Reflections on an Easter Sunday

April 24th - April 30th, 1916. 92 years ago. A group of men storm the GPO in Dublin city centre (then known as Sackville Street) to assert the cause of Irish freedom and to demand the establishment of an independent Irish Republic.

This event is obviously look back to with great fondness and patriotism by many Irish Republicans. It was, after all, the spark which ignited the flames of the War of Independence, which eventually achieved freedom of a sort for 26 of the naton's 32 counties. However, what would the seven signatories think looking at the Ireland we have today, and especially the deplorable events in the North over the past 30 to 40 years?

For a start, the whole nation is not yet free. It is impossible, I think, for those of a partitionist mindset to look back to the Proclamation as something to be revered. There is no room for a divided nation anywhere in the wording of the document itself. In fact, the proclamation asserts that We declare the right of the people of Ireland to the ownership of Ireland, and to the unfettered control of Irish destinies, to be sovereign and indefeasible. The long usurpation of that right by a foreign people and government has not extinguished the right, nor can it ever be extinguished except by the destruction of the Irish people.

Secondly, I wonder how they would respond to the evil acts perpetrated in the north by those who called themselves "Republicans". Bear in mind that the Rising leaders surrendered partly because they weren't able to sustain the conflict much further, but also because of the damage that the violence was causing to the general population. It was not right, in their eyes, to cause harm to, or to inadvertantly bring harm to, civillians. A lesson that seems to have been forgotten by various people in the period since the Rising.

Also where has the sense of unity gone from "Republicans" in the North? It seems many have forgotten that The Republic guarantees religious and civil liberty, equal rights and equal opportunities to all its citizens, and declares its resolve to pursue the happiness and prosperity of the whole nation and of all its parts, cherishing all the children of the nation equally, and oblivious of the differences carefully fostered by an alien government, which have divided a minority from the majority in the past.

It's been 92 years. It saddens me as a Republican that not only have these beautiful ideals not come to pass, but that their very spirit is forgotten by those who would call themselves "Republicans". It's been 92 years... hopefully it won't be 92 more.

So long Eddie...

Yesterday came the news that Eddie O'Sullivan had announced that he was resigning as the Ireland coach.

Amid rumours and harsh criticism, its been a little bit of a "will he won't he?" kind of ride as far as this is concerned, and few can say that it really comes of that much of a shock.

You have to wonder, though, exactly why this has come about. I mean, Ireland's record lately has been far from impressive, and perhaps he's been forced from his position by the IRFU to make way for a fresh approach, but as short a time ago as Saturday he was declaring that he still had the heart to go on and would continue to do so. Perhaps the rather embarrassing performance at Twickenham took the heart from him.

It's easy to be critical, as the mainstream media love to do. Its easy to look when things are going wrong to the guy in charge and lay all the charges at his feet. Now don't get me wrong, some of the criticism is indeed justified, but is perhaps a little overdone. Has Eddie bowed to the pressure of the critics after Saturday's match and tossed in the towel because of it?

Rather like when Ian Paisley Sr. announced his retirement a little while ago, I think it's very important to look not only at recent events, but to take a hollistic view of any given situation. We should remember that Eddie is the most successful coach of the Ireland squad, and that not only did we win the Triple Crown three times within four years during his leadership, but also rose to third in the world rankings.

Whatever the reason for his departure, Eddie has been a great coach over all, and brought the side a lot to be proud of. Yet maybe the time is right to step down. Maybe the old tactics have gotten, well, old. Maybe its a wise decision to let go and allow someone else to take over, and hopefully lead Irish Rugby forward, to hopefully greener pastures.

So long Eddie. Thanks for all you've done, and all the best for the future.

A Right Royal Visit to East Belfast

Today in East Belfast, a meer hop skip and jump away from where I live, the Queen made a visit to a local mission hall as part of her three day engagement here in the north.

As a local of the area, it was very strange to see so many police and tv cameras around a not so pleasant part of the city when July is still a ways off. After an hour's service, the monarch re-emerged from the church building at around half past twelve before going on to Queen's University for another function.

As a nationalist, I think that this event was a very important one. It's great that we can finally see such a thing happening without incident (providing that tomorrow's trip to Armagh for a Royal Maundy Service goes without drama). It marks an important step forward, and shows just how far the north has come in a relatively short period of time.

At the university, ER2 met with President McAleese among others, giving more hints to a state visit south of the border in the near future, the first of its kind. Back in 2005 the President said

"The Irish and British governments are agreed that a visit should take place and the timing is for a decision by them in the light of the successful development of the political process in Northern Ireland over time."

Perhaps that time is now coming sooner.

Now I have no great love for the royal family, and do not agree with either monarchy as a system of government nor with the British royal family being the head of state for the north. However there are a great number of people in the north, irish people, who do feel a strong connection with Britain and look upon the monarch as representing their cultural identity. In a United Ireland, their opinions and feelings should not be quelled.

This is something that my very loyalist family have had to get used to, and something which they apreciate from me; that having an independant Irish patriotism and culture is not to neccisarily be anti anything different. Not true. A true republic alows for a plethora of different feelings and opinions to be expressed in democratic fashion, not the quelling of minority or majority voices.

Now a lot of nationalists/republicans will either have no opinion on this visit, or even worse regard it with disdain or anger. I on the other hand fully welcome it, and hope to see the Queen make it south of the border for a state visit.

If we truely believe in a united Ireland, then we should all unite under the common name of Irishman, be that in an independant or British sense.

There's white and orange in the flag for a reason folks...

A new blog - a fresh voice

Hello all.

I've decided to start a political blog for two reasons.

1) As a nationalist who has come from a strongly loyalist family, lives in a loyalist area and attends a protestant church, I have become very sick and tired of hearing the age old "Catholic/Nationalist Protestant/Loyalist" cliche

2) My need to speak out and testify to the world at large and the land I love from my own, minority viewpoint.

I hope that this blog will be an enjoyable one, both to write and to read, and perhaps can help lead the way towards people thinking outside the box.

So in the wake of St. Patrick's day, and in the spirit of peace which they say has taken hold of the north, its time for something a little different.