What will you be the doing during the Visits?

jackieblue
County: Antrim
Posts: 397

935249 I haven,t paid a lot of attention to the queens visit as I'm very busy in work at the moment,but I will say what I have watched on the news has made me warm to the royals for once,I will say however that during the speeches the other night I was really impressed with the Irish preident,in her you have a gem.She is a great anbassador for Ireland and you should be proud to have her as your head of state.

She surely is, another legacy of bertie's

dhorse (Laois) - Posts: 11374 - 20/05/2011 11:12:33    935288

ruanua
County: Donegal
Posts: 3641

935201 Need to do a double take when I find my self agreeing with BB and Patrique
But what we have seen over the last few days is

The Queen of England - Head of state of "The Union" and Head of the Church of England and therefore the ultimate symbol of the culture to which unionists or Loyalists wish to cling to :

1. Speaking Irish in Dublin
2. Going to Croke Park - not for a concert or a rugby match but as a guest of CLG
3. Watching Riverdance
4. Putting a wreath on a symbol of Irelands fight for freedom

All of which 20 years ago would have been considered almost a form of satanic ritual in certain parts of the North. I cannot possibly see how this cannot be viewed as anything other than a huge positive progressive step for people in the 32 Counties Nationalists, Republican, Unionist, Loyalist - Athiest whatever.

To be honest anyone that continues to be offended by this or who looks for the negative will never be satisfied in any case unless we end up with some sort of Ultra nationalist 32 county ethnically cleansed dicatatorship.

Have you only figured that now?

dhorse (Laois) - Posts: 11374 - 20/05/2011 11:13:43    935291

i think this visit was the lift the entire country needed, the irish people are absolutely delighted with this despite the best efforts of a few nobodies who seem to thinkl this is a media/ political conspirasory that is not the wish of the people. the irish absolutely loved this visit and we have firmly said that a few gombeen wont ruin things anymore. lizzy is no an honorary irish woman who is loved the length and breath of the country

liathroidboy (Mayo) - Posts: 4921 - 20/05/2011 12:25:40    935380

Its good that it happened, and I'm glad/relieved its passed off without incident, but the idea that this means Ireland is now a new country, its matured, that we can be proud of ourselves etc, is a whitewash, a smokescreen. Its simply going over old ground that has already been covered, because we can't deal with real issues that affect a European country.
And I even feel a bit churlish saying that, given the spirit in which the visit itself was conducted, but the way its been portrayed as a cure for our ills, and the relentless back-patting we've been giving ourselves, is something I just can't swallow.

It just seems that instead of facing up to how we work in the EU, how we deal with immigrants to this country, how we react to global issues etc, we're just ignoring whats difficult and falling back on something safe and easy, and telling ourselves we're great for doing it. I mean, and I guess I can only speak in terms of the Republic here, bridge building with Britain isn't a huge effort, its pretty low hanging fruit; British culture/industry pervades most aspects of life in the country, I don't think we could be any closer and remain separate countries. However, our relationships with our other European neighbors are in far greater need of repair.
So while I'm glad the visit passed off successfully, it doesn't make us a new or more tolerant country, and not really any more mature. Our reaction to this and the last years events seem to point to a regression rather than a progression.

Marlon_JD (Tipperary) - Posts: 1823 - 20/05/2011 14:22:32    935532

Seanie boy,if Ireland had a few more high profile figures such as Mary McAleese then unionists might see that there is not to be feared in a better working relationship with the Republic,it would take a lot of the mistrust away and at the same time further isolate the dinasaurs from both camps.

jackieblue (Antrim) - Posts: 521 - 20/05/2011 15:24:14    935628

jackieblue
County: Antrim
Posts: 398

935628
Seanie boy,if Ireland had a few more high profile figures such as Mary McAleese then unionists might see that there is not to be feared in a better working relationship with the Republic,it would take a lot of the mistrust away and at the same time further isolate the dinasaurs from both camps.


Maybe you are right Jackie but come July there will be many dinosaurs out in your community too and their whole demeanour will change as usual with the first bang of a Lambeg drum. Its a pity but its also true !!

Cavan_Slasher (Cavan) - Posts: 10253 - 20/05/2011 15:54:43    935675

jackieblue
County: Antrim
Posts: 398

935628 Seanie boy,if Ireland had a few more high profile figures such as Mary McAleese then unionists might see that there is not to be feared in a better working relationship with the Republic,it would take a lot of the mistrust away and at the same time further isolate the dinasaurs from both camps.
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She is a nordie afterall Jackie!

brendtheredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 10897 - 20/05/2011 15:55:16    935677

Slasher, I know there will be dinasaurs out come July,that's why i'll be in Clifden doing a spot of fishing.lol

jackieblue (Antrim) - Posts: 521 - 20/05/2011 16:26:44    935727

Brend I knew she was from the north because i was in one of her ex residences last year buying a dog,but just her whole appearance ,smart articulate and cultured,where else could she be from?

jackieblue (Antrim) - Posts: 521 - 20/05/2011 16:37:21    935750

jackieblue i be down there myself sometime in july i meet you in the central

hipster (Dublin) - Posts: 2509 - 20/05/2011 17:37:02    935828

seanie_boy
County: Tyrone
Posts: 1761

935270 I must admit at this point that I am not as "offended" by the whole thing as I hoped,I mean thought,I would be:) If we can have Peter Robinson and Jackie Mc Donald standing for "The Soldiers Song" in Dublin then I think anything is possible and from a pragmatic republican viewpoint the whole exercise will make the idea of a united Ireland less unappealing to some unionists,and as they are the people we want to convince,then it will have served a positive purpose in this regard if none other.To her credit, in her speech she adoted a sensitive,apologetic and conciliatory tone.I see it as another chapter in the story of "The End Game".
A good post seanie. That is about where I stand "I think" But I am still a bit confused with it all everything appears Normal between Britain and Ireland as long as we dont mention the wee six. A little like faulty Towers dont mention the war. Perhaps it is good that no-one did. Any way I am pleased it passed without incident and am dissapointed some fools attempted to burn a Union Flag that behaviour only makes us look silly.

derryman (Derry) - Posts: 3246 - 20/05/2011 18:29:23    935885

hipster,no problem mate,any of the bars in main street will do they are all decent craic,although my favourite would be ej kings,I'll not be hard to miss,i'll probally be the only one in a linfield top.lol

jackieblue (Antrim) - Posts: 521 - 20/05/2011 19:18:47    935934

20/05/2011 19:18:47
jackieblue
County: Antrim
Posts: 401

935934
hipster,no problem mate,any of the bars in main street will do they are all decent craic,although my favourite would be ej kings,I'll not be hard to miss,i'll probally be the only one in a linfield top.lol




Shame on you, glory hunter. Like a Londoner supporting Man United.

what's wrong with a good old ORANGE Carrick rangers top, especially after the great season they have had.........

patrique (Antrim) - Posts: 13709 - 20/05/2011 19:49:30    935956

patrique
County: Antrim
Posts: 12653

935956
20/05/2011 19:18:47
jackieblue
County: Antrim
Posts: 401

935934
hipster,no problem mate,any of the bars in main street will do they are all decent craic,although my favourite would be ej kings,I'll not be hard to miss,i'll probally be the only one in a linfield top.lol




Shame on you, glory hunter. Like a Londoner supporting Man United.

what's wrong with a good old ORANGE Carrick rangers top, especially after the great season they have had.........
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Although not nearly as bad as Irishmen supporting Scottish or English teams.

seanie_boy (Tyrone) - Posts: 4235 - 21/05/2011 19:47:03    936531

I think "normal" relations is what we are all aiming for Derryman.Between British and Irish,between Orange and Green,and ultimately one day soon the normalcy that is to be a united Ireland.

seanie_boy (Tyrone) - Posts: 4235 - 21/05/2011 19:52:01    936536

Good man Seanie_Boy !!

Cavan_Slasher (Cavan) - Posts: 10253 - 21/05/2011 21:40:43    936641

Patrique,although born and reared in Carrick,my dad was originally from the shankill area,so therefore i was dragged to windsor from no height along with my 3 brothers two of whom still attend to this day,the other is a carrick fan,I was actually attending Carricks end of season prize giving on Saturday last and the craic was good although I was getting a bit of stick for being a blueman,it'll be worse next season when i'm down Taylors Ave with my scarf on.lol

jackieblue (Antrim) - Posts: 521 - 23/05/2011 11:01:20    937454

Ok, now that it is all done and dusted, can it be deemed a success?

Have we developed any little more into a fully fledged independant republic?

What is the next big gripe for ultra nationalists.?

dhorse (Laois) - Posts: 11374 - 23/05/2011 12:58:56    937646

dhorse
County: Laois
Posts: 8119

937646 Ok, now that it is all done and dusted, can it be deemed a success?

Have we developed any little more into a fully fledged independant republic?

What is the next big gripe for ultra nationalists.?
________________________
Stupid and ultimately pointless comments like these for starters.

brendtheredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 10897 - 23/05/2011 13:06:57    937666

dhorse
County: Laois
Posts: 8119

937646 Ok, now that it is all done and dusted, can it be deemed a success?

Have we developed any little more into a fully fledged independant republic?

What is the next big gripe for ultra nationalists.?

Yes.A success. At last the British Government had the maturity to recognise us as a State and show us the respect we were owed.

Real Kerry Fan (None) - Posts: 2957 - 23/05/2011 13:38:58    937714