Cypselos

The Canadians have a version and i think the kiwis use them for Anzac day

Miss Anne Thrope

My aggression was intended as more pub-jocular than heartfelt sentiment tbh - the dangers of keyboards... My mother is a decorated WACs veteran and member of the British legion and assertive poppy wearer. As I said, it's ambiguous rather than provocative in Ireland. Lots of Irish soldiers died fighting for the Empire in WWI (when we were still part of the UK). Far, far more than the number of Irish revolutionaries who died fighting for independence around the same time.

Indeed I am one of those who ardently believe that Irish soldiers who fought against facism in WWII are deserving of a significant memorial in Ireland also. Not just that but that we should junk our sham neutrality and take our natural place in NATO. I tend to attract a pretty small crowd when I'm preaching from that soapbox though....

Jim Smith

I actually wasn't aware that poppies were worn, or even recognised, in Ireland at all, actually - I thought it was a uniquely British tradition. I think I'm right in saying that not even the 'Commonwealth' countries have an equivalent.


In the Falkland Islands we didn't have an equivalent, we had the real thing. I believe it still happens although I left in 1972. I will have to consult The Penguin News!

The Dean

I'm with you........ I vote to take Ireland out of the EUSSR, and into NATO....... better still, back into the UK, and out of the EU with the UK......

littlejimmy

I have bought a poppy every year and have worn a Help For Heroes wristband (some clever arse asked me how much it actually helped), but don't really care if others don't want to. I can understand that. It's personal choice either way, and I can't stand the shitty arguments that come up this time every year or seeing how it has become obligatory to be seen wearing one on TV or have a banner on your facebook profile telling everyone how much you care and if you don't then you're a twat who doesn't care...

Meow

Don't start me on that 'repost to show you care' crap! Perhaps I'll show I care by actually getting off my arse and doing something rather than whining on FB?

littlejimmy

Someone posted something about "If you are going to love your kids forever, like and share!"

I replied, "Can't do that; my love runs out on 14th July 2014". (I got a like )

Blue Cat

like

http://www.facebook.com/corporatebollocks?fref=ts this page amuses me no end'

Meow

There are poppies for sale at Table 9 at Hilton Creek


I bought one there so I care more than most of you do.

josieforfun

when I taught in a British school in Saudi we sold them to the students and staff. They came from the British Trade office......Try them. We wore them outside of the compounds and had no problems

Miss Anne Thrope

No, I'm a consistent multilateralist. One of the most compelling reasons against Ireland rejoining the UK - despite the fact that we now love Brenda following her brilliantly flawless visit last year - would be to avoid getting swamped by the brain-dead knee-jerk anti-Europeanism of England. For all it's deficiencies, the EU is humanity's best hope not the silly caricature of the right wing British press. It has been an outstanding success: preventing war, promoting democracy and - yes - stimulating sustainable economic growth (the death of the euro has been imminent for about 10 years now according to your crowd, no?). Despite the recent hardship, I think you will find more strongly pro-EU (and euro) sentiment in Ireland now than pre-crisis. Our "no" votes were at the height of misplaced Celtic tiger arrogance.

The Dean

Oh no, not again............ the EU 'prevented war'?? Not NATO then??

OK here's the challenge - if there had never been an EU, what war would/might have broken out? And who would have invaded whom? And why? And why would you want to be part of an artificially cobbled together alliance with someone who, had you not allied yourself with them, would have waged war on you?? That makes no sense at all.

Ireland benefitted hugely (i.e. financially) from EU membership. And still screwed up.

The Dean

[EDIT: No, I wasn't serious about Ireland rejoining the UK - we don't want you, thanks]

Miss Anne Thrope

I won't bother arguing (again) how many ways you are wrong but I will note on a point of information that the Northwest of England has received substantially more in real terms and per capita in financial transfers from the EU than has Ireland (which made good use of most of what we did get - maximum 0.5% of GDP at its peak - to build infrastructure that enabled much of the 9%+ real annual GDP growth during the 1990s pre-housing boom that has left Irish GDP per capita still well above the EU average - and above the UK - compared to the bottom when we joined).

Anyway, spotted this today:

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...reaking37.html

Progress. I suppose.

The Dean

.... and worthy of a newspaper article all of its own........ progress indeed.

And the war thing? Who would have invaded whom, etc?

[Edit - those comments under that article............... bloody hell - what is wrong with your country??]