In America they call it coffin surfing.

Don’t you think Gerry Adams left himself open to this sort of criticism? Apologising now after himself and his party colleagues behaviour regarding this crime over the last 17 years – surely he knew speeches like Niall Collins’ one were bound to result?

What you did to my country makes me sick you fool, FF go crawl into a hole and hide your head in shame, didn’t hear them shouting about prop tax , cuts to disability etc! Why ? Because all them cuts and taxes were FF policies now being implemented by FG

But just watch them get back in the next time baaaaaahhhaaaa

Here’s something hypocritical:

“FIANNA FÁIL spokesperson on justice and equality “

Ironic to hear Sinn Féin complaining about cuts to disability, when for so long they supported their armed wing, who have long been happy to disable innocents to further their cause.

A certain FF politician 2 years ago called on the Commissioner to fire a Guard who referenced the problem of corruption in FF in a speech that he didn’t even deliver. Read more on RTE.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0428/130371-gardai/

No prizes for guessing which FF TD. Look up for inspiration.

Destroyed? What a gross exaggeration.

Why is that William I think it is perfectly appropriate in describing what FF did to this country , why do you think it is not? What would you call it?

Would you feel better if we said the FF traitors raped the country and half beat it to death. It is just as true what ever way you describe it.

Julie & Bri_, Ireland would only be destroyed if several Hydrogen Bombs went off around the country. Even if only one went off over Dublin, Cork & Galway would be largely unaffected. Even if you had exaggerated less and said, “FF destroyed the economy” as opposed to the country that also would be a gross exaggeration.

The economy isn’t even destroyed now and hasn’t been. Elements of it are in serious recession, many elements are booming (Software Businesses, Financial Services, Farming, Food, etc). We have had serious recessions and emigration before and no doubt we’ll have them again if people are foolish enough to buy houses at ridiculous prices. It didn’t matter one whit which party was in power. If FG & Labour had been in power there was almost nothing whatsoever they could have done EVEN if in the unlikely event they saw what was coming, to stop the recession.

As I said that comment was a gross exaggeration, and if it wasn’t made or taken in the heat of the moment, and if you trying to defend it, then you are being childish.

Well said Eileen!

The FF fraudbots will surely be mustered to sing Niall’s praises.

Well it can’t be any worse than some of party boffoons apologies over the past few years!

That’s all it is. Would anyone be in FF at this stage if they got sick every time they listened to a speech that they felt was untrue or hypocritical. Pretty much every meeting they hold would have to end with industrial cleaning.

If FF and SF, God Forbid, ever do go in to power together, have no doubt that Niall here will be only to happy to be a Junior Minister to Gerry and bring him tea and biscuits every day and happy to do so. FF is all about go along, get along.

I would imagine going into power with Fianna Fail is not something Sinn Fein aspire to, but it could well happen. You can be sure that it would be FF approaching SF in the event that a coalition was a numerical possibility. Anyway the last red c poll had SF/Labour/Independents/smaller parties at 51%.. A government without either FF or FG in power would be an interesting alternative.. Unlikely though..

No he was sick because Gerry’s mob killed a Garda in cold blood doing his job,what conflict was Adams talking about???? There was no conflict in this part of the island? What part of that do you not understand???

Actually there was a conflict here. Articles 2&3 of the Irish Constitution (per- 1998) voted by the people, and upheld by every serving government laid a direct territorial claim over the six counties. So any conflict ‘up there’ was a conflict ‘down here’ as in accordance with our democratically elected governments, and in the eyes of the Irish Constitution, the North was not a distinct political entity until 1998. That is why there was never any Royal or Presidential state visits between Ireland and Britain during the time of the conflict. It had nothing to do with the IRA threat (the Queen visited the North on at least 5 occasions during the Troubles), it had all to do with this States territorial claim over the North.

That doesn’t excuse the cold-blooded manner in which Det McCabe was murdered, but merely points out that there was a conflict.

@stephen- I think Gerry’s point was that the Gardai were not enemy combatants. The heroic IRA, defenders of Irish nationalism shot dead security forces of the State that they purport to fight for. They did so in the midst of a robbery- an act of criminality, not nationalism. It had no relevance whatsoever to any armed struggle against British forces in the North. So that’s why Gerry, myself and most of the country don’t buy Adam’s ” it was part of a conflict” crap. In case you were wondering….

@Vincent – I think Gerrys point was, and I quote “There was no conflict in this part of the island”. My point is, that there was a conflict. The very fact that at the time of Det McCabes murder, under the Irish Constitution, as upheld by the legislature, there was no other “part of the island”. The constitution as it stood, only recognised the island as a whole – one single 32 county entity. The presence of a foreign army was an illegal occupation. These are the facts, there was a conflict. How the different political groupings sought to resolve that conflict is another matter. But before people start making accusations of others accusing them of trying to ‘re-write history’, they shouldn’t forget that a major cause of political tension between Ireland & Britain over that whole period was the existence of the Irish States direct territorial claim over the North.

I agree, the manner in which Det McCabe was murdered served no ideological cause or could ever possibly be justified. It was what it was, a group of thugs robbing a post office.

Stephen
At the time of the murder Sinn Fein publicly stated that this action had nothing to do with them. In other words this was a solo run by money grubbing thugs.
To this day two of the gang have not made themselves amenable to the Courts and are currently on the run.
For Adams to offer an apology for this murder he is publicly stating that the Sinn Fein claims for all those years were merely lies .
Now that we’ve established that he’s a liar can we ask again about his IRA membership and Delors Price’s accusation that Gerry instructed her to drive a young woman across the Border to her execution.

There was conflict in the south when the loyalists came to Dublin and Monaghan to bomb civilians, the highest death toll during the troubles. How are those facts for you!

I distinctly remember SF campaigning for the release of the killers of Det McCabe many years ago under the terms of the GFA as voted for by the people of Ireland.

As for Adams denial of IRA membership, again it’s in the law. Offences Against the State Act, 1972 (Amendment), states it is an offence to admit membership of an illegal organisation. Furthermore, the Act says (I kid you not!!) that failure to DENY publish reports (such as the recent report from CNN) can be construed as an admission (albeit inconclusive) of membership of an illegal organisation. So in Adams case, if he admits membership he could find himself with 15 yrs or more in prison. If he fails to deny membership, ditto.

Interestingly, the Act also says that all is required to convict someone of Membership of an illegal organisation is the testimony of a Garda of rank no lower than sergeant. It is beyond me how in over 40 yrs not one Garda has stood in court to do this? Particularly after the murder of Det McCabe?

Yes you are wrong don’t agree

@cathal- and loyalists have got what exactly to do with the Gardai? That in what way justifies shooting a Garda?

@stephen- the GFA concerns the release of political prisoners engaged in the conflict in the North. The murderers are Garda McCabe were common criminals engaged in a robbery in the South to line their own pockets. You seem to want any member of Sinn Fein to be immune from prosecution on the basis of membership alone. Maybe we should let rapists out of prison who are members of Fianna Fáil too? Burglars with valid membership cards of Fine Gael? Muggers who are members of the Labour Party?

@Vincent. You make a fair point. What those IRA members did, and those that sanctioned it was nothing short of criminal. But here’s the conundrum – the Irish and British governments have always regarded the IRA and its campaign as nothing short of a criminal campaign, that it had no political mandate and thus ALL activities carried out by the IRA were criminal – there was no war. So why should one ‘criminal’ who, say shot a British soldier be allowed free and another criminal who shot McCabe be kept in prison?

So if there was no war, if it was all a criminal conspiracy, then no prisoners should have been released. However by releasing prisoners there is an informal recognition that the IRA campaign was a political campaign (I.e there was a war). In which case those killers of Det McCabe, and those who sanctioned it should be tried for war crimes. The only problem there is that if the British government formally recognises the conflict as a war, then in light of Bloody Sunday and recent admissions on their part about collusion, senior British military officers (and their political masters) would also have to face charges of war crimes.

@stephen- put down An Phoblacht for a second. Every war has its parameters. Geographically, politically and socially. There is a “war zone” inside of which the rules of war reign. Outside of these boundaries, law & order reigns. The Republic was not at war. You also miss the most important part. Even if you subscribe to the “whole island was a theatre of war” scenario- well then the Provo’s still shot a fellow Irishman. A Guardian of the Republic they claim to fight for. For money. In any war zone the response to that would be a bullet to the back of the head for treachery, never mind 40 years in jail.

I can’t see now any SF’er would tolerate even sitting in the same room as a FF”er never mind in Govt. together. The DUP are one thing but FF would be a step too far for the membership.

Force FG and FF in to one Govt, force them to merge, they are dysfunctional twins, make the reunite.

Iv been saying it for over a year sf/ff for next government..that would get things moving pretty rapid and it would be nice to have a business person doing deals rather than farmers and a teachers

Some axis of evil that would be. Fianna Fáil would be crazy to go into coalition with SF. They’d be swallowed whole.

Being pragmatic about it, the chance of SF or FF getting an overall majority in an election in the next decade is, while not impossible, extremely unlikely. So for either to get into power, they will need to form a coalition. People have short memories, but, even so, there seems to be a bit of cutting off noses to spite faces going on here. Unless they’re just being defeatist, thinking “to hell with it”, and are just throwing tantrums because they can. Without taking sides, acting like schoolyard kids really doesn’t make them look more attractive to the electorate, imho.

Nikolas – our present Government will get re-elected in 2016, albeit with a reduced majority. No question.

They’re usually able to bury the hatchet if they sense a coalition is being formed. Anything to get their arse on the right side if the trough.

Of course they will Vincent…..

Get a grip blue shirt ….. FG/LAB finished.

I know a lot of people who voted fg/lab last time and boi ate they sorry

@ Vincent – Maybe, but the situation at the moment is volatile, Labour mightn’t last, and there’s too many external factors to be sure of anything. The best thing that FG have going for them is simply that, no matter how incompetent people might perceive them to be, there’s no credible alternative who would be able to get enough votes and have stable enough alliances to be able to form a coalition.

People seem to forget that the main reason FG / Lab are in power is not because people rated them as Ireland’s saviours, but because people wanted to get FF out, and voting for FG was the best way to do that. I don’t have much sympathy for anyone who says they’re disappointed in FG’s performance, but very few people other than the party faithful really believed that FG or Labour would perform brilliantly. If I were to be honest, they performed about as badly/well as I expected. Which is not to let them of the hook for their ignoring the continued suggestions/recommendations by the Troika and IMF to reduce public spending by cutting high-end PS and TD/ministerial salaries rather than cutting the front-line to bone, or their constant bluffing to the Irish public on a renegotiation of the banking debt. I for one would far rather have been given bad news directly and quickly rather than spoof and fluff stretching over months.

The truth is, we swopped one incompetent and insincere government with another, and we expected miracles from this swop that never materialized. It looks like we’ll be faced with the same choice at the next election, unless something monumental happens. FG have a good chance of staying in power, moreso than Labour, but that’s more a reflection of the lack of organisation within the potential opposition.

As for the impossibility of a FF/SF coalition due to idealogical differences, this is Irish politics, ideologies are something only parties not in government can afford to have, and they’ll be dropped by the wayside as soon as a chance of power-sharing appears. A FF/SF alliance is about as ideologically ridiculous as a FG/Lab one. FG was always considered the Irish version of the Tories, after all.

One last note, and I hope you won’t take offence, but I would be grateful if you take this comment as it is meant. I don’t agree with you politically, but I haven’t brought this down to a snarky level of trading insults, and I think there’s no need to do so. Argue your points, argue them strongly, but play nice. We need more of that here.

Vincent. If your crowd of clowns manage to stay in power much longer, there’ll be no one elected in 2016! Ireland as a country won’t exist.

Vincent twice you have accused me of stating something i didn’t say.You used the word honesty in a comment today alluding to yourself do you even know the meaning of the word.Yes the thread is still up easily found on Google try rereading without the FG glasses!

Who’s the business person?

You notice how the FF wiki page makes no mention of that party’s role in creating the Irish financial crisis? Apparently they only lost support in Ireland because of the IMF intervention, no mention of why the IMF intervened. Keeping the whitewash handy, eh Collins you traitor?

The apologists for the murders of Gerry McCabe in power? What a sad day for Ireland that would be.

mystic meg hasn’t a patch on you

Since the country became independent how many people have FF shot, blown up/killed, I don’t like em but the answer is probably 0

One thing that made Niall’s Uncle sick Micheal Collins TD was getting arrested for Tax evasion. Collins was found guilty of obtaining a tax clearance certificate under false pretence and had to pay over 100k to the Revenue.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Collins_(Limerick_politician)#Tax_evasion

FF’ers and tax problems. Its as normal as a Shinner having a Wolfe Tone CD.

How many suicides do they have on their hands , 3 of my friends anyway, no job no hope made to feel useless,how many people are starving and cold tonight over them, how many young people have our country lost over them. SF troubles are in the past we need them now to get us out of this mess!

They have killed thousands through dirty hospitals, hundreds through their ability to get drink driving charges crushed, hundreds through suicide from the economic devastation they bring on us every 20 years. The list goes on and on. A party that views Govt. as a means to enrich its key members and donors is not going to give a hoot about what damage it does to society. Wasn’t it also FF that armed the Provo’s in the first place. If there is votes in it, then FF have no problem with it.

Personally I’m a victim of FF, their corruption etc. but given the choice between them and Adams (ultimately that’s what SF is) give me the lying cheating btards in the other parties any day.

I forgot to say I have the b@”)(s to show who I am, I love people who make strong statements on this site and hide their name and picture, have some bolls? Even if your a woman!

A party is not one man! SF as a party what exactly do you not like? Without bringing up the past !

Oh and what makes FF better than SF again without bringing up the past please

@Michael: And there we have it, the reason why this country is fooked. You’re happy to settle for lying, cheating b@stards rather than look at the alternatives. And please, don’t start with the IRA responses. This country is great for looking at the past, isn’t it about time we looked to OUR future?

In the 1930’s De Valera and his FF government used a British executioner to hang some of his former IRA comrades.

There you’re spot on!

Lord Lover@@@head, like I said before people who come on this site anonymously, really shouldn’t have a right to comment. have the bools to stand by your comments. I agree lets stop looking at the past Adams is the past, SF need to look at the future and anoint a new leader with clean hands.

@ michael , with a statement like this “Personally I’m a victim of FF, their corruption etc. but given the choice between them and Adams (ultimately that’s what SF is) give me the lying cheating btards in the other parties any day” ,
you have proven that you have no Balls at all mate , no desire for change , just willing to for the same old , same old , and its people like you willing to accept everything the blueshirts have done , that has the country the way it is ,
go away and grow a pair

@Mickeyhead: Gerry Adams is the present. As for hiding, I don’t know what you mean. I am Lord Loverocket the third. I vote Sinn Féin because they are the future. The parties of the past have failed the people, well most of the people. They and their cronies have done very well for themselves. They are parasites Michael. Pity you can’t see it.

So Bri_Shiels, do you think your views should be disregarded because of sins of an uncle or aunt of yours?

He didn’t apologise for lobbying to get the murderers out of prison. Or for the heroic homecoming bestowed upon them by his party on their (premature by 30 years) release.

Since when have u become a high court judge. U will find that the sentences handed down were served to completion.

@M- it’s a matter of historical fact that the peace process was held to ransom by Sinn Fein to get their Garda killing comrades out under the Good Friday Agreement. Even SF don’t deny that. And they’re good at denying things. They denied any involvement in the murder at all which would seem just a smidge contradictory to their subsequent insistent that it was a political crime and the murderers were therefore covered under the GFA.

I’m afraid once again ur “facts r wrong Vincent. All sentences in the Mc cane case were completed as handed down. The Irish government created a hierarchy of victims in this case and refused to implement the GRA.

I agree with him, I was listening to rte on the inet the other day Adams was being interviewed last Sunday as part of leaders interviews, you could feel how uncomfortable the interviewer was talking to this man. I’m 3000 miles away and I felt like wrenching listening to Adams. SF will never be in government with the old guard, retire let people with clean hands take over and they might have a chance of being in government in Southern Ireland, lets go with the sf thumbs down!

Watch out for the thumbs down, by the way well stated.

Kevin, one person’s terrorist is another person’s freedom fighter. You might want to read up on the history of the troubles.

What happened in the past is in the past, no matter how despicable. It can not be changed. I don’t like Adams, and agree his timing was poor. But would you prefer he never apologised? Is that the road you want all of us to take? Whenever we do wrong we simply take the punishment for eternity without ever being allowed to apologise?

Kevin I.R.A are murderers what does that make the I.D.F glass houses and all that anyone who’s against occupation of their country is a terrorist and the occupier is the great good that must not be challenged.Double standards make even the cleverest look silly.

Michael, when you agree with/like Kevin’s argument you’re sinking to the depths of desperation. Kevin is a wannbe Paddy who loves to show us all how smart he is.

@Michael – I know and thanks.

@Lord LoveRocket – I know calling people who plant bombs under school buses, houses, pubs, etc. gun down families coming out of church, rob banks, execute those they simply dislike, and cause an RUC’s wife and daughters to all commit suicide. Terrorists is just such an “outrageous” way to describe the people who wish to secure a “32 county Socialist-SF Republic” and fight to stop the “oppression” the Irish people North and South presently face today? LOL. They make me want to vomit. I am very aware of what happened during the Troubles and what caused the extremism in the first place. The only thing I care about and I think should be a priority is that Northern Ireland is a shared/equal society where Catholics and Protestants live side-by-side equally and feel no need to be suspicious of each other. I know anti-Catholicism/anti-Irish-NI policy is the reason and the Loyalists have as much blood on their hands as well. A United Ireland should not be the priority, equality should be. Your quote “one person’s terrorist is another person’s freedom fighter” is such a BS answer. Some people felt Hitler, Che, Castro, Jong, Stalin, etc. were “freedom fighters”, your point? Do you not think Loyalists were regarded as “freedom fighter” either? Many also were campaigning for Ulster independence from the UK and ROI……Don’t be so one-sided.

@Brian – I’d prefer he stop shoving down his so-called “real” Irish Republican “values” down people’s throats and stop politicizing tragedies. He campaigned for the PIRA sc*m who shot Gerry McCabe in the head three times to be released and then he apologizes on behalf of the PIRA……WHAT? If that was your father or mother, how would you feel? How do you expect Jean McConville’s family to move on while the man who sent out the orders to murder their mother is in power and they witnessed as children Republican “freedom fighters” drag their mother out of their home with her weeping terrified and they ended up in foster homes separated?

“Kevin is a wannbe Paddy who loves to show us all how smart he is.”
@Censored – I am Irish born, half-Irish by blood, lived in Ireland as a toddler, go to Ireland almost twice a year sometimes, my passport states I am from Ireland not America and I’m a “wannabe paddy”? Interesting. My family left Ireland not because we wanted to but because of discrimination against my non-Irish father being denied jobs merely because of his ethnic background. Who the hell are you to tell me I’m not Irish? I think it’s amazing that there are some really ignorant people (a minority) in Ireland who think that tons of people in America “think their Irish” or “want to be Irish”. You do realize there are over 300 million Americans and 36 million claiming the ancestry and most just check it because they think they have some Irish along with this and that. Most have various other ancestries and just don’t look down on their Irish heritage (actually take pride in it) unlike some Americans who have very recent Irish ancestry and have some complex about being Irish for god knows what reason. Its ok Censored I have been told before by some people who have Irish parents but are not from Ireland themselves “you’re not Irish”. Guess I didn’t fit the qualifications of looking like Casper or having extremely attractive freckles with crooked teeth. All you resort to in reference to my posts is personal insults, no substance EVER.

So there we have it. You have a massive chip on your shoulder about Ireland. You may be surprised to learn that few in this country fit your definition of “looking like casper”, having freckles and/or crooked teeth.I detest your half educated revisionist pro-loyalist and pseudo intellectual claptrap that you spew on every page relating to certain topics and have given up responding.

“You may be surprised to learn that few in this country fit your definition of “looking like casper”, having freckles and/or crooked teeth.”

@Censored – I was mocking the perceived stereotype that a number of racists and people with Irish parents have about people from Ireland, being that I’ve received such dumb assertions/derogatory comments. My Irish mother fits neither perceived notions of how an Irish person is supposed to look.

“I detest your half educated revisionist pro-loyalist and pseudo intellectual claptrap that you spew on every page relating to certain topics and have given up responding.”

@Censored – You can detest whatever you like, I could really care less. You clearly are a bigot to be accusing me of being a “half educated revisionist pro loyalist” just because my political views don’t align with yours and you clearly have your own chip; since my comments bother you so much you feel the need to attack me personally like I said. You’re the one mocking me telling me how I am not Irish……I don’t question your Irish authenticity/patriotism just because I disagree with what you say.

Kevin, that’s some chip ye got there boy. Just because you think something is right or wrong doesn’t make it so. Have you ever lived in Northern Ireland? Have you first hand knowledge of the conflict? The world isn’t perfect. There are plenty of wars going on today involving US and British forces where innocent men, women and children are murdered. To listen to you, you’d think it was only perpetrated by a now defunct IRA. Move on and leave the past behind ye.

So in other words your justifying the murder against the Garda, Irish Security Forces, and Irish people even in the South. Justifying in the North is sick but I didn’t think SF supporters would sink that low to even justify their terror in the South. Robbing banks and shooting Garda in the head 3 times is not “patriotic”, “good”, or justifiable. Sinn Fein are disgusting for advocating they be allowed out of prison and throw them a damn celebration. True evil.

I’m well balanced with my two chips, Kev. Take a few valiums and calm yourself down there.

Tiocfaidh at la!!!!!!!!!

I’m not justifying anything Kevin. But hindsight is a wonderful thing. And I’m sure there’s a huge amount of regret on the part of Republicans. We can sit here for the next 100 years arguing over who was right or wrong. Most of what happened was wrong. I’m not denying that. The seeds of the conflict were not planted by the IRA. Th

They were planted by Unionists with backing from Westminster. What’s needed on this island in a Truth and Reconcilistion Commission, but for some reason, the Irish and British govts are against it. Probably afraid of having their dirty linen aired in public.

@Rory- it’s not his constituency. He’s from West Belfast. Though he has seen signs for Dundalk and Drogheda on the M1 as he passes on his way to & from the Dail.

Completely agree. It can’t be totally consistent to be against Garda murders and support Sinn Fèin.

@Vincent: When I can’t sleep, I read your comments. Works a treat. Yawn. See!

@Vincent… You always spout that nonsensical argument about Adams not being from Louth and therefore not being entitled to claim it as his constituency. You do realise there are several TDs representing constituencies in which they were not born or bred….

@lord- glad to help out. Your posts reinvigorate me and reinstill in me my joy of life, so inspiring are they.

@tom- they do all tend to be from the same country, though.

Vincent, one does one’s best.

And not to worry Vincent, won’t be long before Gerry’s from the “same country as us”. 20 years max ;0)

Ah come on now Vincent, only unionists believe that the Six Counties constitute a different country.. Are they the people you want to ally yourself with in your incessant war against Sinn Fein?

“@tom- they do all tend to be from the same country, though.”

Gerry Adams is from the same country, and has a passport to show for it. How dare you engage in childish nonsense like that, and try claim that nationalists in the north are not part of the Irish nation when our own constitution affords them that right.

Article 2: “It is the entitlement and birthright of every person born in the island of Ireland, which includes its islands and seas, to be part of the Irish Nation.”

Ya Gerry Adams is from Ireland.

He has been asked on numerous occasions and refuses to answer or wastes time on interviews until time is up.

Did UVF UFF members get released also part of the Good Friday agreement ? Patrick the Brit

Gerard- did the UVF go over to England and shoot a police officer while robbing a post office?

They did kill the most people of the troubles north or south with bombs in Dublin and Monaghan!

The whole island was “involved” in one way or another in the NI conflict. As a Feeny Failer you know that very well.

Well, you would say that as a fellow member of fianna fail wouldn’t you?

Oh and…

“Tried to see Adams’s apology in a positive light. I really did.”

Given your previous for with regards to your partys main rival, sinn fein, I seriously doubt that.

Well said.

They I.R.A were robbing post offices to pay for weapons to fight the British/UVF/UDR/UFF so that is the conflict .I dont think Adams would apologise for anything in less he meant it he’s not that kind of guy.Gerry Adams was shout and wounded in 1984 so he knows what it’s like and S.F have brought stability to the North and there is no going back to those days where good men died and others tried and others did nothing that’s whats happens when your fighting for civil rights in all countries.Gerry McCabe was in the wrong place at the wrong time and the I.R.A men panicked and let bullets fly and the A.K 47 jammed believe that or not but the intention was never to kill anyone but that is no Good to MC’Cabe family but it is what it is.We got some serious problems now and its time to push on and sort out the country now.

Jack, come back when you’re out of your action man pyjamas…

Jack, I thought that the Guard McCabe was shot on purpose because they recognised him. I understood it was cold blooded murder.

The car was riddled how what would it matter if they recognized him he didnt rob the post office and the I.R.A men were wearing balaclavas.He didn’t know who they were so why would they shoot him they made a balls of it they let the gun go it jammed and the magazine emptied out there was bullets all over the place most of them didnt hit the car.He was shot 3 times in the head reports say do you think they had time to go over to him and shot him 3 times in the head .

If that was the case then why was the charge manslaughter and not murder. Lots of bull here being posted as facts. All 4 men convicted of manslaughter in the mc cabe trial. All completed their sentence and Sinn Fein condemned the shooting at time it happened.

Niall tens to get very worked up about everything, from this to traffic cones on the road. If he doesn’t learn self-control and coherence he’ll be viewed in time as another Gay Mitchell.

With regards to the term “Republican”. I see you are a member of FF, please don’t say that you believe that FF in any way conform to or hold a Republican ideology. Even if you use the definition of a Republican from a 100 years, leave out anything to do with the IRA. FF are the complete opposite of a Republican party.

As a Sinn Fein Member for close on 20 years, We have journeyed from an armed struggle to a focus on our Political struggle to change Ireland from a gombeen political state to a state which equality & peace is paramount. During this time thing have happened that were quite unsavoury to say the least but all political parties have commited unsavoury acts ….FG had Ballyseedy…FF executed republicans in the 40s…labour lines there pockets with political appointments & we engaged in what the US would call collateral damage on occasions. So when people want to move forward & stop living in the past look us up! Vote for change !

Politics eh…. RIP Garda, if our political establishment, whatever their clan, had a fraction of your integrity how better off we’d all be. FF, SF, FG & Lb have all sought to make some political capital from this tragedy, and the most worrying thing is that on a very human level it appears at least to me anyway, that most people don’t see it or feel that hey that’s ok?

Oh listen to you all high and mighty….

Tom, your a SF apologists. Tiocfaidh Ar la and all that. Good boy…

Actually I have never voted for Sinn Fein nor been a member. However I accept them as a legitimate party and am willing to leave the past behind. Next election time I will seriously consider voting for them… there are one or two issues I dont agree with them about such as their lax views on immigration but other than that I have no problem with the day Sinn Fein are part of a government. That day will be difficult for some users on here but I am sure the hand of friendship will be extended, even to people like Paddy Lyons;)

Good man Tom. The old ” I’m not a shinner but…”

Anyone who is a Shinner. … best of luck to them!

Yep, Vincent the smallest differences cause the largest conflicts. Tell us what the difference between FF and FG is?

54 seats in the Dail for a start.

Ok, you got me to laugh :D