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The Cruiser

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  • 18-12-2008 11:04pm
    #1
    mike65
    Closed Accounts Posts: 88,978 ✭✭✭✭


    http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2008/1218/breaking92.htm
    Former minister and journalist Conor Cruise O'Brien dies
    MARK HENNESSY, Political Correspondent

    The death has taken place of the former Cabinet minister and journalist, Conor Cruise O'Brien, who as Minister for Posts and Telegraph during the Fine Gael/Labour coalition in the 1970s.

    Born in Dublin in 1917, Mr Cruise O'Brien was one of the leading intellectual lights of the Labour Party during the 1960s, following a career as a civil servant in the Department of Finance and later the Department of External Affairs.

    He later joined the United Nations and attracted the attention of leading figures there, before he was given a key in the organisation's difficult operation in the Congo in 1960 and 1961 by the then UN Secretary-General, Dag Hammarksjold.

    He developed a successful academic career later before returning to Ireland, where he became a leading player in the Labour Party in the late 1960s alongside counterparts such as David Thornley and Justin Keating.

    Expressing condolences, Taoiseach Brian Cowen said Mr Cruise O'Brien had been "a leading figure in Irish life in many spheres since the 1960s", displaying a wide array of talents in politics, academia and journalism.

    A divisive and important figure in many spheres. No doubt the media and political classes will be raking over his legacy for the rest of the week.


«134567

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    #2
    eigrod
    Registered Users Posts: 7,599 ✭✭✭eigrod


    R.I.P.


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    #3
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    RIP.

    http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/1218/obrienc.html

    He became a bit of a unionist in later years


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    #4
    Sponge Bob
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 25,234 ✭✭✭✭Sponge Bob


    Pity he didn't kick the bucket 40 years ago :(


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    #5
    oscarBravo
    Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 28,804 Mod ✭✭✭✭oscarBravo


    mike65 wrote: »
    No doubt the media and political classes will be raking over his legacy for the rest of the week.
    ...nay, years.

    RIP.


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    #6
    P. Breathnach
    Registered Users Posts: 12,089 ✭✭✭✭P. Breathnach


    Sponge Bob wrote: »
    Pity he didn't kick the bucket 40 years ago :(

    That is an obnoxious post.


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    #7
    Sponge Bob
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 25,234 ✭✭✭✭Sponge Bob


    I believe that he was an obnoxious person, prove me wrong if you can !


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    #8
    TOMASJ
    Registered Users Posts: 656 ✭✭✭TOMASJ


    I thought that old fart was dead years ago, cant say Ill loss any sleep over him and his type, with that superior arrogant attitude.


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    #9
    RoundyMooney
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,910 ✭✭✭✭RoundyMooney


    RIP.

    I was no fan of the man, or his beliefs, but he led a long, eventful and far more fruitful and illustrious life than many of his detractors, myself included, can aspire to.


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    #10
    baldbear
    Registered Users Posts: 5,565 ✭✭✭baldbear


    wasn't he fan of King Billy? R.IP


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    #11
    luckat
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,366 ✭✭✭luckat


    I'm shocked at the cruel posts here. Conor Cruise O'Brien's family may well be reading these posts at some stage, and be devastated by these nasty, ignorant, mannerless comments.

    He was a Labour man when that meant something. I disagree with his stance on censorship of Sinn Féinn, and with his later flirtation with unionism, but he was someone who worked for his country - and for working people - in harder times than these.

    (Incidentally, the standard of journalism in the first reports of his death is kind of sad. His daughter Margaret appears to have been forgotten - she's not mentioned as surviving him; and his play King Herod Explains is expressed as King Herald Explains.


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    #12
    Nodin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 46,938 ✭✭✭✭Nodin


    Deleted User wrote: »
    RIP.

    http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/1218/obrienc.html

    He became a bit of a unionist in later years

    Well, many said he just decided he might as well go full time.

    He became almost hysterical towards the end of his career, spouting tabloidesque doomsaying prophecies. I don't go in for Grave dancing however. Suffice to say I was not an admirer.


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    #13
    blinding
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 7,466 ✭✭✭blinding


    Deleted User wrote: »
    RIP.

    http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/1218/obrienc.html

    He became a bit of a unionist in later years

    And then he wanted the unionists to join a united Ireland.

    To which one can only say he got their in the end but why did it take so long for him to work it out.


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    #14
    mountainyman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,268 ✭✭✭mountainyman


    If we can't discuss his impact on Irish life why post the message here? Fortunately for Cruise O'Brien God is merciful.


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    #15
    mike65
    Closed Accounts Posts: 88,978 ✭✭✭✭mike65


    One shouldn't forget his contribution to 'pop culture' when he coined a term that described a particular notorious event but which came to sum up a whole era of Fianna Fail shenannigans.

    GUBU


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    #16
    blinding
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 7,466 ✭✭✭blinding


    Would "THE GAGGER" not have been a more suitable title for this thread.

    For the younger members this would be a reference to "the cruiser" gagging his political opponents and media when he was in power.


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    #17
    silverharp
    Registered Users Posts: 18,391 ✭✭✭✭silverharp


    If below gives an indication of what what going on in the man's head then he was hardly to be taken seriously as political commentator


    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conor_Cruise_O%27Brien

    He was a long time columnist for the Sunday Independent and his articles have been distinguished by hostility to the peace process in Northern Ireland, regular predictions of civil war in the Republic of Ireland and an openly pro-Unionist stance. In 1997, a libel action was brought against him by relatives of Bloody Sunday victims for alleging in one article that the marchers were "Sinn Féin activists operating for the IRA".[7]

    A belief in gender identity involves a level of faith as there is nothing tangible to prove its existence which, as something divorced from the physical body, is similar to the idea of a soul. - Colette Colfer



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    #18
    Mad Finn
    Closed Accounts Posts: 366 ✭✭Mad Finn


    luckat wrote: »
    (Incidentally, the standard of journalism in the first reports of his death is kind of sad. His daughter Margaret appears to have been forgotten - she's not mentioned as surviving him

    He didn't have a daughter called Margaret, AFAIK.

    He had a daughter called Kate, who sadly predeceased him by about 10 years.


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    #19
    bmaxi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,859 ✭✭✭bmaxi


    mike65 wrote: »
    One shouldn't forget his contribution to 'pop culture' when he coined a term that described a particular notorious event but which came to sum up a whole era of Fianna Fail shenannigans.

    GUBU

    You would appear to be suggesting that the era of "FF shenanigans" was somewhere in the dim and murky past.
    :confused:
    O'Brien was the epitome of the phrase "there's a thin line between genius and madness," he was quite brilliant in many aspects but, especially later in his career, the balance occasionally tipped.


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    #20
    LordSutch
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,078 ✭✭✭✭LordSutch


    Conor Cruise O'Brien R.I.P


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    #21
    Erin Go Brath
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,708 ✭✭✭Erin Go Brath


    The Cruiser will not be missed by nationalist Ireland i think its fair to say. He will be regarded by many as a traitor to the nation. However as much as i disagree with everything about the man especially his introduction of Section 31, i offer condolences to his family at this time for their loss.


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    #22
    RedPlanet
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,691 ✭✭✭RedPlanet


    Good riddance.


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    #23
    baldykelly
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2 ✭baldykelly


    Dr. Conor Cruise O'Brien was a man of huge courage and determination. Many Irish 'nationalists' may not have agreed with his political thinking and teaching, yet on numerous occasions he spoke the truth when everyone else was content to jump on the nationalists bandwagon and condem Northern unionists as some how an alien people - when the opposite was the actual reality.

    May he rest in peace.

    His place in the annals of Irish history can not be contested.


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    #24
    Nodin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 46,938 ✭✭✭✭Nodin


    baldykelly wrote: »

    His place in the annals of Irish history can not be contested.

    Along with CJ Haughey, Liam Lawlor, Shan Mohangi......


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    #25
    fryup
    Registered Users Posts: 18,067 ✭✭✭✭fryup


    why oh why are the irish so clanish???

    the man was only trying to open our eyes to the atrocities carried out by the provos instead of having our heads stuck in the sand all the time...is that a crime??.....or are most irish people closet provos???:confused:


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    #26
    Permabear
    Closed Accounts Posts: 39,022 ✭✭✭✭Permabear


    This post has been deleted.


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    #27
    mike65
    Closed Accounts Posts: 88,978 ✭✭✭✭mike65


    fryup wrote: »
    or are most irish people closet provos???:confused:

    "Sneaking regarders" were one of O'Briens primary targets, those who didn't mind too much when civilians were killed in car bombs in England but tut-tuted in polite company at same.


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    #28
    Erin Go Brath
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,708 ✭✭✭Erin Go Brath


    mike65 wrote: »
    "Sneaking regarders" were one of O'Briens primary targets, those who didn't mind too much when civilians were killed in car bombs in England but tut-tuted in polite company at same.

    Indeed he was behind Section 31 to shut up irish nationalists from voicing their opinions. Yet he had no problem ignoring the many murders of Irish people by British Security forces, he even joined the racist anti-Irish UK Unionist Party at one stage. Ergo he is seen as a traitor to the Irish nation!


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    #29
    P. Breathnach
    Registered Users Posts: 12,089 ✭✭✭✭P. Breathnach


    Erin Go Brath wrote: »
    ...Ergo he is seen as a traitor to the Irish nation!

    You mean the non-unionist component of the Irish nation.


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    #30
    Erin Go Brath
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,708 ✭✭✭Erin Go Brath


    P. Breathnach wrote: »
    You mean the non-unionist component of the Irish nation.

    No.. i mean the most extreme anti-Irish party he could have joined. If he joined the DUP it wouldn't even be as bad but he joined the party with the most bigotted anti-Irish philosophy that there was. Hardly the actions of a patriot now is it?


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    #31
    fryup
    Registered Users Posts: 18,067 ✭✭✭✭fryup


    Erin Go Brath wrote: »
    Hardly the actions of a patriot now is it?

    he never claimed to be a patriot...just a man who was willing to listen to people of a different political persuasion...instead of bombing them


This discussion has been closed.
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