NationStates Jolt Archive

25 years ago today.

What kind of deeply held political beliefs and community support/pressure could lead to this kind of determination?

I think they wrote a book about how cunfused I am right now.

What?

I think they wrote a book about how cunfused I am right now.

First of those to die during the 1981 hunger strikes in Northern Ireland.

Um, forgot to paste something maybe? What exactly are we discussing?

I think they wrote a book about how cunfused I am right now.
Bobby Sands - IRA member who went on a hunger strike whilst in the Maze. Died from it. Made into a movie IIRC.

25 years ago today.

What kind of deeply held political beliefs and community support/pressure could lead to this kind of determination?
The will to be treated as a political prisionar rather than as a petty criminal.That was what it was about.Weather it was worth dying for is another question.As for the dirty protests..Who the hell came up with that bright idea????

25 years ago today.

What kind of deeply held political beliefs and community support/pressure could lead to this kind of determination?

Suicide by starvation for your beliefs. That takes courage.

Um, forgot to paste something maybe? What exactly are we discussing?

No, I have just obviously over-estimated his fame outside his homeland.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Sands

*standard notice about wikipedia here*

http://larkspirit.com/hungerstrikes/diary.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/may/5/newsid_2728000/2728309.stm

IRA hunger strikers. Went on hunger strike to be restored to the status of political prisoners. Bobby Sands was also an MP for Fermanagh/Tyrone.
Don't get the fish supper bit...

As for the dirty protests..Who the hell came up with that bright idea????

They were initially just a refusal to participate in slopping out, and excrement and urine were either disposed of by the windows or out into the prison hallways, however the guards blocked these methods of disposal, and so smearing the faeces on the wall was the most hygenic method of continuing the protest.

IRA hunger strikers. Went on hunger strike to be restored to the status of political prisoners. Bobby Sands was also an MP for Fermanagh/Tyrone.
Don't get the fish supper bit...
'Chicken supper' is part of a Rangers football club chant to get at catholics..

Don't get the fish supper bit...

A historical piece of loyalist taunting.


SIDENOTE: for many years the seawall between Warrenpoint and Rsotrevor (close to the Mourne Mountains) had 'BOBBY SANDS EATS ****** COCK' scrawled on it in foot high letters. In recent times this has been changed to 'GERRY ADAMS EATS ****** COCK'. A sign of the more enlightened age we are entering in Northern Ireland?

Just got this from Wiki:

In Tehran, Iran during the early days of the Islamic revolution in 1979 student revolutionaries sympathizing with Sands replaced the street name on which the British embassy was located on from Winston Churchill street to Bobby Sands street. This name still exists today although efforts are being made by the British government to have it changed.

Hilarious! :D :D

The will to be treated as a political prisionar rather than as a petty criminal.That was what it was about.Weather it was worth dying for is another question.As for the dirty protests..Who the hell came up with that bright idea????
Well, there are worse things to die for. Better things too...
Everytime this comes up, my girlfriend always says, "The mark of a young man is that he is willing to die for his beliefs. The mark of a mature man is that he is willing to live for them."
Brave, definitely. It certainly changed popular perceptions - instead of causing others to suffer, now the IRA were suffering for their beliefs.

there are those who would argue he was murdered by the small mindedness of Thatcher......

Also a thing to remember - Bobby Sands was a catholic and therefore his "suicide", if that was what is was, was in theological terms a mortal sin for which poor bobby will burn in hell for all eternity....hmm....so maybe his sacrifice was even bigger than most realise...

NORAID held a fundraising commemorative dinner in his honour this week (according to Newton Emerson)

Hmm....

there are those who would argue he was murdered by the small mindedness of Thatcher......

Also a thing to remember - Bobby Sands was a catholic and therefore his "suicide", if that was what is was, was in theological terms a mortal sin for which poor bobby will burn in hell for all eternity....hmm....so maybe his sacrifice was even bigger than most realise...
I dont think religion is the main reason for the conflict in the north.Its not really protestant vs catholic more unionist vs republican

I believe in a United Ireland, but I have absolutely no sympathy nor admiration for the man, his 'comrades' nor his supporters. In fact, I enjoy engaging in the odd "would you like to try a pasty supper, Bobby Sands?" rendition with unionist friends (and the odd other nationalist).

Funny thing is, he came from a 'mixed' marriage and at one point lived on the highly loyalist Rathcoole estate. I can definitely respect his choice to explore his own views and subsequently adhere to them, but nonetheless he supported terrorists who killed hundreds of innocent people...I can't admire that.

Why exactly should we admire Bobby Sands? He was a man who killed people, and supported those who killed many more. Are we to admire him because he killed himself as well?

Why exactly should we admire Bobby Sands?

I am not asking for admiration: just remarks on him.

He was a man who killed people, and supported those who killed many more. Are we to admire him because he killed himself as well?

There is no evidence that he actually killed anybody himself, although he was certainly an active supporter of those who did pull the triggers.

Why exactly should we admire Bobby Sands? He was a man who killed people, and supported those who killed many more. Are we to admire him because he killed himself as well?

Because he had the strength of will to sacrifice himself for a just cause. Because he inspires others in both armed and unarmed struggles in various places around the world. Due to the rather fearful nature of certain elements within the Irish establishment, hes probably far more appreciated abroad than at home, much like many other great figures through out our history.

I believe in a United Ireland, but I have absolutely no sympathy nor admiration for the man, his 'comrades' nor his supporters. In fact, I enjoy engaging in the odd "would you like to try a pasty supper, Bobby Sands?" rendition with unionist friends (and the odd other nationalist).

Funny thing is, he came from a 'mixed' marriage and at one point lived on the highly loyalist Rathcoole estate. I can definitely respect his choice to explore his own views and subsequently adhere to them, but nonetheless he supported terrorists who killed hundreds of innocent people...I can't admire that.
Its like the so many people wearing Che Guevara shirts... They just don't get it, damn pop culture.:mad:

NORAID held a fundraising commemorative dinner in his honour this week (according to Newton Emerson)

Hmm....
Might be a bit misleading for folks from outside Ireland - Newton Emerson writes the Portadown News, which is the Northern Irish equivalent of the Onion.
Although it does sound like something that NORAID would do...

I'm impressed. That title is possibly the most offensive thing you could say to a Shinner right about now that doesn't involve his mother going down on Ian Paisley... Congratulations!

I'm more bothered that Dessie O'Hare is out... Thats like letting Charlie Manson out...

Might be a bit misleading for folks from outside Ireland - Newton Emerson writes the Portadown News, which is the Northern Irish equivalent of the Onion.
Although it does sound like something that NORAID would do...
He doesn't do it anymore, he now does a political commentary section in the Daily Mirror.

Portadown News was better than the Onion anyway ;)

I can certainly admire to an extent the willingness of a person to die for his or her principles, though as we know in today's world that can be a very dangerous thing (suicide bombings, etc). However, I cannot agree with the methods employed by the organisation of which Mr Sands was a member.

It has been argued that the hunger strikes generated the momentum that led to Sinn Fein's later electoral successes. Certainly, the hunger strikers' deaths generated sympathy in the much broader catholic community. The hunger strikes were part of a longer historical tradition of 'martyrdom' for the cause of 'freedom'.

He doesn't do it anymore, he now does a political commentary section in the Daily Mirror.

Portadown News was better than the Onion anyway ;)
Oh, so that was serious? Makes it funnier still.