Comments on The Pensive Quill: Massereene

Anthony, you're more than a tad hard on yoursel...

2009-03-30T05:23:00.000+01:00

Anthony,
you're more than a tad hard on yourself about 'temper tantrums.' Many's a man who'd been through what you guys had might have been jumping out of an attick on the end of a rope before now. I just remember you running about with your rambo headband on demanding everyone 'read the game.' Myself and the Mrs had a giggle about that..cheers!
In relation to a United Ireland..

Westie, think you are right. Context and company m...

2009-03-29T18:49:00.000+01:00

Westie, think you are right. Context and company made it what it was. You are right in that it was spontaneous. I think he actually meant to say ‘scumbags’ and thought better of it as it was about to leave his lips and then filled the gap with ‘traitors.’ Think it annoyed his own party members more than it did his republican critics outside the party. I think the context and company as you so

AnthonyIn response to your first question, the ans...

2009-03-29T17:33:00.000+01:00

Anthony

In response to your first question, the answer is No - not a politician's answer I guess, although I am politically active and hope that I am somewhat politically aware. I think that my post pre-dated the 'traitor' comment, and I totally disagree with it's use, especially in the context and company with which it was said. I honestly believe it was an unplanned comment by Martin

Balor, some issues are black and white, right and ...

2009-03-27T20:55:00.000Z

Balor, some issues are black and white, right and wrong – but not too many of them. What is it that legitimates a target? Legitimated by what or who? Whether you like it or not there is little but tradition that is leading to the loss of life. The ‘farce’ at Stormont has more endorsement than any desire to destroy it. We who don’t like it can’t impose the dictatorship of the gun; a bigger farce.<

Gerry & Kate, glad you like the blog. It simply do...

2009-03-20T20:49:00.000Z

Gerry & Kate, glad you like the blog. It simply does what we have always done – creates space for ideas and refuses to buckle to the censor. All are welcome to comment, Sinn Fein o anybody else. I never felt I was a spokesperson for West Belfast; if anything a critic of much of what went on in it.

Seoirse, I am never quite sure that we need in all circumstance to to be deferential

Joy, how would I define republicanism? The article...

2009-03-20T20:27:00.000Z

Joy, how would I define republicanism?
The article first appeared on the blog when it started its life - Republicanism ... Alive or Dying? It might be useful for you in that respect.

Balor, ‘if the aim of that tool is to destroy the farce at Stormont then I see no wrong’ – how do you deal with people’s rights against republicans?

Seoirse, do you not think you over-egg the

Seoirse, you don’t have to be asked specifically t...

2009-03-20T19:18:00.000Z

Seoirse, you don’t have to be asked specifically to post on this site. All views can be accommodated. I take your point about 1916 and understand your view that ‘that the right of the Irish people to nationhood has never been extinguished in the intervening years’. But is nationhood in your view indistinguishable from obligatory nationalism? You make the reasonable point that ‘military action is

Anthony,I think my Armagh blood was up there, like...

2009-03-20T02:17:00.000Z

Anthony,I think my Armagh blood was up there, like the brethren around the twelfth!
Haven't seen any of the lads in many years. When I was a teenager involved in street protests during both Hunger-strikes and at anti-H block meetings with maybe 4/5 people in someones living room,you guys were all heroes to me. When I ended up in the Crum' myself and later the Blocks, that remained the

Larry, I would not be critical of Raymond for gett...

2009-03-19T23:14:00.000Z

Larry, I would not be critical of Raymond for getting his sentence quashed. I am sure he did the right thing. He was tortured and in any normal circumstances would never have been convicted. His other actions are much harder to comprehend including his current position. I always liked him in the jail and found him a solid and decent comrade. Anytime I have bumped into him out side he has never

Anthony, the 1916 uprising must have looked absurd...

2009-03-18T02:34:00.000Z

Anthony, the 1916 uprising must have looked absurdly insane at the time, a tragic mistake that brought misery to many families and had no chance of success. Undoubtedly it would have been regarded by the British as criminal and treason and it must have seemed a strategic blunder to anyone watching. The same has been said about the latest campaign (and I regard the latest campaign as a tragic

MSD, the finale! Given that you are not coming bac...

2009-03-17T19:18:00.000Z

MSD, the finale! Given that you are not coming back at me I need to be careful and not take license.
‘Bloody Sunday occurred after the Provo campaign began and so cannot be a casus belli. Harsh British rule occurred as a reaction to, and not a cause of, republican violence.’
This seems a weak attempt to excuse the British and absolve them of culpability. Bloody Sunday was probably the

Hapy Paddy's day to all-we're off to the theatre t...

2009-03-17T14:08:00.000Z

Hapy Paddy's day to all-we're off to the theatre to watch the 'History of the troubles acording to my Da.'Thankfully it wasn't cancelled due to recent unfortunate events. Best wishes to ALL contributers to the blogg. I will check in on it now and then..it was a breath of fresh air.

Can't understand anyones confusion at the reaction...

2009-03-17T13:42:00.000Z

Can't understand anyones confusion at the reaction to the call by McGuinnes+SF for informers. If such a sea change is 'nothing to write home about' then it's a measure of SF,their membership and their tactics. If the SDLP are trying to be all things and therefore nothing;I suggest SF, having tried so hard for so long to be the SDLP are exactly the same.I watched Adams on RTE during the last

Balor, does not the sight of a PSNI member being s...

2009-03-14T20:19:00.000Z

Balor, does not the sight of a PSNI member being served in a shop not suggest that NI is as normal as most other places in the way that it conducts its daily affairs?

Joy I think the purpose of the attack was to give legs to a campaign that was pretty flat.

Seoirse, well they are all Sticks now as the late John Kelly was fond of saying. I think you come very close to allowing

MSD, yes I will respond. But as you can see what w...

2009-03-14T15:56:00.000Z

MSD, yes I will respond. But as you can see what was for long a quiet relaxing space is now a buzz of traffic and activity and I just about get time to check that nobody is using the blog as a gable wall for graffiti. And then do what I have to do in the normal course of my day.

Westie, an excellent post. Plenty to disagree with...

2009-03-14T15:51:00.000Z

Westie, an excellent post. Plenty to disagree with! But that is neither here nor there. Sorry I cannot respond at present as there are other posts which I have yet to get to. So you can regard this as a response telling you why there is no response! A bit like what Terry Eagleton says of the Irrelevant left who turn up handing out leaflets at other people's marches explaining why they are not at

Anthony et alA mesmerising debate that was bound t...

2009-03-14T13:21:00.000Z

Anthony et al

A mesmerising debate that was bound to happen once a fatality resulted from the dissident's efforts. On the latter, I do not support them, but like most of my ilk, I am not going to lambast them, I'd rather they changed than be obliterated.

As an 'Irish Republican' who still supports the leadership, I would like to express an opinon through your valuable forum, if

I wonder what will happen on the security force ki...

2009-03-13T18:06:00.000Z

I wonder what will happen on the security force killing of a dissident..[should it happen]. Might McGuinness tell the PSNI to look into the faces of the mourners and show them defeat??
I just think the Brits must be chuckling over brandies and port in the Carlton club at how far they've trailed Sinn Fein for zero in return. [ their men in 'place' did very well]Surely if weapons had simply

Anthony,Thank you for suffering the fools, such as...

2009-03-13T14:26:00.000Z

Anthony,

Thank you for suffering the fools, such as myself. It is through forums like this that Ireland will eventually find the peace and independance it has longed for.

Oh Seoirse, I could kiss you! You remind me so muc...

2009-03-13T14:23:00.000Z

Oh Seoirse, I could kiss you! You remind me so much of the AIM (American Indian Movement) Warriors I used to hang with before my son was born! You honor me too much by suggesting I would pick an argument with Anthony! Never crossed my mind. A simple exchange of ideas, thoughts, that is all. I have too much respect for Anthony (both actions and words) to ever argue with him!

I’ve been

Joy and others- I would not care to argue with AM...

2009-03-13T05:05:00.000Z

Joy and others- I would not care to argue with AM. He is a person who has experienced so much that I would be totally unable to match swords with him, though I have been around the block a time or two myself. I agree with almost everythig he has said on this site, on the much lamented Blanket, and also in his book. However, one thing I believe wthout any doubt at all is that Republicanism

Great article, and interesting comments.....best r...

2009-03-12T22:17:00.000Z

Great article, and interesting comments.....best read I've had in a long time. I think when you and your family moved away Anthony west Belfast lost one of it's best spokespersons.

This blog is one of the best reads on the internet.

Great stuff.

Seoirse, thank you for taking the time to respond ...

2009-03-12T18:32:00.000Z

Seoirse, thank you for taking the time to respond to my inquiry on "republicanism". It is my impression that Anthony believes republicanism has been a failure (or words to that effect, I am paraphrasing, please forgive me), and, as the title of his book states, is "dead". I do not believe that is the case. I believe it is in a period of transition. But I will post more on that later as I am

having been off the scene for years teaching in As...

2009-03-12T17:25:00.000Z

having been off the scene for years teaching in Asia discovering this site has ben like a gale of fresh air through the mind..if we're all no hopers better to be in an honest genuine company of the hopeless than psychophants to media nurtured egotists and decievers. I've spent the last two days reading as much as possible here..please enlighten me on any other mediums of reality and forums or get

MSD's argument is similar to that in Kevin Myers's...

2009-03-12T12:19:00.000Z

MSD's argument is similar to that in Kevin Myers's piece in the Indo today. They've raised an intresting philosophical question: can someone support the 1916 rising while condemning the recent actions of RIRA and CIRA and be logicly and morally consistent?