 20yrs yes 2 decades and its not working and cant work.
It is a sign of the abysmal depths to which that dismal RC redoubt, the Free Southern Stateen, has sunk, Esteemed Blogmeister, that its leading Catholic luminary in journalism is one, David Quinn.
Normally, one would be reluctant to have a go-go at that rarest of rare birds in the media down here the tweeter who teeters on the edge of achieving the doubtful status of a Do Do. That would be the hack who has chosen to back (gasp) the Roman line on affairs politico- spiritual while simultaneously opting to attack (gulp) the new, prudish, ludicrous, orthodox stateen religion of PC Paddy the Neo-Proddy .
You are bang on the button, EB, when you pose the rhetorical question :
– you didn’t think he gives a damn about nordies?
One is not long in immersing oneself within the paramaters of David Quinn’s thought processes to realise precisely which brand of Catholicism this columnist of The Irish Dependent is actually an advocate of.
That would be, of course, Ye Catholicism of Ye Merrie Olde England. Anybody who has ever come into contact with native-born English Catholics, descended from the Recusants of the first Elizabethan era, will soon pick up on a deep anti-Irish vibe. It seems to be part of their communal DNA.
The Recusants were the Refuseniks of their day and were persecuted for refusing to bend the head and bow the knee at the altar of the altered Fat Harrry.
They wore their persecution as a badge of pride and when Papist Pat the Potato-eater began to flood into post-famine ports of call like Liverpool , the Recusants knew they would never get to, erm walk alone again. Now, the market that they had so assiduously cornered down through the tortured centuries was under threat. At this realization, they took umbrage, big time.
We’re talking Premier League MOPES here, folks.
Many of the Recusant families were located in Lancashire – the surname Ramsbottom is a typical example. (Sadly, the part of this ruminant ungulate’s anatomy which featues on the family crest is the, erm, head).
David Quinn, incidentally, likes to wear his soccer, oops, allegiance to a Lancashire soccer, oops, football club on his sleeve. Cannot, alas, quite recall at this moment in t., going forward, whether it is actually Merchandise Utd or Mercenary City.
Speaking of business, oops, sport or, indeed, the business of sport, on first reading today’s title, one automatically jumped to the wrong conclusion, an ancient Warbeckian trait. (Pretend it doesn’t exist, though they may). That it was The Day that is in IT which was being referenced.
Leave it however to RTE to overlook the obvious, not.
As the clock tick-tocked towards nine am, a tiding of great joy came hang gliding down on the last five minutes of Yawning Ireland.
-A major and much-loved Irish personality has made it to the Queen’s (sic) Birthday Honours List !
Pause. Roll of listeners’ ear-drums .
-A major and much-loved Irish sports commentating personality !!
More pause. Further rolling of listener’s ear-drums. (Note the side shoe shuffle of the apostrophe )
-Arise, Sir Marty Morrissey !!!
Cue: puddles of gleeful pee under Kellog tables on kitchen floors all over the Nation of the Station.
Curiously, the name of Mr. Marty Morrissey had been on this listener’s mind during the 7.30 and 8.30 sports bulletins. As there were up to 16 inter county football, oops , bogball games down for playing over the weekend, one expected to hear the dulcet Dalcassian voice of the major and much-loved Irish sports commentator .
But, no. Not a dickey bird. Not even a ram’s turd about the 16 games, spanning Divisions 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the G.A.A. / Grab All Association.
Perhaps, the latter title has begun to slip away from their grip. Maybe even the IRFU are more entitled to that, erm, birthday honours bauble. Certainly as far as the grabbing of the attention of the publicly –funded RTE is concerned.
For the lion’s share, indeed, the British and Irish Lion’s share of the sports bulletins of Yawning Ireland was devoted to –not to the 16 GAA games in 4 divisions but (gulp) to the 2 games in the 4th division of rugby. Having already been trounced in Division 1 (World Cup); bounced out of Division 2 (Heino Euro) and followed by their flouncing out of the 3rd Division (6 Nations) in 3rd place, this leaves Division 4 (Pro 12).
-These are two MASSIVE games: Ulster v Connacht and Leinster v. Munster.
Intoned the sonorous Shandon Bell tones of droning Donal Lenihan.
Earlier in the week the irony-free Tryronian tones of Uncle T.M.O. McGurk were to be heard on the same station of the ovoid nation.
-The renaissance of Connacht is the stuff of romance. Romantic rugby is not dead and gone.
Or, should that be McGurrrrrrrk? Listen to that rugby pundit purrrrrr.
-Connacht, under the MASSIVE leadership of Pat Lam, are truly the Leicester of Irish rugby.
Phew. Thought for a nervy moment or two the Avuncular One wasn’t going to say that. Could it be that he hails from a wool farming background in the badger warrens of Brockagh, CountyTyrone? He sounded so orgasmic , like a sheep farmer during, erm, lambing season.
Though perhaps the mention of the L-word might have been, erm, ill-judged. The nick name, after all, of the romantic team (whose players are on a meagre 5 million cabbages a year on scavengerage) of Leicester FC is, erm, the Foxes.
And this truly is the Lamming Season of Connacht as bought in Corribeans have enthusiastically bought in to the local, erm, culture. Such as:
-Finlay Bealham.
-Rodney Ah You.
-Nathan White.
-Niye Adeolokun.
-Bundee Aki.
-Danie Poolman.
-Quin Roux.
-Apirana Pewhairingi.
-Rodney Ah You.
-Nepia Fox-Matamur.
-George Naoupu.
Or at least, till the next bigger offer from the Rugger Bugger Bank Rollers comes along.
If my Antipodean uncle had rugby balls he’d be on the next plane to Knock.
On the door of fiscal opportunity.
PS: Mo leithsceal / Sorry ? The name of Rodney Ah You appears twice on the list of not unimportant imports.
That’s because one likes the name.
Argenta,maybe you should read the Irish News sometime.The rantings of anti agreement dinosaurs are given huge prominence.Their pathetic demonstrations are talked up weeks in advance -eg – “thousands of dissident republicans will march through village ,town or city X on saturday etc” (free advertising or what).When these wasters have their demo ,it will then be reported “village,town or city X came to a standstill on Saturday…….” However nobody else will have noticed the fantasy thousands or the “coming to a standstill” as a couple of hundred dregs imported from everywhere inflict themselves on the locals.
Michael C
You still haven’t answered my initial question as to the identity of those “journalists ” in the Irish News who are “pushing the anti peace process agenda”.Is that to be defined as those supportive of the dissident republican groupings?At times,it’s hard to resist the conclusion that anyone who criticises Sinn Fein is deemed to be “anti peace process “!That party does not have a monopoly on ownership of the peace process however much it would like to claim so!
“At times,it’s hard to resist the conclusion that anyone who criticises Sinn Fein is deemed to be “anti peace process “!That party does not have a monopoly on ownership of the peace process however much it would like to claim so!”
gio, Sinn Fein is the peace process.
It is the very vehicle the peace process left the station with and while others have got on and off board since, they remain the sole driver without whom the train would have left the tracks long ago.
When will you realise this?
You can get a pretty good insight into the Unionist mind set by reading Susan McKay’s “Northern Protestants” book. I’m literally a few pages from finishing it. I usually read a few pages per day while trying to tackle Ian Kershaw’s 2100 large page biography of Adolf Hitler at night. So no, I don’t do light reading. I’m planning on buying our Jude’s “Whose past is it anyway?” soon, I’m sure he’ll be pleased to know. I’m assuming its wrote in the same way as Susan wrote her book: a series of interviews with different individuals. I think that format is very good, straight forward and simple.
One thing that surprised me about Susan’s book is that instead of disproving some of my beliefs about Unionism, it actually confirmed them. For example, it is indeed true that moderates within Unionism are afraid to speak out and air their views. They fear a backlash, especially from violent Loyalists and that’s a valid concern, many have been physically attacked, burnt out and forced to leave the North. Look at Roy Walker, the famous Television host, his shop burnt out on the Shankill Road for, I believe, having Catholic friends. Look at what happened to Protestants in the shipyards who disagreed with Catholics being expelled, they were expelled too and labelled “Rotten Prods” by the Orange Order. Even at Orange Order meetings and press conferences, there were no questions or different views allowed to be aired after the meetings were over. Democratic?….Susan contrasts this to the Republican meetings she has attended where a debate with the audience were held after speeches and the speakers answered questions and engaged with people. The PUP is the only Unionist group to do things like this, which they admit they copied Republicans example. Another reason why many Loyalists, like Billy Wright, despised the PUP was because they were “thinking like Republicans”. Grug, who tried to murder Gerry Adams, even said he shunned education because it was “Republican”…. Bear in mind this was the 1990’s, things could be different now.
One thing I read yesterday in Susan’s book was how some middle class protestants pretend to be moderate and to have very little interest in politics here because “there’s nothing in it for them”. One individual says this was a lie and that many middle class protestants were bigots but only showed it when in their own circle of friends. These same protestants were often in contact and did business with middle class catholics but their opinions on catholics were “no different from any illiterate, super prod Loyalist”. Another individual says how they will condemn the actions of the IRA as quick as a lightning bolt but when it comes to Loyalist violence and killings (bearing in mind Drumcree was ongoing at this time) they were slow to condemn and it always inevitably ended with a “but”.
Do I think Unionism will ever change? I don’t think so, here’s why I believe that. Unionism is shaped by over 4 centuries of politics in this part of Ireland. Its been surrounded for centuries by many extremes. Extremes such as Anti-Catholicism, Protestant superiority, Protestant fundamentalism, the Protestant Ascendancy, etc. That has shaped the people we now know as Unionists. This Unionist battle against equality and fairness descends from the influence of the Protestant Ascendancy. Indeed many Protestants in Susan’s book openly admit that many Protestants believe, and are brought up to believe, that they are superior to Catholics. Groups like the Orange Order were invented to protect such superiority, that’s their purpose. Hence how just last week the Orange Order were trying to influence who gets employed in the civil service and who doesn’t. There were accusations just last month that Orange man Nelson McCausland (Judes biggest fan) met with other DUP members in an Orange Hall with a Housing Association in order to stop housing for Catholics (why isn’t there an investigation into this?). And of course we have the Unionist state as a prime example of Unionists discriminating against Catholics for the benefit of Protestants. I could go on. This Unionist mind set formed over centuries isn’t going to change. Indeed some Unionists, such as Basil McCrea, were so frustrated over this mind set that they broke away from the traditional Unionist parties.
Indeed Basil McCrea is a good example of a Unionist with moderate views not being successful. The reality is that moderate views don’t get you votes within Unionism, extremist views do. Look at how many Unionist leaders whose career/party crashed and burned because they switched from extremist views to moderate ones? David Trimble is the best example. I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if the TUV were the largest Unionist party one day, I’m of the opinion Arlene Foster might be the last leader of the DUP because I think the DUP has reached their peak, I think Robbo knew this, hence why he retired. Nationalism/Republicanism is the opposite, the more moderate you are the more votes you get. The SDLP for years was the dominant party in Nationalist politics. Sinn Fein only became the largest party after the Good Friday Agreement and when they embraced peaceful politics their success in politics has soared since then, especially in the South.
So what’s to be done? Well one thing is for sure Republicans must not return to armed struggle, that plays into Unionisms hands, it was the main excuse Unionism used to object to power sharing with Catholics. Make no mistake either, Unionism doesn’t want power sharing, they want a return to the Unionist state of Old but that’s never going to happen. If Loyalists return to violence then fair enough, Republicans have the right to defend themselves but allow Loyalists to make the folly of starting it.
After careful thought I think Nationalism should continue with its campaign towards Equality because Equality will always win through, no matter how much Unionism resents it. Reconciliation should also continue but it will most likely fail but that’s not the point, let Unionism be shown to be the people behind the failure to progress into the 21st century. The Irony of all this is is that Unionism is destroying the very Union they profess to hold so dear. The status quo isn’t sustainable, the Good Friday Agreement is running out of road to travel along, a new agreement may need to be made and Republicanism is in a far stronger position now than they were in 1998.
Bill Clinton even said to Tony Blair over a phone call (transcripts released just a few months ago) that he believes David Trimble signed the Good Friday Agreement because he could see Catholics becoming the majority and the Unionists becoming an “irrelevance”, so Trimble signed the agreement because it was the best deal Unionism could have got. Unionism is in a far weaker position today than in 1998.
When it comes to Republicanism and Unionism, its basically 21st Century politics versus 16th Century politics. Unfortunately for Unionism the 16th Century is long dead and gone…..
You are absolutely right Ryan.
The biggest fallacy about unionist intransigence and the vilification of republicans over the past conflict, is that no matter what spin anyone puts on it, they cannot change the fact that republicans did not start it and that the British state were part of it.
The nationalist / catholic community tolerated thankless orange rule for many decades without retaliation. Unionists did not have to try to achieve, it was who you knew not what you knew to get a job. Catholics had to try twice as hard to get half as much. As with all communities allowed to dwell in poverty, the numbers increase. When this change in demographic was further threatened by Catholics having the cheek to campaign for civil rights and equality, there was a violent reaction.
Now their own community is suffering the consequences of their own complacency.
It would be a disaster if republicans gave them the opportunity to portray Irish republicans as those responsible for starting a resumption of the conflict.
Unionism has peaked and we are over the trough, and I would be very surprised even with voter apathy if this coming election did not show the first signs of the change that is coming.
This is not the change people like billy want to see, but rather the delicate change of demographic.
The first vote for Irish independence was 1918, it will be interesting to see how another independence referendum would fare in 2018.
“The status quo isn’t sustainable, the Good Friday Agreement is running out of road to travel along, a new agreement may need to be made and Republicanism is in a far stronger position now than they were in 1998. ”
The Good Friday Agreement is a dead duck.
The republic of Ireland state has made it worthless.
There is no reviving it now.
Bill Clinton, after his lieing contortions with Monica Lewinsky in her oval office is an irrelevance. Wall Street’s best friend, Hilary, is hardly a hair better, in fact her insincerity is more obvious than Bill’s.
Ryan, I live in a strongly nationalist/republican village where everybody knows everybody…in the late 1960’s one particular protestant family moved in because the man of the house ,a policeman , was posted here.From day one they brought their twisted bigotry and hatred with them …bonfire on the 12th ,obligatory burning of our national flag , etc etc. The man died suddenly and the neighbours organised a collection to help the family out. A couple of years later their generosity was repaid when the said family organised a party to celebrate Bloody Sunday…..this IS their mindset and as my granny used to say ….” they would keep the air off you if they could ” .They know nothing else…if we’re not the devil incarnate then we’re a sub-human species to be reviled and castigated. What happens when , in the near future ,when we reach 50 + 1 , they’re not going to roll over and exclaim ” Ok , have your UI “…..I think that’s why SF is putting so much effort into reconciliation but I think it’s a fruitless and futile exercise , leopard and spots comes to mind !
Brave for one family to light a bonfire in a “strongly nationalist/republican village” Must have been a strange sight with a bonfire being lit and one family dancing round it with the rest of the village looking stonefaced, silently on. I’m sure it didn’t last long though. As soon as the Troubles started the “protestants” would have had to skidaddle pretty sharpish otherwise the head of the house, the policeman, would have been carried out in a wooden box.
As for all this SF reaching out business, what’s that all about? What other political parties “reach out” to each other? Labour and Tories or Fianna Fail and Fine Gael don’t feel the need, so why expect SF and the DUP? That doesn’t mean the parties can’t have a cordial, professional working relationship, respecting each others mandates, but they shouldn’t be expected to become BFF’s.
Jude
“Look – that’s what you get when you enter politics here”
What you get when you enter politics here is politics.
Opposing parties doing their best to make the other lot look like bastards in the eyes of the electorate.
The GFA has given us relative peace, a way of addressing (or at least postponing) the constitutional issue and a pretendy government where all the kiddies get to pretend to be in charge in turn.
But most of all it has given us that relative peace because we were all so exhausted with the fighting and the killing.
Maybe it is expecting too much to think we should be any further on than that
We are inching forward I hope towards fairer policing, integrated education, a reduction in contentious parades and in due time the long awaited referendum.
“Don’t lets ask for the moon, we have the stars.”
“Opposing parties doing their best to make the other lot look like bastards in the eyes of the electorate.”
What have Sinn Fein done to make the other side look like bastards?
Shown tolerance and respect when none have been shown in return?
Everyone else is blinkered except you, is that it?