[quote=“Piles Hussain, post: 867735, member: 363”]Unionists are marching today to commemorate the 1 year anniversary of the decision to restrict the flying of the union fleg.
Funny shtuff.[/quote]
Week after the car bomb when shops and businesses hope to make a some money from pre Christmas shoppers
UK officials considered ‘walled ghetto’ for Catholics
EXTRAORDINARY plans to redraw the Irish Border – which included handing over west Belfast to the Republic – were seriously considered by British officials in the 1980s, according to previously classified state papers released today.
The radical proposals – which reached the desk of Britain’s prime minister Margaret Thatcher – also suggested ceding most of Derry city to the Republic.
A briefing paper prepared by officials at the Northern Ireland Office (NIO), based on a new partition plan put forward by an academic, suggested slicing Northern Ireland in half and cutting its population by 500,000.
It also mentioned establishing a “walled ghetto” in west Belfast.
However, officials later noted that while moving half-a-million people – mostly Catholics – might be acceptable for a totalitarian regime, human rights arguments would be an obstacle.
BORDER
Other incentives, such as loyalty tests for benefits and large-scale internment “should drive out large numbers”, they speculated.
The plans, which also discussed compensating unionists in areas ceded to the Republic, were quickly rejected as unrealistic and impractical.
But the fact they reached the desk of the British prime minister shows that they were considered at the top level.
The proposals are contained in UK government files from 1984, released today under the 30-year rule.
Officials revisited the border question in response to research by Paul Compton, an academic from Queen’s University Belfast.
His “most respected analysis” is discussed in a secret paper prepared by the Northern Ireland Office. A copy sent to Mrs Thatcher and included in one of the files is heavily underlined, suggesting that she considered it in detail.
Dr Compton had described the partition of 1920 as “necessary and justified” but “flawed by the messy way in which it was executed”.
He suggested three options for repartition, including one which would cede over half of the geographical area of Northern Ireland to the Republic, reducing its population to one million – 73.5pc of which would be Protestant.
A more modest version, ceding parts of Fermanagh, south Armagh and most of Derry city, was also proposed.
The Catholic population would have been cut by 105,000 to around 460,000, while transferring only 30,000 Protestants to the Republic.
The briefing paper on Dr Compton’s suggestions also referred to a possible partition of Belfast.
NIO officials discussed creating “a wedge-shaped area in west Belfast” running from Twinbrook to the Divis Flats, including areas such as Poleglass, Andersonstown and the Lower Falls.
WALLED
The briefing paper discusses “difficulties over the Belfast sector”, adding that one solution, “a walled ghetto”, “would entail physical as well as political difficulties”.
It adds: “Policing international boundaries across Belfast and any corridor between republican Belfast and the Border would be a formidable task.”
Although the idea was quickly rejected, repartition re-emerged as a political issue in November 1984, when Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald spoke publicly against it.
Dr FitzGerald warned that it would lead to a more permanent division of the island.
On a minute referring to those remarks, Mrs Thatcher wrote: “That’s why he doesn’t like it.”
Seperately, released papers show Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald was left depressed after the “profound personal and political setback” of an Anglo-Irish summit between himself and prime minister Margaret Thatcher, in which little progress was made in resolving problems in Northern Ireland.
UK state papers released by the National Archives in London from 1984 show that Dr FitzGerald wanted to advance co-operation between the two governments, whereas the British were considering whether or not to continue talks between the two countries at all.
Emile Laurac
What a horrible, hypocritical, evil cunt.
Ian Paisley has accused the Irish government of provoking the Dublin and Monaghan bombings in 1974 in which 33 people were killed.
In a documentary for BBC Northern Ireland, the ex-DUP leader and former first minister of Northern Ireland said that the political leaders in Dublin at the time brought the bombings on themselves.
He said they were a result of “their ridiculous attitude to Northern Ireland”.
In the first of a major two-part television documentary on his life which airs on Monday night, Mr Paisley said: "I was very much shocked that there was anyone going to be hurt in that way.
"But I mean, who brought that on themselves was their own political leaders, and they had endorsed in what their attitude to Northern Ireland, and at that time the attitude of the south government in Northern Ireland was ridiculous.
“I not only had nothing to do with it, but I said I had nothing to do with it and denounced the people who had done it…What more could I do?”
Mr Paisley said he was shocked by the bombings, which were carried out by loyalist paramilitaries. He said the killings were not justified.
He also said he was very angered by the shooting of 13 people in Derry on Bloody Sunday and said the inquiry afterwards proved that those who were killed were not using weapons and were making a protest within the law.
Mr Paisley praised the apology for Bloody Sunday made by British Prime Minister David Cameron.
He said he was glad to hear for the first time a British leader telling the truth about it.
Mr Paisley also said that the discrimination against Catholics in Northern Ireland following partition was unacceptable.
He claimed that the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s was a front for a united Ireland as it was associated with a battle that “ordinary decent Protestants” could not associate with.
Journalist Eamonn Mallie spent 40 hours interviewing a politician he has known for more than 30 years. He claimed Mr Paisley told him it would be his last interview.
"He didn’t seek any editorial control. He took everything I was able to throw at him. He was gracious, but a wily old fox. A lot of this was incredibly painful for him, but when it finished he shook my hand and said: “Right, that’s my last word.”
‘The discrimination against Catholics was unacceptable’---- The prick would happily be still living knee deep in tadgh blood if he could.
We are not allowed mention tadgh
Don’t be so peevish!
Eamonn Mallie is gas to listen to. I’d say he’s away with the fairies.
He says he was ‘angered’ by Bloody Sunday. He also says that the discrimation against Cathloics was ‘unacceptable’.
Yet he calls the Civil Rights Movement a front for a United Ireland.
He also made sure that the Sunningdale Agreement collapsed by colluding wth Loyalists to ‘persuade’ people not to go to work.
He also claims that the Dublin Government brought Dublin and Monaghan on themselves given their policy on Northern Ireland when it would be defined as barely moderate in many people’s eyes giving the persectution citizens of this State were suffering.
He tries to distance himself from any parlamilitary involvement despite calling for an eye for an eye in many of his rallies back in the 70s.
One of his most senior party members, ‘Reverend’ Willie McCrea stood on a platform with a convicted sectarian killer Billy Wright and declared him a hero.
I hope the cunt has a painful death.
Of course the irony of claiming Dublin Monaghan as being the fault of the Irish Government while at the same time denouncing the IRA as murderers when they planted bombs in Britain isn’t lost on the cunt.
It will be interesting to see if the same bleeding heart Journo’s down here give the same treatment to Ian after those ridiculous comments, as they did to Gerry Adams reaction to the Smithick tribunal.
Probably not. I am convinced they are all trolls.
I don’t think that’s true Mark. Deplore much of Paisley’s politics pre 2006 but admire his willingness to change position and compromise in later life and bring virtually the entire Unionist community with him. Paisley has done a hell of a lot more to bring about reconciliation on this island in last 8 years than Enda Kenny for instance. Paisley was to blame for creating some of bitterness in first place but at least he is gracious enough to accept that excluding a part from government based upon previous armed struggle is nonsensical (particularly when accepting it’s okay for one part of the island like Gilmore, Martin and Kenny do).
I don’t think that’s true Mark. Deplore much of Paisley’s politics pre 2006 but admire his willingness to change position and compromise in later life and bring virtually the entire Unionist community with him. Paisley has done a hell of a lot more to bring about reconciliation on this island in last 8 years than Enda Kenny for instance. Paisley was to blame for creating some of bitterness in first place but at least he is gracious enough to accept that excluding a part from government based upon previous armed struggle is nonsensical (particularly when accepting it’s okay for one part of the island like Gilmore, Martin and Kenny do).
I would hold the Free State Government responsible for an awful lot of deaths during the troubles, they stood by meekly when the Brits were taking out non-combatant nationalists in the O6 and gave no choice but for the Provos to rise and protect their people. They then had the temerity to classify them as terrorists.
Interesting and lot of truth in that.
Most southern Irish are cowards, mate.
Your bang on there totti
Your not far off there either renton,most people in the 26 didnt give a fuck as long as it didnt affect them and the trouble stayed up north
My da always talks about the oppressive nature of the free state forces around the border counties and their harassment of local SF activists and known sympathisers during the 70s and late 80s.
http://cf.broadsheet.ie/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/haughey1.jpg [quote=“Rudi, post: 885109, member: 1052”]I would hold the Free State Government responsible for an awful lot of deaths during the troubles, they stood by meekly when the Brits were taking out non-combatant nationalists in the O6 and gave no choice but for the Provos to rise and protect their people. They then had the temerity to classify them as terrorists.[/quote]
Rereading Voices from the Grave at the moment-you’d forget a lot of these things every now and then. Hard to argue with that Rude Boy.
[SIZE=5]Outspoken loyalist Willie Frazer has refused to apologise for saying a Ballymena school PE shirt which featured on EastEnders promoted the IRA.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=5]
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[SIZE=5]http://cdn3.independent.ie/incoming/article30017113.ece/ALTERNATES/h342/jersey+top.JPG [/SIZE]
The hardline unionist hit out after actor Maddy Hill, who plays Nancy Carter in the BBC soap, wore the shirt during a scene in Friday night’s episode.
Mr Frazer (53) was scathing at the use of the “GAA top” – which is actually the sports kit of St Patrick’s College, Ballymena.
Victims’ campaigner Mr Frazer accused the GAA of glorifying terrorism, and compared the use of the shirt by the soap’s producers to promoting the National Front, Ku Klux Klan or Nazism.
He posted on his Facebook account: “I’m sure many of you watched EastEnders in horror last night when Nancy Carter, who works behind the bar in the Queen Victoria, was clad in the shirt of an organisation which glorified IRA terrorists, the GAA. This surely must have been a mistake by the costume people, any shirt supporting the NF, KKK or indeed Nazism would never be allowed on a family show so why a shirt belonging to an organisation who name clubs after IRA terrorists, give out medals with IRA terrorists on them and who hold IRA events (on) their premises.”
Mr Frazer, from Markethill in Co Armagh, said he had lodged an official complaint with the BBC regarding the shirt.
When it was pointed out to Mr Frazer that the top is actually that of St Patrick’s College, he remained defiant.
Instead, he blamed GAA supporters for ‘hijacking’ the use of the shirt on the show.
“Republicans were praising it from the rooftops,” he told the Belfast Telegraph.
"In fact they were saying the next thing would be the playing of republican songs in the Queen Vic. I don’t see why I would have to apologise to the school.
“It wasn’t the school with which the issue was raised, it was the GAA and all that goes with that.”
Sinn Fein North Antrim MLA Daithi McKay criticised Mr Frazer’s remarks, and called on him to withdraw them.
“The appearance of the St Patrick’s shirt has created quite a buzz throughout Ballymena,” he said.
“The top in question is a PE shirt.”
He also added: "It is concerning that Willie Frazer continues to target anybody and everybody with an association to the GAA.
“The GAA in Ballymena, like other sports, works on a cross-community basis and Willie Frazer’s comments are very much out of tune with the community in Ballymena.”
A spokeswoman for EastEnders was yesterday unable to confirm how many, if any, complaints had been made regarding the shirt.
She said: "The top which Nancy Carter wore on Friday night’s episode is a school PE kit which was purchased from a vintage shop.
“The character of Nancy Carter is a tomboy and wears a huge range of sportswear which she chooses for the way it looks not because she has any allegiance to any sport or club.”
In 2012, the principal of a primary school described by Mr Frazer as “the junior headquarters of IRA youth” called on him to apologise to her directly.
Dera Cahalane of St Patrick’s Primary in Donaghmore contacted the PSNI after Mr Frazer posted controversial remarks about her school after confusing an Italian flag flying outside it for an Irish tricolour.
The Italian flag was flying alongside Turkish and Polish flags in honour of 11 teachers from schools in Poland, Italy and Turkey who visited the Tyrone school for a European integration project.
After seeing photographs of the three flags, Mr Frazer, whose father was killed by the IRA, posted on Facebook: “The junior headquarters of SF/IRA youth, or it may as well be.”
Mr Frazer told the Belfast Telegraph at the time that he apologised for a “genuine mistake”.
However, he added: “If they think I’m going to get down on my hands and knees, basically the answer is no.”
BACKGROUND
St Patrick’s is a Catholic maintained college in Ballymena, with 500 pupils.
The college caters for both boys and girls in the 11-18 age range.
Past pupils include Hollywood[/URL] star [URL=‘http://searchtopics.independent.ie/topic/Liam_Neeson’]Liam Neeson and Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers.