Comments on The Pensive Quill: Never Never Land

Anonymous: 'You don't regret joining the IRA or b...

2009-05-03T22:34:00.000+01:00

Anonymous:

'You don't regret joining the IRA or being involved in armed activities?'

I would rather none of it had happened but I don't use the term regret to describe it. Regret emits a sense of self-pity. I am philosophical about it.

Fionnchú, I think I may have read the piece. Thanks for the link.

Re: Rwanda reconciliation article by Philip Gourev...

2009-05-03T20:50:00.000+01:00

Re: Rwanda reconciliation article by Philip Gourevitch, May 4, 2009 issue of the New Yorker. I can only give the abstract link: "The Life After" since as a subscriber now the magazine installed a clever digital reader ("sponsored by Chevron") that does not allow me anymore to convert a text to a print version to send or link to-- unless you too are a subscriber! Still, knowing of your interest in the Rwandan parallels, here 'tis!

Regret yes. Not for having been in the IRA or h...

2009-05-03T19:58:00.000+01:00
Regret yes. Not for having been in the IRA or having done time but for the waste that it turned out to be.
You don't regret joining the IRA or being involved in armed activities?

Sophie, I suppose it dealt with the issues we had ...

2009-05-03T19:21:00.000+01:00
Sophie, I suppose it dealt with the issues we had been discussing on the PQ

Thanks Anthony. That was a good interview you gav...

2009-05-02T22:07:00.000+01:00
Thanks Anthony.

That was a good interview you gave this evening. Very interesting.

Sophie, a couple more pieces are coming up which m...

2009-05-02T21:13:00.000+01:00
Sophie, a couple more pieces are coming up which might go some, although not all of, the way in addressing your very relevant points. Maybe them would be a better time to put your question.

Anthony I agree with you that reconcilliation is a...

2009-05-02T17:33:00.000+01:00
Anthony I agree with you that reconcilliation is a personal thing but have a creeping suspicion from your last sentence that you are not in favour of committees at all. Is that the problem here? Or is it a combination of the personal being dealth with by committees that you don't like.

Then again you don't suggest any other way of trying to achieve truth about the past nor reconcilliation. Why can't the personal be organised by a group of people set up something that helps people deal with personal tragedy and loss? For the life of me I can't see any other way of organising how people can get the resources necessary to deal with the personal with out a group of people to organise funds, resources, time and all the other stuff needed by those families who are affected.

Maybe you are simply anti-committee because you don't see them as constructive, or democratic, but one person couldn't organise the help needed so if we don't throw committees at it what do we do?

Alfie, I owe you a reply from an earlier thread. S...

2009-05-02T15:49:00.000+01:00
Alfie, I owe you a reply from an earlier thread. Sorry but spare time is always fought for. Guilt, no. Regret yes. Not for having been in the IRA or having done time but for the waste that it turned out to be. So little achieved and so much inflicted in exchange. Nor have I felt the need to reconcile. I have shaken a lot of hands of, and made a lot of friends with, people who I once would have harmed or they would have harmed me. Is that reconciliation? I don't know. I suppose it is in a way. Something for me to think about now that you have posed the question. Will answer your earlier question later.

Anthony, do you ever feel guilt or regret about yo...

2009-05-02T14:11:00.000+01:00
Anthony, do you ever feel guilt or regret about your activities as an IRA volunteer? Did you ever feel the need for reconciliation with anyone affected by your actions?