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Total Politics: Top 20 NI Blogs…
Fair play to Iain, he managed to get over 2,200 people voting in his poll for the top Northern Irish blogs this year… We (just, I imagine) retained our top spot, with Splintered coming straight in at number 2, no doubt his pet subject du jour will have garnered him a lot of fans… I’ve [...] read our review »
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Learning from 1798?: Northern Ireland’s Upcoming Decade of Commemorations
Last year, the Lilliput Press released a new extended edition of Tom Dunne’s Ewart-Biggs Memorial Prize winning book, Rebellions: Memoir, Memory and 1798. First published in 2004, Dunne’s book provoked considerable controversy with its critique of the ‘commemorationist’ history that Dunne believed dominated the 1998 commemorations of the 1798 Rebellion. The book blasted the involvement [...] read our review » -
Sunday Supplement
It being Sunday, we’ve all got time to consider and ponder things at greater length than during the working week, yes? If it’s good enough for the Sunday papers, it’s good enough for this guest blogger. So here’s the review section… Actually, it’s my introduction to a book published last year, Goin’ Down Slow: selected [...] read our review »
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When I look at this photo I think of many things, but mostly I think of Ted and Dougal..
‘Down with this sort of thing!’
‘Careful now!’
Irony by-pass operation a complete success.
“No to foreign sports”?
Is that an Irish GAA top he’s wearing there?
Really, really funny.
Spin Doctor shortage begins to bite
That is a classic pic. I suspect we’ll be seeing a lot more of it. The only own goal scored on Saturday.
It is a hilarious picture, but what do you do about people with attitudes like that?
He must be very deluded and /or very easily led, which is just incredibly sad.
The only other own-goal from yesterday and, yes, hindsight is a wonderful thig, but if they hadn’t massaged the rugby timetable to soften the opening of Croke Park, England would have been the first team there and the Grand Slam might well still be on (look at the head of steam going into the French game). But mustn’t grumble ….
Right to wear own clothes backfires on republicans.
Below the belt Henry94.
What I find really hilarious is the idea that the match somehow signifies a new level of “maturity”. As defined by who? The same people who bring you “Big Brother”? I suppose goofing on the young fellow in the picture may make all of you feel a little better about yourselves rather than taking a good look at your history or a good look in the mirror.
Ah, RSF. Their self-lampooning is always entertaining.
A Guardian report mentions a sign was carefully stenciled on the side of a house near Croke Park that read “No Crossley Tenders Beyond this Point,†which was better, at least, then the by now extremely jaded “Brits Out.â€
What I find really hilarious is the idea that the match somehow signifies a new level of “maturityâ€. As defined by who?
The fact that people can show respect to a national anthem of their nearest neighbour shows how much we have all moved on. I find improving relations between Britain and Ireland to be something that is positive. The people protesting against the game yesterday do not.
I suppose goofing on the young fellow in the picture may make all of you feel a little better about yourselves
Damn right it does. The sign the fella is holding up is a symbol of centuries-old hatred which civilized people in Ireland (both parts) are trying to bury. You can’t deny me the right to laugh and bigotry expressed so hypocritically and incompetently. They could at least have gone to the bother of wearing something other than a soccer shirt.
For folks not familiar with the irony in the picture, the person holding the shirt is wearing wearing a soccer shirt (soccer is a “foreign game”, probably more foreign than rugby is) belonging to a Scottish team (Scotland is a “foreign” country) sponsored by an American-owned beer brand (America is also a “foreign” country). I’d wager that the guy in the picture has never been to a match at Croke Park in his life.
Well it is a top worn by pro-IRA Celtic supporters ….
OOPS
pro-IRA Celtic supporters
Comrade Stalin,
I agree totally.
Anyway one thing these Island do have in common is the ability to laugh at ourselves once in a while.
The Torygraph is flogging a dead horse . Another case of media hysteria made to look ridiculous .
But here’s what might be called a Spike Milligan approach!
British & Irish Governments agree public execution ceremony in Croke Park ?
According to an RSF spokesman a plan being devised between them and the Northern Ireland office, will draw a line under the incident the 1921 massacre and mean an end to all future protests at sporting events .
“We’ve spoken to the British government and they understand the significance of the event back in 1921. Back then 14 people were killed by British forces so in the spirit of the peace process and friendship we’re proposing that we shoot 14 of their lot before the match.
The plan has had a mixed reaction from Downing Street. Prime Minister Tony Blair thinks the idea has merit but said that it needs to be done
properly and with dignity. “Frankly I think its a small price to pay for progression in Anglo-Irish
affairs, but I think the idea of getting Ray Houghton to do the shooting would be too much for many English fans to take particularly after his
goal against us back in 1988. And he’s Scottish which is worse.” Mr Ahern said that he was’nt sure it was a good idea even if on the surface it had some merit .
Proposed Victims
According to informed sources, RSF and number 10 have already drawn up a list of names for those to be shot. The list, which is not yet
agreed, is thought to be a compromise of people that both the Irish and English public dislike. Among the names are moaney-hole singer James
Blunt, foul mouth idiot Jade Goody, Trinny & Suzannah, Man Utd donkey Rio Ferdinand, cream cake expert Vanessa Feltz, “comedian” Russell Brand , a leading politician from both sides of the divide in Northern Ireland one of whom because of his Reverend status will say the final prayers for all the victims including himself. Also any two of the blokes who do outside broadcasts for Sky News and a journalist from the Torygraph will add media spice to the festivities!
Discussions took an ironic twist when both sides agreed on shooting Belfast singer Brian Kennedy, but neither side agreed on what nationality he was. RSF representatives claim he’s British with their Foreign Office counterparts claiming he’s Irish. RSF claimed that no Irishman could sing or dance in such a FOREIGN manner and the English saying he couldn’t be a Brit because he had no tattoos on his forearm and didn’t wear Ben Sherman shirts . However there was eventual consensus that he should be shot anyway.
The shootings/executions will be carried out legally by members of the 2nd Infantry
Battalion from Cathal Brugha Barracks in Dublin. The original idea to get the FCA to carry out the executions were dropped when they revealed
that their rifles are in fact made of baked-plastecine. Similarly the Garda Emergency Response Unit was discounted for fear they’d shoot more innocent civilians and then claim overtime for it. The British Army was not invited as it was thought that this would only lead to further protests when the IRFU’s Lansdowne Rd facilty has to be re -renovated in 2077 and the IRFU have to use Croke Park again thus sparking off another media frenzy ———–
Have yiz had enuff yet !
We of Republican Sinn Féin are the nucleus, which represents what Emmet represented, the soul of Ireland, the prophetic shock minority, those who are neither purchased nor intimidated
Not really anything to do with the picture, just think that “prophetic shock minority” bit was kind of cool. Completely meaningless but still cool.
It would also have been nice if The Soul of Ireland could have written the sign in their native rather than The Oppressors tongue.
OK have a crac at the kids expense, but surly he is doing what most of us want him to do, protesting peacefully against some thing he disagrees with. What would his critics prefer, he puts a balaclava on and goes out in the dead of night?
Myself I feel this has little to do with centuries old hatreds, although they are undoubtedly present, but it is also an attempt to defend a national game from the juggernaut of more popular international sports. Many see what happened at Croke park as the thin end of the wedge and it is interesting the media has made such a brouhaha about this, when in reality it is only a small minority who have protested.
Odd that the paper neglected to point out the gaffe by the protestor.
smcgiff: Odd that the paper neglected to point out the gaffe by the protestor.
It might have been a bit too obvious. And are we sure that isn’t ‘Cal’ behind the placard?
It IS the thin edge of the wedge, hlmch@gmail.com. Opening onto a world of civility, irony, humour, parody, narcissism and sublimated nationalism… and not a word of it in Irish!
I tried to come up with a funny caption – but some things are just beyond parody.
Mickhall.
I’m not sure I get your point. Ought we to be grateful that this idiot isn’t donning a balaclava and expressing his hatred in a more direct way?
Why should I ever be grateful that someone hasn’t chosen to try and kill me and mine?
The so called armed struggle was every bit as stupid and self defeating as that photograph is, though not as easy to laugh at, considering the consequences.
Is this what SF is delivering in the “Ireland of Equals”? Clearly there is some way to go.
Let there be a ban Ireland taking part in ANY international competition until they grow up. Be it rugby, soccer or tiddly-winks ban Ireland from those competitions until they decide to play the sport/event with any team in the event and move on from playing politics.
I understand what happened 1920 was wrong and the scars are still raw but I don’t think any National team should be able to cherry pick who they will and who they won’t participate with.
ireland should move on or be left out in the cold to play on it’s own and let that fella in the icture play with himself!
Silently, Geraldine cursed herself for listening to the online dating expert’s suggestion to arrange a first meeting in a public place.
(Henry, #4 still has my vote)
mickhall
What he could argue is that he was only protesting about the playing of foreign games in Croke Park because of historical and other reasons (throw in something about the German team not playing in Auschwich) In order to prove he has no problem with foreign gamers per se he wore the jersey of his favourite team.
It’s a shame that the subtlety of his point was lost on some commentators but then everything looks yellow to the jaundiced eye. Our comrade remains a republican, a socialist and an internationalist.
“OK have a crac at the kids expense, but surly he is doing what most of us want him to do, protesting peacefully against some thing he disagrees with.”
The irony of it all though mick is that he is blissfully unaware of the complete contradiction – its not a pop at republicanism, or RSF or whatever, its the complete daftness exhibited here. Indeed anybody that would use this pic as a broad brush to plaster republicanism is exactly as daft the soccer top wearer (isn’t that right “progressor). Whether or not you agree with the idea behind the sign is completely irrelevant – the fact is somebody was caught out a cracker. He deserves a good piss taking!
Carling don’t do protests. But if they did, they would be the crummiest little protests in the world….. But, if that was Carlsberg..
“DUP protesters make new demands of SF.”
It’s true…. I’m a Cultic supporter.
Below the belt or not, Henry’s comment is priceless.
NO TO FOREIGN GAMES..
Perhaps on the reverse it says –
“are alike” or..
“Welsh Euro Qualifier – tickets required” or
“Buy the Irish Sport”
“faceless protester loses head”
“Brian Ashton goes to extraordinary lengths to avoid post-match press conference”
it is also an attempt to defend a national game from the juggernaut of more popular international sports.
mickhall,
The guy is wearing a Celtic top. All this stuff about defending a national game is bullshit, that is what the photograph clearly shows.
[Also notice that the jogging bottoms are Nike. I guess RSF's supporters are not concerning themselves with mulitnational corporations with a long and sorry reputation for exploiting third-world labour. ]
http://www.flickr.com/photos/xshayx/401223209/
‘Go back to Lansdowne’
ffs lads we havn’t even got the planning permission through yet.
This photograph sums up the intellect of the argument that was trying to made.
Just like when Sinn Fein when only a few years ago they tried to stop rule 21 from being abolished (rule 21 was to stop members of the police in NI to be able to participate in GAA games).
Sinn Fein would obviously have to change their stance on this now, just like most things that they once believed in.
Protestor inadvertantly mocks self by supporting Queen’s no.1
“Radio GAA GAA”
Am I the only one to be impressed by the whiteness of the whites. Either that gear was brand new or straight from the machine.
A triumph of medium over message in a very post-modern way.
Steve Staunton’s desperation to avoid away fixtures reaches a new low….
roger
Another classic from that flickr account:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/xshayx/401223211/in/set-72157594554448728/
“Hill 16 is Gaelic Only”?
Do you have to take an ethnicity test before they’ll sell you a ticket?
Is there an examiner checking your verb declensions at the turnstiles?
Caption:
At Croke park, a small disorganised rabble turns up, resists the idea of playing rugby there, and then goes home….but enough about the English rugby team…
Personally, I think the young-fella is a securocrat plant!
“YES TO FOREIGN BEERS”
“HEY ABEL, GREEN LABEL”
‘Celtic supporter protests against possibility of GAA games at Parkhead’
Hurling Abuse?
The protesters are clearly fanatics who seem to have difficulties with everyone and to be honest, taking the p*ss out of them is the best solution.
But at least it was peaceful.
The problems surrounding politics/sectarianism reared its ugly head again yesterday during the Linfield v Donegal Celtic game at Windsor Park. Linfield were forced to make a public appeal to its fans to stop singing sectarian songs and chanting sectarian slogans.
It was clearly audible on the radio yesterday afternoon and i’m not sure what Linfield’s Catholic players make of being called ‘fenian b*stards’ etc…. The situation was not helped with dc fans being called ‘fenian ba*tards’ by Linfield stewards as they left the ground.
Some sports have further to travel in the tolerence side of things
“throw in something about the German team not playing in Auschwich”
Jesus, republican’s capacity for delusional victimhood never ceases to appal and amaze.
No wonder this twisted form of fascism left so many graves of the innocent in its wake.
peter look up. something just went over your head.
circle,
I agree. Some, I fear, will never get past the idea that the A-hole featured in the pictured is the victim of some broader attack on Republicanism. It is not. However, as if proof were necessary, it does show that irony has not gone away you know!
“The man from Del Monte, he say no!”