- In response to the assertion from Sinn Fein Councillor Michael Henry McIvor on last night's Pensive Quill, that the organisers of Sunday's 25th anniversary commemoration for Volunteer Josie Connolly attempted to disguise in any way the involvement of the 1916 Societies in the proceedings, the family have kindly forwarded their original press release on the issue which deals categorically with the matter at hand - readily demonstrating that the role of the Societies was clear to all from the beginning and at no point was there ever a suggestion otherwise.
Statement from the family of IRA volunteer Josie Connolly
We, the family of Volunteer James ‘Josie’ Connolly, would like to make it clear to the public that the event being held by Sinn Féin in Castlederg is being organised against our wishes. We are holding an event to mark the 25th anniversary of Josie’s death at his grave with the help of the local Seán McDiarmada Society on Sunday 9th February at 2.30pm.
It will be a family led event with no party-political speeches. We were contacted by the chairman of Sinn Féin in Castlederg on three occasions in the past week. We made it clear to him what our plans for Josie’s anniversary were and that Sinn Féin did not have our consent to organise anything for Josie. We told him we would be offended if an event was held against our wishes. We made it clear that everyone was welcome to attend our event on Sunday but Sinn Féin have ignored our request and have organised an event in opposition of ours. This is not the first time that Sinn Féin have ignored our feelings. They placed Josie’s name on a Sinn Féin monument in Castlederg in August without asking permission when they were well aware that we didn’t want his memory used for party-political purposes.
Anyone who lost a loved one in any circumstances will know that anniversaries are particularly difficult times. We find it offensive and disgusting for our wishes to be ignored. Sinn Féin seem to feel they own Josie and his memory and that they can treat his family with contempt. The Connolly family are immensely proud of Josie and the sacrifice he made for a United Ireland. We thank the people from all over Ireland who helped us since his death. We know that the republican people of this area will see through this attempt to ignore and intimidate us.
Sean-
ReplyDeleteYou came back with a kick back with no boot on-
You said nothing about the point that I brought up that the
Sean MacDiarmada Society Aghyaran/Castlederg wrote that THEY HELD the 25th Anniversary commemoration-
THEY HELD-not Sinn Feins words not the family's words-
In fact the societies in their stupid public statement are the only ones to have went against the family's independent wishes and said it was they who HELD this event -
You're well and truly played out by this stage Mickey, having seen your callous disregard for a bereaved father who lost his son to suicide on my Facebook page this evening I realise there's no dealing with you. I pity you more than anything else and have nothing more to say to you beyond that. The readers can determine for themselves the veracity of your idiotic claims based on the statement from the Societies and that from the Connolly family. Your disrespect for good, honourable people simply knows no bounds
ReplyDeleteMcIvor's day starts with a bottle of whiskey and ends with him staggering round the internet managing - incredible as it may seem - to slur his typing....
ReplyDeleteHas his party shafted him I wonder?
http://www.midulstermail.co.uk/news/local-news/sinn-fein-unveil-new-candidate-for-mid-ulster-super-council-1-5879594
Dixie-
ReplyDeleteYou posed that argument on Facebook and I answered it-which you did not like-
Some elected ones are not standing in this years elections put will still remain councillors after the election-
I know you have no interest in elections but you could at least read up about the changes to the councils this year-
Sean-
ReplyDelete" your callous disregard for a bereaved father who lost his son to suicide "-
Have you lost your wits-he threatened to come to my home and attack me with a baseball bat before I said boo to him-noticed you did not wish me any luck with that hitter running about-that's another lurker in the shadows that I have to keep an eye out for-thanks a bundle pal-
I remember a few years back one of the so-called "dissident" groups stuck a bomb under a police woman's car and the SF Cllr/MLA for the area in Co. Down (his name is Mick something, but he's the spitting image of Victor Meldrew) called the person who did it an "eejit". I wonder would he have called Josie Connolly an "eejit" as well, seeing as he was doing the exact same thing only the bomb exploded prematurely as he tried to attach it to a UDR man's car. As I have said on here (and other blogs) the so-called "dissidents" should stop their campaign as people haven't got the appetite for it anymore and all it seems to be doing is filling the gaols. As for Michael McDickhead, he is like the Katie Hopkins of blogs, spitting out poison and crap and should be ignored.
ReplyDeleteYou posed that argument on Facebook and I answered it
ReplyDeleteAnswer my question Michael. Why did you lie to Michael McGlade, posters ere and the people your represent about your remarks on suicide victims etc...?
Frankie-
ReplyDeleteYou seem to think that reporters hold some authority in our lives- they don't-they get there wages at the end of the week like the rest of us-
I comment here under michealhenry and as far as I know I have never lied to AM or the Quill-
Anyone in my own area can ask me anything- and some of them do keep me going about what I say-but that's the crack-you will get no secrets from me if you know me-
Michael,
ReplyDeleteYou are missing the point (maybe it's deliberate)..You have said you don't post here under any name, then you admit posting under MichaelHenry...What am I to believe?
Or do you make your mind up in who you are each morning (MichaelHenry or Michael McIvor) depending on what side of the bed you get out..?
Anyone in my own area can ask me anything- and some of them do keep me going about what I say-but that's the crack-you will get no secrets from me if you know me-
Why did you deny being MichaelHenry for? Why wont you answer the question directly?
I saw his loyalist equivalent, Willie Frazer on TV tonight.
ReplyDeleteAt least Willie doesn't deny being Willie unlike McIvor who thinks balls are for scratching while he thinks what to type...
Libelous comments will not be published. Do not abuse the Anonymous facility or your posts will no longer be published.
ReplyDeleteI saw his loyalist equivalent, Willie Frazer on TV tonight.
Isn't that libelous? Willie is what he is. At least he stands over his comments.
Er Frankie, thats what I was saying, Willie Frazer might be a brainless bigot but at least he doesn't do what McIvor did, deny what he said and who he is...
ReplyDeleteOtherwise the two aren't any different.
Mickey,
ReplyDeletewhere or why is there room for your dispute when it reads clear that the family did not want SF using his memory for “political purpose.”
Mickey, the problem is you have no creditability over the years here you have been noticeably consistent in spewing forth insults at dead volunteers and more recently at suicide victims and their families.
You are entitled to believe what you feel but that is where entitlement ends as it is no longer your private thought but now public.
It might come as a shock to your controversial nature but are you really surprised that some might feel a deserved anger towards you?
It is too simple to sit at the computer and just rant off into cyberspace but to claim you are a victim of bogeymen with baseball bats won’t win you any sympathy as to be honest Mickey you have a habit of smearing people for no reason other than blatant stupidity.
You in fact create your own paranoid dilemma with “lurkers in the shadows” though I am unsure how you can justify your more personal callous remarks and not expect people to feel bitter towards your unwarranted insults.
Mickey, I don’t take anything you state personal and I certainly don’t advocate anyone taking a bat to you.
This is where you should grow a pair and stand over your words instead of claiming you are the innocent victim and exaggerating the boogey men with a vendetta only makes you sound more ridiculous.
It is simple math Mickey rattled enough cages and someone might rattle back.
Apparently we do get some secrets from you as you tell us about those “imaginary” or real boogey men with bats.
Tain Bo,
ReplyDeleteRobert A. Heinlein: Never attempt to teach a pig to sing; it wastes your time and annoys the pig.
Dixie,
ReplyDeleteI understand where you are coming from in saying both MichaelHenry & Willie Frazer have their heads up theirs arse's so much that they can taste the shit they are talking. Willie get a bad press at times at rightly so. Willie's latest outburst can be read here.
But in Willie's case it is easy to understand why he thinks like he does. Walk 5mins in Willie's shoes (most people want a mile). If wikipedia is to be believed..accoring to his background
He attended a local Catholic school and played Gaelic football. In his own words Frazer described his early years as a “truly cross-community lifestyle”. His father was shot dead by the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) on 30 August 1975. The family home had previously been attacked before with petrol bombs and shooting incidents. Frazer has stated that his family was well respected in the area including by "old school IRA members" and received Mass cards from Catholic neighbours expressing their sorrow over his father's killing. Frazer believes an IRA member helped carry the coffin of his father at his funeral. Over the next ten years four members of Frazer's family who were members or ex-members of the RUC or British Army were killed by the IRA. An uncle of Frazer's who was a member of the UDR was also wounded in a gun attack
So a protestant growing up in Armagh, goes to a roman catholic school, play's Gaelic, 'old school IRA' respected his family..And he watches his father and members of his family shot dead by the IRA.. That would dive anybody mad. It's a wonder he didn't turn out like Lenny Murphy. Willie is a produt of the conflict. He didn't ask for the IRA to shoot his father dead, uncles etc... I don't know how I would have handeled that.It is possible to argue that with is early education, sports etc. only for the conflict Willie Frazer may have ended up a stauch Irish Republican protestant..
I'm not justifiying his Screaming Lord Such impersinations. So I tend to give Willie's rants a by ball. And sometimes it's not what he say's but how he say's things.
Michael on the other hand has no excuse.
Anthony,
ReplyDeleteA wise man indeed though I tend to view Mickey as one of the chorus of the bleating.
Fortunately over the years I have become immune to the noise.
Dixie,
ReplyDelete'McIvor's day starts with a bottle of whiskey..'
Ahh.. the whiskey ..a constant reminder, to Michael, that Gerry loves him and always wants him to be happy.
All these articles make depressing reading I have to say..personalities and this particular argument aside it simply amounts to Irishman against Irishman..all we are unwittingly doing is re-affirm and bolstering Whitehall's agenda..the bottom line is that this petty school yard carry-on has to stop for the greater good.. I find it sadly ironic that this article concerns a PIRA volunteer is the name sake of James Connolly from the Rising..and I am sure he was just as determined & dedicated to the same cause...nothing has changed!! Jsmes Connolly said.. "We who hold his (Wolfe Tone) principles believe that any movement which would successfully grapple with the problem of national freedom must draw its inspiration not from the mouldering records of the past, but from the glowing hopes of the living present, the vast possibilities of the mighty future."..there may be an element of truth to what the bearded one said about pre-empting what our dead volunteers would make of where we are on the unity question.. today in 2014 have e jet again missed this concept and have unwittingly decided to focus on the past???
ReplyDelete