18million for a terrorist shrine/conflict resolution centre

[between the bridges]

"Perhaps more importantly many groups representing innocent victims of the Troubles have repeatedly raised their concerns with me about this project, both in terms of the politically charged nature of the site and the level of funding that would be diverted from other projects."

UTV News - Maze centre EU funding approved

i am all for development of the maze site, the Balmoral show etc moving is a good option, however i think we have enough reminders of our horrid past without a terrorist shrine/conflict resolution centre.

[Young Ned]

"Perhaps more importantly many groups representing innocent victims of the Troubles have repeatedly raised their concerns with me about this project, both in terms of the politically charged nature of the site and the level of funding that would be diverted from other projects."

UTV News - Maze centre EU funding approved

i am all for development of the maze site, the Balmoral show etc moving is a good option, however i think we have enough reminders of our horrid past without a terrorist shrine/conflict resolution centre.

I think regardless of your ideological position it is a historical site. Plenty of historical sites are preserved as such that don't have a 'warm, cuddly' history.

[Johnny Boy]

I have no strong views, one way or the other, as to what should be done with the Maze site. However, different sides have different perceptions of the past. Sinn Fein are now a major part of the political process and whether people like it or not, they are entitled to get at least some of what they want out of that process.
The alternative is that we could all go back to war......................
Who wants that?

[between the bridges]

I think regardless of your ideological position it is a historical site. Plenty of historical sites are preserved as such that don't have a 'warm, cuddly' history.

true ned, personally i think the maze got all the recognition it ever needed, when they let them all out, anyway re your point while it's within living memory it needs to be sympathetic to all and i just cannot see that happening, if i had the choice i would bulldoze the maze and put up a large memorial with every name 69-98 and the words 'what was it for?'.

as for those who think it's a great idea because of the hunger strikers, billy wright died there as well will you be happy if he gets the same type of 'memorial'?

[Ren84]

Terrorist shrine? More unionist mopery.

[PO'Neill]

Terrorist shrine? More unionist mopery.

And these are the same peole who are all for turning a feckin' empty feild for grazing cattle into a shrine to celebrate the victory of a gay Dutch mercenary supported by the Pope over an English king - and of course been totally ungrateful to the 'foreign' govt who are paying for it !!!

Orange Delegation Visit Battle Of Boyne Site
Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland Grand Orange Lodge

[oxterSniffer]

I am most disgusted at the attitude of Jeffrey Donaldson over this. There are some things that should not be for sale, and Jeffrey Donaldson is happy to sell out his area in the name of glorifying a dirty, grubby little terrorist murder blitz.

Most people did not give a sh1t about these terrorist scumbags at the time, and were just trying to get on with their lives while the nutters were causing the mayhem. Unsurprising though that a couple of people here are in favour - if you don't have the interests of Northern Ireland and its decent people at heart, then of course you will want to keep as many things around to be able to talk Northern Ireland down.

If the UVF, UDA, RHC, PIRA, INLA, RIRA, or whomever still have a stock of explosives left, want to do something useful for people here for the first time, then they should blow what's left of the H-blocks to smithereens in a true sign of reconciliation. Unfortunately these people have never given a sh1t about the wider population in Northern Ireland and have only cared about feathering their own nest and their own criminal rackets.

Even better, I'm sure the Deputy First Minister can use the skills of his organisation (as seen, for example, in the Northern Bank Robbery) to take the money, destroy the H-blocks, and then re-channel the money into something that actually would be fvcking useful for the average person in Northern Ireland. I'm sure the DUP's skills in handling dodgy money from developers could come in handy too. Can we not have some cross-Community conning here so that we can con the EU for the true benefit of Northern Ireland?

[Young Ned]

I am most disgusted at the attitude of Jeffrey Donaldson over this. There are some things that should not be for sale, and Jeffrey Donaldson in happy to sell out his area in the name of glorifying a dirty, grubby little terrorist murder blitz.

Most people did not give a sh1t about these terrorist scumbags at the time, and were just trying to get on with their lives while the nutters were causing the mayhem. Unsurprising though that a couple of people here are in favour - if you don't have the interests of Northern Ireland and its decent people at heart, then of course you will want to keep as many things around to be able to talk Northern Ireland down.

If the UVF, UDA, RHC, PIRA, INLA, RIRA, or whomever still have a stock of explosives left, want to do something useful for people here for the first time, then they should blow what's left of the H-blocks to smithereens in a true sign of reconciliation. Unfortunately these people have never given a sh1t about the wider population in Northern Ireland and have only cared about feathering their own nest and their own criminal rackets. Even better, I'm sure the Deputy First Minister can use the skills of his organisation (as seen, for example, in the Northern Bank Robbery) to take the money, destroy the H-blocks, and then re-channel the money into something that actually would be fvcking useful for the average person in Northern Ireland.

Smash the H-Blocks eh?

[SeamusNapoleon]

Smash the H-Blocks eh?

Meanwhile, in the shadow of Ben Bulben...

[PO'Neill]

I am most disgusted at the attitude of Jeffrey Donaldson over this. There are some things that should not be for sale, and Jeffrey Donaldson is happy to sell out his area in the name of glorifying a dirty, grubby little terrorist murder blitz.

Most people did not give a sh1t about these terrorist scumbags at the time, and were just trying to get on with their lives while the nutters were causing the mayhem. Unsurprising though that a couple of people here are in favour - if you don't have the interests of Northern Ireland and its decent people at heart, then of course you will want to keep as many things around to be able to talk Northern Ireland down.

If the UVF, UDA, RHC, PIRA, INLA, RIRA, or whomever still have a stock of explosives left, want to do something useful for people here for the first time, then they should blow what's left of the H-blocks to smithereens in a true sign of reconciliation. Unfortunately these people have never given a sh1t about the wider population in Northern Ireland and have only cared about feathering their own nest and their own criminal rackets.

Even better, I'm sure the Deputy First Minister can use the skills of his organisation (as seen, for example, in the Northern Bank Robbery) to take the money, destroy the H-blocks, and then re-channel the money into something that actually would be fvcking useful for the average person in Northern Ireland. I'm sure the DUP's skills in handling dodgy money from developers could come in handy too. Can we not have some cross-Community conning here so that we can con the EU for the true benefit of Northern Ireland?

" should blow what's left of the H-blocks to smithereens " It could be entering a very dangerous precedent if such was to happen. When the loyalists damaged the grave of Wolfe Tone in 1969 with a small bomb, the IRA quickly reacted and demolished the statue to to Roaring Hugh Hanna in the centre of Belfast. I'm afraid two could play at that game, you wouldn't like to see say, the UDR monument in Lisburn blown to smithereens, the Wellington monument in the Phoneix Park Dublin go the same way as Nelsons pillar, the Battle of the Boyne visitors centre etc

Unionists should be careful what they wish for.



Pat Sheehan’s IRA comments spark outrage - Northern Ireland, Local & National - Belfasttelegraph.co.uk