It was a WOMAN you dummy.

Because someone wearing a cloak and mask is clearly identifiable… Dummy

A woman?! A come on now. Havin a bit of a laugh with the big thickos from the island?

Or you could have read the first few line instead of looking at the pretty pictures.

That guy on the horse is a girl but cool either way :-)

I hope the lady on the horse asked someone in a creepy rasp…

“Shire… Baggins..!?”

Now that would be cool…

I agree! it was cool and there will be more to come, maybe we’ll get 200 of them to storm the Dail if those monkey don’t cop-on and look after the interests of the Irish people as they were elected to do. Tik tok, the time is approaching where enough is enough….

Photo number 7 …
Campaign Against The Property Tax and Austerity Dublin West .
Thrilled to see this in your pics .
Well done to all who protested today .

Ah west Dublin. If only we could annex it as it costs us more than it actually generates. And then the country could live a more sustainable life without that boil on its arse

Yes Niall, everywhere that costs more than it brings in should be annexed.

P.S. in case you have the ability to think that I suspect, the above is called sarcasm.

What business do you run yourself. Ross?

You must have your million made to spend time cheerleading the panacea of business solutions to unregulated business-created disasters.

Was it not the tigrine pride that precipitated the current mess? I suppose a little reflective thought would be totally antithetical to your pep-talk solutions.

Toss pot !!

Word of advice for anyone reading Damien’s comments….. He appears to imagine that vocabulary is a sign of intelligence.

If you use google chrome you can highlight any word, right click and it’ll offer a search for his attempts to appear more educated than the rest of us minions.

Ta for the advice and psychoanalysis there, Tomy.

If you are not fluent at the Engish, ce bhuil do Ghaeilge?

Can I take you are also of the FG/FF/Labour opinion with Ross that businesses are the solution to the crisis?

The PDs are with us yet.

you can take nothing for granted Damien…

kind of like your comments where you can just take nothing….

Do me a favour Tomy.

Enlighten me as to relevance of Ross’s business pep-talk to the topic in hand; a protest about the working and disemployed and emigrating classes paying for the white-colar crimes of the accruing classes, whose incomes continue to rise?

Or are you in tandem on a diversionary troll mission?

er..Ross..non-affiliated…so whats with setting up Ross’s buddies for the public good?

Why not just work with the people that have been working for years to see a better society evolve?

And the..’unity is a great thing’…uno voce?

Not always.

Thinking trumps emotional solidarity for feel-good unity every time.

Well, the Invisible people who have been “working for years” to make this a better society have failed miserably. It’s time to stop bickering and sniping because thats what has allowed Irish governments to remain unaccountable for decades. Putting differences aside and the inherent “I’m alright jack” attitude to become one gathering will make a difference for us, our children and generations beyond. Daily challenges should and will be the way. These people are hired and paid by us to serve the good of all and it’s time to remind them of that duty

Sorry Lou, but feel-good camaraderie is less than enough to solve our problems. Excuse my scepticism.

The media always play it down, you can always double the amount that they say

The media works off Garda estimates, what’s their number?

Garda said 18,000 so u could add at least a third on to that.

Well I didnt see anyone pointing a pen at me while whispering a number to themselves, how could anyone really know.

Enough of the people on the street, each person 1 vote. Few TDs gone by that

Ross..with all due respect..

What age are you?

Damien, get off the hobby horse (by that I mean Ross!)
Just because someone is diametrically opposite your pessimism does not mean they are wrong.

If you cannot distinguish between healthy scepticism and ‘pessimism’ I’m staying on my ‘hobby horse’, which is not Ross, but seeing who has begun to analyse the situation and who is merely reacting. Emotionla nationalism is not the solution, and may well compound the problem.

who has begun to analyse the situation

I see very little analysis or counter argument in any of your replies so please don’t hide behind that point.

Instead of just criticising (because that’s all I can see) try making a counter point that isn’t as (paradoxically) childish as asking someone “What age are you?”

My point, Tomy, if you cannot see it, is that emotional nationalism is insufficient to sort the problem in a globalised 21st century. I’m not the one scapegoating ‘new-age travellers and crusties’ as handy and vulnerable decoys.

Do you think fervid nationalism is productive?And scapegoating with hate-stir against the unwashed?
If so, on with you. The bondholders will be delighted.

Do you think the organised right has not been preparing its provocateurs for this long foreseen crisis?My wuestion was not flippant. We do not need hot-headed joy-riding to glory.

An my point, not that you appear willing to hear it, is that constantly attacking the person while making no effort to present a civil viewpoint of your own only allows people to pass over your opinion.

Try removing the condescending attitude and people might actually read what you have to say and might find that you have a point. At the moment all that you are presenting is bad attitude.

I don’t know Ross, and have no reason to attack him. He may be perfectly sincere. You seem to find scepticism indicative of pessimism and condescension, and have problems with three syllable words.

Sorry, Tomy, but sometimes its necessary to deal with the complexities involved.

As for ‘bad attitude’…I’ve been accused of that all my not short life. Usually for asking questions vested interests preferred unasked. I do believe it started with challenging the religious teachers in school for their idiotic contradictions. The teachers’ pets were held up as exemplars of ‘good attitude’.

No, you’re just adding nothing Damien….

I’m quite happy to accept that as your opinion, Tomy. But curious as to why you don’t reply to my points instead of personalising the issues.
I addressed Ross’s emotional nationalism and pep-talk enthusiasm in search of substance. No sign yet.

Must I remind you it was the scepticism of those who predicted this collapse years back that was dismissed as ‘bad attitude’ talking down the economy and that was advised to go commit suicide?

Are you so young you don’t recall?Or is it an attention span deficit?Or just a FF/FG/Labour true-believer in the market uber-alles?

There’s part of the problem Damien. You make so many assumptions and ask if your right – but go on to make a comment based on you ASSUMING you’re right….

I have no real desire to let you know what age or political leanings I have because I know what follows. You’ll embark on another set of further-from-the-truth assumptions.

While I have no desire to inform you so that you can go off in another ridiculous direction I do enjoy how wrong you are. Not young, not affiliated with any political party, no problems with attention deficit. (Which interests me actually – that you criticise personalising the issue and then suggest an attention deficit, and question age – not just of myself – and make other personal comments about Ross and others)

None of the above informs anyone here as to what you are actually trying to say.

None of the above answers why it is you seem to feel the need to attack others posts rather than start your own, outlining why you disagree.

That’s really all I have to say on it – unless you can actually align your thoughts in a way that might be conducive to informing and analysing as opposed to whatever vague and huffy comments you’ve made so far?

Other than that, good luck, I find it pointless to continue to engage….

Ta, Tomy. No interest in your age.

Just curious as to your apparent allergy to, and aversion from, a sceptical response to a simplistic tar-brush of unions in general from someone who seems intent on animosity to new-age travellers, crusty-types and the great unwashed, rather than the well-groomed articulate white-collar culprits.
My comment about attention-deficit related to the same ‘bad-attitude’ FF dismissals of Bertie’s optimism challengers. Its relevant and appropriate.
I suggest you use your google chrome skills to check out the populist speechifying of Benito and Adolf and other surfers on the emotions of roused anger for their own ends.
Gullibility is more comfortable than research and scepticism. I can’t help you there. Sorry if I disturbed your peace. The price of liberty remains vigilance, not self-deception.

So what you’re saying is that you have nothing to say?

There are none so deaf, as those who WILL not hear. Nor so blind as those who read into a comment what they wish to see, and stubbornly refuse to accept clarification because it challenges their foregone conclusions.

You can lead a Paddy to porter..but you cannot make him think.

I obviously have nothing to say to you, Tomy. But thats not for want of patient trying. I hope you and Ross will be happy with your diversion.
Thanks, but no thanks. I’m a while studying the cul-de-sac brigades who think its all going to be changed with a thoughtless appeal to patriotic fervour. If only.

Not for the want of words either….

nor the constant moving of goalposts.

The ‘goalposts’ remain, Tomy.

Scepticism as to the expressed anti-republicanism, contemptuous dismissal of the selected unwashed on a decoy ploy, scatter-gun dismissal of unions, rarara simplistic nationalist mantras worthy of a fascistic no-nothingism, and a general lack of analysis.

You elide the fact that is not me cheerleading here. I am merely questioning.
Its called democratic feedback. If that is problematic, please elaborate.
I am quite prepared to accept rational demolishing of these points, but not knee-jerk dismissal because they might require a little thinking.
If you want more positive input, I suggest you read Maurice Coakley’s recent historical overview and recap, ‘Ireland in the World Order’, A History of Uneven Development(Pluto Press, 2012).
Am I wrong and presumptious in thinking neither yourself or Ross even know the book exists?
Good intentions will not pave the road to a more egalitarian Ireland, however commendable. Had you read it, or been familiar with the issues covered, I would not need to interject these uncomfortable caveats.
Or perhaps you envisage some other end than a more egalitarian political system?
I know my goal, and I recognise false trails to its realisation, witting or unwitting, when I encounter them.
I have NO illusions that there are short cuts, or that it can be achieved without argument. Nor am I offering personal judgements on anyone or their motives, though that does not mean I am elininating the possibilities of deliberate mischief-making. Be sure it is always afoot.

If I got my laptop to read your messages it’d just go..BUUUZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

That reads like vacuous desperation and an inability to take the trouble to even google the book mentioned.

I hope the laptop has a more up to speed chip. Heaven help Ireland if it has to rely on such lazy dreamers.

BUUUUUUUUUZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Troll on back to your Iona Institute, Tomy.

Iona institute? nothing to do with me….

BUZZZZZZZZZ

Oh – I get it – another assumption…

I used to live at the top of a street called Iona road – it’s also the name of a Scottish Island so….

BUZZZZZZZZZ

Thats what you believe.

They will love your think-not ideation.

The buzzing is more like a kind of mechanical repetitive clanging now…..

That will be your last lost marble rolling down Troll Avenue..sure you never used it anyway, no loss.

Buzz off.

Are you still desperately trying for the last word Damien? Really?

I predict another very sad barrage of meaningless adjectives and pointless corrections with no substance to follow, as appears typical at this stage…

1.2.3… go for the last word there…

Fully agree Ross and Condolences on your loss. It wasn’t my intention to suggest that those not in attendance are BabyBlueShirts but those comments above trying to condemn and suppress any form of critique from the government. The sniping comments are there purely to humiliate those honest, hard working, decent people who did attend. I wasn’t in attendance myself due to a sick child but offer my support were I can. Your right the people are to be highly commended, they had a clear message and its one that I support. I hope Enda is watching.

Condolences, Ross

But you really should slow down with your verbal slurry. It was not new-age travellers or crusties got us into this mess.

Your economic and social analysis is simplistic, and to be frank, dangerously juvenile.

Damien, seriously you are the one looking juvenile here. Ross hasn’t retorted back to you once and yet you appear to be trolling through the comments just to pick apart his opinions. He didn’t say it was new-age travellers or crustys that got us into this mess hence, I’m sure, the fact that he supports the protest. He just said he didn’t want to be represented by the people who protest anything and everything but wouldn’t work if a job was handed to them. What’s wrong with that. I don’t want to be represented by that either which is why it’s important for everybody to be up in arms and protesting.

So why the repeated references to ‘new age travellers and crusties’…easy decoy ducks from the real culprits…precisely the strategy of the organised right to deflect legitimate anger onto vulnerable scapegoats.
Some of these ‘layabouts’ Ross is venting at are educated and were fighting Thatcher and her policies(the ideological spawner of this mess)when a lot of these righteous newborn rebels were rocking in the cradle.
Read a little on the origins and methodologies of fascisms, Aoife. Unthinking ‘up in arms’ emotional self-gratification is its motor energy.
Read James Connolly. Read your Irish history if you aspire to be useful rather than noisy and attention-grabbing. A useful start would be ‘Ireland in the World Order’ by Maurice Coakley to gather perspective. Naomi Klein’s ‘Shock Doctrine’ introduces the global programme, and Michel Chossudovsky’s ‘Globalisation of Poverty’ gives more detail. Anger without intelligence is dangerous.

Ah the BBC. The voice of truth

So more prolifigate spending?

So more prolifigate spending?

So more prolifigate spending?

Well done Lisa for taking your Saturday off and standing up for what’s right. People need to see that it’s honest, decent people like you who are fed up and not afraid to protest. I hope Enda is watching.

Sure what else would you be doing on a Saturday, no point in sofa moaning ;)

Tipping point is nearly here! #budget13 will put people over the edge, this is only the start and long may it progress. Good honest people taking a stand for their beliefs, it’s a great achievement and brilliant to see.

“It’s only beginning”!!! After four and a half years. We’re a lazy shower altogether.

Yeah a lot of lazy people marching today Gardai put it at 26-18k

Typo 16-18k damn fat fingers :)

And surprise surprise RTE are now saying Gardai have revised the figures downwards!!! State control alive and kicking in our so called democratic Republic.

Absolutely Mike. It was closer to 30,000. Felt great to be among like minded people that were prepared to take a stand against a government that puts outside financial interests ahead of its people. Austerity is working alright – for bankers and Bondholders.

It was closer to 30 than 8 was it??? Erm…more spoofing..

6,000,000 is the latest figure i heard.

never mind the numbers

Unless you are prepared to stand alone for a more egalitarian society you will be manipulated into a dangerous crowd mentality.

Thats how the current shower manipulate wishful thinking.

..and 16 hours later 3 out of 5 thumbs would prefer if you did NOT think for yourself.

Be careful out there.

The unions are to blame for this mess, and now they protest against it.

Doublethink at its finest

Complete and total upper CRAP. The amount paid out to bondholders this year is equal to our budget shortfall. The people who ‘are to blame for this mess’ would fit in an average sized room. They are also unaffectionately known as the golden circle.

Maybe… but they’re not anywhere near as guilty as the politicians and the banks, and at least someone is organising something. We may not agree with the unions but as far as I can see, this is the only major demonstration that has been organised so we may as well make use of it for the greater good.

Dont worry the representative from the ICTU was jeered off at the end of the march, he gave up talking before he was due to finish.

Exactly. Union officials are in that circle

The Garda Press Office says 10,000

While idiots like you are counting money ye bankers, politicians and judges robbed off the decent hard working people of this island

Ah sure all your going to hear is no one was at it, Hopefully this is not the last should organize one during the week when that gang of spanners are sitting in the Dail

Are you in a hospital? I just wondered when you said you were waiting with patients ;-)

Fast, fat, fingers and an iPhone don’t mix :D you got my drift though hehehee

PIIGS needs to go back to PIGS with Ireland taken out.

Most of Europe no longer sees us in the same league as Greece, Italy, Spain or Portugal.

The nurses’ unions have gone too far this time forcing sick patients to go out protesting with them. For shame…

Ryan, the backbone of society: Unions who represent less than 30% of workforce and are sitting on the fence, Shell to sea, United Left Alliance. Society really is f*&ked…

@David

Thats precisely the nationalist blinkers the internationalised bondholders want to see.
You will be rewarded at the golf club for your perspicacity as to your own private interests over the solidarity required to solve this deepening mess.

The unions may have set the date. But thats all they did. They even got booed when speaking. This was not about Unions!

Brain dead idiot

Actually red sea polls are often found to be more statistically valid than populist rantings on a website….

The Game is up and the FG footsoldiers know it, government will collapse and an election in the new year! You know it, I know it and put that in your joint to smoke it!

Red Sea polls? lol

I’d love an election. Get rid of labour and put in FG/FF. That’s the most likely outcome.

Think I’ll hold you to that one…when will I come back and embarrass you with your deluded prediction? I’ll give ya the year sure…

That was @ Stephen

Well, GDP went up 1.2% last year. We are no longer mentioned by the markets with the likes of Greece or Portugal. The cost of government borrowing has decreased. The unemployment rate has reduced since the last election…

I’d call that progress.

Cutting public sector pay is also austerity. Likewise with taxing the rich. It all take money out of the economy.

In fact the same people protesting today would take MORE out of the economy than the government is through wealth/income taxes, or at least they’d have no choice to do so when we have nowhere else to borrow.

Colin, your last sentence is spot on. The politicians need to have a serious reflection on why they are elected and who by. Looks like they are the agents of the elite top 5% of earners in this poor country. What about the quality of life of the majority?

If I could paraphrase a statement by somebody on another website:
Politicians are our friends in the run up to an election. Once they are in, that friendship dies. My real anger though is reserved for the electorate, I’m already spitting f**kin bullets, you just know the bloody sheep will vote for the same bloody crews, just like they did before and the time before that, safe in the knowledge that the nice man promised he’d do the right thing this time, and he looks so young, and he’s a father you know, and isn’t his wife a nice person?!
It could drive a good man to drink.

unfortunately colin politicans in this country don’t do inventive, creative or brave ,
they do , easy , look after the rich and sod the rest ,
@winston ……………………don’t be using technicalities to convince people things are fine ,
low-middle class worker’s are very quickly slipping down into the poverty trap (thanks the FG’ adaptation of FF policy’s ) ,
from the people of the ground point of view , FG/LAB have progressively made the country worse with their look after the rich at all costs mentality
stop listening to the gov back media and stats (stats can make anything look good ) , and go ask ordinary joe-publics how they feel and what they think needs to be done

The Gov need to grow a pair , and fast

Ok, I won’t use FACTS to argue my case…

The fact is we are in a much better place since the current government took over. Times are still tough and progress is slow but we are making progress none the less..,

@Winston. The unemployment rate has not reduced since the last election. It has increased from 14.1% to 14.8%. That is despite over 100,000 emigrating in the same period.

@David
The rich tend to take their wealth OUT of the economy and lodge it where capital can accumulate for personal gain, very often dodging the tax workers have deducted at source before they even see it (see Romney and US capital fight to China, including industry).
If tax does not serve a redistributive purpose through rational management of resources the rich can oligopolise through their cartels and lobbies, where will the infrastructure for economic activity stem from?
The generosity of the rich?
Thats not how they get rich.

Winston is obviously ‘making progress’, therefore its universal.

@Enda, now it seems FF popularity is on the rise again. It’s astonishing the way the electorate are so easily fooled and just switch back and forth from once useless party to the other. What we need is something completely new.

Spot on, Marie

A little applied intelligence would be refreshing. Lots of wishful thinking, and not a few rather obvious mischief makers on patrol today. The Right are looong organised for this day, both nationally and beyond. They saw it coming and exited the market in advance. They always do surf the economic cycles with their headge-funds to immunise themselves for glitches.

Gary your view is simply one of the Extreme Left and therefor selfishly political. Your economic philosophy is a free lunch for everyone at the expense of the rich. That’s like believing in Santa when you shave at least daily. Grow up Gary.

Garry F

You smell like one of the rich depicted by Swift 3 centuries ago dining smugly on haunch of roast yearling child.

Google ‘A Modest Proposal’ for details and take a look in the mirror.

You may be grown up..but not into a human despite your hominid facilty with the keyboard.

“You’re”

Why don’t you ask yourself if Bertie and Sean Fitz and the rest of the golden circle have consumed more than they have produced this week? It’s austerity for some, life as usual for others. That’s the problem.

Can’t spend what we don’t have but ok for payment if bondholders billions #NotOurDebt

@Tom
Ask the half million disemployed and excluded from producing anbd consuming anything more than shrinking sustenance; and those catching planes in the hope of finding a means to partake in any society anywhere, you …..genius.

Tom,
You are of course right. Theres a lot of anti austerity feeling evidenced, a position of dubious economic merit. The alternative to austerity (aka spending only a bit more than producing) is profligate spending.
Nuts!

The only reason the money “does not exist” is because it has been used to pay the bondholders, at the cost of the irish people! The only reason so many people are consuming more than they produce is because they have been robbed of the opportunity to produce by the government/bank generated recession. The bondholders made an investment in this country, and like any investor, they should have been watching how their investment was being managed. Who else gets their money back if their investment goes down the pan??

I looked out the window, I reckon there was a million.

I would have loved to march but am not a member of a trade union Sinn Fein nor any other self interest grouping. Whilst the crowds look impressive with their flags and banners people were so spread out I’d say there were no more than 5,000 at it

It was a march for everyone, no need to be a union member or belong to any group to take part. There were people there from all walks of life, backgrounds and ages. Be ready for the next one.

Alan, it looked more like 80,000 did it? If you want to spoof then make your spoofing some bit real..for your own sake…other wise you make yourself look stupid in public.

I’ll hold you to that Alan and I’m sure too there was a lot more than 8000. I can never understand why the authorities don’t like to hear the truth.

Are you out there with them ?

Rise up against what? We voted this government, and their policies, into power… I guarantee they’ll be reelected in due course and we’ll still have people spouting about ‘rising up’!

You are in the minority and the share of the votes at true last general election reflect that !

The next GE will reflect differently! FG are strangling this countries hard working people. You watch the votes flow back to FF and SF.

And…

FF maybe but that’d hardly represent a revolutionary change in Irish politics… The vast majority of the Irish public are intelligent to realize that given their outlandish economic policies, SF can never be a force for good in government. The only people who still vote SF are deluded republicans and an entitled section of society who want the government to hand them everything on a plate and don’t want to pay for anything… The general Irish public are smarter than that.

Above comment wasn’t meant to go there.

And those hard working people were out on the street today with a message. FG are fast becoming very unpopular, sliding in the polls, bad international coverage. The next GE won’t see FG win it.

Consistently above 30% is sliding?

Ryan the only basis for your poll predictions is wishful thinking.

The problem with this country is that there’s not really any choice for the electorate. FG…FF…Labour….etc. Choice? What choice?
The whole political spectrum in this country will need to be completely changed. So will the political attitudes of the sheeple. The usual “ah, sure it’ll be alright eventually” or “my family have voted for them for generations” statements are the reasons why we’re in this mess. Sheeple sitting on their a*se expecting others to force change is also the problem. They’re too busy watching football or X Factor to give these issues any serious thought.
Nobody guided me; I followed my own conscience when I saw things weren’t right.

Once Shan David Higgins of YFG I reiterate yes that is my prediction as an EX FG voter! But as I always say the only poll that matters is polling day so we shall see then, after that we can continue this conversation. But you have to admit that your party are loosing popularity in favour of FF, it is worrying for any party but especially FG. I don’t Forster a second term when none of the pre election promises actually came true. Your party has sold out more than FF ever did.

People will not vote these guys in as they aren’t Santa Claus coming up to elections.

Nothing is for free.

Only free if your a bondholder, politician or banker Michael. Does Enda look good in a red suit…..photo op there.

Rise up? ……like from the dead?……..what a silly thing to say.

What ?
Rise up and do what?
Put in some despot ,like in Egypt?
Everybody is so scathing of our politicians,
So start your own party, that’s how you “rise-up”

Its now 50, 000, really? Why do people make them selves so stupid looking on this? It does no favour to the cause if there are constant lies thrown out about it…

It will if we all adopt ur attitude

Well if you do it on a Saturday, the vast majority of the politicians are not in Dublin on a Sat afternoon.

They have televisions & radios & surely keep abreast of current affairs by watching/listening to the news

They’re our streets!

Gardai are people too, they do not deserve to be attacked by thugs, or bullied by edited video clips when they are forced to respond with force.

Stop spinning BS Stephen. It’s been a peaceful protest with honest hard working people.

There isn’t even a hint of violence. The mood is fantastic and the feeling of people united against the pathetic bunch of paracites we have the misfortune to call a government is heartwarming.
There is almost a party/festive atmosphere here… Mind you it’s bloody cold here..

Fair play to you Mike & everyone else there for standing up for us all, only wish I could have attended.

‘..the left getting violent..’, Stephen??

The Right don’t do violence?

Please elaborate. How do you define ‘left’?
Anyone you disagree with, or just anyone violent?
Bit of a blunt verbal cudgel there.

Socialist workers party, occupy dame street, eirigi, republican Sinn Fein. They cause the trouble.

Are you condoning Gardai being attacked? It’s been a peaceful protest

Wow, 64 people red-thumbed my comment – “They’re our streets!” Some people love serfdom!

Luke

collect the Golden Turnip award for trolling…The Occupy people were the only ones to stand up until they were shifted at the Gestapo hour of 3.00a.m.
They caused no trouble at any of their sites.

You a banker or a FG/FF flunkie?

The only thing the occupy movement stood for was not washing and getting stoned and drunk all day, they were all wasters .

Dublin council should have just bulldozed them out of i on day 1

Keep goosestepping Stephen…your masters will be pleased with your diversionary tactics.

Ha ha. Very good.

Trolls are out in force, it seems.

Like authoritarianism, much?

Hey Michael do you agree if someone has the spare cash to keep a horse would you not agree that the can easily pay the household charge?
Have you nothing better to say than call someone a troll? It’s very simplistic and doesn’t make you sound very smart.

James — You’ve trolled once to many times to be taken seriously. Don’t expect to be entertained here.

Maybe they were protesting for others who are less well off James, or would that be a totally alien concept for you??

How am I trolling? I don’t slate anyone without being slated first (maybe the odd time, no one is perfect) and I only express my own opinion. Calling me a troll because you can’t think of a better way to answer my question or just don’t agree with me is just a cop out and in my opinion makes you seem a bit simple.

Hardly trolling Michael. Grow up you child. Simply critiquing the spectacle that took to the streets today. We can’t all support a stance of refusing to pay our taxes. Where would the country be if some of us weren’t responsible citizens.

Absolutely not. Someone works hard enough to afford a horse, then they should have it.

If you forcefully take money off that person with the household charge, and give it to some civil servant for him to have a horse, well then we have a problem

I’ve grown up, the bigger picture is a wonderful thing.

Responsible citizens should be free to do what they want to pursue, their own self interests etc.

Taxes are too high, but if you wanna pay more taxes to be a responsible citizen then write revenue a bigger cheque

I beg to differ – I am sick and tired of the attitude regarding ‘The Left’. I know many Left Wing supporters and they are not as you described at all. They are very passionate, hard-working people who believe in a brighter future and spend a considerable amount of time and effort trying to change things for the better. I don’t know where this negative derogatory attitude has originated but it is very ignorant and generalised. Maybe you would have realised this fact if you had gotten off your backside and out onto the streets to meet these so-called career protestors. People are so quick to judge and all wondering about how many were out…..instead of talking, bickering and name calling why weren’t any of you guys out on the streets?? I was and I’ll continue to be out protesting as much as I can until the Government sits up and takes notice….and no I don’t live in Dublin…I travelled from Donegal to be there before anyone accuses me of being a ‘career protestor’.

Sinn Fein? Who are they?

Shinners are always puzzled and they also puzzle normal people.

When you have no money left to spend on yourself who you obviously adore maybe watchin Man U will not be your main priority