Comments on: An Irish Gulag.

By: John Bulloch

John Bulloch — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 10:20:59 +0000

Phil – what an opportunity missed by you – you could have put a worthwhile cause to the fore but this just shows you up for the bigot you clearly are – if this was written by a Rangers fan or Protestant – you’d be all over him with the “he’s a bigot” stick so fast…you really are a sad little individual…Go crawl back under the rock you came from.

By: pauline

pauline — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 16:41:08 +0000

Hello Phil
Thank you for your brilliant article, great analysis and great sense of humour. better to laugh than to cry…

By: Damo Lennon

Damo Lennon — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 17:39:42 +0000

They say nothing can match the hatred for the Catholic Church of a lapsed Catholic. Maybe I’m being presumptuous in thinking you are a lapsed Catholic Phil, but if you are, that is borne out totally by this article.

Hysterical doesn’t even begin to cover it. Some perspective would be nice.

By: Frank

Frank — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 09:35:18 +0000

Phil

In parts this is a good article; the systematic abuse of children by the Catholic Church is abhorrent and should never have been tolerated by the Irish Government. Nor should any decent Catholic allowed it to be covered up. The suffering of these victims I cannot (and do not want to) imagine.

However, to then insult the Catholic religion in the way you do is small minded, childish and unworthy of your usual journalistic skills. Your articles are usually particularly good because you get straight to the point in a very objective and informed manner; you have failed to do that here.

As a practising Catholic, I personally find your atack on my religion insulting. To ridicule people’s faith is uncalled for. I realise that religion is not for every one but to ridicule me (who you have never met) for my faith in Jesus is not acceptable for an “independant” journalist. I will fully support your crusade against the abusers of the Catholic Church but would ask you to show respect to those Catholics who have never been involed in these odious acts or their cover up!

By: admin

admin — Thu, 21 May 2009 16:11:40 +0000

Louise
Ad hominem attacks usually attract a red card on this site.
Please take this posting as a mere yellow.
Another such offering from you and you’ll have to find another place for your opinions.

You dont know me and therefore can have little idea of my personal history.
For example I was 25 when I received my first degree.
At no point in the blog did I state that every child under the care of the catholic church in Ireland was “abused and violated”.
However 35,000 were.
the Catholic church in Ireland has largely escaped without sanction.
You are correct to detect my pleasure in the “demise2 (your term) of an organisation that has ruined so many and had yet to be brought to book.
In writing my book “Preventable Death” I travelled the length and breadth of the island including the North where you are.
It was a travelogue of respectable towns and well kept townlands.
Once more your gibe that I dont really know Ireland simply doesnt wash.
Thanks for visiting the site and taking time to put your ideas down.
Remember you can make a strong polemical point without attacking the other person.
Phil