Well said.

That should read Gallagher family.

Fully agree Conor, not only did they hide behing a third party but it took them 40 years to even go this far, they indirectly blamed the British Army by saying they should of dismantled the deadly weapon they placed in the yard of a child and didn’t attempt to dismantle this weapon because they were scared of getting arrested. Further proof that the I.R.A and anyone who supported them were and are nothing but cowardly scum.

McGuinness isn’t an intermediary. He is the IRA.

Don’t hold your breath, Tuba HG.

Beautifully put Eileen

The charges being?

That is a really sick thing to say. Really sick. Makes you as bad if not worse than the “murderers” you are trying to make these two heroes out to be. Shame on you. You need Christ in your heart!

Aoife are you delusional? These were fully paid up members of the IRA and have at best been unclear about the “extent” of their involvement. F**k christ in your heart, you need brains in your head.

Murder, Brian

Must be nice to be morally superior.. Did you live in the north? If not, how do you know what you would have done?

Ross if you have any info please give it in to the police. If the British security forces had any information on them they would have arrested and charged them. It’s easy throw allegations around but harder to back them up. Considering the blood soaked founders of FG and FF murdered a fair few people themselves I myself wouldn’t be so keen or cocky to start throwing stones at SF.

And if the people responsible for leaving the bomb there were caught, Brian – what charge?

Not sure of the exact charges Michael, Possession, membership the usual. I would exp[ext them to be charged with murder but suspect that they would get away with manslaughter. I’m not a solicitor so I don’t know exactly but after this length of time all evidence is probably gone and they would be released under the GFA anyway. I would say off the top of my head that they could be charged with about 10 separate offences with sentences a minimum 7 years and max life.

Brian, I suppose I should have known you’d need to have your head in the sand to be a Sinn Fein supporter in the first place. What a typical response -’prove it’ is basically what you’re saying. Grow up.

“Get away with man-slaughter”. What a relief for them. You’re quite the expert at this Brian…

Brian if that was ur child how would you feel… A nine year old child.

Yes Niamh. This dispassionate commentary from republicans is quite disturbing. Gordon Gallagher was just collateral damage. Agree with Réada in one respect, we should all offer belated condolences to his family. RIP Gordon…

Michael I have an interest in this area academically and would be read up on it but no expert as yet. Why you feel the need to ask me as to who was in the IRA puzzles me though. As you can see by my Siarczan I don’t condone this death or any other death in NI. What has happened on this thread is that people come on frothing at the mouth with preconceived hatred and bias and don’t stop for a moment to take in the other persons point of view.

Niamh, if it was my son (which I have none) I honestly don’t know how I would feel after 40 years. I suppose the fact that the truth came out would be good but that wouldn’t have brought back my child.

Brian ur heart would have been broken forty years ago and you would never have gotten over it. time wouldn’t heal this break. The families are always a side show in relation to these stories when they are the ones who lost the most. my heart goes out to them.

What do you disagree with me on Michael? You said you agree with me on one respect. I’d love to know

Ross firstly where did I say that I was a SF supporter? Please point it out anywhere on this thread that I am a SF supporter, I mean I must have said it somewhere but the thing is I can’t find it.

Secondly what problem do you have with “due process”. That’s where you make an allegation and back it up with evidence which is what I would like you to do with my first point. When you make an allegation about someone then yes you have to “prove it”, that is the cornerstone of our legal system. Go into any court in the country and you can’t just go up to a judge and say that guy robbed me now throw him in jail. You seem to be a fan of summary justice which I find ironic seeing as the PIRA practiced that for years with their kangaroo courts.

As for your comment “grow up”, well I’m not the one making groundless accusations.

Oh they are linked all right there is no doubt about that but for you to come out with a statement that ” every member of sinn fein was not in the ira. But every member of the ira was in sinn fein” was almost exactly what loyalist paramilitary assassination squads used as a justification for their murder campaign.

no he is not. he is simply.pointing to the split which occurred before GFA

Small point there, the RIRA didn’t exist 40 years ago. They only came in to being in 1997.

PIRA is correct and a previous comment referred to Omagh…RIRA responsible. just by way of clarification

Dub Don .
It was the PIRA not the RIRA who left the bomb . Huge
difference and 25 years apart ….facts please.

Ridiculous comment. Grow up

Are you seriously saying that every member of SF is/was a member of the IRA? I agree with Oisin.

I concur with Oisin and Brian. We have peace and times have moved on.

Hardly Brian but many of them did while the rest of them, just like people like you, are willing brush the murders aside as if they were only statistics.

Siarczan where did you get the notion that I wanted all the death and murders brushed aside? Was it when I called for the setting up of a truth commission to examine all these deaths or was it when I said ” now it is time for the Republican movement to clear up other acts that they have committed.” Seriously what part of those two statements didn’t you understand?

Hardly Brian (I do not think every member of SF was/is a member of the IRA) … actually, I think my original statement is clear enough, if you cannot follow what I was implying in the remainder of it, that in itself shows the ability of your mind to gloss over the murder and terrorism of innocent people.

Gloss over murder, please explain as you say I can find no where I glossed over any thing or broughtb up statistics. Either put up or stop making such derogatory statements of charecter.

Of course, and while we have the bucket of whitewash opinion in our hand, wasn’t Nuremberg a terrible inconvenience too?

Fair enough Adam which side would you like to stand trial first? And if they don’t win do they appeal or do we just start blowing each other up again?

The political parties in this country are pathetic! So much so that if the Waffen SS were to stand, they’d have a decent chance!!

What does the economy have to do with a young boy being killed?

It was in response to one guy saying he’d vote for SF on economic grounds and in spite of murder. But posted from my phone so didn’t link correctly.

Btw countries with terrorism problems tend not to do as well as peaceful countries, ceteris paribas…(if college lecturers still use that term.) Hence famous phrases such as “Peace Dividend” for increased inward investment and tourism in NI.

Yes Lamb. And a lot of the comments and sentiments on this thread are playing right into dissident republicans hands. Why should they bother to work for peace when they’re never going to be forgiven.

There has to be a time to move on respectfully to those who lost their lives.

They can and will be forgiven, however they must act first. I was taught that forgiveness requires and act of contrition on the part of the aggressor and it’s not a view that I plan on compromising on. Forgiveness will follow a much greater openness on all sides.

On the issue of dissident republicans, the GFA has the backing of the people of this island, both north and south. There is no possible argument for legitimising what they do and how they act.

To be fair I think maybe the extremist republicans are playing to the feeling of disillusion in the young people i don’t believe they will ever get the same amount of support when it was felt from a lot of people that a section of society in the north was being unjustly treated at the hands of their government. I dont think we will be burning down the British embassy any time soon. The point I was trying to make with my comment was that if somebody living down south in these peaceful times can spit such things what may be expected of a hardcore loyalist that has seen the worst of the troubles? The dead should always be remembered but the days when they are used as an excuse to justify hate should be long gone.

forgive baby killers? i wont/wouldnt.

Just on the issue of forgiveness I don’t think anybody unless they have directly suffered at the hands of somebody else are in a position to forgive anyone from either side.

I’m mostly in agreement with you there Conor. These threads are so contentious always. Peace is very fragile on the island. Hopefully we’ll keep pushing for a Truth Commission and more families can find out the truth.

Will
Perfectly said . Let the dead rest in peace .

Sinn fein wasn’t mentioned once in this story. If you want to bring your fine geal party politics maybe do it elsewhere. A story of a child bring murdered is no place for it.

@Will Sinn Féin are the politics of the IRA

@ padraig Sinn Fein were the politics of almost 10% of the country at the last election and by today’s count its gone to 25%. The days if the IRA are hopefully gone.

To quote Adams: they haven’t gone away, you know!

Issues such as this cannot be forgotten or conveniently swept under the political carpet. Those responsible for criminal behaviour and crimes against humanity, on all sides, must face up and ‘fess up. I agree with the poster who said we must have a Truth Tribunal,otherwise these issues will continue to fester and corrupt the body politic.

I wasn’t talking about you. But some of the comments were pretty ugly. I really admired the mother of Ronan Kerr after her son’s death. It is important to stay calm and not to feed dissident republican sentiment. But I suppose that there’s always going to be a bit of venting. Goodnight Chelseajoe. Peace man ;)

Couldn’t agree more. Sleep well.Réada.

Réada
I agree with you that some of the comments are terrible
and not thought out .
It is every one’s responsibility to remain calm and conscious of
their words and their effects
How much do we as a nation have to suffer before we find
compassion ? Quieten down and concentrate on things that are tangible
Leave the dead rest in peace . I do believe that eventually all will
resolve itself.

When did this story have anything to do with who to vote for? Saying that even if Sinn Fein aren’t the way forward Fine geal seem to be doing a good enough job dragging us backwards,

Sinn Féin/IRA are the past not the future. If Sinn Féin/IRA are the answer-what the f**k was the question!!

3rd

I can’t comment on the ins and outs of whether it was PIRA or RIRA, if all Sinn Fein are active IRA members, if Martin McGuinness directly or indirectly killed anyone and the multitude of other arguments that inevitably appear on threads like this one. What I do know is I feel that mothers pain and loss as if it were my own. My eldest son is 10, she never saw her son at 10 or at any age after the 9yrs he was when he was killed by the stupidity of terrorism. Her son went to the back garden to play as a 9 year old child and was blown up. Whatever party you support you should be able to acknowledge how wrong this was, how those responsible should have accepted blame, acknowledged their guilt and apologised.

I do not support Sinn Fein but while I condemn their actions and involvement in atrocities such as this it is not the dominant reason for not supporting them. I don’t support them because they have policies worth talking about, are filled with hot air and rhetoric and finally happen to have strong links with a paramilitary group.

RIP Gordon

powerful.comment Rickie..very powerful. well said

To kill randomly.

Well your friend clearly doesn’t read down the whole ballot paper. I struggle to remember a murder linked to the SDLP or the alliance party. Everyone in the north has the same choice.

And no, every member of sinn fein was not in the ira. But every member of the ira was in sinn fein

With all due respect Brian, who leaves a bomb in the garden of a family of small children if they had no intention of killing. I believe in the concept of a Truth Commission as a vehicle to give families closure.

Nonetheless, in this case a line child was killed, a little boy whose death cannot be attributed to a battle in war. Then, those involved repeatedly lied about the murder of a child and their co-conspirators shielded them.

For forty years nobody would come forward to explain to the Gallaghers why Gordon would never again play, never again go to school, never marry, never have children and never grow old. Jail is perhaps too pleasant for such malicious creatures.

Well thats not true either- a lot of the IRA werent interested in any political methods

What would you suggest then Conor?

bfreesun I presume that you have evidence to back that up. I mean it stands to reason that if every member of SF was assumed to be in the IRA then wouldn’t it make sense for an IRA volunteer NOT to be in SF?

Well said Brian Ward. This is not an opportunity for people to jump on a political bandwagon and attack the political party Sinn Féin. The truth should be welcomed.

I’m sure other families that are looking for truth don’t want to see the hope of future revelations being put at risk. If we want the truth we should be ready to accept it in a mature manner.

Very interesting to see the comment thread filled with hate and not a RIP from the haters for the little boy who lost his life.

Your family have the truth now. RIP little Gordan Gallagher.

I’m not exactly sure how such a crime should be punished. I don’t know if there is ever punishment enough for taking the life of an innocent child. Perhaps looking into the eyes of his victim’s loved-ones and bearing a burden of guilt would go some way. However the cowards involved in this particular crime have avoided this fate shielded by individuals who know their deed.

Also Brian, do you care to explain how within a week of McGuinness being approached by the family that this indirect statement is made? SF clearly has a lot of clout in IRA circles and must do more to get the truth out into the open. Yes a Truth Commission will help, but the consciences of many members of SF with direct or indirect influence over IRA members ought in itself to be enough!

Réada, the Gallagher family do not have the whole truth. They have a statement delivered in a cowardly fashion driven by political pressure. There was no will on the part of the IRA to do this, they had to be cajoled by SF into doing less than the right thing. Do the family not at least deserve to know the names of the people who killed their child? I know I wouldn’t have closure otherwise.

Conor what would you have liked to have seen? A statement from the Provo’s perhaps admitting responsibility?

Sometimes I despair for this country Conor. Did you read the article? There is no Truth Commission atm so I’m sure names can’t be named. If it was my son I don’t think a name would matter in particular. The names don’t really matter imo. They were merely foot soldiers carrying out instructions.

Ftr I would have no respect for someone who could plant a bomb anywhere and that includes government armies that planted mines in wartime.

But at least a bit they accepted responsibility. We want more truth. I never hear this kind of indignation when it’s a thread re Pat Finucan for example or Bloody Sunday. Just saying fgs.

So the issue isn’t that they put the bomb in a family’s garden in the first place? it’s that they messed up and never called it in? C’mon lad

Scum, Firstly, they kill an innocent child in his own garden, secondly trying to pawn of their despicable act on someone else and thirdly waiting 40 years to tell the truth. These people are despicable and evil. God save dear Ireland if these hethens ever get a sniff of power…

Brian, I understand the difficulty surrounding an open and direct statement. Nonetheless, it still stands that someone could have shown the balls to directly meet with the Gallagher family and apologise to them as people instead of hiding behind an indirect press statement. I don’t see why this couldn’t have been arranged instead of treating the family with disrespect and contempt.

Yes Réada, I did read the article. I am aware that there is no Truth Commission as yet, something which I have already indicated I am supportive of. Even without a Truth Commission, in the aftermath of the GFA, it is highly unlikely that anyone responsible for such atrocities would serve time in prison. Thus it is entirely correct that names should be released and the climate is right.

I agree that murders committed by loyalist paramilitaries and murders for which the British government were responsible must be acknowledged too. I would certainly throw my hat into any debate on these issues and implore those involved to speak the truth.

Conor. Serious question. You say that you believe in the concept of a Truth Commission. I do too. But I don’t think it should be an opportunity to bash a party that has, at last, decided to go down a peaceful and democratic route.

I also think republicans will be equally challenged when the truth comes out, if ever, from the British government, Irish government and loyalist paramilitary groups.

We have a lot of sh!t to get out there but it should be met at face value and not as an opportunity for more hate. Don’t want my country going back to that.

Réada, you talk the most sense out of anyone on this site!

Réada, there are a lot of anti-SF comments on this thread. I’ve looked back at my own, and I don’t believe that I have engaged in any of the bashing SF for the sake of it that some others seem to be, though feel free to point out where I may have done. Indeed, I believe I mentioned before that a Truth Commission must not be used as a stick to beat anyone with but as a vehicle for openness and as a means of moving on.

Nevertheless, those at the top of any of the organisations, republican, loyalist or British/Irish governments responsible for atrocities committed during The Troubles should be brought to justice in some fashion. Admittedly I don’t know how that would work.

I agree with you Conor that someone should have met directly with the Gallagher family in some form representing the decom PIRA. The whole thing would have been tricky though because as you know if the Unionists got a whiff of it all hell would break loose. This is the only reason that I can think of as to why things were done this way not for the PIRA to send an official representative is because if they did then the political consequences and the Peace Process itself could have been put if danger. So perhaps you might dwell on that point and maybe think that this was the best course of action.

Conor. The reason I’m addressing my comments to you is that you’re the most reasonable from the opposing side. Most of the rest of them are too busy wiping the froth from their mouths to consider a question. Most I said. Not quite all.

And thanks Cian but a barney always goes down better on here rather than complemients. Funny old world. :)

Oh, sorry we left a bomb in your garden and it killed your son. We thought the Brits would clear it up for us. Ooops.

While you’re there Brian, it really annoys me that you use that photo. How’s about a pic of yer good self…

I disagree Brian, the peace process is a lot stronger than it once was. I certainly don’t believe that a PIRA rep. apologising directly to the Gallaghers would cause the huge fuss that you fear. If anything, unionists should welcome it. Such action could have encouraged more openness on both sides and was a missed opportunity to take a step in that direction.

Conor, I disagree with your last comment. The unionist people believe the IRA have disbanded. How would it then look if an IRA rep called to the families home. Who sent him? who decided to send him? and how could this have been decided on if The IRA had disbanded. The way it was done was politically sensitive. i fully support a truth commission, the comm wold have a lot of work to do, but it needs done.

@ Richard. In any case, someone issued this statement to be read indirectly and someone decided that it should be issued. There are structures in case that allowed the statement to be issued, the use of a third party mask does not stop whomsoever issues the statement from existing. Therefore the same structures can be a applied to a representative of the decommissioned/ disbanded PIRA being sent to apologise to families for atrocities carried out by that organisation.

The families involved deserve justice to be delivered and quite frankly it is long over-due. The decision that was made was not based on political sensitivity, but cowardice and fear.

@Conor. We got that bit already Conor. I was simply addressing your views that Unionists would welcome a PIRA rep calling to the families home. This is simply incorrect and would cause massive problems in the north if this were to happen.

Richard, as I pointed out above, unionists are under no illusion that structures are in place to allow the disbanded IRA to communicate with the media as they did today. Therefore, there is no difference in them issuing the statement they did through an intermediary today and visiting families like the Gallaghers to atone except that the latter option is more respectful and morally correct.

I don’t believe in this nonsense that the scary unionists will take the whole ship down. It’s time to move on from that tired old argument. The statement issued today did not cause massive problems and so it follows that a visit to aggrieved families would produce a similar reaction.

assumptions are the mother of all fuck ups and going back to an earlier point i believe that sinn fein/ i r a and its different names are all one of the same. mcguiness didnt bring peace to ireland, the people of ireland by saying no to the violence, bombing and killings.

Conor you don’t know who issued the statement, was it the army council, the unit responsible, or an individual . Whoever it was if you believe that unionists wouldn,t screem blue murder at the resurection of the PIRA then you really have no handle on the politics of NI. Paddy’s point is very valid especially when you assume that there is going to be everlasting peace in NI. There are 3 seperate terrorist grups currently active in NI so any mention even remotely of an offical visit by a rep of the provos would sound like a rebanding of an old terror. Throw in a few nutjob old school firebrands and we would be back where we started.

Poor Brian. You’ve really taken a bashing for trying to find something positive out of an awful story. It’s obvious as hell to me that you’re not an IRA sympathiser. The hypocrisy on this thread and some of the accusations levied at you were disgraceful.

Luckily enough Reada I’m thick skinned although I do despair at peoples attitudes and motivations. Even though I called for the setting up of a Truth Commission and said “now is the time for Republicans to clear up other acts that they have committed” people seem to think (as Michael Cuthbert does) that I am sympathetic of the PIRA. After all why would he ask me the question “Who was in the PIRA Brian?” as though I have a list of past members in a little black book somewhere! Oh and by the way Michael I did chuckle at your annoyance as to my profile photo seeing as you didn’t address the same annoyance to Reada or any other commentator on this thread. What actually made me laugh was your you wanted a facial picture of me when you yourself have your face covered. Anyway I’m sorry to disappoint you but as I value my privacy on the Internet I won’t be acceding to your request.

What I do find very disturbing is the way people have used this tragedy and this thread to use as a stick to beat SF. I’m not a member of SF and have no connection to them so I really don’t care what sort of hassle they get. Yet the number of people on here who chose to use the death of this boy to their own ends is sickening. I used wonder at why some people in the North could be so narrow minded that they wouldn’t even contemplate crossing the border could be so narrow minded. Yet tonight their attitude pales into comparison with some of the comments here. Obviously people don’t read or want to understand a comment before they vote on it. It’s just pure vitriol which the people of the North are trying to get away from. How can we expect the people of NI to achieve peace when we shout at anyone down here because they actually try to keep a cool head, give a reasoned argument and an educated analysis of what is going on. That’s exactly what brought about the GFA but the people of the Republic obviously have a lot to learn.

Brian, I don’t recall suggesting the resurrection of the PIRA in order to facilitate giving aggrieved families the justice that they deserve. However, as I said previously, the statement that was made today was only possible because of the existence of an individual or fragments of the army council who are contactable by intermediaries. Unionists know this to be the case, so therefore the reaction to a visit to the Gallagher family would be no different to the statement issued by whomsoever it was. No matter how this statement came about, it did not do so through any more “re-branding of an old terror” than would be needed to facilitate a visit. Mainstream moderate unionism of all varieties would welcome this.

We can no longer be held to ransom by firebrands. Their views are not supported by the mainstream. Dissident republicans and loyalists have absolutely no claim to legitimacy post-GFA. Their support is limited and people like you pandering to their petulant whims serves only to give them a voice and allow them to claim some form of legitimacy. There is no going back to where we started from.

Hang on a second there now Conor you have over stepped the mark there!

” Dissident republicans and loyalists have absolutely no claim to legitimacy post-GFA. Their support is limited and people like you pandering to their petulant whims serves only to give them a voice and allow them to claim some form of legitimacy.”

So far I’ve put up with this notion espoused by other people that I am some sort of apologist for the PIRA or SF but to associate me with dissident republicans is just going to far. You clearly haven’t a clue what you are talking about. The RIRA and the CIRA hate the PIRA with a passion. They would love nothing more than the PIRA to be embarrassed by this whole bombing and it’s aftermath. Now you say that I am pandering to whims of the RIRA/CIRA is to my mind and I’m sure any reasonable person, the notion that I am in some way giving voice to them. Christ on top of every thing else you’ve even lobbed me in with the Loyalists for Gods sake! Anyone else you want to throw me in with? How about Ansar al-Islam, Boku Harram, FARC and for good measure Kach and Kahane Chai!

I would report your comment but when I saw that you are supposed to be a student of political and public communications I nearly wet myself laughing. You take what you have written there into class in the morning and ask any of your lecturers what they think of your communications on this thread. I just hope the Journal leave this up because it could be used in one of your lectures as to how not to communicate on the web. Look back over your comment if the Journal haven’t pulled it for legal reasons (of which they have no fear from me I might add) and ask yourself what that comment implies.

So let me make this very clear to you. I don’t, never have or ever will pander to dissident republicans. I in no way speak for them or seek to give them “voice”. I in no way see them as legitimate. Good luck with your course, you’re going to need it! :-)

Brian, I am not associating you with dissident republicans. I am not associating you with loyalist paramilitaries Throughout this thread I have never referred to you as having a connection to SF, the IRA or any other organisation, nor have I said you are an apologist for the PIRA, CIRA, RIRA or any other terrorist organisation – that is a fact and you know it, so don’t attempt to lump me with those that have. Read through my previous comments and you will see that not once did I make such a connection.

When I said that you were pandering to dissidents, I certainly don’t believe that it is in a direct manner. You do not speak for them as you have made abundantly clear. However by saying that direct apologies should not be made to families who have lost loved-ones in The Troubles because of the existence of such small splinter groups on both sides of the divide lends their views legitimacy. Factoring these dissidents into the equation lends them legitimacy because they are being treated as if they somehow matter. It doesn’t mean in any way shape or form that you support those views at all – and I want to make that very clear, that at no point in this debate have I ever thought that you were an apologist for terrorism.

I understand that you have been dealing with a lot of criticism (and much of it really stupid and ill-thought) on this thread for the points you have been making so it is understandable that you may have thought my comment was implying something that it was not. Your tone throughout the evening in your dealings with me has been quite patronising, you have responded twice to me by saying that I don’t have a handle/clue which is quite disingenuous considering I have been discussing the issues in a relatively calm manner when other contributors have not. At no point did I decide to fly off the handle at you as you have done so with me in your last comment.

Once again I apologise if you felt that my comment was implying you were directly connected to any of the organisations that you mention. I have explained at length that they didn’t. I hope that you feel able to extend me the same courtesy.

Oh they “assumed the Brits had found the bomb”. The bomb in a child’s garden. Thats ok then. Brits fault for not finding it. Nasty tans. Your a joke man…

There were children killed by the British army as well. A schoolgirl shot dead and a child ran over by a Saracen armoured car in the year before Bloody Sunday. There were no charges. Where there is armed conflict in urban areas inevitably all ages get killed. Most of those killed on Bloody Sunday were no more than boys in their teens. This killing was terrible, but it seems that the British army had a licence to kill . The soldier that killed the schoolgirl aimed and fired. I don’t think the IRA intended to kill this child but are responsible by their actions. If the Brits were occupying and killing people in Dublin at the time people’s perception might be different. War is never the answer.

Fair enough Conor I think as you say the stupid and ill thought criticisim that I have been subjected to got the better of me there . I accepet that no malicius intent was ment and that I was harsh and personal in my criticism of your good self.

Cian you are obviously badly informed
Unless you work for Sinn Fein press office and are selling the party line

Actually they were Cian considering that they were the PIRA they were Republicans.

Of course he was never in the ira. Oh no that was Adams

I meant a real republican wouldn’t kill an innocent child- they just call themselves republicans..

Who was in the PIRA Brian?

Michael how the hell should I know. Apart from those admitted members that are noted in books your guess is as good as mine.

Good man, Paul-

mind your money; sure what is a child’s murder so long ago!

Now if it was your child………………. sure you would just .move on. and forget hin!!

Make sure the money was in tyour pocket, though!

Sound man, Paul –

You ar a real inspiration!!

A real rat’s ass, as you say yourself!!

@Rickie Macken. Many of the current Sinn Fein people weren’t even born during the Troubles. Blaming them for what happened a generation ago is like blaming today’s Fine Gael or Fianna Fail for what happened in the Civil War.

Personal insults are a bit childish, don’t you think?

It is our conflict Chelseajoe. We weren’t asked by loyalists whether we agreed to a bomb in Dublin or Monaghan either. They’re families are still waiting for the truth too.

Reada, are you seriously suggesting that Enniskillen, amongst others, had the support of the Irish people because of Dublin & Monaghan? You are trying to justify violence with vilonce? The IRA had no problem turning their guns on Irish people who didn’t support their sociopathic campaign.

Tom Neville. Where did I suggest that Enniskillen had the support of the Irish people because of Dublin and Monaghan? When have I ever tried to justify violence with violence?

I am a pacifist. Let me reiterate something I said the other day, if I was given a bomb or a gun to kill someone I’d kill myself rather than kill another human being. If I was conscripted into my country’s army I’d rather do jail time than pick up a weapon.

You are a sad excuse for a man to follow me around different threads and throw false accusations at me. People like you start wars. I’d prefer to end them. Don’t ever make a false accusation at me again on a public forum.

Oh dear. Another removed comment Tom. How many before you realise you’re the one drinking the Bertie beer. You have to swap your party allegiances. I think deluded FF would be a better choice than FG. Sorry about the emails Chelseajoe but this guy won’t leave me alone. 

Reada,
No amount of bullying or lying from you will make me think that victims wanted small kids to be blown up.
I will never support the IRA and nothing you can say will make me think that what they did was anything other that cold blooded murder.
Now, I expect the usual nasty response but I, and most people in Ireland will never support the IRA.

May I respectfully suggest that you not engage with me again. You seem to have a problem interpreting my posts. You can use the thumbs to satisfy your disgust for me. We are polar opposites and you read me all wrong.

Reada,
You will never convince me that this bomb or any bomb planted by the provos was part of “our conflict”.
I will gleefully not engage with you but if I agree with Joe that the IRA were not killing in my name, then I respectfully ask you not to engage in abuse.

Joe,
I agree 100%. There are an small number of psychos who will talk about peace while threatening others.

If this were a thread on the Dublin Monaghan bombings I wouldn’t be here calling them every name under the sun either. That would not mean that I condone it nor do I condone this in the slightest. I just think the divisive language used in threads like this belongs in the past. And it didn’t even belong there either. How are we meant to expect more admissions if they are met with such hostility?

Chelseajoe
Réada is correct here in what she says about the language used being divisive.
I do not condone violence . I can not and do not see how the death of this
child Gordon Gallagher had any ”purpose”, but I do accept that now an ”apology”
has been issued. I would prefer that the ”men” who left the bomb there should
stand up and be counted but I doubt that will happen. I remember those days ,
every one was afraid. Everyday there were news reports of bombings shootings,
death and fear permeated everything. No one could speak out like we are doing now, it
was awful. It was a year before the Dublin Monaghan bombings , where a lot of
innocents were killed , men women and children.No body has yet come out and
admitted their part or offered an apology for that either. So can we calm down and
breathe deeply and maybe (if you are so inclined) say a prayer .It is over .Amen.