Peace in Northern Ireland, To find a political solution

 

On Friday Northern Ireland celebrated the 25^th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. 

Democracy or anarchy

 

Civil Rights protest 1968 which began the Troubles

Bloody Sunday 1972

 

The Hunger Strikes – 1981

Drew attention worldwide, Bobby Sands elected MP and died.

 

Security commission set up. concerns in Dublin of riots and violence in Dublin. The Taoiseach held talks with Margaret Thatcher in 1985. The Republic would give up claims to northern Ireland, if they had a consultative role in Joint authority/ administration. Anglo /irish secretary set up Belfast and inter-governmental conference.

**Anglo Irish Agreement 1985 

Consultative role policing. The consent principle – no unity without majority support. 

 

Ulster freedom fighters. Gaddafi sent weapons, he was against colonization. 

Enniskillen bombing

SAS men killed IRA men. But the war could not be won.

Bomb undermining success at the ballot box, no military solution. 

 

Father Alex Reid wrote to John Hume – leader of the SDLP, to talk with Sinn Fein.

 

“I’m about Dialogue – the seed of peace process”

 

People don’t support violence, reasons no longer existed. British to declare their neutrality. Politically neutral, a way of getting out. Change in British position.

 

“Secretary of state for northern Ireland, state not there for colonial reasons - “The British government has no selfish security or economic interest in northern Ireland. “

 

The agreement reached was that Northern Ireland was part of the United Kingdom, and would remain so until a majority of the people both of Northern Ireland and of the Republic of Ireland wished otherwise.

 

Bridges can be built -Take the time, Keep our minds and heart open

Travelling is about asking questions rather than finding answers – people as partners. 

Are the Commonwealth Games Political?

I believe it is impossible to separate sport and politics. The Commonwealth games were initially called The British Empire Games.Even the flag waving is political.

At the Opening Ceremony for Glasgow 2014 there was controversy over the Red Arrows flying the red, white and blue colours of the Union jack amid the debate over the Scottish Referendum due in 2 months time in September. The organisers believed they would fly the Scottish flag of blue and white but in a last minute change the Red Arrows team were told no. It would have been a more generous gesture to allow the blue and white colours – after all the Red Arrows have flown the colours of many other flags.

The Queen attended the opening ceremony and we sang God Save the Queen at Celtic Park – quite a strange thing in itself.

Of course the Games are political.

With the Referendum hanging over the proceedings the crowd cheered the English athlete, perhaps surprising the international audience. 

Scotland's imperial past is evident in the names of some of the Jamaican athletes - and with Jennifer Stirling who carried in the baton to the Opening ceremony. 

The song Freedom Come All Ye by Hamish Henderson, which was sung at the Opening ceremony, was a fitting choice as the song speaks of winds of change and sweeping away exploitation and imperialism - and looks to an inclusive and co-operative future. The song is a product of the 60s Scottish folk revival.