Bob Geldof made a speech yesterday. That’s Sir Bob Geldof, the Irishman with the honorary knighthood. He was speaking at a No campaign rally in Trafalgar Square organised by Dan Snow. That’s Dan Snow who married Lady Edwina Grosvenor, daughter of the 6th Duke of Westminster, a landowner worth 8.5 billion (you heard me, Virginia – 8.5 billion). Dan’s father-in-law is worth so much because he owns 300 acres in central London (the richest patch of land on the planet) which includes half the Mayfair District, most of Belgravia, and Grosvenor Square. And did I mention he also owns a 100,000-acre estate in Scotland?
But back to Bob. Being an Irishman, Bob naturally is in favour of the Union. Bob’s argument for continuing the union of Scotland with the rest of the UK went like this: “Scotland is a feeling. England is a feeling. Wales is a feeling, Ireland a feeling. But the United Kingdom is one of the greatest ideas for the modern age”.
Mmm. A feeling, eh? Scotland, England and Wales. And Ireland too. I wonder is that the Republic of Ireland? That’s what a lot of people mean when they say ‘Ireland’ nowadays. But ‘Ireland’ (aka 26 counties) broke away from the Union nearly 100 years ago. At which point it should have stopped being a feeling, probably. Snow for his part said that the “legacy of shared endeavour” between Britain and Scotland was evident even in Trafalgar Square. Right. And in Grosvenor Square too, I expect. And even up in that bonnie wee farm up in Scotland. God knows what those communist Salmond types would do to the bonnie wee holding if they won the referendum.
Bob Geldof is a passionate man. He did a lot for the developing world. He’s also an Irishman and one who appears to know nothing about Ireland, and less than nothing about the north of Ireland, as he’s proved in the past. Now he’s got up on a platform beside a man whose father-in-law owns 100,000 acres in Scotland and talked about countries being feelings and the UK “one of the greatest ideas for the modern age” Clearly Geldof is a man totally out of touch with the modern age or he’s cynical to the point where he deserves a second knighthood.
Here is an idea maybe all these celebs should back off and actually let the Scots make up their own mind
Now Boondock
What would your response have been had he said the opposite?
Roll on Thursday/Friday cannot wait to hear what you all have to contribute !
Norma
I don’t remember Bob Geldof ever speaking out on behalf of Northern Nationalists during the “troubles”.
As far as Ireland goes he has long, long forgotten where he comes from.
Personally I wouldn’t give himself or his ilk the time of day.
Can’t imagine any Bob Geldof could sway anybody on how to vote, quite likely the opposite. As someone said on another blog “Bob Geldof, Eddie Izzard and David Beckham, all great political minds but i hold off until i hear what the cast of Corrie has to say”!
Oh Jude the anger trips out of you.I think you need a nice break go on a nile cruise and take in the culture and history and then ponder were we all fit into history
Ha ha Neill – you pay for it and I’m on my way…I’m not even remotely angry. More, what shall I say…contemptuous? Yes, that’d be nearer it. And I suppose if I were Scottish I’d be insulted too – an organiser of a Better Together do, who’s da-in-law just happens to own 100,000 acres up in Scotland. Kind of obscene, don’t you think?
The term West Brit could have been coined with Geldof in mind lol
I seen Dan Snow being interviewed on C4 news at the rally. One of the things he said was “Britain is an island nation and no island should be divided”. He said this whilst wearing a t-shirt bearing the words ‘lets stay together’ with images of England, Wales, Scotland and the 6 north eastern counties of Ireland. Would that be the same Ireland divided by the UK govt. These ‘celebrities’ are chancers who care nothing for the ordinary man/woman.
Hear, hear …
You are a man of good taste, Brian…
Excellent as always Jude.
Grma, Gearoid
“the “legacy of shared endeavour”
But but don’t think for a second that you can use OUR currency Scotland. Funny how that isn’t shared eh?
Never very fond of Dan Snow, Jude, nor his dad. All a bit jingoistically driven with unhealthy interest in militarism. Much prefer their uncle Peter who wouldn’t be brow beaten into wearing the Poppy by BBC fascists. By all means, wear the Poppy by choice, but not by decree.
Oh what a bitter little man!
Norma
One doe not wish to be lacking in chivalry but Bob Geldof KBE may use the post-nominal letters but not the title of “Sir”. Perish the thought that the esteemed Knight is motivated by profit. It is evident that the knight has had a change of heart given he once wrote in “The Great Song of Indifference”:
“I don’t mind if you come or go
I don’t mind if you say yes or no…’Cause I don’t care at all”.
The funny thing is nowhere on TV has Dan Snows family ties been mentioned. It is only on Twitter and Facebook that this has been mentioned. You would think that one of his relatives like Jon Snow of Channel 4 News might have pointed it out. Also Michelle Mone produces most of her sexy underwear in Sri Lanka so no great loss if she decides to leave Scotland if there is a Yes Vote.
Well Jude…Old Bob’s a bit of a curmudgeon isn’t he ?. I’d imagine he’d have a laugh over a pint and argue that black was white …just for the pure hell of it..Not much wrong with that .We’re doing that here every day for the craic….
Is Bob an Irishman? …Okay let’s get into that debate over that barroom table…. Well he’s not your common -or -garden Irishman . That’s for sure . He’s a bit of an anomaly. He was born in Ireland …on that little island floating out there at the edge of the known world …so let’s give him that alright. He’s certainly not like Shane MacGowan of the Pogues who was born in Kent and will always be an Englishman no matter his Irish roots and parents’ pedigree.Shane is a London Irishman…just like you’d have London Chinamen or London Indians.
.Ian Paisley or Edwin Poots is more of an Irishman than the rebel Shane …We like to claim Shane as one of our own in much the same way we want to claim Heaney, Beckett, Shaw ,Wilde ,Behan, Van Morrison or Phil Lynott . Or even our Wee Barry or Rory .They add to the colour of what we think being Irish bestows on us. A bit of glamour or grace… We’d never cite any of the wrong uns like our friend Ian or Edwin.
Anyway…none of them are “ordinary” Irishmen , though. They’re not like the rest of the herd back home…here…. who haven’t stuck their collective heads above the parapet and taken their fair share of abuse… .Not in any way at all.
Geldof’s like that too.He was born in Ireland but he got the hell out as soon as he could and now happily lives somewhere in London, England.I believe he has done that now for some forty odd years. That’s two thirds of his life as an Englishman… with a title too. I think that’s maybe where his “identity crisis” comes in .Maybe though, Bob thinks that it’s an irrelevance whether he’s an Irishman or not .He’s seen a lot …possibly more than any of us here writing or reading . Maybe he doesn’t see himself as a wee colloquial Irishman …but rather a citizen of Planet Earth who happens to live in one of the most vibrant cities on earth. Dispassionate …eh? Non patriotic….non jingoistic…..non nationalistic….Maybe that’s his state of mind .
I think you hit the nail on the head, Jude in that he probably doesn’t know the detail and minutae of Ireland in the modern day .I think there are plenty of us like that here too. We only know the soundbites and the bits we choose to read or listen to . The rest of our time might be taken up doing more important things like getting on with our own personal lives. Bob’s always shooting off at the mouth anyway. He knows it’ll make waves..
In his own words he’s probably thinking…. “Who gives a fuc..”
Bob Geldof is a toady to the establishment, someone who has zero feeling for the plight of the northern Nationalists over the decades, a self hating Paddy. He grovelled and sucked up to the point where he had to be given that hideous gong, same as Terry Wogan and all the others. Bono is another with a slavish loyalty to his masters. As for Snow, nepotism doesn`t even begin to cover it.
Oh goodness
Full of nasty little men today, like a barometer it gives good reading, just how this UI will look. One party state, with one party views, probably akin to ZANU PF, or ANC or PLO, thank G-d I have more years behind me than in front, and maybe I will die before it happens G-d willing.
Bob Geldof has a French background, more than likely ran out for their religious convictions before they were tortured, on the orders of some Pope!
So glad you used this topic this morning Jude.
Norma
Norma
Your anti-catholicism diatribe omitted one important point. Geldofs’ paternal grandmother Amelia Falk was an ENGLISH jew from London.
‘nuf said’!
Well that explains everything doesn’t it.
If you wish to label me anti catholic that is fine, I am not here to justify anything to you.
You always come out with the same old rubbish, when confronted. Sad really.
I am a unionist royalist, pretty much everything you despise, I make no apology for it.
Norma
Roll on Friday.
A Unionist Royalist, married to a Catholic and you paid money to listen to George Galloway.
In a radio interview once, Bob Geldof, Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire, reminisced about topping his class at Blackrock College in some subject or other – possibly, elocution, involving the correct pronunciation of The Irritable Vowel Syndrome (TIVS) – and being awarded with a prize by the headmaster, a book, a hardbacked book, a very hard, hardbacked book.
– It was a translation of ‘The Man in the Iron Mask’ into – the focking Gaelic, for fock’s sake!.
Collapse all round of all parties into a jelly of wobbly mirth in the radio studio. It was, of course, a studio located in the Free Southern Stateen.
Perhaps that should read ‘wireless’ studio ; being that it involved a Geldof?
It was not revealed what it was that BG did with his prize, though actually reading it was clearly not an option. Perhaps it made a useful stop an dorais in Le Chez Geldof.
(Despite his initials BG was never actually a member of the BeeGees. Possibly because the latter were a musical group, and a superb one at that).
Even in the morning of his eventful life there appears to have been something of the Knight in B. Geldof.
Anyway, shortly afterwards Perkie being the pesky kind of pernickety Pinocchio-nose poker that he is, went a sniffing around for this, erm, Gaelic translation of ‘The Man in the Iron Mask’. His first and last port of call was the Government Publications Office which was located at the time in the GPO Arcade on Henry Street in the feeling known as Downtown Blackpool, aka Dubh Linnn aka Dublin.
If it wasn’t there, it was nowhere. It was nowhere. Subsequent bouts of sleuthing also drew a blank. Even in the National Library on Kildare Street, not to mention next door, the periphery of the most whimsical cohort in the FSS, Rannog an Aistriuchain/The Translation Division of the Irish House of Parliament..
Could – gulp – Sir Bob have been mistaken? (The possibility of a porkie, just did not arise: Saints, especially of the secular sort, don’t do porkies. Even of the white sort, especially of the WHITE sort. End of story).
Perhaps he meant ‘The Man in the Irony Mask’ ? That was probably it, for ‘The Man in the Irony Mask’ was in itself a translation from the original French ‘L’Homme aux Masque de Fer’.
Fer fock’s sake ! Indeed, the eponymous hard book (see above) might well have skipped the Queen’s English version, and hopped straight from the original to ‘An Fear sa Mhasc Iarainn’ a fact which would have appealed hugely to the inner philologist in Sir Bob. Perkie is quite sure that there is an inner philologist somewhere within, as Sir B appears to be full of a lot of ‘ologies’.
That inner p. in the Boomtown Rat (his expression) would surely have appreciated (if he had known) that the focking Gaelic for a French man is almost identical to that for a rat: Francach and francach. The only difference being a lower case f in the latter case.
Continuing one this theme ‘L’Homme aux Masque de Fer’ eventually morphed into ‘Les Trois Mousquetiers’ of Alexander Dumas, the hero of which novel was, sans doute, the dashing D’Artangan.
Could this first syllable, this D’Art, perchance, have been the inspiration of The Irritable Vowel Syndrome known as the DORT accent which Le Gorge du Geldof brought to world attention? The signs are there: the DORT was born of the DART and is not that a railway line which translates as ‘Le Chemin du Fer’, in the ratty language of the frogs?
One might be on to something here. But stay, Perkie’s Inner philologist (it’s catching) counsels: stay. Derivative and all as the DART of Dublin is it’s not quite THAT derivative. The Dublin Area Rapid Transit thingy was actually pilfered from the Dallas Area Rapid Transit system.
You don’t actually think the feeling known as the capital of the Free Southern Stateen could be that inventive, fer fock’s sake? Thus, the head of JFK was not the only thing which Dallas handed to Dublin on a plate.
Roish.
But, Perkie, who can be like a Pekinese in his persistence, is not ready to let the Inner Philologist of Sir Bob go quite yet. Having decided that music and he were not particularly compatible, Geldof tuned his eyes to Africa.
What IS it about Belgians and the Dark Continent? Geldof is a surname of Belgian origin.
Anyway, in 2007 the inner philologist in Sir Bob megaphoned in his modest, low key manner that he was about to launch a project, non-pompously entitled ‘The Dictionary of Man’. The idea being that it would digitally preserve for posterity all those languages in danger of extinction.
This minor idea came to him in the darkness of night after his return to the UK from a trip to Niger. where he had encountered – oh, the sheer pathos of it ! – local tribal languages in danger of existing only in the Past Perfect Tense.
A pertubred Perkie wonders will this dictionary include both versions of the TIVS language. During his time spent on the banks of the Niger River in the last century, Perkie’s inner Dr. Livingstone chanced upon a tribe called the TIV who spoke, oddly enough, a language called, yes, TIV.
The other TIVS language, The Irritable Vowel Syndrome, the one colloquially known as DORT-speak (roish?) has already been almost derailed by the peculiar patois spoken by women of both sexes in the feeling known as the Free Southern Stateen and known as HRT, or High Rise Terminal. Which might sound like a high end station on the DORT line, but is assuredly not. In fact, it might even be classified as, ca va sans dire, ‘more worser’.
To conclude on a happier, more personal note.
Perkie only ever had the honour, the distinction and the imperishable memory of being the once in the presence of Robert Frederick Zenon Geldof. But what a fockin’ once.
One was a s.t.r. staff member(superfluous to requirements) of the Irish Prime Minister at the time, Garret FitzGerald, MP. (GG as he was known to friend and friend alike. GG did not do foes). It was a Monday evening (how one fell in love with the M-day that evening and has remained so every since) when Sir Bob came a calling. Now, Irish Prime Ministers just do not do evenings in their exalted office, but of course there are exceptions. Fockin’ roish there were exceptions.
So GG stayed late to accommodate G.
Did Perkie know his Noel had come early?
The photo call (actually, photo opertoonity, so called after the visit of Ron Ray Gun: who said Dublin is not DORivative?) was held in the small, tiny waiting room adjacent to the BIG, BIG office, commensurate in scope with the importance of the FSS Prime Minister, not to mention his THP, or Take Home Pay). At least three score and ten Fuji toting hacks squashed in to capture the Historic Moment. A 35 mm mill of Blblical proportions. Only the third one that Monday. Something to do with the Dark Continent or maybe it was the White Rock Star’s Grave thingy,.
Anyway, the more the buttons were pressed and the more the bulbs flashed the more uncomfortable the Prime Minister (GG) and the more impatient the VIP (G) where they sat on the chintzy sofa, became. Till at last the born leader among the pair took the inish (DORTspeak).
-C’mon Teesh, time to get down to biz.
Said Zenon even as he slapped the Irish Prime Minister on his blue pin-striped thigh and bouncing up was out the door, one G followed meekly by GG.
It is not clear to this day if Sir Bob had the Teesh on a leash of the latter’s tie as he led him into the Oirish Oval Office which dwarfs that in the White House but is dwarfed in turn by every Oval Office on the Dark Continent.
But Perkie, even at this remove, has a, erm, feeling he might well have had.
Bob geldof is a fraud. His well championed Debt relief campaign a while back has been put to bed. And just like his sidekick boner/ bono he has realised there is money to be made in running charities. These two charlatans wet themselves when a Clinton,Blair,sweaty Betty come a knocking. Truly pathetic and a demonstration if ever there was of the assimilated.
By the way Paula Yates stated at the inquest of her lover Michael Hutchence, that saint bob hounded him; constantly threatening to take custody of his daughter of which he eventually managed to do. What man would not despair at the thought of some well connected bully threatening to take possibly the only thing you cared about in the world? The comment he regularly told Hutchence was that ‘he was above the law’. It must be a knighthood thing because sir jimmy savile used to say that as well.
Sir bob is a regular good guy, not! And he’s well suited running around London. They can keep him with Ireland’s blessing.
Good Lord Bob has done a lot of good in the world and just because he says something that many on this blog disagree with he is abused and I thought Unionists were bad at this!
He’s not Lord Bob, he’s Sir Bob….And he’s not good either…
Neil
I agree.
Now excuse me, I have to go and faint.
AG – your comment that starts ‘Once again’ – I’m not sure about that final block capital thing, even if it is an obvious parody. Have another look at it and maybe temper a teensy bit? Or have I misread the whole thing? (Thinks: that’s possible)
Fair enough Dr C.
Can you omit it or do you need me to resubmit it?
Nah – I’ll omit it. Thanks for seeing the point of my (rarely exercised) editing.
Be very very very worried.
Its a bad sign when AG and Jude are beginning to agree with me……
Once again I’m struck by how similar nationalists and unionists are.
We’re told how different we are but when you look at the reasoning behind our opinions as opposed to the opinions themselves then you can see the similarities.
For example, the sound of disgusted gasps with the percussion of broken china in the background that can be heard when a young person of a unionist background explains why he/she thinks that the impending ‘night of the long knives’ that would surely follow a united Ireland is in fact a stupid thought is seemingly mirrored when a supposed member of the nationalist ‘tribe’ airs his/her rational views on Scottish independence.
An Irishman not being a blinkered nationalist? How very dare he!
It’s in our blood to be a singular Borg-like entity!
Apart from the Jacobites.
And the pro-vaticanites.
And those Irish that fought alongside the Vikings and Normans.
And the British.
And Dutch.
And then British again.
And the innumerable Irish princes that murdered each other.
But aside from them….
What a Lundy (who was actually a loyalist)!!!
Do people in the UK stand to lose if Scotland goes? Yes.
Not just in terms of oil and gas (as is ALWAYS what it is reduced to) but culturally, politically and indeed ‘statically’.
Losing Scotland is like losing a limb.
As it stands everything is relatively familiar from Lerwick to Newcastle to Birmingham to London to Padstow.
After independence the higher latitudes are now foreign.
Properly foreign.
That is a tad disconcerting for people happy with things as they are.
And whilst it is politically smart to concentrate on money, oil, gas and vested interests it is for some reason disingenuous to raise mention the understandable fear of change.
When I lived in Scotland my friends and I often travelled to London (separately) for business reasons or leisure.
It was not a trip to a foreign land, it was a nip down the road.
Independence removes this. London is now foreign, things are more complicated.
Many people don’t welcome complication. Some think it is worth the price, fair enough.
But it’s not fair enough to blackguard the name of people who don’t welcome complication.
Scotland IS actually in a union, a proper one, not a soviet one or a US type union (“you ain’t goin nowhere boay!”. The job of nationalism is to convince people that she is receiving a hard deal.
If Scotland is receiving a hard deal then fair enough, time to go.
But not everything is vested and dirty.
And if the richest man in Britain owns 100 000 acres in Scotland while it is in the UK he will still own 100 000 acres in Scotland when it is not in the UK.
The only inconvenience would be he might have to show his passport at the border.
But given that he probably flies there and has to show ID anyway, this matters not a jot.
If Salmond’s tax reductions are anything to go by then he might be chuffed to have his property in a land that can dip into oil reserves before it has to claw back land from the wealthy, England may not have that option for long.
Please remember that we’re not members of a caste system, sticking it to people because they have a certain opinion despite their heritage is on the same slippery slope as Asian ‘honour killings’.
“TONIGHT ON BBC NEWS, SHOCKING SCENES AS X (WELL-KNOWN CELEB) HAS BEEN FOUND RAPED AND HANGING DEAD FROM A TREE IN RAJASTAN, LOCALS SAY HE DISHONOURED HIS KIN WITH HIS POLITICAL OPINIONS….”
Oh yes he is always nice to see Irish people attacking fellow Irish people
Norma, any chance you can construct a sentence without the word bitter or even references to religion? Thanks.
Oh, and I wouldn’t be as confident about Friday as you are – that just might come back to bite you.
Of course, you do realise that even in the event of a No vote that things will have changed considerably? Perhaps fatally. The times they are indeed a changing.
And changing and changing and changing.
I am over joyed with confidence roll on Friday.
Norma
Guys, pick on blessed bob all you like but I do wish y’all would stop picking on Norma. It gets my feminist hackles up, so it does.
Midge Ure the co-founder of Band Aid is a supporter of Scottish Independence.
Jude,
‘Bob Geldof is a passionate man. He did a lot for the developing world’
Like yourself Jude, most casual observers would have thought the ‘Live Aid ‘ and ‘Live8’. money would have went to the poorest people around the developing world. Not so. Here’s how it really stacked up.
All of this money was actually used to pay off the corporate creditors of these indebted nations leading also to a ‘direct aid’ deduction of money and services formerly paid by the G8 nations to these impoverished countries.
As Michael Chussodovsky clearly states ‘for each dollar of ‘debt cancellation’ to the international financial institutions the G8 will reduce the flow of foreign aid to these countries. In other words, the foreign aid earmarked to finance much needed social programs will now go directly into the coffers of the IMF and the World Bank’.
in effect ‘LIve 8′ acted as a direct reimbursement process for the creditors of the 18 poorest countries on the planet, while further binding these countries, their industries and exports to the future predations of the World Bank and IMF.’
This financial charade was perpetrated by ‘saint bob’ and his ilk on us all, whilst they gloried in the fame, record sales and royalty income, all the time turning a blind eye on the behind the scenes manipulation of these starving people mired in poverty, as a result of our previous colonial ‘rape and plunder’.
Suffice to say that it went virtually unreported on the mainstream media at the time, that Geldof had in Nov 2008 been paid £100,000 for a brief ‘bleeding heart’ speech on ‘third world poverty given in Melbourne, continues to demand exorbitant speaking fees at ‘third world events’ and was even graced with an honorary doctorate from the criminal apartheid state of Israel.
Wow ! Makes ya proud ta be Irish !
I’ll leave the last word on Geldof’s character to Morrissey……..’nauseating’.
The very minute Bob Geldof accepted his British knighthood he showed he was very much part of the British Establishment which includes the belief of its members that it has the right to own Scotland, Wales and it’s last colonial fingertip hold in Ireland.
Geldof is an Anglo and any true Republican should not degrade themselves by giving him or Wogan or any other Toady a prefix.
Pointis, what about the millions of other Irish people who moved to the mainland for a better life, do you hate them too?
William you are just trying too hard to be provocative!
I don’t hate anybody including Bob Geldof and respect his right to make his beliefs known.
Bob Geldof is a man of the British Establishment but would like to be known as a man of the people (including the Scottish people). He has a vested interest in maintaining the status quo but he won’t be making that clear to the people he will be trying to dissuade from voting for an independent Scotland.
Usual Jude Collins Irish Republican blogspot rhetoric, you are either with us or against us, if your view differs from ours, then it dosent count
I don’t know why I approved this, sweet William – it’s just contextless abuse. You’re better than that.
Jude, I am but I’m getting slightly weary of the same old, same old. Maybe we should talk about the sectarian abuse meted out to the young boys of Ballysillan Swifts, or the burning of the Orange Hall in Manorcunningham, or the eviction of a Protestant family in South Fermanagh, or should that not be talked about on this site, as it is only Protestants who are bigots!
I have NEVER said Protestants are bigots – don’t put lies in my mouth, William. I am of course opposed to sectarian abuse from any quarter, the burning of halls or churches (mine has been burnt twice). Since I don’t know anything about the eviction you speak of I can hardly write about it. Which brings me to the nub of it: I write on what I choose to write of. For you to tell me what I should write about is insulting as well as absurd. If you believe something should be written about, you’re capable of writing. So do it. But don’t give me writing orders or any other kind of order.
I’ll leave the last word on Geldof’s character to Morrissey……..’nauseating’.
Fine singer Morrissey however he has been accused of being racist unlike Sir Bob
Neill,
William Roaches was accused of sexual abuse! He was found innocent. Surely a man of your calibre knows the difference of an allegation and a conviction!
If this guy Morrisey was convicted of racist behaviour come out with it otherwise don’t try and defame the guy!
I didn’t say he was racist I said he was accused of being a racist using him to attack bob geldof who has done fine work for the people of African I felt was unwise if we had more geldofs the world would truly be a better place
If he is not guilty of being a racist why mention it at all if not to imply some type of slight on his character?
I’ll leave the last word on Geldof’s character to Morrissey……..’nauseating’.
Yet you make no mention of this?
Morrissey has been accused of “flirting” with far right elements who despise people of different colour and nationality and yet he is being used as a person to criticise a man who has done great things for Africa can you see the point i am making?
Bob Geldof is a self serving self publicist, I have never liked him. Watch the footage from the con that was Live Aid, near the end you can see him and his late wife accidentally on purpose walking into camera shot. He did the dog on Phil Lynott, a genuine musical talent and proper rock and roll star, Geldof could have put Phil on his Live Aid luvvie fest but didn`t. Phil was never the same after that. Geldof is a lackey to the English establishment, a typical stater, he wouldn`t have a clue about the way the same establishment treats and treated his fellow countrymen. He loves to be seen with the great and the good, much I suspect like any other Unionist, whether Irish or British. Perkin`s anecdote says it all. If I wanted to give money to the third world I would not give it to any organisation celebrities were involved with, I would donate to a professional agency like Trócaire.
Blah, blah, republican I hate everyone who disagrees with me, blah
Again, William, I’m opposed to posts that are simply abuse. Please don’t do it.
Virtually every one of William Fay’s posts consist of abuse directed at his fellow Irishmen.
He asserted that the independent Irish state is a “failed entity” – but when presented with the “Economist Intelligence Unit” evidence contradicting his assertion, he ignored it : http://www.economist.com/media/pdf/QUALITY_OF_LIFE.pdf
Most of us are well aware of how things can be improved in Ireland – and a Re-United Ireland is central to this – but instead of making some positive suggestions towards national reconciliation in a better Ireland, all we get is bile and bitterness.
You say Jude that William Fay is better than that – I hope you are right.
You still dont get it North Munsterman Unionistd dont want a united ireland and will do their upmost to prevent it happening all we want do do is live in peace with our near neighbours not to be ruled by them
Pay no heed to William fay’s anti irish posts. He is well rewarded for he endeavours.
Bob is one of those enigmas in public life. He has a deserved reputation for raising awareness of hunger and deprivation while at the same time diverting attention away from the real causes of the same injustice he claims to abhor. He, like Bono, is only too willing to pose with the likes of Blair and Bush (I smell ego boosting here) while out of the other side of his mouth he fails to condemn the Corporate culture and free market economics that are the prime reasons for the problem in the first place.
No surprise that he does his masters bidding by being anti Scottish independence then. The Scottish people are the only ones with a right to a voice in deciding their future. What they decide will have enormous impact on other parts of the remnants of the British empire. It is however their decision alone to make.
Keep your neb out Bob. Scotland does not need your opinion but if you are so well connected to those in power as you think, maybe you could do some good by pointing out their failings in relation to poverty and hunger. Methinks you would find it hard to get your calls answered if you did!
Jeeeziiiz…..what the hell has got so much snot flying ….vitriol everywhere….let’s get back to base here….Norma is not the anti Christ and Bob is not the anti Christ .We’re all getting up in the morning and putting the kettle on ….so let’s calm it down a bit and stop the bloody insults. the vote will go through in a few hours and the game will roll on …so let’s take a deep breath and have a cup of tea…..
wise words indeed paddykool
PK
As always I love you, you calm me down no end, and bring a warm glow to me.
Norma
Had my tea PK. I agree, Norma is not the antichrist and for that matter neither is Bob, he simply isn’t that important which is a problem for Bob.
I have fond memories of a song by that excellent but long defunct band, The Housemartins called “Flag Day”. Each time I hear it I think of Bob and Bono. Great tune.
Try this then, Paddy. I used to like them. Now I love them….http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gApwpSWAhbQ
A song for the times that are in it Jude!
I cant wait for Friday, not for the result though but for the ridiculous articles in newspapers to end. OK I am partly to blame because I have even read dirt like the daily mail and the daily record but some of the stuff especially in the last few days has been incredible. Here is just one example of the rot I have come across today
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2758591/This-bullying-intimidation-worse-I-saw-Ulster-writes-TOM-BRADBY.html#readerCommentsCommand-message-field
According to Tom Bradby the Yes campaign’s bullying and intimidation is worse than anything he saw in Ulster (sic). Which makes you wander what exactly was he reporting on from Northern Ireland – the local tiddlywinks or scrabble championship? I cant wait for Ross Kemps new series of Extreme world were he has to go to Scotland and have someone shout at him for a few seconds – scary stuff! Funny how Tom has no problem with the medias REAL intimidation of the voters with all the doomsday scenarios if Scotland dares vote for Independence.
Big business will flee to London
Increased unemployment
Increased prices
Property bust
Increased Terror threat
No entry into EU (funny I thought it was the rest of the UK that wanted out)
No Sterling
Plague of frogs
The list goes on and on throw in how independance will somehow desecrate the war dead especailly those that fought in Northern Ireland and you kind of see what depths some are prepared to go on this.
So roll on Friday and quickly
Ridiculous articles indeed, boondock, I have not heard one statement or read one article from the Yes campaign that makes sense. I think Tom Bradby deserves a bit of leeway considering his experiences, and if that is perceptions who are you to argue with him
Interesting this discussion about Unions, independant states and aristocrats that control the Unions.
Following its departure from the United Kingdom Union and its establishment as an independant state as recognised by the community(union) of global states that comprise the United Nations it was not long before Ireland joined the European Union.
It looks as if Alex Salmon wants Scotland to follow a similar line.
Improved commmunications across the globe and easier movement of people, goods and capital over the same globe dont change the geography of proximity but they do change perceptions, organisation and, to some extent the aristocrats like Dure of Westminster(with Omagh address) to the Geldofs and Bonos
neill :
Fair enough – then you should not have signed up to the GFA as you will be the minority from 2020 onwards and an electoral minority from the mid-2020’s.
If you believe a Nationalist majority in the North will not have an impact on the state of play, you are in for quite a shock.
Equally your leader said there would be a united ireland by 2016 either he got his sums wrong or he is a liar you choose?
What happens if there isnt a nationalist majority or perhaps more intriguingly there is a catholic majority who dont vote in favour of a united ireland….
och Neill,
You are being a bit unfair to Martin. He probably did get the sums slightly wrong but you couldn’t say someone was a liar if a prediction doesn’t come to pass within a set timeframe!
Sure it is no big loss if things happen in 2018 or 2020 as opposed to 1916. He probably thought it would have been nice on the big anniversary!
It wasn’t Martin’s prediction actually – it was Mitchel McLaughlin
Munsterman,
None of my family on the catholic side want change, they know when they have real butter on their toast, with a little bit of jam.
Boondock glad to here you read my paper the daily mail, I even have my Mother in law purchasing it along side her Irish news.
My prediction for the next four years, England will find huge deposits of oil and gas..
Russia will bankrupt Ireland, she will see her exports fall drastically.
The border poll will come in, and the jackals and foxes, will regroup and vote with the unionists. Walla, sorted, bingo.
Norma