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THIS WEEK, our Voices section is dedicated to the men, women and children whose first-hand experiences contributed to the rich patchwork of testimony that chronicles the events of 1916.
Elizabeth Colbert’s brother Con – known as Cornelius to his family – was executed in Kilmainham Gaol for his part in the Easter Rising, aged just 27.
At the time of the rebellion, he was working as a clerk in Kennedy’s Bakery on Parnell Street (then called Britain Street). He had been born in Monalena, Castlemahon, Co Limerick, one of 13 children, but had come to live and finish his schooling with his elder sister Katherine in Ranelagh, Dublin after the death of their mother at the age of 37.
It was in Dublin that he became fluent in Irish and “enthusiastic about everything Irish; he always bought clothes of Irish manufacture”.
Even so, Elizabeth, called Lila by her family, knew little of his connection with the Fianna:
He was constantly telling us that there would surely be a fight but I don’t think I ever took him seriously. He came to say goodbye to me before the Rising. I can’t say what day. He was very solemn about it but I don’t think I was.
However, Con did bring Lila into his confidence about the other matter close to his heart, giving us a poignant insight into a future cut short by his execution. This testimony is recorded in full here from Elizabeth/Lila at the Bureau of Military History.
I went to a céilidhe with Con shortly before the Rising. There were a lot of prominent people in the movement at it and many of them have since become well known.
In the course of the evening he said to me “I’ll show you the nicest girl in Dublin”. He introduced me to Lucy Smith. I think he was in love with her and would probably have married her if he had lived.
She was a nice, gentle, refined girl, a member of Cumann na mBan and a great worker in the movement. She afterwards married Tom Byrne of Boer War fame who was also keen on her at the same time. He was Con’s rival.
After Con’s execution I got to know Lucy well and she visited us in my brother’s place at Ballysten near Shanagolden. On one occasion when I visited her own she showed me the letters that Con had written to her. It was from reading them that I came to the conclusion that he was in love with her.
I heard afterwards from Fr O’Mahony, a member of the CSSp order who was at that time at St Mary’s College in Rathmines, that Con handed him a bulky packet addressed to Lucy when he visited Marrowbone Lane during Easter Week. It was to be delivered to her. Lucy never got it and afterwards, hearing about it from someone who was present when the packet was handed over, she went to see Fr O’Mahony about it. I was with her.
He told us that when he was taking the packet from Con, one of the girls present, probably a member of Cumann na mBan – he said her name was McNamara – took it from him and said she would deliver it as she was going there. I imagine she meant the GPO where Lucy was, I think, during Easter Week.
We went around to various places and people seeking information about the packet, but it was never located. We spent days and days at this and we were both very disappointed at its loss.
Elizabeth paints an intimate portrait of her brother’s character in her testimony. Remembering him, she notes:
Con was always full of life and fun. He was constantly making jokes, though he took his work for the Fianna and the Volunteers very seriously and spent all his spare time at it.
He cycled all over Ireland organising Companies. I remember he inspected the Company at home in Athea and there is no fear that he showed them any more favour than he did to any of the others.
He was very serious where work for Ireland was concerned and that is why I never thought he was taking an interest in girls. So I was surprised when I found out that he had been writing love letters to Lucy Smith and thinking very seriously about her.
Con’s earnestness was applied to every thing he did. When he was at school he felt he had to do his very best at his lessons. And when he worked at Kennedy’s he thought he should improve his position in the best way possible, so he devoted himself to the study of accountancy.
He did not waste a moment and no matter how late he went to bed, he would make sure to get up in time by tying the alarm clock to the head of his bed. He had to be at work at Kennedy’s at 8 o’clock. He never wasted a moment.
His favourite phrase was “for my God and my country”. He had unbounded energy and was very healthy.
While Con refused visits from his family while in jail awaiting execution in May 1916 – he feared it would upset them too much – he wrote prodigiously to them. To Lila he wrote:
Con’s movements during Easter Week are more detailed in an eyewitness account by Annie O’Brien (née Cooney), who was 19 at the time of the Rising. She and her sister Lily had been members of Cumann na mBan and good friends to Con.
It was from their city centre house that Con would leave for the Rising on Easter Monday. She seemed to think that Con was too interested in “his work for Ireland” to be interested in girls. And her statement would indicate that Con was more than capable of balancing the two:
I remember particularly one might a couple of weeks before that he [Con] came after one of his meetings. He had asked me to make some signalling flags. He took two photographs out of his pocket and asked me: “Would you care to have one of these?”
One of the photos was of himself alone and the other of himself and Liam Clarke. I said I would be delighted and he actually gave me both and I have brought in one of them to show you. I was charmed because, to tell the truth, I thought an awful lot of him and, of course, he must have known it.
He was not, however, at all interested in girls; he was entirely engrossed in his work for Ireland and devoted all his time to it. He had taken me to a few ceilis and concerts and always brought me home. There would be others in the party.
He said, rather significantly: “Would you mind very much if anything happened to me in this fight that is coming on?”
I said, “I would indeed, why do you ask?”
He answered: “I might just be the one to be killed.”
Sadly, Con’s prophecy would come true, but Annie also recalls the enthusiasm with which he embraced the fight of Easter Week, notwithstanding the danger to himself.
Lily, when she came back, and myself were feverishly busy filling Christy Byrne’s and Con Colbert’s haversacks and our own with any food we could find.
They were both now in uniform. We helped them to buckle on the haversacks and Sam Brown belts and they were all excited to get out. During the time I was buckling him up Con – who had not a note in his head – was singing “For Tone is coming back again,” he was so excited and charmed that at last the fight was coming off. He thought of nothing else.
Con Colbert fought at Watkin’s Brewery and Jameson’s Distillery in Marrowbone Lane during the Rising. Following the surrender, Annie and Lily were also imprisoned in Kilmainham and saw Con receive Communion along with Eamon Ceannt, Michael Mallin and Sean Heuston, all four marked out for execution.
They were the only ones to receive Holy Communion, which we thought significant. That affected us all and I began to cry. When the Volunteer prisoners were leaving the church, those four were the last to leave and they looked up at us.
We waved down to Con Colbert, who waved his hand in reply shaking his head up and down as if in farewell. They evidently knew what their fate would be. They were all four executed next morning.
A portrait of Con Colbert is to be unveiled on 8 May, the centenary of his execution at Colbert train station in Limerick city.
The chaplain’s story: ‘Crying, terrified children came to us for shelter’>
The nurse’s story: ‘John Healy, 14, a schoolboy, had his brain hanging all over his forehead’>
The printer’s story: ‘I knew it meant war but I was honoured to print the Proclamation’>
The doctor’s story: ‘As I arrived I saw the dead body of a big policeman on the ground’>
Alan Kelly is doing a great impression of a jilted lover who’s taken it very badly.
Probably start sending late night drunken texts next.
Alan Kelly destroyed the Environment in 5 years
Kelly, in his speech today said this Government wouldn’t last, which is very worrying he’s got everything wrong so far, one can only live in hope.
It does seem that Mammy’s little soldier is having a hard time with rejection. Perhaps a new Xbox game will help take his mind of things.
Well, he might be right. This government might not last, but there will never be another government with him involved. And thank what ever. Now its down to FG and one party alone. Lets see have FG learned or not. I say not.
Oh but he signed off on a deal last week..that could cost us billions. Environment …don’t get me started
Kelly jumped into Phil Hogans shoes when any politically savvy coalition partner would have told FG to sort out their own mess.
Now he finds that FG don’t care about IW and he was used and abused by them.
Not surprising that he’s upset when you consider that if he had refused ‘Environment’ it’s likely his Labour colleagues wouldn’t have been wiped out at GE16.
That’s what happens when Ambition gets in the way of Political intelligence.
A long time to reflect is deserved.
And a little humility wouldn’t go astray either.
Gombeen politician with aspirations above his station.We’ve put him back in his box.
Yes exactly labour were outfoxed in the end
No he,ll come out as gay .. Full stop
Why are we reading about Alan kelly he is a member of one of the smallest parties in the country. Next we will be reading articles on lucinda creighton.
Hopefully the Labour Party will see sense and start to clean itself up and get rid of the corrupt Alan kelly.
And Joan who looked only delighted to be on the news last night! What a joke.
He thought he could deliver IW to his brother at Teneo who probably had a buyer lined up
Ann now we have the bilderberger Coveney in charge now. Out of the frying pan and into the fire.
Alan Kelly. .when are you going to apologise for labours betrayal of the Irish electorate.
Irish Water is the biggest fcuk up of the century thanks to the arrogance of the Blue Shirts.
Kelly seems to be suffering withdrawal symptoms from his loss of power!
Adrian isn’t that right. Didn’t he say he was on drugs or something like that.
Aye he must be gutted A O”Riordan whipped a seat as a senator
We won the water protest. Take note Enda.
So water costs nothing to collect, purify, deliver and return?
Some fairly doozy economics right there I’d say.
Of course it costs that’s why we have always paid for it and paying once is enough
We have being paying all along, about two thirds of motor tax goes towards IW.
The taxpayers will have given close to €3 billion to Irish Water by end of 2016
What’s your point point Robin?
The only people who paid more than their fair share for their water supply were the people who were honest enough to pay their water bills.
The tax scroungers who didn’t pay their bills lived off the rest of us.
You know well thats a load of balloons..
“The tax scroungers who didn’t pay their bills lived off the rest of us”
If it’s not a tax (and it’s not or revenue would be collecting it), how can people be ‘tax scroungers’ for not paying it robin?
didn’t really think that nasty little comment through, did you?
Robin…do you think Irish politicians arent narcissistic enough to forgo reading the journal comments? Or maybe have their flunkies pick out the juicy and flattering ones?
Robin…expressing solidarity with Adolf “Ak-47″ Kelly are we? You his rearguard?
@For, thanks for taking the time to reply.
Money paid to the government is tax. People who don’t pay their taxes are “tax scroungers”.
I hope this clarifies things for you.
They “paid more than their fair share”…hmmm…ok… Why would someone pay more than “their fair share”?
Robin..thanks for clarification on that matter. .so now my electrical bill is paid to the government. .always struggled with that one.
Ah Jesus…. Robin really…. You do realise even children pay tax in some shape or form……everyone does…. So how does one become a tax scrounger since thanks to the previous governments, their is no end to different types of TAX…….
Ah , you must mean , the tax scroungers with the Panama accounts, HSBC Swiss bank accounts or maybe living in Malta,
water charges battle is won next free electricity
Patrick. Why would that be..
Your just a troll
Robin. Keep telling yourself that i’m sure it makes you feel good.
You should be more worried about the Government privatising IW, you may not be able to afford the next time you pay.
* have to pay*
Bonuses ,wages ,and leakages,over staffed,inefficiency, taxes on wages,so called expensive advisors ,vat on electricity, make IW a costly quango,
Honest enough or stupid enough?
They were planning on selling it to DOB for a song so he could charge us €1200 a year for water. We saved you from that Robin, your welcome
Money and corruption are ruinin our country, crooked politicians betray the working man, pocketing the profits and treating us like sheep, and we’re tired of hearing promises that we know they’ll never keep.
Last year, Transparency International rated Ireland in the top twenty least corrupt countries in the world:
http://www.transparency.org/cpi2015
While the country can do better – and I’m looking at the nation’s Lowry’s and Healy-Rae’s here – I think we shouldn’t make it out to be worse than it is.
I don’t think its fair lumping the Healy Rea’s in with Lowrey, Maybe you should have lumped Zappone in there instead.
zapping is ok. being gay doesn’t make you a socialist. The left seem to think that because she is different she would be anti everything. why should she be? isn’t she a business woman not a lay about.
I don’t know Zappone but i know a few people who voted for her, i doubt she will get in again as they are disgusted she went with Kenny.
And she is a politician not a business woman. Defiantly a grabber.
Robin Hilliard, Ireland only a little bitty corrupt? Whoever is responsible for this report must have got a bigger than usual brown envelope! Ireland is corrupt to its core.
Ak47 Kelly and pig head Phil hogan made sure this department was going to be to toxic to keep going
Phil Hogan and expenses Zappone have at least one thing in common..both got elected on the 13th count..an omen perhaps?
Kelly left that big of a mess they had to demolish the Dept of environment.power flowed from labours hands today and into the hands of ff and independents,that hurt.
We dont have to worry about him any more.
Unfortunately we have to worry about Simon Coveny now. He’s the one who came up with the brainchild of Irish Water. He even admits that it should be a commercial company. See here…
https://www.facebook.com/fiannafail/videos/10156420092950133/
Ah the Bilderberg boy….we never seem to spot these traitors on their way up…its only when they gain power and we are innocuous that we realise how treacherous and inept Ross,Zappone,Hogan,Kenny,Kelly,Burton,Haughey,Cowan,Fitzgerald,Coveney,Donohoe et al really are….
Coveney has a flawed pedigree, in the style of Michael Lowry.
He will do well.
Treats the farmers with velvet mittens.
Everybody else like sh*te.!
Ex Minister Alan Kelly happily we can all breath a sigh of relief Alan AK47 has been stood down.
Amen, small mercies. One less megamanic!
Kellys threats to the people to buy his quango bull and his demonic celebrations when re-elected while labour fell showed him up.Also his failure to add anything to the housing crisis means he’s toxic as a politician now,even to the Labour Party.A Jonah.
Who knew Alan ‘The Power’ Kelly was doing the work of three men…Larry, Curly and Moe. Some man for one man
Kelly’s celebration when he was elected on the 13th count was very telling, his party had just been wiped out at the polls but you wouldnt have guessed it looking at this total me feiner, a spoofer of the highest order, i hope theres an election soon just so we can be rid of this deeply disgusting individual
I think he thought that by getting elected ( all be it on the 13th count,) he was saving the labour party. Does he think he IS the labour party???
Very good point and I think you hit the nail on the head. Magoo’s point about the celebration and your thoughts just about sum him up. This is all about Alan and nothing else. His recent rantings are just bitter and divisive.
“TREASINABLE BETRAYAL”……. Who in the name of the Lord living Jaysus dies this deluded fool think he is ,,,, Did he not look out the windows of Leinster House ?….. Did he not read the newspaper reports ?…. Did he not watch the tv news ? ….. Did he not listen to the radio phone ins?….. He certainly didn’t listen to the people that elected him …. Me thinks this FOOL listens to the little voices in his head telling him he’s doing a great job
Alan Kelly the one that thought he was untouchable Mr Irish Water has got his answer from the public he should be made carry a water meter up in his back everyday just to remind people of the mess he made of it.
Ah Alan Kelly… You are irrelevant now , away with you….. Enda in charge of the army, coveney in charge of the water, Harris in charge of health,… Sure what could go wrong?…..yep collapsed government……
Harris got health, jesus, an fine cut of a yes man.
He is seething!!!
Up former minister Kelly’s hole
“power is a drug”…absolute gobshíte. next stop Brussels for some gravy useless role just like his pr*ck predecessor
@ Hilliard – Of course water must be funded & as you know it has been for years by all of the people of Ireland. Who are all the scroungers that didn’t pay? Everyone that pays VAT has been paying for water upkeep & ditto car tax. Just because you’re a cowardly me feiner who couldn’t give a s**t about anyone but your self doesn’t excuse your lies & spoofery comments on this forum. IW is dead – get over it.
IW doesn’t matter to the current gov as this gov won’t last long anyway.
Great, a Bildeberger in control the new “blue oil” – the system is obviously working!
‘Where does water go now’….down the plughole as per usual. Where does our tax money and bonuses to Irish Water go, down the big black hole with everything else. What a waste of our money, what a pure waste
The less we see of smarmy Kelly and and the unmagnificent 7 labour party the better
The magnificent seven, brilliant
I’m willing to chip in for a box of tissues for him if anyone’s game.
Do you reckon a w@nk will calm him down?
Works for me….
Need to keep a close eye on bilderberg boy!
If it’s only fifty cents, then you pay for everybody ya clown
Allen Kelly, has just Won the Title of,……….. “political Corpse” 2016
Its as though someone took his lottery ticket and he wants to know who does he have talk to about it…..
Kelly you are filth.
Alan will be OK he is sorted for life with his huge pension
What a butter man Alan Kelly is. Find it funny he’s labiur he sounds more Fine Gael he just doesn’t get it. In fact what’s the point of a labour party.
Kelly was very lucky to scrape in he is finished in irish p olitricks so missle on sham
Well Alan seen as you are out of a job now you can F…Off to America and catch the first manned flights to Mars where you can set up a dig to find water…Good luck to you
Colin..he’s not out of a job..how could you forget his fist pump on election on his 13/14/15..count..this muppet is still a Td.
Sparky did you see the video of the special moment? Priceless
So how’s the nation’s water supply going to be funded now that everybody has established that they don’t want to pay around fifty cents per day to fund it?
Back to central funding and the consequent massive underinvestment which has left the country with a joke of a water system?
Robin under IW the investment was less then under the previous regime. Also we are still paying for water through VAT and motor tax so not to worry at least the double charging is going to be stopped.
Robin I’ll pay for water when it’s set up in a transparent way..I need to know nobody is making money out of it and it all goes into fixing our water system.
Water needs to be funded. As a lot of scroungers didn’t pay, the money had to come from somewhere and other budgets had to be plundered instead.
Would you prefer that water was not funded and that consequently, the nation’s water supply was abandoned?
Pay for rich people to get richer to set up a company to be sold off a few years from now so they then get even richer and the politicians have another board to join for a few quid in there retirement
Not ONE of the new “leaders” wants to be seen in the same field as IW…its poison…and this crowd will try almost anything to get at the trough!!!!
Well said
People like Robin make me laugh….on one hand he cries that we don’t get anything for our taxes….then when they plan to take away the only thing we do get for our taxes….he goes yippee!
Eamon + Al – thanks for taking the time out of your Friday evening to reply, even if you couldn’t manage to be civil.
If you’re interested, there are some government expenditure figures here – around 40% on social protection, 25% on health, 16% on education and so on:
I hope you find them useful.
Robin..just to spell it out for you..we were told we would make a contribution towards water through an increased charge on motor tax, and property tax. Theres a ‘tax’ on your Esb bill, and we pay VAT on all of these charges. What I dont understand is you don’t seem to be getting the will or wishes of the majority of the paying people. You seem to think your opinion is the ond and we should all cough up and pay. Well we wont. And we are right. But I bet you won’t say anything about that when it happens..and it will happen.
Robin..give john tierney a call…he can list the consultants that got the 80 mil and if you are nice to him he might give you the name of the Audi dealer who leased all the A6′s to IW …get all that money back and then text me…
A quango set up that couldnt even afford to cover the costs of administration.it sent out nationwide bills on wednesday at a cost of €84,000. An absolute disgrace. Disgusting waste of money.
Robin…read your own comments back.
That 40% includes many pensioners, childrens allowance, ill, disabled people and also covers 85,000 people on job activation schemes like Jobsbridge, Tus, Solas and Gateway…..those schemes that are used to manipulate the live register.
You’re not a civil person…you always come across as an obnoxious individual.
Yes robin and calling people tax scroungers is real civil isn’t it?
Wake up man your a laughing stock just like IW.
Robin, read up on Siteserv, when it was bought, by whom and how it was predicted. Now read up on Private health and the money that is about to go into that, gratis of the tax payer and who owns the Beacon for instance. Then read up on who was installing the water meters and who had a vested interest from Kerry (the bro’s). Then tell me why I am a scrounger when I pay the highest tax level and simply won’t stand for lining the pockets of fraudsters. Just Read up, might do you well before posting.
Alan Kelly is suffering from delusions of adequacy
Alan Kelly has made a right shambles of the department. That’s why there are three ministers replacing to sort out the mess he created!
I’ve never seen something so badly organised
#cunnyout
It’s goes into the bin with the rest of the rubbish
So people on group water schemes pay twice – a) their water bill and b) VAT and car tax contribution. What a great little country!
It’s raining out ,while the rest of Europe is basking in a heat wave.
Climate change now has a dedicated ministry.
Healy raes talks will be the high point. I don’t like the man and his public speaking is brutal however climate change as presented to the public is bollix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_5az5OIX2k That is the real issue here not the shite talk of this buffon.
He’s not wrong though.
So it seems a Water Commission Quango to oversee the nominal overseer of Irish Water Infrastructure (IW) was the price of FF’s agreement. We’re great at double jobbing. Jobs for the boys lads.
Alan no gives a kohunas what you think
I am Kelly Alan Kelly the people’s champion, O no it was big Phil Hogan give me this script
He has s face like someone p155ed in his cornflakes. Despise that man.
Its all washed up!
Alan Kelly needs your help.
If ye are happy to be paying for water through road tax and VAT…then don’t complain about bad roads or underfunded heathcare/education/policing services… because you’re happily accepting that money which could have been used for those services is already being used to give you clean water.
Dave…sincerely hope your hibernation months were enjoyable. .now read a news article before you comment.
Spot on Dave.
Dave, get yourself a time machine.
Sparky, I wasn’t hibernating, I was working so I could pay my bills. I’m not happy that I won’t get back the money I paid already for Water Services… I’m sorry if I have a different view than most on water charges, but someone who works up to 80hrs/week running a small company, I do get a little tired of people whinging about terrible services, but then don’t want to pay for getting better services… it’s like people want to pay nothing and get everything. I didn’t vote for this government – in fact none of the people I voted for are now TDs….yes they can do more for the people.. but the people have to give too. “But we’re already giving too much” I hear everyone say… that’s true, people have given this government their most prized possession… their votes – which really is giving too much. Wasn’t it Einstein who said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting a different result. The people got what they voted for, for a 2nd term, but their still not happy…
@SickOfCorruption …a time machine? for what? to go back a few years and reclaim the excesses of my youth? or to jump forward a few years and then come back to tell you everyone’s paying for water…??
Oh for heavens sake Dave are you so damn blind that you can’t see that IW was set up not as an entity to improve our infrastructure but as a profiteering exercise to eventually be sold off to one of FG’s favorite crony capitalists?, the money wasted on this blood sucking leech could’ve went a long way to fixing many of the problems within the system, many of us find that unpalatable but for some reason you don’t?.
A separate water utility set up within the public service immune from local authority influence was all that was required with say an affordable annual maintenance charge for all households that can be paid off weekly at your local post office, I’d say many people would be happy with that knowing their water supply is been used for their benefit not for some fat cat or others to meter the ass off of people to maximise profit?.
I guess I an blind William. I must have had my head in the sand for the past few months…all this time there was me thinking all those protests were for the abolition of water charges, where as they were actually demonstrating for the right to pay water charges to a different entity…silly me. I do apologise for my ignorance. .. .. although I’ve not once remarked about Irish Water as an entity – I’m really not too well informed on the ins/outs if its setup and management to voice an opinion on that, my remarks are purely on the topic of paying for water services in general (which I thought was evident).
You might find Dave that the protests were just as much about all the relentless austerity measures that came before not just water charges, IW was yet another austerity measure that eventually shook the apathetic public from their slumber.
The whole set up of IW was all about crony capitalist profiteering, sounds like you are ok with fat cats to getter even fatter from our water resources, because only party shills in absolute total denial could fail to see that privatisation was the ultimate goal right from its very inception?, kudos to the protesters for standing up against such deviance!.
William, I think we’re looking at it from two different perspectives… at no stage in my comments have I indicated that I’m in favour of cronyism, nor did I mention that I’m ok with profiteering (in my own business I’ve terminated contracts with clients who were profiteering at the expense of our customers, knocking double-figure percentages off my own company profits). My argument here throughout is in favour of water charges…nothing more. It doesn’t inherently mean I’m an advocate of cronyism or quangos, that’s an assumption you’ve formed without my input. Austerity was necessary, no question we had to tame our own financial bad habits and think more about living within our means – I’m better off for one as a result of thinking before I spend. Personally I’d like to see a higher basic tax rate and vastly improved public services as a result, and like everyone else I want to see taxes spent on what they’re being charged for (road tax for roads, etc)…budget surplus should be saved/invested. And the country should be run like a business where efficiencies are monitored and everyone employed by the state should have to justify their right to be in that job…too much money is wasted in general on thinking about what needs to be done. Rant over.
Dave perhaps you can pose that question to David, ‘I pulled a figure from my arse’ Drumm or to Trichet & Co. Blame where its due. Your ignorance is mindblowing in that after America we actaully spend more money then anyone on our health service so ask FG where that money has been siphoned off to, especially as we don’t even have a NHS in this country, a friend’s sister died because she couldn’t afford the 75 euro a day for her Chemo. treatments. That’s the kind of society people who voted Fine Gael want and have got.
Maggie, what question?? And can you post a link to your claim about healthcare expenditure? I’ve searched sites and can’t find any reliable source which puts us at #2 for healthcare expenditure as a percentage of GDP… what I’ve found (maybe I’m searching wrong) is most developed nations are ahead of us and we fall somewhere in the #15-#20 depending on which source it’s from. None of my votes were given to FG. My firstborn was about 3mins from being stillborn…he received specialist treatment in Sweden..paid for by the HSE… I’ve experienced an amazing healthcare system in Sweden and they are high on the list of expenditure. Ireland is not. My sincere condolences for the loss of your friend.
On the wrong site my dear.
So has IW been moved under Local Government so they can add the water tax to the Local Property Tax and if we still won’t pay they can set the Revenue dogs on us. They’re definitely up to something.
Good observation.
If people step back from the personal onslaught on Kelly just a minute, they might see…. It was a valid question. The answer, as presented here suggests a total capitulation and water is once again under the remit of local government…
How exactly is the issue of securing water supplies and waste management (which IW was set up to deal with) not a climate change/natural resource issue? Seriously!
Alan Kellys legacy involves the failed irish water,Over seeing the lowest number of social housing ever built by the state,and forcing us to pay for recycling just as we hit the top of the charts in europe for being the best socially conscious population for recycling.(GET READY FOR IRELAND TO FALL DOWN THOSE CHARTS) This is his legacy leaving aside his rants….yet he was re-elected….ASTOUNDING!!!!
Can he get my van through the doe test?
Environment split into three so is this three sets of inflated wages. Lovely way to start the new ‘lets screw the people’ administration. Looking at Enda leaving to the cheers of his minions outside the Dail yesterday reminded me strongly of Hitler on his walkabouts, brainwashed fools with adoring brown-nosing. Luckily 75% of the country has sense.
@bobby moore. Not a fan of coveney but he said function on a commercial basis. Not sell it
Dave and Robin the only 2 sensible rational people in this otherwise daft and silly collection of ravings from deluded people who dont want to pay for anything. Lets hope the new government moves swiftly to stamp out the anarchistical activities that a small pecrcentage of our people feel justified in carrying out. This country is still supposed to be a democracy so if you dont like the directions of YOUR government then perhaps its time to travel and see the world!!
That’s the standard response coming from hq now ‘ peo
That’s the standard response coming from hq now ‘people who don’t want to pay for anything’
you say this country is supposed to be a democracy then you may have noticed that the majority of the dail were voted in on there opposition of IW
There was a time when we didn’t have to pay for waste collections, but we all manage our waste better now and the thought of throwing every scrap of litter into landfill isn’t even an option in most people’s minds. The same goes for water, it’s a finite resource and needs to be managed more responsibly, in the long run we’ll benefit from learning how to sustain our resources. Nobody who is in favour of paying for water is inherently in favour of cronyism or quangos. But when people go and readily spend €5 on a pint or a glass of wine, and then complain they’ve no money to pay for clean water to be delivered to their taps then there’s a problem right there… Regardless of what’s going to happen with Irish Water, AK, DO’B, etc… paying for water isn’t a bad thing, and if it means freeing up cash for front-line services then that’s also not a bad thing. I find the people who complain most, are generally (not exclusively) those who contribute the least, financial or otherwise. The difference between being Active or Reactive – consider what you can do, rather than what you feel others are obliged to do for you.
What a smug comment. It’s not all about the money in fact I would say that’s low down most peoples objections to this oversized job for the boys quango.
There’s a reason why it was guillotine through the dail and there’s a reason why it wasn’t protected from being sold!
In thar case then the banners the protesters were holding up should have read “protect our water from privatisation” … the Irish Water fiasco came about after the government offered the €100 rebate and fixed the charge until 2019. Until then it was all about the money – the argument was that water is a basic human right and that we’re already paying for the service through existing taxes. The protesters are as bad as the government I’m afraid… it’s a case of “Ready!? Fire!!! Aim!” … we seem to have an entitlement to pay for the luxuries we want with our hard earned money, but not for our necessities… Lower tax intake during the recession together with higher spending on social welfare as a direct result of decrease in tax takings, doesn’t mean there’s more to spend on public services… you need to have money to spend money… “I want to pay more taxes every week so that my unemployed neighbour can get increased benefits” ..said nobody ever… “I’d love to pay less tax, have more in my own pocket, I want better services than I have now” … is more appropriate.
And just to point out for the 4th/5th time. I’m all for paying for water.. but this doesn’t mean I’m in favour of quangos and cronyism… I’m in agreement with everyone that there is a right and wring way to do things.
Chris,
We the people pay for everything, who else do you think pays. I’m paying a mortgage, the high rate of tax earning a measly 34,000 a year and have attended every protest. The society that you want is fascism, so polish the Jackboots and join Fine Gael. I’m sure that you will be welcomed with open arms. I have traveled the world btw and losing over half their seats would see any other govenment booted out where they belong because the opposition Parties have something between their legs. In our case, the oppositioin is as gutless and dishonest as the booted out Party.. Both had no business being anywhere near the 1916 Commemorations.
Why support IW so? It is cronyism and it is corrupt. By your logic you should be marching too.
I agree with the idea of paying for water. It doesn’t mean I’m a supporter of cronyism…IW at the moment is the only outlet for paying that bill. Unless you know of another one. By your logic, anyone who buys a product made in China is a supporter of slave labour & exploitation, and doesn’t support Irish jobs. WTF.
We urgently need a strong Department of the Environment with responsibilities for wildlife and nature; water protection; and waste, air pollution and climate. Please sign the joined campaign by Irish Wildlife Trust, Birdwatch Ireland, An Taisce, Voice and Friends for a Department for the Environment, Climate and Natural Heritage.
see http://bit.ly/DeptEnv
Ahhhh”…Alan Kelly……what happened to that clown?
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