Hi Guitar

I actually did answer your question. He had guns in his house because the British government invaded his country, and has committed murder of civilians to maintain that invasion in every generation until it did not serve their political ends to so do.

I covered the war in Ireland, in the late seventies as a photo journalist and found that I, as an Anglo Irish Protestant had nothing to fear from Republican forces. Rather, both Loyalist and Crown armed forces where intent on killing people to keep the truth of the politics and prejudice being brought to the rest of the world. Another photo journalist, as an example, that year was shot at by crown forces, she was the daughter of the governor of New York, Mario Cuomo.

What I found interesting is that the so called terrorists wanted the world to see, deep into their actions and communities, while England had remarkably aggressive censorship laws concerning what was being done in Ireland. In fact, you might read the Stalker Affair, by Manchester police commissioner John Stalker, about what happened to a loyal subject when trying to honestly investigate the murder of Irish civilians by the British army.

I agree, let by gones be by gones. In fact, if you are ever in New York, I'd be the first one to show you around and buy you a pint. However, if you don't understand and study your history you are bound to repeat it and repeat it the US and Britain are doing in Iraq.

Slan agus beannacht
lor

PS I am very fond of Eric Bogle's music... the flaw in this song is that it presents the events as if Britain has no role in the war in the northern counties of Ireland, not one of his best songs, I am afraid.