Will 1916 commemorations open up old wounds between Ireland and the brits?

RobertKK

The 1916 rising commemoration is no more than commemorating a failure, a failure that led to the island being partitioned, a partition that led to a civil war between the pro-and anti- treaty people, a partition that led to discrimination in Northern Ireland the subsequent loss of thousands of lives.

I will not be commemorating 1916. I believe we would have had a United Ireland via peaceful means in time, if 1916 never happened and the subsequent fallout from it.
We live on a partitioned island because of it.

So I don't care about 1916, will not be commemorating the mess that 1916 helped create, and how it eventually led to thousands of lives being lost through violence.

To answer the OP 's question, I don't know why anyone would want to get worked up by it. Being told we should be enthusiastic is not a reason.
I don't see the need to spend €20 million plus on it. It was a catalyst for independence, but I believe we would have got independence anyway with a bit more patience and without anything from 4,000 to 6,000 people losing their lives on this island.

Dyr

RobertKK wrote: »

The 1916 rising commemoration is no more than commemorating a failure, a failure that led to the island being partitioned, a partition that led to a civil war between the pro-and anti- treaty people, a partition that led to discrimination in Northern Ireland the subsequent loss of thousands of lives.

I will not be commemorating 1916. I believe we would have had a United Ireland via means in time, if 1916 never happened and the subsequent fallout from it.
We live on a partitioned island because of it.

So I don't care about 1916, will not be commemorating the mess that 1916 helped create, and how it eventually led to thousands of lives being lost through violence.

To answer the OP 's question, I don't know why anyone would want to get worked up by it. Being told we should be enthusiastic is not a reason.
I don't see the need to spend €20 million plus on it. It was a catalyst for independence, but I believe we would have got independence anyway with a bit more patience and without anything from 4,000 to 6,000 people losing their lives on this island.

Yeah if we stuck with redmond he would have seen us right

How many Irishmen did he slaughter in the name of home rule again?

languagenerd

It won't affect relations betwen the Irish and the British because, as many have said, the vast majority of British people have no clue about Irish history. I lived there for a while and the number of times I was asked if Dublin was in "Southern Ireland" was staggering. Lots of people were even surprised to hear we use the euro and aren't part of the NHS or Royal Mail. The British invasion of Ireland is a far, far bigger deal to us than to them.

So we might get some of the usual suspects kicking up a fuss over here, but across the water, most people won't know it's a significant year and probably won't take much notice.

c_man

Bambi wrote: »

Yeah if we stuck with redmond he would have seen us right

How many Irishmen did he slaughter in the name of home rule again?

Look just cause the Brits promised independence/whatever to each and every group they could convince (Irish, Arabs, Jews etc) in order to get them to fight their war with Germany, and that those promises were later reneged on for other groups that doesn't mean we would have been shafted No reason to think a lovely Home Rule wouldn't have emerged in Ireland, if only we'd have participated in a few more slaughters on the Western front.

Also in regards to the people saying we shouldn't be commemorating a failure. I remember all the events marking 200 years since the 1798 rebellion, they were very informative (and entertaining). But again, I reckon that might be the "wrong" type of history to be marking...

Fratton Fred

Bambi wrote: »

One of the worst irish whiskeys you can buy

You'd probably like it.

Still better than Scotch.

DEFTLEFTHAND

languagenerd wrote: »

It won't affect relations betwen the Irish and the British because, as many have said, the vast majority of British people have no clue about Irish history. I lived there for a while and the number of times I was asked if Dublin was in "Southern Ireland" was staggering. Lots of people were even surprised to hear we use the euro and aren't part of the NHS or Royal Mail. The British invasion of Ireland is a far, far bigger deal to us than to them.

So we might get some of the usual suspects kicking up a fuss over here, but across the water, most people won't know it's a significant year and probably won't take much notice.

It's a significant year for the UK also, with the likes of the centenary of the Somme. Of course many Irishmen also lost their lives overseas in the British Army during the course of 1916, we shouldn't forget them either.

Fratton Fred

languagenerd wrote: »

It won't affect relations betwen the Irish and the British because, as many have said, the vast majority of British people have no clue about Irish history. I lived there for a while and the number of times I was asked if Dublin was in "Southern Ireland" was staggering. Lots of people were even surprised to hear we use the euro and aren't part of the NHS or Royal Mail. The British invasion of Ireland is a far, far bigger deal to us than to them.

So we might get some of the usual suspects kicking up a fuss over here, but across the water, most people won't know it's a significant year and probably won't take much notice.

Where in England were you, Glasgow?

Dan_Solo

RobertKK wrote: »

I believe we would have had a United Ireland via means in time

"via means"?!?! Wha? Shouldn't these magical means you are proposing be listed somewhere between "via" and "means"? Almost as if you don't have a notion what these means might be, isn't it?

RobertKK wrote: »

Being told we should be enthusiastic is not a reason.

Now, just one question: who said this was reason to begin with?

languagenerd

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

[/B]

It's a significant year for the UK also, with the likes of the centenary of the Somme. Of course many Irishmen also lost their lives overseas in the British Army during the course of 1916, we shouldn't forget them either.

Sorry, I meant they wouldn't know it was a significant year in Irish history. The Somme is a much bigger deal there, of couse.

RobertKK

Dan_Solo wrote: »

"via means"?!?! Wha? Shouldn't these magical means you are proposing be listed somewhere between "via" and "means"? Almost as if you don't have a notion what these means might be, isn't it?
Now, just one question: who said this was reason to begin with?

I was editing while I was typing the original and accidentally removed the word 'peaceful' means. You just jumped to a conclusion.

Wait and see, a lot of people will be sick of the fuss being made by the time it comes around. RTE for example heavily promoting 1916/2016 as it is.

c_man

RobertKK wrote: »

RTE for example heavily promoting 1916/2016 as it is.

They're pushing a drama 'Rebellion' and eh, 'The Rubberbandit's guide to 1916'... heavily, really? What else is there being pushed now? I imagine there'll be a few more documentaries in time.

Orangebrigade

FTA69 wrote: »

Orangebrigade wrote: »

Irish society was influenced and controlled by the Catholic Church long before partition or independence, it was the Brits who legally put them in a position of influence.

That is what the Irish people wanted and got and the legacy still lingers. 1916 was an utter joke and failed. I would call them opportunists at best.

Maybe one day Irish people will find out the real truth and not the romantic bollocks often spoken about it.

FionnK86

I'd much more have other nations respecting our national commemorations for 1916, rather than their image of Irish commemorations being a day where we get pissed drunk in the local field and remember a magical man who threw the snakes out of Ireland.

languagenerd

Fratton Fred wrote: »

Where in England were you, Glasgow?

I wasn't in England, or in Glasgow, as it happens. But I did make friends from several parts of Britain (from London, Bristol, York, Cumbria, Doncaster, Northampton, Durham, Bath, Nottingham, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Dundee, Skye and Cardiff off the top of my head) and the questions/confusion about Ireland didn't come from one particular group. I'm not at all having a go, just saying that in general people there know very little about Irish history and, therefore, aren't likely to pay much heed to the 1916 commemorations here.

Orangebrigade

RobertKK wrote: »

The 1916 rising commemoration is no more than commemorating a failure, a failure that led to the island being partitioned, a partition that led to a civil war between the pro-and anti- treaty people, a partition that led to discrimination in Northern Ireland the subsequent loss of thousands of lives.

I will not be commemorating 1916. I believe we would have had a United Ireland via peaceful means in time, if 1916 never happened and the subsequent fallout from it.
We live on a partitioned island because of it.

So I don't care about 1916, will not be commemorating the mess that 1916 helped create, and how it eventually led to thousands of lives being lost through violence.

To answer the OP 's question, I don't know why anyone would want to get worked up by it. Being told we should be enthusiastic is not a reason.
I don't see the need to spend €20 million plus on it. It was a catalyst for independence, but I believe we would have got independence anyway with a bit more patience and without anything from 4,000 to 6,000 people losing their lives on this island.

It didn't help the Irish cause but most of Ulster was never going to join any such state regardless.

RobertKK

c_man wrote: »

They're pushing a drama 'Rebellion' and eh, 'The Rubberbandit's guide to 1916'... heavily, really? What else is there being pushed now? I imagine there'll be a few more documentaries in time.

RTE press release:

• Unprecedented range of programming announced
• Extensive content in Irish, and for younger people
• Digital emphasis to guarantee accessibility of content
• Major on-street events to follow in footsteps of RTÉ Road to the Rising event

RTÉ today unveiled RTÉ 1916, an ambitious programme of content and events across television, radio, mobile and online. RTÉ 1916 invites people, at home and throughout the world, to watch, listen and take part as they commemorate and celebrate, debate and analyse the centenary of the 1916 Rising.

Featuring major television drama, groundbreaking documentary, curated on-street events and a slate of young people’s programmes, RTÉ 1916 will consider the event itself as well as the broader cultural, political and historical complexities of the Rising, and its impact on the decades and century that followed. Programmed in both languages, RTÉ 1916 will reach out to Irish people of all ages.

Announcing RTÉ 1916, Noel Curran, Director-General, RTÉ, said: “1916 is a year of huge emotional and political significance in Irish history. In our approach to covering and commemorating the centenary of 1916, RTÉ is embracing all of its complexity of by planning a range of diverse programming and events - across television, radio, mobile and beyond - where audiences can understand, debate, commemorate, and celebrate. Our coverage will include the many planned events that will commemorate and celebrate, but it is not limited to the Rising itself – it will also look back at the last hundred years in Ireland and look to the decades ahead of us now. It will embrace music, the arts and street events, as well as historical programming. The scale and range of our programming is suitably wide-ranging and ambitious. I believe that in this special commemorative year, this is RTÉ’s role and responsibility. We hope our audiences will join us for a unique series of programmes and events that chart, explain, critique and celebrate a century of Irish life.”

Commenting at the launch of RTÉ 1916, An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny said: “In commemorating 1916, RTÉ has unique responsibilities as a public service media organisation. The various strands of programming planned by RTÉ for the coming months will play an enormously important role in educating, enlightening and empowering the Irish public, young and old, with an authentic sense of our culture, history and identity. I am delighted to see that RTE has embraced the significant challenge of doing so and created an impressive and wide-ranging slate of programmes and events. I would like to thank Director-General Noel Curran and all those in RTÉ who are involved in the creation of this diverse and imaginative suite of programmes which draws on our wealth of artistic talent.”

Moya Doherty, Chair, RTÉ Board, said: “RTÉ 1916 offers a unique opportunity to showcase the value and uniqueness of public service media. On radio, on television, on mobile and online, in both Irish and English, RTÉ will offer a breadth of content across its 25 services, to audiences of all ages, in Ireland and across the globe. From the dramatic intensity of Rebellion to the intimacy of radio documentary; from the impressive scale of major choral and orchestral performances to the contemporary insights of younger audiences, this schedule will illuminate the deep complexities of that pivotal moment in the birth of our nation, and our complex relationship to it, through entertainment, spectacle, examination, discussion and, most importantly, participation. It allows RTÉ to do what I believe it does best - make the good popular, and the popular good.”

RTÉ acknowledges that the extent of this programme has only been made possible through the cooperation and support of a wide range of State institutions, the national 2016 programme, and collaboration with Ireland’s vibrant creative and artistic sector.

• Follow content and information streams with #rte1916 on @rte on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Vine and Instagrm
• NOTES: for full details in text format, see below.

ENDS


http://www.rte.ie/about/en/press-office/press-releases/2015/1104/739565-rte-unveils-ambitious-content-and-events-programme-for-1916-cente/



They had a program the last number of weeks about it too.
Joe Duffy using RTE to promote his 1916 book.

c_man

languagenerd wrote: »

therefore, aren't likely to pay much heed to the 1916 commemorations here.

I wouldn't be so sure. Look the Easter rising was timed (among other things) to start when the Brits would be distracted at Fairyhouse... Now think about it, a lot of the country is gonna be distracted in a few months with these commemorations. People see lads with English accents and military uniforms and assume they're gonna partake in some re-enactment, the build-up is all utterly ignored and then *bang* the Royal Navy are sailing up the Liffey, shelling the city and we'll have Tans in the street :eek:

RobertKK wrote: »

Joe Duffy using RTE to promote his 1916 book.

Now that I am against. 100%.

Dyr

Fratton Fred wrote: »

Still better than Scotch.

Some scotch maybe, but thats because they don't where bogland ends and tasty beverage begins

hmmm

You're not a real Irishman if you don't support the rebels of 1916 and commirate them every day of your existence in this Hibernian fields of mother Ireland. The rest of you should emigrate back to your blueshirt britloving rangershirtwearing sleeveen forelocking mothership. Tis not for nothing did our celtic football club and Fenian dead die, so that the bankers and waterworkers and democrats and moslims could live amongst us and take our precious bodily fluids and cut the dole. Wake up Ireland. I've never voted for Sinn Fein, but I might this time.

(Edit - sarcasm obviously)

MPFGLB

Well they certainly didn't die so you could learn to spell

The Backwards Man

MPFGLB wrote: »

Well they certainly didn't die so you could learn to spell

I think he was (sic)ing

Junkyard Tom

Orangebrigade wrote: »

It didn't help the Irish cause but most of Ulster was never going to join any such state regardless.

And the Protestant state for Protestant people they were given was an utter failure. A sectarian ****-hole that laid the foundations for conflict and now you're facing a future where the green and not the orange will be running the place United Ireland or not. Congratulations.

Junkyard Tom

hmmm wrote: »

You're not a real Irishman if you don't support the rebels of 1916 and commirate them every day of your existence in this Hibernian fields of mother Ireland. The rest of you should emigrate back to your blueshirt britloving rangershirtwearing sleeveen forelocking mothership. Tis not for nothing did our celtic football club and Fenian dead die, so that the bankers and waterworkers and democrats and moslims could live amongst us and take our precious bodily fluids and cut the dole. Wake up Ireland. I've never voted for Sinn Fein, but I might this time.

So many caricatures squeezed into one bitter paragraph.

c_man

hmmm wrote: »

...

Has there even been one post in this thread that sounded anything like this? If there was I must have missed it, and I find that hard to believe since I've pissed away most of the day in AH.

DarkyHughes

Not if Ruth Dudley Edwards has her way.

DarkyHughes

Orangebrigade wrote: »

It didn't help the Irish cause but most of Ulster was never going to join any such state regardless.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEsFtiruIok

c_man

DarkyHughes wrote: »

Not if Ruth Dudley Edwards has her way.

Mark my words, in the next few months we'll have nationally syndicated pieces outlining how the 1916 rebels were the ISIS of their day (I can picture the associated cartoon), and a few fluff ones about how the British soldiers who died in the Rising won't be given enough remembrance/honour in the commemorations.

Dan_Solo

Junkyard Tom wrote: »

So many caricatures squeezed into one bitter paragraph.

The best bit is just posting that is more indicative of a specific caricature than anything actually supposedly being described in it.

magma69

People from Britain generally don't give a ****e. They're not concerned with it in the slightest, in fact, I'd imagine it will pass without most Brits even knowing about. It will piss off some the West Brits and Unionists from the North.

suicide_circus

It's very sad not to mention bizarre to see people blaming partition on the 1916 rising. Is there no end to the historical gymnastics people are prepared to perform in order to denigrate their own people?

I am not a shinner, I'm not even pure bread Irish but the sniveling crawling imperial apologists on here for all to see.

We are still a very young nation. We are in our infancy. This island was never a united entity until the English involvement. This island has not had an easy time of it, subserviency has been bread into us and our willingness to genuflect at the feet of king or pope is one that we still are yet to shake off. You can see its impact in public life here quite plainly.

Unquestioning patriotism is a dangerous thing but national pride is not something to be sneered at. Its not just about green inflatable hammers and pints of stout. You'd swear 1916 was equivalent to the bombing of Hiroshima the way people go on.