Paisley Out

[Andrew49]

Former Northern Ireland First Minister Ian Paisley will not seek re-election in the forthcoming general election. The 83-year-old founder and ex-leader of the Democratic Unionist Party is to relinquish the North Antrim seat he first won in 1970. His decision could open the way for his son, Ian Paisley Jnr, to stand as the DUP's candidate in the constituency.

Source

Interesting Fact:

Ian Richard Kyle Paisley was born 6 April 1926 - on April 7 1926 an assassination attempt against Italian Fascist leader Benito Mussolini failed.

The Failed Assassin was An elderly Irishwoman, Violet Gibson !

About Violet - apparently the first 'lone nut assassin' !

On 7 April 1926 Violet Gibson shot Mussolini, Italy's Fascist leader, while he sat in a car after leaving an assembly of the International Congress of Surgeons, to whom he had delivered a speech on the wonders of modern medicine. Gibson shot at Mussolini three times twice hitting him in the nose. Gibson was almost lynched on the spot by an angry mob, but police intervened and took her off for questioning. Mussolini was wounded only slightly and after his nose was bandaged he continued his parade on the Capitoline.

At the time of the assassination attempt Violet Gibson was 50 years old and did not explain her reason for trying to assassinate Mussolini. It has been theorised that Gibson was insane at the time of the attack and the idea of assassinating Mussolini was hers and that she worked alone. Gibson was later deported to Britain after being released without charge at the request of Mussolini. She spent the rest of her life in a mental asylum, St Andrew's Hospital in Northampton.[3] She is buried in Kingsthorpe Cemetery, Northampton.

Source

[C. Flower]

Former Northern Ireland First Minister Ian Paisley will not seek re-election in the forthcoming general election. The 83-year-old founder and ex-leader of the Democratic Unionist Party is to relinquish the North Antrim seat he first won in 1970. His decision could open the way for his son, Ian Paisley Jnr, to stand as the DUP's candidate in the constituency.

Source

Interesting Fact:

Ian Richard Kyle Paisley was born 6 April 1926 - on April 7 1926 an assassination attempt against Italian Fascist leader Benito Mussolini failed.

The Failed Assassin was An elderly Irishwoman, Violet Gibson !

About Violet - apparently the first 'lone nut assassin' !

On 7 April 1926 Violet Gibson shot Mussolini, Italy's Fascist leader, while he sat in a car after leaving an assembly of the International Congress of Surgeons, to whom he had delivered a speech on the wonders of modern medicine. Gibson shot at Mussolini three times twice hitting him in the nose. Gibson was almost lynched on the spot by an angry mob, but police intervened and took her off for questioning. Mussolini was wounded only slightly and after his nose was bandaged he continued his parade on the Capitoline.

At the time of the assassination attempt Violet Gibson was 50 years old and did not explain her reason for trying to assassinate Mussolini. It has been theorised that Gibson was insane at the time of the attack and the idea of assassinating Mussolini was hers and that she worked alone. Gibson was later deported to Britain after being released without charge at the request of Mussolini. She spent the rest of her life in a mental asylum, St Andrew's Hospital in Northampton.[3] She is buried in Kingsthorpe Cemetery, Northampton.

Source

I once stood on Paisley's foot. Accidentally. Not much of a claim to fame and did not result in incarceration in any kind of institution.

The spectacle of Paisley and McGuinness joined at the hip in recent years was almost as appalling as the sight of his spittle laden invective against Catholics and Nationalists in the earlier stages of his career.

[Andrew49]

I once stood on Paisley's foot. Accidentally. Not much of a claim to fame and did not result in incarceration in any kind of institution.

The spectacle of Paisley and McGuinness joined at the hip in recent years was almost as appalling as the sight of his spittle laden invective against Catholics and Nationalists in the earlier stages of his career.

Speaking of institutions and incarceration, in 1969/70 while I was out on licence from an institution and working as a skivvy for the Jesuits in Dublin I happened to hang around with people from the Connolly Youth Movement and assorted socialists and anarchists. One Saturday we all trooped up to Belfast to distribute leaflets - but the distribution was halted swiftly when we were chased through Donegall Sq by a group of Paisleyites - and I'm sure Iain was one of the chasers!

I must have been scared because I didn't return to Belfast until the early 90s!

[mutley]

I once stood on Paisley's foot. Accidentally. Not much of a claim to fame and did not result in incarceration in any kind of institution.

The spectacle of Paisley and McGuinness joined at the hip in recent years was almost as appalling as the sight of his spittle laden invective against Catholics and Nationalists in the earlier stages of his career.

I wonder will his electorate go for more of the spittle invective, in the form of Jim Allister?

[Andrew49]

I wonder will his electorate go for more of the spittle invective, in the form of Jim Allister?

Interesting times ahead or maybe just a repeat of the cycle we've had for the past few centuries!

[C. Flower]

Time for a photo tribute.

[C. Flower]

[C. Flower]

Paisley of course softened in his old age

[C. Flower]

http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/t...ey-448391.html

Tributes paid to Paisley -

"Its the end of an era" Daithi Mackay interview.

[Andrew49]

[5intheface]

Special tribute to Ian here;

http://ancruiskeenlawnmower.wordpres...ower-issue-29/

[Almanac]

http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/t...ey-448391.html

Tributes paid to Paisley -

"Its the end of an era" Daithi Mackay interview.

"Tributes": I suppose Hitler was a giant political figure too (at least he didn't pretend to be Christian).

[Andrew49]

At least De Valera offered condolences on the death of Hitler!

Not well known though is the fact that President Douglas Hyde offered condolences to Nazi Germany's representative in Dublin over the death of Hitler. Historians had believed that the then Taoiseach Eamon de Valera was the only leader to convey official condolences to Eduard Hempel, director of the German diplomatic corps in Ireland. De Valera's gesture - unique among leaders of neutral nations in the final weeks of World War II - was criticised worldwide. The presidential protocol record for 1938-1957 shed new light on the embarrassing episode and the decision to maintain cordial relations with the Nazis even after news of the Holocaust emerged. The new document confirmed that President Hyde visited Hempel on May 3, 1945, a day after Ireland received reports of Hitler's death. It says Hyde - who served as Head of State from 1938 to 1945, and died in 1949 - visited Hempel at the diplomat's home in Dun Laoghaire. It says the president did not send an official letter of condolence because Berlin was under siege "and no successor (to Hitler) had been appointed.".

Source

[moss]

Coming on now on BBC2 Hearts and Minds a quick look at Paisleys appearances on the same show.
Will prob be short and witty, but...

[Cáthasaigh]

This photo is from the period when state-sponsored murder gangs were sledgehammering their way into peoples' homes at night to murder them. Paisley refused to condemn the murder of his constituent Gerard Casey, murdered in this manner, as he was an IRA Volunteer.