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Soldiers Leaving Crossmaglen - Holding Heads High
by beano 
on 01 Apr 2007 at 14:27. Categories: News, Northern Ireland, PSNI, IRA, Republicans, Beano's Rants, Myths and Lies, Law & Order It was funny to watch republicans reach near orgasm over the withdrawal of the army from Crossmaglen following a job well done. Yesterday the last soldiers left the village Possibly the most amusing thing was the placard carried by some of the terrorist supporting rabble. "Intimidation, torture, murder" in capital letters adorned the middle. Ironically, that's exactly why the army were here for so long - to put an end to the IRA's campaign of, you guessed it, intimidation, torture and murder.
Now seems an appropriate time to thank all the soldiers who served here over the decades of the troubles, doing a difficult and often thankless job in even more difficult circumstances. I'm not sure I can imagine what it must be like leaving your family and friends with only the knowledge that you're doing it to protect innocent life to keep you going so thank you.
Follow up:
The IRA/Sinn Fein are trying to spin this as some kind of victory (the end the of "occupation" by "British Crown Forces") but they're deluding themselves. Northern Ireland is still British, the principle of consent is accepted and enshrined in law and the IRA have given up their armed campaign. Not ended, not concluded; given up. The fact that they will not apologise for the deaths (it was still a tactical mistake, not a moral one remember) supports the view that there is no way they'd have abandoned the 'struggle' if they thought they'd any hope of success therefore one can only conclude they've been roundly defeated.
The police no longer need the support of the army and that's good news. We still don't quite have normal policing here as in other areas of the UK, or even Europe, as evidenced by the petrol bomb attack on the police the same day the soldiers were leaving, and Unionists are understandably worried that security 'normalisation' is proceeding prematurely. I'd probably be a little uneasy if I lived in the area myself but truth be told there currently seems little likelihood of a return to the widespread violence that brought the army here in the first place. The police seem to feel that they can cope with the situation on their own now. For that reason I encourage Unionists to be cautiously optimistic over these moves, if not quite celebratory. The police in Finchley don't need regular army support, and we all know the old saying. 
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32 comments
Good riddance to bad rubbish.
I can tell you feel the "union" is safe!
I can tell you feel the "union" is safe!
01 Apr 2007 @ 15:38
Comment from: Paul [Visitor]
"Good riddance to bad rubbish"'
JG
You don't belong to one of the remaining Protestant families left in South Armagh, ask them how grateful they are for the British army's presence in the area during the Troubles.
The local "brigade" of the IRA were one of the most sectarian in the whole organisation and without the army presence, it's more than likely Protestants would have been completely "cleansed" from the area.
JG
You don't belong to one of the remaining Protestant families left in South Armagh, ask them how grateful they are for the British army's presence in the area during the Troubles.
The local "brigade" of the IRA were one of the most sectarian in the whole organisation and without the army presence, it's more than likely Protestants would have been completely "cleansed" from the area.
02 Apr 2007 @ 14:30
Sorry Paul, but I don't welcome foreign soldiers to Ireland.
The record of your "boys" is shameful and I'm glad they're gone.
The record of your "boys" is shameful and I'm glad they're gone.
02 Apr 2007 @ 20:28
Comment from: Paul [Visitor]
They are soldiers from my country, so if they're "foreign" in your book, then so am I.
The IRA in those parts also regarded the local unionists as foreign and without the army being there, more Protestants in South Armagh and the other border counties would have been dead- the majority local nationalist population were very reticent at reining "your boys" in after Teebane, Kingsmill, Darkley.
The IRA in those parts also regarded the local unionists as foreign and without the army being there, more Protestants in South Armagh and the other border counties would have been dead- the majority local nationalist population were very reticent at reining "your boys" in after Teebane, Kingsmill, Darkley.
02 Apr 2007 @ 21:07
Comment from: Cross person [Visitor]
The army were no help whatsoever to Protestants in Crossmaglen, indeed by stirring up tension they endangered them. If the IRA in Crossmaglen were the most sectarian, as stated above, then who did they attack there? Please don't give examples of attacks in Keady, Markethill or some other place.
02 Apr 2007 @ 22:29
Are there any Protestants left in Crossmaglen? I was under the impression the base there was used as a base for a large chunk of south Armagh.
02 Apr 2007 @ 23:07
Comment from: CJ [Visitor]
"Please don't give examples of attacks in Keady, Markethill or some other place."
"Please don't...", When translated from Republican to standard English roughly translates as: "You'll shut up ya Hun b*stards if ya know whats good for ya"
"Please don't...", When translated from Republican to standard English roughly translates as: "You'll shut up ya Hun b*stards if ya know whats good for ya"
03 Apr 2007 @ 02:17
Comment from: Paul [Visitor]
If the IRA in Crossmaglen were the most sectarian, as stated above, then who did they attack there?
Very few protestants live in Crossmaglen, but read my post again, I said the local IRA, the South Armagh Brigade of the IRA
And according to your logic, local republicans attacked and murdered their protestant neighbours simply because the British army where there. The teachings of Wolfe-Tone not filtered down that neck of the woods yet?
Please don't give examples of attacks in Keady, Markethill or some other place.
Why? Embarrassed at how sectarian the provos could really be when "stirred"?
Very few protestants live in Crossmaglen, but read my post again, I said the local IRA, the South Armagh Brigade of the IRA
And according to your logic, local republicans attacked and murdered their protestant neighbours simply because the British army where there. The teachings of Wolfe-Tone not filtered down that neck of the woods yet?
Please don't give examples of attacks in Keady, Markethill or some other place.
Why? Embarrassed at how sectarian the provos could really be when "stirred"?
03 Apr 2007 @ 13:02
Well done "boys"
http://emmamcdon.blogspot.com/2007/04/obit.html
http://emmamcdon.blogspot.com/2007/04/obit.html
03 Apr 2007 @ 19:28
Comment from: Paul [Visitor]
JG
I could fling a few more links back at you about some of your heroes' exploits over the years, but what's the point?
From Dublin it must seem all so simple;
IRA fight the honest struggle against the British oppressors and if a few orange bastards got slugged along the way for being in the way, the ends justified the means?
Ever spoken to any Border Protestants who lived through the Troubles? They'll tell you how grateful they were that the British army was there to protect them.
I could fling a few more links back at you about some of your heroes' exploits over the years, but what's the point?
From Dublin it must seem all so simple;
IRA fight the honest struggle against the British oppressors and if a few orange bastards got slugged along the way for being in the way, the ends justified the means?
Ever spoken to any Border Protestants who lived through the Troubles? They'll tell you how grateful they were that the British army was there to protect them.
04 Apr 2007 @ 11:18
Comment from: Cross person [Visitor]
"Please don't...", When translated from Republican to standard English roughly translates as: "You'll shut up ya Hun b*stards if ya know whats good for ya"
Please don't in this case meant nothing of the sort, it meant please argue the specific point about the benefit of the army base in Crossmaglen, not whether atrocities took place elsewhere, which is indisputable. Which sectarian attacks took place in the area under the control of the Crossmaglen army base?
Please don't in this case meant nothing of the sort, it meant please argue the specific point about the benefit of the army base in Crossmaglen, not whether atrocities took place elsewhere, which is indisputable. Which sectarian attacks took place in the area under the control of the Crossmaglen army base?
04 Apr 2007 @ 22:31
You presume a lot, Paul.
04 Apr 2007 @ 23:14
Comment from: Paul [Visitor]
JG
Your simplistic interpretation of the situation indicates someone who hasn't much contact with the protestant community in NI, am I wrong in that presumption?
Your simplistic interpretation of the situation indicates someone who hasn't much contact with the protestant community in NI, am I wrong in that presumption?
05 Apr 2007 @ 07:27
Having been a British oppressor myself though I saw it as protecting my home and family in Ulster I say well done to the troops, the job is good un. The baby killers oh sorry the IRA have given up and have been denounced for the scum they are by their own people.
Ireland doesn't want Ulster nor does Britain and I can't really say I blame them.
Ireland doesn't want Ulster nor does Britain and I can't really say I blame them.
10 Apr 2007 @ 19:14
Comment from: Marty [Visitor]
Come off it everyone knows that Protestants move out of Catholic and mixed areas cause they're too hateful to live near Catholics. They're even moving out of safe middle class parts of Belfast which have seen little in the way of sectarian coflict and retresting to bitchy little towns like Ballyclare Carrick Comber Lisburn etc to live happily ever after in the delusion that they're in a sleepy English town with apple pies, rosy cheeked kids and a town hall with a union jack outside it
11 Apr 2007 @ 20:49
Comment from: damien scally [Visitor]
i love the way unionest people of the north call themselfs brits do they not know by now that the brits dont want the north what we see now is the 1st stages of the brits pulling out it will take a while but over the next 10 yrs there will be big changes in the 6 counties and as for that person that called the ira baby killers when ye fix yer own croud thats when you can comment on yours ye are always fast to point the finger and slow to take the blame yer croud murdered raped and burned people out of there homes and then ye ask why the ira done what they done
13 Apr 2007 @ 15:36
I get the impression you know very little about Northern Ireland or the people there who "call themselves" Brits, damien.
You know a lot about "the Brits" from the Republic do you? And who exactly do you mean by "our lot"?
You know a lot about "the Brits" from the Republic do you? And who exactly do you mean by "our lot"?
13 Apr 2007 @ 15:47
Comment from: Paul [Visitor]
"bitchy little towns like Ballyclare Carrick Comber Lisburn etc to live happily ever after in the delusion that they're in a sleepy English town with apple pies, rosy cheeked kids and a town hall with a union jack outside it "
Obviously never been to Comber Marty, big shortage of apple pies and rosy cheeked kids. T
he only great population movements of Protestants in NI (check the 1973 and 2001 censuses) was from the areas near the border and the peaceline in Belfast and Londonderry.
Was it because those protestants were particularly "hateful" do you think, or was it just possibly the fear of getting a bullet in the head or a petrol bomb through their window from their Republican neighbours?
Obviously never been to Comber Marty, big shortage of apple pies and rosy cheeked kids. T
he only great population movements of Protestants in NI (check the 1973 and 2001 censuses) was from the areas near the border and the peaceline in Belfast and Londonderry.
Was it because those protestants were particularly "hateful" do you think, or was it just possibly the fear of getting a bullet in the head or a petrol bomb through their window from their Republican neighbours?
15 Apr 2007 @ 21:16
Comment from: Wha Wadna Fecht for Charlie [Visitor]
“everyone knows that Protestants move out of Catholic and mixed areas cause they're too hateful to live near Catholics.”
Probably had you as a neighbour! There only seems to be one hateful person here. Given the choice of living in an area where being spat at was the norm, house and car vandalised was acceptable, the wife verbally abused in the street for being an orange lover, or living in ‘bitchy Comber’ - I know where I prefer. Oh, but I forgot, only prods are hateful.
Probably had you as a neighbour! There only seems to be one hateful person here. Given the choice of living in an area where being spat at was the norm, house and car vandalised was acceptable, the wife verbally abused in the street for being an orange lover, or living in ‘bitchy Comber’ - I know where I prefer. Oh, but I forgot, only prods are hateful.
18 Apr 2007 @ 17:04
i served 3, 6 months tour in the province and it is such a shame all the troubles have spoilt a lovely country, stop the bitching and i would be very proud if there was no more violence i lost a close friend called paul turner in crossmaglen square off an ira sniper bullet fired from the grave yard so come on end it for good
25 Jan 2008 @ 22:04
Ironically, that's exactly why the army came in - to put an end to the IRA's campaign of, you guessed it, intimidation, torture and murder.
Actually the army moved in in 1969 before the creation of the Provisional IRA.
Actually the army moved in in 1969 before the creation of the Provisional IRA.
27 Jan 2008 @ 21:06
1. The Provos split from the Officials in 1969.
2. I didn't specifiy the Provos.
The army were not there for no reason.
2. I didn't specifiy the Provos.
The army were not there for no reason.
28 Jan 2008 @ 10:40
The Provisional Army Council of the IRA was formed in December 1969, four months after the introduction of the British Army into the North. The rest of the movement split in 1970. There was barely an IRA presence in the North before the formation of the Provisional Army Council, hence the graffiti in West Belfast at the time was IRA = I Ran Away. The IRA barely existed at the time and Cathal Goulding, the Chief of Staff of the IRA had ordered the arms dumps to be locked. So whatever IRA existed at the time, it wasn't armed. It wasn't until 1970 that the Provos started their campaign.
The Army was introduced in August 1969 after the B-Men and the RUC had killed 7 Catholics, injured 700 and burnt 1500 out of their homes. They were not brought in because of IRA activity.
Get your facts right before you make nonsensical remarks.
The Army was introduced in August 1969 after the B-Men and the RUC had killed 7 Catholics, injured 700 and burnt 1500 out of their homes. They were not brought in because of IRA activity.
Get your facts right before you make nonsensical remarks.
28 Jan 2008 @ 16:10
My apologies, you're right, a schoolboy error (quite literally since part of our history in school was that one of the aims of bringing the army to NI was to protect Catholics from loyalist mobs). I'll amend the opening paragraph shortly.
28 Jan 2008 @ 17:08
Thank You, but I'll still disagree with you on the opening paragraph, but me still disagreeing is more about political opinion than history.
28 Jan 2008 @ 20:24
i spent 6 months in xmg in 93/94 and left behind one of my best mates danny blinco MURDERED by the brave boys in south armagh pira,shot from over the border. both danny & i came from second generation irish catholic families in working class comunities, niether of us had any beef with the provos, just wrong place, wrong time i suppose. i still miss him & always will. funny thing is i still miss crossmaglen, despite the violence i saw i also saw beauty & met some really nice people, cromwells got a lot answer for! RIP Danny.
20 Feb 2008 @ 20:12
Comment from: cross lad [Visitor]
big nick... sorry for your loss. I'm sure you all just wanted to do ur tour and get home. I know you no more wanted to be hear than any locals wanted army there.
hopefully is all over now.
hopefully is all over now.
02 Mar 2008 @ 01:30
Comment from: sean [Visitor]
its over thank god.....now all we have to wait for is a united ireland....the moves are in motion....when will unionists understand yous arent wanted in the union.....its over
09 Aug 2009 @ 19:36
Comment from: crossmaglen man [Visitor]
Dear paul you obviously are woffling...if you did your homework correctly you would clearly see that the SA Brigade only ever killed 10 protestants on purpose in whtecrosswas only beacause of the loyalist death squads were killing innocent random catholics
05 Nov 2009 @ 22:18
Comment from: Pat [Visitor]
I never understood how the Provos expected to achieve a united Ireland by murdering people from the majority community in N.I.,the very people that they needed to persuade the benefits of leaving the Union and joining the R.O.I.
Though to be fair there was never very much chance of that bearing in mind the unthinking hatred many Prods had/have to all things Catholic and Republican.
The only thing I can think is that the Nationalists hoped that they could ethnic cleanse N.I. of the Ulstermen if they could get the Brits to give up the ghost.
Any Brit political party who would even consider this would be swiftly be voted out of office,and we all know what lengths politicians of any country will go to to keep their cushy jobs.
Any chance of the Brits losing their nerve through soldiers being killed is demonstrably unworkable given the large numbers of dead and wounded that they have taken in Iraq and Afghanistan.
And the Brit civilian population,unlike the Americans during Vietnam,have as oft times before united in solidarity behind their forces,what ever their opinions on the justification of any war/police action/peace keeping mission that their soldiers have been committed to.
Having experienced terrorism at first hand now the Americans no longer have the rose coloured glasses that convert killing civilians of the wrong religion into exploits similar to those of the French resistance,so theres going to be no support there.
The Provos never had a chance to achieve their aims in the first place by terrorising civilians, and definitely zilcho for the forseeable future.
All they achieved was to get a good many good, honest Irish civilians killed by Protestant scum terrorists and shame the name of Irish people before the world.
Many people hope that the troubles will never,ever resume.
Though to be fair there was never very much chance of that bearing in mind the unthinking hatred many Prods had/have to all things Catholic and Republican.
The only thing I can think is that the Nationalists hoped that they could ethnic cleanse N.I. of the Ulstermen if they could get the Brits to give up the ghost.
Any Brit political party who would even consider this would be swiftly be voted out of office,and we all know what lengths politicians of any country will go to to keep their cushy jobs.
Any chance of the Brits losing their nerve through soldiers being killed is demonstrably unworkable given the large numbers of dead and wounded that they have taken in Iraq and Afghanistan.
And the Brit civilian population,unlike the Americans during Vietnam,have as oft times before united in solidarity behind their forces,what ever their opinions on the justification of any war/police action/peace keeping mission that their soldiers have been committed to.
Having experienced terrorism at first hand now the Americans no longer have the rose coloured glasses that convert killing civilians of the wrong religion into exploits similar to those of the French resistance,so theres going to be no support there.
The Provos never had a chance to achieve their aims in the first place by terrorising civilians, and definitely zilcho for the forseeable future.
All they achieved was to get a good many good, honest Irish civilians killed by Protestant scum terrorists and shame the name of Irish people before the world.
Many people hope that the troubles will never,ever resume.
21 Dec 2009 @ 19:02
Comment from: mark newman [Visitor]
Lads, I am from america, yes. My grandfather was from schull, county cork. I went to Ireland with him several times up until his death and I still continue to visit.His mothers end of the family were from Belfast.I have come to love all of Ireland for the beautiful majestic and culturally distinct land that it is and I am so thankful to have it as a part of my heritage. I am in favor of a united Ireland, yes.I tend to support the Eire Nua form so that all sides of every community can have a voice and have their views represented. My heart is broken for tension the Brits have caused and for all sectarian tensions that have been created. But I dont feel any part of Ireland should be governed by another country. I want all protestants to know that their culture is a very important part of Irish history and culture. From the plantations, to the Orange Order, to Ulster-Scots, to being an Ulsterman, everything. For the fact that it goes back centuries, it isnt anything new, it is a big part of Ireland. It can never be denied how much British culture and legacy has had on Ireland. I dont see nothing wrong with anyone identifying with it. But also, I like to see it as a part of overall degree of irishness. But also, I do feel that as long as Britain remains in Ireland in some militaristic or governmental form, than they will always stir up tension between communities and will do little or nothing to ensure a lasting peace because people will always resist their presence as history has shown. I do hope one day, they leave Ireland forever and catholics, protestants, and non-religious people can embrace eachother is common countryman governing themselves as a single cohesive thriving nation.
Mark
Mark
31 Dec 2009 @ 19:03
Comment from: original dolls [Visitor] · http://www.originaldolls.net
This is a great idea.
12 Jan 2010 @ 03:40
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