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• Time Table(s) of Bloody Friday (both British & Irish as there are discrepancies)>>> -- CindyS (), 12:12:56 09/02/09 Wed

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• IRA apology letter>>> -- CindyS, 12:13:38 09/02/09 Wed
  • Is there a similar letter from the RUC side or the British? (NT) -- Mahri, 13:04:30 09/02/09 Wed
    • No, I pretty much can guarantee not. The British Army still denies what happened on Bloody Sunday. (NT) -- celtgirl, 15:59:03 09/02/09 Wed
  • That's pretty impressive, all things considered. Shows you who's the bigger man, so to speak. (NT) -- Carla, 20:12:13 09/02/09 Wed

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• Once again, I feel so badly that I'm not able to keep up with the discussion as I would have liked, but CindyS, you are doing a fantastic job in your summaries. Thank you! (NT) -- Elaine, 12:30:09 09/02/09 Wed
  • awww shucks & thank you (NT) -- CindyS, 12:33:52 09/02/09 Wed
    • It was terrific of you to step in at the last minute and just do this Cindy, I know how much work summaries can be, so thank you from me. (NT) -- celtgirl, 16:24:37 09/02/09 Wed
      • I have to admit I'm getting a lot out of this. Makes you really look at each chapter and all its nuances. (NT) -- CindyS, 12:49:52 09/03/09 Thu

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• That's a good question Cindy - if all the splinter groups delayed or made the peace process more difficult. I figured David was part of some 'spy' type unit - the James Bond reference by Pat cracked me up. I have to say too that I've changed my mind about who it was that took Pamela to the hospital after her meeting with Bright ;-) I don't know if it was David or not but something clicked this time and that's who I think it was now. Though why would his voice be familiar to her...has she met him? Knowing (or I should say actually remembering) the epilogue, I have my guesses on David and why he really helped Pat but on my first read I really had no idea, except maybe if David really was/is 'spy material' Pat's name alone would've been something to get to know and/or get close to yea. (NT) -- Mahri, 17:18:27 09/02/09 Wed
  • ooh ooh ooh, maybe knowing the epilogue answers the how David's voice might sound familiar to her too yea? :-) (NT) -- Mahri, 17:24:09 09/02/09 Wed
  • I guess if she were a wee mouse hiding outside a study door eavesdropping she might overhear some voices (jmho) (NT) -- CindyS, 12:51:52 09/03/09 Thu

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• Chapter 70: I have to say I was a little flabbergasted by David's abilities. I never pictured him as the James Bond type. He just always seemed very young and naive to me. Obviously not. "Splinter groups" have always been the downfall of Celtic nations; if the various clans, factions, chiefs, etc. could have stopped fighting (and betraying) each other, the English might never have taken Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Everybody was too full of themselves and too stuck on their own agenda to reach an agreement, IMHO. I think David was there to infiltrate the IRA, or at the very least build up a network of men within the IRA who would feed him info or from whom he could glean info without their knowing. (NT) -- Carla, 20:18:00 09/02/09 Wed

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• Chapter 71: I'm not sure what would pull somebody like Gerard to Belfast, perhaps a desire to help? Why do so many people leave their homes and countries to work in war zones and disaster areas? I think in order to do what Pamela and Gerard had to do that day you have to distance yourself, at least while you're there. You save the breakdown or emotional outburst for when you're safely at home and removed from the scene. While I sympathize with why the IRA was formed and the need to fight against oppression, nothing justifies killing innocent people. The British Army in NI were as much terrorists as the IRA, one group was just backed by a powerful government. If they IRA had NOT bombed civilian areas, in both England and NI, I think they would have maintained a lot more support at home and around the world. I understand in some measure the frustrations that caused them to go this route -- at least in England -- but can't condone it. (NT) -- Carla, 20:23:45 09/02/09 Wed
  • You've summarized my feelings as well, Carla. (NT) -- Elaine, 06:03:36 09/03/09 Thu
  • I agree with what you've said Carla. I think I'm a pacifist at heart ("can't we all just get along"). OTOH, extremists exist, and perhaps they do have their place, unfortunately. Let me explain my perspective. I've been an environmentalist all my life, But I've never been "radical" about it. I could never see myself taking actions like Greenpeace, Earth First, etc. BUT they do bring the issues to the attention of the masses. Coming back to NI, if it weren't for the actions of the IRA, do you think the world at large would know, or care, about the Irish Troubles? I think people like me, who tend to hang on the sidelines, need something dramatic to catch our attention. Just something I've been thinking about, and curious to hear what you ladies think about this. (NT) -- PeggyB, 07:31:12 09/03/09 Thu
    • I think the IRA was a very real and necessary organization given the oppression, torture and occupation of Ireland by the English. I have no problem with them taking military-type action against the English Army and those who worked with and for them. My issues arise when they bomb civilian sites, take it upon themselves to be the morality police for Irish Catholics and otherwise go beyond the pale, IMHO. (NT) -- Carla, 09:48:26 09/03/09 Thu
      • Sounds like we are in complete agreement. Why am I not surprised *g* (NT) -- PeggyB, 19:05:28 09/03/09 Thu

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• One thing I found interesting in looking for the timeline was that the Irish version has a prologue that discusses the peace talks that were underway. Apparently it was the breakdown in these discussions that lead to the events of Bloody Friday. It was to literally stop a society from going about it's daily business. Now whether that was for people to take time to reflect on the negotiations or to point out to the British that they weren't needed as the Irish could still move forward with out them is not clear. Either way, according to this article, it was NOT noted as being retaliation for Bloody Sunday. Found that a bit interesting. Article inside>>> -- CindyS, 13:03:07 09/03/09 Thu
  • This is my number one resourse on the web- the CAIN site. I've been lucky enough to correspond with the man who runs it as well. I had a neat experience through this website, actually>>> -- celtgirl, 14:00:11 09/03/09 Thu
    • Very cool (NT) -- PeggyB, 19:26:31 09/03/09 Thu