I think like everything else.. the wheels turn a little slower than we’d like them but I don’t think anyone has much insight into the internals of the movement that McGuinness and Adams has moved successfully from a war stance to peace.. I think the most important thing is to keep the momentum towards peace and if that means things get delayed a little so be it..

Exactly how I feel Andrew.

I cant understand why it doesn’ t matter to so many in this poll. Yesterday was a huge day for the UK and Ireland, both North and South. Are those who tagged it doesn’t matter not aware of the war in the North for almost 40 years..yesterdays hand shake was a major move/step for many irish republicans and protestants to. So grow up Ireland!

Yep it doesn’t matter to me. The Queen doesn’t matter as she is the head of state of another country and McGuinness doesn’t because his politics and those of his party he represents don’t appeal to me at all. nnIt is nice that everyone is getting all friendly with each other at long last but as a country we have far bigger fish to fry these days.

The UK is our neighbour.nFurthermor it is our biggest trading partner.nThis handshake is more than what it appears to be.nBut it symbolises the willingness to look forward and not dwell on the past.n

Ireland already welcomed her fulsomely last year and made it clear that we have moved on. However symbolism is a big deal in Northern Ireland and it may have been an important symbol for relations between Unionists and Republicans there.

Wrong.The Queen will do anything to keep the 6 Counties British.

Actually, it demonstrates Sinn Féin’s commitment to peace that they’re willing to meet an unelected throwback to the past.

It demonstrates both sides commitment to reconciliation. I believe Britain would now honour its commitments under the Stormont Agreement to cede control of the 6 counties be that the wish of the majority of people. With that democratic mechanism in place its now about creating unity across the island and a cordial relationship between Britain and Irish Republicans.

I do not accept its the end of the struggle however, that will only be when the Queen takes her troops out of my country and we can start to build the Irish Republic that Wolfetone, Connolly and Sands envisioned. But violence must remain a thing of the past and that handshake has certainly copperfastened both sides commitment to that.

And does the reaction of FF/FG/Lab show them up as being petty minded,parochial and threatened? Yes is the answer.

I know they just look like scared little boys when the new kids come onto the block… it is so sad how pathetic our politicians are..

Ignoring the above idiot who clearly hasn’t a clue about the businesses I have ran, currently running, not including websites sites also, the leaders of 1916 must be turning over in their graves with the actions of FF, FG and Labour in this present time.

As those three parties will in 2016 stand on a podium supposedly celebrating the 100 years gone by since 1916, they will heap half hearted praise on the great men of those times. While doing to, they will trying to say that they too in fact also are standing up for the Irish people.
Well they might be doing it legal technicality via an election – but in actual day to day operation, they are and will be continue to sell Ireland away to a greater European body and power base.

I said it before and I will say it again – FF, FG and Labour are presently a disgrace!

Roll on the red arrows for supporters (blind lead muppets) of FF, FG and Labour…

…And further more, Roll on the red arrows FROM supporters (blind lead muppets) of FF, FG and Labour…
Its only to be expected and the best they can do!

The quality of your retorts do you credit – very low credit!
They expose your possible limited debate and knowledgeable capabilities – or at least lack of them!

Steph,

It was FFgs ministers who were writing articles in the Sunday Indo that said it wasn’t a big deal. SF didnt write any columns in any papers. It was FFailures who were making press statements to the media last week to emphasise it wasn’t a big deal, not SF.
It was the Indo (FFg/ Denis O’Brien of the famous East Digifone fame ) that wrote all the articles in the Indo about the meeting this week, that kept repeating it wasn’t a big deal, SF didnt write any such articles.

It was the world press that said it was a big deal, based on the supplements that Journal.ie showed today that made it a big deal (Not SF).
It was the 16,000 people on Journal.ie yesterday that read the story about the handshake etc who thought it was a big deal, it wasn’t SF.

100% agreed … and i think once the British/Irish government admit their part in the murder of 32 men/women/children in the Dublin Monaghan bombings, and another 250 injured, many lost limbs etc, then we can really get past all the wrongs. Agreed Meath?
Why did FF/Fg/Labour all try to hide the fact that they supported and encouraged the Dublin/Monaghan bombings? They have never held a public inquirey into it… Why do you think that is? Are the murders of those 32 people worth less than the ones you just mentioned? Most of those that were killed were blown into such small peices, that the familes buried caskets without any body parts.

I’m assuming you are an internet troll with more of a resemblance to the nodding dog than the wartime leader. I have to assume this as to believe you’re being serious is just too ridiculous for words.

I was born and brought up in the UK with Irish parents. I have absolutely no interest in the Royal Family or anything that their tax-pampered arses are involved in, but yesterday was a big symbolic step from both sides of the handshake.

I am not a Sinn Fein supporter, but firmly believe that in this instance they were damned if they did and damned if they didn’t. Imagine the uproar if they’d refused? Jaysus, Winston you’d have been suffering from whiplash.

What you mean to say, Chris, is that you’re British. You don’t need to qualify yourself to me, I don care where you’re from, but you’re British.

Internet troll? No, sorry, I’m just one of the 80%+ of the population here who can’t stand SF and their antics.

Anyway, going straight to the petty insults renders you unworthy of conversing with, quite frankly, so have a good day.

Winston, did it ever dawn on you and the rest of the rabid SF haters that perhaps they have played a very smart strategy? The Queens visit cost €20 million so that Kenny could get his face in as many photo ops as possible. FG/Lab/FF politicos jostled with social climbers to be seen with the Queen and hope to get their faces on Hello or VIP. There was practically a scrum to try to be seen on TV or the newspapers and the Shinners knew that they would be lost in the crowd.

So 14 months down the line and the supposed surge in UK tourist numbers has failed to materialize even though we were told that we were going to be over run with Brits because of this historic visit. Meanwhile SF announce that MMcG will meet the Queen and sat back and let the other parties work themselves up into a frenzy saying that it meant nothing. Gerry and co must be pissing themselves laughing at all the free marketing that FG/Lab/FF are giving them! At no monetary cost they have got MMcG on to the worlds newspapers and it is a SF only affair. Poor old Enda can only sit back and watch as MMcG stands out as a man of war extending the hand of peace. It must be galling for all the parties to see themselves sidelined as SF and MMcG are pictured in the press world wide with not a mention of Enda who?

I’m no great fan of SF but I do admire their long term planning because I think that they have completely blind sided all the other parties and that is why there was such a fuss in the South over it. Why else would you have a situation whereby the DUP endorsed the gesture but FG/FF/Lab are having a fit! This was a gesture of peace and reconciliation between two old enemies which hopefully will cement a permanent peace. What do FF/FG/Lab say about that? Expenses, printers, IRA connections. I’m am totally bemused at how so many supposedly mature grown ups are throwing their rattles out of their prams and throwing tantrums just because two people are trying to make sure that there is never a repeat of another conflict in the North. I mean last week I woke up in Ireland the country, this week it seems to be Ireland the creche, populated by bawling children who are furious at not getting enough attention themselves.

Winston,
Being born in the U.K. of Irish parents do not make one British. Do try and keep up old chap!

What Winston Said part 1

What Winston said to Cris
“Anyway, going straight to the petty insults renders you unworthy of conversing with, quite frankly, so have a good day”

What Winston Said Next part 2
“Oh look, Biggins is on ranting as usual – No joy on the job front then?”

Followed by your comment ”
“Rabble rabble rabble grand claims rabble rabble rabble.
Get a grip Biggins and get out and get some work.

Talk about kicking someone when they are down. I sure hope that UPI in surrering from depression as a result of being out of work. That type of comment could easily kick some of those unfortunate to lose their jobs over the edge resulting in suicide. You should be ashamed of yourself.

Hypocritical to say the least, but thats just par for the course with you. Not surprising so that your filled with hate towards those that murdered Majes cousin. If they can forgive each other, why cant you. Have the troubles affected you personally? If both sides in Northern Ireland can put whats in the past behind them, dont you think you should have the good grace to do so yourself.

And talk about kicking someone when they are down. I sure hope that UPI isn’t surrering from depression as a result of being out of work. That type of comment could easily kick some of those unfortunate to lose their jobs over the edge resulting in suicide. You should be ashamed of yourself for making such a comment.

forry folks – forgive the copy and paste double paragraph :O/

^^Sorry”^^, tiny netbook keys and clumsy fingers.

Ahhh Winston, if you don’t wish to converse, don’t respond, you can’t have it both ways.

For what it’s worth nationality is about a lot more than where a person was born, but that is a side issue.

You are one of the people that would throw the baby out with the bathwater and no doubt you would have been one of the first to condemn SF had the handshake not taken place. Of course there was an element of political posturing involved (name me a party that doesn’t get involved in the media game), but that does not lessen the significance of the gesture.

There is a lot more work to be done in attempting to rebuild relations in the North and it will take a lot more time, but little steps along the way are important. Like it or like it not Sinn Fein will have to be an integral part of that process.

My point was that you appear to have a knee-jerk reaction every time anything to do with Sinn Fein is mentioned and it does neither you nor anyone else any favours (labelling Sinn Fein supporters as working class and poorly educated, etc)

What I think is funny is the fact when “Winston C” came on the scene “Wolfgang Wessen” stopped writing all of a sudden, considering the ideological unity, and penchant for caustic comments, I’m surprised they have not started to comment on each others comments in support of one and other. Funny that.

Whatever Sinn Féin does seems to be a PR stunt in some people’s eyes!! Damned if you do, damned if you don’t!!

So you don’t “give a shit”…lovely we mannered well thought out educated response. How long did it take you to think of that one..about as long as it took you to type it up..15 seconds!!!

Gran Torino was a great film and Clint played a great role as an ageing American veteran.nHaving given service to defend his country’s interests then found that they allowed people of the same country that they fought against, to take over part of his his neighbourhood and all his indigenous neighbours chose to move out rather than stay.nI can understand why he was a little pissed at that.nIf you choose to use the old favourite critical label ‘racist’ than fair enough

Your the bigoted one for coming out with a statment like that..lets all go back to the good old days of bombings and murders..is that what you want…or perhaps Syria maybe even Isreal..I can’t for the life of me understand some of the comments made here today. Even those whos lives were effected by the troubles in the North wherevon TV yestetday willing to move on and accept what happened yesterday and how significant it was to them Have some respect for them if not for yourself.

Oh grow up…stupid stupid statement!!!

Pretty petty comment. De Valera shook hands with Churchill, Collins with Lloyd-George, Paisley with McGuinness. There is a principle at play here, I hope. It’s called progress, moving forward. That kind of thing is important for everybody on this island.

“Moving forward” to what Monkey??

Moving forward to bridging the divide between two communities who inhabit this island and towards normalising relationships with our biggest trading partner. I’m not politically aligned by the way so I’ve no axe to grind.

Can’t you elaborate with more than a four word sentence…this was seen around the world. It might..jst might waken up some of those leaders who’s countries are in conflict to what can be acheived.