Irish hunger strike

[tinkerbell23]

Can someone explain the whos and whys of this to me!?

VERY SIMPLY lol

I did read wikipedia........

I find the politics difficult

Reason is i know many who are passionate about this and i would like to understand!!!

As i say...simply please!!! X

[paddywak]

ichkeria, the thing with these sort of songs is that at the time they were written there was no means of rapid communication such as e-mail and songs such as these were written and sung as a matter of spreading news in a quick and easy manner. The trouble was the people who wrote and sang them were following there own agenda and so biased them towards their case. As you say not much good for learning the truth about the subject but interesting non the less

[jake-the-peg]

One of the key things you have to bear in mind (and British people tend to forget this) is that the forerunners of the IRA helped win the Irish their independance from Britain.

It was a particularly bloody affair including the first "bloody Sunday" in 1920 when Royal Irish Constabluary opened fire on a crowd at a Gaelic footbal match killing 14 civillians.

In that context you'll understand why there is still support for the IRA especially in the republic - its a minority but a sizable one.

That's the significant thing about any violent movement - the amount of political support it has from people on the ground.

The word terrorist isn't really very helpful - it's just a "ya-boo-sucks" label one side places on the other when things get emotional - you saw it earlier in the thread.

To a great extent whethor you're a terrorist or not is not so much what side you're on but whether or not you won

[ichkeria]

"chkeria, the thing with these sort of songs is that at the time they were written there was no means of rapid communication such as e-mail and songs such as these were written and sung as a matter of spreading news in a quick and easy manner. The trouble was the people who wrote and sang them were following there own agenda and so biased them towards their case. As you say not much good for learning the truth about the subject but interesting non the less "


Very interesting I agree, and quite wonderful in many cases.

[MarkRae]

> The potato famine of the 19thC [...] which left a nasty taste in Irish mouths

Dearie me...

[old-wos-is-name]

I really don't understand politics. why not let the northern Irish have their country back and rule theirselves? what does westminster gain from this?
Ireland has no oil and real commercial value. and, if they were given it back, who in Ireland would benefit? the Irish people? the Irish elite?
why does the IRA ( or any other party) want to rule? please someone explain what benefits this would give them.

[NOX]

I don't really want to start posting seriously about this, as you've already had some good answers from far more objective folk than me... but this always amuses me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doN2ZcE7ov4

[paddywak]

OWIS, basically after the troubles of the early 1900's the British Government gave Ireland independence, however the six counties of the North which had over the years been settled by large numbers of protestants used a clause by which they could appeal to the king to "Opt Out" of the free state and remain a part of the UK. They considered themselves British not Irish and majority of people in the six counties do so to this day. The IRA and the other nationalist organizations say they're part of Ireland even if they don't want to be.Very simplified explanation of a very complicated situaion

[DrFilth]

tinkerbell remember each side has their own version of the troubles, mark explained it up best

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4z1TfcQMkU