Comments on The Pensive Quill: Rest In Peace

BelfastBookworm. Yes I penned it as a tribute. Le...

2013-02-12T16:35:28.805Z

BelfastBookworm.

Yes I penned it as a tribute.
Least I could do.

Itsjustmacker; did you write this? I've never ...

2013-02-01T21:06:13.326Z

Itsjustmacker; did you write this? I've never come across it before.

my tribute A republican I am and always shall be ...

2013-02-01T02:55:23.709Z

my tribute

A republican I am and always shall be
to my dying day,i shall never bend the knee
Suffered i have at the hands of the british
but, not on my own, my sister was with us
forced feed , with excruiting pain
would we give in, no, not in vain.

We all had our principals , at that time I mean
but how time has changed, soon , we might be free
to be returned to my homeland
,my dream of my own little isle of innisfree
But I did not realise, why the British were so mean.

In that dreary place, no sleep could we have, never a dream
never a true dream , did we have
Nightmares hunted us, awake and asleep
but we never succumed to being their sheep

well, home at last, but still in bondage, and still in deep pain
but we are with our comrades now, we got our way
but how things have changed now, were is the ira
who put upon our comrades, such a terrible stain
To sit with the enemy, its so distain.

We are free now, from prison i mean
Its time to you leave now, to my own Isle of Innisfree

Stand tall and don't let them attack our ideal...

2013-01-31T12:54:36.748Z

Stand tall and don't let them attack our ideals, for we are right and will not be beaten.

Freedom will come some day. When all the oppressor...

2013-01-31T12:53:38.521Z

Freedom will come some day. When all the oppressors are gone and we the People have risen.

A poignant yet humble and humane eulogy. Such str...

2013-01-30T15:51:03.862Z

A poignant yet humble and humane eulogy. Such strength in the face of such adversity in her life...how weak I am.
Who will replace the pillars of Irish Republicanism as they slowly crumble to the grave?

Like others have said, I was deeply moved by by Ca...

2013-01-30T00:54:48.371Z

Like others have said, I was deeply moved by by Carrie's tribute to our sister Dolours. Looking round at the faces of many of those present yesterday, brought me back to all the funerals and all the graveyards where we have assembled, often in outright defiance for the last 40 years to bury our dead. I couldn't help but remember that it was outside St.Agnes's Church on our way to Milltown to bury Joe McDonnell in 1981, that the Brits attacked the cortege wildly firing live rounds and plastic bullets towards thousands of mourners. Some people seem to have forgotten such savagery, while others seem to have been bought off or seduced by their own ridiculously inflated
sense of importance.
It must irritate such peopleto realise that Dolours wasn't for sale. More importantly she could laugh at herself at times. Marian isn't for sale. In fact none of us who were there yesterday, and thousands besides who would have been there if they could are for sale. Bernadette hasn't been bought off. Nor McCann.Thtas because they have had a consitent vision of what was woth fighting for.

The conscience of this struggle may have flickered weakly at times but it hasn't gone out. If anything the flame is becoming stronger, as the 5,000 plus people who took part in the Bloody Sunday March in Derry clearly demonstrates. This is significant because the mobilisation was acheived in the face of hostile and active oppostion from Sinn Fein and their entourage. More and more people realise that when in comes to the working out of the Belfast Agreement the Emperor very clearly has no clothes.

Clearly Sinn Fein are less than happy with the growing number of people who are prepared to stand up to them and say, we no longer need your approval to organise, to agitate to educate. We no longer believe that you have any real alternative to what is. You have speaking out of both sides of your mouth for so long you are in danger of beginning to believe your own half truths. Yesterday both Eamon and Bernadette spoke the language of the heart. Which at the end of the day is the language of revolution. The language of a struggle for something completley different, the struggle for a society worth fighting for. It might not be popular amongst those who whine on about the limitations of 'real-politique.' But it was this language that moved a generation of us, to take to the streets to do whatever we felt we had to do to,including risking imprisonment and even death in order that we might lay the foundations for the construction of a better society. A society free from greed and avarice, based on solidarity. A society that would celebrate divesity whilst promoting culture and the arts. A society based on equality and the equal distrubution of resources. This was Dolours's vision. A revolutionary vision. A vision based on love. That's how we will remember her, this is the memory of Dolours we will hold her memory close to our hearts. Stay free brothers and sisters there'll be another day. Venceramos!

Marty: Yes, the whole family were beautiful. Plea...

2013-01-29T23:15:32.183Z

Marty:

Yes, the whole family were beautiful.
Please tell her our Anthony and Martin now live in Ballycastle,were my mother and father are buried, with wee dessie ,Paddy lives down south in England, Theresa lives in lacashire.
I remember Mrs Mc Cann (RIP) chasing me away from her door for singing to loud, it was before, Myself, Charlie (RIP) and Larry Donavon (Callaghan) No 54 were going to the Boom Boom Rooms and Charlie was just getting ready, He had a lot of plaster to bathe away. Memories are Golden, My sincere regards to Collette and Family, and what about Brian (potential of a GAA player , and Rosemary, now I'm sure there was three girls and Three Boys, I think the youngest boy was Joseph, who knocked about with our Anthony ,but I cant remember the other girls name, the auld memory is not that good anymore, but it just brings someone to mention a name and things spring back to Life, or, Partially to life. I appreciate that info Marty. Thank you so muchThat has made my day.

Dixie could it be that they are somehow trying to ...

2013-01-29T22:27:53.935Z

Dixie could it be that they are somehow trying to give the impression that those former comrades would be in someway aligned to their way of thinking,I,m sure Nuala would have something to say about that,my wife,and the other ex pows who flanked the coffin walked a very long time ago,having refused to accept the crap that those who call themselves the leadership tried to spread,

Death of Dolours Price http://www.bobbysandstrust...

2013-01-29T21:22:39.170Z

Death of Dolours Price

http://www.bobbysandstrust.com/archives/2746

"[...] Former women comrades from jail flanked the Tricolour-draped coffin throughout the funeral procession.
Large numbers of local people and former prisoners lined the route [...]

Could it be that those who would have willingly labelled Dolours 'a tout' are worried by the fact that Former Comrades chose to publicly display their respect for her?

From Mick Brown: Carrie, I've just read you ...

2013-01-29T19:03:51.863Z

From Mick Brown:

Carrie,

I've just read you obituary or article and I wept.

It is a gut-wrenching piece of writing, up there with the best of them, the best I've ever read.

Devastatingly powerful yet never strident, just so humane and tender, and because it is so comprehensive of your feelings and your relationship with Dolours it's highly worthy of inclusion in any assessment of the IRA struggle that Dolours was engaged in, especially given the grief you were enduring while composing it.

I gave up yesterday. You didn't.

You did Dolours justice.

Just as Marty Cunningham said should be the case.

And as you quoted Bernadette it's fair to say your words are up there with the best Bernie has ever enunciated, and Bernadette can talk.

It's up there with the best of them.

Just like Dolours.

Mick.

Ps, if you're ever doing a writing course Carrie, I reserve my place on it here and now. A credit to you and to your pal.

"Take heed, sweetheart, you are part of a tra...

2013-01-29T18:45:16.086Z

"Take heed, sweetheart, you are part of a tradition of strong women. Learn from them, from Dolours, the strength of your convictions, and from Bernadette, compassion. From both, learn love."

Carrie

Lovely and true, thanks.

Mick

Itsjustmackers a cara its is indeed the very same ...

2013-01-29T16:09:58.341Z

Itsjustmackers a cara its is indeed the very same woman and she hasnt changed all that much,still a lovely woman.

Marty: Is that the same Collette who's brothe...

2013-01-29T14:49:55.936Z

Marty:

Is that the same Collette who's brother "Charlie" with his mate were killed in premature explosion?. The Mc Canns came from Toome originaly but lived in our st, think number was 67. Good God, first frankie then Collette, please give her my best wishes, tell her, Our June,Edward and Renee have died if you see her again, Thanks for that Marty, I really appreciate it.

Had to read that a few times to take it in. Amazin...

2013-01-29T13:24:10.162Z

Had to read that a few times to take it in. Amazingly open, honest and emotive. It encapsulates the deep sense of loss when a truely close friend and comrade dies unexpectedly.

I saw a few comments about Adams saying Delours recent comments should not demean her life. Gobsmacked at the continuing ego of the man. Raymond McCartney was grovelling to Ford in Stormont yesterday calling for tightened security against organised cross-border crime. Ford 'almost' aforded the 'sham'-ie a wee pat on the head....almost.

I sense a watershed after Delours funeral yesterday with SF warned tos to stay away and doing so. It was the day the provos were denuded of any remaining tenuous claim to Irish republicanism.

Recent utterings and pro-brit outbursts by SF representatives SHOULD deminish their lives, but doubtlessly wont.

Itsjustmackers a cara talking to a friend of yours...

2013-01-29T13:06:18.368Z

Itsjustmackers a cara talking to a friend of yours yesterday at the funeral, Collette Mc Cann..

Carrie: That was so beautiful. Eamon: I also fe...

2013-01-29T02:12:59.928Z

Carrie:

That was so beautiful.

Eamon:

I also feel your pain.

Carrie lovely and fitting tribute.there is an unda...

2013-01-28T22:47:40.666Z

Carrie lovely and fitting tribute.there is an undauntable spirit in our women,you know hon they keep knocking them down ,but they just get up again,makes me proud of every one of them..

Clearly written from the heart Carrie - A poet'...

2013-01-28T22:38:56.511Z

Clearly written from the heart Carrie - A poet's heart.

Beautiful Carrie, My heart was sore today even th...

2013-01-28T22:33:26.402Z

Beautiful Carrie,
My heart was sore today even thinking about that final goodbye taking place and the horrible context it's all in especially that hardships you and your own family have had to bare......thinking a bout you! Stay happy and stay strong!!! Much love to you all!!!

A very emotional piece. No doubt hard for Carrie t...

2013-01-28T22:20:45.277Z

A very emotional piece. No doubt hard for Carrie to put pen to paper for this.

Such a sad few days. Pickets, wakes, funerals. Will it ever end?

I too saw the young people on the road - and at the funeral today. The next generation, I thought to myself, how will it all end for them.