John Bruton, former Fine Gael leader and Taoiseach na hÉireann, writing in the Irish Independent newspaper manages once again to prove his reputation as the idiot savant of Irish politics, as he discusses the approaching anniversary of the Easter Rising of 1916:
“Ireland is proud of its modern record as a peacekeeper, so we should remind ourselves constantly of the pain and loss that flows from all military actions, including actions that were initiated 100 years ago by Irish people.”
Which in terms of historical analysis is about as sophisticated as telling the people of Poland that they initiated World War II because of their actions during the 1939 invasion and occupation of their country by Hitler’s Third Reich. There may be an infinitesimally small grain of truth in there somewhere but only the most ideologically obsessive apologist for the aggressor could find it. Let alone use it as part of some sort of criticism. One just wishes Burton would return to doing what he does best: shimmying up and down the greasy pole of unregulated free-market capitalism.
AN SIONNACH FIONN 
Savant? Bruton? In what way?
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In that he rose to the highest office of government and party leadership in the country – while simultaneously being possibly the worse holder of both that we have known.
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it says everything about Joan Brutal that in a crowded field of pretty useless Prime ministers: He still holds his own as being one of Ireland’s worst.
When you have Bertie bowel ( that’s not a misspelling )the bankrupter..and his able sidekick Cowen.And Devalera the Free Staters’ FreeStater and Haughey with his Horse set ways.
And the current mumbling idiot/non-entity Dame Edna.
And of course Jack Lynch who also set Ireland on the road to bankruptcy.
In all this..Joan Brutal still manages to be a failed Taoiseach..Hats off to the Gobsheen…A man of rare talent to pull that off.
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Let us not forget An Taoiseach na Chófra! 😉
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Wish we could forget Bertie. put him down as a bad dream..
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I could respect Bruton’s opinion on the Rising if he were a committed pacifist. But since he , and many other Fine Gaelers , want Ireland to join the Nato military adventure…..
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I agree, Dara. It is worth remembering that this is the same John Bruton who has sported a British Legion poppy in recent times to commemorate those who fought and died in WWI as part of the British Armed Forces, and who has made no criticism of that conflict or those who participated in it. So he is not presenting a pacifist or anti-militarist argument, either historically or in a contemporary setting. Quite the contrary. His argument is entirely ideological, an atavistic anti-republicanism that frames his world view. He believes Britain’s presence in our country was essentially a good, even legitimate, one and that those who opposed it were incorrect. Politically John Bruton is an Irish “home ruler” not a sovereigntist of any sort. Hence his ardent, free-market, militaristic Europhilia.
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And he grovelled like a worm..over prince Charlie…Yuck!!!!!!
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Nothing weird about that – considering the fact that he, like most Irish people, has thrown away his language and culture and adopted those of prince Charles.
Again Oz – if the Brits are so bad – why are you all speaking their language and have adopted their culture?
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Janis..I have no objection to you praising Latvia for keeping it’s language under the Russians.
But the Russians occupied Latvia for 50 Years the Brits occupied Ireland for 800 years.( and that makes a difference )
And the only way of speaking Irish full time was to stay poor…I.e the Brits wouldn’t give you a job.
It is an impossible job for any nation to change this and turn history on it’s head.
Let’s not forget that the Brits also stole 90% of Irish industry in 1922 and left the Free State with an odious level of debt..to pay for their 800 year occupation.
Now, How does a country with “No money ” engage in huge changes????
You seem surprised that I am no fan of the Brit State.
But the Brits did nothing else in Ireland but to make the Country..poor…backward and dependent.
So, What’s to like???
Oh, sure the syophants and the West Brit toads would have been looked after.
But so were the quislings of Norway and the Vichy France,,..and indeed the Kapos in the concentration Kampfs
Doesn’t make it right…Does it?
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That’s my point Oz.
If they treated you so badly then one would think that you would reject their language and culture instead of becoming almost like them.
And you should do more research – Latvia and Estonia were ruled by various foreign powers for more than 700 years too.
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OK..I have mis understood your point.
But my point is the British have been so successful in either destroying Irish culture or they have been successful in creating a link between Irishness and poverty that this culture is now undervalued..even by the “natives” themselves.
Also, the place is full of West Brits..So, this doesn’t help.
Also, many Irish have no backbone and are idiots.
Once in that disgusting West Brit Organ known as the Oirish Independent they published a letter from an elderly Cork “gentleman”
The letter basically said..That because the English Government treated the ordinary poor working class in England pretty bad..that the Irish should NOT complain about their harsh treatment from the Brits.
Such Logic made me spit….And you think how many other gobsheens like that there is nationwide????? The mind boggles.
If I was to answer that idiot.
I would say the Nazi’s gassed their “own2 German Jews first, amoung equals.
So is Hitler going to be up for a Noble Prize soon???
What can you do..with eejits like that???
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said it was one his proudest moments…guy is an utter cu#t who nearly derailed the peace process single handed.
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Oz, if the Brits are so bad then why do you even listen to what (some) of them say about your language and culture?
Russia, for example, is repeating non-stop that Latvia is a failed state, all Latvians are fascists and that our language and culture are inferior to those of Russia.
But we don’t give a shit about all that. Just like I don’t give a shit about what local junkies and homeless people think about me.
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