N.I.Political...Nice one lads.

Subject: N.I.Political...Nice one lads.
From: death by whisky
Date: 10 Aug 00 - 09:10 PM

Today I feel good,and proud to be from Derry.As I was posting to other threads on the cat,the news reported that the Apprentice Boys and the Bogside Residents Association have (once again) reached agreement on this years route.No fuss,no bother.Talking works.

P.S The sun shone,and I just got back from a cracking session. Best,Ray.

Subject: RE: N.I.Political...Nice one lads.
From: Mrrzy
Date: 10 Aug 00 - 09:43 PM

Sounds like it would be great news if I knew what the blazes you were talking about! At any rate, sounds like words instead of blows, gotta love that...

Subject: RE: N.I.Political...Nice one lads.
From: Quincy
Date: 10 Aug 00 - 09:44 PM

You've a right to be proud Ray. The Apprentice Boys and the Residents Association should be proud also.
It just goes to show that sitting down and talking does work sometimes, even in such a delicate situation.
Unfortunately there are some people that talk so loudly that they can't hear what anyone else is saying! But not so here...more power to you!

Mind you, I have a cousin who has been a Apprentice Boy in Belfast for the last 20 years and I keep asking him, "John, you're 37 now love, when will you be qualified?!!

Have a peaceful weekend, you will be in my thoughts,
best wishes, Yvonne

Subject: RE: N.I.Political...Nice one lads.
From: death by whisky
Date: 10 Aug 00 - 10:09 PM

Mrrzy.The siege of (London)Derry. But I'll leave the details to some of our more learned friends.(I'd be too embaressed to be corrected,being from there and all).There's something in the story about a piece of toast! Nice one Quincy.It took a while to stop laughing before I could post. Cheers

Subject: RE: N.I.Political...Nice one lads.
From: GUEST,seamus kennedy
Date: 11 Aug 00 - 12:09 AM

Great news, Ray. Wish the other buck-eejits in certain other spots would do the same. See you in November. Seamus

Subject: RE: N.I.Political...Nice one lads.
From: CarolC
Date: 11 Aug 00 - 12:29 AM

I have to ask this question, even at the risk of sounding ignorant. When you say "piece of toast", is that as in, "Cracking toast, Grommit!"?

Carol

Subject: RE: N.I.Political...Nice one lads.
From: alison
Date: 11 Aug 00 - 12:43 AM

Great news, maybe the others will see sense too...

what it means is that the Apprentice Boys (Protestant marchers), and the Bogside Residents Association (Catholic residents) agreed on a route so that the Protestants could march without upsetting anyone....

"piece of toast" is a slice of toast

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: N.I.Political...Nice one lads.
From: CarolC
Date: 11 Aug 00 - 01:06 AM

I don't know, alison. I can't find the words "piece of toast" in the original posting, but I do see the word "cracking". I'd love to hear from death by whisky on this one. Thanks for your input though.

And, death by whisky, congratulations (if that's the right word). It sounds like a wonderful thing.

Carol

Subject: RE: N.I.Political...Nice one lads.
From: CarolC
Date: 11 Aug 00 - 01:27 AM

Ok, I think I understand. He was probably talking about the story that he heard on the news having something about a piece of toast involved.

There are probably a lot of people, like myself, who would like to become more familiar with politics in Northern Ireland, but there is so much we don't know, that we don't have any context in which to place what little we do understand.

Respectfully,

Carol

Subject: RE: N.I.Political...Nice one lads.
From: death by whisky
Date: 11 Aug 00 - 07:26 AM

Seamus,all ready.Is your driver OK about Kilflynn? Toast,as in "cracking toast Grommit" 166?....the city is under siege.King James'the? (catholic)army is outside.The Apprentice boys(protestant,on the side of William of Orange) are guarding the gates.(Rather well too considering.)Not much food around,stavation,sickness etc.. The Mayor/Governor,Lundy,tries to offer the keys of the city to James'army in return for some toast,gets caught and hung as a traitor.Reinforcements arrive,James retreats.

Once a yaer the Apprentice Boys march in celebration of thier success in defending the city.

Derry is also known as the Maiden City because the walls were never breached.

"Cracking"is a word we N.Irish use to mean ,great,lovely,etc,just like Wallace.

Subject: RE: N.I.Political...Nice one lads.
From: ol'troll
Date: 11 Aug 00 - 07:42 AM

I was in a great session on the Isle of Man last month with some kids(read "under 30")from Northern Ireland.There were both Catholics and Protestants in the group but there was no animosity.The making of music transcended everything else. Songs like "There Were Roses" were sung by all and there were few dry eyes.Maybe if the world leaders were required to learn an instrument before they could hold office the world wouldn"t be in such a state.It"s hard to hate someone that you've just sat through a session with. More power to yer arm!

troll

Subject: RE: N.I.Political...Nice one lads.
From: CarolC
Date: 11 Aug 00 - 09:03 AM

Thank you so much, death by whisky. I really appreciate you taking the time to explain all of that to me. I knew about the marches, but I never knew what they were for.

Best regards,

Carol

Subject: RE: N.I.Political...Nice one lads.
From: Lox
Date: 11 Aug 00 - 09:49 AM

Where are they marching to? What are they going to do when they get there? Will they march back or take a bus? I presume their cars will still be at home. Who's responsible for administration? Do they get to have a rest half way or do they have to march all the way non stop? Some of them are very old. I hope someone remembers to bring some lemonade and that everyone remembers to eat their breakfast. My 4 year old nephew would love to join in - would that be alright?

I hope that everyone is responsible with the 'crack' (Heh Heh!)

Good luck (I hope noone finds any of this offensive) *G*

Subject: RE: N.I.Political...Nice one lads.
From: death by whisky
Date: 11 Aug 00 - 10:22 AM

OL'TROLL ..I used to work(voluntarily) for Holiday Projects West,by the time I left we were taking away 400 kids a year(not at the same time).Music played a big part in the activities.

CarolC :The Apprentice Boys march is about the Derry siege,all the ones last month were about The Battle of the Boyne,where William of Orange(protestant),defeated King James (catholic).

Actually Lox,they walk/march around the Derry walls which is ,in effect, a circle.Has your nephew got a sash?,and make sure the lemonade is orange.

Subject: RE: N.I.Political...Nice one lads.
From: Peter K (Fionn)
Date: 11 Aug 00 - 12:40 PM

Just to expand a tad on what Alison said, the Brits imposed a Parades Commission on Northern Ireland a few years ago (before the Good Friday Agreement) to act as a non-partisan adjudicator of problems caused in the so-called "marching season". Both sides have their parades, but the Prods really march their socks off, with between 2,000 and 3,000 parades in any one summer).

Last week the Parades Commission denied an application from the Prods to march a provocative route in Belfast, and the Prods were a bit more grown up about that knock-back than they seem to be about Drumcree eqch year. In response to the Belfast decision, representatives of a Catholic community in Derry, through which the Prods like to march each year, gave an undertaking that there would be no demonstrations against this year's march. This was a generous gesture, because when the parades pass close to communities that don't want them, they are provocative. And the Derry community in question did not itself get any direct benefit from the preceding week's events in Belfast.

Thanks for drawing attention to a sign of hope, death by whisky. (And whose side are you on, spelling whisky like that? *BG* Mine's a Powers in the Brandywell...)

Subject: RE: N.I.Political...Nice one lads.
From: death by whisky
Date: 11 Aug 00 - 02:01 PM

Couldnt fit the E on the bass cab.Bushmills in the Park.

Subject: RE: N.I.Political...Nice one lads.
From: Lox
Date: 11 Aug 00 - 03:40 PM

He doesn't have a sash, but I reckon I could lend him a paisley tie.

Subject: RE: N.I.Political...Nice one lads.
From: death by whisky
Date: 11 Aug 00 - 10:01 PM

Does a paisley tie have any street cred these days? And what about the bowler hat?

Subject: RE: N.I.Political...Nice one lads.
From: CarolC
Date: 12 Aug 00 - 03:29 AM

Thank you again, death by whisky, and also you, Fionn. The more I hear, the more I understand.

Best wishes,

Carol

Subject: RE: N.I.Political...Nice one lads.
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 12 Aug 00 - 05:52 AM

Death by whiskey -
do I know you?
you probably know some of these people from HPW
gerry tyrell, joe mcloughlin, jo noble, carol hutahaean, george bienek

not everyone's thrilled by the parade; the gardai seized explosives just over the border from Derry and the Bogside Residents' Group is pleading for dissenters not to make trouble. hoping things do go well today...

Subject: RE: N.I.Political...Nice one lads.
From: death by whisky
Date: 12 Aug 00 - 09:13 AM

Yes, yes yes,maybe,maybe.The last camp I did was in 84/85. Give everyone my regards,they'll know me as Raymond Fahy. I got int Joe Nobles bad books once,big mistake.

I know theres going to be a bit of tension,but the agreement between the Residents and the Apprentice Boys is a landmark and example in itself.

Again love and best wishes to all.Ray fahy.

Subject: RE: N.I.Political...Nice one lads.
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 12 Aug 00 - 12:47 PM

I was watching the parade this afternoon. I don't know what will happen tonight, but the daytime atmosphere was very calm indeed

Subject: RE: N.I.Political...Nice one lads.
From: Peter K (Fionn)
Date: 12 Aug 00 - 06:39 PM

There's a mood around that what happened this week could become an NI-wide model for future years. Here's hoping.

That vanload of explosives apparently bust through an RUC vehicle checkpoint somewhere, and was chased over the border into the republic. Looks like there's nothing wrong with RUC-Gardai communications/co-operation these days.

Subject: RE: N.I.Political...Nice one lads.
From: Quincy
Date: 12 Aug 00 - 07:54 PM

Peaceful enough Ray, thank goodness...the talking worked!

Derry/Londonderry is a shining example for others.
The only fighting that went on as far as we heard was by two of my wee cousins.....and that was over a band stick!!

Reading back over the thread, I think its great how "toast" was brought into it!! I think we should confuse everyone more by saying that the session you were at was "good craic"!!!!

Maybe now the toast can be mentioned again.....a toast to the Apprentice Boys and the Residents Association...here's to them all!
Kind regards, Yvonne

Subject: RE: N.I.Political...Nice one lads.
From: death by whisky
Date: 12 Aug 00 - 09:15 PM

Thanks .Haven't been able to see the news since tea time. No ones' phoned since I went out.,no news is good news,so reading this is a buzz. I think we're getting there lads!!!

Raising a glass.Ray.