One of the most uncomfortable and yet poignant songs was Tommy Makem's version
of "Johnny I Hardly Knew Ya'". That is for sure a peace song and reflects profoundly
the desires of the man who sang it.

It's too easy to categorize the views of a person with that which they have ostensibly
been associated.

Tommy Makem never intended the death of anyone as I have known him. It is true
that there was much IRA sympathy in the Fifties and the Sixties that would have
caused the Clancy's to be associated with that. They sang IRA songs but it was my
view that they did this in a historical context, not necessarily reflecting their political
views at the time. Whether they contributed to the IRA I don't know. So you say.

There are many Muslims who have contributed to humanitarian projects and yet have
been accused as supporting terrorism. All I am saying is that it's too easy to sit in
judgement when you really don't know the views of those who are being criticized.

Ireland, for the most part, has a history of being oppressed by England. I am not at all convinced that the majority of Irish people not living in Northern Ireland would want the
deaths of their Northern neighbors. And I think the same for Northern Ireland as well
about their Southern neighbors. Many wars are ignited by political ideologies and when
the human element is introduced, these ideologies are exposed for what they are,
a power move.

Wars are fought by sick politicians and religious bigots. Anyone with any ounce
of humanity would decry the death of another human being.

Frank Hamilton