There are determined efforts by the proponents of ‘balance’ to place the Easter Rising alongside the Battle of the Somme. When pressed (or even without pressing), proponents of ‘balance’ will talk of “both events being of enormous significance”. For those directly involved who met their deaths, both events clearly were of enormous significance. There are few events in your life more significant than its ending. And the families and friends of the dead men involved in both events would have considered both Easter 1916 and the Battle of the Somme as hugely significant. But beyond that, the both-events-of-enormous-significance argument is absurd.
The Easter Rising certainly was an event of enormous significance. It led directly to the Tan War, partition and the establishment of two separate states in Ireland. It also provided an inspiration for revolt against colonialism/imperialism throughout the world. Some of these consequences we may lament, some we may hail. But there’s little dispute that Easter 1916 was the catalyst for them all.
The Battle of the Somme in 1916 was one of many World War One battles. It was begun with great hopes that it would hasten the end of WW1, but it didn’t. It started on July 1 and eventually petered out in November of that year, leaving more than one million men dead. Among these were 3,500 south of Ireland soldiers and 5,500 soldiers from Ulster. At the end of it all, there was no significant alteration in the position of either side in the war.
Both events are linked by courage – no man gives up his life lightly. But in terms of significance – that is, the consequences flowing from them – the two events could hardly be more different. The Easter Rising involved a handful of men who changed the course of Irish history and the history of other countries in the British Empire. The Battle of the Somme involved massive numbers of men and made little or no difference to the war that would drag on for two more bloody years.
So why do commentators talk about the Easter Rising and the Battle of the Somme in one breath? Well, they both happened in the same year and people died in both. The Somme exemplified the industrial-scale, pointless slaughter that was WW1. The Easter Rising pointed the way to Irish freedom from Britain.
It’s like John Hume and David Trimble both being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. In one case it made sense; in the other it made no sense but it did provide an illusion of balance.
Was it Jim allister that said it was a grubby little fight in a foreign country and shouldn’t be celebrated in his united kingdom? To which came the retort, ” you already celebrate a battle in a foreign country every year, the battle of the Boyne!”. Alas some perspective is given to this need for balance.
Ahh yes, that was the great Irish economist David McWilliams who uttered that line to Jim Allister. I remember watching the Spotlight show live when that happened and me and a few relatives busted out laughing, like half of the audience when McWilliams put Jim Allister in his place. I don’t know why, but it made it a little bit sweeter because of McWilliams southern accent. McWilliams follows me on twitter and I recommend his books on economics, they are brilliantly written for all people of all backgrounds to understand. His book “The Generation Game” is particularly impressive and reveals Irelands massive resource in the Irish Diaspora which the present Irish Government does next to nothing to tap into and exploit to everyones benefit.
Yes, Jude ..there has to be balance hasn’t there? No matter whether or not there is a reason for it or not. I often wondered about Mr Trimble receiving the Nobel Peace Prize. What was it exactly that he did to get that alongside John Hume? I remember Bono getting into the act and grabbing both of their hands and raising them together on stage …but then again Bono was always a bit of an oul showbizzy ham . Bono’s an emoter, a front man …circus barker …after all . I suppose he thought it caught some kind of feelgood mood and he could glom on that too.
Showbiz , eh?!!!…but what did Mr Trimble actually do for peace? I know John Hume worked hard to make it work .He worked for years in the background..”You can’t eat flags!” … and all that ….He talked with Gerry Adams when no one else would. The media wouldn’t allow Adams’ voice to be heard on radio and television, even …remember that geg?…from what I recall… and absurdly had to draft in actors to “voice” him in any broadcasts ….yes it was that absurd…handy money for our theatricals but daft for all of that…but then again this is Norneverland …the land of the absurd.The Mad Hatter’s tea party has nothing on this place. Maybe I’m being unfair here but i thought Mr Trimble was very late at coming to that particular peace-making tea -table ,whereas John Hume had worked slowly for it for many years only to share his moment with another David- Come -Lately. I suppose Mr Trimble got it because the powers- that -be knew he’d be stabbed in the back and unseated ,soon after, by those who were unsure whether or not they really wanted peace at all at that particular momement or under those particular terms.
On another tack….”Both events are linked by courage – no man gives up his life lightly. …”
I think that the vast majority of young men who ended their lives in the muck of the Somme were there for many reasons …and courage might have been very low on their lists. Many went for adventure , glamour, glory.Many were pressed hard to go by their government , friends and even womenfolk. Most were young men who had no idea what they were getting into .There had never been a warzone anything like this before in history.They were still using lots of horses…taking them from the farms….. Modern machinery …tanks …gas…huge cannons …machine guns …hand grenades…snipers…barbed wire and trenches full of rats and water .It was the first really unglamorous war. I imagine that in many case courage wasn’t a factor at all. It was more about comradeship and of course there was propaganda too…Huns eating babies and all of that old blarney. Many young naieve men would have been susceptible to propaganda. No one thought that a war could run on for four long and bloody years …..it was unthinkable….and no-one thought that a whole generation of young men would be decimated leaving womenfolk at home without mates , children without fathers …villages and towns empty of men.It’s a wonder that many more didn’t attempt to desert and tell their commanders to stuff their bloody war. Some did and were executed which probably stopped many others from doing just that. So there was maybe more fear than courage or a mixture of the two.
I often thought it was a farce that Trimble got the Nobel peace prize, he of the ” SF needs to be housetrained’ comments, and ” no govt without decomissioning” Trimble is one of those great highlight examples of 6 county hypocrisy. Trimble shares a stage w/ Billy Wright, walks the road at Drumcree, etc yet receives no admonishment. How did this contribute to peace? He is a true symbol of exactly what is wrong with ‘the statelet’. Bare hypocrisy
When did Trimble share a stage with Billy Wright?
I think , MT, that might have been the very moral and sanctimonious Willie Mc Crea of DUP fame, sharing the stage with Billy Wright but there’s no doubt that Mr Trimble conferred with Billy Wright too…possibly not on a makeshift stage ….. Remember too that Billy Wright was known as a notorious man who masterminded a terror gang at this time which was responsible for murder and mayhem and was behind much of the Garvaghy Road /Drumcree shenanigans. Whether or not he was happy to use Mr Wright’s muscle behind the scenes or was simply “advising” him is something that I suppose we could throw open to debate if anyone has anything they’d care to add.
“I think , MT, that might have been the very moral and sanctimonious Willie Mc Crea of DUP fame, sharing the stage with Billy Wright but there’s no doubt that Mr Trimble conferred with Billy Wright too…possibly not on a makeshift stage ….. ”
So contrary to what was said, Trimble didn’t share a stage with Billy Wright.
That is not my quote but I understand he had many conversations and conferences with the man.Apparently it was common knowledge that he conferred with him..
During the Drumcree riots by the Orange Order Trimble held talks over a number of days with Billy Wright, as Bishop Robin Eames would attest (as he attended as moderator), and Trimble came to the microphones each day to relay the LVF threats issued by Wright.
“During the Drumcree riots by the Orange Order Trimble held talks over a number of days with Billy Wright, as Bishop Robin Eames would attest (as he attended as moderator), and Trimble came to the microphones each day to relay the LVF threats issued by Wright.”
That’s not true … but you’re saying that he didn’t share a stage with Wright?
During Drumcree MT. Trimble, many Unionists and Orange men have absolutely no difficulty in sharing the stage with Unionist paramilitaries. In fact they are often seen together more than you think….
“During Drumcree MT. Trimble, many Unionists and Orange men have absolutely no difficulty in sharing the stage with Unionist paramilitaries. In fact they are often seen together more than you think….”
I know Jude can take quite a cavalier attitude to the risk of defamation suits (maybe because so few people read this site), but you might want to provide some evidence for your claim that Trimble shared a stage with Wright.
I know Jude can take quite a cavalier attitude to the risk of defamation suits (maybe because so few people read this site), but you might want to provide some evidence for your claim that Trimble shared a stage with Wright.
Oh, I don’t think mr Trimble would consider going to court.
His Nobel prize is for the bin at some point in the future when the full facts of the troubles are released and national security is no longer protecting individuals.
Him and his buddy Ronnie Flanagan and their connections with Billy Wright.
A rock and hard place for many then paddykool, stay and fight and be shot or tell them to stuff their war and be shot. Execute your enemy and execute your own for not executing your enemy. British martial justice.
Yep , Ciaran…that’s exactly how it works..
“.Trying to make some sense of it all,
But I can see that it makes no sense at all,
Is it cool to go to sleep on the floor,
‘Cause I don’t think that I can take anymore
Clowns to the left of me, Jokers to the right,
Here I am, stuck in the middle with you.”
The biggest problem with the Easter rising is that the proclamation has not yet been fulfilled.
Ireland as a former colony of Britain, is missing its own independence day where we can celebrate as the US does, having the freedoms we cherish in our own land.
The people want to celebrate this Irishness and the rising was certainly the biggest event in leading to eventual independence, at least for 26 counties.
And therein lies the problem.
The rising was a blood sacrifice to help achieve independence, to encourage a new Ireland were all of its people would be treated equally, something that has not happened in any part of Ireland under British rule to this very day.
There will always be some who will have that feeling that something is not quite right about celebrating the rising, because Ireland is not yet free, because not every Irish person has felt the freedom of independence and because people died in pursuit of something good that we have failed to achieve.
Deep down, it would be preferable to have an independence day to celebrate Ireland, and for the rising to be marked not with military fly overs etc… but with a reading of the proclamation and a minutes silence to remember those who gave their lives for the betterment of their nation and for the innocent victims who were slaughtered in the indiscriminate British bombardment of Dublin in response.
Roll on our own independence day, lá Saoirse
It’s offensive to the memory of those who fought in the Somme to link them to the so-called Easter “rising”. Really the only thing that links them is they happened in the same year.
“It’s offensive to the memory of those who fought in the Somme to link them to the so-called Easter “rising”. Really the only thing that links them is they happened in the same year.”
Once again that is not accurate or even true MT.
Many participants in the Easter rising had family members serving in WW1 and potentially people who gave their lives in the Somme could well have had family members who were in the Easter rising.
There are many points of view and there should really be a museum in Ireland to cover the complexities of the violence which was needed to achieve our nations (partial) freedom.
A better understanding of Irelands history could help end conflicts around the world don’t you think?
“It’s offensive to the memory of those who fought in the Somme to link them to the so-called Easter “rising”.
For once I actually agree with you MT. There simply is no comparison. The Easter Rising was a heroic strike for freedom against an undemocratic, oppressive Empire and in many ways it contributed to the British Empires decline and fall. The men behind the Easter Rising knew it stood very, very little chance of success but that wasn’t the point, it was about reawakening that desire for Irish freedom that lay dormant for too long and that clearly was successful. The Republic of Ireland most likely wouldn’t exist today without the Easter Rising. The Easter Rising, along with the oppressive Unionist regime in the North, inspired another generation to take on the struggle to bring freedom to the last 6 counties in the North and that’s a work which is still ongoing. Will we get there? Will there be a United Ireland in time? I’m 100% certain of it. The issue here isn’t about if it will happen but WHEN and Republicans want to make that as soon as possible.
The Battle of the Somme was simply a battle in a long list of battles of the First World War. The First World War was simply a battle between Empires, it wasn’t a battle for “freedom” as some like to delude themselves into believing. The facts behind the First World War was that Britain declared War on Germany, it wasn’t a War that Germany brought to the door of Britain. Germany for many years wanted a great Empire like Britain and France had. I’m no expert but it all inevitably lead to one of the greatest massacres the World has ever witnessed or it was the greatest up till that point. Millions of men, German, British, Irish, Russian, French, etc all went to their deaths for Imperial ambitions. It wasn’t some strike for freedom, it was great powers fighting amongst themselves. Millions of men went to a muddy grave for the interests of the rich and many of those men’s bodies are still in the mud to this day. The British, Russian and German Royal families were literally cousins, they shared the same grandmother: Queen Victoria. So in many ways it was one big family fight where the average German, Brit or Russian paid the price over their squabbling.
The Battle of the Somme specifically was simply carnage. Thousands of Irish men, both Nationalist and Loyalist, went to a muddy grave for basically nothing. While Edward Carson sat cosy, he ordered the UVF out to fight for King and Country, the same King and Country he was planning to commit treason against in 1912. Most Irish Nationalists that joined the British Army to fight in WW1 only did so due to the urging of Redmond, they were fooled by the empty promises from Redmond and the British Government of Home Rule, something that was repeatedly denied to them by threats of violence from Unionism, basically obstructing democracy and Unionism seeking to maintain Protestant Supremacy in Ireland. Indians were also promised Home Rule and after thousands had died and many more were seriously injured, the British Government bluntly went back on their word.
Now I’m speaking as someone who had two great grandfathers, one of which was in the GPO during the Easter Rising and the other was a Sargent in the British Army and died during WW1 (I don’t know which battle or how). I know numerous people have claimed an ancestor in the GPO at the Easter Rising, so many in fact that there must’ve been a million soldiers in the GPO if all their claims are true lol but I have my own proof to prove I’m not spoofing and my grandfathers name is listed in records.
So is the Battle of the Somme really comparable to the Easter Rising? No, not in the slightest. Whats to celebrate or commemorate about blood thirsty empires fighting it out for greed and power, using the average man as their pawns? My great grandfather may have died in WW1 but I’ll honour him in my own way, if hes anything like me then he’d have died for a wage and to see the world and not for an English King.
The Easter Rising is definitely worth celebrating, its an example of a heroic strike for Freedom and a strike against an unjust, oppressive Empire. It was a David vs Goliath battle but those brave men and women of 1916 came out despite their extremely slim chances and made such an impact that changed Irish History forever.
I think you covered it all well there Ryan .The three part series “37 Days” is a great education for anyone needing a potted synopsis..MT could do worse than watching it.
Jude may well censure me for this MT, but you really do come across as an obnoxious piece of shit-stirring Unionism……I am surprised you survived into adulthood with your intolerant partisan views…..is there no place in your cold ,apparently heartless soul , for the rest of humanity ? Jude has written an excellent article exploring the complexities and futility of warfare , not denigrating anyone , and once again you use it to attack…..you strike like a viper…..but your venom is worthless…..we are way beyond and far above that……I honestly do hope you find solace for your twisted mentality but somehow I doubt …… I don’t hate anyone but some I do pity
Yes Eolach, I will censure you. Less/no more name-calling. Let your argument do the work, please…
Yes Eolach…we want to hear MT’s views , no matter how distasteful you might find them. I’m with you on response to reason , mind. If something is well-written and logically thought through what is required is some reciprocation in kind …not some squeaky little one -liner . Otherwise why bother contributing or reading at all. There are plenty of other things to do with your life , eh?I have to say that MT has tried to engage on several occasions. He does seem to have a very narrow focus in that he never really engages in debate but rather pulls out lines and comments on them so it becomes a bit of a ping pong match.Neill used to do that too but then i think he might have started resorting to insult. Insult requires a certain humour and finesse to be carried off properly so Jude tends to discourage it .It’s not what we need on the site. We don’t need a lot of trolling and vituperatative hissy fits either .I wouldn’t want any contributors to feel discouraged.We need all the readers, thinkers and contributions we can get. It adds spice and we should all learn a little something new and different or at least to parry and joust in useful debate ….. unless the contributor is a complete psycho..and if that’s the case , Jude will weed him out anyway.
don’t know why – no logical reason but – I always thought MT was a woman!!
Unless personal info is offered to focus the image (as you have told us you’re married, studied art, keep bees, have grandchildren) one sorta imagines a profile for regular posters according to what/how they write – that one’s young , this one’s older, he’s probably bald, may have glasses or a beard, she’s a fiery red-head or an ice-cool blonde!
All of which most probably has absolutely no relation whatsoever to the poster’s physical and personal reality.
In any case, I have always imagined MT as female. Maybe because she reminds me of a one-time Norma – who may or may not – have been a woman.
Y’know ben …Norma always enjoyed my writing style . I’ll give her that. I didn’t agree with much that she said but she was an honest contributor even thought she had an obsession with Her Maj. She was willing to talk about herself and sketch in some background details which made her interesting. I think she must have stepped over Jude’s invisible line in the sand at some point after a few too many sherbets on an otherwise quiet weekend and blew a gasket or maybe she gave up on this unholy den of heathen vipers and left us to ourdark ramblings…who knows? Neill and MT might well be the same person but you’ve set me thinking imagining him/her as a female now, too.he might be Neill reincarnated because he tends to have the same attacking style …a man—or a woman with a need to vent …who knows without a bit background detail …he might just be doing a Kenny Everett’s “Mr Angry of Surbiton”… for a laugh for all you’d really know..
Eolach, don’t sink to MT’s level and resort to insults and abuse. I know it can be frustrating when you come across someone like MT, whose brain is more like a bitter lemon instead of an organ that is capable of reasoning, logic, understanding and intelligent thought but that’s MT’s weakness, not mine or yours.
The best way of dealing with Unionists like MT is by stating the facts and the proof to back them up. Because no matter how bitter or how 1690 in thinking some Unionists may get, the Truth is the Truth and it cant be changed to ones own liking.
As the Good Book says “by their fruits ye shall know them” – Matthew 7:20
Celebrating the 1916 rising celebrates the birth of a nation state.It exists independently as it did not before. It is recognised internationally and takes its rightful place in international organizations and bodies
Celebrating the Battle of the Somme celebrates Unionist hegemony in NI and is probably spurned by almost 50% of the NI population.
There’s a big difference between the two fruits.
Ta brón orm….. Jude ,I am normally a very composed , open ,receptive cordial person…..I wish there was a way to retract a post …..I mean MT no malice but there’s always that but …… That but is …. Who is MT…..agent provocateur …. Reincarnated Neill…. Doesn’t matter, as an Irishman I apologise for my unacceptable behaviour on this blog and I also apologise to MT……Sín é
Fadhb ar bith, Séamus – sin ceart.
As its Good Friday, Seamus, three Our Fathers, three Hail Marys and a Glory be to God, and away you go – total absolution!
somebody took it upon themselves to remove a mural of the first blanketman and replace it with a loyalist mural of carson on the falls rd of all places.there was a protest at it today oh and a paint attack the other night lol.a bit of balance as you say.
has this so called equal significance for both events taken place because of the overarching determination of unionists place the Somme as their blood sacrifice to empire? I don’t know if it is remembered with equal emphasis in other parts of the UK – it has always seemed to be a battle that unionist pay special reverence to.
I certainly see and agree that historically, the significance of the Somme in the context of WWI doesn’t measure up to how Ireland changed after the 1916 rising.
wouldn’t partition have happened anyway even if the Rising hadn’t occurred and if Home Rule was introduced? it doesn’t seem to me that unionists were going to join and the PM was going to acquiesce to their demands.
Was the Somme ever really a unionist blood sacrifice.
If you examine the statistics over all of Ireland, the vast majority who fought were Catholics and nationalist or republicans who wanted home rule.
Even if you look at Ulster on its own, the population was around 70% unionist, 30% nationalist. Take into account the ulster nationalists who signed up in Dublin, the figures who actually fought simply match the population statistics.
http://www.qub.ac.uk/sites/irishhistorylive/IrishHistoryResources/Articlesandlecturesbyourteachingstaff/IrelandandtheFirstWorldWar/#I
Province: Ulster
Catholics: 17,092 (27%)
Protestants: 45,798 (73%)
Total: 62,890
The 36th were also not exclusively unionists, it simply reflected the people.
Unionists appear to have hijacked the deaths of those in the 36th for political reasons.
My Great Grandfather fought with the 36th, he was catholic and a republican fighting for home rule as promised by Redmond in return for helping Britain.
Britain never has and never will give a damn about the Irish, including ulster unionists.
When Britain dumped on the Irish nationalists fought for them, after the war, my great grandmother dumped his medals in the bin and he was never talked about again.
“the overarching determination of unionists place the Somme as their blood sacrifice to empire?”
you could well be right Sarah – it’s plays into the Unionist ” conditional loyalty” mentality
(i’ll be loyal to you as long as you do what I want – Look what i’ve done for you – How can you not give me what i want)
It also suits Westminster because if it didn’t, they’d get very short shrift indeed – like anyone whose partner tires of emotional blackmail
RTE staged a jawdropping gobstopper of a re-enactment of the Rising, Esteemed Blogmeister, by storming the GPO for the pivotal reason of making it available – as an extramural setting for a, erm, Prime Time Special.
The re-enactment was meticulous in its attention to detail. Just as there were seven signatories to the Proclamation, seven was the number of participants chosen by the Proxy Station to engage in the rigorous (gulp) re-assessment of Easter 1916.
A cursory, perhaps even a curse-provoking, glance at the line up was possibly sufficient to inform one for specifically whomsoever or what the Station functions as a Proxy .
The format was as follows : on one side were the Old Triangle picked to defend the legitimacy (alleged) of the Event; on the opposite side were the Holy Trinity chosen to cast doubt on the bona fides of the dogs of war / the bone-hungry Fidos who initiated the Non-Event.
In other words, it came down to the heaven-sent number seven again: Seven Hundred Years v Seven Days. And to that which was the more hellish: the quantity of violence inflicted by the first v the quality of the violence perpetrated by the second. Time would tellish.
In the centre was the neutral chairman, or whatever the Donnybrook, Dublin 4 for neutral is, in these inclusive days. His name was the unique – ca va sans dire – David McInterchangeable.
If one said the apex of the Old Triangle – Michael Mac Dowell of (gasp) Continuity PD – was made to look like a born-again thorn in the side of Perfidious Albion, then the identity of the Holy Trinity will come as little surprise.
On the right of the latter side was she who increasingly looks uncannily like a cane-wielding school mistress from an episode of St. Trinians. This was the lady specifically chosen to represent the Truthie; her name was Ruthie.
If one hints that the chosen one on the other flank of the Holy Trinity was one who is still more Pukka Sahib than Poc Fada, despite/ because of coming up to almost fifty years as the Proto English Immigrant (possibly even legal ) in Paddy the Caddy land; that his first name rings a bell with Devon (where the clotted cream comes from ) and that his surname rhymes with Town- Criers there is little to no need to reveal his I.D.
Except perhaps to say that he was instrumental in having the J.A.W. Bone inscribed into the strictly exclusive Wall of Necrology in the memorial gardens of Islandbridge, Dublin 8 where those who participated in the Great Donkey Derby at the going down of the sun and in the morning are celebrated.
The J.AW, btw, is an acronym for Joxer and Whacker of the Royal Dubalin Fusiliers. The same soldiers who stood shoulder to shoulder with the Royal Inishkilling Bamboozealiers and who were willing, at the taking of the King’s shilling, to take up the gun and do a spot of killing of the Huns.
It is understood, btw, that the rotund Joe Duffy’s inner historian is currently compiling another buke which also bids to be an even bigger best seller, with a little help from the Automatic Tellers of Montrose. This time, a buke on the Continental children who were collaterally killed by the stray bullets fired in anything but anger by the gallant 200,000 Irish takers up of the King’s shilling. Not a single one of whom, seemingly, had a debt wish. This buke is rumoured to run into (gulp) 40 volumes.
Which may require a pair of crushed velveteen self-loading breeches in wine-red colour with even more voluminous pockets with which to trouser the, shall one say, the Royalities (professional Ballyfermot pronunciation).
Meanwhile, it was the outstanding middle man, the one obviously chosen to put the Holy into Trinity, who caught this viewer’s eye. The two (sigh) outsiders were solely put there to provide all too familiar comic relief of the black variety for the Mister Inbetween.
None other than the Religious Correspondent of The Unionist Times. And who incisively demonstrated once and for bawl that a true moral understanding of what constitutes a Just War ( as distinct from just a war, if the glorified skirmish of Easter Week could be so described) does not a dog collar require.
He was spectacularly secular, resplendent as he was in civilian duds with Windsor knot but with not a cloud of doubt in view. J.Charles McQaide (the not Johhny) would assuredly have paid collection plates of dosh for such certainty.
Taking up where his Rite and Reasonable column leaves off, the reverent Patsy McGarry, Pillar of the Unitarian Church and Bachelor of Arts, (for it was he !) put flesh on the word and irreverently bawled down the balls which the opposite side were talking. And if any man knows more than most men what a mandate is, it is assuredly the main middle man, Patsy Mac.
All done under the no-nonsense, non-partisan supervision of the nodding dog in the benevolent chair. The latter piece of furniture thoughtfully echoing another chair of a different era, the one usually associated with J. Connolly, Esq.
Though this was unquestionably a virtuoso performance of sweet and righteous reasonableness the palm for the throwaway comment of the Prime Time Special / Re-enactment of the Storming of the GPO must surely go to the Baba Vanga of Broadcasting.
Miriam O’Callaghan (for it was she !) was the chairperson of the injury time (note again the meticulous attention to detail by once more evoking the J. Connolly, Esq., context by the juxtaposing of chair and injury time) portion of the programme. She, it must be said, was memorably haute coutured in a daring Day Glo ensemble and so cut a dashingly fashionable figure in this postmortem re-examination of the Dark Night of the National Soul. That sort of thingy.
This was the portion which dealt with the practical end of the beastly Easter Event and served as a counter, an over the Post Office counter balance to the theoretical opening portion of the landmark programme. It did not involve high-end cake-eating theoreticians but rather focused on the relative bread and buttery aspect – the direct descendants of the participants.
Again, the divide was similar – on one side were the relations (distant) of the grey Seanie Rebels and on the other side the equally distant relations of the true blue Union team.
Turning finally, and in the dying moments of injury time, with the outcome finely balanced, the Baba Vanga of Broadcasting fixed her fair yet gimlet eye on the direct descendant of a nurse who had been collaterally damaged to a fatal degree at the South Dublin Union (a tradition faithfully maintained, by all accounts, in its contemporary manifestation as St. James’ Hospital).
-Yes, direct descendant, but the real question is: WOULD this nurse have been actually killed by a British soldier IF the Rebels had not Rebelled WITHOUT a mandate ?
And with that crushing, last gasp winner of a header into the back of the Nationalist Net, the final whistle blew / was blown. For this indubitably was the Dev moment. The definitive Dev moment indeed, when Dev was finally, and dare one suggest, irrevocably put back where he always belonged: firmly and squarely where he always belonged: into Devastation.
The original Baba Vanga (1911- 1996), the blind, blue-eyed babushka of the Bulgarian backwoods, was a strangely celebrated clairvoyant who dealt merely in routine Fore-tellings of the future. It was her very blindness, she claimed, which enabled her to see.
In 1989, she foretold the toppling of the Twin-Towers in 9/11:
-Horror ! Horror ! The American brethren will fall after been attacked by the steel birds.
The wolves will be howling in the bush and blood will be gushing in the streets.
Mere Fore-tellings, however, are pure penny farthings compared to what the Baba Vangan of Broadcasting achieved during the week on RTE. When she moved matters on to a totally different level, by drawing on her psychic sidekicks, and applying her own sixth sense about the Seven men of the Seven Days of Sixteen were really about.
It was this unique gift which enabled her to make a quantum leap with her daring breakthrough into the mystic realm of – the anything but daft Aft-tellings.
In a phrase; Prophetess v Profitess.
Let us all be downkneeling and bow our heads in hope that she can be persuaded to drop her recent reservation about the Presidency. An understandable reservation involving as it does another even more drastic drop – in salary.
Let us hope and prey.
That the recent run of Lez Prezzies will be maintained, and a place in Arus an Uachtarain will be reserved for the one, the only Baba Vanga of Broadcasting.
Bimis ag gui.
Like everything else they do sarah m, unionism is based on a counter narrative. If Ireland has a native tongue, they need to invent one to give a sense of identity. If the Easter rising was a turning point in Ireland then the Somme is conjured up to counter it. Sad thing is, they live in Ireland but cant see the wood for the trees. Protestant obduracy has been the bain of this country’s life.
I take your point Dr C.
I think the Battle of the Somme has been hijacked and indeed marred by unionism.
I suppose what perhaps sticks it into the mind of modern day unionists is the ’12th’ connection (July the 1st) and the idea of men charging at the enemy in their Orange collarettes/sashes.
However, as this falls under British military history I for one object to it being used and abused by unionism and the OO(OI) and would have it commemorated with all the other regiments every November.
Scottish highland villages and English mining towns felt the chill of the Somme as much as Ulster did and I sometimes think our pedestal raising of the Ulster 36th undermines the sacrifices of the other regiments e.g. Field-Marshal Sir Claude Auchinleck (a Fermanagh man), Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army from 1942 (and real hero of north Africa in WWII) asserted that the British “couldn’t have come through both wars if they hadn’t had the Indian Army.”
Now, hands up if you’ve heard of 2nd Indian Cavalry division? I thought not….
As one of the bloodiest battles in history, the Somme cannot be called insignificant.
Whether it made little or no difference to the war is debatable but in the grander scheme of things such horrific events,as with Hiroshima and Nagasaki, deserve to be commemorated (not celebrated) by those of us lucky enough to have avoided such loss; lest we forget.
So its significance is most certainly, in my view, equal to, if not greater than that of the rising, the outcome of which may well have been achieved if it had never happened.
Indeed the death of so many Irishmen at the Somme was surely influential in leading to a lack of volunteers and the attempted introduction of conscription. That was a highly significant factor in galvanising support for Sinn Fein in 1918.
“So its significance is most certainly, in my view, equal to, if not greater than that of the rising, the outcome of which may well have been achieved if it had never happened.”
So if it hadn’t been for PIRA, the north would have moved closer to unity and Catholics would have been better off.
Not only that, but if it hadn’t been for the rising, Britain would have fully handed over all control of all of Ireland without a fight.
Not only that, but in light of the unionist use of terrorism tactics against the civil rights movement and when the police and then British army started killing and maiming Catholics, the courageous thing to do was take it without responding – even though the people suffering were crying out for someone to defend them?
Not only that, but you do actually believe some violence can be justified and you believe that there are just wars and conflicts.
Just not any republican violence in pursuit of freedom for Ireland. Britain would have seen Ireland right had we only just emancipated ourselves just that little longer.
I am really struggling to believe that you might actually believe such rubbish.
jessica
“So if it hadn’t been for PIRA, the north would have moved closer to unity and Catholics would have been better off”
The ones killed by the PIRA would certainly have been better off.
Gio
I’m sure Paddy Gillespie (in Derry) would have agreed with that !Sadly when you’re debating with Jessica,all logic seems to fly out the window!
Argenta
Right on both points.
“The ones killed by the PIRA would certainly have been better off.”
And a hell of a lot more people would have been better off had britain accepted the democratic wishes of the people if Ireland.
There should never have been a need for a PIRA.
Do you not see the futility in attacking the consequences and ignoring the causes?
jessica
The post was about the significance of the rising and the Somme which I commented on.
You then introduced speculation about the consequences of a history without the PIRA, which I commented on.