The season of goodwill didn’t have a good one yesterday.
I have to admit that I didn’t think that the Guardian would ever have this headline.
The prominent anti-Brexit lawyer had told twitter that he had started his day by killing a fox.
When I had seen his tweet I first thought it was a sideways swipe at the fox hunting set.
Apparently, not.
Indeed he initially believed that his admission on Twitter would not elicit the angry response that duly followed.
Then there was this rather strange apology.
Just what his opposition to factory farming has to do with him beating a defenceless animal to death with a baseball bat rather eludes me.
Then there was this:
For those who are not au fait with that parish, this was a seriously misjudged Tweet.
During the Northern war, Crossmaglen was the most dangerous place that the British Army could send one of their soldiers.
Many of them did not see out their tour of duty without becoming a casualty in a war that Britain denied was actually happening.
The British Army was up against guerrilla superstars in Crossmaglen.
In South Armagh, the IRA Volunteers operated with a degree of freedom there that was never available to other units in the Six Counties.
Of course, they could only do so because they had the support of the local community.
In many ways, South Armagh resembled the classic “liberated zone” in other revolutionary conflicts.
Therefore, the PSNI chap almost certainly knew what he was doing by posing for a tough guy selfie there.
If he didn’t then he is hopelessly out of his depth in a very important public post in the Northern Statelet.
Just like the QC with the baseball bat the Crossmaglen selfie drew a quick response on Twitter.
Frantically backpedalling the English chief constable of the PSNI issued this statement.
However, the PR damage was already done.
The reality is that it was a huge leap of faith for Republicans and the wider nationalist community in the North to accept the PSNI.
After the Patten reforms, it was imperative that they were not just the good ol RUC with a lick of paint.
With all things in the Six Counties optics are crucially important to build confidence.
Therefore, posing in Crossmaglen tooled up with assault rifles doesn’t help.
Sinn Féin was quick to issue a statement.
I suspect that the Chief Constable chap will soon have an uncomfortable sit down with this fella.
The Englishman has much learning to do and Conor will be an excellent tutor.
As for the Queen’s Counsel in the kimono standing over a dead fox while holding a baseball bat.
Really, I don’t know where to start.
I spoke with a neighbour about all this craic as I passed by his place on my walk today:
“The Brits are a mystery to me…” he said.
I’m afraid that I have to concur with my neighbour…
Discover more from Phil Mac Giolla Bháin
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Sadly if you have better players…you need them to turn up and do their job.
Once again, however, our ” Tanner baw’ ” players let us down miserably…and we deserved nothing from the game.
Lenny has to realise that Sevco have us by the short and curlies in this fixture …and he’ll need to address it.
We just don’t have the physicality…and… I suspect….the mentality to compete with them.
They hunt in packs…chase us down…and generally win most of the 50/50s…and that’s not good enough from us.
I’ve long argued with my mates about the merits of James Forrest…and today,he,once again proved me right.
An absolute shocker from our most over-rated player….but he’s Lenny’s favourite…so to Hell with the performance.
Forrest plays when it suits him….and today he was a disgrace.
Now we’ll have to suffer a sycophantic Scottish Media telling us how good Sevco are and how they can only lose the Title.
Sadly…based on our recent performances…they might be right.
Over to you Lenny.
PS: This isn’t a knee-jerk reaction to a defeat…I think most of us thought it might happen.
Just back home from dropping my Grandson off at the Stadium…good luck son.
Two mates have joined me in the house (Tory austerity has cost them their Season Books) so we’ll settle back and watch the team hopefully prevail.
Those who know me will confirm that I have never been confident in this fixture…( 60 years later ).. I wish it was different…but it ain’t.
I’ll end by saying, however, that if the team with the better players wins matches…then we will.
‘Mon the Hoops.
He’s not the Chief Constable; he’s a very naughty boy!
https://www.londonfoxcontrol.uk.com/
Trapping and dispatching problematic urban foxes is legal.
I suppose no one in Ireland has ever killed a fox? Several hundred were probably killed today across the country.
Everyone in Northern Ireland from all traditions and tribes need to get behind PSNI and support their police force. PSNI operate in particularly difficult circumstances.
Sadly police officers carrying modern semi automatic rifles is commonplace throughout the UK. NI is no different in this respect.
The fact they carry weapons daily but cannot be seen on the Internet carrying a weapon is clearly faux outrage by some. A faux outrage by those who probably celebrate seeing images of violent terrorists in black ski masks carrying similar weapons.
The police of course have apologised. The real question should be why are police officers in crossmaglen, 20 years after the good Friday agreement, still required to be so armed? Who are the bad people there forcing this necessity?
I recently read statistics for terror groups in NI knee capping by firearms upon civilians. It’s horrific this continues and in such numbers. Punishment shootings, punishment killings, punishment injury with crow bars, hammers, etc… when will it end? Because none of that is anything to do with a United ireland. It’s simple criminality.
https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/film/why-a-derry-mother-took-her-son-to-be-kneecapped-1.3432488?mode=amp
https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/Belfast-Man-Kneecapped-Violence-Grows-Amid-Irish-Border-Dispute-20190822-0006.html
In such circumstance PSNI need effective firearms to protect communities and they don’t need to apologise for it.
I don’t think we should exaggerate the need for armed police to patrol the streets of Britain. Armed Police can be summoned to support any colleague who requires their assistance. We don’t need an open show of weapons anywhere to underpin the role of the Police.Beyond that while foxes are no doubt killed by farmers and others out of considered necessity, it is a settled conclusion that the average sane person in the UK who does not play baseball will not have a baseball bat close to hand to conveniently dispatch a trapped animal. It is wrong if a person keeps a baseball bat close at hand….such behaviour is abnormal.
He keeps free range chickens as a foil to cruel battery farming. Foxes are killing his chickens. He is a poultry farmer therefore destroying a problematic fox.
I can’t see an apology anywhere, Pat – can you point out where it is?
What I can see is a justification and explanation with no sense of the surrounding dynamics.
Anyone with any knowledge of Byrne will tell you he is a horrible man.
I actually live in Crossmaglen. This faux outrage pish is probably setting most of us into a bigger rage. Crossmaglen isn’t Derry! Or lurgan! It’s a small farming town filled with friendly country people. The reality is that there has been zero issues in Crossmaglen for the guts of 20 years. They didn’t apologise at all. They doubled down on their position. They have set back relations 20 years with one tweet. If you had any clue about Crossmaglen you would know this. Imagine if he had of been snapped wishing the people of Crossmaglen a merry Christmas as they went to mass? I’d be giving him a backslap. Do you see my point?
Instead he chose to travel from Newry, on Christmas day, to an empty fortress that needs rebuilt to pose in the same style as the RUC 30 years ago. With scopes that could take out Martians. They travelled in a 10 strong convoy, hopped out to take the picture and left without even speaking to a local. It was a big eff you to Crossmaglen. They may as well have said “look at us lads, the infamous xmg”. No doubt a photo for his mates back in England. The only time the Police are out in Crossmaglen is in convoys. I’ve never once seen a cop walk through Crossmaglen or pop into a shop to buy a sandwich. They are firmly living in the past.
I guess it doesn’t really matter though, they will be the gardai within the decade.
Slan
Scots civvie , worked in Crossmaglen for two years in the early 2000….great place and local people very warm and welcoming. I suppose this is what happens when you treat people with respect.
This post is spot on.
I did the”Barucki Dash” in the mid 90’s as a young man Serving in the Forces.
You came out that door ( behind the numpties) ,turned a sharp right and sprinted flat out down the Cullaville Road towards the Main Square and the relative safety of the Barucki Sanger.
Even the chunkiest of Serving men could match Linford Christie for speed doing this action.
Amazing what fear can do to a man when confronting it.
Even then Crossmaglen was a decent Town with nice folk who were only too happy to offer you some advice about keeping yer head down or be expecting a wee message over the fence line.
It was a dangerous place though and definitely not one to take lightly.
I once received and survived one of these messages over the fence in the shape of a MK15 Barrack Buster.
The message was received and duly understood.
These numpties are evidently posing for pictures to show their families back home just how brave they are.
Brave is not swanning round in front of the SF Base brandishing weapons in a time of relative peace and quiet no brave is being Bombed within an inch of your life one day then getting up the next to do it all over again regardless of the consequences.
That’s the tough part and I can assure anyone reading that isn’t easy.
I/we should never have been there of course and these issues should never have existed but the fact is I was and I for one hope and pray that Ireland will become one again soon then the Police can patrol as normal in Ireland without the need or necessity to be armed.
The sooner everyone lays down their arms the better.
Only then will any sense of normality be achieved.
Those who romanticise about the Troubles are very rarely to ever have been involved in them.
No matter which side you were on the fact remains it was bloody and brutal.
Things were done in the name of cause that were beyond justification and ALL SIDES have innocent blood on their hands in that regard.
Peace will be the victor in the end and hopefully all those who have fought and died for that can finally rest and relax.
Meanwhile a Happy New Year to you and those who reside in that Border Town.
Your day will inevitably come.
I will raise a glass when it does.
https://youtu.be/upAQA_r9STI
It’s not empty. It’s Crossmaglen Police Station bud.
It’s customary for senior police officers to visit remote police stations on Christmas Day. So nothing new there. Isn’t two of the four from inside the station?
Get the point about posing with firearms. Go on google maps street view and spot all the murals on walls with rifles all over NI. Is it not time for those to be painted out too then?
Are you implying police officers are safe to patrol around crossmaglen unnarmed on foot now? Go to the shop, pub and church without risk?
Are you implying PSNI have got their risk levels all wrong and can live in houses in the community with wives and children?
If so, I’ll quite happily come there and be the local bobby, (support CELTIC and attend mass. As I do here).
I think the truth is that all NI is still dangerous for all police officers. People must be less judgemental, forgiving of cock ups and focus on the greater good, building the peaceful future. Sometimes the police have a lack of judgement and insensitivity.
I was hoping you’d broke cover with your slant on some inspirational festive tale to warm our hearts, alas,we have this sorry story.No one should be surprised at this,maybe,they’ve not being paying attention!
In 2020 We can live in hope,but,in reality,it’ll almost certainly bring more of the same.SAD;a different type to your ailment Phil,both equally unwelcome.
TAL🇮🇪
Still shitting themselves every time they clock in.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8V3AEgStKvE
Proof positive that the collective noun for Twitter users is TWATS!