Couldn’t agree more Tony!

I agree and so do plenty of others. So, how many of us would actually march, in theory? Show of hands? I’m thinking I would if I could connect with others who would. How about it? There’s usually plenty of people with fire in their bellies on the Journal.

Oh, and to the people who sometimes respond to my posts in private messages, don’t. I delete without reading. Keep it public. That’s the whole point of his exercise.

Fair play to yee!!

well said Tony, its time for real action. Ballyhea, you are true rebels, much respect.

Is there any large bodies organising a march? I genuinely would, however I think what is needed is a union or the likes to get the ball rolling the problem is there’s not one voice with enough support organising imo. otherwise all that’s going to happen is small marches like this, which are admirable, but the government don’t care..

@Simon. There are no unions really in play any more except for the public service ones. There’s a lot of power play involved with the Croke Park agreement. I’m a ( very lowly) public servant. I have the distinction of being the only member of my union area to vote against the pay increases and the addition of several more layers of management that weren’t needed then and are less so now. That was in the year before Fianna Fail were last voted in. No wonder they were, with all the happy public service votes

@Anne Maire, the unions have been bought off with the croke park agreement, why do you think the government won’t revisit it? You keep the unions quiet and the streets stay quiet…

@Simon. You’re completely right. Croke park is protecting the top levels of the public service, not the grunt workers at the bottom. Bear in mind that government ministers, top civil servants, the multiple layers if unnecessary managers in local government are all public servants and all but government ministers are unionised and there’s your problem. That’s why I’m going to say Thank You Simon for offering to organise this protest. And I’ll probably find myself cleaning toilets in the morning for being on here!

Ha if I thought it would be more than me and my solitary Twitter follower attending I nearly would!!

Simon, don’t mind Twitter. And nothing vaguely political ever took off on Facebook either, other than a few chancers trying to legalise cannabis!

The only way there will be change if the change comes from within. Corny but true so that means get your ass out on the streets in mass civil disobedience and tell the government and more importantly Barosso and Draghi that your not gonna take anymore and then we’ll get a bank deal. Shouldn’t be paying nothin but baby steps first. The only way the majority have ever got anything off our loving rulers is by threatening to dethrone them. History has proven that whether be labour rights, womens sufferage, civil rights with unity and mass you can achieve anything. Protests are planned for October, should be on the interweb. :)

The unions have been bought off, and they don’t represent workers anymore anyway. I won’t attend a union organized protest because they just use and abuse us to feather their own nests like all the other vested interests. Do want to protest though. I agree with Tony, these people are an example of us all.

Let’s set up a Facebook page. We get the ‘likes’ of one million people and organisation a protest for next year. The pope brought a million to the capital so we can go the same ! Let’s do it!

There is a global day of protest planned early October i think. Some euros i know are begining to look at us and say “How sad” but im sure they mean in a pathetic kind of way. No point waiting till next year, sooner the better.

Ahhh leeeave it ooout

John, We didn’t get the option to protest prior to the treachery that was foisted upon us. The deal was done, then we were told, remember? Up to the day prior, Govt Ministers faced us & lied to us re the situation, even as troika members visited Dept Of Finance buildings. All other countries citizens had notice that a solution was needed and what it involved roughly, ie, troika, outside management, austerity. Ours lied, no bailout will be needed or sought. And no amount of protest will change the now revised sneering MOU inked only recently. Pissing in the wind, no disrespect to brave Ballyhea.

Worst deal? Please substantiate. We obviously got one of the early deals and it has therefore been adjusted as the crisis and the EU’s response developed. But I don’t know if you can say we got a worse deal than Greece or Portugal.

What are you talking about John? there’s fcuk all people protesting, this group are amazing, but where are everyone else? It’s depressing to look at these pictures of this well publicised group walking through Dublin with very little additional support. There should be thousands out there.

Because Paul, people are trying to hang on to the last piece of string, jobs, security, their houses and most likely their sanity too. Once the budget pushes the working poor that bit closer to loosing everything they’ve work for, then we will see a sway in the amount of people on the streets. As it stands with the threat of loosing their job if they miss time. When they/we feel there is nothing left to loose, then the streets will be full but until then the thread of that string or noose gets tighter and tighter. The budget coupled with property and water charges will push the majority into the unknown. Tipping point is nearly here, but I think FG/lab love affair will end before then, just in the nick of time for the golden pension. They will Infact leave the country worse off!

We have a right to demand who was paid how much, when and why. What qualifies payment and who signs the authorisation. The recipients full names, addresses and financial history related to their refund claim.

@Declan You really don’t have a clue how the financial markets work do you?

@insider.ie In answer to your question, not really, but I do know when the the Irish citizen is being ripped off! I may have the spending power of a peasant but I live like a lord, having flown Concorde, travelled to over 70 Countries & islands around the world, etc.

@insider

I’ve an idea how the scams work. I got it from a real insider, Michael Lewis.
Read his account of Wall St whiz-kiddery in ‘The Bit Short’.

Or how Joe Kennedy and his buddy gangsters pulled it down in ’29.

Its no secret. Try our own Elaine A Byrne and ‘Political Corruption in Ireland, 1922-2012’, (MUP, 2012).

Just as a matter of interest who was behind the Iraq march?

Coming from someone called “chucky.arla” I guess I shouldn’t be surprised at the call for civil unrest. And it’s exactly because of the likelihood that any protests will be hijacked by Sinn Féin or even less desirable types that most sensible people shy away from public marches.

Which is precisely why the powers that be plant provocateurs to cause trouble and discredit peaceful democratic protest against the dictatorship of the coporatariat.

Or else they just open fire like Bloody Sunday and apologise 40 years later in a very sincere tone.

Perhaps, insider you might tell us which ‘desirable’ type employs you to moralise from your lofty knoll?

And this comment gets so many red thumbs from people who epitomise what’s wrong with Ireland today.

Dexter the red thumbs are protecting their own nests Ballyhea i salute you .

Harassing someone’s family – really?

Harrassing somebody’s family??

Both mny kids are looking at the emigration boat, and I would myself I thought I’d still get work. I spent more of my time working abroad than in Ireland.

Thats not ‘harrasssing someone’s family’??
Really?

good for u john, delighted for you.

someone got the ride tonight :)

Should have read that for a few typos before hitting SUBMIT! This old laptop has a few keys with a mind of their own – wish I could say the same for some of those commenting above…
Hang on, need to take some of my own advice.

Does it ever cross your mind John Byrne that most people are too busy going to work and looking after their families and paying their taxes. Doesn’t leave time for marches. But hey go knock yourself out if it turns you on.

That’s right I’m alright jack you can flock off! Typical attitude that is increasingly evident of the FG lap dogs. You wait till the budget kicks in or you loose your job, then you will see things from a different perspective, but until then you will continue to shit on your fellow citizens with glee like gusto, How very apt.

Very good John..I’ll do it after lunch.

Ease up on the Duff stuff.

Are you implying that it’s difficult to do? Save the smart comments for somewhere else. All it requires is a change of mindset – why wait until after lunch?! What are you afraid of? We reap what we sow and it’s no accident that we’re in this mess. Quite simply, we allow it to happen.

You may have..some of us have been standing up to the pervasive corruption for a wee while.

Nor are you the editor, are you?

You scorn politics, climb on some dictatorial pedestal, spray cliches…

‘reap what we sow’..do we??
Pure bollox. We’re reaping the fruits of perverted priests with gospel on their tongues and crooked bankers, marketeers and their political accomplices.
Not all of us partook in the sowing spree.

Yes Damien you’re dead right, I’m not the editor. Thanks for reminding me.

I’ve done nothing of the sort. I happen to live my life by the courage of my convictions rather than cowering in fear and self-pity behind excuses and meaningless gestures that serve only to convince myself that I’m ‘doing my bit’.

Yes I scorn politics because I understand how and why it works the way it does. I also clearly see the impending ruination of this country largely because of a blind acceptance of the population to accept our political system and trust that the very system that facilitated the mess will rescue us. That’s inconvenient to the most people’s comfortable political paradigm but it’s the truth.

If you read my prior comments properly you may notice there’s no inference of anything dictatorial at all – quite the opposite in fact. If you perceive me as being on a pedestal it’s because you’ve put me there and that’s your issue to deal with.

Absolutely we reap what we sow. We (I’m speaking collectively so don’t take it so personally) stood idly by and continue to do so while the very bankers, marketeers and politicians that you highlight rape and pillage this country, while collectively we have the power to stop them immediately by ceasing to cooperate.

While I commend the spirit of those who feel strongly enough to march and protest, unfortunately it will achieve nothing and we would be far better diverting our energy towards using the collective power that we have into making a tangible difference rather than handing it meekly over to those who abuse it, all the while complaining about everything.

If you can’t understand that, well then I feel sorry for you. I hope some day you’ll open your eyes fully. In the meantime, enjoy the fruits of your harvest. Good man.

Come on now Garrett if it was up to these buffoons you and your family would be out sleeping in that weather every night with no roof over your head . I don’t think getting p.ssed on by mother nature is nearly as bad as getting shat on by our own government and banks .

I’d rather my taxes were spent helping the less fortunate people in our society than covering the sour deals of the greedy bankers. how about you ?

Id rather neither were bailed out personally , lower my taxes and let me choose who to help with the extra money,

My point was that nobody receiving welfare really has the right to complain at the banks though , pot / kettle

The banks getting welfare are you off your stupid head .

Yeah Stephen they are protesting for junkies rent allowance . If it was up to people like you where would we be . Have some respect for people who are actually doing something proactive to fight for theirs and their children’s futures and unfortunately for your future .

@Stephen. It would appear to me that the only part of society that haven’t been ‘bailed out’. Maybe we should start looking after the people rather then, banks, developers & failed politicians?

@kerry – its called social welfare , weve been doing it long before we bailed out the banks and we keep doing it.

I agree we shouldnt bail out the banks or the bondholders, but we shouldnt keep bailing out the people to the same outrageously high level we do at present.

That’s a stupid comment

If you click on Stephen Church’s profile, it’s a link to his Facebook site. The URL is Facebook.com/maddiemccann.

Stay classy Stephen.

well Mr Church , people like you , who have no concept of the word ” WE” thanks to the so-called BOOM.. have embraced the capitalist idea of taking as much as you can to feather your nest ,without thinking of the real bigger picture and that is “thinking of others” and that Mr Church is the fantastic thing about those people from Ballyhea .. they have found their community spirit and their national spirit to speak for us, I would like to conclude Mr Church that you may get a kick out of using your intellect on a sarcastic level about people who are trying to make a stand.. just member that people have to respect you so that you can hurt their feelings… unlike me I don’t respect you..

@Brian , nothing wrong with embracing capitalist ideas, better off than poverty laden lazy socialism that continues to mount our debt every day because the government is bailing out people.

And if it takes respect to hurt feelings you must respect the hell out of me , you seem pretty upset

You’re well named Church.
You sound as smug as a bishop.

If Simon is still reading..don’t wait for the crowd to form..start the crowd yourself.

Stephen, this is a serious issue for a lot of people at the moment so theres a time and a place to take the piss and I dont think this is it.

I respect the Ballyhea group , I just pity you … And yes I am a very proud socialist as I believe in the people.. not too many capitalists can say that … Mr Church
Lazy is not a word known to socialists , but capitalists know all about it , when they say that they built their company on their own …no its the workers that build the company , the lazy capitalist just takes the credit.
Pity you Mr Church pity…..

speakin of books..check out Naomi Klein’s ‘Shock Doctrine’ for a breakdown of the global scam.

Doc called the flaw also an insight into the historic global scam.

Sinn Fein are just the new Fianna Fail…its Connolly’s analysis we need…and ridding of the New Labour collaboration.

It cannot be about a change of personnel or party, it has to be a change of economic model..which means we all have work to do…because it aint just an Irish problem..its global.

Connolly had that perspective. None of our ‘leaders’ have. They are parochial instruments of corporate delivery.
We are no more than expendable labour units to them.

Did you use your dole money to fly to oz Raymond

Methinks Raymond is a troll.

Your horse fell at Aintree, and I should buy you lunch?

Well, that’s exactly what you’re doing at the moment, isn’t it? However, if you had been clever enough to invest in a hedge fund that had the balls to take on Quinn and his CFDs and had the foresight to see that the government would bail out the bond holders then you could have made a few Euro like the rest of us. Get over it!