Comments on The Pensive Quill: Eulogy in Bellaghy

Very moving and poignant Mackers....I don't at...

2013-04-11T10:01:45.734+01:00

Very moving and poignant Mackers....I don't attend any of those Easter events and haven't done so for many, many years as I can't be bothered with the 'our event is the real event' syndrome especially when I see those who are running around full of self-importance on such occassions actually sacrificed very little or have a lot of doubt over their loyalty...sickening to be honest...but this was one event that would have been worh attending...

Just home a cara and have just read your excellent...

2013-04-05T15:00:54.864+01:00

Just home a cara and have just read your excellent eulogy,I,m sure the two young lads,now young men will be well pleased with the humanity of your address,Dominic and Mary were inspirational as revolutionaries,and it seems feared every bit as much in death as in life,they have left a legacy in two very fine sons,whom I sincerely hope find some comfort in the high regard their parents are held within this community to this day while those who pulled the triggers have faded into oblivion where they belong .

Nuala, Heaven forbid!

2013-04-02T12:56:38.617+01:00

Nuala,

Heaven forbid!

Mackers, Not to take away or deflect from the rele...

2013-04-02T12:01:40.175+01:00

Mackers,
Not to take away or deflect from the relevance or sincerity of the event but you do look kind of Saintly!

Frankie, the symbolism associated with the Easter...

2013-04-01T20:58:06.870+01:00

Frankie,

the symbolism associated with the Easter Rising.

Thanks Dixie

Great Piece Mackers as usual...

2013-04-01T20:47:12.950+01:00

Great Piece Mackers as usual...

This is something I've been pondering over for...

2013-04-01T20:28:10.293+01:00

This is something I've been pondering over for a long time. I can understand that a lot of Irish republicans were brought up to some degree as Catholics..But my problem is why do Irish republicans use the movable date of Easter to commerate their fallen comrades instead of for example the closet Sunday to April 24th...

Mackers, Missed that. Very observation of Michaelh...

2013-04-01T19:06:16.905+01:00

Mackers,
Missed that. Very observation of Michaelhenry!

Michaelhenry, took an eye like your own to notice...

2013-04-01T14:34:07.686+01:00

Michaelhenry,

took an eye like your own to notice! What would have been said by John McGirr had the statue toppled over on top of me?

Whether the Irish News stays quiet or not, it makes no difference. I will not be quiet.

Thanks to everyone who commented on this piece.

AM- Good picture in the Irish news of Christ look...

2013-04-01T14:08:44.900+01:00

AM-

Good picture in the Irish news of Christ looking down on your good self-[page 9]good write up also-not a word on the NUJ carry on-bit late for the Irish News to stay quiet on that subject-

Great eulogy

2013-04-01T04:09:58.334+01:00

Great eulogy

I am glad you mentioned the revisionism of the Tro...

2013-04-01T01:29:52.722+01:00

I am glad you mentioned the revisionism of the Troubles. This is mainly being done by people who disingenuously claim they are saying these things to prevent the re-writing of history.

It is a pity they do this as not only do the falsehoods and outlandish propaganda-style exaggerations undermine their own position but it will revise history to the extent that it may be misunderstood. You cannot learn from a false premise.

Kenneth Bloomfield was reported in the News Letter earlier this month as saying "I welcome recognition of the IRA’s campaign against border Protestants/unionists, which was ethnic cleansing." Many Unionist politicians have made such comparisons before. Firstly, it not only takes away from the severity and horror of actual ethnic cleansing but makes a mockery of places like Rwanda and the Balkans by the trite comparison. The definition of ethnic cleansing doesn't meet the circumstances for numerous reasons. The main reason is that the IRA killed Catholics along the border too including those in the Security Forces. The scale, geography, intent, methodology etc. also don't meet the definition of "ethnic cleansing". I don't know what aspect of the IRA campaign does.

It's like Ian Paisley Jnr calling IRA arms "weapons of mass destruction". Both "ethnic cleansing" and "weapons of mass destruction" sound plausible as phrases but fall down under scrutiny and comparisons with the proper definitions. It's like the response to the Conflict Transformation Centre at Long Kesh- the warnings of a "shrine". I don't think anybody intends to turn it into a place of worship.

There were many attempts to dehumanise Dominic McGlinchy. The same reasons and motivations are behind the attempts to revise history.

Excellent piece a very fair and balanced view of t...

2013-03-31T20:03:40.240+01:00

Excellent piece a very fair and balanced view of the lives of two people who for no other reason than to be born into a sectarian state were discrimination
was rampant against the nationalist and republican people, decided to fight back the only way they knew how, I may not agree with their tactics but I most certainly understand why they did
What they may or may not have been labelled, they were still a young Irish family who were surrounded by trouble but still managed to bring up two children. While their victims will not forgive them, the human story of the two boys and what they endured would break down most barriers the victims could relate too

What happened to Mary and Dominic was facilitated ...

2013-03-31T17:38:48.794+01:00

What happened to Mary and Dominic was facilitated in no small part by the media at the time pandering to the RUC an the full force of the state apperatuse functioning together to dehumanise political opponents. It's an example of the potency of this combined influence. It is still at work today. Just try getting airtime in opposition to the piss-process.

Excellent tribute Anthony. Also I felt humbled re...

2013-03-31T15:44:22.391+01:00

Excellent tribute Anthony.

Also I felt humbled reading it.

After all these years there remains such a sadness...

2013-03-31T14:24:19.706+01:00

After all these years there remains such a sadness around their deaths.
Mary's murder was brutal in the extreme, as was Dominics some years later.
I agree with Larry it was nice to read this excellent piece and remember them especially on an Easter Sunday.

Really enjoyed reading that. Excellent.

2013-03-31T10:50:55.095+01:00

Really enjoyed reading that. Excellent.