Irish difficulties with the Poppy

Discussion in 'General' started by Gerard, Oct 30, 2008.

  1. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

  2. Sheldrake

    Sheldrake All over the place....

    Much is made of the Poppy as a symbol of Remembrance of those who served and suffered in the world wars. However the Royal British Legion is a British service charity. It is not a neutral body.
    The funds raised by the sale of poppies are to help members of the Royal Navy, British Army, Royal Air Force, veterans and their families. That includes those who fought against the IRA between 1919 and 1921 and in the more recent troubles. The Legion will do its best to support servicemen and families if they were convicted of some illegal act not covered by the Good Friday Agreement.

    It does not include those who were part of the IRA or any civilians who had no connection to the British forces, nor any other former enemies of Britain.

    If you want to burn a symbol of the British armed forces it is easier to obtain a poppy wreath than a parachute regiment flag.
     
  3. Sheldrake

    Sheldrake All over the place....

    It is complicated and people are not aware of their own history. A decade ago I worked for the Royal British Legion's travel department. Received an email from a woman in Northern Ireland. Her question. Did we take Catholics enquiring on our pilgrimages to the Western Front? She had been doing some family research into her staunch nationalist husband's family. He had been horrified to find that one of his great uncles had died as a British soldier. A little bit of research established that he was an early casualty from a unit in 16th Irish Division and could reassure her that her husband's relative had been an Irish nationalist, National Volunteer. These are the fellas written out of history.

    Might Ireland have been more peaceful if the Home Rule Bill had been passed? Or perhaps without the Easter Rising? The Irish and Ulster Divisions were Irish society in uniform. Jack Seely, the unionist politician wrote that the experience of working with the National Volunteers of the 167th Division had brought a much better understanding between the politicians in uniform. Had Home Rule been delivered in 1918 it might have been workable. But we will never know.
     
  4. Grasmere

    Grasmere Well-Known Member

    You either want to wear a poppy or you don't, it's your choice.
     
  5. m kenny

    m kenny Senior Member

    If all are to be marked by the actions of a few then how about the recent riot in Trafalgar Square........................

    Trafalgar square Para flag.jpg
     

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