Sinn Fein absence from royal events (mod warning: stay on topic!)

Clareboy · 18-05-2011 05:22PM #1

I have great respect for Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness, but I was dissapointed to see that Sinn Fein were not represented at any of the events to do with the visit of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh to Ireland. Sinn Fein can sit down with Unionists in the North and do business with them and still they cannot meet Her Majesty and forget the past. What is their problem?

PatsytheNazi · 18-05-2011 05:23PM

Clareboy wrote: »

I have great respect for Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness, but I was dissapointed to see that Sinn Fein were not represented at any of the events to do with the visit of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh to Ireland. Sinn Fein can sit down with Unionists in the North and do business with them and still they cannot meet Her Majesty and forget the past. What is their problem?

As Republicans they are anti monarchy.

Simples.

later12 · 18-05-2011 05:28PM

Hopefully, as elected politicians, they have better things to be getting up to than attending flower ceremonies.

I suspect the real reason, however, is that they are withdrawing from the negative PR spin this would inspire in Northern Ireland by other nationalists who probably already brand them as sell-outs.

Clareboy · 18-05-2011 05:29PM

PatsytheNazi wrote: »

As Republicans they are anti monarchy.

Simples.

I am sure that members of the Republican Party in the USA would have no problem in greeting the Queen of England or indeed any other monarch.

Ash.J.Williams · 18-05-2011 05:31PM

Yeah i think sin fein are missing out. Even the Unionists think sin fein are missing out. This has turned out to be a great few days of mutal respect and looking forward.

Clareboy · 18-05-2011 05:34PM

later10 wrote: »

Hopefully, as elected politicians, they have better things to be getting up to than attending flower ceremonies.

I suspect the real reason, however, is that they are withdrawing from the negative PR spin this would inspire in Northern Ireland by other nationalists who probably already brand them as sell-outs.

Sell outs! I did not think that the Sinn Fein position in the North was so precarious that they would be afraid to shake the hand of the head of state of our nearest neighbour.

KeithAFC · 18-05-2011 05:39PM

They most likely did miss out. Even my da who is a loyalist and who used to be in the orange order had a tear in the eye as he believes in moving forward towards peace. Probably has put a few Unionists fears to rest too that many people in the Irish Republic don't hate our traditions or our monarch.

steelcityblues · 18-05-2011 05:46PM

Clareboy wrote: »

Sell outs! I did not think that the Sinn Fein position in the North was so precarious that they would be afraid to shake the hand of the head of state of our nearest neighbour.

A potential loss of seats in several constituencies has to be looked at too!

PatsytheNazi · 18-05-2011 05:51PM

Dublin Sinn Féin activists unveil a banner at the Sinn Féin bookshop in Parnell Square calling on the British Government, during the visit to Ireland by Elizabeth Windsor, to release all the documentation it has in relation to the Dublin and Monaghan bombings of 1974. It is widely believed that British security forces assisted the loyalists who carried out the bombings leaving 34 people dead and hundreds injured.

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227808_149200531816253_148726998530273_276078_7521017_n.jpg

The Waltzing Consumer · 18-05-2011 05:53PM

It is a stupid move by SF. The rest of the world moves on, the vast majorty of Irish, Northern Irish and British move on, and SF? Well they sit on the fence trying to please everyone and get as many votes as possible. It will probably backfire.

They are out in the rain with the other objectors, junkies and scum. They could have easily been a part of history, a mature progressive society, meeting any head of state as equal. But nope, appease the scum and look like backward muppets.

later12 · 18-05-2011 05:59PM

KeithAFC wrote: »

They most likely did miss out. Even my da who is a loyalist and who used to be in the orange order had a tear in the eye as he believes in moving forward towards peace. Probably has put a few Unionists fears to rest too that many people in the Irish Republic don't hate our traditions or our monarch.

Does anybody else find the idea that marching bands can make people change entrenched ways just makes the whole affair, and the whole historical background, more absurd? Thousands of people died on both sides and then someone comes along and says 'well now, that trumpet, those flowers, that changes everything!' It just underlines how silly these people were being in the first place.

We could probably have a similar effect on the Sinn Fein contingent by dressing Elizabeth R up in the costume of Queen Maeve and shoving her out in front of Windsor Castle singing Óró Sé do Bheath Abhaile. You get the depressing feeling that all these people ever wanted was the vulgarity of symbolism to begin with.

Sunnyisland · 18-05-2011 06:03PM

KeithAFC wrote: »

Even my da who is a loyalist and who used to be in the orange order had a tear in the eye as he believes in moving forward towards peace. Probably has put a few Unionists fears to rest too that many people in the Irish Republic don't hate our traditions or our monarch.

That is great to hear,Thanks.

Sunnyisland · 18-05-2011 06:10PM

steelcityblues wrote: »

A potential loss of seats in several constituencies has to be looked at too!

I think your jumping the gun

, By the time the next elections come around we be all back in our normal everyday complaining against the government mode.

mike65 · 18-05-2011 06:12PM

SF are protecting their flank in Norn Iron, but the cost of that is being seen to have failed to engage with the new realities south of the border.

Edward Carson · 18-05-2011 06:12PM

PatsytheNazi wrote: »

Dublin Sinn Féin activists unveil a banner at the Sinn Féin bookshop in Parnell Square calling on the British Government, during the visit to Ireland by Elizabeth Windsor, to release all the documentation it has in relation to the Dublin and Monaghan bombings of 1974. It is widely believed that British security forces assisted the loyalists who carried out the bombings leaving 34 people dead and hundreds injured.

It certainly is time for truth for innocent victims on all sides of the conflict. I can only imagine Sinn Fein will cooperate fully with any future investigations into the murder of innocent people by the IRA (if only in the interests of truth).

steelcityblues · 18-05-2011 06:13PM

realies wrote: »

I think your jumping the gun , By the time the next elections come around we be all back in our normal everyday complaining against the government mode.

and vote in another bunch of clowns!

Permabear · 18-05-2011 06:18PM

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steelcityblues · 18-05-2011 06:24PM

Permabear wrote: »

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They hold about 20 seats (out of 166) together now, so you can't dismiss them so lightly these days.

KeithAFC · 18-05-2011 06:27PM

I honestly thought eirigi or some other Republican group was going to create absolute havoc in Dublin. Seems they have not had a chance to riot.

later12 · 18-05-2011 06:29PM

Permabear wrote: »

This post had been deleted.

Unfortunately, one of the first rules that fledgling political parties and pressure groups learn is 'be outrageous' for this exact reason. People generally don't support SF, people generally disagree with the wisdom of their policies, and yet they are one of the most discussed political entities in British and Irish politics.

If I were ever to establish a political party I would make it so notorious, so outrageous, (possibly just say something coherent on abortion in reality) that nobody would support it and everybody would talk about it. This is the equivalent of locking the doors and have everyone protest outside. I would then change the party's stance every so gradually toward the centre, opening the doors, and watching the audience fill up.

Lesson is: people love to be outraged. Outrage them first, and then come around. Fianna Fail, Labour and Fine Gael themselves are no strangers to this phenomenon - most parties anchor their popularity in the soothing of their outrage. Sinn Fein just happens to be mid-way in this process, as far as I can gather.

later12 · 18-05-2011 06:31PM

steelcityblues wrote: »

They hold about 20 seats (out of 166) together now, so you can't dismiss them so lightly these days.

14 is closer to 10 than it is to 20.

The Waltzing Consumer · 18-05-2011 06:33PM

KeithAFC wrote: »

I honestly thought eirigi or some other Republican group was going to create absolute havoc in Dublin. Seems they have not had a chance to riot.

Keith, when a large portion of their "protesters" are made up of junkies, their attention span does wane when they need more heroin. Plus, social welfare is paid on a wednesday so that would explain the rest of the scumbags not turning up for more trouble. Heroin and living off the state are far more important to these people.

steelcityblues · 18-05-2011 06:34PM

later10 wrote: »

14 is closer to 10 than it is to 20.

The poster also referred to the ULA as 'crackpots', so that means about 20 'crackpots' currently in Leinster House.

irishh_bob · 18-05-2011 06:40PM

Clareboy wrote: »

I have great respect for Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness, but I was dissapointed to see that Sinn Fein were not represented at any of the events to do with the visit of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh to Ireland. Sinn Fein can sit down with Unionists in the North and do business with them and still they cannot meet Her Majesty and forget the past. What is their problem?

peter robinson chose not to meet the pope last year when he was in belfast , he would have faced too much flak from his community , same deal for martin mc guinness here , besides , sinn feins core value is that of a united ireland , untill that happens , they could not credibly welcome the queen of england to a partinioned ireland , im not saying i share thier views but when it comes to this issue , things are very different for sinn fein , in the eyes of thier base , they,ve moved a long way already

later12 · 18-05-2011 06:41PM

steelcityblues wrote: »

The poster also referred to the ULA

Oh true, my bad.

irishh_bob · 18-05-2011 06:43PM

KeithAFC wrote: »

They most likely did miss out. Even my da who is a loyalist and who used to be in the orange order had a tear in the eye as he believes in moving forward towards peace. Probably has put a few Unionists fears to rest too that many people in the Irish Republic don't hate our traditions or our monarch.

a very significant post kieth if you dont mind me saying so

Bottle_of_Smoke · 18-05-2011 06:55PM

KeithAFC wrote: »

I honestly thought eirigi or some other Republican group was going to create absolute havoc in Dublin. Seems they have not had a chance to riot.

I think credit has to be given to gardai and others who organised the security. Was done in such a way that no proper focus point could be made for riots. I don't know if you're familiar with Dublin city centre but the garden of remembrance was cordoned off quite cleverly.

The other thing is Sinn Fein didn't take part in direct protests. They would have had the power and networks to mobilise more people but they had "alternative events" instead of civil disobedience

The downside is I heard a lot of people were upset they didn't get to see her. I think many people expected her to be driving past crowds and shaking a few hands.

Permabear · 18-05-2011 07:10PM

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steelcityblues · 18-05-2011 07:16PM

Permabear wrote: »

This post had been deleted.

Into more debt?

caseyann · 18-05-2011 07:17PM

irishh_bob wrote: »

peter robinson chose not to meet the pope last year when he was in belfast , he would have faced too much flak from his community , same deal for martin mc guinness here , besides , sinn feins core value is that of a united ireland , untill that happens , they could not credibly welcome the queen of england to a partinioned ireland , im not saying i share thier views but when it comes to this issue , things are very different for sinn fein , in the eyes of thier base , they,ve moved a long way already

Like the ex president of SF said on the news,until united Ireland is seen.
Nicely put even if you dont share the views.At least some people can see it as it is.Would be hypocritical of them to do so.

dlofnep · 18-05-2011 07:18PM

Sinn Féin doesn't wish to meet with the Queen of England? Shocker! There's no keeping anyone happy.

Sinn Fein absence from royal events (mod warning: stay on topic!)

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