Michael Collins

[BoldHighlander]

Sounds interesting so I ordered The Wind That Shakes The Barley. I trust it is a honest look at that particular period of time and not just anti-English claptrap. Afterall my wife blamed me for what happen to Mel Gibson in that one particular movie.

It doesn't paint a pretty picture of the Brits Grant, but also as Beloitpiper said it also shows the tension within the Irish population itself pretty well.

[ccga3359]

It doesn't paint a pretty picture of the Brits Grant, but also as Beloitpiper said it also shows the tension within the Irish population itself pretty well.

Nor do I paint a pretty picture of us British or any other combatant that spilt innocent blood in that era. This movie may be a piece of fiction but the words spoken can enlighten me in that particular mindset. As MacMillan of Rathdown qoted Geobbels, so true, although I hardly doubt in my instance I'll be dropping everything and join the 'Rebel' cause. I was still young when i left England in '76 but I still remember the IRA bombings down the road in London. I also remember my parents telling me about the small Irish lad shot by British soldiers when he was playing with a toy gun. I do not know if this was true or a warning as I, an 8 year old, was unwraping my plastic M16 machine gun at the time. I'm also very encouraged by the recent development in Ireland with the Belfast Aggreement. According to Wikipedia, 71% or Northern Ireland & 94% of Ireland in approval (turnout - 81% & 56% respectively).

I decided a long time ago not to continue battles of my father or forefathers, to not inherit their prejudices. I also decided to leave English politics in England. As I've said before on this forum, I'm proud to be British, I still carry dual citizenship but I'm Canadian now and that's what's important.

There have been many instances both here and in the US that Anglo/irish conflicts have resurfaced. What with the "Black" Donnellys here and of the Fenian raids of 1866, 1867, 1870 and 1871. My father's ship was torpedoed in the Pacific in 1943 and made it to Boston for repairs for a year. He'd relate how there was always fights between the Boston Irish and Royal Navy including the one annecdote of how an RN officer came back to the ship all banged after being out alone, pointed at the first few sailors he saw ordering them to follow and went back out to even the score. By that time we were officially allies. He relays it with a chuckle but when I really think about it, I do have to wonder why people have to continue the hatred, dislike, distrust.

On the other side of the coin, being Coast Guard Auxiliary and spending time on the English coast I'm also aware of the Royal National lifeboat Institution (RNLI) that is manned by fellow volunteers all over the United kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. They're an institution, almost 200 years of service and funded by public donations. Yet of the dozens of lifesaving stations in IR they are still named Royal National Lifeboat Institution and still the epitomy of cooperation between the two nations. That is why I have hope and perhaps why I've always had. Now I'm just looking for the understanding, even if my own people look bad.