Balrog

Out of the ashes

2011-07-01T01:12:00.000+01:00

Not sure if anyone still reads this, well actually I do as my stats show there is still a small but steady group of people who read the old articles and I do seem to get lots of emails from university students asking me questions.

Anyway, I still find it hard to believe it's been over two years since my last blog post. So much has changed in that time. I'm no longer involved in law, I have discovered an interest in business I never knew I had and I have never been happier. I was back in London a month ago and all my old friends who are solicitors are not the same happy people I knew; they are depressed.

I am glad for my legal training and experiences and still do some freelance succession planning and tax advice but my ambition to practise law has gone.

My healthy regime has really kicked in and I enjoy the gym in the same way that I used to enjoy bars. I have quite a bit of weight off with more coming off every week.

The biggest change is that since I last posted I am no longer politically active. I am still nominally a Sinn Féin member but as I am not active I only consider myself to be a supporter these days.

My reasons for not being involved are many and have nothing to do with political or personality disagreements with the party. Time and priorities have changed for me; I can't see myself ever been involved to the extent that I once was.

I still have a very real interest in politics, religion, poetry etc and over the coming weeks and months I intend to start back blogging. The blog will be a more restrained and calmer site than my once youthful exuberance allowed.

Respect will be the order of the day and any attempt to drag the blog back to the way it was at the end will not be allowed.

Like the Phoenix it seems to have come full circle and I am back where I started

No glory for Poppy

2009-11-02T19:06:00.007Z

It's that time of the year again and the issue of the Poppy once again raises its head. Tom McGuirk has produced a blog on the subject over on Slugger. I have a lot of respect for Tom and normally agree with a lot of his writing; on this occasion he is wrong however.

I have already made my feelings on the Poppy known on previous occasions, no point in rehashing them.

I would like to take Tom's article as it' from an Irish Republican perspective.

"For far too long Irish patriots have cast our patriotism in terms of what we are against – Unionists, Britain, the Loyal orders, the blue side of Glasgow and so on, instead of what we are for."

I have to disagree.

Padraig Pearse said once that Davis preached a love of Ireland while Mitchell preached a hatred of England. I find it a bit simplistic but I can at least see where he was coming from.

Irish Republicanism has always been about Ireland and its people; Protestants included. The founders of Irish Republicanism were Protestant and our National Flag is made up of equal sections of Green, White and Orange.

The Proclamation of 1916 sought to unite the majority and the minority, to "cherish all the children of the nation equally", "oblivious to the differences carefully fostered by an alien government".

Indeed in his polemic Murder Machine, which examined the state of the Irish education system, Pearse was almost overcome with joy at the thought of young Protestant children in the Sandy Row area blasting the Pope "as gaelige".

So Tom is wrong when he suggests that Republicanism has always been cast in terms of what we object to.

After 800 years of theft, rape and murder I think the Irish people are entitled to a mild antagonism towards the British state, more so when you consider that this country is still partitioned.

It was Unionism that opposed "Rome Rule", "Never, Never, Never" and "No Surrender".

Republicanism on the other hand holds that "Our revenge will be the laughter of our children"

A bit of perspective wouldn't go amiss.

"I prefer to define my republicanism in terms of what I support. I’m for liberty, for freedom from the need to fear my Government. I’m for basic, decent equality between people regardless of creed or country or colour. I’m for helping those in need of help. Those values are universal, and I’m proud that they have been adopted by a modern, outward looking Irish Republic.

But there’s an important point to me about those values. They are ideas, and rights, that have been paid for dearly with other men’s blood."

I agree; that's why I wear my Easter lily every year to remember all of Irelands Patriot dead who fought and died for Irish Freedom.

"Others who defend Irish poppy wearers point out that some of the blood spilt in their defence was Irish – and it was – but that’s not the point. I’m sick of having to justify my poppy with the argument that it’s ok to wear it because “Irish men died as well”. They did, and I honour them, but I would wear it anyway even if they did not."

Let's get something straight, WWI had nothing to do with freedom. It was about Imperialism clear and simple. A war in which working class men from around the world died in the trenches for the glory of their Imperialist masters.

All this talk of Irishmen who died needs to be set in context as well.

What exactly did they die for? For small Catholic Belgium? The glory of the British Empire?

My arse!

One section of Irish men, those of the Ulster Covenant section, went to fight in order to continue oppression in Ireland. To uphold the Protestant ascendency and to ensure the voice of the minority continued to rule over the majority. When that failed they threatened Civil War and then created a bastarised state based on a sectarian headcount.

How noble!

The other section went to fight for the British under the sad delusion that it would secure Home Rule. They wished to have the crumbs they were promised from the Butchers table as opposed to their birthright of freedom.

How patriotic!

The last section was perhaps the most honest if not the most loathsome. They are the ones who went to fight for the silver. How noble, patriotic and brave it must be to kill other men for money.

No better than a common mercenary.

These are men raised up for others to admire? I have more respect for the man who stayed at home and starved rather than bloody his soul in that Imperialist poker game.

"I wear the poppy because the battle against Nazism was a battle fought on behalf of humanity, and not just on behalf of Britain. I wear it because I’m glad men of all colours and creeds gave their lives to liberate Belsen, and because I’m happy that Europe is free and democratic for the most part. It could have been so different of those men and women had just decided to sit at home."

If that was the case you would be wearing a hammer and sickle as opposed to a poppy. It was the USSR that defeated Nazism. 4 out of 5 Nazi's killed were killed by soldiers of the Soviet Union. You couldn't honour them though, after all they were Communists and what would the neighbours think.

"Some values are universal. If my poppy shows that I stand with those people, and honour their sacrifice, then I don’t care whether it supports the Royal British Legion financially or not, nor whether it is worn by the Queen, or members of the SAS. They wear it out of loyalty to country. I wear it out of respect for a generation who laid down their lives so that my life is free."

I have no problem wearing a symbol to remember all those who died in both World Wars but it will be a cold day in hell before I wear a symbol that remembers and honours British Crown forces.

An Irish Republican would no more wear a Poppy than a Turkey would lament the passing of Christmas

What price is your freedom worth?

2009-09-27T18:49:00.006+01:00

This Friday the Irish people go to the polls to vote on a treaty they already rejected last year. Such is the way of the EU Elite, if at first you don't get the right answer then ask until you do.

I have followed this campaign with a great deal of interest and a lot of anger.

The "Yes" side have been scaremongering to the nth degree. No mention on the benefits of the Treaty only messages of fear about job loses and being pariahs of Europe.

I am of the firm belief that the vast majority of the Yes side have never read the treaty. I say this as not one of them can answer a question about the treaty.

I read the Lisbon treaty and in total it took me about 2 days to read it properly when you consider all the existing treaties it refers to.

I watched Primetime during the week and viewed the so-called debate between Michael O'Leary and Michael Gangley.

Now I am no friend of Gangley but O'Leary is a complete and utter pompous bastard!

He proved to me that he has never read the treaty because the only things he talked about were how many jobs he creates in Ireland, how Gangley was a failed politician and how all of Gangley's valid points were nonsense.

I don't fly with Ryanair because I prefer the service and quality of Aer Lingus but I will never fly with Aer Lingus again if O'Leary ever gets his hands on them.

Vincent Browne and Tom McGurk have excellent articles on the subject in the SBP today.

I live in hope that the Irish people will have the courage to reject the Lisbon treaty again on Friday but my heart says that they will capitulate to the threats of the establishment.

Judas sold his soul for 30 pieces of silver; I only hope that those who vote “Yes” on Friday have got a good enough deal for theirs.

Our forefathers would be turning in their graves at this craven act of capitulation.

By the people, for the people

2009-09-26T23:40:00.006+01:00

While I am an Irish Republican I am also a Republican in the international sense as well.

I have never understood how anyone could be so deluded as to believe that just because a person was born of a certain womb that they should be superior and entitled to rule.

Now I have never been one to force my beliefs on others and if the British wish to be ruled over by a Monarch then such is their choice.

I do however have quite a few English Republican friends who wish to see their Nation transformed into a Republic.

I bring this up after reading an excellent article in the Independent by Johann Hari on the late English Queen Mother.

His opening paragraph sets the scene perfectly

"It must be exhausting to be a monarchist, forever finding ways to pretend a family of cold, talentless snobs are better than the rest of us. They have to make gold out of mud. The system of monarchy – selecting a head of state solely because of the womb they passed through, and surrounding them with sycophants from the moment they emerge – produces warped and dim people and demands that we scrape before them."

Her love of bloodlines, Adolf Hitler and oppulence combined with her dislike of Aids victims, lepers and "black folk" leave me in no doubt as to her pedigree.

That anyone would bow or curtsey to a craven individual like the one mentioned above makes my skin crawl.

"All men are born with equal rights, and in associating together to protect one another and share public burdens, justice demands that such associations should rest upon a basis which maintains equality instead of destroying it. We therefore declare that, unable longer to endure the curse of monarchical government, we aim at founding a republic, based on universal suffrage, which shall secure to all the intrinsic value of their labour.”

The Fenians, Irish Republic - Proclamation

Andio sas

2009-09-17T22:40:00.003+01:00

I leave for Crete early in the morning and I won't be back until Sunday week due to a much needed stop over in London on my way home.

I will pop in from time to time so please keep it civil otherwise I will enable comment moderation.

It must be a sign that I'm getting older that I have packed 3 books to read while on holiday.

Still one can always drimk and read at the same time lol.

Rid the world of WMD

2009-09-16T19:13:00.004+01:00

I don't support any country having Nuclear weapons so a proposed US Security Council resolution seeking to reduce their number has to be positive.

That said I would be lying if I said that the nature of this debate is riddled with rank hypocrisy.

The draft resolution does not name specific countries, but it clearly has North Korea and Iran in mind when it says the council "deplores in particular the current major challenges to the non-proliferation regime that the Security Council has determined to be threats to international peace and security".

America is the only country to have launched Nuclear weapons over a civilian population; over 220,000 Japanese were murdered during this revenge exercise.

Despite what Neocons might say there was not, nor can there ever be any justification for such a bombing.

When countries like Israel, India, Pakistan and their fellows have Nuclear weapons it doesn't fill me with any degree of safety.

America should use its considerable influence to rid the world of Nuclear weapons; that would be a lasting legacy to the 21st Century.

China annoyed that Obama protects US jobs

2009-09-16T18:51:00.003+01:00

The first priority of any Government should be the well being of the citizens of that country.

It should come as no surprise to anyone that President Obama raised tarrifs on Chinese tyres in order to safeguard 5,000 US jobs.

What I do find surprising is that a so-called "Communist" government would be arguing against protectionism in order to save workers jobs.

China is about as Communist a country as the Vatican.

China is a repressive, anti-worker regime with serious Human Rights violations in Tibet.

A society were all are equal but some are more equal than others.

The Lost Symbol

2009-09-15T19:03:00.003+01:00

I am a fan of Dan Brown's books; Angels and Demons more so than the Da Vinci Code.

His new book about the Freemasons is out today, "The Lost Symbol", and I purchased it this afternoon to read while I am on holiday in Greece next week.

I like his ability to captivate the reader and intermingle limited facts with complete fiction in order to keep the reader interested.

I didn't like either of the movie adaptations but then again I feel the same about the Harry Potter films.

Apart from Lord of the Rings I have never liked the movie adaptation of a book that I loved.

There is an interesting review of the book in The Observer today.

Holy Lands a dumping ground for Sex Offenders

2009-09-15T18:34:00.004+01:00

I see that the issue of placing Sex Offenders into the community has once again raised its head.

Vincent Parker, a member of the local DPP, has obtained information that 120 Sex Offenders are living in the South Belfast area.

The Sinn Féin representative said he was making the call in light of concerns raised following recent high profile cases in the area.

He said locals were also worried about the number of hostels in the area used to house those accused of sexual offences.

"The reality is, there is a need for rehabilitation and resettlement of offenders across the north, but I think, in particular, south Belfast has become a bit of a dumping ground".

"We when talk about south Belfast, I think we are mainly focusing on the university/Botanic area where anecdotally residents are saying that there are number of bail hostels".

I'm not suprised to hear this as it was something that was talked about a lot when I lived in the Botanic area of Belfast.

South Belfast, in particular the Holy Lands/Botanic/Stranmillis area, is home to a large student population.

The recent rape cases in this area give us all great cause for concern.

I can remember during exam time the Seamus Heaney opened 24hrs in order to aid students in their study.

I lost count of the amount of times that I walked female friends’ home at three and four in the morning.

The reality was that the girls were not comfortable walking home on their own.

I find the decision to house Sex Offenders in an area where they have access to a very large number of young, sometimes drunk, women to be reprehensible in the extreme.

I am not a great believer in rehabilitation for Sex Offenders; I find them to be the lowest of the low.

I have carried out Pro Bono work for women in crisis centres and witnessed first hand the lasting damage that these "people" can do to women and young children.

The Liberal masses, normally from Middle Class areas, cry out that we need to house these people and that it is only right that they get a second chance.

How come they are always rehoused in Working Class areas?

It’s all well and dandy to pontificate about rehabilitation when it isn't your daughter/sister/niece at risk.

How about we move these half way houses to Malone Road type areas and see how long it is before they are removed.

Don't risk someone else’s childs safety when you would not risk your own!

Sinn Féin call for NAMA Referendum

2009-09-14T21:04:00.002+01:00

Sinn Féin has called for all-party support with regards to a referendum on controversial NAMA legislation.

Arthur Morgan, Sinn Féin's Finance spokesman, called for politicians to sign a petition for President Mary McAleese demanding a popular vote.

Arthur said the proposed toxic assets agency was too important not to be put to the people.

“The consequences of NAMA are so serious for the Irish people today and for future generations that the legislation should be referred to the vote of the people,” he said.

Arthur said that Article 27 of the Constitution provides that the President may refuse to sign a Bill if it contains a proposal of such national importance that the public should be consulted.

“This has never been done before but if ever there was a Bill that contains proposals of such national importance that the will of the people should be sought, then NAMA is it.”

The NAMA legislation is to be debated in the Dáil on Wednesday, with Finance Minister Brian Lenihan due to outline more details about the controversial plan.

“As we state in our draft of the petition, NAMA would place an intolerable burden on state finances for the benefit of private property speculators, developers and corrupt bankers,”

“It would penalise our citizens now and in the future, entailing cuts in vital public services and higher taxes and levies which will fall most heavily on the weaker sections of the community.

“Let the people decide.”

This is a very sensible and reasonable request that everyone should support.

I suspect that both Fianna Fáil and the Green Party will oppose it however. Such is the mess that they have landed the country in that they fear the public response.

When a Government fears the opinion of the public you know that said Government needs to be replaced.

In a Republic the people are Sovereign, not the bankers, the developers or corrupt politicians.

The President has a duty to stand up for Irish Citizens.

Under Article 8.8 of Bunreacht Na hÉireann the President swears to dedicate their "abilities to the service and welfare of the people of Ireland".

This is one such case where the President should refuse to sign the bill and defer to Article 27 of the Constitution.

Let the people decide!

"The unexamined life is not worth living"

2009-09-13T21:43:00.004+01:00

Those are the words of Socrates at his trial for heresy. He was on trial for encouraging his students to challenge the accepted beliefs of the time and think for themselves.

I don't pretend to be a modern day Socrates, far from it, but I do try to examine my life, destination and beliefs as much as possible.

One of the clear advantages of having a blog with my writing style is that I am able to go back these last four years and see how much I have changed, or not.

In two months time I will be 25, a bit of a milestone.

When I first started this blog I was 20 and I am a very different person now compared to back then. In many ways I am much more comfortable in my own skin, I know who I am and who I am not.

When I first started blogging I was a heathen Socialist with a great desire to fight, it didn't matter what I was fighting or arguing against so long as I was fighting.

Looking back on some of my blog posts and comments I've thought "Did I really believe that?"

I am now much more in touch with my faith and I grateful for that gift. Friends who have known me for a long time are quite shocked by my change with regards to religion.

At 15 I was very anti-Church, concerned only with the material benefit of the working class through the advancement of Communism.

I am still a left wing Socialist but guided now by an even stronger Catholic faith that provides meaning to empty words.

I am now much more suspect of the "isms". I am suspect of those who judge only by a label. I am much more concerned by the soul of a man.

What do they really believe that and do their actions bear fruit to that belief?

You can call yourself a Socialist till the cows come home but if you engage in anti-Socialist practises then your words are empty and you are either a political whore to be bought at the highest price or an opportunist.

I have time for neither.

I am also much less politically active than I once was.

When I was 20 I was the Chair of the QUB Cumann, a member of the officer board back home in my own Cumann and also involved in Chomhairle Ceantair activities in both South Belfast and South Armagh as well as being a member of the South Armagh Demil Committee.

At the moment I haven't been involved in political activities since the last election.

Work leaves my time much more constrained in a way that it wasn't during University but I am starting to feel that it is something different.

I got involved in Republican politics to effect change, to make a difference and I don't see much change being enacted at the moment.

I have a lot of thinking to do over the coming weeks and months.

In many ways I am much more questioning of norms than I once was. At 20 I had a lot of sacred cows and a lot of those have been slain.

As a result I am much more open to questioning direction and arguments than perhaps I once was.

I enjoy looking back over the blog pages to see how different, or not, that I have become.

There are lots of changes that I want to make in my life including career as well as personal.

I want to include much more travel into my life and think a move to a more global firm may offer that opportunity. We are in a recession and so opportunities are limited but that won't always be the case.

When I first started my legal career I thought that Criminal and Family were the areas that I wished to practise in. That has now changed and I am drawn much more to the Tax and Corporate route.

I want to learn a new language and I want to change other parts of life including perhaps further study.

At the moment these are only internal conversations but over the coming months I intend to place them into action.

A change of scenery is in the offing and that may be either Dublin or, if I can arrange it, New York.

I'd like to spend some time in the States and my ex works for the New York State Prosecutors office and loves it.

She has been trying to convince me to go out for quite a while.

I'm at a cross roads in my life and knowing what to do for the best is difficult.

The only thing I wish to avoid is regrets

I'm reminded of the quote from Polonius in Hamlet

"This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man"

Jus Sanguinis and the Irish Diaspora

2009-09-09T21:04:00.004+01:00

For those not versed in the Latin language "Jus Sanguinis" means Right of Blood.

It's a social policy that determines Nationality/Citizenship not by place of birth but by ancestor/race/blood.

Jus Sanguinis is the opposite of "Jus Soli" which is a Right of Soil policy which advocates citizenship by place of birth.

Most countries make up their citizenship law by having a mixture of both.

I bring this up because the Irish Diaspora has no "right of return".

Currently anyone who is Irish but has ancestors that left after the generation of Grand Parents are turned down and told they aren't welcome.

I oppose this policy.

Many people left this country because of repression by the British in the 1800's as well as the effects of the Great Famine.

Why should their offspring be denied a place in Ireland?

I remember watching a programme by David McWilliams which called the Irish Diaspora our great untapped resource.

Many people accuse Sinn Féin, quite wrongly in my opinion, of being soft on immigration.

I am not a dyed in the wool Liberal when it comes to immigration.

I don't believe in a complete open door policy. I lived in London for a while and saw at first hand what a cesspit certain parts of it have become as a result of that policy.

I'm talking about places where it would not be safe to walk down the road alone.

I don't believe in multi-culturalism, I believe in integration. I know this sounds rich coming from an Irish man. The Irish aren't known for their integration except in one country, America.

There are many things about America that I admire but one of the biggest things, after their Constitution, is the fact that every immigrant you speak to calls themselves American first and only mention their other ethnicity afterwards.

They stand under the same flag and support their country; they act as one.

I believe that an Irish person born in Argentina, who has respect for our culture, language, customs, pastimes and history has more right to be in this country than a person from a different country with no ties to us at all.

I'm not talking about closing off immigration for anyone who hasn't got Irish blood.

What I am asking is that we repay the huge debt that we owe the Diaspora and give them their right of return.

DUP calling for an official role in Irish Government body

2009-09-09T20:47:00.002+01:00

It's not an April fool; it's the request of 6 County Finance Minister Sammy "Stripper" Wilson.

Sammy has called for the 6 County Executive to have an official role in the 26 Counties NAMA body.

What a shame that the first time the DUP encourage North South Co-Operation that I have to oppose the body concerned.

Such concern for the economies on both parts of Ireland is to be welcomed however.

Economics will be the final nail in the coffin of partition; it's not a question of if but when.

British Army has no place in South Armagh

2009-09-09T20:38:00.003+01:00

One of the objectives of these so called dissident Republicans is to get the British Army back on to our streets and lanes.

They seek to escalate the situation in the hope that the British will resort to their age old tricks of brutality and thus create popular support for their "campaign".

They should remember that one swallow doesn't make a summer anymore than two dead soldiers and a cop make an armed campaign.

With this is mind I am glad to hear that the NIO have rubbished the suggestion of sending in British troops.

British troops have no place in South Armagh; they are not wanted and will never be viewed as anything other than an occupying force.

Dissidents and Unionists may wish to see Crown forces back on the hills in South Armagh but their wet dream will not come to pass.

Any attempt to reintroduce Crown forces will move the conflict to a different level.

No sane minded person wants that.

Robinson living in a fantasy world

2009-09-08T19:11:00.003+01:00

Peter Robinson must be still knocking out; sorry, knocking back the cooking Sherry with Iris.

In an "inspirational" speech he has called for a drastic overhaul of the Assembly's voting rules and an end to community designation also known as Unionist Rule.

Martin McGuinness accused the first minister of returning from his Florida holiday suffering from sunstroke and spending "too much time at Disneyland".

“Peter Robinson’s comments do not represent the Office of First and Deputy First Minister.

The speech made by Mr Robinson is symptomatic of the mixed messages emanating from the DUP over recent times. In my view Peter Robinson is making the same mistakes that David Trimble made in the past; I have stated previously that Peter must not succumb to continually looking over his shoulder in fear of Jim Allister and those within his own party who are opposed to equality and partnership. The present process presents challenges for all of us, however there remains those within the DUP who have deep rooted opposition to equality and partnership government.

It is not surprising that these new proposals emerge in the wake of Sinn Fein becoming the largest party following the European elections. The very fact that Peter’s remarks are in themselves confused and uncertain, in that he advocates a 65% vote in the Assembly, yet unanimity at the Executive, goes some way in highlighting just where the DUP are currently at in relation to moving the process of delivery forward.

Peter’s proposals appear to be some attempt to create the conditions where other parties can gang up on Sinn Féin, that will not be allowed to happen.

The propositions expressed by the DUP leader are fantasy politics.

The rights and safeguards secured under the Good Friday Agreement cannot and will not be changed, these safeguards are a fundamental part of the Agreement and the institutions that flow directly from it and they are here to stay. The people of Ireland overwhelming endorsed these arrangements at referendum and it is ludicrous to suggest they are in some way undemocratic; they were negotiated for because they were and are necessary."

I agree entirely.

The reason that we need to have these voting systems in place is because Unionists are not yet house trained in equality and respect for those outside their community.

The Irish Language Act is a prime example of this. This was agreed at St Andrew's yet as soon as the DUP get their hands on the levers of power they renege on the deal.

The devolution of Policing and Justice is another example of how the DUP's word can not be trusted.

There will be no return to Unionist Rule! Robinson must think we are stupid! The last time I checked Turkey's didn't vote for Christmas.

These safeguards are in place because of decades of Unionist misrule, they will not be removed!

End this madness!

2009-09-08T18:43:00.003+01:00

Last night was the first time in years that I heard helicopters flying over the house; as a child I used to count them instead of sheep.

It follows from the news that the police have discovered a 600lb bomb just outside Forkhill near the Louth border.

I know the area well as I have friends that live near it and my Mother’s family used to have a large country house down the road from it at Dungooley.

A house and land now owned by none other than Lord Ballyedmond, a far out cousin through no fault of my own.

Now this action is far from heroic by these brave sons of Ireland, it is stupid and dangerous.

Their actions do not hasten us to victory or freedom, all they offer is death and misery.

Planting a bomb of this size in a Republican area close to where young children play shows just how reckless these people are.

These people want the British Army back on our streets and lanes and I and others in South Armagh oppose that.

These people have little to no support in our area but they abuse the age old South Armagh tradition of "say nothing till you hear more" or silence in the common tongue.

These people are not Oglaigh Na hÉireann and this is not the 70's; there is another way.

These people are forcing us to a place that none of us want to inhabit, they should be careful what they wish for.

Frazer has some neck

2009-09-07T22:33:00.004+01:00

Most people who have visited Balrog over the years will know that I have an intense dislike for Willie Frazer, not because he is a Protestant bigot but because he is a fantasist, a liar and hypocrite.

I see that he has been appointed onto the new Victims Forum.

My problem with Frazer is that he attempts to create a hierarchy of victimhood with his talk of innocent victims yet his own Father, who he claims was just in the UDR, was in fact a member of a quasi-state Unionist death squad, also known as the Glenanne Gang.

William McCaughey, an RUC member, and Robert McConnell, whom Frazer also claims as an innocent victim, were also members.

In fact McCaughey claimed on BBC that the Glenanne Gang had intended to murder up to 30 school children in Belleeks Primary School in South Armagh in retaliation for the IRA murders in Kingsmill (itself a retaliation for the murder of 11 innocent Catholics over a period of 1o days).

They decided to call it off for fear of the IRA response, Civil War I expect.

I bring this up, again, because another member of the Victims Forum is Alan Bracknell. His Father was murdered when the Glenanne Gang bombed Donnelly's bar in Silverbridge.

My point is thus

How can Frazer, with a straight face and clear conscience, describe his Father and Robert McConnell as innocent victims while sitting across the table from Alan Bracknell.

Knowing that his Father and Uncle were responsible for Trevor Bracknell's death?

A new forum for Irish Unity

2009-09-07T20:54:00.004+01:00

I'm going to do something that I have never done before on Balrog; I'm going to agree with something Mark Durkan has said.

Mark has called for a new forum on Irish Unity to be made up of all Irish Nationalist parties.

“We must reassure Unionists that our vision of unity is not one connived out of threat or defiance.

“That our 21st century vision for unity is not just about righting wrongs or addressing grievances, it is about our sense of destiny and purpose.

“Therefore, I repeat my call to all parties to return if not to the forum for peace and reconciliation then to a similar forum that addresses this business."

I have always argued that Unity is not the sole preserve of Sinn Féin but the responsibility of all Irish Republicans.

I would go a step further though; I would make this into a national conversation and I would invite all the political parties of the nation, Unionists included.

Now I'm sure that many will call me naive.

I just don't understand how we can talk about the future of our country and leave out at least 15-20% of it.

Now many would argue that Unionism would not participate, and that may be true but perhaps we can help by how we frame the debate.

If we keep the heading of Irish Unity then that covers a multitude of areas, not just political/geographical.

There is no reason why this forum should not discuss areas of co-operation between North and South as well as the ultimate solution.

None of them might participate but that doesn't mean that they should not be asked.

Our National Flag is made up of Green, White and Orange; designed to show the peace between Catholics and Protestants under the common name of Irishmen.

Even with such a simple design many do not understand it.

Many Unionists on this site have argued that I do a disservice to my National Flag by attacking the Orange order as they represent one third of my National Flag.

They don't!

The Orange part of the flag does not equate to the Orange Order anymore than the AOH represent the Green part.

The Orange part represents Protestantism, not Unionism.

John Mitchel is represented by the Orange part of the flag yet his paper the United Irishmen had this line

"That the Irish people had a distinct and indefeasible right to their country, and to all the moral and material wealth and resources thereof, to possess, to govern the same, for their own use, maintenance, comfort and honour, as a distinct Sovereign State; that it was within their power and their manifest duty to make good and exercise that right; that the life of one peasant was as precious as the life of one nobleman or gentleman; that the property of the farmers and labourers of Ireland was as sacred as the property of all the noblemen and gentlemen in Ireland, and also immeasurably more valuable; that the Tenant Right custom should be extended to all Ulster, and adopted and enforced by common consent in the other three provinces; that every man who paid taxes should have an equal voice with every other man in the government of the State and the outlay of those taxes; that no man at present had any "legal" rights or claim to the protection of any law and that all "legal" and constitutional agitation "in Ireland was a delusion; that every freeman, and every man who desired to become free, ought to have arms, and to practise the use of them; that no "combination of classes" in Ireland was desirable, just, or possible save on the terms of the rights of the industrious classes being acknowledged and secured; and that no good thing could come from the English Parliament or the English Government".

Even all these years later it's a philosophy that I hold dear. Like Irish Republicanism itself, it was founded by our Protestant brethren.

On the other hand Sir Denis Henry is represented by the Green part of the flag

A Catholic who gave total support to the British Empire and who became the first Lord Chief Justice in the newly created Northern state.

We are stronger united than divided and despite what many would like to believe we share more common ground than we do with our British neighbours.

I would like to ask our Protestant friends this

For those of you who oppose the murder of the unborn, which Nation shares your belief?

When it comes to humour, food, social custom and heritage we are one.

Taxing the poor and rewarding the rich

2009-09-07T19:41:00.004+01:00

The decision by the Taxation Commission to recommend taxing Child Benefit, while NAMA seeks to shelter the burden from the property speculators, has brought deep revulsion to my heart.

How deformed and immoral is a society that seeks to reward the rich and punish the poor?

This new "initative" has lead me to think about the words of one of the men I admired the most in the 20th Century. I suspect everyone is thinking, Connolly or Pearse or Sands.

While I admired all these men I was thinking of Dom Helder Camara, a Brazilian Archbishop.

Many will have heard of his famous quote

“When I gave food to the poor, they called me a saint. When I asked why the poor were hungry, they called me a communist.”

A man they called "The Red Bishop" because in their ignorance they believed him a Communist.

His short book, Spiral of Violence, is a must read for anyone interested in social justice.

I am a Catholic Socialist and as such I have deep interest in Liberation Theology as advanced by the late Archbishop.

This was a man who lived Catholic beliefs, he didn't just pontificate them as many in the Church did

He wished to address the underlying causes of poverty, not just putting money in a Trocaire box every lent.

Working for a more equal and fair society does not make you a Communist. Peace can only flourish in Justice's wake!

If you don't get the right answer first time, keep asking until you do

2009-09-03T20:23:00.002+01:00

That is the mentality of the Irish political establishment.

Last year the Irish people voted against the Lisbon treaty.

In a legal referendum they declared by some considerable margin, in Irish constitutional terms, that they were against this decision.

While all the main political parties, with the notable exception of Sinn Féin, supported the treaty and advocated a yes vote, the Irish people in their infinite wisdom said thanks, but no thanks.

Was that democratic decision respected by the political establishment? Was it fuck!

They were summoned by the European elite to explain themselves like a poor boy Oliver instead of a co-equal member state and ordered to explain themselves.

So they had a quick meeting, a few worthless promises with no legal basis were made and voila! Lisbon II.

In response to this attack upon democracy a Tipperary cattle farmer launched Judicial Review proceedings against the legality of a second referendum.

Sadly today for John Burke and Irish democracy that High Court bid was defeated.

Lawyers for the State argued that the proposal to be put to the people on October 2 is significantly different, and that it should be up to the people to decide upon.

How is the treaty different? If the treaty is different then all of the other member states will need to ratify these changes.

Is that going to happen?

This is an attack on Irish democracy and I pray to God that the Irish people stand up to the bully boys and vote No again.

Closing the door after the horse has bolted

2009-09-03T19:53:00.003+01:00

Green Party leader John Gormless has tried to engage in a bit of damage limitation.

Green Party Chairman Dan Boyle predicated that a General Election could be called within the next 6 months because of the challenge with NAMA.

"Getting to January is going to be a challenge," he told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland programme.

Dan Boyle said he thought the probability of an election in the next six months was "40:60".

Dan Boyle was speaking after a poll in The Irish Times today revealed three quarters of the electorate would like to see a change of government and shows Fianna Fáil slipping to a record low of just 17%.

In an attempt to appease his Fianna Fáil masters Gormless was trailed out to counteract the statement from Boyle

“I think the odds are against an early election,”

“But it’s very clear that there are a number of important decisions to be made, not least the Lisbon Treaty; Nama legislation; and renegotiation of the Programme for Government.

“These are all very important matters that will decide the future direction of this country.”

A poll in the Irish Times today was stark reading for both Fianna Fáil and the Green's.

According to the poll satisfaction with the Government is running at just 11 per cent, with 85 per cent of voters expressing dissatisfaction with its performance.

When people were asked who they would vote for if there were a general election tomorrow, the adjusted figures for party support, compared with the last Irish Times poll in May were:

Fianna Fáil, 17 per cent (down three points)
Fine Gael, 34 per cent (down two points)
Labour, 24 per cent (up one point)
Sinn Féin, 10 per cent (up two points)
Green Party, 3 per cent (no change)
Independents/others, 12 per cent (up two points).

While the political class in Leinster House are living in their Ivory tower the average Joe is feeling the fallout from Fianna Fáil's orgy with the property developers and bankers.

NAMA is designed to shelter them from their responsibilities; it will place that burden on future generations who had no part in this depraved political ménage à trois!

I'm starting to think that the leaders of the French revolution had the right idea.

If Lynch had invaded-The Verdict

2009-09-01T22:58:00.002+01:00

I was somewhat apprehensive with the title of the RTÉ documentary "If Lynch had invaded", I was right to be suspicious.

This was a white washing of history and an attempt by the West Brit establishment in Dublin to absolve them for the cowardice they showed in 1969.

The Southern Army was meant to have invaded Newry yet we were shown all their soldiers standing in the middle of a field being shot to pieces and crying. I mean, at least attempt to show a plausible scenario.

We then had the suggestion that if the Dublin government attacked the North they may have been denied entry into the EU.

Do these so-called historians not remember that when Ireland first attempted to join the EEC they couldn't as the French, in the form of De Gaulle, refused to admit Britain?

For goodness sake France supplied Argentina with missiles during the Falkland’s War.

From start to finish this documentary was designed to wash away Southern guilt and had no basis in fact or reality.

As to the suggestion that the British would destroy the Irish soldiers we need to remember this.

For 30 years the British failed to defeat the IRA and could never have defeated the IRA.

How much does a son or daughter go for these days?

2009-09-01T14:55:00.003+01:00

I find myself somewhat perplexed by the suggestion of compensation from Col Gaddafi to the families of those killed by the IRA. At the end of the day Libya is free to offer money to whom ever they like.

That said how is one compensated for the death of a loved one?

Is a Fathers life worth more than a Son? What about a girl-friend, do they count in the claim for compensation?

What if one person hated their father who was killed and another man was madly in love with a girl-friend who was killed, is their lose equal?

I say this as someone genuinely interested in a mature discussion. I am lucky enough to have both my parents and all my brothers still alive and well.

I couldn't imagine any amount of money filling the void that their passing would bring. In fact I would find the very notion of recompense to be an insult to their memory.

Compensation is designed to be something given or received as an equivalent for services, debt, loss, injury, suffering, lack, etc.

It's easy to provide compensation for the loss of a car, house or other possession.

How do you compensate however for the loss of a loved one?

Leaving my main question aside for one moment we also need to remember that the IRA weren't the only aggressors in the war, the British were right up there as well.

Will their victims be compensated as well for their loss? Let's not forget that the British armed and directed proxy Unionist death squads alongside their conventional state forces.

Is a victim of Bloody Sunday worth less than a victim of La Mon? Who decides?

Then we move on to the thorny issue of combatants. I already hear Unionism screaming about "innocent victims". If that was the case then why is Willie Frazer involved in this action against Gaddafi?

Let's not forget that his dead realities were anything but innocent. They were members of the Glenanne Gang, responsible for the Dublin and Monaghan bombings and countless other sectarian murders.

I know that I am generalising here but I have always been struck by the difference between Nationalist/Republican victims calling for the truth and Unionist ones calling for money.

This may seem like a heartless statement but I am forced to believe that for some, perhaps only a small but vocal minority, this is just an excuse to get a few extra pounds.

For money will not bring their loved ones back.

Time to pay the piper

2009-09-01T11:53:00.004+01:00

I welcome the news that Scottish politicians are to make the Orange Order there pay a contribution towards the cost of policing these hate fests or else face a new law restricting the number of parades.

It costs £1.5 Million to police these displays of communal deterrence and that money would be better spent on hospitals, schools and the elderly.

Naturally the Orange Order is none too pleased with this suggestion.

A spokesman for the Orange Order had this to say.

“Parading is an integral part of the Protestant culture,”

Really? Where in the bible does it say that "Thou shalt parade, wear funny hats and try to intimidate thy neighbour"?

England, Holland and large parts of the United States are Protestant yet they don't engage in this kind of bigoted behaviour.

He went on to add

“We are working with the tourist authorities both north and south of the border to attract more visitors to parades and the whole community is benefiting from this."

Really? The whole community benefit from this?

I have an idea. Let's have a vote on the issue and if 75% vote in favour of Orange Order parades and the costs involved then you can parade away to your hearts content.

I also have no problem with a 51% vote carrying the vote.

"As an organisation which relies on voluntary subscriptions, the cost would be crippling for us."

Ahh, my heart bleeds! It may force you to only parade in areas where you are welcome and that would be no bad thing.

“We do not make any profit from our cultural celebrations, it is the community who reap the benefit."

LOL, I don't know what's more hilarious, calling this hate fest a cultural celebration or trying to suggest that the community benefit from it.

"We believe charging cultural organisations for their parades could be a contravention of the European Convention on Human Rights.”

Here's a small piece of free legal advice for our Orange brethren.

The "right" to parade is a qualified right, it's not absolute. It needs to be balanced against the rights of people to live in dignity, free from the naked bigotry of the Orange Order.

Charging these boys and girls for their need to parade in areas where they are not wanted sounds like an excellent idea.

When do we start doing it here?

The Irish government did supply the IRA with guns

2009-09-01T01:37:00.004+01:00

In 1969 the Dublin government supplied the IRA with guns in order to protect Nationalist areas from Unionist and Loyalist attack.

This has always been a disputed fact and lead to the Arms Trial of 1970, the formation of Independent Fianna Fáil by Neil Blaney, the expulsion of Kevin Boland and almost two decades of division in Fianna Fáil.

I have always had some level of admiration for Charlie Haughey, not much but some, and this was a time when he did the right thing in helping out a defenceless community in the North.

Former Stickie Bobby McKnight has admitted to first hand knowledge of one such time.

Belfast man McKnight, who in 1969 was a member of the IRA command staff, states that along with another man he drove to Dublin Airport in September 1969.

There he met then Minister for Finance Charles Haughey’s brother, Jock, and took delivery of several cases of weaponry, which filled his pickup truck, these were then transported to IRA members in Dublin.

While Lynch was making promises other members of the government were actually getting the job done.

A sad attempt at culture

2009-08-31T17:03:00.002+01:00

On Friday night I ended my 9 week alcohol ban and went out with friends from work in Newry. My usual tipple starting off is always a double southern comfort and coke. Last Friday I decided to add a Cosmopolitan as a chaser.

While we were having a few drinks and waiting for the rest of our party to arrive I heard loud drums. Owing to the part of town that we were in I suspected I was in for a treat from our loyal sons of Ulster.

They didn't disappoint.

The South Down Defenders had organised a parade and band "competition", no doubt tested on their strident anti-Catholicism.

There was a minimal police presence and standing outside the Brass Monkey having a smoke I was left to ponder what drove these people to parade and invite over 60 bands from across the North to take part.

There was only 6 people watching these bands and the only people who clapped as the bands passed were the two Stewarts.

All in all it was quite pathetic!

I didn't feel in anyway threatened standing almost side by side with these "loyal brethren".

Though I did find those subdued and pompous looking bands people quite alien to me.

If that is what they call culture then I am glad to be considered uncultured.

What do Unionists get out of these cultural events?

If Lynch had invaded

2009-08-27T16:06:00.009+01:00

That is the title of a new RTÉ documentary to be shown next Tuesday night and it lasts for an hour and a half.

The synopsis of the documentary is presented below

"At 9pm on the 13th August 1969 the Taoiseach Jack Lynch made a dramatic television broadcast on RTÉ which outlined his government’s response to the outbreak of violence in Derry the day before. The crisis marked the greatest challenge to his political career as Lynch declared that “the Irish government can no longer stand by and see innocent people injured and perhaps worse.” What did Lynch mean, and was this a precursor to an armed invasion of Northern Ireland? Co-presented by Keelin Shanley and Tom Clonan, If Lynch Invaded tells the story how Jack Lynch dealt with the crisis of August 1969, and explores what might have happened had the Irish Army crossed the border."

Before we start to look at the entire premise of the documentary I have to take issue with the title.

Invade! That word for me smacks of negative overtones and conjures up images of the British invading foreign countries and subjugating the local inhabitants with a foreign writ and way of life.

You can't invade your own country!

If Lynch had sent the Free State army North it would have been about the assertion of National Sovereignty, Re-Uniting the country and forcing out a foreign invader.

Why not call it "If Lynch had asserted the primacy of Bunreacht Na hÉireann" or "If Lynch had stood up for fellow Irishmen" or "If Lynch had any balls" or "If Lynch wasn't such a total coward, a free-stater and a panderer to the British".

Anything but invade!

I suppose one needs to remember that it is RTÉ we are talking about.

Lynch was never an Irish Republican, not like Kevin Boland and Neil Blaney. He stood idly by as Irishmen and women were killed.

I don' know what would have happened if Lynch had sent troops North, none of us do.

J. Bowyer Bell, in his book about the IRA, suggested that the Brits waited 14 hours before deploying British troops in the hope that the Irish government would send troops North.

Lynch was good about making statements about Irish Unity but when it came to action he always fell short.

An attitude of "I'm alright Jack" pervaded his government with only a few notable exceptions.

"13 gone but not forgotten, we got 18 and Mountbatten"

2009-08-27T13:33:00.003+01:00

That was the graffiti which went up on the gable walls in Republican areas thirty years ago today.

Today marks the 30th Anniversary of the IRA assassination of Lord Louis Mountbatten and the killing of 18 members of the Royal Parachute Regiment at Warrenpoint.

Both Operations were carried out by the South Armagh Brigade of Oglaigh Na hÉireann.

The reference to 13 is in relation to the 13 Irish people that the Parachute Regiment murdered in Derry on Bloody Sunday. It was presented as revenge and was the single biggest loss of life which the Crown forces suffered since the end of WWII.

I watched the RTÉ and TV3 documentaries into the killing of Mountbatten in Mulloghmore.

I can't and won't stand over the killing of the civilians on Shadow V, including Paul Maxwell.

That said as a member of the British Royal family Mountbatten was a legitimate target and he placed those civilians in harms way by coming to an island where his Crown forces still occupied its 6 North Eastern counties.

We can't change the past but we can place the blame on the correct people, the British Establishment.

These people can't expect to deny a people freedom, encage its people in a sectarian bastarised state and then feign shock when the people arise to demand their freedom.

I also don't accept the old chestnut from many left wing people in England and Scotland which tries to remove blame from the average British soldier. They present such soldiers as the victim of the capitalist class system, used and abused by the British elite.

Every British soldier that came to this country had a choice; they choose to take a gun to the throat of the Irish people.

When times were hard many working class English and Scottish men choose the dole rather than the Imperialist Crown Forces. Those are the real men of value.

While I was living in London I had a chance to speak to many of these men. I remember one telling me about how all his friends joined the British army when times were hard. I asked him why he never did.

He told me that they would have had to nail the uniform to his back. He said that he was not put on this earth to deny freedom to others.

The relationship between Ireland and England will always be a complicated one until England releases her hold on our country. That old man in a pub in Camden reminded me that friends come in many forms.

Equality! It's new, strung and shall be heard!

2009-08-24T19:54:00.006+01:00

Unionist's are none too pleased that Irish Republican Ruairí Gildernew took part in the recent Hunger Strike Commemoration in Galbally.

You see Ruairí is also a member of the Tyrone District Policing Partnership.

Unionism seems to think that there is something wrong with a Republican attending a Republican parade; I suspect they are more annoyed that Republicans are actually on the DPP's in the first place.

Ulster Unionist Tom Elliott said his actions were "incompatible" with his DPP role and called on him to resign.

Ruairí said he was on the DPP to represent republican views and would take part in such an event again.

"I think it is entirely a non-issue and Tom Elliott and the like of him are incensed that the republican movement can draw a crowd of 10,000 to 15,000 people into a nationalist area to commemorate the nationalist martyrs of the hunger strike and not one penny of policing resources was spent in policing this,"

DUP assembly member Arlene Foster has called on the Policing Board to investigate Mr Gildernew's presence at the event.

"Ruairí Gildernew, on applying to take up his role as an independent member of Dungannon DPP, signed a declaration stating his opposition to terrorism.

"One wonders how his actions at Galbally can be consistent with such a pledge."

Very simple really Arlene, the IRA are not and never have been a terrorist organisation.

It's about time that Unionism got used to Republican's, we haven't gone away you know!

They offer no chance of victory

2009-08-24T19:24:00.003+01:00

I see that the Real IRA staged a show of "strength" last Friday night in the South Armagh village of Meigh.

Eight men armed with AK47 assault rifles and an RPG mounted road blocks on the outskirts of the village and entered the local pub and distributed leaflets.

These leaflets threatened locals that they should not have contact with the PSNI/Gardaí or Sinn Féin.

From people I have spoken to who were in the pub and who were stopped in their cars they also warned anyone local who was involved in drugs or anti-social elements that they would be dealt with in the near future.

I obviously oppose this action for a multitude of reasons.

1. Armed Struggle will not advance Republican objectives at this time; it will only lead to more Irishmen and women in the grave and in jail.

2. These people are a minority in our area and they have no right to tell the people that they should have no contact with a political party which receives 84% of the vote in the area.

That is fascism and will not be tolerated by the local people.

The only people elected to speak for the people of Meigh are Packie McDonald, local councillor, and Conor Murphy, MP/MLA, both of whom are Sinn Féin representatives.

Let us presume for a moment that these dissidents are the local variety.

Their threats against those engaged in drugs and anti-social behaviour might appear credible if it wasn't for the company that some of them keep.

I appeal to these men and women to desist.

Even though I disagree with them most profusely I don't want to see any local Republican languishing in a British jail or resting in Dromintee or Meigh graveyard.

A United Ireland can be achieved through political means and I encourage them to join with us to advance the Republican struggle. James Connolly said it best

"We believe in constitutional action in normal times; we believe in revolutionary action in exceptional times."

McCausland didn't read GAA Constitution

2009-08-18T18:47:00.005+01:00

I see that "Ulster-Scot" Nelson McCausland has again attacked the GAA and Republicans over the use of a GAA pitch for last weekends Hunger Strike Commemoration.

It took place in the Republican stronghold of Galbally.

Our Culture Minster (Don't laugh) had this to say

"It cannot be right that a sports ground should be used for commemorating and celebrating something as offensive as the whole H-Block episode."

I agree that the Hunger Strike was offensive, offensive by the fact that the British government let 10 men die rather than face up to their responsibilities.

Sinn Féin MLA Barry McElduff said there were no alternative venues for the rural, largely republican community.

"We were remembering, not terrorists but inspirational, politically-motivated Irish hunger strikers,"

I don't know why Barry is trying to reason with this idiot, it's pointless.

Nelson claims that the event breaches Rule 7a of the GAA constitution.

He is incorrect!

Rule 7a states

"The Association shall be non-party political. Party
political questions shall not be discussed at its
meetings, and no Committee, Club, Council or
representative thereof shall take part, as such, in any
party political movement"

The GAA is not, nor have they taken party in a party political movement.

The Hunger Strike event was remembering 10 men, 7 IRA men and 3 INLA men.

Irish Republicanism belongs to all and all are welcome.

Nelson seems to think that the GAA is the IRFU; it's not and for good reason.

I will print below the preface to the GAA constitution and highlight parts I feel are important.

“Those who play its games, those who organise its activities and those who control its destinies see in the G.A.A. a means of consolidating our Irish identity. The games to them are more than games - they have a national significance - and the promotion of native pastimes becomes a part of the full national ideal, which envisages the speaking of our own language, music and dances. The primary purpose of the G.A.A. is the organisation of native pastimes and the promotion of athletic fitness as a means to create a disciplined, self- reliant, national-minded manhood. The overall result is the expression of a people’s preference for native ways as opposed to imported ones.”

"Since she has no control over all the national territory, Ireland’s claim to nationhood is impaired. It would be still more impaired if she were to lose her language, if she failed to provide a decent livelihood for her people at home, or if she were to forsake her own games and customs in favour of the games and customs of another nation. If pride in the attributes of nationhood dies, something good and distinctive in our race dies with it. Each national quality that is lost makes us so much poorer as a Nation. Today, the native games take on a new significance when it is realised that they have been a part, and still are a part, of the Nation’s desire to live her own life, to govern her own affairs.”

The GAA is quite clearly an Irish Republican organisation; it includes all and excludes no one.

Rules 2, 4a and 15 reinforce this position.

Rule 2

"The Association is a National Organisation which has as its basic aim the strengthening of the National Identity in a 32 County Ireland through the preservation and promotion of Gaelic Games and pastimes."

Rule 4a

"It shall foster an awareness and love of the national ideals in the people of Ireland, and assist in promoting a community spirit through its clubs."

Rule 15

States that the National flag should be flown at all matches and when the anthem is played it should be observed in a respectful manner, failure to do so can result in a 500 fine.

Nelson doesn't seem to grasp the impact that Hunger Strike has on the Irish psyche.

Hunger Strike or "Cealacha" was a key component of Brehon Law.

As Brehon law didn't have a police force Hunger Strike was a remedy to achieve justice.

Under Brehon law, if you allowed a person to starve on your doorstep for a debt that you owed or an injustice that you perpetrated then you would find yourself charged with murder.

Thomas Ashe, Terence MacSwiney, Michael Gaughan, Frank Stagg, Bobby Sands.

All these men continue an Irish tradition of protest, in the words of MacSwiney

"It is not those who can inflict the most but those who can endure the most that will conquer"

Nelson will never understand because his bigotry does not allow him to.

We have nothing to be ashamed of and nor will we apologise to the likes of McCausland.

1737 Administration of Justice Act

2009-08-16T23:24:00.004+01:00

As part of the St Andrews Agreement the British government signed up to the introduction of an Irish Language Act. The fact that they have failed to live up to that comes as no surprise.

That said what they should do is to repeal, with immediate effect, the 1737 Administration of Justice Act.

This is a piece of legislation which forbids the use of any other language in a court save English.

This relic of the Penal times has already been repealed with respects to Welsh and Scots Gaelic with the introduction of the 1993 Welsh Language Act and the Gàidhlig Language Act 2005.

Irish speakers should be entitled to the same level of protection under the law.

Over 4000 children are being educated through the medium of Irish and over 10% of the population of the 6 counties have a working knowledge of the language.

Equality may be a dirty word for some people but it's now a fact of life in the occupied counties so they better get used to it

Sinn Fein MEP Bairbre de Brún said

“It is unbelievable that nine years after they signed the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, the British Government is still defending this relic of colonialism which forbids the use of Irish in the courts.

“The British government must ensure the full protection of the right of irish speakers in all walks of life, including in the courts.”

NAMA is a threat to Irish liberty and prosperity

2009-08-16T22:39:00.004+01:00

I must admit that when it comes to detailed economics I am not the most versed; it was never my calling.

That said I am very interested in politics and law and as such I have followed the NAMA debate with much interest.

Even a casual reading of the proposed NAMA legislation leaves you with great anger towards the banking sector and Fianna Fáil.

With regards the banking sector perhaps we should not expect any better, what would you expect from a pig but a grunt but Fianna Fáil are a different matter.

Like the Emperor Nero they fiddled (the books) while Dublin burned.

Instead of trying to cool the property market they actively encouraged its inflation with the slashing of property taxes designed to help their Galway race going property developer mates.

Yet despite their treasonous actions it's the average PAYE worker who will be left to carry the can.

Not one Fianna Fáil or Banking Executive is being forced to take responsibility for their incompetent actions.

NAMA will bankrupt our nation's children well into the future.

I read in today's SBP Pat Leahy's fragrant disregard for democracy when he suggests that the Green party elite might be defeated by the Green party membership.

"Such a defeat seems, at this stage, unlikely - but any party so dominated by its activists is necessarily volatile.

As one senior civil servant put it recently: ‘‘I just don’t trust the Greens. They’re far too democratic for my liking. They are liable to do anything.”

If the Green's have any backbone they will reject NAMA and demand a more equitable remedy to the ongoing banking crisis.

Why would anyone trust Fianna Fáil or the banks on this issue?

George Bernard Shaw said it best, "a government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support Paul"

Watch you don't trip over the Elephant in the corner

2009-08-11T19:20:00.004+01:00

I see that the "Ard Chomhairle Plus" meeting has taken place in Navan following our poor performance in the Euro and local elections.

It would seem that the party are aiming to gain three seats in the next Dáil elections in order to qualify for speaking rights.

A noble and indeed sensible suggestion as the loss of the technical grouping was a hammer blow in terms of communication.

The attitude coming out of the meeting however leaves me uneasy.

"Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams rejected suggestions that the party was in difficulties in the South due to Mary Lou McDonald losing her European seat in June and Seán Crowe losing his Dáil seat in the 2007 general election.

Mr Adams said the party was not in trouble in the Republic. “Clearly as a political party we encourage creative, honest direct debate,” he told reporters."

Now I hope that was just the usual chest out, head up spiel for the media. I say that as someone who, like a lot of others within the party, recognises the very real difficulties that we have in the 26 counties.

I don't plan to rehash the same arguments as I have made my opinions clear on a number of different occasions.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin said the aim was to try to increase Dáil representation from four to at least seven in the next general election.

Seats that Sinn Féin is targeting include Donegal South West and Donegal North East where our respective candidates are Pearse Doherty and Pádraig Mac Lochlainn, and Dublin Central with Mary Lou McDonald.

The party is also hoping to regain the seat that Seán Crowe lost in Dublin South West.

If a General Election was held in the morning I don't believe that we would win all those target seats, if any, in fact I suspect that we would lose a few of our current seats on a bad day.

I don't say this with any relish; in fact I pray that I am wrong. That said I am a realist and we have a great many challenges facing us both within and outside the party.

While organisational issues need to be addressed they are not the full extent of our problems, despite what many of the "pragmatist" faith may believe.

As a party we are not fit for purpose, our message needs refined as does our position within the political spectrum.

We are a Socialist Republican party (I know to many that may sound like a dirty word but check the party constitution, it's very clear on the issue) and as such our policies and actions must reflect that ideology.

Thomas Davis once said "Educate that you may be free" and so it must be with us. We need to explain to voters what we stand for, what we are going to do and how we are going to do it.

That includes all party activists being fully armed with our latest policies and action plans.

The time is ticking to the next election and as each day passes so does our chance to turn things around.

Internal debate is one thing but there is a time for talking and a time for action.

Party activists should not be leaving it to others to shape our destiny.

Poor Willie is all flustered

2009-08-07T21:49:00.005+01:00

I know it's wrong to make fun of the afflicted but Willie Frazer has to be an exception to that rule.

It seems that Willie and Jim Allister want Martin McGuinness arrested over an alleged photo of Martin holiding a pistol in the early 70's.

I have reproduced the picture for your amusement.

Law lesson 101 for the illustrious barrister and his court jester

1. There is no evidence that Martin is holding a real pistol, it could be a replica
2. There is no evidence that the photo has not been doctured
3. There is no evidence that the photo was taken in Ireland
4. A prima facie case has not and can't be established thus a prosecution is impossible

I have photos of myself and friends holding and indeed shooting AK47's, handgun and rifles.

The fact that the photos were taken while on holiday and totally legal would not be known to a stranger viewing the pictures.

Poor Willie, he reminds me of a quote from Plato

"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something."

Fáilte Abhaile

2009-08-07T21:36:00.003+01:00

Republican prisoners Pearse McCauley and Kevin Walsh were released from Castlerea prison on Wednesday.

Despite the fact that these men qualifed for early release under the GFA they served their full sentences.

Speaking following the release of the two republicans, Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams said:

“In a public statement some years ago the IRA members convicted in relation to Jerry McCabe’s death and the wounding of Garda Ben O’ Sullivan, expressed their deep regret and apologised for the ‘hurt and grief we have caused to their families’.

I believe that this apology was genuine and it echoes the sentiments of republicans everywhere. I deeply regret the great loss and hurt suffered by the McCabe and O’Sullivan families. "

Gerry "This man is not for leaving"

2009-08-06T21:31:00.001+01:00

I have been amused this last month or so to see the media and others attempt to build up a campaign in order to force Gerry Adams to stand down as President of Sinn Féin.

It was never going to materialise but I did find it amusing none the less.

Gerry has made it very clear today that he has no intention of standing down in the near future.

"I'm the party president and sinn é"

Toiréasa Ferris's article (more so the poor election results) has certainly ignited a spark inside the bellies of many activists and from my perspective that can only be a positive.

Sinn Féin has in the past (and indeed the present) been accused of being a top-down party in terms of ideas and control and in some respect that notion is correct.

Many within the party have been happy to leave decision making, policy formation/direction etc to the leadership and the phrase "the leadership has lead us thus far...." has been trotted out on many an occasion.

I have always found that very unfair on our leadership; after all they are only human and can make mistakes as easily as the rest of us.

For some time I have encountered a crumbling of that mindset and many activists are now no longer prepared to sit back and wait for change.

Gerry has said that space is being made to allow for debate and discussion on the future direction of the movement.

I would like to echo Killian Forde’s words in An Phoblacht when he said that action must follow this debate.

Failure to act will leave to stagnation and defeat!

I'm a Socialist Republican, I joined a Socialist Republican organisation and I would like to see that organisation operate as a Socialist Republican organisation.

PFI's/PPP's have no place in that organisation's resume!

The recent elections prove that there is space for a truly left wing Republican Party so long as the people trust the seller of that message.

It is up to us to make the people believe!

Blue Shirts will come a calling

2009-06-14T18:45:00.007+01:00

I have to say that towards the end of the election I was a little confused by the faux outrage of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael at the mere mention by Frank Flannery, Fine Gael Strategy Supremo, that perhaps the time was coming when the Blue Shirts would have to consider government with Sinn Féin.

According to Dermot Ahern he was sick to his stomach, so was I..........I thought Flannery said Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil.

As a Socialist Republican the idea of being in government with Fine Gael/West Brits makes my stomach churn.

That said politics is the art of the possible and while my political sensibilities would be challenged by such a proposal I would never rule it out if a programme for government could be agreed.

I am involved with the Republican struggle in order to advance Republican objectives and if they can be furthered by going into government with Fine Gael then I would hold my nose and support Sinn Féin TD's walking into the Dáil and voting Enda Kenny as Taoiseach.

The political reality is thus, if after the next election numbers dictate that Sinn Féin will be in government then Sinn Féin will be in government.

Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil may like to pretend otherwise but both know that is the reality of Southern politics.

Governments there have a history of strange bedfellows.

Charlie Flanagan, Justice Spokesperson for Fine Gael, seems to see that political reality as well.

Every Irish political party emerged from the barrell of a gun in one way or another, to suggest otherwise is rank hypocrisy.

For Fine Gael to venerate a man like Michael Collins and then turn their nose up at so-called Sinn Féin/IRA gunmen does leave me with a wry smile.

Fine Gael don't do rank hypocrisy, but if they did......

No longer "The Republican Party"

2009-06-13T22:08:00.003+01:00

I have long argued that Fianna Fáil may be "The Republican Party" but that their Republicanism ends at the Armagh/Louth border.

So it comes as no surprise that Fianna Fáil Minister of State at the Department of Finance Martin Mansergh said there was no stomach among mainstream parties south of the border for ending partition.

"The Republic is engaged in a major struggle to maintain, within the EU and indeed the euro zone, its economic viability and sovereignty"

"It is hardly the moment to press claims to the north which we have renounced"

Fianna Fáil may have declared the 26 counties a Republic but it is not the "Republic" as proclaimed by the leaders of 1916.

According to the Fianna Fáil website

"Fianna Fáil adheres to the great democratic principle of government of the people, by the people and for the people. The party’s name incorporates the words ‘The Republican Party’ in its title. Republican here stands both for the unity of the island and a commitment to the historic principles of European republican philosophy, namely liberty, equality and fraternity"

So according to this the entire raison d'etre of Fianna Fáil calling themselves "The Republian Party" is for the unity of the island.

In light of this revelation by Mansergh perhaps the time has come for the Solidiers of Destiny to drop their title of Republicanism.

Et Tu Jim

2009-06-10T21:03:00.002+01:00

The emergence of the backwoodsmen in the form of Jim Allister and the TUV must be a nightmare scenario for the DUP.

Shouting from the sidelines, constant negativity and paranoia...now Peter the Punt knows how David Trimble must have felt.

The problem for the DUP is that they must know what was coming; they perfected the dark arts as now practised by the TUV.

Yet they still selected a poor candidate in the form of Dianne Dodd's, a woman with all the charisma of an undertaker. That's perhaps unfair to undertakers.

Dromore should have been a wake up call for the DUP to observe the warning signs of history.

David Trimble tried to operate "one foot in and one foot out" in relation to the Devolution project and he got lynched because of it.

The DUP should fully embrace the new dispensation instead of doing everything with forced effort and snarling.

I'm not talking about a chuckle brother’s moment; I'm talking about political maturity and taking some of the negativity and hate out of things.

Elected politicians should provide leadership to their communities, not pander to the lowest common denominator.

If Robbo et al spend all their time looking over their shoulder at Allister and Co then they are destined to fail.

The emergence of the TUV as a political reality does present some interesting scenarios for Republicans.

With Unionism now divided Westminster presents us with additional opportunities for possible growth.

Jim Allister has already stated his intention to run in North Antrim at the next Westminster election and judging by Labour's problems I foresee an election before next year.

The TUV took 13.7% of the Euro vote and that vote came straight from the DUP.

Now I understand the Allister can't stand in every constituency but if the TUV manage to find semi-credible candidates they should be able to garner 10% on a good day.

If we take 10% as the bench mark then the DUP stand to lose 3 Westminster seats.

Upper Bann, South Antrim and North Belfast.

In Upper Bann at the last Assembly election the DUP achieved 31.4% of the vote and Sinn Féin achieved 25.3%. If a TUV candidate stood and was able to garner 7% of the vote the seat would transfer to Sinn Féin and John O'Dowd.

In South Antrim the DUP achieved 34.5% and the UUP achieved 20.5%.

Now at the Assembly election we had quite a substantial Alliance Vote and judging by the last Westminster election the DUP and UUP were quite close here.

If the TUV stood they would almost certainly gift the UUP with the seat.

In North Belfast the DUP garnered 37.4% to Sinn Féin's 30.6% with some Nationalist tactical voting and a semi-credible TUV candidate and the seat could move to Sinn Féin and Gerry Kelly.

This is all conjecture however due to Gordon Brown's proposed changes to the first past the post election system and the TUV still being an Allister project and not fully tested on a constituency by constituency basis.

That said it's enough to give many in the DUP nightmares.

What we do know for sure is that the TUV intend to stand candidates at the next Assembly election and create, what Allister called, "a traditional Unionist bulkhead".

Should that plan arise to fruition I present you Martin McGuinness First Minister.

Cllr Christy Burke quits Sinn Féin

2009-06-09T14:31:00.004+01:00

I was saddned to hear the news that long standing Sinn Féin Councillor Christy Burke has decided to leave the party just days after he was re-elected with the help and support of that party.

Christy's reasons for leaving will soon become clear but he has suggested that he wasn't given enough support during the election.

I have no intention of washing internal party dirty linen in public so I will say only two things.

Firstly I would like to thank Christy Burke for all his hard work and wish him all the best in the future.

I would also like to echo the call from Aengus Ó Snodaigh and call on Christy to give back the seat to Sinn Féin, a party who have just got him re-elected.

A cross roads

2009-06-09T00:07:00.004+01:00

Now that the Euro Elections and the local elections in the 26 counties are over I thought I'd add my tuppence worth to the debate.

As always I will be focusing on the Sinn Féin perspective because to be quite honest that's the only perspective I'm interested in.

This has been an election of mixed results for Sinn Féin and I'm left with a somewhat empty feeling; neither happy nor sad by the results.

First off let's look at the good results for Sinn Féin in these elections.

Bairbre deBrun was re-elected in the 6 counties and topped the poll as well, much to the dismay of the Unionist superiority complex.

Toiréasa Ferris had a massive vote in Munster and came very close to winning a seat; increasing our vote by 6.2%.

We also broke new ground in many areas of the 26 counties with wins in Limerick, Wicklow and Mayo amongst others.

The bad comes next

Mary Lou McDonald failed to retain her MEP seat when the Dublin constituency fell from a 4 to a 3 seater. Her vote was actually down by 2.5%

Our vote in Dublin City was actually down by 5.8% during an economic recession when people were deserting Fianna Fail in their thousands.

Our vote overall in the local elections was down by 0.7%.

We lost councillors in Meath, Dublin, Wexford and Waterford including Daithi Doolan and John Dwyer.

I next want to examine each aspect of the elections in turn and then give my opinion as to where we go from here.

Euro Elections

6 Counties

With 26% of the vote (126, 184 votes to be precise) it's pretty much as you were for Sinn Féin when you consider the reduced turnout.

The only difference this time was the introduction of the TUV and Jim Allister who split the Unionist vote and allowed Republicanism to claim the top spot for the first time in the history of EU Elections.

In reality though as this is a PR election it matters not a jot who tops the poll but I will enjoy the machinations of delusional Unionists who miss not being top dog.

26 Counties

At 11.3% overall our vote is up by 0.1%, our poor showing in Dublin and the North West masked by a massive increase in Munster.

Dublin

This was always going to be a hard election for us to win for a number of reasons. This constituency moved from a 4 to a 3 seater.

Mary Lou has also been subject to some pretty nasty press, some perhaps justified but in the whole quite disgusting and a lot of it sexist.

That said we are in the middle of an economic recession and Finna Fail have been haemorrhaging votes by their thousands yet we are actually down by 2.5%.

It doesn't take a genius to work out that something isn't right.

I like Mary Lou, she is a very competent and likeable person but like a lot of Sinn Féin candidates they are either loved or loathed and not in equal measure.

I certainly detected an anyone but Mary Lou atmosphere amongst the establishment parties exemplified by arch-Blue Shirt Gareth "Thatcher's Bitch" Fitzgerald calling on voters to vote for Pro-Lisbon candidates i.e. including Fianna Fail and Green candidates.

With all that considered I still say that it is our own difficulties that cost us this seat. The Socialist Party had a 6.9% swing in this election so other left wing candidates did do well. Just not us unfortunately.

After the Policing Ard Fheis we lost a lot of good people in Dublin. I know a lot of people involved with the party restructure in Dublin and the simple reality is that we are just not strong enough in that area.

Dublin is the lynch pin for our advance in the 26 counties and in that respect we need more focus in building up this part of our organisation.

If we don’t succeed we could be faced with the prospect of having no Dublin TD’s after the next election.

I'll return to this later in the post.

The only consolation with the result is that Joe Higgins got elected and the seat stayed with the Left. I have a lot of time for Joe Higgins personally and the Dail is a loss without his presence.

North West

At 9.2% of the vote we are down by almost 5.6% and the reason for this is quite simple. Declan Gangley of Libertas took a serious amount of Anti-Lisbon votes that would otherwise have come to us and the introduction of Pat The Cope Gallagher stopped the mass exodus of Fianna Fail Republican votes coming to us.

The election of Pat The Cope does however present us with opportunities that I will return to later.

South

This was our best performance in the Euro's for a number of reasons. Toiréasa Ferris had a fantastic election increasing our vote by 6.2% and coming very close to taking a seat that nobody expected her to take.

She also presented herself as a new Sinn Féin candidate; young, bright, articulate and in touch with modern Ireland. She also broke the old tradition of Sinn Féin candidates being transfer repellent as the early stages of the South count showed.

The By-Elections

Dublin South

No real change, a very slight change so as you were to a large degree. Celebrity Blue-Shirt George Lee romped home; I wonder how many of the Fine Gael front bench are now perhaps sorry that Labour's Alex White didn't win.

Dublin Central

With Mary Lou focusing on Europe it fell to party stalwart Christy Burke to mount the Sinn Féin challenge. I say challenge but we were never going to be part of the race.

This was a battle between the Ahern's Drumcondra machine in the form of Maurice Ahern, brudder of BBBBertie, Fine Gael's Paschal Donohue and Maureen O'Sullivan "The Gregory Candidate".

I was happy to see Maurice Ahern slapped aside, even more so when he lost his Council seat by 14 votes to Sinn Féin's Seamus McGrattan. I dare say that Mary Fitzpatrick is even more delighted.

The problems I see for Sinn Féin here lie in the future and any challenge by Mary Lou for a seat.

Paschal Donohue looks set for a seat for Fine Gael. Maureen O'Sullivan will be hard to shift. Joe Costello looks even more secure of a seat when you consider the Labour gains in Dublin. Mary Fitzpatrick is almost assured a seat for Fianna Fail so where does that leave Sinn Féin and Mary Lou?

With our vote down by 5.8% in the city and the tide being with Labour and Fine Gael has our ship sailed?

The Local Elections

Overall our vote is down by 0.7% and when you consider our gains versus our loses it’s pretty much “as you were” in terms of local government.

This is not a good result by any standard during our current economic circumstances.

People are deserting Fianna Fail and the Greens but they are not coming to Sinn Féin on the whole. They are going to Fine Gael, Labour, Independents and other smaller left groups.

In effect they are going to anyone but Sinn Féin.

I said after the last election that we would need to make changes before these elections if we had any chance of clawing back support in the next general election.

Serious change has been made in terms of organisation, structure and leadership issues.

To borrow a phrase from Fianna Fail; a lot done but more to do.

It's hard to know where to start when you consider the challenges facing us. The main thing to say is our lack of media access.

The loss of the technical group was a hammer blow to us after the last election in terms of getting our message out and left the field open to Fine Gael and Labour to mop us disaffected government voters.

Despite being integral to the Anti-Lisbon vote the hostile Southern Media sought to give all the kudos to Gangley and Libertas as a way of stifling the growth of Sinn Fein.

Where do we go from here?

Onwards and upwards is my initial hope. Too much rests on the Republican project for us to continue to stagnate.

Core Values

We need to continue our work in espousing key Sinn Féin values

1. Popular Republicanism
2. Left Wing Values
3. Community Activitism

Within these values we need to balance a host of interests. We need to be seen as an All-Ireland party as opposed to a Northern Based party.

This means promoting key people, based on talent and not geography. I'm talking about people like Toiréasa Ferris, Pearse Doherty, Padraig MacLoughlinn, Daithí McKay and other young, educated and articulate candidates.

I'm talking about people who your typical voter can relate to in this modern era of apathy and cynicism.

We need to move on from the leadership of Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness and focus on a younger and more diverse leadership team.

Now before anyone goes nuts or media commentators start quoting me as calling on Gerry and Marty to go let me explain.

I'm not talking about replacing Gerry or Martin in the short term but neither is getting any younger. Sinn Féin has always prided itself on being the party of the youth but their are quite a few on the Ard Chomhairle who are no spring chickens.

We need to be succession planning for the future the same way that any company would and that means the older generation across the country creating space for the younger members.

We need to focus on our policy substance or lack thereof and our lack of a short term strategic vision. As Republicans we are great at seeing "the bigger picture" as a man I know likes to say but some times the short term is just if not more important.

-What are our plans for getting the country out of recession?
-What plans do we have around job creation?
-If we were in government what cuts would we make and where?
-Where would we raise taxes to cover the deficit?
-What's or transport policy for the next 10 years?
-What's our policy for strategic planning and the urban sprawl?

These are the types of questions that people have. A United Ireland is important but for the vast majority of people it is not the burning question at the dinner table.

The burning questions are around mortgage payments, interest rates, affordable childcare and how people are going to put food on the table.

Unless we are able to provide people with a strategic vision for the short to medium term we are going nowhere, it's that simple.

That leads very easily on to my next point, ideological placement. What this election has shown is that there are votes out there for people across the ideological spectrum so long as voters of whatever percussion believe what you are saying.

I believe that we damaged that position at the last election. We lost trust and that's something that is very easy to lose but harder to win back

It's my belief that we should place ourselves left of centre in order to tackle the labour vote while leaving us open to attracting the Fianna Fail Republican vote.

Our main concern should not be about trying to run before we can walk. We need to break the 10% barrier. I've always believed that if you get the small things right the big things will follow.

In that respects we need to work on the following four areas and I already accept that a lot of good work has and is being done in this respect.

1. Organisational Review
2. Party Building
3. Strategic Policy Formation
4. Communication

1. Organisational Review

Are our structures fit for purpose? If the answer is no, and in my view that is the answer, then they need to be changed. Our internal structures are not conducive to streamlined efficiency; they are overloaded, inefficient and lead to people working harder as opposed to smarter.

Cut the red tape, increase transparency and political governance, simplify the structures and you will decrease burnout and increase productivity. It may sound business like but in some respects that is how we need to be.

We are involved in lots of activities and organisations that while admirable and noble provide us with no electoral or political advantage.

My simple rule is thus, if you don't accrue political capital either electorally or advance the ultimate goal then that activity is a drain on resources and should be stopped.

It may sound cruel but people have only so much time they are prepared to dedicate to Republican issues and we should be funnelling that time in the most productive fashion.

To that fact I would like to see an internal audit actioned to determine this issue and make recommendations to the Ard Chomhairle.

2. Party Building

The simple fact is thus, we are not big enough to be able to expand in the ways we would like. In that respect we need to build the party. We need to bring people back if we can and we need to bring new people in and that means being pro-active.

In areas like Dublin there is a massive job of work to do here and it should be led by those in the locality.

As a general rule we should nurture home grown talent as opposed to flying in someone else.

3. Strategic Policy Formation

More needs to be done in this area and while we have some excellent policy documents these are only the skeleton. We need to bring in outside experts in this respect and we need to pay.

Yes I know in Sinn Féin that is a dirty word but it's necessary. My father always said if you work for nothing you'll have plenty of work but that is not the philosophy we should have to policy.

We need to focus on 5 key areas of change and we need to arm all our activists with this information once it has been formulated.

We should produce literate and publish it through every door. We should also seek feedback from the public.

What issues are most important to you and what would you like Sinn Féin to do about it.

This would be a volume of work but it would be time well spent.

It would show the general public that we are committed to change and determined to better their lives. It would also allow us to engage with the public in a way which is not possible during elections.

4. Communication

I know that we face a hostile media and there isn't much we can do about that. We need to think outside the box and that means using new media and self publishing.

Now I know lots of areas have their own local publications but how many of these are read by the average Joe?

We need to look at the print media, why do people buy certain newspapers and what makes them successful.

We need to get strategic in terms of communication and this again costs money.

If you can't get your message out there and get at least a section of the public to buy into it then you can't grow.

This blog isn't meant to be critical; it is supposed to be a discussion piece and a formative tool in order for us to advance.

With the election of Pat The Cope we have an instant opportunity to highlight ourselves. Pearse Doherty should be blooded and allowed to show his considerable skills and talents.

I have serious concerns that unless we continue to change we will stagnate.

The Republican project is too important for any of us to allow that to happen

Update

2009-06-08T20:58:00.003+01:00

The Euro and Local Elections in the 26 counties are over and the dust begins to settle.

I'd say I feel fairly ambivalent at the moment, some good news but some bad news as well.

I am in the middle or writing up an in-depth analysis of the election from the Sinn Féin perspective as I see it but I want to wait until we get the final results in the locals.

I also want to do a post in relation to the TUV impact on any future Assembly/Westminster election and the gains for Sinn Féin.

I'm sorry I haven't posted in such a long time but work has been mental; 60-80hr weeks. I shouldn't complain though.

There are a great many the length and breath of Ireland who are without a job.

I'm on a few days holidays so I intend to put up a few posts tonight and over the next few days.

A view into the abyss

2009-03-15T20:58:00.003Z

A few days have gone by and the political climate of the North of Ireland has changed exponentially.

The last few days have been a real challenge to my belief system and my, what can only be described as, "historical Republicanism".

I was brought up in a family, village, area and community where those who choose the political path at the time of a Republican split were viewed as traitors.

This is one part of the new political dispensation that I have always struggled with, a nagging doubt at the back of my mind if you will.

The IRA was founded 90 years ago during the Tan War. When Collins and others signed the treaty with the British the IRA condemned them as traitors and treated them as men who had sullied the proud tradition of Republicanism.

At the time of the split with the stickies in 1969, the Provisional’s arose out of the ashes of the Bogside and Belfast. They denounced those who wished to play politics while our people in Belfast faced a loyalist pogrom from Unionist death squads, the RUC and the B Specials.

What followed was merely a continuation of the armed struggle that had begun when the Republic was proclaimed in 1916.

Today we find ourselves in a different situation and I find myself on the wrong side according to traditional Republican orthodoxy.

According to Republican history as soon as the movement turns political it splits and the one which heads towards politics is replaced by a new group of volunteers ready to carry on the fight against the British.

I have often wondered how I would face this moment when it came, as I suspected it would.

Republicans loyal to the Republican movement and the leadership of Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness all face this challenge to our core beliefs.

This week witnessed an historic first when Martin McGuinness declared these dissidents as "traitors to the island of Ireland".

Many within the Republican community were unsettled by this statement from Martin; indeed the dissidents were enraged beyond belief.

To describe a man/woman as a traitor in Republican circles is the ultimate taboo. It denotes touts and collaborators, those who oppose the very essence of Irish Republicanism.

I happen to think that Martin was right to say what he said, indeed it needed to be said to stop any potential leakage of support to these dissidents.

Martin is a former leader of Oglaigh Na hÉireann, a man who has dedicated his life to achieving a United Ireland.

His words are all the more significant because of the fact that Martin said it. Martin, more than anyone in the Sinn Féin leadership is the one who resonates in the Republican heartlands.

He has been very open about his involvement in the armed campaign and as a result he has the respect and trust of the heartlands.

The Irish people declared in one clear voice, North and South, in 1998 that the only way to a United Ireland was through politics.

That hasn't changed.

Thus these dissidents are acting against the clear wishes of the Irish people and that I can not support.

My nagging doubt has gone, I have chosen my side in this struggle for independence and I will let history judge if it was the right decision.

I can only follow my conscience.

Republicans need to stand united and strong against this threat to peace, against this threat to progress.

We can do no other!

Pandora's box is smashed opened!

2009-03-09T23:21:00.006Z

As if the weekend killing of two British soldiers was not enough of a strain upon the peace process I see that the dissidents have now killed a policeman in Craigavon.

It has just been confirmed on BBC

"A police officer has died following a shooting incident in Craigavon, County Armagh. The incident is understood to have happened near Lismore High School at Brownlow. Police came under attack while investigating suspicious activity near the school. "

It seems that the dissidents are intent on opening up the gates of hell for all Irish people.

I would just like to ask these people one simple question.

If, or perhaps more chillingly when, some Unionist Death Squad murder an innocent Catholic in retaliation for these killings are they going to accept that responsibility?

I'm starting to feel slightly angry at the moment and I never thought I would ever feel that reaction in relation to the death of a peeler.

I am convinced that we can gain a United Ireland through political means; I only wish I was as sure of heaven as I am of this.

I am also convinced that all these actions by the dissidents do is to undermine that political change.

Their actions will lead to only two consequences, more Irish sons and daughters in the grave and in jail.

These people have to be faced down, the Irish people need to decry in one clear and determined voice.

Not in my name!!!

It would be easy to sit back and say nothing, allow things to blow over and see what happens.

Republicans have never been shy about taking hard decisions; we have taken them at every turn.

We need to decide between what is right and what is easy.

These people can not succeed in allowing this country to slip back into chaos, they just can't!

The Rubicon has been crossed!

2009-03-08T18:45:00.003Z

I have to be honest and say that I didn't even hear about the killing of British soldiers until late this morning.

I was in work and myself and a work colleague were heading over to Mass and he informed me about it.

I'm also going to be brutally honest and say that I have mixed feelings on this issue.

I supported the IRA's recent campaign against the British; I also supported their decision to enter the political process. None the less I supported the IRA carrying out similar actions to that which happened in Antrim at the weekend.

More over they were not even Police men, they were members of the British Army, a foreign army of occupation that has no place in Ireland.

While I regret any loss of life I can not stand by and be a hypocrite.

I also feel I should not just go with my gut reaction because that is not looking at the bigger picture.

Gerry Adams sort of sums it up for me. You can also tell by his statement that this is not an easy issue for Republicans

"Last night's attack was an attack on the peace process. It was wrong and counter productive. Those responsible have no support, no strategy to achieve a United Ireland. Their intention is to bring British soldiers back onto the streets. They want to destroy the progress of recent times and to plunge Ireland back into conflict. Irish republicans and democrats have a duty to oppose this and to defend the peace process. There should be an end to actions like the one in Antrim last night. Sinn Fein has a responsibility to be consistent. The logic of this is that we support the police in the apprehension of those involved in last night's attack"

When I do look at the bigger picture I see things quite clearly.

The people involved in this attack have no support; at least no more than one could fill in a phone box.

The Irish people, North and South have voted overwhelmingly for peace. They have voted to unite this country through the ballot box as opposed to the armalite.

The only reaction that these people will get from this attack is for the British army to once again be on our streets and lanes. That is totally unacceptable!

I would like to make it clear that I am not opposed to armed struggle as a general rule.

I will however oppose it when it stands no chance of achieving the objective and when it will only result in more of Ireland's son's and daughters going to jail and the grave.

This is a difficult issue for Republicans but we must face it with maturity and with both eyes set on the bigger picture.

Hearts will not win a political struggle, only the head will.

A return

2009-03-03T20:45:00.003Z

Hi all, just a quick update for Balrog.

I'm just back from Prague after a very entertaining break.

It is a fantastic city with fine architecture and beauty to rival even Paris and Madrid. While the cuisine left a lot to be desired the drink, or more so the price of it, was a welcome.

It's a city that seems to be flourishing since the fall of the Iron Curtain.

The people were friendly and accomodating and the craic was mighty.

It's a pity we have to come back at times.

Work is still mental, in fact it's going to get worse in the next couple of weeks.

I'll try and post more often than I have but it's all a matter of priorities at the moment.

That said with the European and Local Elections in the 26 counties coming up it is sure to be interesting, made more so with the seismic collapse of Fianna Fail.

While I would like to see Sinn Féin making more progress at this time of economic uncertainity I am content with the slow increase in first preferences.

For me it's more important that we attract preferences in greater numbers than before.

The great Balrog schism

2009-02-03T00:28:00.003Z

I have decided for the good of Balrog and for my own reasons to cease discussing religious topics on Balrog.

This blog was set up as a political blog and as I am a great believer in a seperation between church and state so must it also be on Balrog.

Don't think however that I will no longer be discussing religion, faith or morals. I have just set up my second blog, The Flame of Truth, to serve this very purpose.

This will be primarily a religious and morality based blog where I can write free from the shackles of my own political scruples.

Everyone is welcome but I would appreciate it if we could keep the politics for Balrog and the religion for The Flame of Truth.

I accept that it will not be that clear cut but as far as possible I would like it to be.

The great Balrog schism has begun.

A new day has dawned..or has it?

2009-01-20T22:03:00.004Z

Today marks the start of Barack Obama's term as President of the USA. His sobering words were apt in this dark economic and political time.

His election has brought hope to millions of people but hope can quickly change to despair.

From the very start of the Presidential campaign I have supported Obama. He has been an inspiration to many and has given strong indications that he will lead America on a more inclusionist road.

This momentum for change can become a milestone around his neck if he turns out to be all talk and no action.

I hate to view this momentous day through anything but rose tinted glasses but I also have to be honest.

His deafening silence in relation to the Israeli massacre in Gaza was difficult to accept. His choice of staff has also been a cause for concern.

I hope that my doubts are unfounded and that he becomes the President we all hoped he would be.

Words count for nothing though; it's only through actions that we discover the true nature of a man.

I wish Obama the best of luck, he's going to need it!

Faux outrage from Zionists

2009-01-13T22:13:00.003Z

Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh has annoyed the Israeli Ambassador Zion Evrony and Blue Shirt Alan Shatter.

He did so by attacking their indefensible attempts to justify the Israeli murder campaign in Gaza.

He said “Goebbels would have been proud of the twisted logic and half-truths"

Now, as you can imagine there has been faux outrage from all the usual quarters not least the Zionist Evrony himself.

“What I think overshadows the discussion was this despicable analogy of the deputy of Sinn Féin,”

Why? I think it was a rather appropriate comparison considering the nonsense coming from Tel Aviv.

Evrony hit out at comments from some committee members criticising the proportionality of the Israeli response, claiming they had been spouting misinformation about Jewish history.

This really is starting to get really old. I don't care what religion Mr Evrony or Mr Shatter are; it doesn't pass me a thought.

What does anger me is their wanton disregard for the Palestinian people, their occupation of lands which are not theirs and the total instability that they bring to the region.

The Jews were persecuted during WWII, and many times before, and while I have great sympathy for that fact it does not excuse the recent actions of the Zionists or their actions for the last 50 odd years.

The fact that their family members were gassed 60 years ago does not justify them sending in missiles to refugee camps.

In fact it makes a mockery of the Jews killed during the Nazi regime.

It's a first port of call for any Zionist to accuse their opponent of being an anti-Semite, well I will no longer be responding to that kind of nonsense.

We oppose the Zionist murder campaign in Gaza, we oppose the occupation of Palestinian lands and we oppose their disgusting disregard for the Palestinian people.

I would like to applaud Aengus for his honest remarks.

The sooner Ireland takes the lead in Europe and expels Evrony and his motley crew the better.

"In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act"-George Orwell

Sinn Féin-Change needs to happen

2009-01-11T23:44:00.006Z

The last time I did an in depth and somewhat critical blog about Sinn Féin it created a bit of a fuss and some negative reaction, though on the whole I still believe it was a positive piece.

I see that Eoin Ó Broin has created another piece designed for conversation amongst the Republican base. As always I find great realism and common sense in his articles.

I also came across an excellent article from fellow Sinn Féin comrade Chris Donnelly across on Slugger. It's a very straight to the point article that should be read by as many Sinn Féin members as possible.

It's summed up quite effectively by Chris in his last paragraph

"In sum then, my proposals are simple. The party needs to invest in expertise and innovation, free itself of the shackles of laudable but otherwise counter-productive party rules and conventions and in the process equip itself with a refreshing and attractive policy platform to not only earn a place in government across the country but to utilize that position to transform the political scene in Ireland, in the process shifting others onto the ‘all-Ireland’ platform."

For my own part I am hoping this blog piece will give a general overview of where I see the party lacking as a whole. These suggestions for improvement are for the party as a whole, North and South.

Over the next week I intend to submit two further, more in-depth, articles in relation to the party in the North and the South, what's going well, what needs to change etc.

As I see it the party lacks in four general but key areas

1.Structure
2.Policy
3.Engagement
4.Professionalism

It is my belief that these suggestions cover most of those areas and while not exhaustive and not gospel are a reasonable beginning to a future conversation that must be had in order to advance both our movement and our goals.

1. Bottom-Up

It has long been my belief that as a movement we are too focused on what the leadership are doing, what they are going to do and what their strategies and plans are.

This is not the usual and tired critique that we always hear from the usual suspects about Sinn Féin being a leadership led organisation.

I have been a member of the Republican Movement for close to 10 years now and when ever we have a get together, discussion, meeting or whatever the topic invariably always comes up in relation to the leadership and what they are doing with regard to certain issues.

The leadership of Sinn Féin are only human and they don't have all the answers and never claim to have all the answers.

I also feel that too often the base don't exercise the initiative and demonstrate a bit of critical thinking by coming up with their own plan to resolve a certain issue.

We need to motivate the general base of the movement and make them a more politicised and engaged tool in our political arsenal instead of a reactive one.

The base must take the lead in this new phase of struggle.

To that end we need to radicalise the base, we need to energise the activists, politicise the community and the youth in particular. We need to ensure that a healthy stream of information and ideas flow up as well as down stream.

2. Community Engagement

This for me is highly critical and your Republican bread and butter.

We need to liberate and empower our communities. We need to be the lightning rod for change, both socio-economic and political, within our communities. This should not be about us providing them with solutions but about empowering them to come up with the solution themselves.

The first question that I ask when I hear about Republican involvement in the community is thus

"How are we advancing Republican objectives?"

Republicans should be at the very centre of the community. We should take lessons from the Catholic Church and the GAA in particular. Too often Republicans and Republicanism in general in not accessible to the people.

There is a world of difference between electoral and political power. I'm taking about community groups, PTA's, School Board of Governors, Public Funding groups etc

Our enemies dominate these positions despite the fact that in large areas of the country we are the dominant political force. This reality needs to change and change quickly.

We need an aggressive policy of engagement. We need to get out on the roads, in the community halls, in the pubs, in the houses. We need to be advancing these objectives at every turn.

3. Republicanise our way to glory

It's a very simple fact that we need to make more Republicans in the future. We need to foster and develop a Republican ethos in as many people as possible.

This can be achieved by many different and varied ways

In the media, both local and national, we need "Less Potholes and more Revolution".

I say this as any stoop or Fianna Failure worth their salt has that market covered and will claim credit even when the credit is not theirs. They also have their hands on the levers of power within the established media. This means that what media attention we do get needs to be focused, pro-active and above all "political".

We can spread the pothole stories through community engagement because we have one thing our opponents don't have, a very dedicated activist base.

Education must become our top priority both internally and externally. First of all we need to change our internal attitude towards education as just something for new recruits. Thomas Davis said "Educate so you may be free" and so must it be with us.

Education is our new weapon and every one of our activists must be highly skilled in this art in order to be effective within the community. They need to be able to present our arguments to both friends and foes alike. That means being more up to date on our political progress, activities, policies and positions.

We also need to educate our base and our communities so that they can identify with us and our objectives.

I hear a lot of talk about Unionist Engagement but I don't hear much about other types of engagement. I'm talking about engagement out of own area but still with the general Nationalist/Republican/Catholic/Progressive community.

We need to reach out to other elements of the Republican community. There will always be former comrades that are only motivated by hatred of personalities but a lot of former members simply differ from us on key areas. We need to find common ground where we can and develop that so as to advance our objectives.

We need to be challenging the Yellow and White voter at every turn. We should be engaging with them and challenging their perceptions about us in a proactive and positive manner.

We also need to reach out to new communities like the Poles, Latvians, Chinese etc. The first reason is because it's the right and Republican thing to do but also because it's an untapped resource.

In short our outreach needs to be more than just Unionist.

We should Republicanise every institution at every opportunity; every parish, every club or just one at a time if needs be.

3. Modus Operandi

The question I often ask myself is "Who are we?"

I know who I am; I am a Socialist Republican with a strong Catholic ethos. I also accept that what I am is not necessarily what the movement is or should be.

Socialism is more than a word and when you are implementing PFI's and PPP's those words ring hallow. If we are a Socialist/Left wing movement then we need to start acting like one, no matter if we suffer short-term setbacks as a result.

There is a sizeable left wing constituency out there but they expect and demand a lot more than words, they demand actions to back it up as well.

We need to have a serious and mature debate about who we are, where we have come from and where we are going.

4. Sinn Fein Structures

I'm talking about the Cumann, Chomhairle Ceantair, and Cuige structures that we currently have.

Are they working or are these types of structures holding us back in the 21st Century?

I have long argued that we should departmentalise our structures. Not everyone likes delivering papers, writing press releases, selling raffle tickets, canvassing etc. We need to have an internal audit of our people, their likes and dislikes and their general abilities and strengths.

To this end I would like to see us set up different groups inside the party to handle the different issues that we face.

So for example different departments to handle the following; Finance, Media, Local Govt, Political Action, Policy Formation etc.

In that way we encourage our people to give their best and lessen the likelihood that we lose people.

5. Professionalism

This is an area of critical importance and an area I believe that we are lacking in most in all aspects of our political activities.

To that end policy formation, media, legislative and other aspects of our political discourse must be looked at.

We need to end our long held suspicion of external bodies in this field. If an external body can help us in a certain area then we need to grasp that opportunity with both hands. The fact that they may not be Republican matters not, if they help to advance our objectives then that is all that matters.

University Members is an area that I have long felt we underuse and under develop. We have people in all disciplines that could be contributing so much to our development and we are not using them properly.

As such there is no such thing as a free lunch and as we strive to professionalise our movement, policies and our message we can no longer do that on a shoe string budget. The adequate resources must be made available.

6. Upcoming Opportunities

-Euro Elections
-26 County Local Elections
-Lisbon 2

All of these arenas provides us with an opportunity to advance on our current position. The changes that I suggested need to be looked at shortly in order for us to be ready for bigger and harder challenges.

Since I last posted about the party after the 26 County General Election I have observed a lot of changes but there are more that need to follow.

I'll leave specific Northern and Southern suggestions for my future articles.

We have a unique opportunity to grow and develop but as I see it we are limiting our development.

We can't do much about factors outside our control but we can do lots about those inside our control.

Are we ready or willing to make the necessary changes? Only time will tell!

Gerry Adams and Bloglaigh Na hÉireann

2009-01-06T18:53:00.005Z

I see that El Presidente Gerry Adams has joined Bloglaigh Na hÉireann with his new "Léargas" blog for the Belfast Media Group.

I would like to wish him all the best with his new blog and encourage all Balrog readers to visit.

Balrog is four years old in March and we have had good times and bad times with this blog.

To the best of my knowledge I was the first person in Sinn Féin with their own blog shortly followed by Wednesday, Ogra Shinn Féin and then by two of our elected reps, Killian Forde and Daithí McKay.

Republicans have never been afraid of embracing new technology although I have found that some are nervous when it comes to new media due to a general mistrust for the media.

Blogging however is the people’s media and something which the likes of the Indo and the Times can't control. It's a very liberated media however many have tried to manipulate the media with the use of blogs.

Balrog has had a recent experience of this when certain criminal elements tried to use this Blog as a platform for spreading the dark arts.

Blogging is what you make it and I would like to encourage more of my comrades into blogging.

Join a blog or set one up yourself, it makes those winter months that little bit shorter.

Blogger defines blogging as

"A blog is a personal diary. A daily pulpit. A collaborative space. A political soapbox. A breaking-news outlet. A collection of links. Your own private thoughts. Memos to the world."

A blog is what you want it to be.

P.S. I don't know how I forgot to mention my erstwhile party comrade from Drogheda and her excellent "Random Rants" blog.

I first met Steph at the USI Congress at the time of the UCD "One Tory, One Bullet" scandal LOL.

Zionists invade Gaza

2009-01-03T21:38:00.003Z

I see that Israeli land forces have entered Gaza in an escalation of their attempted genocide.

Close to 500 Palestinians, over 100 of which were women and children, have been murdered after almost 8 days of Zionist aggression.

A column of tanks entered the besieged Gaza Strip though the Beit Hanoun crossing shortly after nightfall on Saturday.

Israeli artillery had started firing shells into the Gaza Strip for the first time on Saturday, ahead of the ground offensive.

Marwan Bishara, Al Jazeera's senior political analyst, said it best

"Israel can claim in various stages that it has won this or that war against Arabs but it is obvious since the invasion of Lebanon in 1982 that there is no military solution to Israel's security.

It cannot bomb its way into peaceful co-existence. Israel is trying to do all it can to destroy Hamas but with more than 400 dead, there will be more than 400 more new recruits in Gaza.

It has taken this path and will probably pay the price in the long term, short term it's the Palestinians who pay the price."

Khaled Meshaal, the political leader of Hamas, had this to say about the Zionist invasion

"If you commit the stupidity of launching a ground offensive, then a black destiny awaits you, you will soon find out that Gaza is the wrath of God. This battle was imposed on us and we are confident we will achieve victory because we have made our preparations. Our position is clear. We will not give in. Our resolve cannot be broken,"

Hamas and the Palestinian people have every right to defend themselves from this Zionist invader. The carnage that will beset the Zionists will be of their own doing, they and the world must remember that when the time comes.

You can't cage a people, deny them food and medicines, fire rockets in their community and then expect them to sit down and take it.

I see that Bush has finally broken his silence

"I urge all parties to pressure Hamas to turn away from terror, and to support legitimate Palestinian leaders working for peace,"

Legitimate Palestinian leaders??? Like Abbas and Fatah?

Hamas were democratically elected by the people of Gaza and they are the only legitimate leaders in that region.

The others that Bush refers to are corrupt traitors who deserve the justice of a traitor.

My thoughts and prayers are with the people of Gaza as they continue to endure this beast of fury.

May their resolve never falter!

Tony Gregory RIP

2009-01-02T17:31:00.003Z

I was sad to learn the news that Independent TD Tony Gregory lost his battle with cancer today.

Tony was first elected as a TD in 1981 and started to set himself apart straight away by refusing to wear a tie, something he continued to this day.

He gained national prominence by negotiating the return of Charles J Haughey to power in exchange for a very beneficial and highly necessary support package for the North Inner City and Dublin in general.

The multi-million pound “Gregory deal” is now part of Irish political folklore. The Dublin Central TD received detailed written commitments from Haughey, in February 1982, which it was estimated could cost the Irish exchequer £80 million in a full year.

The written agreement included commitments to nationalise a 27-acre site in Dublin Port and Clondalkin Paper Mills. A total of £4 million was to be allocated to employ 500 extra people in the inner city, while 3,746 jobs were to be created over three years.

State funding would be provided to build 440 new houses in the constituency and another 1,600 in the rest of Dublin.

Tony was a fearless community activist who supported the Concerned Parents against Drugs group. He was an environmentalist, a Gaelgoir and an animal rights enthusiast.

Irish Politics will be the less without his influence.

I didn't agree with all of his politics and positions but there can be no denying his commitment to the North Inner City.

Tony Gregory was a beacon of integrity and honesty in a cesspit of corruption and cute-hoorism that was Dáil Eireann.

My thoughts are with his family and friends and the people of Dublin Central.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam

Persona non grata

2008-12-31T11:09:00.005Z

The genocide continues unabated in Gaza and as it unfolds we begin to see the outlying dynamics of this election platform.

Israel has an election shortly and that corrupt traitor Abbas tries to use the suffering of the Palestinian people to press a political advantage against Hamas.

Ehud Barak told the Knesset that the Zionist death squads spent "months" preparing for the Gaza slaughter.

Israel has also rejected any calls for a truce as unrealistic!

"There is no room for a ceasefire," Meir Sheetrit, Israel's interior minister, said.

"The Israeli army must not stop the operation before breaking the will of Palestinians, of Hamas, to continue to fire at Israel."

They want to break the will of the Palestinian people? That will never happen!

Now we see the truth loud and clear.

This talk of rockets from Gaza was only a pretext for invasion and both factions in the Zionist cabal try to outdo themselves as war criminals before the Zionist electorate.

I wonder what the ratio is per votes/dead Palestinian.

Is one dead Palestinian child worth 10 votes and a mother worth 6?

I have no doubt that both Egypt and Abbas were complicit in this slaughter, it brings deep anger to my heart when I consider the ties that Sinn Féin has with Fatah.

Mubarak announced on Egyptian television on Tuesday that the Rafah crossing will not be fully re-opened until Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, regains authority in the territory.

"We will not deepen the division and that breach by opening Rafah border crossing in the absence of the Palestinian Authority and the European Union monitors,"

The other day he tried to claim that Hamas were stopping people from crossing but now it becomes clear that he is trying to use the suffering of the Palestinian people for political ends.

As it stands close to 400 people have been murdered by the Zionists, with close to 100 of those being women and children.

It comes as no surprise that the armed wing of Hamas has vowed to send rockets deeper into Israel than ever before if the Zionists continue their deadly bombardment of the Gaza Strip.

"We tell the leaders of the enemy - if you continue with your assault, we will hit with our rockets further than the cities we have hit so far," a masked spokesman for Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades said in televised comments on Tuesday.

"If you think that Hamas and al-Qassam will be crushed, we will rise up from the rubble,"

The Palestinian people have a right to defend themselves and their homeland from these Zionists squatters.

I was glad to see that strong condemnation of Israel from the Irish government during the week but I would like to see them go further.

Under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations Article 9, a receiving State may "at any time and without having to explain its decision" declare any member of a diplomatic staff "persona non grata".

I would like to see Ireland take a stand in Europe and suspend all diplomatic relations with Israel.

I was encouraged to hear that at least some political figures were suggesting this.

Richard Boyd Barrett of the Irish Anti-War Movement said that Ireland should “take the lead in Europe and end diplomatic relations with Israel”. He said Israel should be boycotted because it is “akin to apartheid South Africa”.

UPDATE:If anyone has an interest in the current slaughter in Gaza then I suggest you read this excellent article in the Observer by Johann Hari.

Lynch's Fifth Column

2008-12-30T20:22:00.003Z

I have to say that I always find the "30 year rule" releases highly amusing as most of the important stuff is never revealed anyway.

What did catch my eye was the possibility that Jack Lynch may have tried to thwart Thatcher by calling on the Irish people in Britain not to vote Conservative.

I have to say that I couldn't have seen it being successful as most of the Irish people I know in England would sooner shoot themselves than vote for the Tories. By and large they always vote Labour.

Irish ambassador in London Paul Keating analysed the possible impact of calling on Irish people in Britain to vote against the Conservative party.

Mr Keating warned against the approach writing: “Since Parnell’s time attempts have been made to use it but they have rarely if ever been successful and generally the attempt to use it militates against the position of the Irish people here and creates ill-will in Anglo-Irish relations.”

Queen’s University Belfast historian Brian Hanley said: “Such a call would have been received by the right in British politics as an attempt by a foreign government to create an electoral fifth column."

Still not even close with the carry on of the British and their influence in a foreign country, i.e. Ireland.

Uncle Joe or Mass Murderer?

2008-12-29T21:39:00.004Z

"The people who cast the votes decide nothing. The people who count the votes decide everything"~Joseph Stalin

I see that Joseph Stalin has come third in an all time greatest Russian poll commissioned by Rossiya, one of Russia's biggest television stations.

Stalin was beaten into third spot behind Alexander Nevsky who fought off European invaders in the 13th century to preserve a united Russia and reformist Prime Minister Pyotr Stolypin, who was assassinated in 1911.

There has been widespread international unrest at "Uncle Joe's" supposed rehabilitation by the current Kremlin regime

Indeed the owner of the Television Station that commissioned this poll pleaded with viewers to pick a different candidate. It is for that reason that I believe the above quote is rather appropriate.

Stalin was one of the most controversial leaders of the 20th Century; many rank him on a power with Hitler due to his devastating purges of the 1930's.

Others view him as the undisputed leader of the Second World War after his country struck all the killer blows that led to the downfall of the Nazi regime.

I have to admit that the admiration that many on the left have for Stalin has never stood easy with me.

I have known members of my own movement who have considerable respect for this mass murderer. Indeed I know a well know Belfast SDLP Councillor who almost wants to have Big Joe's children with the amount of Stalin memorabilia in his office.

So the question that must be asked is who and what was Joseph Stalin?

There were some good points to Stalin and anyone who denies this denies a central part of his discourse.

Bearing the brunt of the Nazis' attacks, the Soviet Union under Stalin made the largest and most decisive contribution to the defeat of Nazi Germany during World War II. 4 out of every 5 Nazi soldiers who were killed were killed by the Red Army.

It was for that reason that Big Joe was declared the Times Man of the Year in 1942/43.

Under the Stalin Soviet government people benefited from some social liberalisation.

Girls were given an adequate, equal education and women had equal rights in employment, improving lives for women and families.

Stalinist development also contributed to advances in health care, which significantly increased the lifespan and quality of life of the typical Soviet citizen. Stalin's policies granted the Soviet people universal access to healthcare and education, effectively creating the first generation free from the fear of typhus, cholera, and malaria.

Soviet women under Stalin were the first generation of women able to give birth in the safety of a hospital, with access to prenatal care.

Education was also an example of an increase in standard of living after economic development.

The generation born during Stalin's rule was the first near-universally literate generation. Millions benefitted from mass literacy campaigns in the 1930s, and from workers training schemes.

Engineers were sent abroad to learn industrial technology, and hundreds of foreign engineers were brought to Russia on contract. Transport links were improved and many new railways built.

Under Stalin's rule, the Soviet Union was transformed from an agricultural nation into a global superpower.

While all these advances are laudable I must ask the question...at what price?

At what price did the Soviet Union become a global superpower?

"The death of one man is a tragedy. The death of millions is a statistic."

The above quote for me symbolises all that was corrupt and evil about Stalin, the fact that he was factually correct does not diminish the evil behind it.

His forced Agrarian policies at the start of his rule cost the lives of up to 10 million Soviet citizens. Progress, either political/economic or cultural can never be justified off the back of suffering.

His demented paranoia lead to the "Great" Purge of the 1930's when millions of Soviet citizens were wrongfully incarcerated or flat out executed at Gulag labour camps for purely political reasons.

Stalin's leadership was reinforced by a powerful cult of personality and in the 1950's Nikita Khrushchev, Stalin's eventual successor, would denounce Stalin's rule and cult of personality, thus initiating the process of "de-Stalinization".

I have nothing but respect for the Soviet Union and the role they played in defeating Nazism through from my perspective this was achieved despite the role of Stalin not because of him.

His purges cost the country dearly and it wasn't until he left the war in the control of his General's that his country began to prosper against the Nazi enemy.

There are many things that I admire about the Soviet Union, not least its incredible anthem, however Stalin was not one of them.

What can be done to stop Israel?

2008-12-28T14:36:00.002Z

As the Zionist War Machine wages on in Gaza I began to think about what could be done to stop, once and for all, this despot regime.

The Middle East is a tinderbox and the thousands of Arabs taking to the streets in Yemen, Ramallah, Cairo etc is testament to that fact. One of the interesting things is that they are not only condemning Israel but their own spineless leaders as well.

Khaled Meshaal, the political leader of Hamas, has already called for Palestinians to unite in order to wage a third intifada against Israel.

I don't think that anyone wants to see a return to suicide bombers but that will be the outcome unless action is taken by those in a position of responsibility and power.

The simple fact is that the Zionist War Machine is funded by the USA. One third of their Foreign Aid Budget goes to Israel.

It is America who must be influenced to stop funding this genocide and in my opinion that can only be achieved by turning off the oil.

In this economic crisis The Arab League have a unique opportunity to put the screw into the West.

The founding principle of the Arab League is to "draw closer the relations between member States and co-ordinate collaboration between them, to safeguard their independence and sovereignty, and to consider in a general way the affairs and interests of the Arab countries."

If the plight of the Palestinian people does not cover all of the above then I don't know what does.

What also has become clearer is the semi-motivation of the Zionists in this instance and it was let out of the bag by Ephraim Sneh, former deputy Israeli defence minister.

He said

"The fact that Hamas, for a year and a half, controlled Gaza and turned it into an Iranian base at the gates of Israel is a situation that is inconceivable and unacceptable to us."

"The blame is on Hamas... When they took over, they didn't bring in investors, they brought in instructors from the Revolutionary Guards of Iran.”

The Zionists are mobilising a land force at the gates of Gaza and the Arab League must act before it is too late.

If they shut off oil to any Western nation that gives succour to Israel then we would have an economic crisis of which the West could not withstand.

The Arab League has the power to make a great difference the only question is if they have the courage to take the steps that they must.

Israeli Massacre of Palestinians

2008-12-27T18:53:00.008Z

I see that the Zionist regime has once again renewed its blood lust when it massacred over 200 Palestinians in the Gaza strip.

This has been the single biggest Palestinian loss of life since 1967.

Zionist Aggression Minister Ehud Barak said "it won't be easy and it won't be short. There is a time for calm and a time for fighting, and now the time has come to fight,"

It would appear that the Zionists will not be happy until every man, woman and child of the Palestinian Nation are wiped out.

Where have I heard of that kind of hate before...I wonder?

Mustafa Barghouthi, the former Palestinian information minister, said

"This is not an attack on the Hamas. It is an attack on the whole population and the free will of the people of Gaza."

That for me is self evident with this attack.

I have always been a supporter of Fatah as they seek a secular and socialist Palestine however the stench of corruption has surrounded them and the Palestinian people made their choice in the form of Hamas in Gaza.

Their choice must be respected!

My support for the Palestinian people in unconditional, the same can't be said for its political parties and Fatah in particular.

I see that the West continues to appease the Zionist aggressor

The Brit PM had this to say, "I am deeply concerned by continuing missile strikes from Gaza on Israel and by Israel's response today,"

So his primary concern is not the murder of 200 Palestinian Citizens? What a surprise!

The USA, Israel's biggest benefactor, was her usual benign self when US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice issued this despicable statement

"The United States strongly condemns the repeated rocket and mortar attacks against Israel and holds Hamas responsible for breaking the ceasefire and for the renewal of violence in Gaza,"

It was Israel that broke the terms of the Egyptian negotiated truce by refusing to open the border crossings and end their disgusting blockade against the people of the Gaza.

The most honest response I have heard thus far came from a Palestinian Housewife in the Jabalya refugee camp.

“Since six months ago, we have had almost no supplies through the crossings, no food, no medicine, no gas, no water. What truce are you talking about? I support the truce, but a truce that brings us basic rights as Palestinians, not a truce that is only good for Israelis ... this served only one side, Israel.”

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas would need to do a lot more than simply condemn the "aggression" in Gaza.

The PLO and other Palestinian Resistance organisations should avenge this attack with utmost severity.

I would echo the sentiments of my Bloglaigh Na hÉireann Comrade Julius Geezer when he said

"I'm of the opinion that I won't see a resolution to this conflict in my lifetime. If there is a Palestinian state based on the Camp David/Taba discussions it will quickly fail because it will be based on injustice, illegality, and the legitimization of land-grabbing criminality. The chances of a bi-national state emerging, based on equality for all, are not good to say the least.

In the short term the hapless Abu Mazen should show a grain of integrity and cut off all contact with Israel, and it is to be hoped that all Palestinian resistance groups will retaliate against this murderous aggression. There is a time for peace, but it's not when a clique of cowardly murdering thugs are slaughtering your people."

Peace can not be achieved while the jackboot of Zionist aggression is firm on the throat of the Palestinian people.

The Arab Nations must show common cause with the people of Gaza and wider Palestine and do all in their power to ensure that the days of Zionist expansion and aggression are a thing of the past.

Victory to the Palestinian people! Tiocfaidh Siad Lá!

UPDATE. The Zionists launch a second day of attacks and the death toll in Gaza is now up to at least 280.

It would seem that the once mighty Fatah party is now little more than a puppet when you consider the wimpering reaction of Mahmoud Abbas. Shame on him! I hope the electorate in the West Bank give him the answer that he deserves at the first available opportunity.

Judas is alive and well and living in Ramallah!

By their actions...

2008-12-26T21:25:00.003Z

"The only valid censorship of ideas is the right of people not to listen". ~Tommy Smothers

I'm not one for Christmas Messages; the Pope didn't even get a look in our house never mind the English Queen.

That being said I had a sneaking regard for Channel 4 when they choose Dr Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, for their "alternative" Christmas Message.

I don't agree with Dr Ahmadinejad on a lot of issues, his denial of the holocaust, treatment of Christians in Iran, Capital Punishment, treatment of women etc.

I am however a believer in Free Speech and Channel 4 has once again shown themselves to be against the grain in relation to the British Establishment line.

I found his message positive, even if his knowledge of Christ's teachings was a bit suspect.

I think that such positive engagement is necessary as we try to reach out the hand of friendship in the Middle East.

No doubt the Zionists and their friends in Whitehall will be appalled at this Muslim ( or any Muslim who isn't blowing themselves up for that matter) being granted airtime but that should just be a sign to Channel 4 that they are doing the right thing.

It's all well and good being a champion of Free Speech when it comes to causes and people you support; the true test is when you offer the same rights to your enemy and those you disagree with.

Beannachtaí na Nollag

2008-12-24T20:55:00.004Z

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house. Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;.." or so the story goes.

It's that time of the year again and I have to wonder where the last 12 months have gone. It has been a mixture of good and bad, that's what life is though.

I have to say that Christmas does not mean to me what it once did. I know that it's the celebration of the birth of our Lord but that magic of childhood is no longer there. About 15 years ago I would have been going insane with excitement at this stage.

Christmas is a time for children and this will be the first year in our house when none of us are "for Santa", due to the fact that my youngest brother is now 11yrs old.

Christmas is also a time when we remember those that we have lost, grand-parents, aunts and uncles. I attended two wakes last night and a funeral today so I do think that puts life in perspective.

We often complain and think we have troubles, we only kid ourselves.

Even though some of the magic is gone in relation to Christmas I still love Christmas Eve, there is just something festive about it.

In relation to Balrog I have a lot of work to do over the next few months to restore it as a place of serious political debate. I don't like what it has become of late but I have put far too much work into this blog to allow it to fall.

I ask everyone to cut me some slack, I will be tough with the new rules in the short term but I hope it will be back to normality in a short while.

I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I hope you and yours have a nice break and enjoy some good company.

To those who will not be having a Happy Christmas I say to you that you will be in my prayers.

Now, time for an Irish Coffee...

Nollaig Beannaithe agus Athbhliain faoi mhaise daoibh.

Holy Father must take action

2008-12-23T18:21:00.003Z

I am disgusted but hardly surprised that the Church have "closed ranks" in relation to the scandal surrounding Bishop Magee in Cloyne.

His handling of child sex abuse allegations mark a return to the dark old days. His handling has been severely criticised by Children’s Minister Barry Andrews, Mr Andrews called on the former Papal secretary to "consider his position".

“In the education system in most other countries there would be lay people involved in the running of the schools and a report as damning as this would make their position untenable,”

“I’ve said I think the Bishop should reflect on that and I think it encapsulates my concerns.”

Bishop Magee's handling of this sad and disgraceful episode has also been criticised by an internal Church inquiry which found that child protection practices in the Co Cork diocese were "inadequate and dangerous", thereby potentially exposing vulnerable young people to further harm.

The explosive Cloyne report, compiled by the National Board for Safeguarding Children (NBSC) and published on the internet last Friday evening, found Bishop Magee took minimal action over a series of child sex abuse allegations against two of his priests.

Newry-born Bishop Magee, who was private secretary to three different Popes, apologised to clerical sex abuse victims in the wake of the damning report but refused to resign.

The 'Voice of the Faithful' lobby, which campaigns for more accountability in the Irish Catholic Church, said that if Bishop Magee fails to step down, Pope Benedict should exercise his supreme authority by demanding his resignation.

Sean O'Conaill, the acting coordinator of 'Voice of the Faithful' said that this response from Bishop Magee was not good enough and he should go.

"The NBSC report on the management of two child protection cases in the diocese of Cloyne shows clearly that, three years after the Ferns report in 2005, an Irish bishop had failed to ensure that the safety of the children of his diocese was paramount in the minds of all those answerable to him for the safety of Catholic children,"

"Other children were thereby still being endangered at this late date -- despite the guidelines supposedly adopted by all Irish bishops in the wake of the Ferns report. We therefore call upon him to resign this office immediately. In the event of his failing to do so, we call upon the Holy Father, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, to exercise his supreme authority to request the resignation of Dr Magee."

I have to say that I am angered by the lack of response from Cardinal Sean Brady.

He is supposed to be the Primate of All-Ireland and a Prince of the Catholic Church however he has shown himself unworthy to occupy the seat of St Patrick and St Oliver Plunkett.

He should be operating a zero tolerance policy in relation to child protection policies.

I have to concur with Sean O'Conaill and "Voice of the Faithfull"; if Bishop Magee will not step down by his own choosing then the Holy Father should step in and demand his resignation.

Every moment of delay weakens the authority of the Church and damages the faith of those that the Church is meant to lead.

"But when Jesus saw, he was much displeased, and said unto them, suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God."
Mark 10:14

Better late then never

2008-12-22T22:31:00.003Z

Danny McIlhone, one of the Disappeared, was laid to rest today by his family.

For the best part of 30 years his family have been denied this opportunity and it is with them that my prayers are at the moment.

I have spoken about this issue before on Balrog; the Disappeared is one of the biggest blights on the IRA.

I don't want to get into the whole "was he/she a tout" as for me it's a non issue at this stage.

Even if these people did something wrong their families should never have been denied the opportunity of a Catholic burial for them.

As a somewhat religious person this grates on my conscience a lot.

The families are innocent in all of this yet in some ways they have suffered the most.

I am glad that Gerry Adams has called on all those with information to come forward.

It's time to bring closure to these people; they deserve that much at least.

Bobby Sands MP

2008-12-21T20:43:00.003Z

I see that Education Minister Caitríona Ruane has been reported to the police for telling children that Bobby Sands was "a local hero".

Caitríona was speaking at a prize-giving ceremony at St Colm's High School in Twinbrook last week.

What's the problem here? I can't see how telling the truth can be a criminal offence.

Bobby Sands was from Twinbrook and the people there are quite rightly proud of him, as are a great many more in Ireland and around the world.

Bobby joined a pantheon of Republican Martyrs like McSweeney and Ashe when he invoked that ancient Brehon legal convention, Hunger Strike.

He laid down his life for his friends, comrades and the struggle in general. He did this out of love, love of his country, her people and her future.

Just as a bit of perspective we can view how Bobby was and is viewed around the world.

The Global Reaction

Europe

In Rome, the President of the Italian Senate did what the Brit Speaker couldn't bring himself to do by expressing the Italian government's sympathies to the Sands' family.

In Milan, 5,000 students burned the Union Flag and shouted "Freedom for Ulster" during a march.

In Ghent, students invaded the British Consulate.

In Paris, thousands marched behind huge portraits of Sands, to chants of 'The IRA will conquer'.

In France, many towns and cities have streets named after Sands. Examples include Nantes, St Etienne, Le Mans Vierzon and St Denis.

In Oslo, demonstrators threw a balloon filled with tomato sauce at Elizabeth Windsor, Head of the British Crown Forces.

In Spain, the Ya newspaper said Bobby's death was "an act of heroism."

In Poland's Lech Walesa paid tribute, "Bobby Sands was a great man who sacrificed his life for his struggle."

Soviet Union

Pravda described it as 'another tragic page in the grim chronicle of oppression, discrimination, terror and violence' in Ireland.

In Liverpool a march in support of Sands took place from Upper Parliament Street to the Pier Head, chanting "Bobby Sands MP".

USA

The US Congress and state and local governments passed resolutions honouring Bobby's sacrifice and sent letters of condolence. The New Jersey state legislature noted his "courage and convictions”

The International Longshoremen's Association in New York announced a twenty-four-hour boycott of British ships.

Over 1,000 people gathered in New York's St. Patrick's Cathedral to hear Cardinal Terence Cooke offer a Mass of reconciliation for Northern Ireland. Irish bars in the city were closed for two hours in mourning.

In Hartford, Connecticut a memorial was dedicated to Bobby Sands and the other Hunger Strikers in 1997, Set up by the Irish Northern Aid Committee and local Irish-Americans, it stands in a traffic circle known as "Bobby Sands Circle," at the bottom of Maple Avenue near Goodwin Park.

Cuba

In 2001, a memorial to Sands and the other hunger strikers was unveiled in Havana,

Africa

The ANC not only sent representatives to the funeral but Nelson Mandela sent a personal message from his prison cell.

Asia

In Tehran, Iran, President Bani-Sadr sent a message of condolence to the Sands family and also sent a representative to the funeral. An official blue and white street sign was affixed to the rear wall of the British embassy compound saying (in Persian) "Bobby Sands Street" with three words of explanation "militant Irish guerrilla".

The official Pars news agency called Bobby Sands' death "heroic".

The Hindustan Times said Margaret Thatcher had allowed a fellow Member of Parliament to die of starvation, an incident which had never before occurred "in a civilised country."

In the Indian Parliament, opposition members in the upper house Rajya Sabha stood for a minute's silence in tribute.

The Hong Kong Standard said it was 'sad that successive British governments have failed to end the last of Europe's religious wars.'

A large monument dedicated to Irish protagonists for independence from Britain, including Bobby Sands, stands in the Waverly Cemetery in Sydney, Australia.

How could Bobby Sands not be a hero and inspiration to thousands of people, his self sacrifice is a shinning example of hope in the face of adversity

New Order

2008-12-21T18:49:00.002Z

I have to say that I am more than a little angry at the moment. Certain posters on this blog have abused the platform that I provide for debate over the last couple of days.

Everyone is well aware of the rules I set in relation to posting.

Rule 1. Do not libel anyone on Balrog.

Deaddog has broken that rule and is now banned, if he appears under a new name I will be banning that person as well. I find it nothing short of cowardly for anonymous posters to cast aspersions over named individuals when they themselves lack the testicular fortitude to back up their allegations with their own name.

Some people seem to believe that they can use Balrog as their very own South Armagh version of the Sunday World. I will not be standing for that, if you want to set up your own blog then go ahead but you will not be hijacking mine in order to smear sound Republicans and their families.

Rule 2. No Sockpuppets

Deaddog/Camlough Republican/Blackrain etc are all the same person posting from the same unique IP. I don't allow sockpuppets on Balrog.

Rule 3. No derailing threads

I have warned Percy about this on a number of occasions, the warnings stop now. Percy is now banned from Balrog and any future post from him will be deleted.

Anyone who has read Balrog for any length of time will know how much I value Free Speech. I'm sorry that I have to curtail that right because of its abuse by people like Percy.

The Paul Quinn case is banned as a matter of discussion on Balrog unless there is a specific post on that topic.

I don't have the time to dedicate to Balrog that I once had, I hope for that to change in the New Year but until it does comment moderation will be in place.

I would rather delete the entire blog than have to deal with this kind of childish nonsense.

Out of the shadows

2008-11-26T20:35:00.005Z

I know it's been a while since my last post and to be honest I don't know when I will be back to regular blogging. Work is mental at the moment, 60 hour weeks are the norm as opposed to the exception.

Added to that the fact that I have bitten the bullet and finally joined the gym, I know, it was a shock to me too at first. All of that is an aside though, I still managed regular blogging at Uni and at that stage I was doing 60 hour drinking!

My two biggest blocks towards blogging at the moment are a lack of interest and apathy towards politics.

My lack of interest towards blogging is interlinked with my apathy towards politics. This is a political blog first and foremost, that is why I set it up. I have been blogging for years and I feel it's time for a break.

My apathy towards politics is not too hard to understand. I have been an active Republican since the age of 15, 9 years at different levels of the movement.

This is the first year that we didn't have an election North or South and due to work and life commitments I have taken a step back from active politics.

At the moment I am seriously contemplating taking the New York Bar Exams but we will have to see what happens.

Although I will not be blogging as much I will be watching and any comment which engages in personal insult will be removed with no explanation given.

I'll too old for this childish nonsense anymore.

I would like to recommend the new BBC series Apparitions to anyone who hasn't been watching.

It deals with the darker side of the Church and the fight against Satan, an area that holds great interest for me.

My mother and Aunt have always been into Angels and angelic intercession, I seem to have inherited that side of my faith and so I will leave you with one of my favourite prayers.

A prayer I would like to see restored to the end of every Mass.

"Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil; may God rebuke him, we humbly pray and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all evil spirits who wander through the world for the ruin of souls. Amen."

Falling on ones own sword

2008-11-25T13:38:00.001Z

I see that prominent loyalist and tout Ihab Shoukri died of a drug overdose last weekend. Whilst any loss of young life is truly regrettable I shed no feigned, crocodile tears for Shoukri.

For years Shoukri and his cohorts tortured the Nationalist people of North Belfast with sectarian attacks. Indeed many decent working class loyalists will not be too sorry to see him go either. After all he unleashed a surfeit of drugs and criminality onto their community. He got mega rich from the suffering and pain of others.

Such was the irreparable damage derivative from his criminality that the UDA booted out the Shoukris and a few of their trusted lieutenants. It must take a lot for the UDA to expel someone for criminality, saying as how they are up to their eyeballs in the fucking stuff!

It is somewhat ironic that Shoukri, a noted drug dealer should fall on his own sword and die from an overdose. Many young people from North Belfast have died at the hands of these dealers of death and it seems that in this case karma caught up with the monster!

Many eyebrows were raised when Shoukri was released from prison after only a few weeks. The nonchalant approach of the judiciary to leading loyalists suspected of being on the payroll of Special Branch is beyond comprehension. No doubt their handlers are able to get them a little breathing space.

Not even Special Branch can save him from judgement where he is now.

To do or die

2008-11-25T13:27:00.000Z

Tonight will see Celtic take on Aalborg and hopefully the Bhoys can eventually manage to break their away day blues.

An awful lot of people have been quick to deride Aalborg as a push over. However they gave a very good account of themselves at Parkhead and to be honest they pushed Villareal all the way too. Aalborg came out of the traps at Paradise and startled Celtic. Although Celtic missed a penalty I think Aalborg did well to achieve a point at Fortress Parkhead. Tonight Celtic will have to be on their best to take the maximum 3 points required.

Commentators many of them from the Brit media have been quick to point out that Celtic are effectively out of this years Champions League. This however is erroneous. Mathematically Celtic can still qualify, if they win their two remaining games and if Man Utd beat Villareal tonight (I never thought that I would be cheering for those smarmy bastards to win!). As Andres Hinkel put it Celtic still have a chance, it might not be a big chance but it is still a chance.

Celtic will have to be quick on the ball tonight and desist with the school boy errors that have plagued their performances away from home thus far. As Tam Gemmell put it Aalborg certainly fancy their chances and it is up to Celtic to take the game to them.

I am glad to see that Samaras returned to action against St Mirren. Although not a huge fan of the prolific Greek striker, I feel he adds a cutting edge impetus to the Celtic strike force, as his well taken goal on Saturday is testament to. Injuries have curtailed the effectiveness of the Hoops up front in away games in Europe this season. Samaras will go someway to restring a lethal touch up front.

I think Celtic might just shade it tonight. After all this is the anniversary of our last draw away on the continent ( to Barcelona if you will!) However the difficulty may lie in Man Utd having to beat Aalborg. This is the inherent danger in having to rely partly on others for qualification.

Ah well at least the forces of darkness have nothing to shout about except how they are going to win the SPL in the absence of any Euro commitments.

Dream on Darcheville…….

The price to pay for a quickie

2008-11-25T09:21:00.001Z

I see that the two Brits caught with their panties down in Dubai will now be returning home rather than face imprisonment as first feared.

I must admit that I have been following this case attentively and that I always have a wry smile and chuckle every time it is mentioned. There is just something about the folly of the whole situation that amuses me.

Michelle Palmer and Vince Acors were caught having sex on Jumeirha Beach on 5th July. They had met a few hours earlier at a champagne party and decided to get jiggy ( conservative readers stop casting aspersions and making judgements already!).They were initially found guilty of having unmarried sex and of public indecency and handed a three month sentence.

The austerity of the sentence was supposed to represent an example to all other adventurous and horny holiday makers. However both lodged an appeal and now the only ignominy they will face is deportation and the thought that everyone back home knows of their licentious dalliance abroad. I bet that will be one awkward welcome home conversation with their parents!

As you will all know there is strict Islamic law in force in Dubai. However I think 3 months incarceration for a quick shag behind the sand dunes is a bit extreme. Not even a scorned missus would react in such a severe manner. I have heard of some unlucky bastards being caught horsing their girlfriend out of it by her old man, but this was above and beyond that.

Imagine how many people would be imprisoned in Ireland if we enforced offences like having unmarried sex! I think the debacle over the Long Kesh site would be solved rapidly as it would be needed to house all the horny fuckers caught in the act.

I suppose the only lesson we can really extract from this humorous episode is that if you are taking the missus away for a dirty weekend its probably better to stick to Dublin than going to Dubai.

Barack Buster set to destroy Old Warhorse

2008-11-04T20:07:00.005Z

It's the night of the great event, American Election 2oo8!

A time when American citizens choose not only their President for the next 4 years but also their Congressmen and Senators as well.

I have supported Barack Obama from the Primaries and I hope that he succeeds tonight.

The key battleground states are the ones to watch, states like Virginia, Ohio, Florida and Iowa.

I have respect for McCain as a man, his experience in Vietnam and his refusal to leave before his comrades show the true measure of the man. He is a war hero but he is not the right man to lead America in my opinion.

I disagree with most of his policies, his foreign policy in particular.

Obama isn't perfect and I don't agree with all his policies but he offers hope in a time when it's in short supply.

I have often been accused of being anti-American which is untrue; I value many things about American society and politics.

I am anti-Imperialism and I hope Obama goes some way to restoring American standing in the world.

I would like to see the Democrats take the Senate by a majority of 6o plus, though I'm not sure how realistic that is, along with the House.

When Obama becomes President I hope he extends his hand out to all Americans to heal any hurts from this election.

I'm also glad that Joe Biden is standing as his VP as he is a man I have a lot of respect for.

I'll be up all night watching the vote and reading ATW; their coverage of the election has been fantastic.

"I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past"
Thomas Jefferson

Naughty Nelson

2008-11-04T13:22:00.001Z

I see that DUP MLA Nelson Mc Causland was ordered to remove himself from the assembly to-day by fellow DUP MLA and Speaker Willie Hay.

Mc Causland was suspended after refusing to withdraw remarks he made about Gerry Adams during a debate on ‘the Disappeared’ in the assembly yesterday.

Mc Causland claimed that El Presidente had set up ‘IRA units’ to torture suspected informers and bury their bodies in secrecy. El Presidente has strenuously denied these allegations, and this is not the first time certain Unionists have sought to tarnish Adams with this claim.

Perhaps there are a few other issues Nelson could raise in the assembly in relation to justice. Primarily I think he should ask some prominent members in his party where the weapons that Ulster Resistance imported from South Africa are. Perhaps he could enquire into whether they were used to murder any innocent Nationalists? I think Nelson should also raise the issue of the UDA playing a major role in a certain DUP members election campaign in 1978. Maybe he could also ask his former leader for the names of the mob that burnt down Catholic houses on the Shankill after the said man delivered a provocative and fiery speech in the late 1960’s?

Let he without sin cast the first stone. Clearly not a lesson Nelson learned at Sunday school.

The needed vote for change

2008-11-04T13:10:00.000Z

To-day is the day that history could potentially be made. It is of course the day of the US presidential election and with it comes the very palpable and real opportunity for America to elect their first ever black president.

Obama is already ahead in the opinion polls, yet many in the conservative media are already suggesting that he will be piped at the post by Mc Cain.

For me Obama represents a new face of monumental change. He is young, charismatic and one hell of an orator. Compared to an aging man there appears to be no contest. One is for progress the other for conservation.

It was interesting to see a tattooed, self confessed red neck openly state that he was going to vote for Obama. He even pointed out the folly of many of his associates that refused to vote for Obama on the basis of his skin colour. With such a conversion, one could very else suggest that Obama could indeed be onto a winner.

Personally I feel that this is the closest America will ever come to electing a black president. If Obama succeeds then the final nail has been hammered into the ignominious coffin of slavery and the denial of civil rights. If he fails I think the US will have passed on the greatest opportunity to make monumental progress.

Indeed the enormity of the decision taken by voters in the US will reverberate around the globe. It is not only the future of America, but indeed that of the world they hold in their hands. It is actually quite scary to think that voters in one part of the world could have such an impact on the world as a whole

I think Mc Cain may have fallen on his sword whenever he took Palin onto his ticket. What was touted as a stroke of master genius appears to have back fired spectacularly. Palin is far from being popular and has been in the news for all the wrong reasons in the run up to to-days election. It is interesting to note that the GOP appears to have fallen victim to its greatest ally, the media.

Personally I have no regard for Palin whatsoever. To me she appears to be precocious and false and I simply would not want her serving as the deputy head of my country.

It will be a few days before the result begins to emerge and a fuller picture emerges. Indeed I would not be surprised if there is a repeat of the dirty tricks that seen GWB ‘WIN’ the election against Kerry.

Playing for pride or for pay?

2008-11-01T10:54:00.001Z

As many of you will already know Ireland claimed another victory over Australia in the Compromise Rules series. Ireland won the match 57-53 giving them victory in both legs, and over all on aggregate.

Needless to see this feat is amazing, considering that GAA players are amateurs and have managed to once again beat professional athletes one on one.

However yesterdays encounter has raised several issues,. These arise every time the event takes place. Foremost amongst these issue is the contentious issue of the GAAs amateur status. Do not get me wrong, I concede that there is no better feeling than pulling on your county or club jersey week after week. Playing for pride is in many ways a better motivational factor than playing for pay.

Personally I feel that this debate is largely a redundant, red herring debate, instigated to ease the worries of many of the traditionalists within the GAA. I personally feel it makes no difference whether players are paid an allowance or not.

Primarily I am of this view because the GAA is a multi-million Euro sports organisation. The revenue generated from gate receipts is astronomical. Add to this the ever increasing cost of merchandise, the range of which is ever expanding. I mean now you have everything from kits, to school bags to air fresheners to play station games. The monetary gains from such a range is unbelievable and I think it is futile to argue that a sport that can generate such vast amounts of revenue is genuinely amateur.

Furthermore I can not fathom why people in light of these vast amounts of revenue would begrudge players a slice of this very large and lucrative cake. Personally I know that I would feel more comfortable knowing that the players, the people who entertain the crowds week in week out, the people making the sacrifices, should reap the rewards rather than the suits at GAA HQ.

Secondly I feel that it is futile to argue that a sport is amateur in essence and spirit whenever some are very clearly profiting from it. It is categorical that some people are very clearly making money from their positions within the GAA. County managers receive monetary payments as do several club managers whilst some players receive travelling allowances. Add to this the money top players make from advertisements, TV shows and newspaper columns. They are all making money as it stands, so I do not understand how giving them a few pound for playing will drastically alter this.

I think that traditionalists advocating a retention of amateur status are living in the past and are quite frankly deluding themselves. They appear to be utterly oblivious to the fact that money is already being made in the ways outlined above. These are the same people who were arguing that the back door system was going to kill off the championship. In fact they have been proved wrong on that issue. The restructuring of the championship has only served to strengthen the GAA further, especially in the weaker counties that are no longer subjected to the ignominy of the invariable preliminary round exit.

The attraction of professionalism in sport is reverberating across the GAA. Just look at the ability of AFL clubs to poach at will the cream of the GAA’s young talent. Many are quick to lambast those tempted by the lucrative offers from AFL clubs, but personally I feel castigation is difficult to justify. Thousands of pound in a sunny climate to do something that entails sacrifice at home is difficult to resist. Martin Clarke, Kevin Dyas, and now it seems the young talent of Tyrone have been tempted away to sunnier climates. Some in the GAA in passing the buck have naturally enough blamed the AFL for the whole debacle. However if they addressed the issue of providing financial incentive to their own players they could remedy the situation themselves,

Paying players is hardly going to cause the GAA world to implode. Several issues have over the years been muted as a wreckers charter and yet they have failed to dent the GAA in any way. This is merely another bogey debate to ease the worries of the die hard traditionalists.

Sinn Féin and the Banks

2008-10-21T23:38:00.004+01:00

I promised JG that I would be doing a post on Sinn Féin's decision to support the financial bailout of Irish Banks.

This weeks An Phoblacht has an excellent article in which Pádraig Mac Lochlainn supports Sinn Féin's action and Eoin Ó Broin opposes it.

Sinn Féin's decision to support the Credit Institutions Bill has caused a lot of headaches for Republicans, me included.

Where were the forced resignations of the bank directors, the very people responsible for this disaster? It's hardly surprising that Fianna Fail would not ask for such a thing.

Let's not forget that like Fianna Fail the entire political establishment and I include the banks here, never fall on their sword for mistakes.

Fianna Fail have bred a culture of irresponsibility where people do not take account for their actions, they get rewarded for their incompetence in fact.

It's my firm belief that the Bill acts in the Banks best interests as opposed to the national interests.

David McWilliams has an excellent article in last weekends Sunday Business Post in which he links the current financial rescue to that of Gresham’s law, it states that ‘‘bad money drives out good money’’.

It's all very well for Padraig to put forward a wish list after the fact. You don't buy a car and then try to haggle after you have paid the money.

I agree with Eoin when he argues that this bill does not address the causes of the current problem, in fact it may make things worst.

The Celtic Tiger was fed on a diet of low cost-high risk debt, something which was encouraged by Fianna Fail through their tax incentives for property developers.

Fianna Fail have taken credit for the Celtic Tiger, they must now also take the blame for the sour after taste.

In my view this Bill is reckless and Sinn Féin, even though they felt they were acting in the national interests, were wrong to support such a bill.

Red Army crush Celtic hearts

2008-10-21T22:20:00.003+01:00

It was another excellent night for this Man Utd supporter as the Red Army hammered Celtic 3-0.

I'm sure Adelante will be in a bar somewhere licking his wounds as the reality now dawns, Celtic are out of the Champions league for another year.

If this match showed us anything it was the gulf that exists between the Scottish SPL and the Premiership.

Celtic were outplayed and outclassed all over the pitch; Rooney was fantastic and our defence in the form of Vidic and Evans were hardly ever troubled.

It's time Celtic returned to the second rate league with second rate teams.

Action must be taken now.

2008-10-21T16:11:00.001+01:00

I see that yet another dastardly rape was carried out in Belfasts university area last night.

A woman in her 20’s was raped by a lone male at the junction of Agincourt Avenue and Ormeau Road. This latest grisly attack comes fresh on the heels of a similar rape in the Queens area just a few weeks previous. A few months previous a woman was raped in Canterbury Street also. God knows how many more have been committed but have not been reported. It appears to be an inexorable trend at the minute. The growing number of rape attacks is truly a sad indictment of society today.

I think that it is time to look at the growing problem of rape in this area. The problem indubitably emanates from the decision to house convicted sex offenders in the University area. The University area is hardly an apposite location for such animals. They are a very real danger to each and every female student living in the area.

Letting these barbaric animals within proximity to vulnerable females is just asking for trouble. Many female students are vulnerable, they have a drink too many, some are living away from home for the first time and irresponsibility sets in. Many young women are walking intoxicated and scantily clad around this area late at night. They are like lambs to the slaughter.

Predators prey on this type of thing. Housing rapists etc... in such an area is like letting a fat kid run free in a sweet shop. It simply defies logic and the whole situation must be reviewed and revised. These sick bastards should be housed somewhere else, preferably the Moon or the Sahara desert. It seems that the rationale behind housing these bastards here is that there are very few children. This may be relevant in relation to paedophiles, but for the rapist it is like Christmas come early. They are unleashed onto the easiest and most unsuspecting category of victims.

Action is needed swiftly before another female becomes another rape statistic. The trauma of rape will never subside, but surely this grim episode will provide the impetus for taking action to prevent another repeat of this horrendous attack.

To plump or not to plump?

2008-10-19T18:16:00.004+01:00

I see that there has been much talk about the proposed UUP and TUV voting alliance come the next European election.

With a string of Unionists standing at the next election the possibility of the SDLP gaining the last seat is far from fantasy.

Unionists

In one corner you will have Jim Allister, a man whose bigotry is matched only by his ego. As the leader of the TUV he must hope that those who are unhappy with the DUP will feel that Europe is a safe arena in which to deliver the DUP a bloody nose.

Then we will have the DUP candidate, it's hard to know who will drink from that poison chalice at the moment. I don't believe the rumour about Nigel Dodds being the candidate; Europe is political Siberia when it comes to future leaders in waiting.

I suspect that it may be someone like Dianne Dodds or Willie McCrea.

The UUP have already confirmed that womaniser Jim Nicholson will be their candidate.

SDLP

Last year myself and few comrades where speculating about who the SDLP would stand and I argued that they would opt for Alban McGuinness.

Let's be honest, the SDLP are in serious trouble in North Belfast and Sinn Féin are making encroaches into the SDLP vote at each and every election.

This is a golden handshake for Alban more than a promotion.

UUP/SDLP....Who takes the seat?

The UUP are increasingly becoming the political whores of the 6 counties. They are courting anyone with a pulse, and even some without. First we had the PUP, then the Tories and now the political equivalent of flatearthers in the form of the TUV.

The problem for Unionism is that Allister will pull in a substantial vote in the European elections. I don't see him retaining his seat but he could gift one to the SDLP.

The moral dilemma will be on Republican shoulders come the next European election. I say this because I believe transfers may be crucial.

I have never transferred to anyone other than Sinn Féin candidates at election time. My animosity towards the SDLP is also well know, I would like to see them annihilated politically.

The only thing that is still intriguing me is what the psychological effect on Unionism might be should we have a second Nationalist/Republican elected to Europe.

How would they cope with their grouping being down to just one representative?

My loyalty has always been and will always be to the Republican project, the reunification of this country.

If I felt that a number 2 for a stoop, no matter how uncomfortable for me personally such an action might be, would advance that agenda I would have no option but to go with it.

The election is still some distance away but I still maintain that the chances of a SDLP success rest not upon their own work but upon the good graces of Republican voters.

So the age old voting mantra continues, to plump or not to plump? That is the question!

No Huns in Corrie!

2008-10-09T22:17:00.000+01:00

It seems that Europe is not the only Hun-free zone these days. Apparently the cobbled streets of Whetherfield are short of a few Cream buns (no, not the type on sale in Roy’s Rolls).

It seems that the Cream Bun Lager Lout Brigade have got their Union jack, skid marked undies in a twist over Manchester again.

And what is the source of the outrage I hear you all ask. It seems the Buns are not too enamoured that suave businessman Tony Gordon, played by ardent Hoops fan Gray O’ Brien, is a Celtic fan.

The boys in blue are annoyed at some of the lines that have been scripted to reflect O’ Briens preference for The Grand Old Team. Mainly the issue appears to be that Tony said he had school boy trials with the Hoops and that he would have no more intention of bedding Rosie Webster than he would support The Forces of Darkness.

ITV has been inundated with angry phone calls from The Billy Boys. Such was the extent of their indignation that they had to re-script Wednesdays episode. O’Brien has conveyed his bemusement at the whole development.

It is ironic that this comes in the same week as Mine Fuhrers pleas for Cream Buns to tackle the ‘”bile” of sectarianism. He claims half of negative incidents are “self inflicted”. It appears that Mine Fuhrer has overlooked the fact that a prominent Cream Bun board member and QC was caught singing this bile a few years ago. Mine Fuhrer has now called for Cream Bun fans to police themselves. It’s a pity he did not make this request before last seasons Uefa Cup showdown in Manchester. Mind you the directors of Corrie are lucky it is not this year as Gordons Underworld factory would probably have been ransacked by furious Huns.

Mine Fuhrer seems to have overlooked the fact that the Cream Buns are much too busy watching Corrie and phoning ITV complaining to police themselves. I suppose now that The Cream Buns are no longer in Europe The Billy Boys have nothing better to do with their Tuesday and Wednesday nights!

No excusing rape

2008-09-30T18:12:00.000+01:00

A report by Amnesty International revealed a dangerous and disturbing aspect about the student psyche in the 6 counties. The report did not concern the pertinent issues of binge drinking or anti-social behaviour, but rather the very real issue of rape.

The report found that many male students in the 6 counties felt that in rape cases the female was in some part to blame. They evinced a belief in a link between flirting and rape. This is disturbing and opprobrious at the same time. It is wholly unacceptable to attribute the blame for rape to the victim. To do so embarks on a slippery slope of gradually criminalising the victim.

Whilst I acknowledge that some girls do dress and behave in a very sexually provocative manner this does not excuse this sick crime. I am not suggesting that no one can take a look at these girls, far from it, but rather you can not use it as an excuse for touching. The ‘she was asking for it’ line cuts no ice. I do not think it is much of a defence to say that someone was only raped because they were wearing a mini-skirt or because they were acting like a tart. Surely it is beyond the widest realms of imagination to argue that someone deserves to be raped?

Rape is a heinous crime, no half excuse or pathetic reason can diminish this fact. These excuses do nothing for the victim or their family. Will their trauma be lessened by the fact they were scantily clad? I think not.

The report also stated that 1 in 10 students put forward a belief that it was okay to use violence or acts of sexual aggression (including rape) against a partner that nags too much, refuses to have sex or flirts with another man.

It is worrying how devoid of morals students in the 6 counties appear to be. I know that it is only a small minority, but it still looks pretty grim. These people are supposed to be educated yet have the beliefs of a Neanderthal.

Jeffs great escape

2008-09-26T10:29:00.000+01:00

I see that Jeffery Donaldson made a great escape of his own yesterday. As many of you will know wee Jeff refused to accept a joint peace award with Gerry Kelly on stage in the USA.

Jeff was seething that Kelly had the gall to feature in a programme remembering The Great Escape. This shows the petty mindedness of rejectionist Unionist like wee Jeffery. Gerry Kelly was one of the prominent master minds behind the escape so it is only logical that he should talk about it.

It seems the main issue is that Kelly admitted shooting a screw during the escape. I do not see the problem as this is a well known fact. Would Jeff prefer Kelly to lie and deny shooting the screw? Furthermore the screw in question knew only too well the consequences of attempting to halt the escape as Kelly left him in no uncertain terms as to what would happen.

The plethora of outrage vented on the Nolan show by Unionists raises a few issues.

Firstly they talk about the poor traumatised screws. Is this the same traumatised screws that hospitalised several prisoners in the aftermath of the escape? One in particular gave wounded escapee Harry Murray a vicious kicking. This from a born again Christian as well! The brutality of the screws in the aftermath of the escape is now clear and has been reinforced by the fact that several prisoners have been awarded compensation for the injuries they received at the hands of these traumatised screws. Unionists have very little to say on this matter.

Furthermore this furore shows that republicans can not tell their story. Any time republicans try to relate their story to the wider world Unionists cry outrage. One of the greatest escapes in the history of man could not be celebrated due to the over sensitivities of Unionism. Had this escape been by Brit prisoners it would be a block buster movie by now.

It is ironic that the Church of Ireland this week said that more has to be done to ensure that Protestant suffering over the last thirty five years is not forgotten. It seems that republicans are not allowed to tell their story. It seems that if you do not agree with wee Jeff you must remain silent.

Now theres a democracy wee Jeff would love.

Small minded bigotry

2008-09-26T10:09:00.002+01:00

The worlds number one Celtic band Charlie and the Bhoys were due to play a benefit gig tonight for Mac Millan Cancer charity. However due to the narrow mindedness of some bigots this is no longer the case.

Mac Millan have now pulled out of the venture due to take place at Glasgow Barrowlands tonight after receiving complaints about the planned gig from faceless bigots.

These bigots fail to see the bigger picture. This is not about a Celtic band playing a gig for charity, but about raising money top help the fight against cancer. These bigots have got caught up in their entrenched and warped mentalities, ignoring the grim realities. As anyone with an ounce of rational thinking will realise, cancer is a scourge that has no regard for race, religion , colour or age. I just hope these bigots know the damage they have done in denying Mac Millan this much needed cash.

CATB lead singer Jim Scanlon has been a long term exponent of Mac Millan. Jim is in remission after suffering from cancer himself. He has only two years left before he gets the all clear. He has undertaken multifarious ventures to raise funds for Mac Millan and other cancer charities including marathons, gigs and the donation of revenue from CATB’s new Tommy Burns song. The humanity of Jim has shone through even in these challenging times when he says that he hopes the complainants never know the ravages of cancer nor have to avail of the services and care they are seeking to deny others.

However the bigots have failed to ruin the venture in its entirety. CATB will still play the gig tonight with the proceeds now going to the new charity set up by the family of Celtic great Tommy Burns who succumbed to cancer in May.

For further information on the gig or to make a donation check out further details at www.charlieandthebhoys.com.

Red Hand to raid Kingdom

2008-09-21T14:55:00.008+01:00

This is a weird day for this Orangeman. As an Armagh man many a days banter and good natured slagging has been had with our Tyrone brethren in Croke Park.

My best and worst days have been in that stadium against both these teams today. The best was when we lifted Sam in 2002 against Kerry and the worst was in 2003 when we lost in the final to Tyrone.

The debate regarding the back door is for another day but the fact that both these teams would have been out of the competition a few years ago is not lost on Armagh, Cork, Dublin or Galway people.

That being said I am an Ulsterman and I will always support an Ulster team, even Down.

It's for that reason that I hope the Red Hand of Ulster takes the Sam Maguire back up North where it belongs.

The minor final was fantastic and neither Tyrone nor Mayo deserved to lose, a draw was a fair result.

UPDATE: Ulster says NO to Kerry's 3 in a row!

Veni, Vidi, Defeci!

2008-09-21T12:44:00.004+01:00

I have spent the last few days reading and listening to the eulogies by political commentators and hacks alike of the PD's and I could not help but think of that great line from Shakespeare.

"I come to bury Cesar, not to praise him"

My view of the PD's is well known and well documented on this Blog, utter revulsion! Not of the people per se, Michael McDowell apart, but of the ideology which they have propagated.

Their very name is an oxymoron, Progressive Democrats!

What is progressive about engineering a gap between rich and poor which is the biggest in Europe? What is progressive about a taxation policy which rewards the rich and penalises the poor? What is progressive about a health policy like co-location which has created a two-tier health system?

What is democratic about one of the smallest parties on this island exerting so much influence on the lives of all? What is democratic about a party implementing policy over a majority of people who would never, ever elect them?

I welcome the demise of the PD’s; I doubt many are surprised by that though some may be by my reason. A greed that has never been present in the Irish psyche before has entered this country, a policy of "I'm alright jack" has been the order of the day.

The PD beast may, or may not have created this but they aren't the ones who have continued it. That blame lies with Fianna Fail and all the other establishment parties. They have all used the PD's as a scapegoat at election time. A bulwark between them and the electorate on issues like criminal justice and health.

With the upcoming demise of the PD's that bulwark will be removed and the emperor will be naked. No longer will Fianna Fail be able to pretend that co-location is the fault of the PD's.

With their undignified departure from the political field all but confirmed I hope for a time when we can have an honest fight with Fianna Fail over the issue of inequality and poverty.

The PD bogey man will be gone for Fianna Fail canvassers, it will just be them and the electorate and I relish that time to come.

"Experience demands that man is the only animal which devours his own kind, for I can apply no milder term to the general prey of the rich on the poor. "

Thomas Jefferson

Yanky Doodle at it again in South America

2008-09-20T18:03:00.001+01:00

I see that the Yanks are at it again in South America. This is of course a reference to the mischief that the US has been getting up to in Bolivia and Venezuela.

American detestation of left wing politics in Latin America is well documented, and readers will now only too well the general response of successive, irascible US administrations to the growth of left wing politics in Latin America I.e. military coup to over throw the democratically elected government.

Bolivian president Evo Morales recently expelled US diplomats from his country. According to Morales these diplomats were contriving to stir up dissent in the country and were orchestrating street riots and protests.

Meanwhile in Venezuela President Hugo Chavez claimed to have unearthed a cabal to overthrow him by the military. The main driving force behind the plot was the US administration. Chavez had survived a similar coup attempt a few years previous.

No one should be surprised at these developments. After all the US has an egregious record when it comes to Latin America. The US zeitgeist during the 1960’s and 70’s was to undermine democratically elected left wing governments in South America by any means necessary. Their preferred modus operandi was to back up the military and attempt to cajole them into overthrowing the government.

They were humiliated at the Bay of Pigs when Castro and communism faced them down. Their right wing ‘rebels’ were essentially left isolated and in the absence of popular support had to crawl back to their Yank masters.

On 11th September 1973 the US led a military coup in Chile to overthrow democratically elected president Salvador Allende. The coup was led by America and funded by America. Indeed the CIA had been attempting to have Allende assassinated for several years before the coup. The Yanks then installed despot and war criminal Pinochet in power. The CIA and US administration immediately pledged their support for Pinochet and his military junta. The US were also behind the downfall of governments in Argentina and Nicaragua.

One must wonder what the US had, and still have, to lose from the rise of left wing politics in one of the worlds poorest regions? When one looks at how US foreign policy is dictated by oil resources and greed it all becomes clear.

Gregs Bhoys against Bhigotry?

2008-09-20T16:07:00.001+01:00

DUP MP and ardent Cream Buns fan Gregory Campbell this week sent a letter to Celtic to state his opposition to ‘pro-IRA’ songs and chants at Paradise. According to Greg he got his Orange Order Y-fronts in a twist because Rangers have attempted to tackle the issue of sectarianism while Celtic have not.

Gregs latest rant raises a number of issues.

Firstly he claims that Rangers have done enough to stamp out sectarianism. This is a blatant, bare faced lie. He obviously has not heard of the spuds that were thrown at Barry Robson, accompanied by hisses of “the famines over why don’t you fuck off home”. He must not have seen the banners with ‘Nakamura ate my dog’ on them. His ears must have been else where when Cream Bun fans were singing Damn Busters to Andres Hinkel? Perhaps he has not heard about the savage attack on Neil Lennon last month? To Greg Rangers have sorted this out, but to anyone with an iota of intelligence the issue is far from resolved!

Lets just look for a minute at some of the ‘pro-IRA’ songs that are irking Greg of the Rangers.

Aiden Mc Anespie is a favourite amongst the Hooped faithful, particularly at away games. This song is about a young GAA member gunned down in cold blood by British armed forces. Many GAA fans also support Celtic, so I hope that goes someway to helping Greg realise why it is sung by Celtic fans. Furthermore the song is not in any way sectarian, and could only be construed as such by someone with a very obvious ulterior agenda!

The Fields of Athenrye is another favourite. It is a song about the Great Starvation. Thousands of Irish immigrants poured into Glasgow after fleeing the disease and starvation at home. The East End became one of the strongest Irish Diasporas about. Celtic was established to help the fledging Irish community. When it was formed in St Marys Hall, it was a clear and natural progression from Andrew Kerrins Poor Children’s Dinner Table. As such it is only natural that Celtic fans, many of whom are descendents of the original immigrants, are going to identify with the plight of their ancestors. It is only natural that they are going to sing songs about their past.
Furthermore it is only natural that Celtic fans can identify with republicanism and the IRA. Their ancestors bore the brunt of some of the worst displays of anti-Irish bigotry ever demonstrated. The riots in Greenock are testament to this fact. Mistreatment, degradation, humiliation and exploitation are the summary of the experience of the Glasgow Irish. This was institutionalised and was only ever effectively addressed in the mid 1990’s. A lot remains unaddressed. A statue of King Billy on Glasgow’s High Street kept the Irish in place, whilst the rampant anti-Catholic bigotry forced many to live in fear.

However despite this the Irish in Glasgow grew to better their adoptive city. Celtic grew to become one of Europes biggest footballing forces. This is testament to the tenacity of gallant Irish immigrants like Andrew Kerrins, and conscientious Scots like John Mc Lean. Without them the Glasgow Irish would still be marginalised and oppressed. Mc Lean stood up for the Irish in the aftermath of 1916 when no one else would. Furthermore there were 5000 IRA volunteers in Glasgow in the period between 1916-21. Foremost among them was Commandant Ian Mc Kenzie-Smith. This is as much part of the history of the Glasgow Irish as it is Ireland.

As for the modern republican songs, they too have an explanation. Whilst Catholics in the six counties were marginalised by state institutions, Catholics of Irish descent in Glasgow ere also subjected to some of the worst forms of religious and racial discrimination. Indeed it was not until 1992 that Catholics became equal in the eyes of Scottish law. So it is not out of some tribal allegiance the songs are sung but out of genuine empathy with the struggle of Nationalists in the six counties. Indeed many had and still have family connections in the six counties.

So the next time Greg gets hot under his Orange collar about republican songs he should stop and ponder why Celtic fans have come to identify with republicanism. Perhaps had the forces of law and order that Greg prides himself on refused to indulge anti-Irish bigotry then these chants would not be ringing out around Parkhead. The majority of fans have no problem with such songs. Celtic ‘PLC’ are attempting to do the dirty work for people like Greg, by stopping us from singing songs about our history. The real fans it seems have no say, it is only the opinion of a certain war monger that counts. However they fail to realise that whilst true Celtic fans row in behind projects like ‘Let the People Sing’ our songs about our history will always be sung at Parkhead whether Orange Bully boys like Greg like it or not!!!

For those wanting to lend their support to the ‘Let the People Sing’ project log on to www.talfanzine.com for more details.

Support Pól Brennan

2008-09-13T14:06:00.001+01:00

Belfast man and Irish political refugee Pol Brennan is facing the prospect of imminent deportation from the USA. As such republicans have launched a campaign to halt the deportation proceedings that are active against Pól.

Brennan has been in custody in Texas since he was arrested at a Border Patrol stop checkpoint over 100 miles from the Mexican border. Brennan had been in America since he escaped from Long Kesh as part of the Bold 38 Great escape. Despite the fact that the British government withdrew extradition proceedings against Pol in 2000, he remains in custody in Texas. His immigration hearing has now been moved forward from 24th September to 17th September. Pol is facing an uphill battle, with the odds firmly stacked against him. The breathtaking injustice of his case is sickening. This is a mans life, and the lives of his family at issue. Surely Homeland Security must realise this! How Pol can be considered a risk to the US or a risk to flight is beyond comprehension.

His case has similarities with the cases of Roisin Mc Al;iskey and Malachy Mc Alister. However Brennans detention appears to fly in the face of the support the US administration has given to the peace process. His arrest and detention are unnecessary. Pol is married to a US citizen, and despite provisions to waive his previous unlawful presence in the US, he remains in detention. Furthermore Pol is being held without bond, and has not even been given the opportunity to contest the refusal of bond despite the AOH making representations in his favour.

Republicans throughout Ireland and the US have rowed in behind Pols campaign. Sinn Fein, in particular Rita O Hare are doing all in their power to aid Pol. Congressmen Peter King, Richard Neal and Jim Walsh have all called for Pol to be released from detention. Pol is not undocumented and has not even been refused a work authorisation application, yet he is being held in confinement in a Federal Holding centre.

Republicans are urged to contact Pol with messages of support at his address:

Pól Brennan
A88 785 324Pearsall Detention Center
566 Veterans DrivePearsall,
TX, 78063

What's the craic?

2008-09-13T01:03:00.003+01:00

Just a short update on my lack of blogging.

Work is mental at the moment and I'm working 12 and 13 hour days. I think I've had 2 days off in the last month and blogging is the last thing on my mind at the moment.

I've been blogging on Balrog for 3 years and I think I'm entitled to a short break. I have noticed the site slip in quality this last while and I intend to rectify that.

I will be following the slugger rule of "play the ball and not the man" to see what can be done.

I'm not sure when I'll be back to regular blogging, it could be next week or next month.

I'll be back when I get the time and the inclination.

Same old Sammy!

2008-09-10T19:50:00.002+01:00

I see that while many in the DUP have managed to come to terms with the political progress of recent years Sammy Wilson is remaining true to his old self.

It is reported in today’s Irish News that Sammy has banned officials from the 26 counties from sitting on the three councils that advise his Department of Environment.

This is odd considering that the environment is one area where an artificially imposed border has sweet fuck all impact or relevance!

Issues such as bird protection, global warming and carbon emissions have no regard for questions of jurisdiction!

Sammy’s ‘Protestant state for a Protestant people’ entrenched mentality could spark trouble on a number of levels.

Firstly it jeopardises the cross-border work on environmental protection that has already been implemented to date.

Secondly it merely compounds the existing difficulties between SF and the DUP. With issues like the Irish Language Act and the Maze Stadium remaining a bone of contention, Sammy is simply increasing the pressure on the executive. In an even wider context it will strain relations further in relation to the devolution of policing and justice powers.

Sammy and a few of his DUP stooges need to wake up and smell the coffee. The days of the irascible DUP head honchos calling the shots are over. They need to realise that they can not have power without sharing it with Nationalists!

Honouring a campaign of mass murder.

2008-09-10T19:35:00.001+01:00

I see that a service was held in St Pauls Cathedral in London today, to mark ‘the end of the British army’s role’ in the six counties.

Among those to attend were cold blooded H-Block martyrs murderer Maggie Thatcher, Britain’s Prince Charles and ex-RUC supreme Ronnie Flanagan.

Just what the service was in honour of remains to be seen.

It seems odd to celebrate one of the most sickening campaigns of mass murder this island has ever witnessed. No doubt there was no mention of the 300 odd people murdered by the British Army in the six counties. The monopoly of suffering was no doubt confined to the 700 British Army personnel( at least that’s how many they officially claimed, figures probably more if you count all the Brits that died in German car crashes etc..) who were killed during the war in the six counties.

Many of those in attendance would know all about the pain and suffering caused by Britain’s forces in the six counties. Maggie Thatcher who presided over mass murder in the six counties and Ronnie Flanagan in particular. Maggie callously let ten brave men starve to death in the Kesh, whilst the RUC shot dead scores of Nationalists in their shoot-to-kill policy during Flanagan’s tenure.

Perhaps the end of the Brits campaign could have been marked with an apology for the hurt and suffering they have forced upon the people of this island. There was no sorry for the families of Peter Mc Bride, Majella o’Hare, Kevin Heatley or Aiden Mc Anespie. There was no apology for kicking in doors and ransacking homes at 4am. There was no mention of beating young men senseless at checkpoints. There was no mention of the Ballymurphy Massacre or the unprovoked murders of Bloody Sunday.

It seems this was a pathetic spectacle of self praise and wallowing in self pity. It would be more apt if these cold blooded bastards finally acknowledged the suffering they inflicted upon this country in what was a tyrannical and barbaric campaign!

Willie Wonka to the rescue!

2008-08-28T13:38:00.001+01:00

I see that Wee Willie has came to the rescue of his FAIR crony William Wilkinson.

The former DUP representative in Ballymena, was yesterday charged with raping and attempting to rape a woman. Wilkinson vehemently denies the charge and was released on bail by a high court judge yesterday.

However at this point I must point out that I support the due process of the law. Being charged is by no means a sign of Wilkinsons guilt. He could very well be innocent. Only time will tell.
Wilkinson was granted bail after the High Court heard that wee Willie was acting as surety for Wilkinson.

Now if Wilkinson is proven guilty of the charges this leaves wee Willie in quite a quandary. Firstly he will have bailed out a rapist. Secondly he will have had a rapist as an integral component of the FAIR project. The already sullied reputation of FAIR will be decimated for good.

This reminds me of the FAIT debacle with Vincent Mc Kenna a few years ago. The evil anti-republican mouth piece was found guilty of abusing his daughter. The man who purported to represent peace and justice was sowing seeds of the most heinous evil in his own home! It could very well emerge that Wilkinson also has a darker side than FAIR would like the world to know.

This latest scandal asks a lot of questions about these so called victims campaigners. Two sex scandals in the last number of years. Only time will enable the truth about the allegations against Wilkinson to emerge. Either way his and wee Willies reputations are already damaged. However in a few months wee Willie could really feel the damage if Wilkinson is found guilty.

There is a lot to be said for these people who speak about the ‘evil’ of republicans.

Bully Billy boys getting worse

2008-08-28T12:55:00.002+01:00

This Sunday sees the first Old Firm of the new season kicking off.

On the pitch Celtic appear to have a few injury worries. Most notably prolific hit man Scot Mc Donald and big Jan, and now it seems the Prodigal Shaun, who set Parkhead alight on his return last week (which I was privileged enough to see). I think an awful lot of this is media hype, and I think that the Hoops should ease past the despondent Gers side. Their display against Falkirk was magical at times, with Samaras even grabbing himself a brace!

More interesting will be the abuse the Gers fans direct at the Parkhead faithful. Over the years the situation has got progressively worse. It started off with the naked sectarianism of chants such as the Billy Boys, moving onto the racist monkey chants at Balde and now culminating in the ‘Nakamura ate my dog’ banners.

These ‘fans’ (I don’t really think you can call them fans) are letting the club they purport to love down. Their display in Manchester was despicable and demonstrated to the world just how far removed from civilisation The Forces of Darkness actually are. It was this type of behaviour that earned them the moniker ‘The Huns’ in the first place!

The media, most notably The Daily Rectum, try to portray the situation as a ‘ones as bad as the other’ type. This is irrefutably inaccurate. Celtic fans are not, never were and never will be sectarian. The club was born out of the oppression of the Irish in Glasgow and their ensuing plight. The fact the club and fans are proud of our Irish ethos does not make us sectarian.

However the most harrowing and distasteful abuse yet to emanate from the Castlegreyskull bigots is the ‘Big Jock Knew’ (BJK) campaign. These bigots have launched a campaign inferring that Jock Stein, the greatest manager Scotland ever witnessed, knew about the child abuse that was going on at Parkheads youth setup in the 1960’s. To blacken the name of such a great man, especially when he is unable to defend himself, is opprobrious. The graffiti artists were out in force in Calton. Driving past the Crimson Star and Walkers it was not long before the BJK graffiti started emerging. The hypocrisy is overwhelming. There was no ‘Unionist politicians knew about Kincorra’ graffiti about!

These idiots appear to have forgotten that it was the very same Big Jock who personally offered valuable assistance to the Ibrox club following the Ibrox disaster in the 1970’s. However it must be acknowledged that not all Ger fans are buying into this crap. Several fans have registered their disgust at this pathetic smearing of Stein on radio phone-in’s

Jocks family and Celtic have by and large ignored these idiots, refusing to lend weight or credibility to their outrageous claims. The Celtic fans responded in the most positive manner possible. They unfurled a banner of Jock asking the Teddy Bears ‘Is it cold in his shadow?’

This Sunday the numskulls from Castlegreyskull will find out just how cols it is!!!!!!!

Shoot to kill a failed policy

2008-08-20T23:32:00.000+01:00

I see that Ian Og is advocating a vengeful return to the failed police policy of shoot-to-kill.

According to Ian Og “Police officers should have the opportunity to employ lethal force against those who would seek to kill them”.

Now there are a number of problems with the policy that Ian Og is such a staunch exponent of.

Firstly past experiences show how Peelers abused this practice and directly murdered scores of innocent Nationalists/Republicans in cold blood.

Young Pearse Jordan was gunned down by RUC men as he travelled the Falls Road in late 1992. Although an IRA volunteer, Jordan was unarmed at the time of his death. His car was rammed by RUC men and Pearse was callously shot in the back as he staggered away from his car. Is this the type of situation that Ian Og is seriously calling for? If so this is definitely worst that all his recent political gaffes.

There is also the case of Volunteer Peter Cleary. Cleary was an active member of the South Armagh Brigade when he was dragged from a house by the SAS and shot dead following extensive torture. He was unarmed, and at his inquest the SAS made illogical claims that Cleary attacked the officer interrogating him and made a break for the border just a few yards away. Is Ian Og calling for summary execution of this type on a grand scale?

Than there are the cases were the Brits/RUC have ‘mistaken’ innocent civilians as gunmen. Majella O’ Hare, Aiden Mc Anespie, Bloody Sunday, Peter MC Bride etc. This policy enabled the state to murder innocent Nationalists in cold blood and escape unscathed.

Ian Og has also overlooked the fact that the policy he is supporting is in direct contravention of the European Convention of Human Rights. And although Ian Og may not like it, republicans do have human rights! The extent of how inhuman this policy actually is was conveyed in the European Courts. Time after time the Brits have been castigated in the European Courts for violating the human rights of republicans.

It is disgusting that someone that holds the office that Ian Og fulfils should make such a blatantly callous claim. He is only too aware of the hurt and pain this policy has caused the Nationalist community over the last number of decades. After all his father had people marching up the hills of Antrim claiming that they were prepared to do whatever it took with their legally held firearms if the cause of Ulster needed it!

A child killer is no war hero!

2008-08-17T15:23:00.002+01:00

I was disgusted to learn that the British military establishment are now exalting murdering bastard Para Lee Clegg in Afghanistan, as some type of noble war hero. Portraying a child killer as a hero is despicable, even by Brit military standards!

This bare faced lie will ring hallow in West Belfast, where Cleggs name lives on with notoriety. On 30th September Lee Clegg was part of a Para unit that opened fire on a Vauxhall Astra on the Upper Glen Road in West Belfast. Two teenagers Karen Reilly (18) and Martin Peake (17) were killed as a result of the gunfire.

A total of 19 shots were discharged by the Para unit. Four of these came from Cleggs gun. Clegg was given a life sentence for the murders in 1993. It seemed that finally the Brit establishment were prepared to punish murderers within its ranks with the austerity required.

However following a prominent campaign by Brit rag newspapers( who never had any sympathy for the loved ones of innocent victims of Brit violence) and Unionist politicians Clegg was released under licence by then SoS Patrick Mayhew. To add further insult into injury Clegg was rapidly re-admitted to the Brit Army, even receiving promotion from Private to Sergeant.

Now the very papers that championed the murderers case are exalting him for his efforts in the war of terror in Afghanistan. There is very little to stop Clegg murdering children in cold blood again over there! Instead the papers praise this sick bastard for having “repeatedly braved Taliban fire to rescue wounded comrades and bring back the dead”.

Bring back the dead!!!! The sick bastard murdered two children in Belfast!!!! That’s not quite bringing back the dead, but creating the death list!!! The folly of the praise is truly shocking. How this so called newspapers can heap praise on such an evil person is beyond comprehension. Perhaps they should eulogise Myra Hindley and Ian Huntley, two other child killers?

The most opprobrious of comments were made by Brit General Sir Anthony Walker, ex-Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff. He trumpeted that “fifteen years ago he was in a prison cell serving a life sentence… toady as Sergeant Clegg he’s back at this sharp end of the war, providing essential support to soldiers of his battalion who are wounded in action”. This is unbelievable! Walker fails to mention the sharp end of the war in West Belfast when Clegg murdered two children or the essential support he gave to his murdering Para unit that night!

This is just the latest in a long line of insults to the families of victims. First there was the debacle regarding the two Scots guards who murdered Peter Mc Bride and now Clegg1 This must stop. There can never be justice for Majella O Hare, Peter Mc Bride, Aiden Mc Anespie, Karen Campbell or Martin Peake, whilst the Brit establishment protects their killers or exalts them as demi-gods!

Sullying the name of Civil Rights

2008-08-12T17:52:00.002+01:00

It was with a sense of bemusement that I learned that Blueshirt Stoop Austin Currie is to be awarded by the Herbert Summer School for his contribution to the Civil Rights movement.

This is astonishing considering what Currie did in the aftermath of the rent and rates strike. In this contributors opinion he should be getting an award for treachery and deceit! His actions were anathema to the cardinal precepts of what the Civil Rights movement set out to achieve!

He encouraged people not to pay their rent and rates and then after getting himself a cosy little political position he was running around Tyrone forcing people to pay their rent and rates. It is disgusting that someone as despicable as Currie should even be mentioned in the same sentence as the Civil Rights Movement never mind being awarded for his inactivity!

Furthermore his later political bedfellows leave very little to the imagination. How someone who purports to support civil rights and democracy can join the Blueshirts is beyond comprehension! This shows the true colours of Currie. Just like the Blueshirts he is a West Brit at heart, always was and always will be in my opinion!

It is time that people starting realising that Currie was in the Civil Rights set up because he saw it as a way of propelling himself to political fame. His opprobrious actions after the rent and rates strike show just how indifferent he really was to the plight of the ordinary working class person!

The Herbert Summer School have a lot to answer for!!!!!!!

What do you expect from a pig but a grunt?

2008-07-29T23:45:00.003+01:00

Well, it's been a while since I last posted here.

I always seem to take a break from this blogging lark during the summer, there is always better things to be at when the sun is shinning. Work has been mental and so my time seems to be divided between working, sleeping, working and a bit of drinking thrown in for good sanity.

It doesn't really matter because the themes always stay the same.

I see that Coleraine has once again raised it head when it comes to vile sectarianism. I am referring to the abuse that two young Dublin teams faced at the Milk Cup.

The two teams had to be moved after their building was attacked by stones and their players and staff subjected to vile sectarian abuse from knuckle dragging dross.

Paul Hammond from Crumlin United said sectarian remarks were shouted.

"There were bottles, cans of beer, bricks and all sorts coming over towards the kids. The kids were terrified. Some of them are 14, others are 15,"

We shouldn't be surprised by this, attacking children has always been a hallmark of those sensible sons of Ulster. Let's not forget that their Belfast cousins threw bottles of piss at school children walking to Holy Cross; compared to that this is virtually timid.

It's such a pity that an area as beautiful as North Derry can be blighted by such Neanderthals as that which can be found in Coleraine.

Evidence points to cold blooded murder

2008-07-29T20:45:00.000+01:00

It was no real surprise that it was reported by the media to-day that a bug had been uncovered at the home of murdered IRA volunteer Oglach Sean O Farrell. The bug was uncovered during renovation at the home near Coalisland.

This discovery removes any doubt that Oglach Sean O Farrell was murdered in cold blood by the SAS in Clonoe, acting it would seem on information gathered by surveillance via the bug and other devices.

Oglach Sean O Farrell joined the East Tyrone Brigade of Oglaigh na hEireann at 18 years of age. Within a short period of time Sean demonstrated his ferocity as a guerrilla soldier. He rose to become right hand man to Oglach Kevin Barry O Donnell, O/C of a ruthless IRA unit in East Tyrone. Under the guidance of these two remarkable young volunteers, this unit brought the war to the British military machine in East Tyrone.

In May 1991 Sean and Barry were arrested on arms charges. The charges were later dropped after the lads had spent a month on remand in Crumlin Road jail. Upon their release both volunteers resumed active service.

On the 16thn February 1992, the unit under O Donnells command launched a daring attack on Coalisland RUC Barracks. Following the attack the unit regrouped at Clonoe Chapel car park, where they began to dismantle the mounted machine gun used in the attack. When the weapon was finally dismantled concealed SAS men opened fire without warning on the unit. One volunteer was shot as he had his hands raised in the air. No attempt was made to intercept nor arrest the unit. The SAS engaged in their shoot-to-kill policy once again.

Four young volunteers were cut down in their prime that night. Oglach Kevin Barry O Donnell (21), Oglach Sean O Farrell(22), Oglach Paddy Vincent (20)and Oglach Peter Clancy(21). Following the discovery of the bug at O Farrells home, it is now irrefutable that the four were intentionally gunned down in cold blood by the SAS.

Coming to their senses!

2008-07-16T15:57:00.000+01:00

I was relieved to learn that the judiciary has finally come to their senses in the handling of the case of death driver Christopher Mc Ginn.

Earlier this year Mc Ginn received a mere 4 year term, which he effectively only had to serve 2, in a YOC for the deaths of Gerard Fearon and Steven Shields on the Dublin Road.

This sentence was a joke and was rightly rejected by Peter Fearon as an insult to the families.

To-day the Court of Appeal quashed the “unduly lenient” sentence originally imposed on Mc Ginn, replacing it with a 7 year sentence.

Let me state quite clearly that whilst this is preferable to the original sentence, this sentence will still not diminish the hurt and anguish thrust upon the two families by Mc Ginns murderous irresponsibility that night.

Mc Ginns troll friends have invaded this medium on several occasions in some type of vain attempt to defend his actions. However they must now recognise that this scumbags actions are truly indefensible.

The Balrog team have long supported justice for the Fearon and Shields families and to-day marks a massive step forward. I have made my feelings on Mc Ginn quite clear on this medium, for this I make no apology. I have no time nor indeed inclination to indulge the sensitivities of a murdering scumbag or his associates. His associates demonstrate the mark of people they are by associating with a known anti-social element and continuing to defend him.

The deaths of Gerard Fearon and Steven Shields were no ordinary accident, despite what those close to Mc Ginn may seek to argue. Mc Ginn got into a car drunk, with no license and no insurance and drove without due care and attention down the middle of the Dublin Road. This damning litany of offences shows that this bears all the hall marks of death driving, not a mere tragic accident. Had Mc Ginn not killed two men that night he would no doubt still be death driving on the roads of South Armagh!

At least this scumbag will not be spending 2 years in a holiday camp/YOC as initially feared. He will be out in some years, yet two families have lost their loved ones forever. One must ask whether justice can ever be truly done. Mc Ginn will have to face his maker on judgement day and it is then that he will pay for his reprehensible deeds!

He has done it again!

2008-07-15T20:40:00.000+01:00

I wrote yesterday that Fraser would find it difficult to top his latest stunt, yet the little Harry Potter look-a-like has surpassed himself again!

Upon browsing Willies ‘victims’ website I was rather bemused to learn that Willie has compiled a list of “all republican terrorists and their associates in South Armagh”. By this, I take it Willie means Irish Republicans from the South Armagh area. This will be difficult considering that thousands of people in South Armagh vote Sinn Fein.

Willie trumpets that he is going to expose them. Just what exactly he is going to expose about them remains to be seen. Their republicanism perhaps? However the last time I checked this was not a crime!

Willie really is losing the run of himself here. He claims that the decent republican people of South Armagh were involved in some macabre ethnic cleansing exercise against the Protestant community in South Armagh.

Once again Willies selective amnesia has kicked in and he appears to have over looked the Glenanne Gangs reign of terror. Perhaps Willie should spend his time exposing these people to the world. After all many commentators have linked members of Willies family with this ruthless murder squad! However perhaps this is too much to expect of a man whose definition of victim is restricted to members of a Protestant pro-loyalist militia like the UDR or RUC!

Orange Order meaning of equality!

2008-07-10T11:13:00.000+01:00

It appears that the Orange Order are annoyed at the decency of society again.

Following on from the protests over the removal of Unionist flags and emblems from Banbridge Council premises a while ago, the Sash Brigade are now protesting in Larne.

And what has ruffled the collars of the sashed brethren in Bible Belt Country? The fact that the council has refused to pay for red white and blue bunting to be erected in the town for the Twelfth celebrations.

Orangemen protested outside Larne Council offices on Monday night. How it must have brought the memories of parading up the hills of North Antrim brandishing firearms and their certificates with Paisley racing back.

A spokesman for the Billy Boys said that they were protesting at the failure of the council to treat them “equally”.

This will be very hard for anyone from a Nationalist background to comprehend. The Billy boys seek to argue that by not putting up bunting for a triumphilist out of date coat trailing exercise the Council are discriminating against the most sectarian organisation in the 6 counties. This is just absolute folly!

How many councils pay for tricolours to be erected for Easter Parades? Do republicans complain of discrimination over this inactivity? It appears that what the Billy Boys want is preferential treatment rather than equal treatment!

They are dying to wind back the clocks to when they got their way and it was to fuck with what local Nationalists felt. Luckily for society and decency these days are well and truly gone. The croppies lie down no more!

Furthermore the Billy Boys are falling over themselves to convince every half wit that these Kick-the -pope parades are community events, and that they are designed to be all inclusive and to cater for all sections of the community. They appear to have over looked the fact that only one side of the community can partake as Order members and that a surfeit and plethora of red, white and blue will effectively alienate one side of the community also.

Hot Air!

2008-07-10T11:05:00.001+01:00

I heard yesterday that UUP deputy leader Danny Kennedy has got himself excited about the name of Raymond Mc Creesh Park in Newry.

Seemingly Danny is not too chuffed that a play park in the city should be named after one of South Armagh’s most gallant sons. Personally I think it is a fitting tribute highlighting Raymond’s tenacity and commitment to the republican cause in painful and testing times. In the eyes of the vast majority of those from the city the naming of the park is a welcome recognition of the bravery of the hunger striker.

Danny has pledged his support for the formal complaint lodged by Newry District LOL No.9 to have the playpark renamed.

No doubt if he succeeds Danny will then have Mick Mallin Park and James Connolly Park, also in the city, firmly within his sight. Bizarrely Kennedy argues that the name should be changed as a matter of equality. He even claims the support of the Equality Commission for his crusade! This is strange in a city with a 98% Nationalist majority!

It has been muted that the move to change the name of the estate is being led by Unionists from the Altnaveigh area. These people are very clearly caught in a time warp, as manifest by such petty objections. Furthermore they also have very selective memories. They appear to have forgot that many of their Nationalist neighbours from the Newry area helped to repair Altnaveigh Orange Hall after it was damaged in a sectarian attack a number of years ago. Eaten cake is well and truly forgotten!

Furthermore Danny appears to have overlooked the names of other landmarks in the City. For example Bagenals Castle is named after one of the most ruthless butchers in local history, a man who massacred men, women and children. However there were no complaints about this sites name from Gregory.

SF councillor Pat Mc Ginn also noted the deadly silence of Kennedy and other unionist representative about loyalist flags erected at a mixed play area in Saval. SF councillor Charlie Casey commented further that unionists have not asked for other sites such as Needham Bridge to be renamed. If the rationale (if you can call it that) for objecting to the naming of Raymond Mc Creesh Park is engaged then surely these other places should be renamed!

This is no doubt another political stunt by Danny. It is merely pointless party politics and is raising tension in the area prior to the Twelfth. Danny appears to have no problem with republicans like Raymond Mc Creesh whenever they are ensuring that the Orange Parade in Newry is not attacked!

Its just a pity that Danny did not have the same decency as the courageous man he is trying to remove the honour of naming an estate after.