The Stardust inferno, in which so many young people lost their lives, has finally produced a satisfactory inquest which shows that the source of the fire was probably an electrical fault. The horror happened in a working-class area of north Dublin in 1981. If it had happened in south Dublin in a middle-class area, would the families have had to wait so long and fight so hard for the truth?
The BBC’s Nick Robinson has got into hot water for using the word ‘murder’ about the Israeli onslaught in Gaza. Are his critics right? Or is this just distraction?
And booze – do you like to get legless in the privacy of your own home, or would you rather go out to a pub? Any number of pubs have shut over recent years, and yet Ireland ranks high in the number of booze-houses per capita. Have you been to a pub lately?
This and more, more, MORE…
Something highly disturbing about the analysis Mr. Collins brings to the table. Can see why he is unwelcome as a broadcaster.
The conflict in Northern Ireland was not a war . It was a terrorist campaign. Even the RC church supports this view .
Those killed were murdered. How would he describe the deaths of the Reavey brothers and the deaths of the Protestant workmen?
Problem is that he appears to have serious difficulty in providing any real analysis. This man was an academic lightweight.
His thinking about Stardust tragedy…..no words.
The RUC and British army also “murdered” plenty of people going by your logic. Yes?
The RUC and the British Army were protecting the people and upholding the law. It is ,of course ,well established that they also broke the law on occasions.Bloody Sunday would appear to be the prime example.The RUC at times were also comprised in their behavious.
Fairness indicates that all those involved in suh activities ,namely murder ,should face the full rigors of the law.
The British and their various allies liked to treat the “troubles” as a war when it suited them, that is the problem. So when their combatants overstepped the mark they rarely if ever faced court. Hundreds of Republicans ended up in prison. Saturating Nationalist areas with thousands of antagonistic soldiers, insulting and mistreating the population, working in cahoots with Loyalist groups to kill their enemies, gunning down civilians with complete impunity. You can’t behave like that and then try to whitewash your history by pretending to be lawful authority.
What you say makes disturbing reading and provides food for thought. Very many wrongs inflicted on the nationalist community since the inception of the State.
I take the view that a serious problem is that the RUC/PSNI have failed to carry out thorough investigations into serious crime. Regardless the PP office appears reluctant to prosecute.
Whatever way we look : a very unhealthy State .Will those who termed themselves freedom frighters bring about change?
Sadly I do not believe they will make any difference. Unfortunately those abused tend to become the abusers,
People here have different narratives of the cause of the conflict, I am never going to agree with the likes of Ben Lowry, he is never going to agree with me. Jude’s analysis is more aligned with my view and that of most Nationalists, hardly surprising. Things are much better now than when I was growing up thank God.
Thank you. Understand and acknowledge your perspective.You will .I know, forgive me for being in the Ben Lowry camp.
Agreed things are now much better and it is to be hoped we will still continue to see improvements.