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Old 20th January 2012, 19:02   #217 (permalink)
An Irish Red
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Ros Earcáin/Tuaim/an Baile Meánach
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The Neviller View Post
The way you put it simplifies it as the Catholic side of the "struggle" being a romantic one of politicism and freedom, with the Protestant side being pure religious bigotry and unacceptance. That's not the case at all.
There was nothing romantic about anything that happened here. People suffered for decades and achieved very little, on any side.

Republicans were capable of being sectarian (Kingsmill for example) but religion was never the defining feature like it was for the armed loyalist groups. Gusty Spences motto for the UVF was; "If you can't get a gunman get a taig". If the provos went out and shot a british soldier the loyalists would respond by dragging a catholic civilian into a romper room and torturing him to death.

Religion was the motivating factor for loyalist groups, their actions show that.
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