Quite agree Fionas

That is the case for most people who do not know the land and the true colour of that land in order to compare with the land they come from.

One always believes that it is greener on the other side. When you get there the case is often different. It is not quite as green as one initially thought.

Here is the difference then. Most people who live in Ireland are in your opinion not as much Irish as those who do not live there.

There are dreamers who believe in all that is good and only evaluate the superficial (Foreigners/Tourists). Then there are those who are actually know and evaluate the substantial (The Local Inhabitants).

Ireland is a great place I am in no way trying to state the opposite. But Ireland is not everything. I lived there and I moved away to seek in my opinion better things.

Still I am Irish at heart and I will never give that up. There are this and thats, that I miss but then there are also this and thats, that I am glad to get away from. In the end it all comes down to ones own savour.

Charlotte has been stating for the past two years that she will be going to Ireland. She may I hope she does. But will she like being there, actually living there? Knowing the substantials and not the surface of Irish life as many foreigners or tourists do when they first come to Ireland.

And if the subject continues about abortion then consider the issue from the law as it stands in Ireland, North and South.

I am not going to give an opinion on the subject as I personally find the matter far 2 intrigate.

But coming to the point of this forum (WHICH IS Ireland) the law in Ireland as it stands can be described as follows.

NORTH

Totally outlawed in 1861, modified in 1945, stating that abortion was not an offence if it was done to save the mother's life. T

his legal status only applies to abortions carried out after the 28th week of pregnancy, leaving doctors to use their individual judgement on cases up to 27 weeks on the following grounds.

A woman can have an abortion if she has a serious medical or psychological problem that can endanger her life if she continues with her pregnancy.

She has severe learning difficulties; (I Don't get this one)

Doctor's detect abnormalities in the foetus;

If she become pregnant as a result of rape.

If a woman falls outside of these categories she is allowed to go abroad to have an abortion. Mostl go to England which accepts upto the 24 week.

The UK adopted a new abortion law in 67 which was not applied to Northern Ireland, which gives full rights to the woman. SUCH AS ECONOMIC GROUNDS AND SO ON.


SOUTH

It is currently illegal for anyone to have an abortion in Eire. However, the law does allow pregnant women to receive counselling and information about support options.

Women that decide to have an abortion are allowed to leave Eire to go abroad. Most travel again to England.

Enough Said

Started reading the thread. Sounded well good and interesting.

Sadly it seems that the subject went well off track. I thought that this thread was about Bush and Kerry?

Seems it has turned into some slanging match about abortion and morality issues.

My comments about Bush and Kerry ?????

I have none really. All I can say is that Bush has shown his colours and we all know what they are and would be in the future. Kerry. I don't know him, but to me he seems to be slime too.

In other words what does it matter who gets in. It will not change anything. Well not dramtically with respect to Ireland ........

There will still be the Iraq issue, Bin Laden, Terrorists and so on. They won't go away over night.

I spent most of my time last month in BOSTON/Cambridge (MIT) and Hartford (Connecticut) the latter - what a hole.

I reckon that Bush will win, from what I could gather from there.

Good to see that some old names are still posting. I still look from time 2 time but lately (Last months to be precise) the content has been questionable.

I lhave looked through the last threads and it seems that there is little constructive discussion at the moment concerning the real issue. Ireland.


Lets get back to exchanging opinions and fruitful discussion. Less of this junk.
___________________________________________________________________
The war in Iraq and in particular the handling of the post war Iraq has seen an immense increae in so called terrorism, bloodshed, torture, brutality etc.

The so called troubles in NI over past 3 decades have come to a so called close. When in 1974 upto 400 people were killed in 1 year, in the past three 3 years just 35 have been killed.

How can the lessons learnt in NI be put to good use in Raq?

In NI, the British/Irish Governments were able to negotiate with the different groups. How could one negotiate with Bin Laden?

Are there any comparisons between NI and Irag? Is there a comparable solution to Iraq or with respect to Al-Qaeda?

How can one define a terrorist. At the moment (Since 9/11) I believe this term is used to freely by leaders when they face people who do not agree with them.

Why terrorism? What starts it and Why?

Is the situation in NI really that rosy as the British PM like to promote?

What are your thoughts concerning the above points?
I'll be interested in seeing some constructive replies.

I Have been away so I cannot jump or I would not like to jumpt to quick conclusions.

By reading this thread I get the point that Chucky has made.

I am not even going to bother answering or will even try and involve my opinion concerning the last dozen or so comments about some bastarised map.

Been away. Nice to have a chance to go back online. I have spent the last months in South America and Cambridge/Boston (USA). Been well busy. Well I am still busy.

Dublin-Places to go

O'Connelstr - Shopping

Temple Bar district.
Palace *(Good) ,
The auld Dubliner,
Temple Bar,
Norseman,
Oliver St John Gogherty.


St. Stevens Green-Dodgy are but the O' Donaghues is a good place.

Grafton Street
Kehoes (Good)
International, O'Niels ( I dont like it but you may find your own countrymen here)
Mulligans (Really Good)

Thomas Reid (good) on Danestr

Enjoy your stay in Dub. I have to go back again sometime. ):

LAN

I wish I would have more time. Shit!

I just read those last posts.

I think it is a waste of time even talking to this Lancashire on the subject of unification.

He has no idea, is generalising, being outright racists and last but not least. I think he is a radical right wing idiot.

LANCASHIRE

Are you a member of the British National Party?

I agree with some points about NI that you have stated, primarily those about majority rule etc.. But only a small, small some. Most of what you have had to say is absolute rubbish.

You do need to go to Ireland to see for yourself. One word of warning. Do not go there with the intention of mouthing. Most English, particularly those with a big mouth are not welcome. (This goes for both sides of the NI community). If not, the likelihood that you will be returning to England in box is very high.


WORSE OF ALL:

Get off your High Chair about England or UK. The UK is not the second most powerful country in the world.

Economically (GDP) it lies behind Germany in fourth place. US, Japan, Germany, UK, France.

With respect to the "Standard of Living" (GDP / Population) it lies in spot 15, even behind that of the Republic. The republic lies now in spot 13.

Militarily the UK is still relatively strong for its size, but not as #2 in the world.

So get off your stool, be realistic and think constructively if you want to remain on this forum.

Must get back to work.

Sitting around in my hotel room at the moment.

Interesting article about population changes in N.Ireland. This article strengthens my position more in that we have to do more to persuade people in NI, through peaceful means, that a unified Ireland is the best for the future.

I am well busy at the moment, well for next few months. So I wont be very active on the forum for now.


The following article written by Dennis Kennedy appeared in the Irish Times

Last week�s census results could have introduced that rarest of things into the Northern Ireland situation � a stabilising factor. For as Garret FitzGerald wrote on Saturday, the truth now is that the prospect of a majority in the North for Irish unity is sufficiently remote for that goal to be irrelevant to Irish politics in the foreseeable future.

The much anticipated new demographic reality did not emerge, and far from being roughly equal in size, the two communities in the North are probably locked into a permanent unionist majority-nationalist minority relationship, albeit a close one. The slow-down in the Catholic birth rate confirmed in the results means there is no chance of a Catholic majority in the foreseeable future, and no chance at all of a majority in favour of Irish unity.

So unionists and nationalists now have to face up to the problem of finding a way of living together within the present constitutional arrangement, accepting it for all practical purposes as permanent. So too do Dublin, London and Washington. Anyone who fondly hoped that the Belfast Agreement would patch things over until demography provided the final solution in a decade or two must now return to the drawing board.

This newly confirmed demographic stability should encourage nationalists to a clearer realisation of what their acceptance of the consent principle actually means, and should help unionists worry less about imminent incarceration in an all-Ireland state, and think more about how to get on with their fellow northerners.

But only if the lessons are learned. The omens are not good, judging from Mark Durkan�s article in Friday�s Irish Times. Did the SDLP leader write his piece on the census before he had actually had time to read the published figures, basing it on the wildly inaccurate predictions of numerous journalists and politicians? Or was he trying to get in a pre-emptive strike to divert attention away from the reality revealed by the statistics.

A 53 per cent to 44 per cent superiority is not large. But just as Mr Durkan insists that the barest nationalist majority would be enough to trigger Irish unity, so the barest unionist majority ensures that Northern Ireland remains within the UK. In very general terms the two communities may be roughly equal in size, as Mr Durkan says, or at least approaching that position. But in the context of aspiring to Irish unity, which is what Mr Durkan�s article was all about, the Protestant and Catholic communities are not at all equal in size, and will not be for the foreseeable future. Given that opinion polls constantly confirm that up to one third of Northern Catholics would not support Irish unification, the chances of unity by consent ever must be approaching nil.

One can never say never, but no rational person could regard it as anything more than the remotest and most unlikely of prospects. Why then does Mr Durkan devote most of his article to discussing something which is not going to happen?

He goes to considerable lengths to assure unionists that they will be treated well within a united Ireland, according to the fundamental principles of �partnership, equality and mutual respect�. The Northern Assembly would continue, and so would the Executive. He promises them real power in a new Irish national parliament, and in a new Irish national government.

Leaving aside that these are things which Mr Durkan has no authority to promise � how power would be distributed within an all-Ireland parliament or government would be matters for those bodies to decide � he is dwelling in the realms of fantasy. The census results on which his article is based tell him clearly there is not going to be a united Ireland, certainly not in his lifetime.

When he took over the leadership of the SDLP Mr Durkan disappointed many observers by his enthusiastic endorsement of the traditional nationalist goal of Irish unity, something he has continued to stress. At the same time he claimed to be articulating a �new nationalism�, a distinctive element of which, in this era of consent, was to be persuading unionists of the virtues of Irish unification. Opinion polls, and election results, show no evidence that such persuasion is working. The census returns show that demography itself will not do the trick.

So far Mr Durkan has given little indication of how he will persuade unionists. The promise, to Northern politicians, of real power in Dublin instead of sideline seats at Westminster would have little or no appeal, even if it was in Mr Durkan�s power to promise it. The suggestion that in a united Ireland unionists would enjoy an end to constitutional uncertainty might sound like a rather sick joke to most unionists, if not a threat that they would be given no such certainty under the Belfast Agreement.

Mr Durkan in an earlier article referred to the Agreement as �a template for the future�, implying that it was not an end in itself, not a �settlement�. The suggestion then seemed to be that the real importance of the Agreement to nationalists was as a template for how unionists, and indeed the North, would be government inside a united Ireland. This is very much confirmed in this latest article.

A template for something that is not going to happen is not much use. The SDLP would be far better advised to concentrate on making a go of Northern Ireland, than planning how to run a united Ireland, an exercise more appropriate to the Flat Earth Society.

If they can look beyond the current popularity struggle with Sinn Fein they might see that by keeping Irish unity as their distinguishing political objective, they are condemning themselves to be, at best, perpetual runners up in Northern Ireland. They are also guaranteeing that political unionism will always be in first place, if only by a short head.

As seen in the UK (Well England)

Republican>
1. Is against British involvement in the 6 counties.
2. Is a member or an active supporter of a paramilitary organisation. i.e IRA
3. Predominantly of Catholic religion.


Nationalist>
1. Is against British rule in the 6 counties.
2. Catholic.

Unionist>
1. Wants the 6 counties to remain as an integral part of the U.K.
2. Protestant.

Loyalists>
1. Wants the 6 counties to remain as an integral part of the U.K
2. Disagrees with the (Freestate) or Republic of Ireland.
3. Is a member of or an active supporter of a paramilitary organisation. i.e UVF.
4. Protestant.

The religion part is assumed. About 10% of all Catholics in NI are in favour of Unionism. Well that is what the last census came up with.

With respect to NI and how it is seen in th UK (Well England)

Republican: Someone against the Queen and British Rule.
willing to use force as
a last resort.

Nationalist:

I am not going to answer some of the previous statements that were aimed at me or were caused through my posts.

The general statement on the fourum is that the BA are illegal occupiers of NI.

Deep in my heart I feel the same way. But in reality they are not.

Werewolf

You state in your last post that the BA is illegal and that the majority of Ireland wants to see the back of them.

You are right if you say the whole of Ireland. A united Ireland.

But we find ourselves unfortunately in a split Ireland. An Ireland that consists of a North and a South.

The North wants to remain British. That was proven in the last general election a few weeks ago in which all (Republican and Unionist had the chance to vote).

If the majority of the North wants to remain British, then Britain unfortunately has the right to station troops there. To the British Government in Westminster, NI is just a part of Britain as Scotland, Wales and England are.

The BA wil only be illegal in NI if the majority of people in NI want to divorce themselves from Britain and Westminster prevents them from doing so.

We need to find measures in that the majority in NI want to unify. This is where the work of Republicans lays. Not in the bandit country.

Noel and Fianna

I am Irish and I am a Republican. You cannot say that I am not, only because I oppose your violent methods or your violent ideals in reaching our goals.

Even the "so called Irish people by Birth, born in the Republic" as yopu like to put it, are against your methods.

I am from the Republic. The last thing I want is to have is trouble makers in my own back yard.

You both need to change. I fully understand the anger and the hatred that you both pertray, but that is not going to change NI. You and alike just as the opposers will have to change thier ways and methods.

Noel:- Concerning your last post. No one has a problem that you disagree. It is the way you disagree. I think Fianna and Patrick are the biggest culprits here.

RAB has come in here to say his opinion. I disagree mostly with his opinions, however I am willing to listen and comment. Why use vile language and insults.

This is a forum. You are not on the street here where you can throw your stones and run the risk of being shot.


Charlotte.

That thin grey line I am talking about is about compromise between the two sides.

Imagine Noel and Fianna on one side and exactly the same type of guys on the other. Both are unwilling to find a compromise. Only the whole cake, nothing else.

That is the situation today in NI. You can see that from the last elections.
On one side the DUP and on the other Sinn Fein.

You see what I am getting at. No side wishes to move a little in the opposite direction to find a solution. The only mechanism in that can take NI forward is the GFA, supported by Dublin and London. But sadly opposed by the hardliners. (No need to discuss this further. The GFA I mean)

Concerning your comments. I think we are closer in our opinions than we thought. I agree with virtually everything you say. Even your comments on using force.

Patrick

I fully agree with Chucky's comments.

I get fed up hearing the same old comments from you. Nothing but insults and unconstructive and feeble measures. In other words "BULLSHIT" (Apologies for my use of language).

Is it because I disagree with you or is it because I am talking sense and you are unable to comprehend that?

PS. What do you mean with the PC threats? I do not think I ever threatened anyone here on this forum.

LOOKS MORE LIKE A COVER UP.

An inquiry by the Royal Ulster Constabulary into a sectarian murder was "appalling and unprofessional" and had "serious and unexplained failures", a report by the province's police ombudsman said yesterday.
Detectives had made no real effort to track down the killers, the report added.

The family of Sean Brown, 61, who was shot dead by the Loyalist Volunteer Force in May 1997, had asked the ombudsman, Nuala O'Loan, to investigate the case.

Her report delivered a damning assessment of the inquiry. The renamed and reformed Police Service of Northern Ireland will now reopen the case with a new team of detectives.

Brown was abducted by the LVF as he locked up his local Gaelic sports club at Bellaghy, Co Londonderry. He was shot six times, and his body was found near his burnt-out car.

The report included a string of inadequacies: a failure to identify and deal with forensic evidence; no proper search for witnesses; no attempt to trace motorists; a failure by Special Branch to pass on intelligence reports; missing records; and the history of the murder weapon not being properly investigated.

However, the report found there had been no collusion between the murderers and the security forces, as alleged in other killings.

David Woods, formerly the executive director of investigations for the ombudsman, said: "This was a catalogue of incompetence and failures. There were very serious and inexplicable failures. It was very bad police work. This was an appalling investigation."

The idiot should stand down along with his DUP Party.

Paisley to stand down as MEP

Matthew Tempest and agencies
Monday January 19, 2004

The Rev Ian Paisley will quit the European parliament in June, he announced today.
The 77-year old MP, MEP and member of the Northern Ireland assembly starred in probably the most dramatic moment in the history of the Brussels parliament when he held up a placard calling the Pope "the antichrist" during an address by John-Paul II in 1988.

Mr Paisley, who has topped the poll in Northern Ireland in every European parliament election, confirmed today at Stormont he would not be seeking re-election.

The DUP leader will remain the MP and assembly member (AM) for North Antrim and will head his party's talks team and review of the Good Friday agreement, which it was today announced would begin on February 3.

The decision will mark the end of a colourful 25-year career in the European parliament.

After receiving almost 30% of the overall Northern Ireland vote in the 1979 European election, he became the first MEP to speak in the parliament when he protested that the Union Flag was flying upside down.

The DUP leader also interrupted the speech of the then Irish prime minister Jack Lynch to complain about his government's refusal to sign the European Convention on Terrorism.

In 1988 Mr Paisley faced angry objections from MEPs and was ejected from the European Parliament when he interrupted an address by Pope John Paul II.

He was an active member of the European parliament agriculture and fisheries committee, vigorously putting forward Northern Ireland's case during subsidy negotiations. Along with former nationalist SDLP leader John Hume and Ulster Unionist MEP Jim Nicholson, Mr Paisley, 77, also secured European peace and reconciliation funding for socially deprived communities in northern Ireland and border counties in the Irish Republic.

His decision to stand down came after the DUP's strong performance in the assembly elections in November where it emerged the largest party, overtaking David Trimble's Ulster Unionists.

The party was further boosted this month by the defection of three former Ulster Unionist AMs - Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson, his constituency colleague Norah Beare and Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA Arlene Foster - which brought the DUP's total of Stormont seats to 33.

Apology for the �Wannabe Activist� statement.

I did not mean to imply this to everyone on the forum. My mistake, more like a type and communication error. This happens when someone like myself writes long replies.

What I intended to originally mean by that statement is as follows.

There are a lot of wannabe activists on this forum, who make a lot of noise and really do not understand the facts and do not really understand what they are saying when they scream for blood etc.

To those who are genuine activists I hope you accept my apology.

Charlotte

Sorry, if you were thinking I was having a go at you and your nationality. I am not. I was just trying to put a point across.

You say that in Ireland there are the real Irish and the English/British Irish. Well, if you went to NI you would quickly understand what I am trying to get at.

Putting my point across as simple as possible (Black and White):

The Unionists see themselves as Irish or Scot-Irish, but also British.

The Republicans see themselves as Irish, but do not see themselves as being British.

The problem is that there is a very thin line of grey. If continued peace is to be established. This thin grey line will need to be broader. I hope with time that this will be the case.

I am not saying you know nothing about Ireland, the contrary. I believe you know more than many of my own countrymen. You know the reasons behind the problems, the history, bloodshed, religion and the politics. Yes and I agree, we have spoken about this many times before and I agree we do not need to emphasise on that.

What I am saying have more to do with life and experience.

You can state that French Cuisine is better than Italian, but you will never really know until you have tasted the difference. At the moment you have tasted only the French. You get what I mean?

I believe you are a Republican and yes I also believe that you really intend to come to Ireland and settle. I admit that I did not believe you in the beginning, when we first spoke. I thought that what you were saying was verbal dire. Now having read many of your posts I have changed my opinion about you considerably.

But being a good Republican does not automatically mean condemning others, for what they believe in. I see myself as a Republican. I have no connection to the Queen, to England and the UK. But I understand the position of the unionists. I had to live and work amongst them.

The main point is that I do not see a Black & White solution for Ireland, as many for example see. i.e Fianna or Noel. I wish to see that Black and White merge to grey. If that happens then we will all have a chance of seeing a united Ireland.

Fianna.

So you believe in violence, even if you are in the minority? Not all Republicans believe in violence as a means to achieve their aims.

I am a Republican as you are. I will hope that I will one day see a united Ireland.

The difference between you and me is that I can accept the majority decision if people want that. I will always vote and raise my hand for Republicanism but I will not raise my hand covered in blood of others, basically because thay disagree with me.

Where do you have the right to promote violence when most around you do not want it?

Agreement and Disagreement is part of life. It is with us everywhere, in our homes at school at work and in government.

So what you are saying is that if you do not agree with the majority, all you have to offer is the fist, gun and the bomb. Do you really believe that these are the tools that are required to build a peaceful, united Ireland. I do not think so. You are really wrong, I believe you are mis-guided or mis-led. Nearly all Republicans, whether they are living abroad or at home would disagree with you.

I can and I am willing to understand the feelings of bothsides. I may disagree mostly in favour of Republican ideals. But I will disagree by argumentation adn discussiom.

I may even agree with some points that the unionists have to say. They do have some concrete points (DON'T THEY). I do not believe in the " I want it my way or else attitude" I believe in finding a solution. This will only come about if people are willing to find a middle ground through argumentation and discussion.

You state that I am in no position to state anything. Well I am happy to disagree with you again.

As you know I am originally from Dublin. I lived and worked in Belfast for nearly 3 years and now I am living and working in London. Through just that I have more than enough experience, more than you. I believe.

I have seen the perception from all three sides. I should not forget a fourth side. The foreigners and wanna be or would like to be Irish living far away. Far away from reality.


Charlotte

If anyone should open their eyes, then I think you should. I accept your opinions fully, however I have that right (I HOPE in your view) to disagree.

You for one, as a foreigner should have a neutral opinion in trying to understand the situation in NI.

You have taken a route and made a decision in favour of Republicanism. But on what basis? What facts? The facts you read are in in pro republican or pro unionist books and websites etc. You will really only know if you live amongst the people of all sides and learn their ways, how they think and how they communicate.

How is that you can condemn one side and hail another?

You hope to come and live in Ireland. Good for you. I can understand, Ireland is a wonderful place. I also wish you loads of luck with your french teaching.

But once you are over in Ireland, accept all who live on this Isle as equal. You are and you will always be a guest. The people of this isle, whether they are unionist or republican, will be your host.

Fionnas

I do not think that you can compare Northern Ireland with that of the Nazis etc. This plain silly argumentation with no connenction or facts. When you aim to argue then argue on a solid foundation and not on air mattress, submerged in water.

You can compare the situation in NI more closely with that of Spain and the Basque Region for example.

Your historical quotes are quite wrong and you cannot compare them in any way with NI. We are not in 1100 but in 2004.

Are witches still burnt today. NO

Christians never put Jews to the stake. If anything it was Catholics who put Protestants to the stake, i.e. in France and in Germany.
Again hundreds of years ago. Is this still happening today NO.

No the Nazis did not have the right to kill Jews. Question is rather. Are the Germans still killing Jews today. NO. Germany is an open, multicultural society.

I do not think you can try and compare The UK Government with that of the Nazis. If any comparison is necessary then the closest in Europe would have been Franco or Mussolini.

The same you could say about Ireland past and future.

Are Catholics and Protestants still killing each other?
Will Ireland be united through the will of it"s people.
Will Ireland be at peace with all its people?

Sean

Promote Irish Culture, Music, Language. Anything that cannot be associated with Britain.

Give presentations, organise parties etc. Promote the good side of Ireland not the bad like the troubles. Promote something that people will enjoy, listening to or doing and associate that with Ireland. When people enjoy something they listen. When they listen they start to think.

Throwing stones will not get you any where. You will be simply seen in the same light as the British Football Hooligans or even worse the IRA Terrorists.

FORUM

Why is it that each time someone comes into this forum with a different opinion, you all have to resort to insults.

Don't you realise that you are simply downgrading yourselves.

As already mentioned by Chucky, this is a forum. If there is no difference in opinion then there is no discussion. If there is no discussion then there is no Forum.

What is that you all want? A web site where you can organise your coffe evenings or join your play groups?

I think what RAB has had to say has been really good and interesting. He has stated his opinion loud and clearly. OK you may disagree, but for sake disagree in a sensible manner.

I actually agree with a lot of points that RAB has had to say. Not all, but I will get to them.

I agree that the best solution for a united Ireland, is that through democracy. Ireland will only unite if it�s people want it to unite. At the moment there is a majority in Northern Ireland who do not want to take that route.

I disagree with the points that the BA is condemned to be murderers and terrorists. The BA are sent by Parliament and Parliament currently represents the majority of people living in Northern Ireland.

The BA are not terrorists, as you may know they are doing/have done a great job in re-building Irag, Kosovo etc. They are in many ways a last resort in finding a peace settlement where politicians often fail, in other words they can be described as diplomats. You also have to remember that the BA was also see to be in that position amongst the Catholics in NI, prior to Bloody Sunday.

The terrorists are those who do not agree with the majority and resort to violence.

In a sense the RIRA as they like to be called, are the losers in this war. They lost long ago, when they gave up or were frightened, to take up a new challenge. A challenge through political means, where the interests of all, in Northern Ireland are concerned not just theirs.

They the PIRA should not be promoted as the future for Ireland but as the past. In other words they are of the past, they have not kept up with the times.

I also agree with RAB that the majority of people in Northern Ireland Republican or Unionist, yearn for a peaceful settlement. The problem is that both sides are unwilling, do not trust or feel to proud to give a little to reach some kind of settlement. You can see that from the last election results.

ONE POINT RAB. I do not agree that you can be part of the BA and at the same time be a Republican. When you join the BA you swear your loyalty to the Queen.

If you swore your loyalty to the Queen and you feel that you are a Republican then you are deceiving yourself. That means you would not make a good Republican. You should only do something that you believe in. Unless you plan to use your skills working for the IRA one day I would change my point and say that, that was part of a long-term strategy.

RAB. You joined the BA and you are paid by the BA. If you are sent to NI. I agree that you cannot do anything about it, unless you want to end up in prison etc. But when you are in NI you simply have to accept that you will be a target. It is your job and the job that you chose and the job that pays your bills.

There is no point in you trying to justify your position as a BA member on this forum. It will not get you far. Most guys on this web site are either wanna be activists, or people who live far away (USA, Belgium, France) who have absolutely no idea.

I spent the end of last year in New York for example. I went to the predominantly Irish part of the Bronx. The guys I met there simply do not know. They still believe it is 1916. That is how far out some thjese guys are.

I was saddened by what I saw. Most had never set foot in Ireland. Even more sad, most had past ancestors who may have been Irish, but had long lost their connections.

I left the place thinking that these guys in the Bronx are just guys who want something to believe in. Something that they belong too. Soemthing like culture and history. This is what they simply do not have.

The final decision is with you. You have been to NI you have seen the facts for yourself. More than many on this website. You do not need to take cover from their insults.

If your Republican feelings are stronger than those for the Queen or the U.K. then you do have that oppurtunity to buy yourself out of B.A and do something that you believe in.

I think it is good that you have put your views across. Do continue to do so as it is for me and I believe a few others, refreshing to see another opinion.

reading your posts here. I have to for a change agree with Fianna.

There is not much more you can do but deliver papers, leaflets or form groups.

If people outside of Ireland really want to do soemthing, then they can only do it if they actually come to Ireland and see for themselves.

Big problem is that many people outside of Ireland who are of Irish ancestory, actually know very little what is going on in Ireland or have even visitied.

They usually bind themselves to the history books.

If you want to do something then come to Ireland. Charlotte plans to that one day.

Well Fianna

I was around. And I stuffed a few Turkeys for you. I am sure YOU would Like That?

Well hope you had a great Christmas and yes, wish you also a happy new year.

I am looking forward to your comments. Most of them make me laugh.

:lol: LOL and LOL

Roidsear

Are you saying you are from Solingen?

I know Solingen very well, as I am often Duesseldorf. I do not know of any Irish Pub in Solingen, only of one in Hilden. I have been there, it is more an Irish Theme Bar, not really Irish.

I have also been to Graefrath in Solingen and the Getaway (Disco), but that was some time ago.

I know the Irish pubs in Duesseldorf quite well (King Tuck, McCloughlins...... Do you go to them? I haven"t been for some time, must do that again.

kleine Welt.

The following is an article from the Guardian, concerning vandalism at a Republican Graveyard.

Looks like a group of nothing to do morons from the unionist side had nothing better to do than destroy gravestones. Probably bored youths who cry about how bad they have it and how bad the republicans are.

Sad thing is that most likely the same type of people, this time from the Republican community will go about and do a similar act.



The grave of the hunger striker and republican hero Bobby Sands has been destroyed and all 16 IRA headstones desecrated in the republican plot in Milltown Cemetery in West Belfast - the nearest thing the Provisionals have to a Cenotaph.
The granite memorials were smashed by attackers in the early hours of yesterday morning, including the grave of Sinn F�in leader Gerry Adams's father, who died in November.

A dummy pipe-bomb was also left at the plot, which was was the scene of a slaughter in 1988 when the lone loyalist gunman, Michael Stone, attacked mourners at the funeral of three IRA members killed by the SAS in Gibraltar. Their graves and the graves of the mourners who died that day were also vandalised.

The headstone of Bobby Sands, who was the first of 10 Republican prisoners to die on hunger strike in 1981, was smashed into three.

The dead have often been targets throughout the Troubles, and there have been more attacks on graveyards since the ceasefires. The republican plot was last attacked four years ago.

In the past year there has been a series of attacks on Catholic graves in Carnmoney cemetery which borders the loyalist Rathcoole estate in North Belfast.

The grave of Daniel McGolgan, a postman shot dead by loyalist paramilitaries in 2002, has repeatedly been targeted and was vandalised last month.

Michael Browne, Sinn F�in councillor for West Belfast, said the vandalism showed that Northern Ireland's polarised communities were still at war despite the ceasefires and efforts to restore the political process.

He said: "The reality is that this sort of thing is happening. You only need to look at the sectarian strife in interface areas [where Catholic and Protestant neighbourhoods meet].

"Look at the problems, such as harassment, which communities like this one still have with members of the Police Service of Northern Ireland. It is happening away from the glare of publicity, but it is happening on a daily basis.

"My gut feeling is anger that someone could come in and do this in a cemetery, irrespective of the graves that have been attacked." He said the perpetrators were "beneath contempt".

Sinn F�in said questions would be asked about why surveillance equipment at the nearby Anderstontown barracks did not pick up images of the attacks. The SDLP condemned the attacks as "wanton acts of vandalism".

� David Trimble, the leader of the Ulster Unionist party, last night warned that a review of the Good Friday agreement was doomed unless paramili taries wound up all criminal activities. He said: "It is as if the Northern Ireland office wishes to rearrange the deckchairs on the Titanic after it has hit the iceberg."

Hi Pad

Yes. It looks like you missed a language lesson.

And Yes you need a lesson in the use of subtle language, as Fianna as stated.

But that is not the aim here.

I want to discuss here how we can unite Ireland and not to throw abuse at each other.

Well done Eik, you spoilt the game again.

Snatch.

Brad Pitt being American sounded like a perfect Pad.

Great Film

EIK

Ja bedoel ik. Eikel. En mijn verontschuldigingen voor u in het kennen
van dat niet. Natuurlijk.

Patrick

Looking is harmless touching is better. Same with languages. I can understand and the look is a small matter.

Oi love languages oi studied dem.

P�g mo th�in!

Slainte