This young man had forgotten to hide his face during the 'counter-protest'. Luckily, a local Footlocker had been looted and there were no shortage of Celtic tops.

It's taken a day or two for things to sink in and, unsurprisingly, Republican internet warriors have been out in force, equivocating, excusing and explaining away the disgraceful scenes witnessed in Dublin on Saturday.

Here's a few choice excerpts from the blogosphere over the last couple of days.

1. The damn prods deserved it
"We all know that the whole 'Love Ulster' enterprise is nothing but a cover for Unionist death squads and so-called 'innocent victims'". Balrog

I still can't take anyone seriously when they use the term "Unionist death squads." Sorry. That phrase itself betrays the agenda behind the rest of the statement.

"Were (or were not) Jeffrey Donaldson and Willie Frazer travelling on this jaunt in the company of Loyalist marching bands?" Right here at EU

Because that makes attacking and destroying people and things ok. It's ironic, Loyalist marching bands in Dublin, just walking about the place playing some tunes, while "Republicans" tear up their beloved nation's capital.

Follow up:

2. Themuns were big bigots and deserved it
"Use your loaf - FAIR is a PROTESTANT ONLY victims group, ... Loyalist flute bands arent known for their cross community work."
Comment from Slugger O'Toole

First of all, as far as I know FAIR is a victims group for IRA victims. Largely Protestant, probably. I don't think exclusion of Catholic victims of the IRA is part of their agenda though, but I'm no authority on FAIR. There's not much cross-community Irish Dancing or GAA either, but that's not what makes them wrong!

3. No Huns about the place!
"no room for a 'british garrison' in a united ireland. pass the word.", "they came to provoke" and "no orange feet on o'connell street!" just 3 gems from comments on indymedia.

I don't think I need to comment on that. Incidentally, that RTE reporter who was attacked - Orange bastard, he deserved it too.

Meanwhile, United Irelander, while insisting republicans have nothing to be embarrassed about, thinks the march shouldn't have been allowed to go ahead. I believe what he's proposing amounts to mob rule myself.

4. They were all Nordies - Southerners are too enlightened for that
"We have received a warm welcome from ordinary Dubliners, but its clear these republicans have come from north of the border and other areas intent only on causing trouble." Jeffrey Donaldson

Oops. I could have well believed that, but apparently all those charged by the Garda so far have been from Dublin. No doubt there were a few Brendan McKenna's and so on who travelled down to Dublin to be offended, but it seems there are a few Southerners who would prefer less Orange on their flag and certainly in their city.

According to reports some dickheads in the crowd taking part in the march were also exploiting the opportunity to wave a UDA banner (until police told them to catch themselves on), and if that's the case that's a completely shameful occurrence. In fact I hope that sort of thing is treated as incitement to hatred under the new laws coming in.

But the blame game detracts from the real issue. Like these people or not (and on most issues I don't agree with them), as long as their protest is peaceful there is no reason, excuse or equivocation for lobbing bricks and missiles at the police. Thankfully, not all nationalist commentators were quite so blinkered as those above.

Watch the video and I'll let Reg Empey sum up what happened.

"What was intended to be a very modest demonstration to draw to the attention of the people of the Republic the suffering of the victims of republican violence was met with a highly organised and vicious response by republicans who wanted to conceal from the people the results of their 30 years of terror."

Update
One more from Wikipedia's talk page:

"I congratulate the Irish patriots who took on the Anglo-Scotch colonist riff-raff and the traitors who run the British Municipality of Ireland to uphold Ireland's self-respect. I hope that they grow strong enough some day to take out the traitors completely and to reclaim the North from the Prot (sic) vermin. Go for it!!! Goan patriots salute you!!"
El Cid