Two Minutes, to Think

This time last year I wrote here of my thoughts regarding remembering the dead and poppies. It is a difficult subject to discuss due to the essentially personal act of remembering the dead.

I was in work today and a two minute silence was observed at 11am. It was not optional.

I abided by the silence out of respect for my colleagues although I spent the two minutes thinking what may have been regarded as rebellious thoughts had they read my mind.

There is a conflicting narrative as to what the whole remembrance poppy month is about. On the one hand it is about the 11th hour of the 11th day. In other words, the British Army dead of world war 1. On the other hand it is about commemorating the British Army dead of all conflicts before and since, including our local one.

If it is the former, then there is some justification for official Irish Government participation in commemorative events. If it is the latter, there is none.

If I may elaborate a little, many Irish men joined up at that time for honest reasons believing the assurances they were given at the time. The Ulster Volunteers went to war believing they were demonstrating their loyalty to their “King, God and Ulster” and ensuring the defeat of the home rule movement. Meanwhile, John Brutons hero, Redmond, was encouraging many thousands to their slaughter under the promise of, guess what, eventual Home Rule.

They were all victims. My question is of whom?

The latter narrative is that wearing a poppy commemorates all British Military personnel. My thoughts on that would extend to many pages and my style of writing is to be brief.

Members of my own family lie in a graveyard at Bansha in Tipperary, victims of British Military activities in the 1920s, while Mrs Bangordubs Father lies in an Enniskillen graveyard in close proximity to Senator Gordon Wilson and his daughter Marie, a victim of people pursuing in the same wrongheaded and appalling way, the same principles my own relatives were murdered for.

My two minutes was spent thinking about the many victims, military and civilian, of the many conflicts pursued by British Military imperialism, and others, over many years.

I regard the British military dead over many centuries as victims, not of who they found themselves shooting at, but of who they were shooting on behalf of. The Poppy extravaganza, for that is what it now is, may be seen as an exercise in drawing the public gaze away from those who gave the orders, the men in grey suits with no medals on their chests.

It is right and proper to remember those who died in battle fighting for what they believed in. Not just some of them, all of them, including those who died fighting for Irish freedom with the backing of an elected majority.

Commemoration? Victims? Causes?

Let us remember all of them, not some.

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Better Together!

Good evening all,

I’ve just returned from a brief holiday in Italy. Sometimes geographical and cultural distance provides a degree of perspective, regarding matters at home, and we may return refreshed, invigorated, energised and ready to look at things anew, as it were.

I’ve had a wonderful time away. It was instructive in many ways. The Italians are a very “laid back” race in general. Trying to source a timetable for the various ferries, trains and buses involved was simply impossible. It was all sorted on the spot, at the time, in person.

I loved that.

In the same way that the new Guinness advertisement strikes me as the first really good one in a long time and genuinely makes me proud to be a Dub, the Italians are quietly proud of their culture, heritage and hospitality, but with a degree of humility.

There is no sense of hubris, superiority, supremacism or flag waving nonsense. Just quiet confidence in themselves.

I arrived back late last night and have been catching up on events here. We all know what MacMillan had to say regarding “Events”. I had more of a sense of the Churchillian “Dreary steeples”.

The, simply clueless, Theresa Villiers is doing something or other regarding parades, I’m not sure what. Slugger has appointed the “energetic” David (Fianna Fail) McCann as a “Deputy Editor”, God help us and my old mate Barton Creeth thinks it’s great setting up a food bank in South Belfast. Barton. We have memories of such things in Ireland, long memories. Food banks, though well intentioned, are an indictment of where we are in 2014.

While in Italy at a particularly beautiful setting over a few, post dinner, bottles of wine, we, Mrs Bangordub and myself, found ourselves in conversation with a lovely couple from Cheshire. We found common ground on many topics over a few hours.

Particularly when the Scottish Independence vote came up during the course of our chatter. They were of the opinion that we were “better together”. I, naturally, agreed.

I’m not sure they were expecting my perspective on the subject however. It never occurred to them, I suspect, that I was looking at things as an Irishman.

 

 

 

Scotland the Brave?

On the 18th of September Scotland will vote for full independence from the UK. The result may have seismic repercussions in this part of the World, The Orange Order have already said they will withdraw from Scotland if a yes vote is passed. Their Scottish “Grand Master” came out with this beauty: “We are primarily a Christian and charitable fraternal organisation, we rarely step into the political arena.”

Without doubt unionism in the north east of Ireland will have a lot of soul searching and re-evaluation to do in the event of a Yes vote.

The never ending series of Belfast Telegraph polls telling us we are all “Northern Irish” now, may have to be revisited. The Scottish act of union 407 years ago allied with 407 years of pro union propaganda has come down to a 3% swing needed in the vote over the last two weeks. That is a narrowing of the gap from a required 7% swing in mid August and a 10% swing a month earlier. The implications for a similar vote here, particularly given the low registration and voting habits of the CNR community are intriguing.

The “Naw” campaign has been about scaremongering, economic fear and exploiting the uncertainty that independence will bring. The reality is that not one of the countries that has gained its independence, ever, has changed its mind. Not one.

“Yes” can win this. Momentum is everything in politics. My call is that they will do it, just. It is a decision for the Scottish people which is why I have made few comments on this so far. I wish them well whatever they choose but I will watch with interest the reaction of Ulster Unionists to the results.

I’ll leave you with the words and music of a Scottish Band and a poll for your thoughts.

 

The day the lights went out

Today marks the 100th anniversary of the start of the Great European war of 1914.

It is right and proper that those who died during that conflict are remembered and their sacrifice recognised. Few families in Britain or Ireland emerged at the conclusion of hostilities four years later quite the same. For families in Germany, France, Belgium and many other countries around the World it was a similar experience. Families are similar the world over, they grieve and worry in just the same way. That war was possibly the last in which armies fought armies. Since 1918 civilian populations seem to have become part of the battlefield. Current events in Gaza are testament enough to that.

In Ireland, at the time,  there were two distinct lines of thought regarding the outbreak of War. There still are, more of that later.

Under the leadership of the Wexfordman John Redmond, the Irish Parliamentary Party encouraged Irishmen to join up on the premise that a home rule bill would follow as a “reward”. I have a one word response to that which I’ll not publish here. Strangely and conversely, the Dubliner, Edward Carson was encouraging Unionists across the country to do the same on the basis that, guess what, home rule would be prevented on that basis. (There’s a thesis there on the duplicity of the “Welsh Wizard”- Lloyd George)

Anyhow, as I am in danger of embarking upon an historical magical mystery tour, let’s fast forward to today.

Former Taoiseach, John Bruton (Or John Brutal as he was known in past days- Brutal being Dublin slang for useless) had this masterpiece in todays Irish Times. Meanwhile, our President was attending this event in France. In Dublin meanwhile, yesterday, there was this ceremony in Glasnevin cemetary of all places. As my Dad would have said, graves (nearby)  must have been spinning at a rate of knots.

I sense an attempt at rewriting history. A revisionism and redrawing of the maps of history. Much of it is writ large  on the pages of William Martin Murphys old propoganda organ, the infamous “Indo” or Irish Independent. It would be more properly titled the “Anglo Unionist” but there’s another blog in that argument.

Meanwhile other Irishmen were planning to fight for their own small nation against a neighbouring aggressor. Events that would culminate in the beginnings of the fall of an empire.

My own view is that the only use of a war is to learn the lessons of it’s causes and effects and to apply those lessons for the sake of our children. It appears not everyone shares that view.

 

Palestine 2014

As we witness the appalling scenes in Palestine unfolding I thought it may be worth taking a step back and making some observations from a distance, as it were.

This is not a subject that this particular blog is about but I doubt any readers here are unmoved by the unfolding scenes despite the clear bias of certain elements of the mainstream media, not least the BBC.

First some figures:

Interesting? Not if you are are a resident of Gaza City. A matter of life or death perhaps.

The Israeli line is that of self defence. The done to death line is the 70 year old holocaust victim narrative. It is a narrative based upon victimhood of the Jews as a race.

There is undoubted truth in that. Over many centuries the Jewish people have been targetted as a race. Often for the simple reason that that they are skilled in the ways of commerce, yet that fact itself is a cliché. It is viewed as a vice rather than a virtue. It is a cliché that engenders envy amongst other emotions. It has been played upon for religious rather than race reasons for centuries by those with an agenda.

Why can we not step back and view what is currently happening in context? I think it is perhaps because we have a limited historical memory. We still hesitate to judge the Israeli state because of what happened to the Jewish People in the 1940’s rather than what has happened since. The state of Israel was, of course, created by the British Government. A partition of an ancient land- Palestine. The native population was corralled in designated areas (To Hell or to Connaught anyone?).

No service is done to the state of Israel by the behaviour of their leaders in these days. They have succeeded only in uniting most reasonable people in revulsion against their actions.

 

Don Deireadh Seachtaine (ceathair)

A week that was dominated by the publication of the Smithwick Report on Garda collusion with the IRA and then by the death of arguably the most brilliant and (now) most popular politician (and military leader) in recent history.

 ..and it was a good week for apologies – but perhaps we could have done with a few more?

 Of course Nelson Mandela wasn’t always popular, with everyone, and some of those leading the tributes in Ulster (Unionists) and Britain (Tories) had very different views in days gone by – David Cameron having actually lobbied in favour of Apartheid – which provided perhaps a good apology-opportunity for Davey – which he has somehow missed (so far).

For details of some previous local views see below.

http://ansionnachfionn.com/2011/08/29/black-provos-the-anc-and-the-ira/

 Before the sad news of Mandela’s death, the fallout of the Smithwick report and the reaction to it had a predictable twist – with Unionists developing a sudden appetite for enquiries into security force collusion. And with Smithwick to the fore and fulsome apologies from the Irish government – anyone thinking that perhaps a period that was a bit more Gerry-(Adams)-light in terms of media coverage, will have been disappointed. Outpourings of ‘outrage’ followed Gerry’s observation that, as suggested in the Report, the two senior RUC men might not have been wise to drive through (strongly Republican) South Armagh and hold meetings with the local Gardai in (strongly Republican) Dundalk.

..armed now with a fresh angle on the boul Gerry, the usual suspects were quickly out of the blocks – some, no doubt setting aside their ready-prepared Gerry stories for another day.

Micheal Martin, FF leader and SF’s main political adversary in the South, in commenting on Gerry’s statement claimed

 

“Essentially, it almost blames by implication the officers themselves,”

 A statement obviously designed to damage Gerry but qualified so much (in 3 places) that it is rendered almost meaningless. In contrast there was no such qualification from Slugger which stated

 “Adams blames policemen for their own death”.

 A departure from the actual facts there by the boul Mick(Fealty) which would arguably result in a Slugger disciplinary card if added to the comments section.

 http://sluggerotoole.com/2013/12/04/recrimination-of-the-day-adams-blames-policemen-for-their-own-death/

 All Unionists were of course ‘outraged’ by Gerry’s comments and the following offering from the Leader of the (not quite defunct) Ulster Unionists, Mike Nesbitt told us that –

 “Sinn Fein are the self-proclaimed party of respect. They may need to re-evaluate that.”

Note to Mike: If you want to avoid being totally defunct you will need to be a bit more strident in your criticism of SF when opportunity knocks.

Over at Westminster and before the main stories of the week broke, the DUP sponsored a motion on the “Persecution of Christians”. Leading the debate for the DUP, Nigel Dodds, told the (near empty) house that in relation to Iraq

 “we used to have 1.5 million Christians now we probably have only got 200,000”.

 What Deputy (leader) Doddsy didn’t add was that he, along with (all?) other Unionists had voted in the same house to send the British army into that country and unleashed the horrors of wholesale widespread sectarianism that would make his own constituency of North Belfast look like a model of good community relations.

Now I’m not sure if the 1.3 million Christians who have departed and the remaining 200,000 Christians who still live in total terror would have been particularly impressed by a Commons motion apologising for British (and DUP) involvement in this catastrophe – but they would probably be more impressed with an apology than hearing about a meaningless motion which can’t turn back the clock.

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm131105/halltext/131105h0001.htm

 Whether or not the any of the remaining 18 flag protest days before Xmas will be availed of remains to be seen, but in a week that saw the death of the greatest living statesman – perhaps the poor turnout at last Saturday’s protest also heralded the demise of the latest round of embarrassing and pointless Unionist protests?

 No – probably not. 

Sammy

Don Deireadh Seachtaine (Trí)

Not a good week for Belfast. A week that saw the burial of the city’s most influential and respected priest Fr Alec Reid, a week that saw the re-introduction of  vehicle checkpoints in response to the attempted car bombing in the city centre and a week that saw the build-up in tensions as Belfast braced itself for the festive flags season.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/troubles-priest-artisan-of-peace-29787862.html

The most extraordinary headline of the week goes to the Newsletter which stated on Monday that “Sinn Fein leader Adams was sent by God”. Admittedly it did also have the words “said Fr Alec Reid”.

http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/regional/sinn-fein-leader-adams-was-sent-by-god-said-fr-alec-reid-1-5704739

Gerry must have wondering what the world was coming to – with that sort of coverage from themmuns over at the Newsletter – perhaps there might be a United Ireland in his lifetime after all. 

But of course it was all too good to be true and it was business as usual with the media using the sentencing of Gerry’s brother Liam, as an opportunity to just keep talking about Gerry.

After a couple of excellent programmes on the Disappeared and the Army, the BBC, disappointingly, pushed out a re-heated, re-run of the controversies surrounding Gerry. A muddled programme that had the distinct feel for the need to fill the schedules and which (literally) cut and paste bits out of one it had prepared earlier (The Disappeared). 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006v04h

Not to be outdone in the highly skilled art of recycling old (Gerry) stories or in the fine art of cutting and pasting, Mick (Fealty) over on Slugger combined the now less than tepid BBC offering with other old ingredients which were pre-prepared by his trusty lieutenant Pete Baker and his good self. Link below for a taste of this quality (not) cocktail.

http://sluggerotoole.com/2013/11/28/micheal-martin-claims-sinn-feins-cover-up-of-sexual-abuse-goes-beyond-the-adams-case/

Runner-up in the headline of the week has to go to the Telegraph which stated encouragingly that

 “UDA finished, says loyalist paramilitary terror group leader”. But any optimism generated by this headline would have immediately dissipated on reading the small (non-headline ) print –  which informed us that a process of splintering into smaller more violent groups was under way.

“http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/uda-finished-says-loyalist-paramilitary-terror-group-leader-29791310.html

Comment of the week goes to “seamasbeag” who, in responding to the Telegraph article, reminded us of the basis for the nomenclature of Loyalist paramilitary organisations.

“A split means a new organisation and a chance for unionists to use the old fruit machine name deviser. You know the one I mean. It has Loyal, Royal, Unionist etc on one wheel, Orange, Protestant, Unionist etc on another and Force, Army, Commando on the third one. Pull the lever and hey presto The Loyal Orange Commando, or the Ulster Protestant Force. Brilliant!!”

Slán and remember there are only 25 flag protest (and bombing days) left until Xmas.

Don Deireadh Seachtaine (dó)

A good week for the British Broadcasting Corporation, a bad week for the British army and a controversial week for Johnny Larkin.

Not content with just reporting the news, the BBC had decided – for the 2nd time in a couple of weeks – to got out and make some. Having just delivered the excellent ‘The Disappeared’ they then delivered the arguably even better Panorama programme ‘Britain’s Secret Terror Force’.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03jprmx

As indicated on this site and by ‘an Sionnach Fionn’, we here in Ireland are not unfamiliar with what the ‘best army in the world’ likes to up get up to.

http://ansionnachfionn.com/2013/11/21/death-squad-britain-the-past-that-wont-stay-hidden/

The Panorama programme came hot on the heels of the Attorney General, John Larkin, uniting large swathes of political opinion in oppostion to his (sensible) suggestion that the GFA might be the cut off point for prosecutions for Troubles-related killings.

With Unionists and the SDLP jumping up and down – Davey Cameron assured parliament that he had no plans to introduce an amnesty – perhaps simply reflecting the fact that Northern Ireland has its own Justice Department and perhaps that would be their job? Whoever has the job of actually changing the law – I think we should be expecting the highest legal officer in the land -to be actually passing comment on the law.

http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/regional/no-plans-for-troubles-amnesty-says-david-cameron-1-5693839

Richard Haass, reassuringly ignoring the fuss surrounding Johnny Larkin, duly complimented the AG for moving the debate along – and quickly left the country.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-25058725

… and with only 32 flag protest days left till xmas – next Saturday has been booked up – thus ensuring there will be one less shopping day.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/obey-law-belfast-traders-urge-flag-protesters-29775024.html

(Sammy McNally)

Don Deireadh Seachtaine

(Or “something for the weekend” for the non Irish speakers out there)

Sammy kicks off our new series……….

Last week it was Gerry who dominated the Irish media – this week it was Roy’s turn. Roy, who is either the greatest Corkonian since the big Fellah liberated the 3 Green Fields or the most traitorous Corkman since the big Fellah cut a deal with the British and gave away the 4th Green Field. Take your pick.

Yes, Roy Keane had been appointed assistant manager to Martin O’Neill for Ireland/Republic of Ireland/The Beggars(Copyright OWC).

In an historic U-turn, the boy Roy had gone to work for his (former) sworn enemies – the FAI – if Gerry had turned up at Westiminster when he was MP for West Belfast to swear an oath of allegiance to herself – there would have been less surprise.

Saturday’s Irish Times reported on ‘Northener’ Martin O’Neill’s first press conference as Roy’s boss where Martin, in seeking to allay fears regarding Roy’s temperament, suggested that “a bit of volatility never did anybody any harm”. (Not a view likely to be shared by Mick McCarthy)
http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/international/video-martin-o-neill-brings-calm-before-the-storm-1.1589994

Back across the international frontier (in Green Field number 4) there were howls of outrage over another footballing matter when word spread that Enda Kenny, head honcho of Green Fields (1,2 and 3) wanted an ‘All Ireland’ team. http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/international/taoiseach-enda-kenny-wants-allireland-team-to-play-england-at-croke-park-29737499.html

As you might expect this All Ireland malarkey did not go down well on OurWeeCountry(OWC) the Northern Ireland fans website where they also have to put up with the lesser O’Neill(Michael) as their manager and their best players opting/being poachrd to play for their bitterest rivals. (Martin O’Neill also, not unexpectedly, was the target for some choice ‘criticism’). http://ourweecountry.ipbhost.com/

Sunday was ‘Rememberance Sunday’ and in Green Field Number 4 that means trying to remember all those illuminating arguements about wearing or not wearing a poppy which were enjoyed by everyone so much in previous years. Last week, it was noted how the boy Jude(Collins) leapt to the defence of Gerry (Adams) and on (Rememberance) Sunday, Jude appeared on the (excellent) BBC Radio Progam, Sunday Sequence, to discuss the fallout of the previous weeks BBC program on the disappeared. In soccerball parlance, the boy Jude done good (he perhaps wisely avoids giving his own view opting instead to explain the ‘Republican’ perspective.) Some very interesting comments from Dawn Purvis.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03hcm77

If you fancy an alternative view on Remeberance try this –

http://www.philmacgiollabhain.ie/remembering-the-fallen-2/

Over on Slugger, I’m afraid it was largely tedious – dominated as it was by the thorough coverage of the SDLP conference which is always likely to be at least a bit – if not very – tedious and both Slugger and (comeback kid) FJH covered the death of Eddie McGrady.

 http://fitzjameshorselooksattheworld.wordpress.com/2013/11/11/eddie-mcgrady-rip/.

And it was depressing news as usual with  the ‘right to march to school’ probably now also on the agenda for Richard ‘Clint’ Haas who has checked into a local saloon and will be rounding up the usual suspects for a showdown over their poor behaviour.

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/schoolgirl-who-fears-walking-through-ardoyne-loses-case-1.1592294

The good news of Ireland (3 Green Fields only) exiting the bailout couldn’t even get a positive noise out of the Irish Times who seemed to be lamenting a lost opportunity for more ‘reform’ whilst there were foriegners about the place to take the blame.(God be with the days when we just blamed the Englezes for everything)

http://www.irishtimes.com/business/economy/real-story-of-bailout-exit-is-how-good-crisis-was-wasted-1.1590267

To be fair to Slugger, perhaps the most interesting (and best) tinternet story of the week was by Brian Walker – writing about the death of the BBC political correspondent John Cole and noting how his Unionist attitudes had hindered his carreer in the British press – attitudes that I dont think could be gleaned from his excellent BBC broadcasting.

 http://sluggerotoole.com/2013/11/08/john-cole-a-personal-view/

Slán – and dont forget folks – there are only 39 flag protests days left ’till xmas.

Oh Dear, FJH is back

Fitzjameshorse is back.

He retired from blogging some time ago but has reconsidered. In his usual style there has been no announcement or fanfare. Just wanted to let those of you with an interest in contemporary Jacobean politics know.

Fitzjameshorse, needless to say, drives me mad sometimes as I’m sure he does to the SDLP party in general. (And I’m no SDLP’er)

The British Labour party had their Anthony Wedgwood Benn, The Tories have Boris, Fianna Fail had their differences with Neil Blaney and as for the UUP…Well, that’s a developing story.

I always thought that his contribution was worthwhile and his experience worth listening to. Perhaps his “retirement” was a fit of pique, I don’t know but he is back.

If I may say something directly. ” Please don’t leave the field without good reason”