RobJenks

The IRA caused 112 civilian deaths and 863 injuries as a result of their bombing campaign (over 30 separate incidents) in England during the 70's 80's and 90's.
This terrorism was funded in part by Irish sympathisers in Boston in the good old USA.
Collection boxes were freely thrust into your face for contributions destined to fund terrorism in the UK-Not a place to be if you were British.

Midlife......

iTrader: (2)

British Army tanks and guns come to take away our sons but every man will stand behind The Men Behind the Wire....was a popular tune to sing in some US bars

Shaun

dpb

Didn't ira source guns off of the Chechnyans?

Truss

iTrader: (2)

As above; obviously Boston has a big connection with Ireland and the potential funding of the IRA, but where do these brothers from Chechnya come into this equation?

markjmd

iTrader: (11)

Absolutely nowhere. Mentioning the IRA in the context of the Marathon attack is no more relevant than mentioning the Battle of Lexington (yes, the one that happened 240-odd years ago, but just happened to be in roughly the same area).

That won't of course stop the usual suspects from flooding the internet with yet more conspiracy theory drivel, but hey-ho, that would be like asking the sun to stop shining or the wind to stop blowing

Paben

iTrader: (5)

I didn't understand the original post that way, instead I thought it was noting the irony. For many years factions in the USA, such as Noraid, funded the IRA. The IRA were regarded there as freedom fighters, to be supported against the British invader regardless of the many deaths and injuries caused to innocent people, and ignoring the minor detail that Northern Ireland is itself British.

The USA has itself suffered terribly from terrorism, now again in Boston. I would guess IRA support there has dropped off somewhat.

Maz

iTrader: (34)

I think the irony was lost on everyone. I think the op was suggesting that what goes around comes around. It may not be in the best taste but there is an element of truth in it.

zip106

Only an 8 year old kid has probably never even heard of the IRA or 'the struggles'...

Midlife......

iTrader: (2)

True Zip, but as someone who lived under the fear of IRA bombing on the mainland, had myself searched in London in the 80's and heard the Manchester bomb go off it all strikes a note........

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ken-heart.html

Shaun

fastmike

iTrader: (4)

One mans terrorist is another mans freedom fighter

SRSport

Been watching Die Another Day recently?

GlesgaKiss

Targeting civilians who are already free = terrorism.

Boro

iTrader: (1)

Depends on your definition of free.

RA Dunk

True, people seem to forget we the British (well namely the army) were causing havoc in Ireland long before the Irish caused havoc here. Do people tend to ignore this or just turn a blind eye to it?

GlesgaKiss

What does that have to do with intentionally blowing up innocent people to 'send a message'?

GlesgaKiss

What does?

RA Dunk

Ask the OP he mentioned the IRA not me, all I did was say we weren't exactly blameless in all of it TBH.

zip106

Causing havoc?

Just why did the British Army go into Ireland?

hodgy0_2

ironically enough to protect the Catholic population

they were initially seen as a neutral force by both sides

Boro

iTrader: (1)

As westerners, are we actually free?

Or, do we just "think" we are?

We work to buy the things we have been conditioned to want/need.

Do we need to work? Do we need to have the latest gadgets, biggest house, nicest car?

Personally, I think we've all been turned into wage slaves.

RA Dunk

'Initially' being the key word here.

We can dress this up anyway we like and keep this thread going for days on end but at the end of the day two wrongs don't make a right TBH.

RA Dunk

Are we free? are we hell, far from it. We're not as 'controlled' as some places like NK but I don't think were truely(sp) free TBH.

Even our freedom of speech seems to be eroding somewhat.

AndyBaker

Spot on Einstein, I was beginning to think that it was me. Nobody thinks that the IRA has **** all to do with Boston just that they now hopefully get it and next time anybody comes round with a collection tin they might just stuff it up someone's arsehole.

RA Dunk

Are they even still active? The IRA?

Paben

iTrader: (5)

The thread's back on track. Bostonians, it's not so damned amusing when the biter is bitten. Sympathy to all the innocent folk that suffered though.

wrx9181

iTrader: (2)

This thread makes my blood boil
Our country invaded most of the world killing raping plundering the country's and have freed most of our conquests.
To say a city deserves to be bombed because some people in a city did this or that is rediculas and what do WE deserve then!

mrmadcap

Consider it a free education.

Paben

iTrader: (5)

Boil away then buddy. I served three tours of duty in the Province during the 70s and 80s, had comrades killed and severely wounded by weapons provided in no small part by our American 'friends'. I'm not celebrating the Boston bombing, far from it, only noting the harsh irony. And if you hate our country and its history then that's your problem.

ericooper

Yes, very much so, the IRA as we knw it no, they had a cease fire in the mid 2000s, many old boys went quiet, many didnt, felt let down by seinfien and set up splinter groups, these groups have become mre popular with youngsters, splinter groups such as ONH, RIRA and i belive PIRA but in a different form to b4 are very active, even believed to colaberate now where as in the 70-90s there was a lot internal unrest.

RA Dunk

Haven't heard of them for long enough now so wasn't sure TBH. Havent heard of much happening in NI for a while now, hopefully things are starting to quiet down a bit?