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Replying To slayer:  "This doesn't answer the question I asked you though.

If you don't have an answer then can we assume that you include @ShsneLowryGolf in your assessment?"
Ah you are bringing sports into the argument. Knowing full well it's different.

Can you tell me why these proud Irish people have only started putting flags out in the past couple of years? Same in England? Have they only recently become proud of their heritage? Can you answer that? It's a marvellous coincidence.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8549 - 12/10/2025 13:56:39    2639455

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Replying To TheFlaker:  "Take back our flag? What rubbish are you talking. Absolute eejits who think they are more Irish than me because they suddenly want the national flag everywhere? Ask them about their role in their community and what they have done for their people and culture. The majority do sweet all but claim to be proud Irishmen. Embarrassing."
Answer the question.

Square_B (Leitrim) - Posts: 1544 - 12/10/2025 13:57:13    2639456

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Replying To slayer:  "Do you think a Palestinian state will solve the issue?

I don't have strong views either way, I actually think the issue there is not solvable. I applaud anyone who brings peace to the region (Republican, Democrat, anyone) but we have seen this play out before. Bill Clinton brought Peace there in 1993, getting Rabin and Arafat to shake hands in Oslo. That peace lasted 7 years. A change of US President can be exploited by both parties. The least thing can set the region off. I think you have two groups who exist to wipe the other off the map.

My fear is that once peace descends there will be thousands of people grieving atrocities and putting ourselves in their shoes, isn't it difficult to sit silently without thinking of revenge?

Israel will continue doing work on the ground to create their enemy's enemy. When Arafat was in power Israel helped Hamas to gain leverage over the PLO. Now they are helping Hamas's enemies there. Towards the end of Arafat's life there was a sense that he was losing control. The 2000 uprising just ratcheted things up and by the time he died the void of his death enabled Hamas to gain control. Netenyahu getting back into power made a war of the scale we have seen, inevitable. The vast majority of the man's life has been about overseeing war.

I understand what you say about Irish people feeling solidarity with Palestine but I think that can be mistaken for a justification of October 7th. My own view is what happened on October 7th 2023 was disgusting. What happened since was disgraceful. I'm not pro or anti either side. I think the level of savagery on both sides is depressing. This current peace may last five or ten years, but I think it will fall apart again at some point. I really hope I'm wrong."
A huge part of the issue is the US being the peace broker when they are such a close ally of Israel. And many in Israel do not want Palestinians to have a state. Especially those who have migrated from Russia who seem to have helped drive Israel to the extreme right. I think you are correct though on the end result, nothing fundamental will change and another generation of Palestinians will grow up angry and disenchfranised.

Oct 7th was horrid and a war crime but it is explained by what has gone on the past previous 70 years where some Palestinias are driving to extremism. There was a massacre of new Protestant planters in Portadown in 1641. This was used as an excuse by Cromwell to crush the Irish rebellion and carry out multiple massacres and forced displacement of the Catholic population. Was the killing of innocent women and children at Portadown wrong, yes. But that act does not happen if you did not have the plantation of Ulster and confiscation of Gaelic land.

When you think that Irish independence did not happen until over 300 years after the plantation of Ulster and collapse of the Gaelic system, is the Israeli Palestinian conflict just in its infancy? That is not a nice thought.

FullOfPorter (Roscommon) - Posts: 400 - 12/10/2025 14:11:41    2639457

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Replying To TheFlaker:  "Ah you are bringing sports into the argument. Knowing full well it's different.

Can you tell me why these proud Irish people have only started putting flags out in the past couple of years? Same in England? Have they only recently become proud of their heritage? Can you answer that? It's a marvellous coincidence."
TheFlaker,

You refuse to answer questions then come back with questions of your own. This comes across as thinking that your opinions and questions are more important than other people's.

Fine if you want this thread to be your own personal echo chamber, but as you won't answer questions then I'll respectfully withdraw from debating you.

Have a good day.

slayer (Limerick) - Posts: 6595 - 12/10/2025 14:12:22    2639458

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Replying To TheFlaker:  "I'll say it again. Go on Twitter and find the tricolour accounts. Reasonable people they are not."
How do you know if they are reasonable or not? Did you engage with any of them or just run with your assumptions? Does reasonable mean they lean your way? You're being very vague and evasive. Please just answer this one question: how does anyone's flag of any kind affect you?

SouthGalway (Galway) - Posts: 55 - 12/10/2025 14:21:38    2639459

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Replying To TheFlaker:  "Take back our flag? What rubbish are you talking. Absolute eejits who think they are more Irish than me because they suddenly want the national flag everywhere? Ask them about their role in their community and what they have done for their people and culture. The majority do sweet all but claim to be proud Irishmen. Embarrassing."
Aren't you the lad that said personal profit from US tech and pharma companies was more important than speaking out for human rights?

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 3961 - 12/10/2025 14:26:13    2639460

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Replying To Square_B:  "Answer the question."
Sports is not the same thing. Simple really and childish to try and link the 2.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8549 - 12/10/2025 14:26:33    2639461

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Replying To TheFlaker:  "Sports is not the same thing. Simple really and childish to try and link the 2."
Where did I mention anything about sport? Try again.

Square_B (Leitrim) - Posts: 1544 - 12/10/2025 14:33:32    2639462

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Replying To SouthGalway:  "How do you know if they are reasonable or not? Did you engage with any of them or just run with your assumptions? Does reasonable mean they lean your way? You're being very vague and evasive. Please just answer this one question: how does anyone's flag of any kind affect you?"
Look through the posts. Not rocket science.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8549 - 12/10/2025 14:40:44    2639464

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Jeez there are a lot of angry patriots online today.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8549 - 12/10/2025 14:43:00    2639465

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Replying To slayer:  "TheFlaker,

You refuse to answer questions then come back with questions of your own. This comes across as thinking that your opinions and questions are more important than other people's.

Fine if you want this thread to be your own personal echo chamber, but as you won't answer questions then I'll respectfully withdraw from debating you.

Have a good day."
What was the question? I am getting it from all sides here with you and another poster asking me to answer the question? Look how triggered everyone is.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8549 - 12/10/2025 14:44:28    2639466

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Replying To Doylerwex:  "Aren't you the lad that said personal profit from US tech and pharma companies was more important than speaking out for human rights?"
So not only am I dealing with lads denying the reason why our flag has only become very popular recently but now I am dealing with you posting this? I have absolutely zero clue what you are talking about. You are obviously confusing me with someone else but don't let that stop you.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8549 - 12/10/2025 14:46:41    2639468

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Replying To TheFlaker:  "Jeez there are a lot of angry patriots online today."
Who mentioned anything about patriots? How about answering my question?

Square_B (Leitrim) - Posts: 1544 - 12/10/2025 14:47:45    2639469

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Replying To Square_B:  "Who mentioned anything about patriots? How about answering my question?"
Whats the question exactly? I have 2 posters asking me that? But knowing this place it's probably the same person?

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8549 - 12/10/2025 14:59:22    2639472

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Replying To TheFlaker:  "Jeez there are a lot of angry patriots online today."
Angry? They're all laughing at you. You're upset over flags. You must be a great neighbor. One of those lads that looks out the window all day looking for something to complain about. Someone puts up a flag or their dog barks and you're all upset. I might go buy a flag today meself just to annoy you. Erin Go Bragh!

SouthGalway (Galway) - Posts: 55 - 12/10/2025 14:59:44    2639473

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Replying To SouthGalway:  "Angry? They're all laughing at you. You're upset over flags. You must be a great neighbor. One of those lads that looks out the window all day looking for something to complain about. Someone puts up a flag or their dog barks and you're all upset. I might go buy a flag today meself just to annoy you. Erin Go Bragh!"
Who is angry? I'm not. None of my neighbours have tricolours. But they are, like myself native Irish speakers as are my kids. And we are and always have been heavily involved in our community especially through the GAA. Proud of our heritage. Speak Irish to these lads who have suddenly become invested in our culture. It will be a short conversation.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8549 - 12/10/2025 15:04:48    2639474

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Replying To TheFlaker:  "Whats the question exactly? I have 2 posters asking me that? But knowing this place it's probably the same person?"
Oh look, pretending you don't know what the question was. LOL

Square_B (Leitrim) - Posts: 1544 - 12/10/2025 15:16:38    2639475

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Replying To Square_B:  "Oh look, pretending you don't know what the question was. LOL"
I had to go back as I have 3 different posters demanding I answer a question. So your post makes no sense . Take back the flag ? From who exactly?

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8549 - 12/10/2025 15:30:39    2639477

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Replying To TheFlaker:  "Who is angry? I'm not. None of my neighbours have tricolours. But they are, like myself native Irish speakers as are my kids. And we are and always have been heavily involved in our community especially through the GAA. Proud of our heritage. Speak Irish to these lads who have suddenly become invested in our culture. It will be a short conversation."
Ok, what percentage of Native Irish people could hold a solid conversation in Irish with you? Because that percentage is who you are looking down on. And if one of your Irish Speaking neighbors decided to put up a flag would you think less of them? Just wondering.

SouthGalway (Galway) - Posts: 55 - 12/10/2025 16:17:29    2639487

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Replying To SouthGalway:  "Ok, what percentage of Native Irish people could hold a solid conversation in Irish with you? Because that percentage is who you are looking down on. And if one of your Irish Speaking neighbors decided to put up a flag would you think less of them? Just wondering."
Totally missing my point. The take back the flag eejits i have encountered question the likes of me. Yet most of them are not invested in Irish culture. But claim they are.


I will keep asking the same question. Why is the flag phenomenon a recent development? Here and in the UK? We all know what it's linked to. Or did all these people just suddenly decide they were proud to be Irish in the past couple of years?

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8549 - 12/10/2025 16:29:10    2639489

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