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Original poster

Does anyone elase think this is in galloping bad taste?

61 replies

MorningTownRide · 11/09/2008 14:19

Here

What an odd thing to say.

Stick to talking about lipstick and dresses, love

OP posts:
Janos · 12/09/2008 22:10

OK, you make a fair point piffle

LittleBella · 12/09/2008 22:14

She's not necessarily thick. She may just disagree with you all. I have no idea how well-read she is on the subject of Irish history and what her political views on the use of armed struggle are. She may have a large well thumbed library of hardbacks on the subject. On the other hand, she may have gleaned all her knowledge from that Liam Neeson film with Julia Roberts doing that embarressing accent. Who knows? Shall we run a sweepstake?

Peachy · 12/09/2008 22:17

I'd never heard of her and now I have

I suggest her publicity managers is doing agreat job!

LuLuMacGloo · 12/09/2008 22:17

Agree with Piffle.

Janos · 14/09/2008 20:25

"Shall we run a sweepstake? "

Yeah, Put me down for 2/1 on the Liam Neeson film

Piffle · 14/09/2008 22:15

liam neeson aka michael Collins
Tis my history
Google john Redmond
;)
me grandad was his namesake oh yes

But would like ms mcgowan to identify her opinions
Sorry boring of me...
I take this subject awfully seriously

georgimama · 14/09/2008 22:19

LittleBella, but seriously, which do you think is more likely?

LittleBella · 15/09/2008 21:45

I think Janos might have cleaned up...

TheNaughtiestGirlIsaMonitor · 16/09/2008 16:19

What a bloody typically ignorant thing for a 2nd or 3rd generation Irish/American to say. I'm sorry that's ME generalising, but honestly! They hear stories from their great grandfathers and they haven't a notion what the IRA is all about.

I read Martin McGartland's book, and he was an incredibly brave man. He grew up in a very poor catholic area of Belfast, and the British Army somehow knew he was against the violence, but that was not known to his family/neighbours etc.. He was a 'double' for a while. In the Ira and an informant. He was, almost inevitably I guess, caught in the end. He was taken to be executed, and miraculously escaped by the skin of his teeth.

When I read the book, he was living somewhere in the English speaking World under an assumed identity. The IRA couldn't find him so they killed his brother instead.

The book really moved me and stayed with me for ages after I read it. I was so sad when I heard on the news, a ten second announcement at the end of the news one night, that he had been found and killed in an ira style execution.

Martin McGartland would spin in his grave at her ignorant comment. Waht he went through to try and put a stop to the violence..... does she have a notion what the film is about/??

TheNaughtiestGirlIsaMonitor · 16/09/2008 16:25

Piffle, I take this subject seriously too.

After 9/11, the aid for IRA from America dried up. So if anything good came from 9/11 it was that the americans finally understood the reality of terrorism.

giraffeskeel · 16/09/2008 16:28

She looks like the transvestite cousin of Wacko Jacko in that picture, anyway.

Just an observation.

cocolepew · 16/09/2008 16:34

Is she playing an American in the film? Or is it yet another actor strangling the N.Irish accent.

hellsbells76 · 16/09/2008 16:50

thenaughtiestgirl - martin mcgartland still alive afaik

TheNaughtiestGirlIsaMonitor · 16/09/2008 18:22

Is he? I really hope so, but I remember hearing that the author of dead man walking (?) had been murdered........ I hope he is alive.

TheNaughtiestGirlIsaMonitor · 16/09/2008 18:25

Right, just googled, and he was shot but recovered. phew.

hellsbells76 · 16/09/2008 19:56

sadly I do think it's only a matter of time till they finally get him, and it's a miracle he's survived this long. An incredibly brave man.

evangelina · 16/09/2008 21:07

There were a lot of romantic and naive Americans about the Irish situation before 9/11.

The anologies with Palestine etc are all true. When it's happening miles away they are freedom fighters, but when it's on your doorstep it's terrorism.

I spent two summers in Northern Ireland in 1988/89 as the only Protestant in a completely Catholic community, which I loved and who adopted me as their own, but very few people supported the IRA. Instead there was widespread support for the moderate SDLP, who advocated non violent negotiation which eventually succeeded with the (sad) help of 9/11. Among my Catholic friends there were many who had been directly affected by IRA violence including one girl whose father had been murdered because he was a building contractor on a police station.

Piffle · 16/09/2008 22:07

everyone has different experiences...
My family extended and otherwise were victims of RUC and British army and uva violence and intimidation
They'd argue otherwise re the role of IRA day to day. You only see what the news reports.

But on a positive note 'Twas a day of history to see dr ian paisley snr sharing a genuine joke and camaraderie with martin mcguinness...
Now that's progress!

solidgoldbrass · 16/09/2008 22:17

Well yes, a lot of Americans were revoltingly sentimental about the IRA - in many cases they were third or fourth generation immigrants who got witlessly maudling about their Irish roots (not so sentimental they wanted to go back, though). And with a name like McGowan there's a fair chance the girl was brought up on Noraid-type bullshit.

However it's also fair to say that some of the people who believed in the Republican cause did have a point: you can believe someone is right without supporting their violent methods.

Pan · 16/09/2008 22:34

"However it's also fair to say that some of the people who believed in the Republican cause did have a point"

That's very generous of you, brassy.

I do wonder if we would have had the same furore if she had said she would have wanted to join the UDF/UDA or any other loyalist paramilitary organisation.

evangelina · 16/09/2008 22:50

The whole Celtic tiger thing has also helped to bring about peace in Ireland. I have a friend from Derry, and he says how rich it seems when he goes home now with mercedes cars in every other drive.

Pan · 16/09/2008 22:52

and also the keeness of the British govt to get out as it was drain on all resources, an impossible management problem.

solidgoldbrass · 16/09/2008 23:37

I think all the violent militaristic wankers on both sides of the issue were wankers, Pan. Though I am not quite sure how one side came to be seen (at least by stupid people) as somehow more 'romantic' than the other.

Piffle · 17/09/2008 07:34

not romantic so much as betrayed and fighting for their land back...
Versus the imperialist aggressors
Tis romance like that that propels erm urr majority of civil wars methinks.

evangelina · 17/09/2008 10:16

I think from the American point of view it used to look very simple- a map of Ireland with a little segment belonging to the Brits just seemed wrong. But things are never that simple (eg Hawaii or Alaska).

Apparantly, it was the conciliatory speech of Peter Brooke (sec of state for NI) in 1990 which really broke into the stalemate- he said "Britain has no selfish, strategic or economic interest in NI" and would accept Irish unification if it was the wish of the people of the province. This must have made the British government seem a lot less arrogant, but ultimately the IRA have "lost" in the sense that Ireland is not "ourselves alone". Although quality of life is undoubtedly better for the Catholics, and small gestures like renaming the RUC the police service of NI help.