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If David Ervine dies - impact on north?

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  • 07-01-2007 10:24pm
    #1
    ArthurDent
    Closed Accounts Posts: 915 ✭✭✭


    Think this will have a big impact on the talks and Stormount - I'm sorry that he's gone - I think on the balance of things he was a force for the better on the unionist side


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Comments

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    #2
    Bateman
    Registered Users Posts: 4,818 ✭✭✭Bateman


    Have to agree. Things may be a lot more fragmented without him; not good.


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    #3
    Greenman
    Registered Users Posts: 2,962 ✭✭✭Greenman


    He's not dead yet. Ask Anne Doyle.


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    #4
    spurious
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 27,213 CMod ✭✭✭✭spurious


    BBC still have him as 'critical'.
    Critical is what someone will be of RTE's debacle.


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    #5
    Wishbone Ash
    Registered Users Posts: 24,993 ✭✭✭✭Wishbone Ash


    Bit of a cock-up in the news. Now he is critically ill.


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    #6
    flogen
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 10,247 Mod ✭✭✭✭flogen


    Aye; he's apparently "fighting for his life", but he's not dead yet...

    Also, not to say that he was completely unimportant but the PUP are a pretty marginal grouping, they're even lower on the pecking order than the UUP, who are in pretty bad shape too.


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    #7
    youcancallmeal
    Registered Users Posts: 8,022 ✭✭✭youcancallmeal


    According to Eircom.net he's dead, wierd?
    See here


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    #8
    ArthurDent
    Closed Accounts Posts: 915 ✭✭✭ArthurDent


    RTE have reported him as dead and Tommy Gorman just interviewed on same - major snaffoo if incorrect


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    #9
    Villain
    Registered Users Posts: 15,944 ✭✭✭✭Villain


    Breakingnews.ie:
    07/01/2007 - 21:19:19

    Progressive Unionist Party leader David Ervine remains in a critical condition in the Royal Victoria hospital in Belfast tonight.

    It had been reported by media outlets that Mr Ervine had died, but this cannot be confirmed at this time.

    British Home Secretary and former Northern Secretary John Reid said his thoughts and prayers were with Mr Ervine's family at this difficult time.


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    #10
    ateam
    Closed Accounts Posts: 986 ✭✭✭ateam


    The RTE website has changed his position from dead to critically ill, how could this blunder of happened!


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    #11
    Villain
    Registered Users Posts: 15,944 ✭✭✭✭Villain


    What did the nine o clock news say?


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    #12
    ateam
    Closed Accounts Posts: 986 ✭✭✭ateam


    irish1 wrote:
    What did the nine o clock news say?

    Anne Doyle announced that he had died, a package on his life was given by a Northern correspondent and then Tommie Gorman spoke on the phone for a few minutes about him. The RTE News website hasn't been updated to include the videos of his death.


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    #13
    funktastic
    Closed Accounts Posts: 551 ✭✭✭funktastic


    They said he was dead.


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    #14
    Villain
    Registered Users Posts: 15,944 ✭✭✭✭Villain


    If they are wrong thats one awful mistake.


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    #15
    joebhoy1916
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,011 ✭✭✭joebhoy1916


    Wonder If an IRA guy was caught with a car bomb trying to murder innocent people then year's later died ye would be sorry?

    Although he changed his way's to the process there not really involved In It.

    To be honest might be a good thing maybe the good Friday agreement can be fulfilled. All paramilitary's give up there arms.

    He's critical not dead..


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    #16
    Ray777
    Closed Accounts Posts: 350 ✭✭Ray777


    Apparently, David Ervine is "clinically dead", but on a life-support machine. I read this on caltonradio.com, so it must be true...


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    #17
    InFront
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,698 ✭✭✭InFront


    Couldn't be less reliable than RTE!

    Considering his role as an active conspirator in taking the lives of others back in the 1970s, I can't say I've ever thought much of him in comparison to some of his more gentlemanlike colleagues in the North.
    However, he has denounced all violence, seems to have put it behind him and is obviously keen to get on with the parliamentary process. I admire his dedication to his community during his political career, hopefully he has more to offer it.


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    #18
    Wishbone Ash
    Registered Users Posts: 24,993 ✭✭✭✭Wishbone Ash


    RTE Radio One's 6.30am news says he "remains critically ill".


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    #19
    InFront
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,698 ✭✭✭InFront


    Tommie Gorman has just been on Morning ireland and described the report as "his error". He received incorrect information from 2 "reliable sources".

    Ervine is still alive, but nobody seems to be suggesting to what extent he is alive.


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    #20
    Maskhadov
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,065 ✭✭✭Maskhadov


    well done RTE (roll eyes)


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    #21
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    joebhoy1916 wrote:
    Wonder If an IRA guy was caught with a car bomb trying to murder innocent people then year's later died ye would be sorry?

    Well if someone like Mitchell McLaughlin were seriously ill and close to death I would be surprised if there was no thread here...


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    #22
    lostexpectation
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,082 ✭✭✭lostexpectation


    Deleted User wrote:
    Well if someone like Mitchell McLaughlin were seriously ill and close to death I would be surprised if there was no thread here...


    who is his deputy or likely replacer, I can't find it to hand, they only had one seat in the assembly, how many councillors do they have?

    left wing unionist...hmmm

    geting praise from all quarters despite his past


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    #23
    Hagar
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,793 ✭✭✭✭Hagar


    Sky has just reported his death.


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    #24
    mike65
    Closed Accounts Posts: 88,978 ✭✭✭✭mike65


    Sad news. Ervine stuck me early on as one of the few involved with the mechanics of the "pre-peace process" who one might trust.

    Mike.


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    #25
    dregin
    Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 6,524 Mod ✭✭✭✭dregin


    It's sad to see one of the few politicians who did their job without having to put a spin on everything they said and did come to such an early end. If there were more politicians like David Ervine around I think Northern Ireland would be far better off. It seems to me that alot of the problems standing in the way of peace are caused by politicians grasping to have the last say. David said and did what he had to in order to better the lives of thousands of people in Belfast with a bravery and honesty which is seen in very few politicians today. I have no first hand experience of the man but I know through reading and talking to people from Belfast about him that he'll be sorely missed.

    Rest in peace.

    [yus I copied and pasted the post I made on thumped]


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    #26
    Dirk Gently
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,784 ✭✭✭Dirk Gently


    I always thought he was one of the more genuine, hard working and straight talking politicians up there. He done a lot of behind the scenes work trying to keep the whole agreement together and has perhaps been over looked in the contribution he made over the past number of years. A big loss to all who want to see dialogue and progress up north. I never thought I would be saddened to hear of a former loyalist terrorists death but his loss is none the less a blow to the peace process.


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    #27
    Peter C
    Registered Users Posts: 121 ✭✭Peter C


    David Irvine always came across as a straight talking gentleman. Only wish others would follow his example at this critical stage in peace process and take a leaf from his book.

    R.I.P.


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    #28
    wow sierra
    Registered Users Posts: 1,085 ✭✭✭wow sierra


    I think its a really sad day for Northern Politics. He made a huge contribution to the Loyalist Peace process. Always found him open minded and willing to focus on the important issues and improve things for all communities. Will be sorely missed at such a young age. My favourite Unionist politician of recent times by a mile. RIP


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    #29
    walrusgumble
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,062 ✭✭✭walrusgumble


    anyone referring to his past. please he was 21 yrs old, and like many 21 yr old nationalist who saw their community being attacked, he felt it was there duty to do what he did. martin maguinness had a similar past but different sides. but like ervine they changed and put their engeries to create peace. it was a war up there after all back then, both sides were effected. it happened, yes never forget but time to move on and build bridges.

    check out a link on loyalist 1981 on history & heritage. he was always very open about his reasons for doing what he done, his reasons for changing his opinion. he was a working class unionist who represented his community. very open to the irish, had a good relationship with the irish after. can you say that about paisley in the past

    how could his party get much attention, he had the frame of mind of social issues like we discuss in our community day in day out. northern ireland politics has been influenced greatley on peace process etc. , how many times have we ever heard stormount discussing/debating annual budgets, new prosals on education etc. he would have contributed greatly had he been around by the time stormount gets up and running. he contributed greatly to peace process.

    rip (never thought i be sad to hear of a unionist's death, times are changing...for the better)


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    #30
    Zambia
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,333 ✭✭✭Zambia


    He left the fence when he witnessed a Nationalist bombing , and by his own admisson joined the UVF. He went to prison and served his time. He has never denied anything and has often been quoted when no else would go on record.

    I never met the man but was glad to have him as my MP. Remarks like the ones on this forum in his favour from members of the southern Irish community are well recieved. It shows even his passing has progressed us ever so slightly buy our past.

    A very straight man who will be sadly missed.

    RIP


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    #31
    walrusgumble
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,062 ✭✭✭walrusgumble


    now time for a few others to take a leaf out of his book. anyone see q&a rte1 on wednesday nite. ian paisley jnr lovely bigoted comment (although probably meant as a joke) referring something along the lines of ....pitty you lot cant stop interferring with the north.

    hmmm, britain under blair help out in peace process because they have people who see themselves as british. what about the other side, oh shock horror paisley there are people who consider themselves as irish, gee paisley is it ok if our representatives come to tea to represent the other side?

    maybe it was a joke by him, and maybe i should see the light side to it, the other speakers did, but what annoys me is that he came out with this comment. i thought that crap should be left back in the 1990's and before that.


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