It sometimes really pisses me off to read the constant whinge of those posters who cannot see any view point other than their own.
Keith, I really do hope you are enjoying your break away from what , increasingly, appears to be your self-appointed mission to justify each and every action of your British establishment against all and any of it's former subjects who might have made efforts to gain measures of self determination.
You may not think so but we, here in Ireland as in so many other former colonies of your Empire, are now quite sophisticated enough to be able to understand that you did need to maintain the Empire, in order to maintain the standard of living that it gave you.
You, in turn, should be sophisticated enough to understand that such an arrangement is too one-sided to be acceptable for long, to a modern society. That stage had come in Ireland, even as far back as 1916.
The IRA was founded in a legitimate attempt to redress the imbalance that Imperialism was causing , socially, commercially and culturally, in Ireland.
It was opposed by Imperialism and, when the normal Imperialistic agencies (the RIC, Militias and Imperial Army) appeared to be failing to regularise matters within an acceptable timeframe, panic set in and "bully boy " tactics seemed the proper alternative for a "super power" to use.
Do not forget that the British Government saw Ireland as a part of the UK , just as much so as, Wales, Scotland or , even Lancashire and consequently attempted to redress matters by stronger policing. (Remember also that it's police force was an armed,garrisoned professional one.). We, Native Irish, on the other hand , NEVER saw ourselves as anything other than an invaded people who were determined to regain our sovreignty.
The methods we employed were in no way different than those of the British Government , then or later, to defend it's territory or, it's commercial interests, throughout it's Empire. Please do not quote Soloheadbeg or Knocklong as having been the catalysts that sparked the War of Independence. The executions of the 1916 leaders was of a far more significant nature, Indeed the deaths of some civilians after the "Howth Gun Running", at RIC hands, was probably an act that gave pause for thought to many an Irishman teethering on the brink of an involvement in his country's future.
This great emphasis on the "blood sacrifice" reputedly so beloved of Pearse , Plunkett and others is a red herring. It was merely an expression of the prevailing attitude of those times to warfare. We have only to read the poets, so revered of the era, Owem, Sassoon and our own Ledwidge on their experiences of the "Great" War. There was also an upsurge of Gaelic interest and feeling at the time, which turned many young men's ideas towards having a Gaelic country of their own. We must remember that , even though the British controlled Press said otherwise, (and still says so today) the vast majority of Rural IRA volunteers were from the ranks of the small farmers sons and the sons of shopkeepers , tradesmen and self employed. Yes propaganda was employed by both sides, as it is today, but , there is no denying that Ireland was being subjugated by an armed , occupying force, for the benefit (whatever it was) of a Great Imperial Power who considered,just as it had for many decades,that the indigenous population was an inferior race. Whatever those compelling reasons were back then, they no longer apply, and we have the situation now where this (declining though still overwhelming) power continues to prop up the pomp of a section of Irelands people.
Those who see their history as one of triumph over conquered foes. Lambeg drums and fifes, can recall the ancient victories of one section of society over another, but, they can never guarantee that this status quo can be maintained. Let us all be sensible and accept that we need to be united to succeed, Commercially, Socially and Sportingly.
Really, What would be so wrong about IRELAND as one Nation, with Protestant, Catho;ic,Dissenter, Moslem, Jew , Budhist , etc all being proud to live on this Island , together? It must happen in any case.