RIP Albert Reynolds

You raise an interesting point bomber and this ‘he did good work in the north’ is all over the place today with few enough specifics of what he actually did. Your own attack is an interesting alternative view but light on specifics too. What specifically do you think he should have done that he didnt and in what way was he a quisling?
He comes across as a serious rabbit caught in the headlights in that reeling in the years clip anyway.

[QUOTE=“farmerinthecity, post: 1003979, member: 24”]When Thatcher came to power she thought she could blast the IRA away.

Soon afterwards she went to the table with Adams and McGuinness.

The Brits surrendered if anyone did.[/QUOTE]
The reality is that the situation effectively came to a stalemate and a new approach had to be tried.

[QUOTE=“Tabby, post: 1003989, member: 2142”]You raise an interesting point bomber and this ‘he did good work in the north’ is all over the place today with few enough specifics of what he actually did. You’re own attack is an interesting alternative view but light on specifics too. What specifically do you think he should have done that he didnt and in what way was he a quisling?
He comes across as a serious rabbit caught in the headlights in that reeling in the years clip anyway.[/QUOTE]

Something as opposed to nothing. Neil Blaney was the only member of the Southern government who had any bit of backbone when it came to the North.

Shinner propaganda my hole.

Fuck off you cunt.

Backbone - no.

Gung-ho ‘up the Ra’ to win votes without any semblance of intelligence - yes.

Haughey was the best in my view. Of course he was a complete cunt.

What he did on the North is very well detailed in Sean Duignans book, One more Spin on the Merrygoround

Blaney was a great guy who actively cared and endeavoured to help the plight of Northern nationalists. Haughley was all posturing with little principle to back it up.

hopefully dick spring’s wonderful threat about Harry whelehan gets a few runouts: “We need a head Albert, yours or Harrys”

Ruairi Quinn said that tbf, think the quote was “We have come for a head, yours or Harry’s. Doesn’t look like we are getting Harry’s.”

i stand corrected

Yeah, that’s correct of course. I meant in terms of the opposition minister he succeeded.

He was the first prominent politician to actively engage with Adams to bring an end to the war.

he was actively engaging with the IRA in 1970 to escalate the war

Throwing the country into a state of chaos.

And what did he do to aid the nationalist up North after he got a slap on the wrists for the arms scandal? Nothing - he was reigned in. Blaney had principles about him and was actively involved in northern community and publicly backed the hunger strikers when all the other politicians down south did nothing.

Naivety on here is amazing at times. As the head of Government of a Western democracy there is a limit to what Reynolds could do in public in support of a terrorist organisation. If he goes too far he alienates UK and Unionists as well. He seems to have opened up dialogue and started a process and most importantly brought people along with him.

He got us 8bn in EU funds.

On the other hand he was a small time local politician and presided over tax amnesties, seemed beholden to beef industry and various other gombeen antics.

Ultimately his legacy will probably be a positive one.

This is supposed to be a thread in remembrance of our former Taoiseach. Not about a group of criminal terrorists who committed suicide in prison.

Keep going.

Someone will bite eventually.

Great read that book. Must dig up my copy.

Was Sean Duignan his right hand man during his tenure as Taoisigh? Reynolds as with all who are appointed to lead rely heavily on these right hand men.