Comments on The Pensive Quill: A Dark Night In Belfast

Ruairi ‘I find myself coming to the same analysi...

2011-06-06T16:45:22.214+01:00

Ruairi

‘I find myself coming to the same analysis as eirigi. Its just a shame that Derry has no real republican alternative like eirigi to vote for.’

I would have given it to McCann.

Fionnchú I don’t follow it a great deal and was m...

2011-06-05T19:32:26.462+01:00

Fionnchú

I don’t follow it a great deal and was merely conveying first impressions. I am looking forward to reading your review. Have yet to read the book although it is here.

Dixie,

The Walrus and the Carpenter was funny – enjoyed that

The Skin

‘I have often wondered why RSF do not appear to have much support in the north.’

Too out of touch and not relevant to people’s lives. People don’t buy into republican theology.

dorrian, I don't belong to any party either so...

2011-05-22T22:26:30.587+01:00

dorrian,
I don't belong to any party either so maybe I too could claim to be untainted.
Republicans desperately need another party, Sinn Fein has went way beyond working the system, they are now instrumental to upholding laws and implementing legislation which is detrimental to the ordinary and republican people alike.
Sinn Fein actively voted for water charges and then used their deferral as an election strategy.
They have sat on committees which have raised rates, closed hospital wards and schools.
They actively lied about the extent of the new British intelligence network here in the North. They remained tight lipped, while republicans have been subjected to stop and search, extended and illegal holding measures and the strip searching and beating of republican prisoners.
We desperately need an alternative republican voice in government, one that will speak for the people, not go along with anything for political power.

I'm not a member of any party so my views are ...

2011-05-21T20:42:47.375+01:00

I'm not a member of any party so my views are not tainted one way or the other. with that in mind I have to ask the question, since dissidents criticise sf for working the system as it is, if a rep of the dissidents is elected in the future, what do they do? Abstain? brilliant past failure; use the vote base as positioning strategy to start negotiations (for what?)? Maybe at the moment there is no plan just trying to embarrass sf. this perplexes someone of my limited intellect, it seems such a waste of time.

AM I find myself coming to the same analysis as e...

2011-05-05T17:31:07.635+01:00

AM

I find myself coming to the same analysis as eirigi. Its just a shame that Derry has no real republican alternative like eirigi to vote for.

PFTrumbore, I should put the transcript up around...

2011-05-05T17:07:21.636+01:00

PFTrumbore,

I should put the transcript up around the end of the week.

Dixie,

it was recorded but I am not sure what they have done with it or intend to do

Anthony, Will your remarks or those of the others...

2011-05-05T15:17:56.344+01:00

Anthony,

Will your remarks or those of the others on the panel be published at all, whether here on the Quill or elsewhere?

Marty, that's dedication! Sure we will meet...

2011-05-05T13:43:43.459+01:00

Marty,

that's dedication!

Sure we will meet again no doubt!

Anthony, I have oftened wondered why RSF do not ...

2011-05-05T09:53:11.592+01:00

Anthony,

I have oftened wondered why RSF do not appear to have much support in th north.

Are they seen as too 'southern' and therefore as toodetached and remote?

It's just that I keep looking back to the split of 1986 and cannot help but come to the conclusion that Ruairi O'Bradaigh was right and that if the line he drew in the sand had have held then the republican movement would be in a very different position today.

I know that hindsight is a wonderful thing but I would be very interested on your take, and that of other Quillers, on this.

Ah the elections tomorrow...Again! When people get...

2011-05-04T22:29:57.417+01:00

Ah the elections tomorrow...Again!
When people get to decide who is going to pass on the Tory cuts.

Will it be Pete and Marty or Marty and Pete? Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee...

The Walrus and the Carpenter
Walked on a mile or so,
And then they rested on a rock
Conveniently low:
And all the little Oysters stood
And waited in a row.

"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--
Of cabbages--and kings--
And why the sea is boiling hot--
And whether pigs have wings."

Off with their heads!

Or perhaps it's those who vote for them who are off their heads?

Should David Ford go to Specsavers or does he squint like that because his underpants are a size too small?

Is Margaret Ritchie dubbed when she speaks on TV and is Jim Allister's Traditional Unionist Voice an Ian Paisley tribute band?

And is Gerry Adams Here or there?

More importantly would Derry people please vote for McCann? Sure he's been asking us since Free Derry Corner was a row of houses ffs!!

Regretfully I didn't make it up but I hope to ...

2011-05-04T21:38:09.428+01:00

Regretfully I didn't make it up but I hope to be in the Cooley Mountains in June.

Was it recorded by any chance?

Thanks for a timely piece, AM. I'm eager (give...

2011-05-04T20:25:18.842+01:00

Thanks for a timely piece, AM. I'm eager (given your participation last autumn in the panel discussion alongside Éirígí) to continue to hear about your take on McCotter's campaign and that movement's efforts. BTW, this may be of interest to your readers: "my review" (if pitched at a more general readership than that on TPQ) of Hanley & Millar's book 'Lost Revolution' on the Officials.

Ruairi, we can never tell. He gave no indication ...

2011-05-04T19:55:49.956+01:00

Ruairi,

we can never tell. He gave no indication that I can recall when he was alive that he was supportive of eirigi. But if we are to follow the trajectory of his outlook coupled with the direction some of those he was close to are moving in, I think it a real possibility that he would be giving support of some sort to eirigi.

Anthony would really loved to have been at that an...

2011-05-04T19:15:46.172+01:00

Anthony would really loved to have been at that and say hello to yourself and Carrie,we were in Leitrim and Marie wasnt up to travelling,back home to vote and away again tomorrow evening,lifted 5 cracking trout last night and still a lot of sheep to get acquainted with,some remind me of Mickeyboy same old baa baa baa!

AM As a close friend of The Dark's, do you th...

2011-05-04T16:02:27.120+01:00

AM

As a close friend of The Dark's, do you think that he would be in support of eirigi - especially after his vocal opposition to SF and the beard?

Nuala, it was a good turnout. As long as the fami...

2011-05-04T14:22:26.301+01:00

Nuala,

it was a good turnout. As long as the family were happy that it did him proud.

I know the feeling. They are calling Paddy a traitor and John a foreigner. There is nothing new under the sun. I hope both of them take a seat. Big challenge but it would be some lift if they were to.

Mackers, by all accounts the annual event was a ni...

2011-05-04T13:51:21.320+01:00

Mackers,
by all accounts the annual event was a night to remember.
Election day tomorrow and I sincerely hope Pat and John of eirigi both take their seats.
It does appear a big thing for people to let go of the old Sinn Fein vote.
They (Sinn Fein) have redoubled their efforts to smear the eirigi campaign and the candidates.
Bobby Storey described eirigi as a micro-group that is attracting its support from all the 'other'groups trying to emulate the IRA.
A person would imagine that someone like Storey would keep his mouth firmly shut.He is hardly a glowing spectacle that any republican would wish to emulate.
His full-time occuaption seems to be to guard the reputation of Adams and IRA and savage any critics.
Who ever said these very wealthy republicans don't earn their keep?

LORD MUCK GUINNESS GROOM OF THE STOOL FOR QUEEN...

2011-05-03T23:25:49.741+01:00

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