“As somebody who represents the North Inner City from Dublin, and who has seen and sees at first hand the damage, the corrosive damage that so-called gangland has caused to communities, there is absolutely no comparison,” she said.
Pretty terrible comment tbh
Atrocities committed during the troubles stick with impacted communities to this day. I’m sure the family and friends of Columba McVeigh are still impacted after the search for his body was called off earlier this week.
I’m no fan of SF but she has a point here. The IRA committed some terrible atrocities but they had a legitimate reason for existing and were driven by ideology rather than greed.
In fairness to Dowdall, grassing up his colleagues is the most SF thing he could think of doing.
If we treated all drugs the way we treat alcohol, the IRA and every single gang would lose over 95% of their income
The usual crew are out in full force here. There is no comparison between the volunteers who sacrificed their lives for our nationhood and the overthrow of a quasi-apartheid Orange statelet that was underpinned by colonialism and anti-democractic political violence and gangland criminals.
Did 260 civilians not die during the Rising? What of Revolutionary Cork?
One wonders if these same lads equate the very men and women who fought and died for our nationhood with common criminals?
Wow what a dreadful comment. Why on Earth did she make it? Who is she pandering to?
I know it’s the Independent, which looks for controversy, but still.
If she wants to get into power she needs to disown the PIRA and completely disassociate her party from them. They have some good politicians in Doherty and O’Broin, but some people will think twice about voting for them if she equivocates about terrorism and the history of the Troubles.
The PIRA and UVF, INLA etc. Had a far more corrosive affect on the communities (and on the country) they existed in that Dublin’s resident scumbags. Theses groups’ legacies are horrific and no serious politician should say otherwise.
Terrorist apologist makes excuses for terrorists. Stop the presses.
Indeed criminal gangs carry out armed robberies, hostage taking for ransom, punishment beatings, extortion, rape, murder, arson, smuggling, intimidation
Whereas the IRA……
The difference is that the gangland violence is often prosecuted.
I cannot understand how people talk about the PIRA in such a way. How do ye expect that Catholic in the North wouldve gotten eqaul rights???? They tried asking the Brits nicely, and that went about as well as you would expect.
Nobody is ought here defending Omagh (including the Real IRA who did it, and Sinn Féin back in 1996), or the random execution of civilians. But this “both sides are bad” shite that floats around the troubles just isnt true. The PIRA made massive mistakes, but it was in self-defense. Hell, it was Loyalists that started the killing in the period we consider “The Troubles”. And the first bombing.
This thought that the conflict just sprung up out of nowhere makes no sense. It was Nationalists fighting back after decades of State Violence by the british government, and constant attack my loyalists forces enforcing the status quo (which was a mini-apartheid)
Right so them Brits can kill and oppress innocents but as soon as people join IRA to fight back they’re the bad guys yeah? Yous would want to go get a grip. West brits. Pathetic comments. Go ahead give me your downvotes. Make me sick so yas do.
There is absolutely no comparison. The troubles weren’t about money or financial gains. It was bourne out of political injustice and denial of rights. It’s obvious there is no comparison unless someone wants to remove all context.
12 comments
“As somebody who represents the North Inner City from Dublin, and who has seen and sees at first hand the damage, the corrosive damage that so-called gangland has caused to communities, there is absolutely no comparison,” she said.
Pretty terrible comment tbh
Atrocities committed during the troubles stick with impacted communities to this day. I’m sure the family and friends of Columba McVeigh are still impacted after the search for his body was called off earlier this week.
I’m no fan of SF but she has a point here. The IRA committed some terrible atrocities but they had a legitimate reason for existing and were driven by ideology rather than greed.
In fairness to Dowdall, grassing up his colleagues is the most SF thing he could think of doing.
If we treated all drugs the way we treat alcohol, the IRA and every single gang would lose over 95% of their income
The usual crew are out in full force here. There is no comparison between the volunteers who sacrificed their lives for our nationhood and the overthrow of a quasi-apartheid Orange statelet that was underpinned by colonialism and anti-democractic political violence and gangland criminals.
Did 260 civilians not die during the Rising? What of Revolutionary Cork?
One wonders if these same lads equate the very men and women who fought and died for our nationhood with common criminals?
Wow what a dreadful comment. Why on Earth did she make it? Who is she pandering to?
I know it’s the Independent, which looks for controversy, but still.
If she wants to get into power she needs to disown the PIRA and completely disassociate her party from them. They have some good politicians in Doherty and O’Broin, but some people will think twice about voting for them if she equivocates about terrorism and the history of the Troubles.
The PIRA and UVF, INLA etc. Had a far more corrosive affect on the communities (and on the country) they existed in that Dublin’s resident scumbags. Theses groups’ legacies are horrific and no serious politician should say otherwise.
Terrorist apologist makes excuses for terrorists. Stop the presses.
Indeed criminal gangs carry out armed robberies, hostage taking for ransom, punishment beatings, extortion, rape, murder, arson, smuggling, intimidation
Whereas the IRA……
The difference is that the gangland violence is often prosecuted.
I cannot understand how people talk about the PIRA in such a way. How do ye expect that Catholic in the North wouldve gotten eqaul rights???? They tried asking the Brits nicely, and that went about as well as you would expect.
Nobody is ought here defending Omagh (including the Real IRA who did it, and Sinn Féin back in 1996), or the random execution of civilians. But this “both sides are bad” shite that floats around the troubles just isnt true. The PIRA made massive mistakes, but it was in self-defense. Hell, it was Loyalists that started the killing in the period we consider “The Troubles”. And the first bombing.
This thought that the conflict just sprung up out of nowhere makes no sense. It was Nationalists fighting back after decades of State Violence by the british government, and constant attack my loyalists forces enforcing the status quo (which was a mini-apartheid)
Right so them Brits can kill and oppress innocents but as soon as people join IRA to fight back they’re the bad guys yeah? Yous would want to go get a grip. West brits. Pathetic comments. Go ahead give me your downvotes. Make me sick so yas do.
There is absolutely no comparison. The troubles weren’t about money or financial gains. It was bourne out of political injustice and denial of rights. It’s obvious there is no comparison unless someone wants to remove all context.