YER man says he was heading through Toome a wee while ago, when he spotted one of those reverential roadside commemorations to the Hunger Strike. Slightly further down the road is the Elk bar, and on the opposite side was an advertising hoarding which read: “All you can eat for £10.” Oops…
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That’s truly ironic Gonzo.
But why was he going through Toome when there is now such a nice bypass? I think you meant he was on the Derry road. I’ve had an occasional pint in the mentioned bar.
Was that really worth posting?
And it’s quite a bit down the road, not the greatest of coincidences, never mind the most comedic.
He did it coz he could!
Quite childish Gonzo,
[removed]
Will the punchline be provided at some point in the future?
I’m surprised this kind of drivel hasn’t made the front page of the Telegraph.
Why would it? It’s a mere anecdote, which mildly amused me and which I thought I’d share.
Did it amuse you because the anecdote was ‘amusing’ or because you knew it would insult a large proportion of the people that read this board?
what a closet sectarian bigot you are, gonzo
Gonzo
If Slugger was full of lame, low brow and casually offensive ‘humour’ like that it would not be a place that too many people would come back to.
I only came to this thread to read the reactions because I just couldn’t wait to see reactions written during the collective tightening of jaws…
I’m disappointed by the lack of fury.
I’m off to find a forum to taunt some right wingers in America….I’ll get some proper anger then. All I have to say is ‘Donald Rumsfeld is crap’, the reaction is Pavlovian.
Mind you it is time those memorials came down – imagine of Orange arches were left up that long!
In poor taste Gonzo
chris gaskin: In poor taste Gonzo
Yeah. Whatever happened to tasteful, respectful, sensitive humour, like in the good old days?
Well write a letter to the Elk, if you feel so bad about it.
you are a complete wank*r, Gonzo
In poor taste Gonzo
I assume then that you think these terrorist memorials are in ‘good taste’ Chris?
Ahh just another example of the classic pot, kettle…
Is it ok for me to tell my joke about the 18 brits at Warrenpoint?
Or i’ve a great one about Harold Gracey and his caravan at Drumcree hill
Slugger commenting policy:
“We reserve the right to edit or even delete comments for reasons of legal compliance, taste, decency, good management…”
So Mick, should we take it that this policy applies only to the great unwashed who aren’t allowed the privilege of starting a thread?
I actually much prefer the Oirish-American republicans who decided to do their bit to commemorate those ‘brave’ slim-fasters from 25 years ago.
What did they produce, yes that’s correct, a commemorative plate. Dishwasher safe and perfect to eat your commemorative hungerstrike dinner from.
And yes, I’ll be first in the queue to eat at whatever restaurant sets up at the new Maze/national stadium complex.
Can taste the chicken supper now 
Leaving aside the pathetic sense of humour, as these jokes were around since the death of Bobby Sands and probably before, it just shows the sectarian, hate filled mindset of the Protestants of NE Ulster. This is not necessarily a bad thing. It depends whether you value truth and honesty over political correctness. I prefer truth and hoensty so keep the stupid jokes coming.
On a historical footnote: After the end of the Civil war, Peadar O’Donnell and others who stayed true to the Republic found thesmelves on hunger strike. But they eventually gave it up. When O’Donnell enquired, he was told he had been on hunger strike for 41 days.
41 days?
Yes.
Great. So we bet Jesus by a day.
O’Donnell, unlike Jesus or Muhammad, had no great visions. He just saw his favourite foods running around the room. I am not sure if the Protestant favourite of chicken supper was one of them
It is strange that Bobby Sands won at the end of the day, slag him all you will. It is also good to know that Paisley will slither in his grave, seeing Catholics marching ever onward and ever upward. He who laughts last:)
Would have expected better from you, Gonzo.
funny that…i was passing la mon house and i seen a sign for hot-dogs
I don’t think that finding this amusing reflects any sort of sectarianism. It does show a lack of respect for a bunch of murderers, but then they don’t deserve any respect anyway, do they? May they forever go hungry.
not funny Fartrick
well let’s remember a few more….
What’s Bobby Sands going to use for a coffin when Alex Higgins wants his snooker cue case back?
What’s Bobby Sands phone number? Nuneaton Eight Nothing Eight Nothing.
Don’t be vague, Starve a Taig.
Great thread Gonzo.
Fartrick,
Tis sort of shameful that you get your laughs at the death of 12 innocent civilians
Mock billy wright all you want but at least show some decency you prat.
No pictures gonzo?
William
“It is strange that Bobby Sands won at the end of the day, slag him all you will.”
Won what? Became a Republican icon, yes. Re-energised PIRAs flagging terrorist campain – yes but briefly. But what did he (or any of it all) actually ‘win’? An agreement that guarantees the Union and puts Sinn Fein into places in a government in the British State of Northern Ireland? Have I missed something here? Pity we can’t ask him if he thinks it was worth it and his comrades’ deaths – as well as those of the other 3000 odd souls!
You also criticise the Prod sectarian mentality but then go on:
“It is also good to know that Paisley will slither in his grave, seeing Catholics marching ever onward and ever upward. He who laughts last”
Ever onward and upward towards what? Some sort of Catholic Third Reich?
You chose the right name I think!
I have to say that I don’t find these ‘jokes’ (or any of the follow ups) in the least amusing, but as others have pointed out there were similar jokes which arose at major tragedies throughout the troubles (I first heard the eight nothing one at the time of Frank Stagg). I recall several nasty ones about the killing of Lord Mountbatten that did the rounds at the time.
FYU,
The gentleman in question is an abusive troll who is not welcome in these here parts.
“Mock billy wright all you want but at least show some decency you prat. ”
Why doesn’t everybody just stop mocking the dead instead??? Hmmmmm?
The hatred of some slugger posters really comes out sometimes. Makes you consider why you bother visiting this website. You should be ashamed.
Re the question of public decency, I completely understand why people have problems with it. But these things do get said. And I do think there are issues here worth exploring.
It was a period of deep trauma, and no one who has adult memories of the hungerstrike period can claim it was not traumatic. It was meant to be, that was its purpose. People reacted in diffent ways: in extreme sorrow, and extreme derision.
Gonzo’s quotation (though I except it was not contemporaneous with the events concerned) truthfully captures one kind of response that was extremely common at the time. Nor were the Hunger Strikers the only ‘victims’ of such humour. The killing of British soldiers were treated as football scores at the time.
Mick, disappointed to note your pathetic justification of Gonzo’s ‘humour’ whilst quite rightly supportng FYU in his condemnation of ther La Mon ‘joke’.
I don’t buy the weak justification proffered by you and others. Where do we draw the line?
If you are looking something more contemporary, can I tell my Celebrity Love Island Ian Paisley Junior joke?
austin: I don’t buy the weak justification proffered by you and others. Where do we draw the line?
Between victims and terrorists? That works for me.
After all, Bobby Sands chose to kill himself for reasons that seemed good enough to him at the time. (Others may think differently, so a lot of the jokes are just an outlet for countering the martyrdom meme, which is disgusting.) The people in all of the other cases didn’t choose to die.
Shame to see Slugger spiralling into juvenile forum territory
Mick you must be proud!
When’s Slugger up for the next award by the way?
austin,
“Where do we draw the line?”
I understand the frustration, but it is for individuals to decide for themselves where that lines is.
I’ve never cut (to my knowledge) cut or censured anyone because their views were politically unacceptable. I realise this is treading on some sensitive areas for people.
But the bottom line is it is playing a political ball, however uncomfortable that is for all of us (myself included).
Mick
As the udr were a political football and had a large paramilitary prescence, is it ok for me to tell the funny story about the 2 udr men killed on the site of Castle Court.
I think the story captures nationalist feelings towards the udr, during a time of increased sectarian murder.
Is that ok Mick ?
Ever onward and upward towards what? Some sort of Catholic Third Reich?
And theres me thinking it was loyalists who had Nazi links.
tony, if you think it is pertainent to the thread, and it’s not libellous – yes. You could have guessed as much from my leaving the La Mon comment intact!
Fact is both sides are equally guilty of making mockery of the other sides tragedy.I remember not so funny jokes about Enniskillen or the Shankill.
However i think the problem within unionism/loyalism is that they dont have any such individuals to look up to(unless you count the butchers)
I barely remember the Doaks who went on hungerstrike(mars bar and toast variety)never really had many updates whilst it was ongoing cos not even the local media took it serious.
One thing loyalism doesnt like to highlight however is that they also reaped the pow concessions won by the Hunger Strike,but they never had the balls to actually take on the establishment themselves.They were quite content to be labelled criminal but considering quite a few of them were in for offences like house breaking,thieving and sexual assaults,its hardly surprising they were quick to don the criminal uniform.
These “jokes” have ceased to be particularly offensive for two reasons, the first being that they are trotted out by the subnormal every time the Hunger Strikers are mentioned. The second being that they’re not that funny in the first place. The only real purpouse they serve is to show the joke-teller up as sectarian, and to a certain degree as a retard – listen to what you’re saying…
Hunger Strikers and … food. HAHAHAHAHA. It’s like, I farted in school the other day. HAHAHAHAHA.
“The second being that they’re not that funny in the first place. The only real purpouse they serve is to show the joke-teller up as sectarian”
While Bobby worship is a religious death cult in Republican circles I think you’ll find that laughing at scum killing themselves isn’t bigoted. What is sectarian is arguing the likes of Bik McFarlane (Bobby’s best buddy in jail) weren’t criminals when they gunned down women doing their shopping and blew up pubs with Protestants in them.
Now for all those who think Bobby et al won, what does Bernadette McKevitt nee Sands think when she looks at her What Would Bobby Do bracelet? Die for cross-border bodies
I seriously doubt what this post has to offer and find the only amusing aspect Mick’s justification for keeping it.
Next week on slugger Bernard Manning tells us what he really thinks of Indians.
Like Churchill’s remarks about a certain ‘naked fakir’ this thread reveals a great deal more than the posters themselves realise. Keep right on digging, folks!
“Next week on slugger Bernard Manning tells us what he really thinks of Indians.”
Good shout Steaky!
My guess is that the ‘humour’ will now switch to a new thread about Brendan Hughes who is in ill health and no doubt the inevitable schoolyard puns will plague that thread and no doubt a new thread will appear re:the hunger strkers and no doubt the inevitable schoolyard puns will plague that thread and no doubt a new thread will appear re:the hunger strkers and no doubt the inevitable schoolyard puns will plague that thread and no doubt a new thread will appear re:the hunger strkers and no doubtthe inevitable schoolyard puns will plague that thread and no doubt a new thread will appear re:the hunger strkers and no doubt….repeat ad naseum
“Like Churchill’s remarks about a certain ‘naked fakir’ this thread reveals a great deal more than the posters themselves realise. Keep right on digging, folks!”
You mean that the majority of people in NI think the hunger strikers were criminals and realise that they were no great loss to society?
“You mean that the majority of people in NI think the hunger strikers were criminals and realise that they were no great loss to society? ”
I can’t even remember voting on that issue. When was that?
I don’t find it offensive just pointless and pathetic while at the same time clearly intended to offend.
The post on La Mon was a perfect come back. If you enjoyed the attempts at gratuitous offence then having the boot placed on the other foot and then squarely up your hole is an entirely fair response.
It seems that gratuitously offending some is acceptable but unacceptable in other cases. All the football analogies on here and at last we see the ref may be rooting for one team.
“..the majority of people in NI…”
The majority of people in NI respect each other’s beliefs, favour powersharing and are openminded enough to be able to honor even those with whom they disagree.
The loudmouthed cliques running the various unionist parties sometimes forget that the referendum was passed by 70% of the voters. Some people may think that their tactics of shouting loudest mean that they are the majority. It ain’t necessarily so.
m,
The only offensive remarks I’ve clipped on this thread have been anti Republican ones.
“The loudmouthed cliques running the various unionist parties sometimes forget that the referendum was passed by 70% of the voters. Some people may think that their tactics of shouting loudest mean that they are the majority. It ain’t necessarily so. ”
Well said!