Comments on The Pensive Quill: Great

Mackers, looking forward to reading it. Just finis...

2010-06-08T08:52:08.118+01:00

Mackers, looking forward to reading it. Just finished the Ed Moloney book which I found fascinating.
Would like to write my own views on this book for the blog this week if that is okay?

Great Nuala, That’s right about the wedding. It...

2010-06-07T19:05:47.960+01:00

Great

Nuala,

That’s right about the wedding. It gets a touch in the final part of the review. It contrasts with other views expressed by him in the book. I hope you enjoy the book when you get around to reading it.

michaelhenry you are totally right! And I must adm...

2010-06-06T12:06:54.593+01:00

michaelhenry you are totally right!
And I must admit I sort of like the sound of that, women using men for a change.

Hope no-one is going to come on and now and say I'm being sexist. Sometimes it is just nice to sit back and watch things coming full circle.

no disrespect to women and men who choose that tra...

2010-06-05T23:32:11.964+01:00

no disrespect to women and men who choose that trade, women hire men you know, and its not for putting floor tiles in the bathroom.

michaelhenry there is a big difference between bei...

2010-06-05T22:41:33.660+01:00

michaelhenry there is a big difference between being diplomatic and prostituting yourself. (No disrespect to the women who choose that trade)

They will tout for business anywhere. They will hook up with any cause as long as something profitable comes their way.
If they are so diplomatic, Gerry and Marty why did the not go into Maghaberry and delegate?
I dare say Madame Mc Guinness could not face the prisoners and big Gerry by his own admission had to run to Stormont to get his cake, and eat it of course.

you are not that big on diplomacy fionnuala, hard ...

2010-06-05T21:27:45.934+01:00

you are not that big on diplomacy fionnuala, hard to work out why, but thats your business, i am sure that you are opposed to the so called prison governor and his staff, but are you opposed to any of the prisoners at maghaberry being delegated to talk to the governor or any of his staff, this has always went on, if you are not opposed to this then it is maybe time to get off your high horse.

michaelhenry. If Sinn Fein cared about what was ha...

2010-06-05T16:37:03.919+01:00

michaelhenry. If Sinn Fein cared about what was happening to the Palestinian people why did they meet with "Friends of Israel" and their Ambassador?
Surely the logical form of protest would have been to refuse to show up at the Stormont bash.

Why did the run over to meet Bush for a St Paddy's celebration, before he bombed Iraq?

Probabaly for the same reason they sat tightlipped in the City Hall.
When a Palestinian protester was dragged out for calling Bill Clinton a mass murderer.

They do not want to rock any boats.
They will align themselves with anyone who will further their cause. (Whatever that is?)
They will run with the fox and claim victory with the hound.
When you sell out you own cause, it surely should not prove too problematic to sell out others.

fionnuala, i do not believe in being smart to peop...

2010-06-05T02:01:56.555+01:00

fionnuala, i do not believe in being smart to people, i say what i believe, but i listen to what others have to say, but to be honest i listen to republican people first, no matter what there view point is, i know one of the prisoners in maghaberry like i knew prisoners in long kesh / maze, but you are right i do not know what they all have problems with or not, but they still met with SINN FEIN despite these problems, and there is another meeting shortly to talk about some thing that you might not agree with, but thats life, are you trying to say that caoimhe butterly is not one of our people, yes she knows whats going on with some of the leadership meeting the israeli delegation at your expence, but those shot by the israelis would rather be seen in a photograph with SINN FEIN leaders, go figure,

michaelhenry, how do you know what the prisoners i...

2010-06-04T23:24:58.220+01:00

michaelhenry, how do you know what the prisoners in Maghaberry have or do not have problems with?

The point I was trying to make was, why did Mc Guinness and Adams not see fit to go and visit their own people instead of doing a photo shoot with Miss Butterfly?

Just wondering, did they show her the photo's they had taken the year before with the Israeli ambassador during the "Friends of Israel" bash in Stormont?

While Gerry and Marty were wining and dining with the Israeli delegation at the taxpayers expense, the people of Gaza were being bombed and murdered.

SINN FEIN met with the prisoners in maghaberry fin...

2010-06-03T23:00:47.751+01:00

SINN FEIN met with the prisoners in maghaberry finnuala, you have a problem now with them meeting caoimhe butterly or the israeli ambassador, because the prisoners at maghaberry had no problem with this when they met with SINN FEIN, maried corrigan was only interested with british peace in the past, SINN FEIN works for IRISH peace, plenty of struggles around the world, peace with justice to all.

michaelhenry, what is it he currently struggling w...

2010-06-02T23:11:16.650+01:00

michaelhenry, what is it he currently struggling with his conscience?
I know he met with miss Butterly, he also met with Israels ambassador.
He and Gerry met with her when the prisoners were getting stripped and beaten in Maghaberry.
Must be taking a leaf out of Maried Corrigan Maguires book.

martin mcguinness is to good of a family man fionn...

2010-06-01T23:04:31.585+01:00

martin mcguinness is to good of a family man fionnuala and to busy with the struggles, i see that caoimhe butterly went into stormont 2 weeks ago with gerry adams and martin mcguinness either side of her, miss butterly is an aid worker and an IRISH ambulance driver in gaza, she was shot by the israeli army a few years ago for helping the wounded,she was also involved this week in trying to get through the israeli illegal blockade, good luck to the aid workers and the palestinian people.

michael henry, maybe they give you the books to ke...

2010-06-01T21:25:58.503+01:00

michael henry, maybe they give you the books to keep you quiet for a while. I don't have an attic or I would be up there getting you a few myself.

They must like to get very close to their enemies the shinners.
Never seen anyone who cosied up to former enemies the way they do.
Apparently Mr Mc Guinness frequents the Paisley home.
Hope we don't hear he was frequent visitor to the Robinsons!

Go easy on the falling down water michaelhenry its...

2010-06-01T21:14:57.981+01:00

Go easy on the falling down water michaelhenry its affecting your thinking process,but your right about the attic bit , I think your mates are trying to lock you up in one, if they ever succeed I will organise a book collection to keep you occupied for many a long day ya rascal

keeping your friends close but your enemys closer ...

2010-06-01T20:52:02.853+01:00

keeping your friends close but your enemys closer is an old saying, to old for the way of life now, for IRISH life now anyhow, the arabs would buy all the sand that they could get there tents on marty, they can afford to as well, i have a few books to read before mr powells, when people find out that i am a mostly full time reader they go through there attics to give me there old books, there old favourites, they do not mean any harm, its just that these books have to be read, and talked about over a pint or two.

Nah Nuala how do you distinguish between fact and ...

2010-06-01T18:51:37.324+01:00

Nah Nuala how do you distinguish between fact and fiction ,truth and lies, these spinners, would try and sell sand to the arabs,the parts they dont want you to read have not been published ,like their expense accounts

Marty, my dear friend I have to disagree. Irrespec...

2010-06-01T18:33:57.736+01:00

Marty, my dear friend I have to disagree. Irrespective of our personal opinion of people like Jonathan Powell, they offer a invaluable insight into what happened in the corridors of power.

I have not read the book, however after reading this initial part of the reviews I intend to.

Marty I know Powell ended up classing Adams and McGuiness as personal friends. However, I am sure there are parts in that book they would much rather people did not read.

From what I have seen and heard of this man I have...

2010-06-01T15:22:09.944+01:00

From what I have seen and heard of this man I have found him to be an arrogant upstart who like the rest of the Blair goverment were nothing more than lying b.....rds,and who would have been just at home with Thatcher, and that included that other two faced git Molam, they arent called prefidious Albion for nought, fair play to you Anthony for sparing your time to read his book ,I would just hang it in the bog

Mackers, brilliant review. Never really knew much...

2010-06-01T12:40:01.682+01:00

Mackers, brilliant review.

Never really knew much about Jonathan Powell, other than the fact he had invited Mc Guinness and Adams to his wedding.
I think he was a shrewd cookie though. Certainly shrewd enough to recognise the smell of desperation.
Just wonder would Gerry and Marty have been performing on one of the young Blair's skateboards, had they known someone would eventually write it in their memoirs?

Watched him (Powell) one day on the Andrew Marr show, he was speaking about Sinn Fein.
I remember him saying, how he faced a real "moral dilemma" engaging with people who had been in the IRA. (WELL EXCEPT GERRY OF COURSE)
Thought it was a bit rich coming from someone who was an advisor to an arch butcher!

Anyway, just like the people he describes as "personal friends"
He has moved onto to bigger and better things, certainly a more lucrative lifestyle.

Still think I would enjoy his book though.