tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4807238897188927967Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:11:58 +0000The Pensive Quillhttp://thepensivequill.am/noreply@blogger.com (AM)Blogger271125http://thepensivequill.amhttp://img218.imagevenue.com/loc254/th_86255_pqfb_122_254lo.jpgThe Pensive Quillbigmackershttp://feedburner.google.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4807238897188927967.post-6075527277641235280Fri, 05 Mar 2010 21:45:00 +00002010-03-05T21:48:34.697ZPhysical Force RepublicanismAnother ‘Pathetic Grubby Little War’Parliamentary Brief December 2009 The decision of the Sinn Fein leadership to become part of the British administration it had earlier unleashed the IRA against was supposed to herald an end to all republican political violence. Gerry Adams, the alpha and omega of Provisional IRA political violence, would be allowed to dig deep into British pockets in return for getting rid of the IRA. His party http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bigmackers/~3/dYroEGvkkm8/another-pathetic-grubby-little-war.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AM)14<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/bigmackers/~4/dYroEGvkkm8" height="1" width="1"/>http://thepensivequill.am/2010/03/another-pathetic-grubby-little-war.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4807238897188927967.post-6708397783443402352Fri, 26 Feb 2010 22:54:00 +00002010-02-27T06:39:26.303ZCiaran Doherty KillingKilling Ciaran DohertyThe killing of Ciaran Doherty by the Real IRA just outside of Derry City on Wednesday evening was laden with evocations of the ‘bad old days’ when bullet lacerated bodies, were left bound and gagged at the side of a road on full public display. Over the decades many Derry men met a similar a fate; Jock Lynch in 1974, Franko Hegarty in 1986, two of the names that spring to mind. Killings which http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bigmackers/~3/0MnEZ4l_vj0/killing-ciaran-doherty.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AM)36<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/bigmackers/~4/0MnEZ4l_vj0" height="1" width="1"/>http://thepensivequill.am/2010/02/killing-ciaran-doherty.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4807238897188927967.post-5792011570812424396Thu, 25 Feb 2010 16:47:00 +00002010-02-25T16:50:22.896ZCartoonBrian MórGerry Does JesusCartoon by Brian MórClick to enlarge http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bigmackers/~3/kjw8kuDexCc/gerry-does-jesus.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AM)3<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/bigmackers/~4/kjw8kuDexCc" height="1" width="1"/>http://thepensivequill.am/2010/02/gerry-does-jesus.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4807238897188927967.post-1125091454226929744Mon, 22 Feb 2010 22:31:00 +00002010-02-22T23:01:43.504ZGerry AdamsThe Gerry & Jesus ShowYou would imagine that there would be no laughs left to squeeze out of the North’s politicians. Until Iris the Virus came along that is and caused much mirth for all but her husband and family. After that there could be nothing else to rouse the laughter and douse the ennui. Or so we thought. Step in St Gerry of Jerusalem. Channel 4’s documentary The Bible: A History was billed to be hilarious. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bigmackers/~3/KHocZ6hL6Ho/gerry-jesus-show.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AM)18<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/bigmackers/~4/KHocZ6hL6Ho" height="1" width="1"/>http://thepensivequill.am/2010/02/gerry-jesus-show.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4807238897188927967.post-3136474626364263587Fri, 19 Feb 2010 23:51:00 +00002010-02-20T10:33:24.321ZDolours PriceBuried SecretsIn yesterday’s Irish News it was revealed that the former IRA hunger striker Dolours Price had stepped up to the plate and acknowledged her involvement in some of the Northern conflict’s most notorious incidents. It was a remarkable step made none the easier by an undoubted awareness on her part that there exists a widespread public revulsion towards disappearing people, some of whose remains http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bigmackers/~3/F9DglgAQPy8/buried-secrets.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AM)11<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/bigmackers/~4/F9DglgAQPy8" height="1" width="1"/>http://thepensivequill.am/2010/02/buried-secrets.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4807238897188927967.post-7961722647087579712Tue, 16 Feb 2010 22:49:00 +00002010-02-17T05:41:50.044ZBrendan HughesLight From The DarkDuring the Blanket protest the blanket men, most barely out of their teens or still in them, would sing a song: ‘we’ll follow the old man wherever he wants to go, wherever he wants to go.’ It was a song that was really sung from the cells, not a spoof about a song being sung in the H-Blocks before the song was ever written as one well known Walter tried to dupe us into believing a while back. Thehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bigmackers/~3/0aLfK-wvpyc/light-from-dark.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AM)5<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/bigmackers/~4/0aLfK-wvpyc" height="1" width="1"/>http://thepensivequill.am/2010/02/light-from-dark.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4807238897188927967.post-3879856602993444374Sun, 14 Feb 2010 17:53:00 +00002010-02-14T23:11:40.214ZRepublicanismResponding To Seán MórEarlier today the former republican prisoner and current Irish language enthusiast ‘Seán Mór’ placed a comment on The Pensive Quill which while not addressed to anybody in particular, does merit something in the way of response from those of us who feel we can rule in or out of the republican court people on the basis of the views they profess to hold. Thomas Paine’s notion might well have some http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bigmackers/~3/x2j3x4Qkczs/responding-to-sean-mor.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AM)8<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/bigmackers/~4/x2j3x4Qkczs" height="1" width="1"/>http://thepensivequill.am/2010/02/responding-to-sean-mor.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4807238897188927967.post-4218735818912198448Sat, 13 Feb 2010 23:00:00 +00002010-02-14T11:26:36.901ZGerry AdamsLate LateArriving home from Dublin late in the day and tired to boot my idea of a relaxing end to the evening was hardly one of watching the Late Late Show which had earlier been billing an appearance by Gerry Adams as a significant feature. Watching Northern politicians waffle about the peace process might have some uses but as a means to keep awake it is pretty much redundant. Listening to any of my http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bigmackers/~3/9lB0m9w7tyg/late-late.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AM)7<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/bigmackers/~4/9lB0m9w7tyg" height="1" width="1"/>http://thepensivequill.am/2010/02/late-late.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4807238897188927967.post-6562361955140986701Thu, 11 Feb 2010 20:42:00 +00002010-02-11T20:53:10.667ZRepublicanismGuest WriterDis/topia [sic]nessToday The Pensive Quill carries an article by guest writer, Mark McGregor Distopia [sic]ness by Mark McGregorThe Provisional movement was a four decade long hegemony in Republicanism, other groups rarely featured in a narrative dominated by them. Political challenges were like gnats on a cow’s arse and competing militarists a whimper beside a bang.Slowly from the 90s on as that ‘movement’ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bigmackers/~3/ckItTXpqN7g/distopia-sicness.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AM)57<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/bigmackers/~4/ckItTXpqN7g" height="1" width="1"/>http://thepensivequill.am/2010/02/distopia-sicness.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4807238897188927967.post-4040978432725343184Mon, 08 Feb 2010 23:42:00 +00002010-02-09T21:57:17.963ZPriest OffOne certain to upset the humour haters. A friend sent it to me and I found it so funny. Follows after the jump. Enjoy.http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bigmackers/~3/BIXKRz-6FCM/priest-off.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AM)8<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/bigmackers/~4/BIXKRz-6FCM" height="1" width="1"/>http://thepensivequill.am/2010/02/priest-off.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4807238897188927967.post-1868113656736600605Sun, 07 Feb 2010 21:11:00 +00002010-02-07T21:24:08.559ZNorthern Irish PoliticsThe Borefast AgreementThe great bores of Ireland have been at it again in the North this past week or two. Not that I spend a lot of time following it. It reminds me of one of those movies my kids watch so often that they know the lines verbatim, being able to speak in sync with the characters word for word. For me, the ability to maintain interest in anything served up ad infinitum, food, films or fools, demands http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bigmackers/~3/yrov_nJfCOs/borefast.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AM)42<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/bigmackers/~4/yrov_nJfCOs" height="1" width="1"/>http://thepensivequill.am/2010/02/borefast.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4807238897188927967.post-7321939231967993983Fri, 05 Feb 2010 22:50:00 +00002010-02-05T22:53:16.007ZCartoonBrian MórDonegal Bag ManCartoon by Brian MórClick to enlarge http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bigmackers/~3/h0jSYF0TPy0/donegal-bag-man.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AM)9<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/bigmackers/~4/h0jSYF0TPy0" height="1" width="1"/>http://thepensivequill.am/2010/02/donegal-bag-man.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4807238897188927967.post-4436947370422562999Sun, 31 Jan 2010 21:11:00 +00002010-01-31T21:14:13.715ZMs CahillMs Cahill’s AppealWhich philosopher made the comment that what does not kill us makes us stronger, is not as important as the sagacity it embodies. It is a wisdom very much on display in the resilient human spirit of Ms Cahill, the young Belfast woman, who stepped into the breach and virtually sacrificed her anonymity to ensure her rapist did not maintain his. She has emerged from her experience very much alive http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bigmackers/~3/zZanpxVi_2g/ms-cahills-appeal.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AM)11<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/bigmackers/~4/zZanpxVi_2g" height="1" width="1"/>http://thepensivequill.am/2010/01/ms-cahills-appeal.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4807238897188927967.post-8117102976263878224Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:36:00 +00002010-01-29T21:47:30.446ZGuest WriterAn Open Appeal to All RepublicansToday The Pensive Quill carries an article by guest writer Ms CahillAn Open Appeal to All RepublicansMs CahillOver the last number of weeks, there have been several allegations circulating – alleged to have been perpetrated by members of the Republican Movement.There has been mixed reaction to this within the Republican Community, but particularly those within the Provisional republican movement,http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bigmackers/~3/CgqGS1XsNig/open-appeal-to-all-republicans.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AM)30<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/bigmackers/~4/CgqGS1XsNig" height="1" width="1"/>http://thepensivequill.am/2010/01/open-appeal-to-all-republicans.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4807238897188927967.post-7354016061180480785Wed, 27 Jan 2010 22:19:00 +00002010-01-28T21:50:50.885ZSinn Fein Abuse ScandalShort StrawIt is not certain why the short straw ends up in the hands of Mary Lou McDonald on the issue of Sinn Fein’s handling of sex abuse cases carried out by party members or those with inextricable links to the party. On the three occasions that she has faced Suzanne Breen of the Sunday Tribune, the paper's Northern editor has mauled her. Were McDonald playing professional soccer her performances wouldhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bigmackers/~3/gTZYk3gATIw/short-straw.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AM)12<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/bigmackers/~4/gTZYk3gATIw" height="1" width="1"/>http://thepensivequill.am/2010/01/short-straw.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4807238897188927967.post-7746005964083275644Sun, 24 Jan 2010 23:20:00 +00002010-01-25T08:14:08.436ZSinn Fein Abuse ScandalDisappearedI didn’t go out to get this morning’s Sunday Tribune. My wife bought it in Belfast before it was scooped up by either the censors or the interested. So I will read it tonight when she returns or alternatively get it online. In parts of West Belfast it seems to have been going quickly enough. A journalist friend sent me a text message around 9am saying ‘Trib sold out.’ A friend in Louth also sent http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bigmackers/~3/wzt6Wo3-mXI/disappeared.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AM)3<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/bigmackers/~4/wzt6Wo3-mXI" height="1" width="1"/>http://thepensivequill.am/2010/01/disappeared.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4807238897188927967.post-5766538256023022058Sat, 23 Jan 2010 23:45:00 +00002010-01-24T07:41:48.329ZSinn Fein Abuse ScandalBeadle’s AboutSuzanne Breen and the Sunday Tribune are to be complimented for the sterling investigative journalism they are conducting. Tonight, as every Saturday night, is filled with a sense of expectation that tomorrow’s paper will be awash with new revelations. Belfast readers will have to be up earlier than usual. A former republican prisoner laughed as she told me Sinn Fein members were spotted buying http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bigmackers/~3/WhB7ny523oA/beadles-about.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AM)8<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/bigmackers/~4/WhB7ny523oA" height="1" width="1"/>http://thepensivequill.am/2010/01/beadles-about.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4807238897188927967.post-3467501729165554555Fri, 22 Jan 2010 22:50:00 +00002010-01-22T22:55:47.179ZCartoonBrian MórHannibal Lechter CumannCartoon by Brian MórClick to enlarge http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bigmackers/~3/aZi-zIhKNCE/hannibal-lechter-cumann.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AM)12<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/bigmackers/~4/aZi-zIhKNCE" height="1" width="1"/>http://thepensivequill.am/2010/01/hannibal-lechter-cumann.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4807238897188927967.post-3802016206664480678Wed, 20 Jan 2010 22:51:00 +00002010-01-24T07:43:24.497ZArdoyne Child AbuseArdoyne Assault & BatteryThroughout the course of the Northern conflict Ardoyne was a reluctant host community to serious acts of political violence. It was so rich in source material that one of the outstanding early academic works providing serious insight into the mindset of the IRA and the relationship between it and the community centred on ‘the district’ as its inhabitants fondly term it. Frank Burton for some http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bigmackers/~3/LC2YwX9XL9M/ardoyne-assault-battery.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AM)9<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/bigmackers/~4/LC2YwX9XL9M" height="1" width="1"/>http://thepensivequill.am/2010/01/ardoyne-assault-battery.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4807238897188927967.post-6459028236568437983Mon, 18 Jan 2010 21:44:00 +00002010-01-19T02:15:00.918ZMs CahillBallymurphy Rapethe man who raped me, was nearly 40 and a prominent west Belfast IRA member ... I was frightened because of his position in the IRA and I didn't want to cause pain to my family. When I didn't speak out the first time, it set a pattern which I now deeply regret, but I was only 16 then – Ms Cahill.It made for harrowing reading. A young woman from West Belfast narrated to the Sunday Tribune her http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bigmackers/~3/uPTJlfCcWQI/ballymurphy-rape.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AM)7<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/bigmackers/~4/uPTJlfCcWQI" height="1" width="1"/>http://thepensivequill.am/2010/01/ballymurphy-rape.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4807238897188927967.post-4689747097764504713Sun, 17 Jan 2010 22:21:00 +00002010-01-18T20:19:29.155ZPeter RobinsonPantomime PoliticsKeeping the best wine to the last was not what Peter Robinson had in mind as the Christmas season drew to a close and the best political pantomime in years took to the stage, a little late but no less funny despite its lack of seasonality. Sinn Fein, in pursuit of parity of esteem, has not been willing to allow the DUP to have the silly season all to itself. It sent Mary Lou McDonald out to http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bigmackers/~3/zqfU5k4TEqw/pantomime-politics.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AM)2<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/bigmackers/~4/zqfU5k4TEqw" height="1" width="1"/>http://thepensivequill.am/2010/01/pantomime-politics.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4807238897188927967.post-6560485017948468120Sat, 16 Jan 2010 23:54:00 +00002010-01-16T23:57:33.678ZMary Lou McDonaldGerry + Liam AdamsLying For the Big LadWhile we might all wait on the latest Iris Robinson joke doing the rounds, in the case of Sinn Fein what we wait on is the next lie. They are as funny as Iris jokes, being as stupidly constructed as they are instantly beyond belief. Gerry Adams didn’t know his brother was in Andersonstown Sinn Fein until two days ago. Just as he didn’t know Niall Connolly of the Colombia 3 was a party member http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bigmackers/~3/9m-SY6EHNqk/lying-for-big-lad.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AM)2<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/bigmackers/~4/9m-SY6EHNqk" height="1" width="1"/>http://thepensivequill.am/2010/01/lying-for-big-lad.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4807238897188927967.post-1052752874107325082Fri, 15 Jan 2010 23:03:00 +00002010-01-15T23:04:36.352ZHaiti EarthquakeA Helping HandThere are some terrible scenes appearing on our TV screens from Haiti where an earthquake, the worst to hit the country in over 200 years, has devastated the capital Port au Prince. It seems the poorest countries or the poorest regions within rich countries suffer most from earthquakes, once termed class quakes because of how focussed they were. We know of course that earth quakes as natural http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bigmackers/~3/O88Ysgcit2M/helping-hand.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AM)5<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/bigmackers/~4/O88Ysgcit2M" height="1" width="1"/>http://thepensivequill.am/2010/01/helping-hand.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4807238897188927967.post-3613927050688043835Thu, 14 Jan 2010 22:43:00 +00002010-01-15T20:56:26.342ZPhysical Force RepublicanismFutile ContemptDespite repeated assurances by the Provisional IRA that it would never surrender, would never quit, would never give up one bullet or one ounce of explosive, would never be defeated, and that the armed struggle would continue so long as the goal of a united independent Ireland remain unrealised, it finally capitulated – Timothy ShanahanA week ago today in a gratuitous act of political violence a http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bigmackers/~3/E00A2WVNuM4/futile-contempt.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AM)8<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/bigmackers/~4/E00A2WVNuM4" height="1" width="1"/>http://thepensivequill.am/2010/01/futile-contempt.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4807238897188927967.post-4332383026309524476Mon, 11 Jan 2010 21:50:00 +00002010-01-11T21:56:25.845ZTommy McKearneyGuest WriterThe End of the Adams EraToday The Pensive Quill carries an article by guest writer Tommy McKearneyThe End of the Adams Era by Tommy McKearneyHowever reluctant he may be to go, Gerry Adams’s leadership of Sinn Fein is surely coming to an end. Having survived perilous times for over four decades, the Sinn Fein president is being brought down unexpectedly by a domestic issue not strictly of his own making. The Adams http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bigmackers/~3/wy_Hsqy9w_M/end-of-adams-era.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (AM)31<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/bigmackers/~4/wy_Hsqy9w_M" height="1" width="1"/>http://thepensivequill.am/2010/01/end-of-adams-era.html