Northern Ireland Thread

lsd

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While I understand what you say your wrong. Loyalist paras are the last hope of the working class again. I don’t agree, but I understand why they turn to them. Ok happily say why and my experience but don’t wanna derail the post

It's been 40 years since there were any loyalist paras . Since then it's just been Drug Gangs using loyalism as a cover
 

Paxi

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Provisional IRA

Chances of McGuinness being one is up there with Man Citys chances of finishing in the top 4 this season
Did ‘Provisional’ IRA exist before? I’m not trying to be difficult, I live in NI and honestly I’m fecking tired of these labels... are they all not just fecking terrorists? The IRA or whatever iteration you want to call them, the UVF, YCV.. bunch of fecking thugs.
 

lsd

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Did ‘Provisional’ IRA exist before? I’m not trying to be difficult, I live in NI and honestly I’m fecking tired of these labels... are they all not just fecking terrorists? The IRA or whatever iteration you want to call them, the UVF, YCV.. bunch of fecking thugs.

Provisional IRA came about in 1969 following the civil rights movement and the violence came about with that .
 

LilyWhiteSpur

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Paisley supplying money to the UVF was well known just not made public officially. Paisley was a gangster of the lowest order and preyed on his own community as much as the drug dealers do.

As for McGuinness well duh
Agreed he used his influence to get other people do what he wanted, the dirty work, not really caring the outcome. Im not just talking about Loyalist Paras but farmers and business owners, bigotry personified.
 

LilyWhiteSpur

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Did ‘Provisional’ IRA exist before? I’m not trying to be difficult, I live in NI and honestly I’m fecking tired of these labels... are they all not just fecking terrorists? The IRA or whatever iteration you want to call them, the UVF, YCV.. bunch of fecking thugs.
They broke off from the “Traditional IRA” of the war time etc, they were the most active IRA from the beginning of the Troubles to the end. Basically but they all don’t get on, the YCV are the youth wing of the UVF. The reason there are different groups as they all have different territory or “ideology” really it was about territory.
 

Eire Red United

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Did ‘Provisional’ IRA exist before? I’m not trying to be difficult, I live in NI and honestly I’m fecking tired of these labels... are they all not just fecking terrorists? The IRA or whatever iteration you want to call them, the UVF, YCV.. bunch of fecking thugs.
One mans terrorist is another mans freedom fighter.... sticky subject that one.
 

LilyWhiteSpur

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Mortar bomb found in Strabane yesterday close to a PSNI Station, Ive always wondered are these the same projective bombs fired with a tube or are they something different? How exactly are these detonated, can you just throw them? detonated with a trigger?
 

Eire Red United

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Anyone see the latest poll on Irish Unity? The figures are unbelievable, look at the age break down. Only a matter of time.
 

LilyWhiteSpur

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Anyone see the latest poll on Irish Unity? The figures are unbelievable, look at the age break down. Only a matter of time.
These polls are mostly worthless until the people in Northern Ireland and the Republic get some hard facts on how a UI would look and operate, I would say most people in the North no nothing about Irish politics, about Irish social care, health care etc. It would be Brexit all over again, would be an absolute shit show.
 

balaks

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These polls are mostly worthless until the people in Northern Ireland and the Republic get some hard facts on how a UI would look and operate, I would say most people in the North no nothing about Irish politics, about Irish social care, health care etc. It would be Brexit all over again, would be an absolute shit show.
The vote will be idealogical in nature and facts about the reality will hardly matter
 

LilyWhiteSpur

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The vote will be idealogical in nature and facts about the reality will hardly matter
I'm not so sure, your saying Public sector workers wont care about their jobs? Currently over 30% of the working population work there and a good proportion serving GB. You don't think people with health needs wont be concerned or want to know what the health service is like? Parents will want to know how the education system works? People on welfare will also want to know how they will be effected. Not to mention I know plenty of southerners who don't want a UI as they feel they are stretched enough without taking on Northern Ireland who is still heavily subsidised by the block grant. We need a working plan of how the unification would work, the pros, the cons etc. Another thing that seems to be missed is that a UI means a hard border with the rest of the UK which is still where most of our trade is done. No plans will mean the same problems we are seeing with Brexit.
 

golden_blunder

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@InLevyITrust spot on fella. Needs to be hard facts. TO THE LETTER

Idealogical is as wishy washy as the brexit campaign and that’s just led to a divided nation.

As we know NI is a powder keg. It needs to be addressed carefully with babysteps.
 

LilyWhiteSpur

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@InLevyITrust spot on fella. Needs to be hard facts. TO THE LETTER

Idealogical is as wishy washy as the brexit campaign and that’s just led to a divided nation.

As we know NI is a powder keg. It needs to be addressed carefully with babysteps.
To be fair I think the whole border poll is being handled pretty well on all sides, thus far anyway. I have a feeling though the reason that John O'Dowd is challenging for leadership is he wants Stormount back up and running as he doesn't want Direct rule coming back it. There will be a lot of turns before we get to the poll.
 

stevoc

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I'm not so sure, your saying Public sector workers wont care about their jobs? Currently over 30% of the working population work there and a good proportion serving GB. You don't think people with health needs wont be concerned or want to know what the health service is like? Parents will want to know how the education system works? People on welfare will also want to know how they will be effected. Not to mention I know plenty of southerners who don't want a UI as they feel they are stretched enough without taking on Northern Ireland who is still heavily subsidised by the block grant. We need a working plan of how the unification would work, the pros, the cons etc. Another thing that seems to be missed is that a UI means a hard border with the rest of the UK which is still where most of our trade is done. No plans will mean the same problems we are seeing with Brexit.
I feel the same any campaign for a border poll needs to lay out all the facts and make sure everyone is well informed. We know there are sections on both sides that will vote for or against regardless but there will be a sizable majority in the middle will at least try to make in informed decision.

And if we do vote for a United Ireland one day i think there needs to be a very, very slow handover and transition process. I could see Northern Ireland being a separate area from the rest of Ireland with it own assembly at least at first. And slowly integrating over a number of years maybe even decades.

Having said that i don't think we are ready yet for a border poll, ideally i would like it to be at least another 20-30 years before we have one. That time frame puts us far enough away from the troubles.
 

sullydnl

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These polls are mostly worthless until the people in Northern Ireland and the Republic get some hard facts on how a UI would look and operate, I would say most people in the North no nothing about Irish politics, about Irish social care, health care etc. It would be Brexit all over again, would be an absolute shit show.
Indeed. The last thing we need is a super-divisive vote based on make-believe notions of what a UI would be, only for the pragmatic reality to then leave all parties involved feeling they've been short changed or fecked over.
 

balaks

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@InLevyITrust spot on fella. Needs to be hard facts. TO THE LETTER

Idealogical is as wishy washy as the brexit campaign and that’s just led to a divided nation.

As we know NI is a powder keg. It needs to be addressed carefully with babysteps.
Oh I agree though I also know that in NI nomatter what the facts are and the reality of the impact, once people get into the voting booth 99% of the people will vote on orange vs green. That's just the way it is here and it will be exactly the same in a border poll
 

balaks

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I feel the same any campaign for a border poll needs to lay out all the facts and make sure everyone is well informed. We know there are sections on both sides that will vote for or against regardless but there will be a sizable majority in the middle will at least try to make in informed decision.

And if we do vote for a United Ireland one day i think there needs to be a very, very slow handover and transition process. I could see Northern Ireland being a separate area from the rest of Ireland with it own assembly at least at first. And slowly integrating over a number of years maybe even decades.

Having said that i don't think we are ready yet for a border poll, ideally i would like it to be at least another 20-30 years before we have one. That time frame puts us far enough away from the troubles.
I expect there to be one within the next 10 years.
 

Eire Red United

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Anyone watch No Stone Unturned tonight? Superb documentary. Would make you sick to the stomach the level of collusion that went on here.
 

Rooney24

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Spotlight should be a good watch tonight given these allegations against Willie Fraser in the press today.
 

LilyWhiteSpur

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These programs while informative are they really telling anyone people didn't know? They rake up old fires and do nothing but cause more division, the new Chief Constable was on Nolan yesterday morning and no offense to the man he came across as a right feck wit. Statements like "as far as he knew the IRA weren't still active in any way", "wasn't aware of any UVF goings on" etc, just bumbled through all Nolan's loaded questions, laughable state of affairs over here right now. Brexit focusing on Stormount having a key role in any deal when the feckers aren't even taking their seats. Worst of all we Northern Irelanders are doing feck all about it, we sit and tut I would honestly strike/picket/protest if I thought enough of us would take to the streets.
 

Rooney24

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These programs while informative are they really telling anyone people didn't know? They rake up old fires and do nothing but cause more division, the new Chief Constable was on Nolan yesterday morning and no offense to the man he came across as a right feck wit. Statements like "as far as he knew the IRA weren't still active in any way", "wasn't aware of any UVF goings on" etc, just bumbled through all Nolan's loaded questions, laughable state of affairs over here right now. Brexit focusing on Stormount having a key role in any deal when the feckers aren't even taking their seats. Worst of all we Northern Irelanders are doing feck all about it, we sit and tut I would honestly strike/picket/protest if I thought enough of us would take to the streets.
As you say Nolans Questions were loaded. I felt he was trying to push him into saying he didnt know rather than get an actual honest answer out of him. Both idiotic IMO.

Agree these Programmes dont really tell us much we dont already know. Loyalist Paramilitary and Police collusion is well documented for years now. However that doesnt take away from the fact that the truth should eventually be allowed to come out and in the case of Pat Finucane that seems to have been covered up by both MI5 and the British Cabinet if that Programme is to be believed. Which is shocking and all citizens should be worried about that no matter what side you fall on.
 

LilyWhiteSpur

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As you say Nolans Questions were loaded. I felt he was trying to push him into saying he didnt know rather than get an actual honest answer out of him. Both idiotic IMO.

Agree these Programmes dont really tell us much we dont already know. Loyalist Paramilitary and Police collusion is well documented for years now. However that doesnt take away from the fact that the truth should eventually be allowed to come out and in the case of Pat Finucane that seems to have been covered up by both MI5 and the British Cabinet if that Programme is to be believed. Which is shocking and all citizens should be worried about that no matter what side you fall on.
He should have known what to expect from Nolan, he's is probably one of the best paid chief of police in the UK and should have been much more savvy.

I agree with what your saying but my problem with delving into collusion, which undoubtedly was wide spread is that these investigations seem incredibly one sided. There seems very little will to investigate Garda collusion, to investigate and prosecute ANY IRA atrocity, Kingsmill, La Mon (which seems to be some collusion going on there too) to name 2 or any mainland attack. With regards to the Garda, no one is going to tell me that IRA men passed back and forth across the boarder and the Irish Police were not aware of it? Again how far did the collusion go, was it a handful of individuals or did it go further.

Even after a republican "missionary" last week publically stated on TV he wished he could have murdered more, no action will be taken in my opinion. I'm all for moving on, heeling, making bridges etc but it works both ways.
 

Rooney24

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He should have known what to expect from Nolan, he's is probably one of the best paid chief of police in the UK and should have been much more savvy.

I agree with what your saying but my problem with delving into collusion, which undoubtedly was wide spread is that these investigations seem incredibly one sided. There seems very little will to investigate Garda collusion, to investigate and prosecute ANY IRA atrocity, Kingsmill, La Mon (which seems to be some collusion going on there too) to name 2 or any mainland attack. With regards to the Garda, no one is going to tell me that IRA men passed back and forth across the boarder and the Irish Police were not aware of it? Again how far did the collusion go, was it a handful of individuals or did it go further.

Even after a republican "missionary" last week publically stated on TV he wished he could have murdered more, no action will be taken in my opinion. I'm all for moving on, heeling, making bridges etc but it works both ways.
Yeah, its one of the most toxic Hangovers of the Troubles. The only other solution is for all to just agree to draw a line under it all, forget about them all and move on. On reflection its not a bad policy to adapt otherwise there will always be a feeling on one side or the other that the other side gets too much in the way of investigations or inquiries.

Granted its also a big pill to swallow for some.

Dont know what the answer is.
 

LilyWhiteSpur

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Yeah, its one of the most toxic Hangovers of the Troubles. The only other solution is for all to just agree to draw a line under it all, forget about them all and move on. On reflection its not a bad policy to adapt otherwise there will always be a feeling on one side or the other that the other side gets too much in the way of investigations or inquiries.

Granted its also a big pill to swallow for some.

Dont know what the answer is.
Sadly, I feel its a bit like brexit, there isn't one.