Hands up if you know who Feargal Dalton is? Right, me neither, until I read an article about him in this morning’s Belfast Telegraph. He’s a Glasgow SNP councillor and he’s been the target for lots of online abuse by dolts who claim he’s a supporter of IRA violence and should be ejected from the SNP. On a Facebook page, he’s been accusing of supporting “republican ideology on social media”.
The blogger, who is only identified as ‘Patriotic Unionist’, also attacked other SNP politicians including Margaret Ferrier, Brendan O’Hara and Tommy Sheridan for their stances on Irish nationalism. Ad did I mention that Feargal was abused for using the Irish tricolour on his Twitter page and for retweeting a picture from a West Belfast bar that flew LGBT flags?
This links with the attack recently on Barry McElduff when he made his ‘Scrap NI’ comment. His throw-away remark was considered outrageous.
The attack on Mr Dalton will blow over, as has the attack on Barry McElduff. But it raises an important question: is it OK to be a nationalist/republican?
On the face of it you’d say it must be: sure haven’t we politicians at Stormont asked to designate themselves nationalist or unionist?
True, but consider what happens when someone in the public eye suggests that a united Ireland might make sense. Anna Lo – remember her comment about a united Ireland coming eventually and about our little state being “a colony”? Or more recently James Galway, for daring to suggest that the sectarianism and violence in this place might be connected to Ian Paisley? The fact is that a unionist position is seen as the normal, default position for any decent person. Appreciation and respect for royalty, approval of poppy-wearing, enthusiasm for anyone in entertainment or sport who happens to come from the six counties. (Come to think of it, to refer to ‘the six counties’ is seen as a sign of dangerous radicalism, probably linked to violence.)
This RA-men-under-the-bed attitude is really not very smart. If people who believe in the peaceful reunification of Ireland are treated as some sort of red-eyed radical, sooner or later they’re going to conclude that the notion of working peacefully for a reunited Ireland is a waste of time. In which case they’ll either retire from the whole thing in disgust or feel driven to the conclusion that only violent means will achieve their objective.
There are many decent unionists and there are even many decent unionist politicians. When the kind of assault that was made on Feargal Dalton or Barry McElduff is made, they should make their voices heard loud and clear. If they don’t, their silence may well be interpreted as assent.
All very well Jude for you to come out and say this now did you show the same relish for this attitude when Rory came out and said he was proud to be Northern Irish?
As for Barry as I have said before he is an educated corner boy without SF employing him he probably would be living off the state did you think he would get a pleasant response when he said scrap Northern Ireland I wonder what his response would have been if I had said scrap the GAA or the Irish Language do you think it would have been calm and measured?
I forget a lot of things, neill, but I’m reasonably sure I took the line that Rory could regard himself as whatever he wanted, golf was still a stinker of a ‘game’. Something along those lines. So Barry is ‘an educated cornerboy’. What does that mean? As far as I know he has a degree from Queen’s. I’m not sure Carrickmore has a lot of corners and Barry is a long way from being a boy. To say ‘without Sinn Fin he probably would be living off the state’ …well. I could say ‘Without the DUP Peter Robinson would be on the dole’ but I’ve no evidence of any kind for that. Ditto for you and Barry. You’re entitled to say scrap the GAA or the Irish language if you wish – people have said worse about both. It might have been calm and measured, or not calm and measured. You’d still be entitled to say it and I personally doubt if it’d provoke a storm of protest. My central point still holds: to declare ‘I’m a republican’ or even ‘I’m a nationalist’ or ‘I’m in favour of a united Ireland’ is seen as not the done thing for public figures. If it weren’t the case, Anna Lo and James GAlway wouldn’t have excited such negative attention.
Jude
Surely Anna Lo and James Galway received negative attenention because they are perceived to be unionist (Alliance) or unionist background and thus expressing such views may be seen as betrayal by some more excitable elements.
Neill makes a good point about Rory McIlroy though. There was a lot of vitriol around these parts directed at him, not the indifference you feign to remember!
Gio – you’ve a fine imagination if nothing else. I was speaking for myself when I said I didn’t give a monkey’s what he called himself. Go easy – I can make a mess of myself without added help…
Maybe you’re being a big,erm, rough, Esteemed Blogmeister,on the old Royal and Ancient. After all, it was invented by our Caledonian cousins in the year polka dot BC. (Before Culloden).
It’s really not as foul-smelling a sport as some of its most ardent advocates might make it seem.
Consider the following: at the (gulp) 1977 St. Jude’s Classic (whose 2015 versh started today) in Memphis, Tennessee, the President of the United States of America shot a hole in one during the Pro-Am.
This was the (allegedly) cack-handed chap about whom a previous President Lyndon B. Johnson once acutely observed: ‘he can’t chew gum and walk down the street at the same time’.
Actually,that is the sanitized version of what the foul-mouthed Texan actually said about Gerald Ford (for it was he!). To remind one what was in fact uttered, look for a clue in the name of the golf course, Southwind.
As you , Esteeemd Blogmeister, are one who has an unerring eye for hitting the birdie one is in no doubt you would discover the game to be a doddle. (You can find one, an out of work bagman, at: Dial a Paddy Caddie. Just ask for Picky Perkie, he who has turned down a multitude)).
There are different theories as to why the Classic which started today is named after/for St. Jude. One of those favoured by the more discerning say the answer lies in the classic lines penned by one, Chuck Berry when he found himself engaged in a hopeless quest:
Long distance information, give me Memphis, Tennessee
Help me find the party trying to get in touch with me
She could not leave her number, but I know who placed the call
Cause my uncle took the number and he wrote it on the wall.
Perkie had an uncle like that once; but we don’t mention his name much. Cost the family a fortune in graffiti scouring on the walls of Warbeck Towers.
Adh mor – buail e direach sios an hey diddle diddle !
educated corner boy. The man has a degree from QUB! Plus he has a mandate to represent the people of west Tyrone, so his opinion however flippant deserves respect
Neill,
You just undermined you point about Rory by launching into an unsubstantiated personal attack on the character of another man.
I know you are better than that! Bad day?
I get frustrated when we elect people like Barry and people like him in other parties because they actually have not the ability to move on and actually find a way to run this place properly they rely on the baser instincts to get elected but don’t have any real leadership abilities the real problem is that we have many gifted people here but are terrified of taking part in the political process and that leaves it open to others who are not gifted or skilled
Is it really Barry’s lack of leadership abilities and gifts that frustrates you, or his outspoken commitment to a united Ireland, neill? (And NO crossing your fingers behind your back, please…)
I don’t mind him wanting a united Ireland he just does it in a charmless way he is the equal of Gregory Campbell
Ah now neill – if charm were a prerequisite for expressing political opinion, a lot of us would be suppressed…
Remind us Neill which country Rory opted to represent at International level?
Because Northern Ireland didn’t have a team
Last time I looked NI, Wales, Scotland and England were represented by Team GB Neill, so that’s not strictly true, there is a team for people who feel “Northern Irish”, instead Rory opted to represent Ireland.
It’s time we stopped Unionists portraying Republicanism as a dirty word or the tricolour as an offensive emblem and the language as the language of the foreign nation
Opposition to unionist and belief in democratic republicanism is a legitimate aspiration to be respected
Oppositions are not enemies
Do not mention partition
In a humorous exchange in America, Daily Host show John Stewart asked Nicola Sturgeon if America could invade Scotland in order to take possession of Scottish oil. The Scottish First Minister replied that it was unusual for the US to seek permission to invade any country.
Leaving the humour aside, a rational debate on Irish sovereignty must include the morality and legality of invading a country, the slaughter of inhabitants, theft of land and transportation of people to Hell or Barbados. Economic migration sounds better.
Is Iraq a better place after the American invasions? Is Libya a better place in the wake of recent military intervention? The success of military intervention in Libya may be assessed by the extent of the refugee crisis in the Mediterranean Sea and at the port of Calais. As mercenaries return to England to discuss ‘combat’ experience in Syria, Tony Blair is worried that the British Labour Party may become a left wing party. He has no concerns on that score in relation to the Irish Labour Party. Evidence of Britain’s austere role in the north of Ireland is plain to be seen in the job creation scheme for politicians and their special advisors known as the Legislative Assembly.
Well Jude …you know it’s not the done thing in Norneverland to think for yourself. It’s not quite right , is it?The powers that be would much prefer us as herd animals …easily driven and as malleable to their whims as potter’s clay.To think about anything other than their narrow little worldview has left this little embattled bulwark , alone in a corner at the very edge of the known world , still cleaving to mad fantasies of empire and a 6000 year old earth.To think of anything else is …..well it’s almost blasphemous. A few centuries ago some of us would be flexing our buttocks at the advance of the hot- poker brigade.
To think about another set-up …a united country again,…now that’s a novel idea…. but this time driven by all our own steam for a change….well , that’s unthinkable so best not even discuss it and diss anyone who brings it up before they start actually teasing out a debate about it…Dammit , it might even make a bit of sense if it was all laid out for everyone to get a geek at it…..
The demonisation of an idea goes on unabated .They’re at it yet for another generation with all this “Sinn Fein /IRA nonsense”. Every time that comes up I wonder why no one says “DUP/Ulster Resistance”….It has a ring to it but , really , it all a bit old hat .It’s ancient history now. Next thing you know they’ll be telling us that King Billy and the Pope were on the same side……?…well maybe not….
They don’t want to accept the fact that a sort of republican socialism/capitalism might be another way to look at it all ….another idea…like in France or maybe America …a valid point of view in other words, standing on your own feet as a nation and making deals with your neighbours.Unionists were happy enough for Ireland to be a united country so long as Britain ruled it entirely as a country in union with Britain…when that ceased to be the case suddenly all bets were off .Now the “union” of old is a very tenuous thing now anyway. But then , they’ve spent generations talking so much twaddle about any other ideas that some of them have finally ended up camping forever in a place of that very name ….well , nearly.
The “Manufacture of consent”, by Noam Chomsky years ago, drew attention to how potent the Media Machine is in directing attentions elsewhere than from where someone with measure might focus. An illuminating read.
You have struck on a very cogent point Jude, and one that has needed articulation. I Never refer to the north eastern part of Ireland as NI, except if explaining its status with someone for disambiguation reasons. It has now become the domain of the heretical radical to refer to this anachronism in Ireland by any other title than NI.
I was with a friend, and in the company of a couple of learned Doctors of Thinkology when conflicts zones were touched on in an open-ended conversation. NI could not have been mentioned more,-“we we in northern Ireland this” and “we in northern Ireland that”….when I mentioned in reference “this part of Ireland”…a couple of the eyebrows, involuntarily or otherwise, twitched in lofty appreciation of the fact that they were in the company of one of those dangerous types, who is discontent with the status quo, and wishes more….imagine, the temerity to imagine a better Ireland soon where diversity is our strength, Sectarian Orders have been marginalized becoming impotent and irrelevant, partition forever as well as British mischief and misgovernance in this unequal equation, a thorn in the side of Ireland removed, and a better future strived for, where Grand Wizards hate preaching and scamming Bankers/speculators Shared the same Cells…..
The eyebrows may twitch and I reserved myself acknowledging the flicker of disdain at such a geographical/geopolitical absurdity that I had obviously been too Radical to observe.
The country with unite, then we will need to reprioritise people over the Financial Sector. Connolly and Larkin’s vision is realisable, and s new Ireland can show herself an example of Social Justice and Equality, tempered by the fires of an unjust past.
Nolan, BBC, UTV, RTE, the Irish News, the Irish indo, Times et al can call a puddle a lake til the Cows come home, but the writing is on the wall, and
Sun is in the Sky, and puddles evaporate readily where lakes may endure. I don’t want War anymore than I want Partition, but damned if I am going to hide my love for the Lake. The less me tiptoe, the more our audible footsteps of integrity and equality will garner respect….puddles be damned.
Well said I couldn’t agree more
The title of today’s blog, Esteemed Blogmeister, might well apply to an item on (gulp) a DOBlin radio station this morning. Also, curiously enough, with a Scottish burr.
It featured a fulminating Ivan ‘The Thurible’ Yeats having a go at – gasp ! – the pusillanimity of a Dail Committee. Specifically the FAI-lure of the whiskered pussycats on the particular committee in q. to crook a finger in the direction of John ‘No Explainey’ Delaney of the FAI. Bidding him come hither to answer a question or five about the Five Mill. Yes, that 5,000,000,
A modest enough sum, mind you, though one that could be construed (by those of a particularly sceptical disposition) to rhyme with – what certain jibing scribe of the keyboard warrior class might call – a ‘corruption vibe’.
The same committee, according to former blueshirt politico and in-the-red bookie, WB Yeats , had already hauled the GAH over the coals regarding such issues as their less than celestial deal with Sky TV and the abortive G.Brooks concerts in Croak Park.
W.B. (it stands for Wireless Buff) Yeats seemed to be suggesting that while the digit Five was common to both cases where they differed was in the relative gravity of that commodity to which the rigid digit was attached: Concerts in the first case, Million Euros (or was it Dollars?) in the second. And that the latter was in a different,erm, league entirely.
Now, just as Perkie’s inner transmuted convert was about to raise a hearty hip ! hip ! he was abruptly struck mute by the strange reluctance of his newfound hero of the hairwaves to include the eggheaded boss of the IRFU in his list.
Earlier this year Philip Browne (for it was he !) told the Free Southern Stateen Sports Minister to butt out and mind his own business. When the latter tried to declare Oirland’s shoulder to shoulder Six Nations games as being Free-to-Air due to their, erm, National Importance as Cultural Events. Cue for Sports Minister to meekly exit.
The same Sports Minister who is happy to shovel shedloads of public moolah into the impoverished coffers of the Rugby Fraternity / Sorority. Browne-nosing, it would appear, is strictly a one-way thoroughfare.
And then Perkie recalled just why Ivan ‘Thurible’ Yeats acquired his distinctive sobriquet: for his penchant for swinging the metal censer, suspended from chains, in which incense is burned during worship services.
As befits a good old boy of St. Columba’s College in the leafy foothills of South Dublin, a distinction he shares with the late, grating Brian Faulkner. Another alumnus who, oddly enough, also came to grief in an equine ambiance.
Rugby, of course, being the new Establishd All-island Sport, to which incense, not incensed criticism, is due. Subject to censers as distinct from censorious comment.
Thus, Perkie’s name being put down for a hip ! replacement. And such is the waiting list for such an operation in the FSS this is unlikely to happen in the near future, oops, Any. Time. Soon.
But to return to the Caledonian element in today’s blog. The reason given (in many critically acclaimed quarters) for the FAI-lure of the Dail Committe to call Oscar Wilde look- alike though not sound-alike, John Dealaney was out of due respect for the build up to Saturday’s crucially crucial clash between the Sham Rockers with the Thistle Mods.(which is all too short for Moderates).
For fear of distracting the fragile professionals of the green ganseyed gaiscigh on rung Number 73 of the World Ra[ning for their massive task in hand,oops,foot.
As if the Rear Ending of the motor car ferrying the Bainisteoir (MON) and the Bainisteoir Cunta (RK) on the M50 wasn’t distraction enough. Yes, whereas the Bainisteoir Cunta called last Sunday’s scoreless epic against the Aul Enema ‘a glamour friendly’ the Bainisteoir actually drew on his law library experience to dignity it with the tonier ‘a prestigious friendly’.
That’s why MO’N is the main mon, aka Bainisteoir.
And, no, the rumour that this Rear Ending on the M50 was a continuation of the recent Rear End Referendum, has since been discounted.
By those Reliable Sources who decide such matters: from dissing Scots Nats MPs to allowing FAI-lures to be missing out.
Thus,
If recent newspaper reports are correct,some members of the S N P are not so bad at trolling themselves.Apparently the late Charles Kennedy was subjected to quite a bit of on-line abuse during and after the Westminister election from members of that party.I suppose it can be argued that politicians are thick skinned and are used to the “slings and arrows” of their professional life.However all this pales into insignificance when compared to the on-line cyber-bullying which led to the suicide of young Ronan Hughes in Clonoe in the past week.
Agreed, Argenta. Appalling.
Unionists need to be asked do they view the pursuit of a United Ireland by democratic and peaceful means as legitimate. If they don’t, which seems pretty obvious from the likes of DUP voters, then they are not democrats, which isn’t surprising to most given Unionisms history of gerrymandering and the very existence of the NI statelet.
If Unionists do view a United Ireland by peaceful and democratic means as legitimate then why all the outrage at its mere mention? Why the outrage when Anna Lo says she wants a United Ireland? Why the outrage at the opinion of Sir James Galway saying he is Irish and stating the obvious about Paisley? Paisley was no preacher of love and understanding between communities, quite the opposite.
Unionism needs to learn to move forward, drop the siege mentality and politics of 1690. If they don’t, then they will only be left behind and it’ll be no ones fault but their own.