Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Mr Paisley goes to Dublin Town…
Ian Paisley is to meet the Taoiseach in Dublin today (don’t expect any snowballs to be thrown), in what is being billed (sound file) as a significant consolidation of the ‘new dispensation’.
Mick Fealty @ 09:36 AM
http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/0404/northpolitics.html
Jaysus, sounds like he just stopped short of a peck on the cheek.
I suppose if you’re going to do something you’ve previously been reticent about, it’s best to do it with gusto.
Still, good to see.
Posted by on Apr 04, 2007 @ 10:48 AMThe new Bertie & Ian Stop SF Show.
Well, actually the DUP probably don’t care so much about SF in the South right now so I assume there must be money at stake.
Posted by on Apr 04, 2007 @ 11:07 AMIP will be throwing in the ball at the Ulster final next at this rate !
Posted by on Apr 04, 2007 @ 11:39 AMJust hear the press conference - reasonably positive, but must say that I found it pretty pettily offensive that Paisley couldn’t bring himself to address Bertie by his official title - even his own Prime Minister (Blair) manages it without difficulty. Then again, common courtesy was never the old blusterers strong point.......
Posted by on Apr 04, 2007 @ 12:06 PMHo Hum . Paisley won’t need any tips from Bertie on how to achieve ‘power’ but he might want to listen to our ‘Machiavelli’ if he wants to stay in ‘power’.
I would not be surprised if we see Paisley addressing a joint session of Dail and Senate in the not too distant future .
BTW whatever happened to Queenie’s visit ?
Posted by on Apr 04, 2007 @ 01:07 PMWould Big Ian be interested in Stan’s job....?
Posted by on Apr 04, 2007 @ 01:18 PMMacswiney, did you leave an “a” out just before the “t”. ;-)
Only joking - Big Ian has moved on and so should we.
Posted by on Apr 04, 2007 @ 01:56 PM...and a news report I’ve just heard said that the Big Man said he was “proud of his Irish heritage” or suchlike...is this correct?? And if so, are there a few True Blue DUP-ers burning their membership cards and/or having a nervous breakdown as we speak??
Seriously though, hallelujah and praise the lord, things are moving on! Any bets on Bertie, Big Ian and Gerry cheering on Norn Iron at Windsor for the next home match??!
Posted by on Apr 04, 2007 @ 02:04 PMDon’t be surprised if Rome is the next stop on IP’s agenda…
Posted by on Apr 04, 2007 @ 02:21 PM‘“proud of his Irish heritage” or suchlike...is this correct??’
*Drops off chair* I’ve my doubts - even in his most jovial of moods the best I’ve ever heard him discribe himself was, ‘Scots-Irish’.
Posted by on Apr 04, 2007 @ 02:22 PMThat’s quite encouraging; it’s good to see the leaders of unionism engaging with the south free from their customary stunt n’ gesture manner of yore.
I’m not so sure that it was worth £400 million of Irish taxpayers’ money, however. At that rate of expenditure, it’ll cost us a couple of billion for a kiss on the cheek.
Posted by on Apr 04, 2007 @ 02:25 PMBig Ian - for all his faults - has always acknowledged the importance of Irishness in his identity.
Quotes from the 1980s:
“I was born on the island of Ireland. I have Irish traits in me...and I am an Irishman because you can’t be an Ulsterman without being an Irishman.”
I would argue that Ian and his loyal deputy Marty both share another common trait: anti-Englishness.
Posted by on Apr 04, 2007 @ 02:25 PMHe expressed his Irishness in similar terms to Carson’s - mentioning his father joined the UVF of Carson, who’s aim was after all to deliver all of Ireland within the Union.
Now that NI is secure in the Union maybe that should be the next stop - persuading all the deluded people in the South to re-join us British!!!
Posted by on Apr 04, 2007 @ 02:28 PMIP at one time was one of the few unionist politicians who used the phrase “North of Ireland”.
Posted by on Apr 04, 2007 @ 02:31 PMIan Paisley is sowing seeds that will eventually lead to a regional assembly within a New Ireland where the descendents of the plantation have a say over their own affairs.
Posted by on Apr 04, 2007 @ 02:32 PMInterested, why would the Irish want to join an economy that is substantially inferior to ours, and where its citizens are substantially worse off? Improve yourselves and return with an acceptable offer, kid.
Posted by on Apr 04, 2007 @ 02:33 PMInspector Clouseau - by ‘descendents of the plantation’ I take it you mean those with lowland Scots surnames such as Morrison and Adams??
Posted by on Apr 04, 2007 @ 02:40 PMJust a note, but I believe the Reverend Paisley has an Ancient Order of Hibernians sash in his collection. What we are seeing is the greening of the Unionists, and long overdue it is too.
Posted by on Apr 04, 2007 @ 04:03 PMWe have more importantly seen nationalism turn towards a nice pale shade of green. Replacing the vulgar old shade of choice.
Dubliner, the substantial joining up of economies has already occurred. Irish success has came about by rejecting the cul de sac of nationalistic economics and embracing the European Union - where British money was of welcome assistance.
Plus I am not entirely sure that all citizens of the Republic feel better of than those of the Black North. Welfare and Health provision? Social inequality? Crime? Job security?
Posted by on Apr 04, 2007 @ 04:41 PMGrĂ©agĂłir O’ FrainclĂn
I honestly believe it is the complete opposite - it’s the oranging of the South.
Paisley will seduce the Southerners. In a couple of years he will be Granda Ian - the luvlee big muhn. He will steal the thunder from Gerry. The Shinners will demand something and the response in the ROI will be - What Would Ian Want? There’ll even be WWIW wristbands.
You can all quote me on this - when he dies the Tricolour will fly at half-mast from Leinster House.
Posted by on Apr 04, 2007 @ 04:51 PMHear hear! The most ill-judged stance of Northern Protestants has been that of “we’re not Irish, we’re inherently British!”, which, with any exploration of history (ie. the 1798 rebellion and the antagonism between Ulster Presbyterian settlers and the British establishment in America) can be proven to be built on shaky ground...if Unionists proudly described themselves as ‘Irish Unionists’ (as they did in Carson’s era), their politics would be better understood and they would attract a lot more sympathy for their position around the world...the staunch, Union Jack-waving Prod stereotype only appeals to BNP supporters and plays right into the hands of ultra-Nationalists who love to see Unionism looking so unappealing to neutral observers…
Posted by on Apr 04, 2007 @ 04:54 PMI don’t think anyone could have asked more of Dr Paisley than what he did today. He is a class act.
Posted by on Apr 04, 2007 @ 05:11 PMBertie made a good first move with the Somme commemorations last year. Serious heart melter. I think that sort of thing matters to Dr Paisley. The Boyne thing’s a similarily good move.
Posted by on Apr 04, 2007 @ 05:33 PMDr Paisley must look back on his life with some pride. He must be proud that he hounded O’Neill out of office for daring to meet with the Southern PM.
Maybe he objected to O’Neill’s meeting because there were no cross-border bodies? Now that the South is able to interfere in NI’s affairs, Dr Paisley deems it acceptable for the NI First Minister to meet the Southern PM?
Or maybe it’s OK now because he’s the top dog?
Posted by on Apr 04, 2007 @ 05:45 PM“rejecting cul de sac economics” when will NI do the same?
Posted by on Apr 04, 2007 @ 06:17 PM
