Gregory and how to goad

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I was on the train to Dublin when I heard of Gregory Campbell’s latest public statement. Now before we go any further I want to say that I’ve met Gregory on a number of occasions and have always found him polite and courteous – even likeable. But just as the Tories shouldn’t elect their new leader on the basis of their having or not having children, politicians shouldn’t be judged on the basis of their personality.

And so to Gregory’s public statement. The DUP MP  has claimed on his Facebook page that an acquaintance has noted how Glasgow Celtic will be playing in Gibraltar on the 12 July, and has expressed the hope that republican sympathisers will have a better result than they did the last time they went to Gibraltar. It doesn’t take an Einstein to conclude that Gregory’s real or fictional friend is referring to the fatal shooting by the SAS of three unarmed IRA people in Gibraltar in 1988.

The crassness of the remark is breathtaking. To gloat over the death of anyone, particularly for the purpose of stoking up emotions at this time of year, is to mix irresponsibility with tastelessness. It’s on a par with those football fans who make airplane noises when playing Manchester United or chants about crowd barriers when playing Liverpool.

There are three questions that need to be directed at Gregory:

  1. Do you believe in people being charged in accordancee with the law, or do you favour capital punishment, with members of the British army as judge, jury and executioner?
  2. Are you suggesting that Glasgow Celtic Football Club is a violent republican organization? Your remark seems to equate the team with an IRA unit. Do you believe this to be a valid parallel?
  3. Since all politicians have at least in part their own political careers in mind when they make a statement, do you believe that a substantial number of your followers will approve of your Facebook posting?

 

We’re told that there are far fewer contentious Orange parades in 2016 than there were in 2006 or in 1996. That claim would be more cheering if there weren’t politicians who delight in goading opponents as the Twelfth looms, making sure their insults carry further by standing on the coffins of the dead..

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59 Responses to Gregory and how to goad

  1. Donal Kennedy July 11, 2016 at 9:12 am #

    Perhaps Gregory has a chip on one shoulder, being named after so many Popes, and another on his other shoulder, having a Gaelic surname meaning crooked, or twisted ,mouth?

  2. jessica July 11, 2016 at 9:23 am #

    I am just glad we have no one similar on our side
    I am sure most decent people who support his party are embarrassed by his behaviour

    • Scott July 11, 2016 at 4:18 pm #

      Not sure about that Jessica, Gerry Adams and Gerry Kelly come out with a few whoppers every now and again.

      I agree though Gregory is an Idiot.

      • Páid July 13, 2016 at 9:11 pm #

        such as???

        • Scott July 13, 2016 at 10:00 pm #

          Well the first one that springs to mind is Gerry Adams comparing himself to black southern slaves in the US after watching Django unchained.

          That one made me smile.

          • Páid July 14, 2016 at 12:27 pm #

            Metophorical surely and at worst only embarrassing to him.

  3. Perkin Warbeck July 11, 2016 at 10:02 am #

    BARBARY APE

    Greg says: Arm Phoblacht Eireann initials A.P.E.
    Or I.R.A. whose welcome to Gib wasn’t ticker tape
    Shot down like livestock
    In Monaghan on the Rock
    Luckily no stray bullets ricocheted no Barbary Ape.

  4. Pointis July 11, 2016 at 10:03 am #

    Yes Jude, with Gregory Campbell it will definitely be a “fictional friend”!

  5. Antaine de Brún July 11, 2016 at 10:13 am #

    Al Sharpton Jr. is an American civil rights activist, Baptist minister, and a trusted White House adviser. Writing recently about events in Dallas, he stated:

    “The longer injustices in policing remain unaddressed, the longer they fester…The unprecedented events in Dallas remind us that it just takes one disturbed individual to commit a gross, tragic act that derails attempts at peaceful change and sows further division and strife…”

    More than 300 people are reported to have been killed in fighting in South Sudan’s capital Juba. South Sudan was to celebrate the fifth anniversary of its independence from Sudan, following a civil war fought largely along ethnic lines with the president, a Dinka, and the vice-president, a Nuer, drawing support from their respective tribes. Violence and famine remain facts of life in Sudan.

    Mr Sharpton’s remarks are a timely reminder about the need to foster relationships based on trust and respect in order to promote cultural diversity and equality of opportunity. That time is now.

  6. Kevin Moloney July 11, 2016 at 10:46 am #

    Well said

  7. Glenn July 11, 2016 at 11:02 am #

    “IRA people” yet the Boys Brigade are “military-style organisation”.

    Remind us jude who left a 550lb car bomb in Gibraltar.

    Jude what little credibility you had is now laying in the gutter.

    http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/13136190.Celtic_fined___42_000_for_Green_Brigade_s_Bobby_Sands_banner/

    • Jude Collins July 11, 2016 at 2:24 pm #

      Well done, Glenn – nice bit of whataboutery…Re BB – are you saying there is no ‘military-style’ to the Boys’ Brigade?

      • Glenn July 11, 2016 at 9:52 pm #

        When it comes to whataboutery don’t do yourself down Jude, whataboutery is your stock and trade.

        As for the semantics of a 500lb IRA bomb or 500lb’s of IRA bomb making material.
        500lb’s of IRA bomb making material is an IRA bomb.

        However when Jude and republicans can state that they were “IRA people” and the “BB” are some sort of paramilitary group, it’s should not come as unexpected that they would not recognize a 500lb IRA bomb when it’s in a car.

        Jesus wept.

        • Jude Collins July 12, 2016 at 8:21 am #

          Ah, Glenn – maybe quit digging…I have never used the words ‘paramilitary organisation ‘ of the BB – but a woman who’d worked with BB kids is on the record (Nolan TV show) reminding people that ‘paramilitary’ means having military trappings, which of course is what the BB have. I think you also said the IRA people had a bomb on Gibraltar – unfortunate that facts contradict you. Still, always good to hear from a fresh voice…

        • jessica July 12, 2016 at 8:41 am #

          The IRA were people, many of them good people

    • declan July 11, 2016 at 8:00 pm #

      Glenn no one left a bomb in Gibraltar. If your going to comment at least get the facts right. The bomb making equipment was found in a car. In a car park in Spain. No bombs or weapons of any kind was found in Gibraltar.

    • Ryan July 11, 2016 at 8:02 pm #

      “Jude what little credibility you had is now laying in the gutter”

      lol your funny Glenn

      • Sean July 13, 2016 at 3:22 am #

        Glenn look closer and you’ll see military Intel allowed the free movement of IRA personal and weapons based on coms from informers on their payroll. The point being that they were prepared to risk lives to allow this to go the wire in order to execute rather than arrest. Now life’s a bitch and if you take up the sword… well the rest is history but the fundamental question is. 1. Where was the foundation stone of British Justice fundamental to the British was of life? 2. How many deaths have actually been allowed to happen either through incompetence (failure to act despite having Intel from informers) or deliberate inaction to reshape political landscapes in whatever country? Examples being the Dublin/Monaghan bombs ( British agents), Forced emergency powers through the Irish Parliament at a crucial time. The ‘human’ bombs used on the border checkpoints in 1990 where allegedly British agents influenced the tactics of the IRA to use such methods that effectively shocked even the war weary population of Ireland into pushing forward peace plans at a mighty cost. 3. The Omagh bomb where advance Intel also allowed a bomb into a populated area to cause carnage yet wouldn’t you know public opinion was also swayed and in later years this advance knowledge was exposed as a seemingly acceptable loss of life for political gain??? Collusion is now also becoming a daily word in the tabloids covering British affairs! The point being is despite Gregory trying to gasp for political air he is a ‘b’star actor increasingly getting less work and has to prostitute himself by using inflammatory remarks randomly to justify his MP wages. Bigotry keeps him in a job and the wealthy property portfolio to boot. Someone should offer him a redundancy package and allow real leaders of unionism to come out from the shadows and tackle those real issues like welfare reform. Universal credit and homelessness!!!

  8. Sarah July 11, 2016 at 11:23 am #

    Yes Jude agree completely. Wish all politicians would think a minute before popping off with comments that are unhelpful at the least and can serve to stir up resentment for no reason.

  9. paddykool July 11, 2016 at 11:28 am #

    Jude…you’d remember the most notorious and inhumane headline in human history …the Sun’s crass Argentina-related “GOTCHA” when the “Belgrano” was sunk with a resultant loss of some 300 -plus lives( mostly young cadets).It wasn’t widely circulated , such was the stink but even later editions albeit slightly toned-down, carried headlines such as ,”Did 1,200 Argies drown?” The sense that lives …and especially foreign lives, weren’t worth a damn was very evident.
    It was the only ship ever to have been sunk during military operations by a nuclear-powered submarine and the second sunk in action by any type of submarine since World War II. The sinking of “General Belgrano” was highly controversial in both the United Kingdom and Argentina at the time and still remains so .The headline was the kind of awful simplistic , schoolboy rubbish that jokily appealed to “readers” of that periodical. Gregory is obviously a fan of this kind of unsophisticated dark-humour.The real problem is that on one hand Christian values are trumpeted by his party and that the law must be upheld at every turn …. until that idea is turned on its head and hypocrisy takes over. You can’t have the letter of the law being upheld on one hand and then the hit-squad being brought in for special occasions,as happened in Gibraltar and elsewhere ,but that is exactly what has always happened.So much for “Christian values”. Jeffrey may well be a lovely man in private but it doesn’t look that way by the way he acts and the things that he says.
    Then again there are currently many anti-pollution laws and regulations about the disposal of tyres and pallets and the dumping of waste, which are flouted every year at this time and nobody is ever prosecuted .Tractors and various machines are brought in to aid the building of these towers of terrorism. They could never reach the heights thta they otherwise reach and yet there is a pretence that they are the sole work of youngsters ahving a little fun after school breaks out for summer. There are many myths .I see locally that the very traffic -lights had to be removed overnight to accommodate the burning of one of these huge unregulated bonfires close-by.

  10. Cal July 11, 2016 at 11:29 am #

    Gregory’s team are now undergoing the process of liquidation and the assets of that club have been sold to a phoenix club.

    That’s going to hurt any football fan so Gregory to a certain extent is lashing out. Almost childlike in some respects. I wouldn’t take his comments too seriously as I wouldn’t take the tantrums of a 5 year old too seriously.

    May the Gilbratar 3 Rest In Peace.

  11. billy July 11, 2016 at 12:16 pm #

    were told that there are far fewer contentious orange parades in 2016 than there were in 2006 or in 1996….stormont has rebranded them now (the largest community arts sector in n.i)and handed them 200.thousand pounds to buy uniforms and instruments.yep heres 200k lads away yis go,gregorys only saying what the rest are thinking.its bred into them.

  12. James mooney July 11, 2016 at 12:23 pm #

    He’s a bigot out and out its born in them all

  13. fiosrach July 11, 2016 at 12:27 pm #

    On a scale of 1 to 10, would Cam béal be higher or lower than William Frazer. They both seem to appeal to the same audience although Cam béal was astute enough to get himself elected whereas William has only a flourishing youtube business. But as the man himself says, if the SDLP News hadn’t made a headline of it no one would have known. Oxygen of publicity and all that.

  14. Sarah July 11, 2016 at 12:42 pm #

    Day early on birthday wishes thinking today was the 12th. I hope you have started your celebrating any way jude

    • Jude Collins July 11, 2016 at 2:22 pm #

      Thank you, Sarah. I have indeed – unbridled pleasure all the way…

  15. ANOTHER JUDE July 11, 2016 at 1:04 pm #

    Gregory has to make these statements to show his base he is a good loyalist and he knows it will annoy taigs, or a lot of them. As for his personality, he has always struck me as a hateful, bitter, ignorant moron. Probably comes from standing too close to the numerous eleventh night bonfires over the decades.

  16. michael c July 11, 2016 at 1:10 pm #

    Not one of those discussing this on the Nolan show,Nolan,O’Doherty,McGlone or Campbell mentioned the fact that the 3 people were unarmed when shot.Nolan I would guess knows nothing about events at that time .He previously showed a complete lack of knowledge regarding the hunger strike and was taught a sharp lesson by Pat Sheehan SF MLA.

  17. Sherdy July 11, 2016 at 2:05 pm #

    Is it any wonder that, after someone recently compared the Orange Order and the DUP to the Ku Klux Klan that the white supremacists strongly objected?
    There are no words to describe the depravity of people like Gregory Campbell, and to make it worse, we can be sure there will be no admonition from ‘our’ First Minister Arlene Foster, so we can only believe that she has similar thoughts.
    You wonder whether a substantial number of his followers approve of his utterances, but it is my belief that he has such following because of his utterances.
    What chance of a respectful peace in these sick counties when the largest, and ruling, party spouts only hatred for their neighbours?

  18. Brian Patterson July 11, 2016 at 2:41 pm #

    I have to say that,although I usually hugely enjoy his humour, Perkin Warbeck’s contribution regarding the Gibraltar killings, seems to me only slightly, if at all, less crass than Gregory Campbell’s remarks.

    • Perkin Warbeck July 12, 2016 at 7:07 am #

      In deference to the auspicious day that is in it (the boss’s birthday, don’t you know) one was tempted to postpone one’s clarification. Regarding the matter of the chant one’s inner ventriloquist chose to put into the Gregorian mouth. But, no, on mature reflection, the faster one puts it on record, the less chance it will fester.

      SAY NO TO PROCRASTINATION

      Cam-Bheal’s a state of the art smarts bypass
      To view his nous one needs a magnifying glass
      Ar GC is rimhor mo mheas
      Bualadh b. don duine deas !*
      To see he as a weapon of mass self- d. is crass.

      *Translation from the Leprechaun:

      (For Gregory a peck
      Life’s a discotheque!)

      • Jude Collins July 12, 2016 at 8:17 am #

        Ah Perkin – when life hands you a Gregory, make hay…

      • paddykool July 12, 2016 at 4:59 pm #

        Aw Jeeeezis Mighty Perk….”To view his nous one needs a magnifying glass”…..Are you tryin gto kill me ?( uncontrollable mirth-shaking ensuing )….

  19. Antonio July 11, 2016 at 3:10 pm #

    I’ve often wondered why Gregory never made the jump with Jim Allister into the TUV. That party seems to be a more natural home for Gregory because clearly he has no interest in developing the normalization of society here. Other members of his party are more realistic & sensible. (Even if only slightly more so)

    These snide & crass ‘jokes’ are all he seems to do. When was the last time he made the news for asking a relevant question in the Assembly or Commons? When was the last time he said anything in public that was memorable aside from the ‘jokes’?

    So what positive purpose does he serve if any?

    The only possible useful purpose he may serve is that his hateful comments keep the lesser educated, flegger type unionists in the DUP camp (& consequently keeps them voting for the GFA even if they are unaware they are doing so) because his childish hate rants mask the reality that the DUP have abandoned many of the core principles in sharing power with Sinn fein.

    But that is probably over thinking the issue. He probably has no positive or useful purpose.

  20. Ryan July 11, 2016 at 4:00 pm #

    ” making sure their insults carry further by standing on the coffins of the dead..”

    Well that’s what the 12th is all about Jude and Orange Parades in general, why else would the Orange Order absolutely demand to march through Catholic areas like at Drumcree? Its to insult and humiliate, its literally their “culture”. Despite it costing the lives of 3 children, 1 Catholic taxi driver, 1 teenage Catholic girl and hundreds of sectarian attacks and scores of Catholic chapels being attacked, the Orange Order still feel justified in demanding to march through Catholic areas knowing full well that a situation like in 1998 could spark up again. (Not to mention many Loyalists quoted Drumcree as to why they started off the Holycross protests where they targeted Catholic children).

    In Susan McKays book (Sound that Klaxon MT!) a senior Orange man is even asked “What is the point of these clearly provocative parades?” the Orange man turns and replies “To remind the Catholics who is master”. That’s straight from the horses mouth, though we didn’t need them to admit it anyway because the proof is in the pudding. This sectarian and, to be frank: evil, tradition has been going on centuries. You can even see English MP’s in the 1800’s complaining about the Orange Order deliberately provoking riots, sectarian attacks and being needlessly provocative. All of this has literally cost the lives of hundreds of people, the vast majority Catholic civilians. Yet the Orange Order has the cheek to call itself a “Christian” organisation. Indeed Stephen Nolan even asked an Orange man once if Jesus would be a member of the OO if he was on the Earth and the Orange man looked awkward and answered “I don’t know….”

    I think Gregory is an Orange man. Gregory is just indulging in his “culture”. I could come off with much better jokes than Gregory on this blog but I wont lower myself to his standards. Can you imagine the reaction if someone made jokes about the warrenpoint ambush? Or about Sir Peter Terry? The British Air Chief Marshal and Governor of Gibraltar who signed off on the SAS attack on those 3 IRA members, who was later shot multiple times by the IRA in the face (he survived but had to have his face reconstructed through multiple surgeries) and his wife who was also shot above the eye (she survived) and their daughter was found hiding in a cupboard in hysterics.

    I think the issue with Gregory is his bigotry. He’s well known as one of the biggest bigots in Unionism. It must be hard seeing Unionist Stormont collapse then seeing the British Government fail to defeat the IRA, then seeing Republicans in Government and now seeing that in the future it will be Sinn Fein who will be the largest political party in the North and there’s absolutely nothing Gregory can do about it…..

  21. Scott July 11, 2016 at 4:25 pm #

    Another moronic comment from Gregory, the list is growing long now. Glad he’s away to Westminster and largely absent from the political scene in NI.

    The killings in Gibraltar I obviously don’t know the details. They were unarmed as widely reported and whether the SAS shoot to kill immediately or in the heat of the situation shot when they felt they were reaching for something ( potentially weapons) il never know what really happened I guess.

    Either way my heart doesn’t bleed for the IRA men. I wonder what “fair warning” or chance to surrender they would have given there potential victims.

    • Antonio July 11, 2016 at 6:55 pm #

      ‘I wonder what fair warning or chance to surrender they would have given their potential victims”

      None. Most of the time. And that day the SAS never gave any warning or chance to surrender just like the IRA, so therefore they are no better.

      By the way an eye witness living across the street said on TV at the time that the men were shot in the back. The Sun newspaper published a story the following week claiming the witness was a prostitute, classy!

    • Ryan July 11, 2016 at 7:56 pm #

      ” I wonder what “fair warning” or chance to surrender they would have given there potential victims.”

      Are you equating the British State to the IRA Scott? The British state is suppose to implement their own laws and arrest, not murder. If they break their own laws then, as one wise man once said: there is no law. And the British state broke A LOT of their own laws.

      Actually the IRA gave numerous fair warnings in relation to bombs. The bomb in Manchester in the 1990’s for example went off with the force of a small nuclear device, according to bomb experts. No one was killed. But if there was no warning then the massacre that would’ve ensued would’ve made any bomb in Baghdad look like a picnic. We’re talking deaths of potentially thousands of people. When the bomb went off the glass in buildings a good distance away was broken and could be heard for miles away.

      Of course there was times when IRA warnings weren’t given well or weren’t acted upon fast enough. For example the IRA squad who did the Birmingham bomb failed to find a Telephone box in time to send a warning.

      But compare this to the tactics of Unionists who were being helped and backed by the British State. They gave no warnings whatsoever. They made no secret their targets in bombs/shootings were Catholic civilians (often killing protestant civilians in the process). The Dublin bomb, for example, was deliberately placed, positioned and executed to cause as many casualties as possible, killing men, women and children (both born and unborn). The Irish Government suspected British state involvement immediately because the bomb was beyond the capability of any Loyalist to create. Indeed, as we know, the British state still refuses to release the files to that massacre. Wonder what they have to hide?…..

      • Scott July 11, 2016 at 9:25 pm #

        Oh yes they were fine fellows in the IRA Ryan. Never killed an innocent, always gave plenty of warning before bombs went off and always offered British soldiers the opportunity to surrender before killing them……

        The state should hold higher standards than the IRA.

        It of course didn’t in many cases however I find it simple hipocriscy for some Republicans to expect a certain standard of behaviour from the state while supporting/condoning the murderous behaviour of the IRA.

        • jessica July 12, 2016 at 9:14 am #

          Just a pointer Scott, if you are going to get on your high horse about something as ridiculous as which side was worse in a conflict, the use of “however” first of all shows lack of confidence and total belief in your stance to begin with but please don’t expect to be taken seriously here while you choose to totally ignore the fact that unionism started the conflict in the first place.

          • Scott July 12, 2016 at 2:01 pm #

            I would never say that one “side” was worse in the troubles.

            Both sides did wrong and I reject anyone who tries and paint either the British or the Republicans as whiter than white.

            Ryan’s comments painted such a picture which was why I challenged him on them.

        • Wolfe tone July 12, 2016 at 11:57 am #

          Come on now Scott, we shouldn’t blame the entire republican movement for what a ‘few bad apples’ or ‘rogue’ volunteers may have done. Fair is fair. I wouldn’t want anyone calling you a conspiracy theorist mo chara.

    • Wolfe tone July 11, 2016 at 7:57 pm #

      Good oul attempt at letsgetalongerism there Scott. It might fool some but not everyone.

      British state SAS terrorists murdering Irish republicans and cheered on by unionist militia supporters like Gregory Campbell is par for the course. They are all come from the same orchard.

      • Scott July 11, 2016 at 9:27 pm #

        All completely correct there WT except you forgot to insert the word terrorist after Irish Republican.

        • jessica July 12, 2016 at 9:08 am #

          Wow, your true colours are certainly showing now Scott.

          As I have often said, never trust a unionist

          • Wolfe tone July 12, 2016 at 11:40 am #

            Jessica don’t be too harsh. It’s that time of the year when they have a spring in their step. The rest of the year they just pretend they just wanna get on with everyone.

          • Scott July 12, 2016 at 2:02 pm #

            Your trust is not something I aspire to Jessica.

          • jessica July 12, 2016 at 5:09 pm #

            “Your trust is not something I aspire to Jessica.”

            I don’t doubt you at all Scott

          • Scott July 12, 2016 at 2:05 pm #

            My main aim is to simply get along with people WT. I find that is the easiest way to live life.

            However, if to simply get along with you involves swallowing your one sided narrative. Well I’m afraid that’s not possible.

          • jessica July 12, 2016 at 6:28 pm #

            “I would never say that one “side” was worse in the troubles.
            Both sides did wrong and I reject anyone who tries and paint either the British or the Republicans as whiter than white.
            Ryan’s comments painted such a picture which was why I challenged him on them.
            However, if to simply get along with you involves swallowing your one sided narrative. Well I’m afraid that’s not possible.”

            There were many different sides in the troubles Scott, not simply two.
            There are religious differences, constitutional differences, civil rights differences, cultural differences, political differences, social differences,

            As for the conflict itself, many people did wrong, right the way to various British prime ministers who sanctioned many murders.

            There are also many narratives and all are one sided because all are from a point of view.

            Unionism has always been intolerant to other narratives it is uncomfortable with.

            Yes, many, many wrongs were committed by republicans, that is what happens in political conflicts, they aren’t pillow fights and should not be started lightly.

            What we need is a museum at the maze offering an educational an truthful account of Irelands troubles and the peace process from many points of view. It should showcase the complexities of conflict, how easy it can start, to get our of control, how it evolves and escalates and how difficult it is to resolve and that no one wins.
            .
            Unionism is the biggest block to such a positive tourist attraction which would revitalise our economy, and I will tell you why?

            Because no matter how hard you try to create a single narrative of the conflict in your own favour, there is one factual truth that you will never and can never erase.

            That unionism, for no other reason than objection to Catholics achieving civil rights in a protestant state where unionism supremacy was akin to white supremacy in the US against blacks, unionism through its political leaders in both UUP, DUP and others in the years leading up to 1969 started a bloody conflict all on their own, with no retaliation whatsoever throughout the years leading up to the 1969 riots and losing control of the state in the battle of the bogside before bringing over the British army who turned it into a war.

            Not one single life would have been lost if it had not been for the intransigence and sectarianism and bigotry of the unionist leadership who could not have done what they did without the majority support from the unionist community. That is an undeniable fact that has yet to be acknowledged by any unionist political leader and it will not be forgotten until unionist representation does so.

            If you think for a second you will get away without such acknowledgement, then I’m afraid it is that which will not be possible.

          • Scott July 13, 2016 at 2:17 pm #

            That’s my point exactly Jessica, I wouldn’t swallow a one sided narrative of the troubles being a soley IRA terror campaign, just as I wouldn’t swallow that it was completely due to the actions of the state.

            I’m afraid some people only look at and try to understand one side and while its impossible to accept the two ‘main’ narratives as they are contradictory it’s important to understand both.

          • Jude Collins July 13, 2016 at 6:45 pm #

            Well put, Scott…

          • jessica July 13, 2016 at 7:04 pm #

            There are a lot more than two narratives Scott.

            All narratives are from a point of view and represent certain experiences and events.

            The conflict also evolved over time, so narratives will also time based and it went on for decades so one narrative even two couldn’t possibly define it.

          • Scott July 13, 2016 at 9:13 pm #

            Grma, Jude.

          • Wolfe tone July 14, 2016 at 2:14 pm #

            Scott, if you really did practice what you preach, I.e understanding both sides , then why are you such a champion of NATO?

            It’s plain to see the letsgetalongerists are simply unionists dressed up in different clothes. They turn a blind eye to blatant bigotry and hate fests by simply urging the offended to move on. And yet they are very quick to point out the other sides faults without a hint of irony or embarrassment. Tone down your beliefs and agree with me cos I am right, is the current theme of letsgetalongerists. Sounds a bit like the NATO cheerleaders too.

  22. Michael Campbell July 11, 2016 at 7:17 pm #

    These comments are to illicit anger and ire among the Nationalist Republican community. Gregory sees himself as the righteous indignation of the people of protestant Ulster. He would align himself with the Israeli settlers and the White Afrikaners as a people under attack..Even after a peace process lasting almost twenty years.Celtic is for intents and purposes a British Football Team with a former British Secretary of State John Reid as a former Chairnan of it’s Board.So the pint of the tasteless joke is somewhat spurious. On a more serious note Gregory and his supporters did more in one night to destroy the economy of the UK and the North of Ireland than the IRA achieved in 40 years of armed conflict.The Brexit vote did insurmountable damage with Sterling at a 30 year low and Company’s such as Lloyd s of London threatening to move to mainland Europe. It will take years of austerity to recover . Gibraltar was one if the first regions to vote to remain in the EU as did the North here and in Scotland. If I was a Unionist I would be more worried now about future referenda and I would suggest they read an article entitled the disunited Kingdom by an ex military man called Richard Clutterbuck. He wrote over 30 years ago and foretells a lot of what is happening now.But then again you always have Gregory to keep you going with his tasteless jokes.

    • jessica July 11, 2016 at 8:52 pm #

      “The Brexit vote did insurmountable damage with Sterling at a 30 year low and Company’s such as Lloyd s of London threatening to move to mainland Europe. It will take years of austerity to recover ”

      You were doing so well too Michael.

      The devaluation of Sterling is an economic cushion that only nations with their own currency can rely on.
      Something that Ireland and Scotland should pay heed to.

      It is softening the blow of the changes taking place.

      Yes, it will impact on the financial sector who may or may not go ahead with their threats to leave. But the companies who will lose the most are the same ones avoiding tax the most. Nice of you to care about corporates losing money?

      The corporation tax reductions might give them something to think about though.

      Then again, if the Euro devalues they may not even get that.

      As for “years of austerity to recover”, I was under the impression they were already implementing an austerity program, with aims to replace the deficit by 2020. It looks like this may now be off the table with reductions in security spending planned and capital projects and growth stimulation prioritised over clearing the deficit instead.

      If you mean years of austerity in Ireland caused by the break up of the UK. Yes, that could well turn out to be the case.
      As someone who wants Ireland to stand on its own two feet and would welcome England not paying another penny to keep us in their pockets, I would welcome this.

      It is remarkable how many republican minded people are so desperate for the status quo to remain now that real change has begun.

      If you want to read a book written over 30 years ago that predicted not only what is happening now but more that is yet to happen in Europe, I would recommend the vision by David Wilkerson.

  23. Antain Mac Lochlainn July 12, 2016 at 9:49 am #

    I was amused to hear Malachai O’Doherty try to argue it out with Gregory on Nolan, talking about how he agrees that SF are trying to ‘manage’ memory of the Troubles etc etc. Why intellectualise the matter: Gregory likes to offend Fenians. End of…