BBC loving Her Majesty paying tribute to the “Fenian brotherhood” and the “old IRA” in Dublin. I find the BBC coverage nauseating and, of course, politically contrived. The BBC has been a long time cheer-leader for the appeasement process here and today is a culmination of that.
THAT ROYAL VISIT
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Not quite the culmination but another step towards a “united” Ireland.
BBC TV referring to the Queens visit to the the Garden of Remembrance today, described the garden as the site that commemorates those who died in pursuit of Irish freedom. A more appropreiate word for a British Broadcaster surely would have been to say it was the site that commemorates those who died in pursuit of Irish Independence. This was the phrase used by Sky TV.
The BBC did shift during the day from it’s original nationalist slant. Initially it described a memorial for those who fought for Irish ‘freedom’, then it became Irish ‘indepedence’ but by the end of the day it was ‘against British rule’. Sounds like Sky got it right all along with a value free and accurate term.
I also keep hearing about demands to remember the Irish dead of WWI. Why doesn’t anyone speak of Ireland and WWII?
There can’t be many countries whose Prime Minister sent condolences to the Germans on the death of Hitler !
There can’t be many countries whose Prime Minister sent condolences to the Germans on the death of Hitler !
Ireland screwed up in WWII but you have to understand the context – after sacrificing 50,000 fighting for Britain on the battlefields of WWI and then seeing their country split by a cowardly British government with the creation of Northern Ireland – a place where the catholic minority were treated abysmally by the protestant bigots – you can well understand that their hatred of the brits made them turn a blind eye to hitler’s evil. Nothing to be proud of but the context is relevant.
Apart from the fact that the ‘context’ as you put it is bullsh&&t! You heard of the Irish Guards or the Belfast lad William Magennis VC? Thousands of brave Irish men fought for Britain against the Nazis. In simple truth De Valera was a nasty piece of work, he sent that telegram because like other republicans he had fascist sympathies. Irish republicanism and fascism are very similar ideologies.
What is BS ? Many Irish catholics fought for Britain in WWI with the hope that it would assist their aspiration of a united ireland. Partition was a betrayal of this. That is not BS. That is fact.
Sure, many thousands of Irish fought against Hitler but as part of the British army and navy. Many were from the north and a good number were catholics too. I admire them for what they did and they should be proud of that fact. However, most of them were in the army because getting a decent job as a catholic in northern ireland was like winning the lottery. The army/navy was a way out.
As a country Ireland was neutral. It is no surprise to learn that DeValera and most of the Irish hated the brits and did not want to help them. That is the context. Whether he had fascist sympathies or not, I don’t know.
That is the context.
To conflate irish republicanism and fascism is certainly BS. Most of the head shinners were all marxists. Or are you going to tell me that they are the same.
Actually if what you mean is that DeValera admired the very catholic and fascist Spain under Franco then I can maybe believe that.
I for one am more than happy to leave the Irish in Eire to their own devices, so long as they don’t interfere with me or my country.
But, I resent having to pay to bail them out of their own fecklessness.
Can’t they stand on their own two feet for once in their history ?
Mind you, I am aware a similar accusation could be levelled at the Scots 😀
I pretty much agree. In fact Ireland has had a very rude shock. They used to think it was only the brits who could treat them badly. Now with the refusal of the europeans to countenance a haircut on the irish bank debt and the austerity that is kicking in which was partly caused by an inappropriate level of interest rates due to an inappropriate currency union, they are realising that the brits may not be so bad after all. How times have changed!
Yes I sure will conflate Irish republicanism with fascism. For one thing whilst many modern republicans are neo-Marxist (not that means anything other than supporting an evil form of collectivism), that is not incompatible with fascism. Fascism can be left wing and nationalistic, examples include Hitler’s national socialists. Other examples include of course that for a national socialist Ireland. De Valera was a man of profound racist and sectarian views, not for nothing did he say ‘a catholic land for a catholic people’. He meant it and implemented policies accordingly and he meant it when he sent a telegram of condolence to the Nazi government upon the death of Hitler.
You might also want to check out the numbers of Irish republicans who fought for Franco as part of Eoin O’Duffys brigade, they vastly outnumbered those who went to the International brigade.
David, I think there are two simple reasons. The Irish state was neutral in WW2, while in WW1 is was part of the UK which was at war. Also, I think the sheer scale of the loss of life in WW1 is significant, and is why other wars such as the Boer War are not often mentioned.
I’m aware of the political angle of the WWI casualties. And I know what Ireland and the Irish got up to in WWII. That’s why I’m asking about why the BBC hasn’t mentioned WWII at all. Surely their behavior regarding the Nazis is directly relevant to the political acrimony under discussion on the BBC. But I suspect that they want to keep that very, very quiet as it might make the Irish look bad in some people’s eyes, thus ruining the “historic” Narrative and celebrating the Irish spirit.
It should be discussed openly, and even in the context of the qualifiers flexdream and Fred Bloggs mention. Bringing up the subject doesn’t necessarily prejudge the Irish, yet it’s still censored by the BBC. Everyone gets to say “that was then, this is now”, etc., about the rest of it, so why not this issue?
“That was then, this is now”, applies to everyone else except the British (or should that be English?). I caught some but not all of the coverage, was the Potato Famine mentioned? Or Cromwell?
BBC delenda est.
Presumably she`ll be laying a wad of BBC expense receipts at the Memorial where Irish Independence was stuffed in its wicker coffin by the E.U and that nice French chappie currently indisposeed On Rikers Island.
The BBC don`t seem to be mentioning the fact that these “freedom fighters” were happy to sniff Hitlers boots if that would get them seats in the Dail later-but rolled over and let Brussels walk in.
Still those Brits eh?
Hope the plethora of Beeb hacks are leaving their fat salaries at the feet of Mary Mc Aleese as they crave forgiveness for the Famine…Blairs epoch-making apology surely needs the BBC to back it up,lest it be seen as futile,fatuous empty gesture guff from a war criminal and carpetbagger ! We`d not want that would we? Mo deserves better ,you guys!
In 1998 94% voted in the Republic’s referendum to relinquish the Repbublic’s territorial claim to Northern Ireland.
Personally, I find Her Majesty’s state visit to Ireland tremendous.
The irish may have relinquished their claim but the BBC have not on their behalf!
Its symbolic, yes. But at the end of the day its just one rich EU citizen visiting an EU state. Much like the Governer of California visiting Texas.
“In 1998 94% voted in the Republic’s referendum to relinquish the Repbublic’s territorial claim to Northern Ireland. “
And I bet if Brussels did not like the result of that referendum then only 6% would be in favour of “relinquishing the Repbublic’s territorial claim to Northern Ireland. “
That’s an insult to Texas. Texas doesn’t need a bailout, and some of them think they’ve always been independent anyways. The exact opposite of one of the many new Sick Men of Europe.
David P,
If I were a Yank I would want to be a Texan 😀
Just for the record Texas was an independent republic from 1836 until 1845 when it joined the Union, in large part because it couldn’t resist the Mexicans and because the continuing war was bleeding them dry.
The decision to join wasn’t unanimous. Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar’s nationalist faction pushed for the continued independence of Texas, the expulsion of the Indians and expansion to the Pacific Ocean.
It would have been very interesting to see what would have happened in the history of the United States if an expansionist slave state Texas hadn’t been admitted.
I wasn’t making up the name of the Nationalist leader.
Of course, it’s worth remembering that numerous elections have shown the percentage of Northern Ireland residents that actually agree with David Vance’s opinion is minuscule.
Not that that will stop DV from presenting his opinion as the only one that matters, despite the ballot box proving the opposite…
Not really the point is it? Luckarse and the greenish party have 2 people and a dog voting for them and they get wall to wall soundbites and all the free BBC treats they can scoff!”
so voter numbers mean sh*T !
so sorry but no strawman here !
Dez/Scott is still smarting over the terrible week he had when the Great British Public spurned luvviedom and voted no to AV and he lost all chances of ever being able to stroke bin Laden’s beard and whisper sweet nothings to him.
Let’s all chip in for a diving suit and oxygen tank for him, it’s the only way he’ll ever be at peace.
Scott
I could be wrong, but isn’t the Queen on a state visit to the Republic of Ireland ?
Whether or not she starts boasting that she owns some real estate in the north remains to be seen.
So thank you for making an excellent point about David Vance and percentage’s. Should you be able to find the time could you come back again and tell us lesser mortals what the fuck your on about.
john,
Scottie has an unhealthy relationship with David Vance which I feel we shouldn’t pry into too much.
But I welcome his comments here. They add to the gaiety of the blog, in the traditional meaning of the word, of course.
and in the new lefty pet shop boys type way as well of course
he also has an unhealthy obsession with izlamofascist terrorists as well
Grant, is that traditional in the BBC sense of the word?
Now I realise that the cost of a flight to Dublin may not be that high – but why send Huw Edwards there (or did he take the boat?) when I thought that anchormen were going to stay in the studio?
Because CO2 emissions don’t apply to the BBC.
Maybe he happened to be at home visiting his mum and in that case it’s a doddle to nip up to Holyhead, hop on the boat and hey presto! Bob’s your uncle. 😉
Now that Garret Fitzgerald is gone-let`s hope that the bravery and integrity that he showed in getting that Anglo-Irish agreement will now be commented on whilst the other side of the agreement(a Margaret Thatcher so it seems!) gets a few words of praise whilst she is still round to hear them.
Or will we get the soggy political elite of both countries who resisted both these “brave” politicians to buff up Garret and ignore Maggie?
Fear I know my answer!