My sympathies are overwhelmingly with the republicans and overwhelmingly against Ulster "loyalism." But I have sometimes found the arguments at Mudcat disproportionately one-sided (it seems a good bit better nowadays) so I've maybe been over-noisy putting the other side.

Are you justifying the atrocities carried out by the republican terrorist, who by the way are responsible for the majority of deaths,Catholic and protestant?

Are you saying one terrorist group is more preferable to another?

Or are you just saying sorry Armagh I was playing devils advocate with the use of my limited knowledge and hope I do not offend you by having opinions different than yours.

How can anyone be noisy putting terrorists down, tolerating any terrorist group is what keeps N.I. in turmoil and encourages the scum that make up these groups.

You talk about throwing Northern Ireland into a state that was as reactionary as any in Europe. The problems stem from European power struggles, Ireland was promised to the English by those in power in Europe, who gave France or the Pope any right to hand Ireland over to anyone?

At that time England was doing nothing wrong in the eyes of it neighbours, it was being encouraged so others maintained their power.

Our problems stem from a total lack of understanding and a total ignorance to our history, the orange order (real eejits)would like to deny that the hated Pope was one of King Williams allies. To keep the pot going they introduced the religous divide and the rest followed. Connolly figured that out pity more did not listen.

Yes we have a twisted country it's twisted by hatred and ignorance from both sides, thankfully more people are realising there are alternatives since we have the terrorists off our backs.

There are no innocnts as far as N.I. is concerned, there have been plenty of injustices but what can we do about them now, other than condemn them and resolve not to make them again. That is going to hard to do when some among us do not look back truthfully and objectively.

Your 12 years in N.I. would have shown you that the rioting etc is in small pockets and is seldom heard of unless people are caught up in it. Glynbryne and other areas are isolated to every day life in N.I., just because there are nightly riots there does not mean we all are affected or involved. But to some bigoted people being protestant/catholic means we must know and agree with all the actions of loyalist/repub terrorists. This mindset keeps the whole thing going and is specific to N.I. and neither side can take the moral high ground and say they do not do that.

We all have to be honest and accept our failings or maybe that is a lofty ideal.