Reality....

Poland is 87% Catholic.

Enough said.........

Drac.......

You say " I'm glad I live in an area where everyone is welcome, and not either a loyalist or republican grip under the control of racist thugs ".

Yep, Dublin is a great city okay.....full of warm welcoming tolerant people.....

But I thought you had emigrated at least twice to Zimbabwe or North Korea or somewhere appropriate like that ?

All you ever have to offer is truly awesome hatred hiding behind a mask of peace and sanctimonious hypocrisy. The game is up sunshine, and right well you know it........

Slan agus beannacht !

It may well be only window dressing but to have a Garda shortlisted is nonetheless another welcome step forward for NI. For the times they are a changin'......

My money would be on George Hamilton, but who could rule out Ms **** - who obviously has all that it takes - and then some...........

Bigchief.......

Human history is indeed swamped in blood. But your whataboutery does not take from the fact that England has at one time or other invaded literally 90% of all countries on planet earth, causing untold misery and destruction and many unhappy legacies. Look it up. No other country can remotely "boast" such a record.

If you yourself are English your reaction to KIL4BT's comment is simply a weak and warped defense mechanism. But if you are a Unionist/Loyalist then you are to be pitied more than laughed at as you defend the indefensible record of those that care not a jot for you and yours.

KIL4BT....

You say "That's rich coming from the Brits who murdered untold amount of Africans, Indians, Australians etc. and seem to have forgotten those well enough"
.
NOW you've thrown the cat among the pigeons !

But you hardly need me to tell you to now duck for cover as an avalanche of howls of derision and hatred will be directed at you (and me for that matter) by the usual rent a mob of "loyalists" and Unionists for speaking the simple truth here.

What matter that the belly crawling love for the "mainland" is unrequited. I declare to God but sometimes I almost wish I was one eyed to. But nah.......I'll stay with reality truth and balance.......

Maith thu Martin. Well said Martin.

If any of this family DO attend the 1916 celebrations they will no doubt be rightly and appropriately seated among the other invited guests......

Pierce.......

You say "Look at the state of The Irish Republic ". I just have - in the Legatum Prosperity Index 2013. We are ranked 12th globally in a listing of 142 countries over a wide range of indicators.

I'd recommend you Google it but why bother. Your mind is obviously closed to anything outside of your own antiquated and embittered delusional comfort cave. And who am I to confuse you even further......

Slan agus beannacht fe dheire......

Death.....

Yep.....France, Spain etc certainly get their share of travelers.....

Slainte !.

Pierce.....

Oh dear. Having written to this newspaper and done your best to savagely demonize Gerry Adams you now lecture me about ad hominem. So much for objectivity and rational appraisal from you !

You cherry pick and condemn Easter 1916 which was part of a long tradition of rebellion by the Irish against foreign domination, whatever crumbs were on offer. Fact. Get over it. You bang on about a "stable developed liberal democracy" (SDLD). I wonder if you include NI ( ignored for decades and the ongoing running sore of the problem) in that notion, while meanwhile in contrast a genuine SDLD flourishes in the Republic where you apparently live.

Had the Republic stayed in the (forced) Union it would certainly have been reduced to rubble by German bombs in WW2 and far more Irish men and women killed. And for what ? Answer : In order to preserve the former Empire for the fat cat establishment in London against a possible share of already ill gotten gains with a rapidly rising Germany. And for all your fantasy Ireland would never have risen beyond being a food supplying backwater province and footnote of an industrialized England and a few other hand picked areas like Belfast (until it was no longer profitable).

But we could exchange points ad infinitum here to no productive end. The bottom line as I said earlier is that you are focused on done and dusted irreversible events. Meanwhile the Republic is rightly focused on the future and our further engagement with Europe and the rest of the world. I recommend that you at least try and do likewise........

Slan agus beannacht !

Pierce......

Assuming you actually DO exist and live in Celbridge, you really need to get out more you know. If you did you might even get some sort of life for yourself before it's to late........

Spitting bile and blind hatred about done and dusted events of almost 100 years ago as you do here is simply ludicrous, and I consequently won't bother to contest your nonsense. Why ever would I - or anyone with a gram of sense for that matter. And if you don't like how events have unfolded ever since, well tough cheese.

Your (?) Queen Elizabeth acknowledged the 1916 Rising in a gracious way. Way beyond you I know, but welcome anyway to the real world of 2014.

Slainte !