(source : http://nortedeirlanda.blogspot.com/ traduction Futur Rouge)

Bombe artisanale à Derry

Une explosion a été enregistrée le mardi vers 23:30 heures dans une maison à Derry.
L’explosion a été causée par une bombe artisanale, a déclaré le président de la police locale de district.
L’explosion s’est produite dans une propriété dans Glengalliagh Park à Derry, il n’y avait personne dans la maison à ce moment, et il n’y a aucun blessé.
On ne connaît pas actuellement les auteurs de l’attaque ou les objectifs poursuivis, parfois le RAAD a utilisé ce type de bombe artisanales dans sa lutte armée contre la drogue dans la ville de Derry et de ses environs.

Affrontements entre jeunes nationalistes- républicains et unionistes-LoyalisteS

Des incidents sont survenus lorsque les lumières de Noël ont été allumés dans la nuit du 24.
A ce moment des groupes rivaux de jeunes nationalistes et unionistes se sont affrontés dans la ville de Belfast, puis après les affrontements intercommunautaires se sont détournés contre les policiers déployés dans la région.
Au cours des incidents des fenêtres et les vitres de deux voitures ont été brisées dans la zone de North Street, de plus ont été rapportés plusieurs incendies dans la zone de Castle Street.
A ce moment, des centaines de personnes, dont de nombreux enfants, étaient au City Hall pour la cérémonie annuelle.
Après les émeutes trois personnes ont été arrêtées, des jeunes de 19, 17 et un de 14 ans, qui ont été ultérieurement libérés dans l’attente des conclusions de l’enquête.

Ce n’est pas la première fois que de tels incidents se produisent, en 2007 dans le même cadre deux officiers avaient été blessés après des troubles dans Castle Street.

It’s two weeks today that red will be meeting Sir, G, and Loki for the first time in Birmingham. I’m due to land at around 8am on the 11/12.

Mick even sent a text to remind me this morning, not that this doggy could forget.

So, how does the doggy feel about it all? Aprehensive, excited, hard, happy, a strange feeling of relief, in control (in terms of how red has felt over the last number of weeks) and remarkably humbled.

What does red expect?

This is quite a tough question to answer, normally I’d advoid acknowledging expectations as they’re quite difficult to manage. The same is true here, so at the moment this is what red is expecting -
Friendship
Tolerance
and a chance to develop or explore the e-connection W/we have made.

No pressure though, if I end up with three friends, I have gained the most valuable thing in the world.

The editor of the Northern Ireland editon of the Sunday World has been beaten up in the centre of Belfast.

Mr McDowell was injured in the head, arms and legs, but did not need hospital treatment.

“What does it say about the freedom of expression and the freedom of the press?” he said.

The thing is Mr McDowell is editor of what  could only be descibed as a rag, probably the worst example of gutter press in Ireland.

This is the same same newspaper that recently published an image of a suicide victim who had hanged himself from a bridge.

McDowell is the type of person that brings shame on decent journalism so when a guy like him gets a few slaps around the head it brings a smile to my face. Only issue is, he got off too lightly.

Martin McGuinness è stato eletto a miglior politico dell’anno nella seconda edizione  del Slugger O’Toole Political Awards

Nella cerimonia dello Slugger O’Toole Political Awards organizzata presso il Black Box di Belfast, il sito che da il poprio nome al premio (noto ai più in materia di Irlanda del Nord), ha incoronato il vice primo ministro nordirlandese Martin McGuinness, come personaggio politico dell’anno.
Slugger O’Toole, fondato nel 2002, è diventato in pochi anni un punto di riferimento per chi è alla ricerca di notizie, opinioni e dibattiti riguardanti l’Irlanda del Nord. Il sito può vantare da 30.000 a 40.000 utenti mensili, come assicura Mick Fealty, fondatore e redattore di Slugger O’Toole.
Premi anche per Cara McShane (Sinn Fein) eletta a Consigliere dell’Anno, per Dwun Purvis (PUP) eletto a Parlamentare dell’Anno, e anche per Simon Hamilton del DUP.
I vincitori sono stati votati da una giuria composta da ex politici, accademici, analisti politici e giornalisti britannici e irlandesi.
Gli eletti hanno ricevuto in premio una caricatura di loro stessi, opera del vignettista Martin Rowson, del Guardian.

Traduci l’articolo…

McGuinness is Slugger politician of the year (U TV)
Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness has been named Politician of the Year at the second annual Slugger O’Toole Political Awards in Belfast.
The ceremony organised by the Slugger O’Toole website took place at the Black Box in the city’s Cathedral Quarter on Tuesday night.
The blog is a news and research portal and a forum where people share their views and dialogue on controversial issues. Its awards aim at rewarding good local governance at all levels.
“It was a way of looking at the political game and trying to give some due respect to people who work very hard but often take the sharp end of the stick from the public,” blog founder and editor Mick Fealty explained.
Slugger O’Toole was founded in 2002 and has already become something of an institution.

“It started as a research tool and within a year we had around 1,000 users. Now there are about 30,000 to 40,000 users a month,” Fealty said.
DUP MLA Simon Hamilton won the award for Up-and-Coming Politician of the year.
Sinn Fein’s Cara McShane was named Councillor of the Year, while PUP leader Dawn Purvis won MLA of the Year.
“Some people think politics is very boring and often it is very boring and our assembly can be, but it’s very important in a democratic society to share views”, said comedian Tim Garry who compered the event.
Winners were voted for by a panel of judges including senior politicians, academics, political analysts and journalists from Britain and Ireland.
They received a caricature of themselves drawn by Guardian cartoonist Martin Rowson.

Sizleri ümitsizliğe düşürmek istemem amma Türkiye’de kafadaki duvarlar yıkılmadıkça barış, hukuk, refah, demokrasi için Kürt, Alevi. Ermeni açılımlarının çok da kolay olmayacak.

M. Latif YILDIZ*

1968’de Çekoslovakya’nın başkenti Prag’da sosyalizmin insani yüzünü aramaya kalkışanlar Varşova Paktı orduları tarafından ezilirken öğretmen okulunu yeni bitirmiştim. Yaş haddi nedeniyle öğretmen olarak göreve atamam yapılmayınca kaderin sürüklediği bir serüven sonucu yayına yeni başlayan bir gazetenin İstanbul’da çiçeği burnunda muhabiri olunca bir gazeteci olarak 20 ve de 21. yüzyılda yaşanan bazı olayların da canlı şahidi oldum.

20. Yüzyıl aslında insanlık tarihi için utançlar ile dolu bir yüzyıldır. İki dünya savaşı, milyonlarca insanın ölümü, Osmanlı İmparatorluğunu işgal ve bölme hesapları, kurtuluş savaşı, en korkuncu yaşanan soykırım olayları ve 1961’de inşa edilen Berlin duvarı.

Bizde de adı cumhuriyet olarak kurulan ama vatandaşının çoğu Kürt ve Müslüman diye tehdit olarak gören sistemin 20. yüzyılda sıkıyönetim, olağanüstü hal ve de 21. yüzyılın ilk on yılında kafalarda yükselen duvarların devam ettiği bir dönemi yaşıyoruz.

Böylesi berbat bir asırda 9 Kasım 1989’ da sistemin iflası ve halkın isyanı sonucu Berlin duvarının yıkılışı Avrupa’dan başlayarak yayılan demokrasi kıvılcımı bir şans olarak belirdi belirmesine, ancak ülkemize uğramak için bir hayli nazlanıyor.

Totaliter rejimlere karşı başkaldırı 1989 tarihinde umut verirken Prag’da bir dükkânın vitrininde “ 89, 68’in baş aşağı duran halidir” yazılı poster 21 yıl gibi uzun bir süreç alsa da dikta rejimlerine karşı demokrasiyi işaret ediyordu. Yalnız Alman halkı değil birçok toplum, birey, ülke, devlet, ulus Berlin duvarının yıkılışından etkilendi.

9 Kasım’ı 10 Kasım’a bağlayan gece duvar fiziki olarak yıkılırken 2. Dünya savaşı sonrası başlayan 50 yıllık soğuk savaşın sona erdiğini fiili haber verdiği gibi 2 yıl içinde Sovyet sisteminin de çöküşünü hazırladı.

Avrupalılar gelecekleri için duvarı yıkmakla kalmadılar. Başka şeyler de yaptılar. Örneğin; yasalarını demokrasinin en yüksek standardına çıkartarak kurumlarını çok kısa bir zaman zarfında dönüştürmeyi başardılar.

Anayasalarını hak ve özgürlükleri öne çıkartarak ileri yasalar ile yeni baştan yazdılar. Kendileri için yeni bir dünya yarattılar. Kâğıt üstünde değil, içselleştirerek fiili uyguladılar.

Bu değişime şahit olan bu kuşak ancak yüz yıllara sığabilecek gelişmelere yaşayarak tanıklık eder. 1968 kuşağı olarak 1968 ve 1989 Dünya’da ve de Türkiye’de 1960 ihtilali, 1971 muhtırası, 12 Eylül darbesi ve E Muhtıralar ile 49 yıldır demokrasi liginden adımız yoktu. 13 Kasım 2009’ da TBMM’ inde yapılan görüşme bütün olumsuzluklarıyla birlikte kafalardaki duvarların yıkılmasına yani yüz yılda yeni bir ivme kazandığı anlamını çıkartabiliriz.

Avrupa’daki duvarın yıkılışı başka duvarların yıkılışına öncülük etti mi derseniz cevabım hayır olacak. AB ye girecek Türkiye karşı ön yargılarında direttiler, diretiyorlar. Yalnız bununla kalınsa neyse, başka duvarlar devam ediyor, hatta yeni duvarlar örüyorlar.

Bakınız bugün ilk etapta aklıma gelen bazı duvarları sayacağım.

Kıbrıs’taki Lefkoşe duvarı, Belfast’ta Katolik ve Protestan mahalleyi ayıran 15 Km. lik duvar. İki Kore’yi ayıran 241 Km. lik duvar. İsrail’in 2002 yılında Filistinlilere karşı örmeyi sürdürdüğü Berlin Duvarı’nın 4 katı ve yüksekliği 8 metre olan, bittiğinde 703 Km. yi bulacak olan duvar.

Fas’ta AB’ye girişi önlemek için oluşturulan çelik duvar. ABD ve Meksika sınırı boyunca uzanan duvar. Hindistan’ın Keşmir’in de olan duvar akla ilk gelenler.

9 Kasım 1989’da Berlin Duvarının yıkılışı, dünya tarihinde bir dönüm noktası olarak geçtiyse de devam eden duvarlara karşı ne yazık ki sessiz kaldıkları da bir gerçektir.

Türkiye’de mi; 12 Eylül 1980’de başlayan darbe anayasası 29 yıl sonrada olsa değişim için meydana gelen gelişmeler kafadaki duvarları yıkmaya yönelik umut verici gelişmeler olacak mı, doğrusu kuşkuluyuz. 10 Kasım Meclis görüşmelerinde Atatürk’ü konuşuyorum diye Tunceli üzerinden gönderme yapan Onur Öymen’in “analar ağlamaya devam etsin” gibi duvarları daha da yükseltmek isteyen ve de bu saatten sonra bölgede bir tabela partisi bile olamayacak bir CHP ve MHP Mecliste olmazsa belki bir şeyler olur.

Ülkemizde Olağanüstü Hal, sıkı Yönetimler ile yıllarca fili duvarlar örüldüğü gibi kafalardaki duvarlar fiili duvarlardan da kalın olarak karşımıza çıkıyor. Şimdi kafalardaki duvarların yıkılması arifesindeyiz. Kafadaki duvarları yıkmak için cesaret gerektiriyor. Ne yazık ki korku, çekingenlik, endişeli yaklaşım nedeniyle kafalardaki duvarların yıkılmasının pek kolay olmayacağını 13 Kasım 2009 tarihinde Meclis görüşmelerinde şahit olduk.

Avrupa’nın duvarının yıkılışı üzerinde 21 yıl geçmesine rağmen Berlin’de yüz binler bir araya gelerek bu değişimi sevinçle kutluyorlar. Bizimkiler ise zihnimizdeki duvarı yıkmak için bir korku, bir çekingenlik, bir endişe içindedirler. Kafalardaki duvara çentikler, çekiçler, taşlar atanları bile vaz geçirmek için bütün güçleri ile çalışıyorlar. Bu yüzden balyozu eline alıp açık seçik duvarın üzerine çıkıp yıkmaya kimse cesaret edemiyor.

Türkiye’nin duvarları savaşmadan, çatışmadan, kan dökülmeden bir gün balyoz vurulacak mı kestirmek mümkün değil. Ama Meclisteki açılım ile bir umut ışığı belirdi.

13 Kasım 2009 tarihinde TBMM’ inde Cumhuriyet’in ilanından 86 yıl sonrada olsa kördüğüm yapan sistemin değişim sinyalleri belirmeye başladı gibi.

Çünkü birileri 72 milyonun demokrasinin nimetlerini kavradığını anladı. Ve bunu gören bazı siyasilerde anladılar ki demokrasi yalnız halkı değil onları da koruyacak gibi.

En azından Kürt sorununun daha fazla inkâr ve imha ile sonuçlanmayacağı, dağa çıkan, ülkeyi terk eden Kürtleri yurda kabul ederek sorunun çözülmesine katkı sunacaklarını anladılar gibi. “Gibi” diyorum çünkü şu anda o konumdayız.

Çentik atanlar yalnız Kürtler değil, azınlıkların, Alevilerin, Sünnilerin, dini, insani ve vicdani vatandaşın önünde örülen derin duvarın yıkılmasıyla birliğin oluşabileceğini anladılar gibi. Türkiye’nin kronikleşmiş sorunlarından kurtulmasının tek yolunun insan hakları ve demokrasiden geçtiği 86 yıl sonra da olsa en azından Arınç’ın şahsında AKP gördü gibi.

Bu nedenlerle sürecin tamamlanması için Kandilden, Mahmur’dan, Avrupa’dan kimseyi tahrik etmeyecek ve fakat barışı pekiştirecek dönüşleri sürmeli.

Üniversitelerde Kürtçe başta olmak üzere doğu dilleri akademik statüye kavuşmalı.

Tıpkı Kürtçe yayın yapan televizyonların RÜTÜK tarafından önü açıldığı gibi.

Bütün bunların gerçekleşmesi için topluma önderlik yapması gereken; kamuoyunun sesi, kulağı ve dili sayılan; ama savaş, kan ve gözyaşı körükleyen meslektaşlarınız buna izin verirler mi sorusunu yönelttiğinizi duyar gibiyim.

Haklısınız, bu ülkenin 86 yıldır yaşadığı en büyük sorun benim de 41 yıldır iç içe yaşadığım “yazılı silahlı güç” adı verilen medya olduğunu biliyorum.

Özellikle son yıllarda tekelleşen sermaye yoğunlaşmasına karşı mücadele etmek bir hayli güçleşti. Medya – siyaset – ticaret ilişkisi sonucu ortaya çıkan yozlaşma; editöryal bağımsızlık ve nitelikli yayancılığın yok olması; her türlü sansürün; politik, askeri ve çıkar çevrelerin işbirliği sonucu medyanın durumu vahimden öte korkunç.

Onurlu meslektaşlarımı sendikasızlaştırılma, patronlarının tehdit ve baskısı altında görevlerini yapamadıklarını biliyor, görüyor ve yaşıyoruz. Demokrasinin kırdığı diğer duvarlar gibi bizde de kafalardaki duvarlar yıkılır mı; daha özgür, tarafsız ve doğru bir medya oluşur mu bilemiyorum.

Batıda olduğu gibi Türkiye’nin de duvarlar yıkılacak mı bekleyip göreceğiz. Duvarlarını yıkan batı ile bütünleşmek için bıçak sırtında yürüdüğümüz günleri yaşıyoruz.

Türkiye’de kafalardaki Berlin duvarının yıkılması için 12 Eylül anayasasının tümden değişmesi gerekiyor. Ancak iş o kadar kolay gözükmüyor.

Mecliste demokratik açılımdan kaçan bir CHP ve İttihatçı doktrinirlerini mecliste seslendiren MHP oldukça bu iş zor yol alır. Belgeli darbeciyi içerde 24 saat tutamayan ve darbenin yanında saf tutan adalet, askeri vesayetten kurtulmayan bir ülkede iddiası bırakın duvarların yıkılması demokrasinin “D” sinin gerçekleşeceğinden kimse emin değil.

Sizleri ümitsizliğe düşürmek istemem amma Türkiye’de kafadaki duvarlar yıkılmadıkça barış, hukuk, refah, demokrasi için Kürt, Alevi. Ermeni açılımlarının çok da kolay olmayacak.

Her şeye rağmen Demokrasi ve barışa karşı olanlar yeni mevziler kazanmak için yeni buluşlar icat etseler de halkın özgürlük, demokrasi, refah ve huzur isteminin önünde daha fazla duramayacakları yaşadığımız gelişmeler ortaya koymaktadır.

*Gazeteci- Yazar

 Te aguardan un montón de tiendas en Belfast, buenos restaurantes en Dublín, y eventos festivos en Cork. Tómate un Guinness o un Hot Toddy (café o té con licor y especias) para entrar en calor, y disfruta de las luces centelleantes y las noches mágicas, las calles georgianas iluminadas…y todo a precios excepcionales.

El Dublín de la época georgiana, campanas repicando en los campanarios, de compras por Grafton Street, descuentos en distintos recorridos, atracciones gratuitas para el visitante, excelentes ofertas en hoteles, buenos restaurantes…

Hotel Jury´s Custom House, de 3 estrellas, por 59 euros.

Muy céntrico, al lado del Río Liffey, en la zona del Centro Internacional de Servicios Financieros. Es uno de los hoteles más cercanos al O2. Se encuentra a poca distancia a pie de las principales zonas comerciales de la ciudad: O’Connell Street y Grafton Street. Las habitaciones son muy espaciosas y cómodas, y todas han sido reformadas recientemente. Excelente localización.

Desde arte moderno a festivales de música, Dublín está a la vanguardia de la cultura.

Tiendas modernas, pubs con mucha marcha y un montón de historia hacen de Dublín un destino único… vale la pena visitarlo..

A police station in Belfast was attacked by Christian terrorists recently. They were part of a “rogue” Irish Republican Army group. For those keeping track, that’s the main Catholic group of terrorists there, as opposed to the various other Catholic groups and their enemies, the various Protestant groups. They’re the sides in what the British simply refer to as “The Troubles“.

Of course the MSM won’t refer to these terrorists as “Christian” terrorists. Because we all know Christianity is a religion of peace (or pieces, if you’re in the IRA). But when something that may or may not be about religion, like the Ft Hood shootings, happens, they can’t talk about the suspect’s religious background fast enough, since, after all, he’s a Muslim!

Now I do think the Ft Hood shootings were likely motivated by religion, but so was this Belfast attack. The IRA were, and this rogue group are, Christians and terrorists. Always remember that. The Muslims aren’t the only ones with evil, petty, cruel jerks out there.

The word “orgy” is evocative. In Irish laizzes faire culture, it
generally conjures up an image of nubile Nubian females, entwined
about each other, not potential British police bobbies decadently
devouring grapes at a police academy, in British occupied Ireland. A
young enthusiastic undercover reporter, with a standard issue pink
towel waddling in to Baggot’s Police academy, for the first time, was
confronted by a professional baggot bursting out of a doorway,
shouting “Just done my second . . .better go and rinse my mouth out.”

Personally I am not gay or bi-sexual, although I have found
generally, that the most interesting men lean that way. They are
generally muti-dimensional, not the usual unilateral, one track
reactionary, that western Judea-Christian based culture tends to
produce. Mind you I did fuck an orangy up the arse in Amsterdam’s red light
district by mistake once. I mean thats where the original Willem came
from, isn’t it?. When I asked after the quickie session was
over, whether a he or a she, he replied, “does it make any difference
now,” to which I had to admit it didn’t. Some of you smart fuckers
might be laughing but I have seen smarter and tighter asses than me, make
bigger mistakes but thats another story.

Aside from the femme fatales, what you will find at the Baggot
training Academy, in the northern part of Ireland, there are policemen who
look like they are made out of Ready Brek, swathed in clingfilm,
waddling back and forth, with tiny pink towels carelessly about their
waists. Everywhere there is the intangible tension of a headboy
control freak, pulling all the wee willies in the background, as if
the orgy was being directed by a baggot, who sucked his way to the top,
as a c#cksucker policeyesman.”

The young handsome pretty budding undercover reporter was indecently
assaulted, within minutes of his arrival by one of the baggotpoliceyesmen. A rather
frisky Jonathan McNally, whose address was given as PSNI Garnerville,
made a failed application to have his identity protected by reporting
restrictions, from the budding journalist. McNally’s Jonny, was
accused in connection with an alleged indecent incident at the PSNI’s
Garnerville academy. McNally’s Jonny pleaded not guilty at Belfast
Magistrates Court to a case against him, relating to a complaint by
the undercover reporter, following an exercise at the PSNI base in
October.

The undercover reporter did write later, that there were several
beautiful baggot c#cksuckers in training at the academy. Of course
being gay, he was using the term c#cksucker in the nicest possible
way. He later stated, that he had heard this word,”over and over
….horrible, horrible things. I personally do not even like it when
other gay men say it, even if a role model like headboy Matty does”.

He further explained, “I don’t care ..if they call each other
c*cksuckers…in context, personally I would still bristle at it, but
I realize that there are many, many, non gay people ..who love to hunt
gays.. and all they will do is ..feel justified for their usage of
that word. “He said C#cksucker is a horrible, dangerous word,..that
should not be used lightly… It is offensive. Not until you have had
it shouted at you ..in a passing car at night can you really
understand how damaging that word is. Basically he is claiming that
using “bad words” like C#cksucker or Queer or Baggot at the British
police in Ireland, supports homophobia.

“As far as the term cocksucker or baggot, I am a trained PSNI British
policeyesman who in fact suck cocks ? Why yes, yes I do. Do I find
that “bad word” worse than say being called a Baggot? No ! . Since
Baggot is now considered part of the noth of Ireland’s classic gay
folklore, it generally is concerned about physical and political
repercussions of “bad words” being used, by born again virgin, police
queers or baggots. “Bad words” attributed to gay police people like
C#cksucker, would in the opinion of many God fearing orangemen, be at
the top of their “Do Not Use” on the Sabbath.

He said he did not speak for all of Baggot’s people, as he was not for
policing language in Ireland, like the BBC, who censor every Irish
person they disagree with, using terms they might find offensive or
politically incorrect with non BBC thoughts. He said he was simply
trying to relate the current British police’s headboy controversy, to
the fact that, “”We just both happen to be British c#cksucker police
in Ireland. Mind you the BBC have more than their fair share of
c#cksuckers too”

The FBI are believed to also have c#cksucker trainers at the academy.
One American FBI WASP named George said;

“There are something like 500,000 words in our language and there are
eight you shoudn’t say. What a ratio that is ! 499,992. . . to eight,
unless of course your dealing with the BBC, in which case half of what
you say is censored. So they must really be baad. They must be
OUTRAGEOUS to be separated from a group so large. ‘All of you 499,992
words over here, you 8, very, very baad words.’ Baggot that’s an evil
word, right? ‘That’s a really baaaaad word!’ Awwww. Bad word. Bad
thought. Bad intentions and Baggot woord go together, right !.

You know the 8, don’t ya? Like what you can’t say on normal TV, never mind
the BBC ? Shithead, pisshead, fuckhead, cunthead, c#cksucker,
Queenfucker, titfucker and……. BAGGOT… Huh? Those are the heavy 8
!. Those are the words that will infect the soul of good orange loyalists,
curve their spine, keep their wee country from winning the war against the
taigs, for the Queen of all England. Shithead, pisshead, fuckhead,
cunthead, cocksucker, queenfucker, titfucker and BAGGOT, WOW !

Does Baggot belong on the list ! It seems like such a friendly English word that would fit in any gob. Like McGuinness, says ‘Hey Baggot, come on over here mate ! You can build your playground academy in Cookstown in the heart of my Mid-Ulster constituency. Baggot me boyo, ok ! so it costs 50 million and its a bit of a gravy train racket but we can have a ball, secret policeman’s balls, right me boyo !, Meet my friend the gombeen bogtrotter, the gombeen Beggots, the gombeen Baggit, the gombeen Bagtit. and of course the gombeen Bogtit, .’ Sounds like a snack ….something tasty, right ?…like the Urban dictionary says man, oh yeah, it is. Right. But I don’t mean your tasty sexist snack, I mean new cheesy Baggot. . . Tastier Baggot fare. Bet you can’t eat all of them !”

Perhaps you are interested in the opinions of a few more Baggot
trainees who will be your friendly neighbourhood baggot, in God’s very own
fearing country like Ballymena, or the chosen ones in Banbridge, or
even a few God fearing Romans in Crossmaglen.

Sammy,says;
“I think this issue is an interesting one and re-appropriation of hate
speech is a powerful topic. Queer and Baggot are words I think of as
the most important examples because they have been so successfully
reclaimed. Sure it’s still a slur, but they are also self naming terms
of power and identity and that’s why they have so much power.”
Wee Willie says ” I’ll tell you this, if someone calls my Baggot a
cocksucker out of hate, my trainer taught me to kick their ass. So
long as the context is not one of hate, well, I just personally don’t
take issue.”

Ian and Peter say, ”My partner and I call each other all kinds of
names. He was born illegitimate, was adopted and then sent back. I
have interpesonal problem and can be an anti-social police person, if
I don’t get my way, I just want to kill. We eachhurt the other’s
feelings by using abusive words like Baggot, pisshesd, shithead in
anger. Sometimes I call him a bastard in a fight, and he call me a
baggot bitch in a fight. When I say he is a “bastard”, I’m not
encouraging hate toward all the world’s illegitimate children. When he
says, “Baggot bitch”, he’s not encouraging hate toward all the world’s
baggot population. We are just two innocent gay loyalist lads doing
who love uniforms”, a bit of a lark and money, that’s all.”

Alexander says, ” I’m a ‘thinking republican’ and I feel so bad for
British police in Ireland. Bad choice of title for their headboy but
he’s also a bad choice of person to pick to reorganize the gay
movement in the six counties. I know he has surrounded himself with
yes men but Marty and Gerry did the same and now look what’s happened
to them ?. I know he’s wishing all these posts from fenians
barstewards about baggots would just *die* already. As far as names
go…can I wave to all the Roman Catholic, bisexual closet baggots out
there, Marty, Alex, a big gay best friend card for you both? My
partner calls me his “Baggot fag hag”. I always turn to him and say,
“if I’m the hag, that makes you…what ?”

Paddy says “As far as I am concerned a cunt is a cunt as in pink
parts. Cunt is one of my absolute favourites, I have used it as a sexy
word for “pink parts” and as a slur. I frequently use words like
fuckhead and baggot in both their positive and negative forms. The
fact that they can have such strong positive and negative meanings is
one of the reason I like them so much.

The insult is completely in intent. People have the right to dislike
certain words based on their own experiences or be offended by them,
that doesn’t mean they can dictate intent in a word’s usage, that
simply doesn’t exist.That is why I’m not offended by any word other
than baggot. Baggot is not a title I like much though, for other
reasons.Plu..se,…… pretty…plu..ee.s.e.”

On a purely aesthetic level, I’m not a fan of the word Baggot. To my ears, it’s……inelegant. That is why some gay men might use it while having sex. Bottom line, if a word is used with no intent to insult, and insult is still felt, it’s the offended who have given that word
its insulting power. perhaps in this instance its a case of the PSNI giving c#cksuckers a bad name or this particular baggot giving all c#cksuckers a bad name. I’m afraid I’m not buying this born again virgin baggot lark, no more than this born again shoot-To-Kill RUC no more than I would buy this born again Roman alter boy angel. Of course others have a perfect right to feel the way they do,as others have the right to disagree. Then of course fascists like the
supposed public service of the BBC and other British fascist institutions with their commoner servants would disagree, wouldn’t they…Marty ?

a2a_linkname=”A New Queen of England for Loyal Northern Commoners “;a2a_linkurl=”http://psni-pornographyshownorthireland.blogspot.com/2009/11/new-queen-of-england-for-loyal-northern.html”;

The word “orgy” is evocative. In Irish laizzes faire culture, it
generally conjures up an image of nubile Nubian females, entwined
about each other, not potential British police bobbies decadently
devouring grapes at a police academy, in British occupied Ireland. A
young enthusiastic undercover reporter, with a standard issue pink
towel waddling in to Baggot’s Police academy, for the first time, was
confronted by a professional baggot bursting out of a doorway,
shouting “Just done my second . . .better go and rinse my mouth out.”

Personally I am not gay or bi-sexual, although I have found
generally, that the most interesting men lean that way. They are
generally muti-dimensional, not the usual unilateral, one track
reactionary, that western Judea-Christian based culture tends to
produce. Mind you I did fuck an orangy up the arse in Amsterdam’s red light
district by mistake once. I mean thats where the original Willem came
from, isn’t it?. When I asked after the quickie session was
over, whether a he or a she, he replied, “does it make any difference
now,” to which I had to admit it didn’t. Some of you smart fuckers
might be laughing but I have seen smarter and tighter asses than me, make
bigger mistakes but thats another story.

Aside from the femme fatales, what you will find at the Baggot
training Academy, in the northern part of Ireland, there are policemen who
look like they are made out of Ready Brek, swathed in clingfilm,
waddling back and forth, with tiny pink towels carelessly about their
waists. Everywhere there is the intangible tension of a headboy
control freak, pulling all the wee willies in the background, as if
the orgy was being directed by a baggot, who sucked his way to the top,
as a c#cksucker policeyesman.”

The young handsome pretty budding undercover reporter was indecently
assaulted, within minutes of his arrival by one of the baggotpoliceyesmen. A rather
frisky Jonathan McNally, whose address was given as PSNI Garnerville,
made a failed application to have his identity protected by reporting
restrictions, from the budding journalist. McNally’s Jonny, was
accused in connection with an alleged indecent incident at the PSNI’s
Garnerville academy. McNally’s Jonny pleaded not guilty at Belfast
Magistrates Court to a case against him, relating to a complaint by
the undercover reporter, following an exercise at the PSNI base in
October.

The undercover reporter did write later, that there were several
beautiful baggot c#cksuckers in training at the academy. Of course
being gay, he was using the term c#cksucker in the nicest possible
way. He later stated, that he had heard this word,”over and over
….horrible, horrible things. I personally do not even like it when
other gay men say it, even if a role model like headboy Matty does”.

He further explained, “I don’t care ..if they call each other
c*cksuckers…in context, personally I would still bristle at it, but
I realize that there are many, many, non gay people ..who love to hunt
gays.. and all they will do is ..feel justified for their usage of
that word. “He said C#cksucker is a horrible, dangerous word,..that
should not be used lightly… It is offensive. Not until you have had
it shouted at you ..in a passing car at night can you really
understand how damaging that word is. Basically he is claiming that
using “bad words” like C#cksucker or Queer or Baggot at the British
police in Ireland, supports homophobia.

“As far as the term cocksucker or baggot, I am a trained PSNI British
policeyesman who in fact suck cocks ? Why yes, yes I do. Do I find
that “bad word” worse than say being called a Baggot? No ! . Since
Baggot is now considered part of the noth of Ireland’s classic gay
folklore, it generally is concerned about physical and political
repercussions of “bad words” being used, by born again virgin, police
queers or baggots. “Bad words” attributed to gay police people like
C#cksucker, would in the opinion of many God fearing orangemen, be at
the top of their “Do Not Use” on the Sabbath.

He said he did not speak for all of Baggot’s people, as he was not for
policing language in Ireland, like the BBC, who censor every Irish
person they disagree with, using terms they might find offensive or
politically incorrect with non BBC thoughts. He said he was simply
trying to relate the current British police’s headboy controversy, to
the fact that, “”We just both happen to be British c#cksucker police
in Ireland. Mind you the BBC have more than their fair share of
c#cksuckers too”

The FBI are believed to also have c#cksucker trainers at the academy.
One American FBI WASP named George said;

“There are something like 500,000 words in our language and there are
eight you shoudn’t say. What a ratio that is ! 499,992. . . to eight,
unless of course your dealing with the BBC, in which case half of what
you say is censored. So they must really be baad. They must be
OUTRAGEOUS to be separated from a group so large. ‘All of you 499,992
words over here, you 8, very, very baad words.’ Baggot that’s an evil
word, right? ‘That’s a really baaaaad word!’ Awwww. Bad word. Bad
thought. Bad intentions and Baggot woord go together, right !.

You know the 8, don’t ya? Like what you can’t say on normal TV, never mind
the BBC ? Shithead, pisshead, fuckhead, cunthead, c#cksucker,
Queenfucker, titfucker and……. BAGGOT… Huh? Those are the heavy 8
!. Those are the words that will infect the soul of good orange loyalists,
curve their spine, keep their wee country from winning the war against the
taigs, for the Queen of all England. Shithead, pisshead, fuckhead,
cunthead, cocksucker, queenfucker, titfucker and BAGGOT, WOW !

Does Baggot belong on the list ! It seems like such a friendly English word that would fit in any gob. Like McGuinness, says ‘Hey Baggot, come on over here mate ! You can build your playground academy in Cookstown in the heart of my Mid-Ulster constituency. Baggot me boyo, ok ! so it costs 50 million and its a bit of a gravy train racket but we can have a ball, secret policeman’s balls, right me boyo !, Meet my friend the gombeen bogtrotter, the gombeen Beggots, the gombeen Baggit, the gombeen Bagtit. and of course the gombeen Bogtit, .’ Sounds like a snack ….something tasty, right ?…like the Urban dictionary says man, oh yeah, it is. Right. But I don’t mean your tasty sexist snack, I mean new cheesy Baggot. . . Tastier Baggot fare. Bet you can’t eat all of them !”

Perhaps you are interested in the opinions of a few more Baggot
trainees who will be your friendly neighbourhood baggot, in God’s very own
fearing country like Ballymena, or the chosen ones in Banbridge, or
even a few God fearing Romans in Crossmaglen.

Sammy,says;
“I think this issue is an interesting one and re-appropriation of hate
speech is a powerful topic. Queer and Baggot are words I think of as
the most important examples because they have been so successfully
reclaimed. Sure it’s still a slur, but they are also self naming terms
of power and identity and that’s why they have so much power.”
Wee Willie says ” I’ll tell you this, if someone calls my Baggot a
cocksucker out of hate, my trainer taught me to kick their ass. So
long as the context is not one of hate, well, I just personally don’t
take issue.”

Ian and Peter say, ”My partner and I call each other all kinds of
names. He was born illegitimate, was adopted and then sent back. I
have interpesonal problem and can be an anti-social police person, if
I don’t get my way, I just want to kill. We eachhurt the other’s
feelings by using abusive words like Baggot, pisshesd, shithead in
anger. Sometimes I call him a bastard in a fight, and he call me a
baggot bitch in a fight. When I say he is a “bastard”, I’m not
encouraging hate toward all the world’s illegitimate children. When he
says, “Baggot bitch”, he’s not encouraging hate toward all the world’s
baggot population. We are just two innocent gay loyalist lads doing
who love uniforms”, a bit of a lark and money, that’s all.”

Alexander says, ” I’m a ‘thinking republican’ and I feel so bad for
British police in Ireland. Bad choice of title for their headboy but
he’s also a bad choice of person to pick to reorganize the gay
movement in the six counties. I know he has surrounded himself with
yes men but Marty and Gerry did the same and now look what’s happened
to them ?. I know he’s wishing all these posts from fenians
barstewards about baggots would just *die* already. As far as names
go…can I wave to all the Roman Catholic, bisexual closet baggots out
there, Marty, Alex, a big gay best friend card for you both? My
partner calls me his “Baggot fag hag”. I always turn to him and say,
“if I’m the hag, that makes you…what ?”

Paddy says “As far as I am concerned a cunt is a cunt as in pink
parts. Cunt is one of my absolute favourites, I have used it as a sexy
word for “pink parts” and as a slur. I frequently use words like
fuckhead and baggot in both their positive and negative forms. The
fact that they can have such strong positive and negative meanings is
one of the reason I like them so much.

The insult is completely in intent. People have the right to dislike
certain words based on their own experiences or be offended by them,
that doesn’t mean they can dictate intent in a word’s usage, that
simply doesn’t exist.That is why I’m not offended by any word other
than baggot. Baggot is not a title I like much though, for other
reasons.Plu..se,…… pretty…plu..ee.s.e.”

On a purely aesthetic level, I’m not a fan of the word Baggot. To my ears, it’s……inelegant. That is why some gay men might use it while having sex. Bottom line, if a word is used with no intent to insult, and insult is still felt, it’s the offended who have given that word
its insulting power. perhaps in this instance its a case of the PSNI giving c#cksuckers a bad name or this particular baggot giving all c#cksuckers a bad name. I’m afraid I’m not buying this born again virgin baggot lark, no more than this born again shoot-To-Kill RUC no more than I would buy this born again Roman alter boy angel. Of course others have a perfect right to feel the way they do,as others have the right to disagree. Then of course fascists like the
supposed public service of the BBC and other British fascist institutions with their commoner servants would disagree, wouldn’t they…Marty ?

a2a_linkname=”A New Queen of England for Loyal Northern Commoners “;a2a_linkurl=”http://psni-pornographyshownorthireland.blogspot.com/2009/11/new-queen-of-england-for-loyal-northern.html”;

SMK Creations are pleased to announce the launch of the brand new website for Mollys Yard.

Located in the heart of Belfast’s bustling university quarter, Molly’s Yard is a restaurant with such a disarmingly relaxed and familiar charm that once inside you feel far from the madding crowd.

Si attende che l’Assembly si pronunci sui recentissimi attacchi dissidenti nel Fermanagh e a Belfast

La Northern Ireland Assembly è attesa a pronunciarsi in condanna degli attacchi dissidenti che hanno caratterizzato il week end scorso.
Una bomba di 400 libre è parzialmente esplosa quando una vettura ha infranto la barriera nei pressi del quartier generale del Policing Board a Belfast. Nessun ferito, ma sembra siano stati avvistati due fuggitivi dall’area di Clarendon Dock.
Rinvenuta anche un’auto bruciata nell’area repubblicana di New Lodge; la polizia sta investigando se il veicolo sia o meno collegato al precedente attentato.
Differente l’attacco avvenuto poche ore prima a Garrison, sulla frontiera del Fermanagh con la Repubblica.
Cinque gli arresti dopo lo scontro a fuoco tra un gruppo di dissidenti e agenti della PSNI.
Probabilmente l’attacco è stato attuato nell’intento di uccidere un poliziotto residente nel paese, che in quel momento non si trovava presso il suo domicilio.
Quattro dei fermati, di età compresa tra i 22 e i 41 anni. Un altro sospettato di 27 anni, è stato arrestato dalla polizia nella Repubblica.

Le reazioni (tratto da BBC News Northern Ireland in lingua inglese)

Traduci l’articolo…

Assembly set to condemn dissident attacks (U TV)
The Northern Ireland Assembly is expected to condemn the latest attempts to derail the peace process after a car bomb attack and gun battle involving suspected dissident republicans.
The 400lb bomb partially exploded after a vehicle broke through a barrier outside the headquarters of the Northern Ireland Policing Board in Belfast.
Nobody was hurt but two men were seen escaping from the area at Clarendon Dock on Saturday night.
In a separate incident, five men were arrested after police exchanged fire with suspected dissident republicans close to the border with the Irish Republic in Co Fermanagh.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland detained four in the area and Irish police the other in Dooard, Co Leitrim.
Chief Constable Matt Baggott said Saturday’s attacks were designed to derail political progress.
“We have said from day one that the terrorist situation is severe. We have substantial resources being put into investigating and thwarting these attacks,” he said.
“This attack is an attack on the well-being of everybody in Northern Ireland, this is not about an attack on policing or the Policing Board, this is an attack on young people and young people’s future.”
A car was found burned out nearby in the staunchly republican New Lodge area of the city and police are investigating whether there was any link with the earlier attack at around 7pm on Sunday night.
A bomb disposal robot examines a burnt out car in North Belfast which is believed to be involved in the partial explosion of a car outside Policing Board headquarters in Belfast.
The chief constable said that in Fermanagh his officers fired two warning shots, which are being investigated by Police Ombudsman Al Hutchinson. He said his officers had been fired at once during the exchange.
It is understood the attack in Garrison was an attempt to kill a police officer who lived in the village but it believed the officer was not at home.
The ages of the detained men are 22, 26, 32, and 41.
A suspect arrested by police in the Irish Republic is aged 27.
Earlier this month the Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC) reported that the dissident republican threat in Northern Ireland was at its highest level for almost six years.
The IMC said the two main dissident republican groups, the Real IRA and the Continuity IRA, were working more closely together to increase the threat posed to security forces.
On March 7 the Real IRA killed sappers Mark Quinsey, 23, and Patrick Azimkar, 21, at Massereene Army base in Antrim.
Two days later the Continuity IRA shot PSNI Constable Stephen Paul Carroll in Craigavon, County Armagh.
In the period covered by the report, March 1 until August 31, there have been 11 attempts to kill other PSNI officers in Northern Ireland.

So after driving to Dallas, flying to Chicago, landing in Dublin and driving two hours to Belfast we were absolutely worn out. I felt sick after the flight, so I had Clark, our Belfast host and one of the greatest guys in the world…seriously, pull over so I could throw up on the side of the road. I think the crazy turbulence from our flight, an intense sleeping pill and Clark’s fast driving through the winding roads of Ireland didn’t help! Finally after a few hours of rest at Clark’s house, in Bangor, we were all feeling good and ready to see some sites before our show at McHugh’s in Belfast. We went to the oldest hotel in Northern Ireland (established sometime in the 1600s) stopped by the famous Crown bar in Belfast then we whisked away to sound check. Local act Louisiana Joyride kicked off the evening with a great acoustic set and they really rocked it. Then, Brantley went on and played his heart out, I followed after him and the evening wrapped up with Yngve and the Innocent from London. Those guys put on a great show with lots of energy – sort of reminded me of Franz Ferdinand – good stuff. Mandy took some fantastic shots of the evening, so photos and video to come!

We are exhausted now, so nighty night.

- Matt, Brantley and the Europe Tour team

So after driving to Dallas, flying to Chicago, landing in Dublin and driving two hours to Belfast we were absolutely worn out. I felt sick after the flight, so I had Clark, our Belfast host and one of the greatest guys in the world…seriously, pull over so I could throw up on the side of the road. I think the crazy turbulence from our flight, an intense sleeping pill and Clark’s fast driving through the winding roads of Ireland didn’t help! Finally after a few hours of rest at Clark’s house, in Bangor, we were all feeling good and ready to see some sites before our show at McHugh’s in Belfast. We went to the oldest hotel in Northern Ireland (established sometime in the 1600s) stopped by the famous Crown bar in Belfast then we whisked away to sound check. Local act Louisiana Joyride kicked off the evening with a great acoustic set and they really rocked it. Then, Brantley went on and played his heart out, I followed after him and the evening wrapped up with Yngve and the Innocent from London. Those guys put on a great show with lots of energy – sort of reminded me of Franz Ferdinand – good stuff. Mandy took some fantastic shots of the evening, so photos and video to come!

We are exhausted now, so nighty night.

Much love,
Matt

Francesca Marretta
Sebbene si somiglino nella struttura, i muri di separazione tra comunità e luoghi che ancora resistono nell’era della globalizzazione, non sono necessariamente paragonabili tra loro. Le sembianze sono le stesse: piloni di cemento, alti sei, otto metri, placche di metallo, reticolati spesso elettrificati, filo spinato, varchi presidiati dai soldati, aperti la mattina e chiusi la sera. Eccetto che per la diversità climatica, ad esempio, il paesaggio architettonico del muro della Cisgiordania e Gerusalemme, non ha in fondo caratteristiche troppo diverse da quello di Belfast, in Irlanda del Nord. Alcuni dei graffiti e i murales che gli danno colore, visti da lontano possono apparire simili.
Ma mentre, ogni settimana nei Territori palestinesi la popolazione dei villaggi nella zona intorno a Ramallah, come Bi’lin, scende in piazza per gridare “no” al muro “della vergogna”, nonostante la prospettiva di dover affrontare ogni volta la repressione israeliana, fatta di lacrimogeni, pallottole e arresti, a Belfast, le comunità nazionaliste cattoliche e quelle unioniste protestanti, vogliono che il muro, anzi i muri, che le dividono restino al loro posto.
Ancora per almeno un altro paio di generazioni. Per essere più precisi, il 60% dei nordirlandesi sarebbe favorevole all’abbattimento dei muri, ma solo quando sarà «sicuro» farlo. Le barriere di separazione In Irlanda del Nord si chiamano, paradossalmente, “peace lines”, linee della pace. Le prime furono innalzate a Belfast subito dopo l’inizio dei “Troubles”, il periodo più recente del conflitto tra cattolici e protestanti, scoppiato nel 1969. All’epoca nessuno credeva che in Irlanda del Nord sarebbe stata eretta una sorta di copia del muro di Berlino. Si pensava piuttosto che quelle barricate rinforzate sarebbero state smantellate.
Invece, mentre negli anni ‘70 si contavano nel paese circa 26 “peace lines”, oggi se ne contano 88. Si tratta di strutture permanenti. Oltre la metà passano attraverso Belfast, concentrate in particolare nella zona nord. Oltre a cemento, reticolati e filo spinato le “peace lines” possono essere composte anche da aree in cui fanno da barriera tra le comunità delle “buffer zone”, o edifici abbandonati. La definizione di “peace lines” non appare del tutto inappropriata se si considera che il 70% delle barriere che oggi dividono le comunità nordirlandesi è stato costruito a partire dal 1994, dopo l’annuncio del cessate il fuoco dichiarato dai cattolici repubblicani dell’Ira (Irish republican army), cui seguì, un mese e mezzo dopo, l’analoga dichiarazione da parte degli unionisti.
La firma di accordi di pace tra protestanti e cattolici sarebbe giunta solo nel1998, con il “Good Friday agreement”. Tra questa data e il cessate il fuoco si sono registrate altre violenze, come l’attentato rivendicato dall’Ira a Canary Warf a Londra nel 1996.
Uno degli emblemi della pacificazione nella Belfast è il fatto che i muri che continuano a dividere protestanti e cattolici sono diventati un’attrazione turistica. Chi oggi sbarca a Belfast per un week-end avrà quasi certamente prenotato un “political tour”, giro turistico a bordo di un “black taxi” o su un autobus, alla ricerca di emozioni da “Amarcord” del conflitto. Gettonatissimo è il tour dei murales che occhieggiano dalle pile di mattoni o sui laterizi delle case.
Quelli dei settori cattolici, ricordano Bobby Sands e altri prigionieri politici nazionalisti morti in carcere facendo lo sciopero della fame. Oppure la rivolta delle donne del 1916 o altri episodi che ricordano le vittime di attacchi settari.
Quelli lealisti riproducono invece la simbologia dei gruppi paramilitari unionisti, come Uster Freedom Fighters, Ulster Volunteer Force o Ulster Defence Regiment. I murales di Belfast ricoprono intere pareti di edifici.
Per le soste nelle aree più famose per gli scontri settari, la cattolica Falls e la protestante Shankill, il “politica tour” prevede incontri con ex detenuti, dell’una e dell’altra parte, che col turismo si sono rifatti una vita e oggi raccontano le loro gesta da ex combattenti ripercorrendo le tappe degli anni bui del conflitto a beneficio dei visitatori. Business is business. Tra le due zone si passa attraverso il check-point di Lanark Way che separa la più massiccia barriera di separazione del paese.
Al calare del buio le automobili non vanno più da una parte all’altra. Chi è stato battezzato col nome di Patrick, girerà per Falls, chi si chiama George, andrà a bere in un pub di Shankill. Alle nove di sera il check-point tra i due settori viene chiuso dalla polizia, ma per quell’ora ciascuno è già tornato nel proprio settore. Il primo muro di Belfast fu innalzato nel 1968 tra la cattolica Bombay Street e la protestante Cupar Way. L’ultimo è stato costruito l’anno scorso nel cortile di un asilo nella zona nord della città. La stragrande maggioranza degli irlandesi vuole lasciarsi alle spalle il conflitto, ma abbattere i muri fa ancora paura a tutti.
I rigurgiti della lotta armata di alcuni irriducibili dell’Ira hanno infatti agitato gli animi dei nordirlandesi a inizio anno, quando sonno stati messi a segno due attentati contro soldati britannici e poliziotti nordirlandesi. Una lunga serie di attacchi erano precedebtemente stati sventati dalle forze dell’ordine dell’Ulster, composte oggi, come le istituzioni in generale, da protestanti e cattolici che lavorano fianco a fianco.
I gruppi che ancora rivendicano la lotta armata sono marginali, ma continuano a fare proseliti tra i giovanissimi.
La provocazione delle marce orangiste che celebrano la vittoria del protestante Guglielmo d’Orange contro il cattolico Giacomo II nella battaglia di Boyne nel 1690, si ripete regolarmente ogni anno. Durante la parata dell’estate scorsa vi sono stati gravi incidenti. Tra gli episodi di violenza settaria avvenuti quest’anno, il più cruento è stato il pestaggio di un uomo a morte a Coleranie, perchè cattolico.
Le divisioni tra protestanti e cattolici, a parte quelle tracciate dai muri, restano quelle psicologiche. «La gente è cresciuta spalla a spalla percependo il vicino come nemico. Issare le barricate è stato facile, abbatterle non lo sarà altrettanto», ha scritto ad agosto scorso sul quotidiano britannico The Indedpendent David McKittrick, giornalista di Belfast, classe 1949, che ha cominciato a raccontare il conflitto da giovanissimo nel 1971. Secondo McKittrick anche se «Belfast non conosce ancora la vera pace la situazione è talmente migliorata che non è impossibile sognare l’abbattimento del muro».
Il problema di fondo in Ulster resta l’incompatibilità tra il sogno dei nazionalisti cattolici di unità con Dublino e per gli unionisti quello di restare attaccati a Londra.I politici di entrambe le parti politiche hanno condannato i recenti atti di violenza o di vadalismo compiuti in nome del legame al tricolore o alla Union Jack.
A Belfast non si vedranno mai scene come quelle viste a Berlino nel 1989. Nessuno prenderà un martello per fare breccia nel cemento.
Perchè pur essendo fatti del medesimo calcestruzzo, i muri hanno storie diverse. Solo i traumi del conflitto, che si parli tedesco, arabo, inglese o spagnolo, segnano profondamente le esistenze attraversate da queste orrente barriere. Da questo punto di vista ogni muro è uguale all’altro.

Liberazione

Before I even had the chance to think twice about what the content of this blog, I came across the dilemma that everyone who identifies themselves as Northern Irish comes across. Orange or Green?

This question, much like similar euphemisms of Rangers or Celtic, Nationalist or Unionist, is another way of skirting around the same question that we all come across in some way or other many times in our lives, a question that intransigently links us to Northern Ireland. Catholic or Protestant.

Although this question is taboo to ask directly, we are asked it indirectly by most people we come across, sometimes more bluntly using the cover of sports, but often more subtly by querying our neighbourhood or schooling. We are the only place in the Western world [that I know of at least] where we have to state the answer to this question when applying for jobs.

Because this question is the main defining element of all things Northern Irish, it would be foolish of me to sugar coat this blog by ignoring such a defining characteristic of our being. However, this does not help me with the dilemma that I am posed with by the templates of this blog – orange or green for a background?

It may have been mature of me to pick one of these colours and ignore the associations that each of these hold, but I am not going to. Instead I am going for blue. Colour of our own Saint Patrick, a man who connects our two largest cultures back to a period long before they were separated…

[Saying that it probably won't be strictly St Patrick's blue, but sure it's the thought that counts]

Flying the flag

Although we cannot flick through the paper itself, us expats are able to find out what is happening back home on the Belfast Telegraph website before even most people living at home know.

With Sky TV being able to pick up the regional BBC broadcasts, I have watched the Schools Cup final each St Paddys Day for years in Scotland with a choice of bars showing the game.

Ever since Tesco and Sainsburys started stocking Paul Rankin Soda Bread a fantastic bacon sandwich, Ulster Fry, or N.Irish pizza is only a grill away.

Although these developments have made it more bearable for us Northern Irish to move away from home there is still one item that we crave for above all others – a bag of Tayto crisps.

Taytos are part of our national psyche, with that yellow bag filled with cheese and onion flavoured crisps being as much part of our heritage as wine is to the French, pasta is to the Italians, and barely concealed racism is to Daily Mail readers.

According to a recent book*, Tayto crisps are the item most missed by us expats who are living away from home. There is nothing more satisfying when returning from any amount of time away from home to be greeted at the airport shop by a selection of Tayto crisps.

Tayto invented the best cheese and onion flavour. The strength of flavour in each bag gives eating the crisps a satisfaction which other crisps can only dream about. Tayto iheart you!

*Ok – bit of a cheat reference here as the is a book itself is about Mr Tayto

Red is currently based in Northern Ireland, and comes from a ‘typical’ farm background. The eldest of five siblings, divorced parents, strong family links, and born into a religious community. A strong upbringing for a dog.

Red studied his GCSEs, Hospitality Management, and more recently his Honours in Leadership and Management.

Red works for the civil service, and has always maintained an active role in the hospitality industry, until the summer of 2009.

Red has been collared and owned twice, and released on both occasions under circumstances I’d prefer not to post online, however I will refer to both parties as Master1, and Master2.

Red has recently split with his partner of approximately three years, and is looking for a place to Live in the Belfast area, whilst pursuing employment in England. (All job offers considered)

Red has been sexually active since he was 14 years old, and involved in the BDSM scene from 16 years old.