We will not pine for peace once more.

On Saturday night, the 7th of March. An event took place that I thought I would not have to see in my lifetime. Peoples action that would have taken minutes has written another page in my home country of Irelands bloody history. Two British soldiers were gunned down by a group known as "The real IRA", In county Antrim in the north of Ireland. They were shot dead by gunmen who also injured two pizza delivery men ,who they claimed were collborating with the British by bringing them pizza. The very next night on March the 8th a police officer was shot dead by a group called "The continuity IRA".

These groups aims are to remove British rule from the north of Ireland. The good Friday agreement has left this country in peace for more than a decade. Now these murders are the start of something this island has feared. They claim to continue the same fight our heroes of the 1916 rising in Dublin fought nearlly 100 years ago. Except it's not the same. The British army took down the watchtowers at the borders. Removed operational troops from Ireland. Pretty much everything the IRA could have asked for, apart from the unrealistic turning over of the six British counties in the north. If their old leaders like Michael Collins, James Connoly, Patrick pierce, Thomas James Clarke, Seán MacDiarmada, Thomas MacDonagh could see them now they would be spinning in their graves.

We are a peacefull nation who have lived happily without war for over a decade now. I believe it's peoples selfish arrogance that is trying to drag out little country back into conflict. They say they fight for Ireland, once again. A war I have no reason to support is being fought in my name. (I.E "The war on terrorism") We know the British were horrible to us. Gunning down innocent people at a football match in croke park on november 21st 1920 as retaliation for the murder of British soldiers. Or when the Black and Tans unit of the British army drove through the streets of Dublin strafing the buildings with machine gun fire. But this is a time we both Irish and British would like to leave behind. And because of peoples arrogance more people will die. Our country does not want to pine for peace again. We are sick of war.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Cindy on March 11, 2009 at 3:51am

Someone sent me a message about "troubles" in Ireland tonight I guess this is what she meant!
Im very sad to hear it you are right, there is little reason to stir up the old troubles, things have been quiet.What do they hope to accomplish, its very unlikely there will ever be a total removal of the British living there.
I hate to see pictures of the dead men but if it isnt shown its not as real.
I wish there was something that could be done to prevent any more of this from happening.
Honestly do you think it will be another big event or will it just "blow over"?
I know you live in that city please stay out of the way if you can, not sure if that is realistic but I hope there will be no more violence.
I feel for you, Philadelphia lost at least 5 officers this year, maybe more, senseless, truly hope its only this event and no more.

Permalink Reply by Fintan on March 11, 2009 at 4:04am

I think it will esalate but not to the same extent it did before. These groups have no political cacking like the provisional IRA did from Sinn Fein. They are rouge elements of a happily forgotten fight. So they could be stamped out easily. But they have given hope to idiots who I know for a fact are completly "inept" when it comes to politics, and will happily talk about their dislike for British people. It's this kind of person who scares me. They will happily pick up a gun for no reason to shoot at British troops. I would have supported the IRA in the arly 20th century. But I do recognize the North as a British colony. They are third and fourth generation British now. You can't take that away from them. My idea of justice for the eight hundred years of occupation would be to ascknowledge the attrocities commited by the British army. Which they won't do. That's my beef with them. I'm not going to shoot some British soldiers while they are getting ready to fly to Afghanistan and fight the Taliban, like those two poor guys were doing. They were hours from flying from here to Afghanistan.

Permalink Reply by Lynn Shedler on March 13, 2009 at 5:21am

Hi Cindy: I just wrote a message - but I thought you would like to know that the
First "uprising /War" in Ireland was anything but a fare War! So many innocent
people died for nothing. THEY WERE STILL UNDER BRITISH RULE! This went on for
decades and alot of people moved to London or outer Parts of England to get away!
We in CANADA just lost three soldiers and their bodies are being flown back on
Friday. The poor families and their grief..... So, we have another War on the
Horizon - GREAT!!!!! Just what we need. Thank you for listening: LYNN SHEDLER

Permalink Reply by Fintan on March 11, 2009 at 1:58pm

Thanks you Imelda. I'm happy to hear you know the citizens of Ireland are miles away from supporting this one. One of my biggest fears about it is that we are going to get tarred as "blood thirsty terrorists" once again. a label we have removed thankfully. The leaders of Sinn Fein have called these groups "traitors of the island of Ireland"

Permalink Reply by Sandman on March 13, 2009 at 1:51am

Fintan--I pray there will be no escalation but am very fearful of same. In my heart of hearts I believe the people of Ireland condemn the killings and I find I would love to see a huge mass demonstration in the whole country condemning the violence-maybe to do so now would send an early message to those trying to bring back the blood that flowed for so long until the agreement.
I send my prayers and believe in peace, no matter those around you that believe in bloodshed.
Sandman

Permalink Reply by Lynn Shedler on March 13, 2009 at 4:58am

03/12/09
Dear Finton: I can't believe this happening again!!! When I was growing up the IRA were
called the "Terriorists". So I grew up with a very good knowledge of what was going on.
CANADA asked for - independence and we got it - No War; Just The Queen and the Prime Minister signing papers for CANANDA to be Free of British Rule. The Union Jack Flag came
down and was replaced by "Our Canadian flag - Two red bars on the outside and a red Maple leaf on a White backgroung in the middle. We became our own Country! That, by the way - was a "CONTEST" as to who could come up with the best Flag to represent CANADA. And the one I just described was the winner. The Queen still came to visit us and every Time she was welcomed very much. She loved CANADA. Tons of people went to see
her. And still do!! So what is the problem with Ireland "ASKING FOR INDEPENDANCE"!
So many African States have asked for independance and have been granted it. Is Ireland
living on another "Planet"?? Have they not heard of: "Ask and ye shall receive"?????
No, they would rather fight!! I'm afraid, my dear, you'll get No Support from Anyone!
We've been through this "B.S." before and to repeat history - is just plain stupid!
You and IRELAND are on your own now! Have FUN!! : LYNN SHEDLER

Permalink Reply by Fintan on March 16, 2009 at 3:04pm

Lynn, I am sorry it has taken a few days to reply to you. I must tell you that you are wrong about almost everything you have said. If you had read my post properly you would see I do not support these cowardly attacks. There is less than a handfull of people who do. You say Ireland is on it's own ? If you did actually have a good knowledge of what has happened you would know that the governments of Ireland, Britain and even America work together with great strength and unity to make sure that "terrorrist" elements of an old army don't derail our peace deal. Which everyone is happy with.

You said to Cyndi that Irelands first "war/uprising" achieved nothing. The 1916 (or easter) rising was the reason we got to read our proclomation of independence. Which still stands today. Read on the steps of the G.P.O in Dublin. The very battle ground where the only innocent people killed were the ones killed by British artilery. We asked for complete control of the island of Ireland. See Lynn, we asked and didn't recieve.

The Republic gained independence in the 1920s. Which set off a civil war where brothers shot brothers, fathers shot sons. Because we were not given the north. This after 800 years of military occupation. So that "pointless war" gave way to having what independence we have in the Republic now.

In the 1960s and 70s when the IRA were fighting the British up north, of course they were going to be called terrorists. as one of my favourite writers puts it "Terrorist terrorist terrorist, or guerillas, or as president Reagan called them in later years "freedom fighters." This word would become a plague, a meaningless punctuation mark in all our lives, a full stop erected to finish all discussion of injustice, constructed as a wall by the Russians, Americans, Israelis, British, Pakistanis, Saudis Turks to shut us up. Who would ever say a word in favour of a terrorist? What cause could justify terror? So our enemies are always terrorists. In the seventeenth century, governments used "heritic" in much the same way, to end all dialouge, to prescribe obedience."

Lynn, I have no idea why you keep comparing Ireland to Canada. Our situation is very different. Where we wanted full control of Ireland, and got one hundred percent control of the Republic, Canada is still looked over by a "sovereign constitutional monarchy" which means the queen still rules, but has no political power. Like Australia. Plus you cannot compare our struggle with the British over 800 years anythng to Canadas. Did the British cause a fammine in Canada that killed or caused half your country to flee ? No they didn't. Did Oliver Cromwell turn up on Canadas shore with thousand of battle ready troops to slaughter your indiginous population ? No, be very greatfull he didn't.

When the British took down the border towers and took their operational troops out in 1998 the IRA had no reason to fight anymore. That is why they decomissioned, and that is why we have lived peacefully till these ghastly attacks on British servants. As I said in my post we are sick of war.

So Lynn, it seems the only thing living on another planet is your very rude, pesimistic, ignorant view of a history you said you have a good knowledge of. And given the idea of the website that is meant to be an arena of peace, very unpeacefull. "Ireland is on it's own" "you'll get no support from anyone". We are looking for peace, why would the world community abandon us at a time like this ? They aren't. But you seem to think they are. So needless to say I am amazed at how very wrong you are. Where did you get your views from ? You really should know the history of somewhere you are trying to put down for no reason.

Permalink Reply by Cindy on March 16, 2009 at 10:02pm

I think this is a good example of not assuming something about a person based on where he comes from!
There is NO relation between Canada' situation and Ireland, I dont claim to know all the details but agree, of course, people should try to acheive their goals peacefully.
For the record Im sure nobody on this site, especially Fintan, supports any kind of violence regarding the IRA or any related organisations. But it doesnt make it alright to just make sweeping comparisons. There is a lot of info i dont know so I find the best thing is to look at the source, read documents do your own research, find out from a person who lives in said country. Nobody on here is "supporting" people who are doing wrong, however it is OK to aknowledge that centuries of oppression will cause any nation to uprise, be it Ireland, Africa, South America and the best thing we can do is to understand where people are coming from and try to find a solution that doesnt involve violence.
I dont know if there is anything at this time I personally can do to help but listening to each other with patience and a bit of willingness to learn is a start. No offennse to anyone on here as always I just think you should be honest about what you write.

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