Lyra Mckee

Apologies, that should be *prostitution" in my post above and not "prosecution."

Now learning about the awful unhappiness she suffered because she was gay - NI is an absolute disgrace in its homophobia - both Catholic and Protestant
Yes, she was a very brave journalist as she had been campaigning for gay rights in NI.

I think it was naïve to assume that all was lovely and peaceful in NI.
The long list the Bishop (of Down and Connor) referred to has continued to grow. In all, by April this year (2018), a total of 158 people have died in what the PSNI (Police Service of Northern Ireland) refer to as security-related killings in the period since the Good Friday/Belfast Agreement was signed in April 1998.
www.thedetail.tv/articles/the-cruel-peace-killings-in-northern-ireland-since-the-good-friday-agreement

Perhaps her death will be a turning point in bringing people together, let us hope so.
RIP Lyra McKee

The Stormont Executive collapsed two years ago and there is a power struggle going on between the DUP and Sinn Fein.
Sinn Fein are always plotting for a united Ireland and the DUP doing the opposite.
Dissidents, criminals and general thugs and idiots are always looking for ways to make money and to cause trouble.
Also, it’s Easter, the traditional time for uprisings and trouble making.
Those who wish to harp on about Brexit should take it to another thread ( there are plenty of threads on it after all.)

The tragic death of Lyra McKee shows our carelessness towards the fragility of the Good Friday Agreement.

It is not a cheap point to link the upsurge in violence – partly – on Brexit. The possibility of a hard border on the island of Ireland is something that inflames passions that not enough people on the eastern side of the Irish Sea, especially a new generation of British Tory politicians, sufficiently understand.

www.independent.co.uk/voices/northern-ireland-shooting-lyra-mckee-good-friday-agreement-violence-dissident-a8878126.html

Exactly Varian- we have friends and family on both sides, and they all agree that it is all linked.

Perhaps you weren't aware that the New IRA formed in 2012 from smaller groups which reject the Peace Process and was formed well before the referendum.

Callistemon Quote [ Perhaps you weren't aware that the New IRA formed in 2012 from smaller groups which reject the Peace Process and was formed well before the referendum.] End Quote

I agree that the "New IRA" did reject the Good Friday Agreement prior to the Referendum. However, Brexit has highlighted the border issue and that the Irish people are a divided nation.

The above circumstances have created a fertile recruitment ground for hardline nationalists, and that is why violence is once again growing in Northern Ireland.

Evidence to the above can be found by following this link:- news.sky.com/story/lyra-mckee-murder-police-concern-over-new-breed-of-terrorists-11699070

Callistemon- fully aware thanks. But it is the current situation with the border isssues which has given them a new 'excuse'. I know people from the other side who have also never been behind the GFA.

Interesting take:

www.lbc.co.uk/radio/presenters/matt-frei/brexit-end-of-union-warns-irish-journalist/?fbclid=IwAR2GvshEwagf8DMrwvaB-KkeDdUJxE7C6Q49v3QkKzi73K4oQ-jZbu6iaek

To think that Brexit, the power the DUP now hold in the UK and the collapse of power sharing in N Ireland have not had an effect on the rise of violence is simply stupid. All of these have played their part. It seems that the young men involved are not old enough to have ever experienced the terrors of life during the Troubles. It was just a powder keg with a spluttering fuse and all these factors have provided a wind to inflame it. Lyra Mckee's death was terrible but unless the underlying issues are tackled it won't be the last sadly.

Of course the IRA haven't disappeared.. And its sad that young people are still being brought up to hate each other.
The use of violence to achieve a political aim can NEVER be justified. In fact violence is never the answer to any problem. I find it extremely sad that people will not leave the past behind. We need to stop investigating the past, just let it go and give our children and grandchildren a life to look forward to. Stop commemorating the past- on both sides. DUP and SF need to get back to work with no preconditions.

Whoever wrote that religion is not the root cause of most wars, needs to think again.
I well remember the Orange Parades in Liverpool. There were wall to wall police.
I know that it's men (for the most part) who partake in these actions but thst is because they hate whatever the opposing religion stands for.
If there were no religions, men would have to find another peg to hang their hat on.
I doubt that they use religion as a whipping boy simply as an excuse for their anger, because what would the root of their anger be?

New IRA have come out and apologised for the murder of LM, and stated that they were aiming for British Forces.

So that's all right then.

eazybee coming from a “forces family” I think it is anything but “alright then”

I think eazy was being ironic GG and stop claiming the high moral ground because of your family - I doubt anyone on GN thinks it’s ‘all right’

maryeliza my moral compass is perfectly ok thank you.

Utterly disgusting! Many older people are still poisoning the minds of the young.

annepl I think the hatred has been passed down through the generations, which is so very sad for this and future generations.

It has Grannygravy. Not from everyone I hasten to add. Ireland imo should never have been split but it is and you can't just undo it in a moment. I believe unity will come. But as with Brexit it will be a long process. In the meantime I think we need to get on with looking after the citizens regarding day to day issues and let the ballot box look after the future. And forget about commemorating the past for the sake of young ones and future generations.
Northern Irish folk are so friendly and helpful and have a great sense of humour. - as long as you dont mention religion /politics. I have family from England who love it here. Its a beautiful country. It should be a lovely little place to live.

Totally agree, I have been to Southern Ireland and they were friendly. We visited a lot of the historic buildings and Old Dublin Gaol and the troubles and aftermath are still to the forefront.

I have N.I family (through marriage) and avoid political discussions at all costs.

We moved over to NI just after the war , all the children played out in the street ................ until the !st of July when we were shunned . We had no idea what the matter was , and our parents couldn't or wouldn't say , so we shrugged our shoulders and took it in our stride , we drifted back to playing over the summer and then the next year was the same , so we just got on with things , I had a bicycle for passing the 11+ and took myself off with a jam sandwich , it did make me a loner and bred distrust . My children were in a village school and didn't mix with the other school , but it is different with the grandchildren , mixed activities and socializing have meant that we get on with everyone , our seniors club is mixed , our local history society the same , so things are slowly changing . but I would say no Storment isn't helping , all the local Council Election candidates seem decent people when I talk to them at the door , but voting will be along tribal lines ... sigh

aggi that’s a real insight, thank you.

Same here GG13 - we learnt the hard way.

Aggie that is terrible andd so stupid. I think it is actually worse now. There is little integration in working class areas.
It wasn't like that in the mixed estate where I lived. At the time (1950s-early 1960s there were Hibernian parades and Orange parades and they were civilised. We had a (very small) bonfire on 11 July to celebrate the Battle of the Boyne and everyone joined in and we all had treats and it was a party atmosphere. It all changed around 1968 sadly. When I married in the 70s I brought my children up to respect all beliefs and sent them to an integrated school (which incidentally should be compulsory imo). We never joined in any commemorative events as it was no longer just a fun celebration . There are many people like me. We don't all support bigotry and violence. Sadly voting is still polarised because of the border.