Vale / in Memorium

[Didaksgoal]

Very sad indeed. Another person taken by Cancer, and taken from life far too early.

Condolences to Jim's family.

[Magpie Jack]

An absolute Gem of a human being. A huge lose to Australia and Ireland. Rip Jim

[Piesnchess]

very rarely a topic with universal unconditional agreement on Nicks .
It's a credit to how Jim lived his life that this is the case.
Not a bad word about the man, the footballer, the husband and father.
A real example of how a life can be lived in support of others.
I hugged my kids when I got home from work and Jim has not been far from my thoughts since I heard the news.
Rest In Peace Jim

Pity everyone who dies of cancer doesn't get similar.

WE lose a lot of valiant people to cancer, none should be forgotten.

[obleex]

Just gets sadder and sadder the more you think about it.



RIP Jim Stynes. An inspiration to us all.

[Tania]

The world is truly richer for having Jim Stynes in it and truly poorer for having lost him. Thank you for giving so much of yourself to the world. RIP.

[Morrigu]

[BJ]

Vale Jim Stynes. An absolute champion of life. To leave your beautiful family at such a young age is heartbreaking. I always thought you'd beat this battle.

The look that Northey gave you after that prelim loss in 87 would have broken lesser men, but you took it in your stride and became stronger.

You are an inspiration to all.

[skaman]

GUTTED. CHAMPION human being, first and foremost. All his other achievements are just remarkable. An absolute inspiration to me, especially for me at the moment. Will forever remember him. R.I.P Jimmy.We need more people on Earth like you.

[Leggie]

RIP Jim Stynes. A true champion. My heart goes out to your family at this very very sad time. I heard today that they will be creating a memorial in your honor. It will be a shrine for everyone. Regardless of who you support.

[WarrenerraW]

RIP Jimmy.

[Piesnchess]

I would also add that he had a very good knowledge of history, especially of Ireland and its "troubles". I remember he did an interview some years ago, during a doco on Ireland and the IRA, and he related how he took our Aussie gaelic team-the coach was Lyon i recall-to a footy ground in Belfast, and told our boys some horrifying Irish history. He related how in 1916, at the time of the Irish rebellion against the British, the Irish team were training at the ground late afternoon. Earlier that day, some Pommie soldiers got killed by the IRA. Suddenly, into the ground drove three heavily armed British army trucks, bristling with machine guns. The Irish players were all ordered to line up, with their coaches and trainers. They were asked sternly by the British Officer in charge, did any of them know of the bombing this morning, and if so, own up now.

Nobody owned up, nobody said a word on the field. All were quite possible totally innocent. Suddenly, the British officer waved his arm, tarpaulins went up at the rear of the trucks, revealing machine guns. They were then asked to own up, or ELSE ! Again no reply, so the Officer waved his arm , the machine guns opened up, and every single Irish player was shot dead, as were the coaches and trainers, around 22 innocent footballers. (Dont ever think the Nazis were the only ones to do this sort of thing, the Poms did it quite often too, when it suited them !).
Jimmy Stynes told this true story to our guys so they would know a bit of the history of Irish persecution by the British, and so they would know the significance of the ground they were to play on later that week, basically concecrated ground, of the annihilation of the Irish team by cold blooded murder. Our guys were deeply affected Jim said, and i take my hat off to him, aside from anything else, for his vast knowledge of Ireland and its history.

[jack_spain]

I would also add that he had a very good knowledge of history, especially of Ireland and its "troubles". I remember he did an interview some years ago, during a doco on Ireland and the IRA, and he related how he took our Aussie gaelic team-the coach was Lyon i recall-to a footy ground in Belfast, and told our boys some horrifying Irish history. He related how in 1916, at the time of the Irish rebellion against the British, the Irish team were training at the ground late afternoon. Earlier that day, some Pommie soldiers got killed by the IRA. Suddenly, into the ground drove three heavily armed British army trucks, bristling with machine guns. The Irish players were all ordered to line up, with their coaches and trainers. They were asked sternly by the British Officer in charge, did any of them know of the bombing this morning, and if so, own up now.

Nobody owned up, nobody said a word on the field. All were quite possible totally innocent. Suddenly, the British officer waved his arm, tarpaulins went up at the rear of the trucks, revealing machine guns. They were then asked to own up, or ELSE ! Again no reply, so the Officer waved his arm , the machine guns opened up, and every single Irish player was shot dead, as were the coaches and trainers, around 22 innocent footballers. (Dont ever think the Nazis were the only ones to do this sort of thing, the Poms did it quite often too, when it suited them !).
Jimmy Stynes told this true story to our guys so they would know a bit of the history of Irish persecution by the British, and so they would know the significance of the ground they were to play on later that week, basically concecrated ground, of the annihilation of the Irish team by cold blooded murder. Our guys were deeply affected Jim said, and i take my hat off to him, aside from anything else, for his vast knowledge of Ireland and its history.

With full respect to Jimmy Stynes mate, this thread is not to place to discuss the history of the Troubles. In any case Jim would have known the facts. The account you describe is simply not true and Jim would not have told it as such.

The events you refer to relate to Bloody Sunday, November 21st, 1920 at Croke Park in Dublin [Please, if we are going to discuss matters like these can we get our facts straight]. The Irish football team was NOT massacred! Here is what happened.

During the Irish War of Independence on November 21, 1920 Croke Park was the scene of a massacre by the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC). The Police, supported by the British Auxiliary Division entered the ground, shooting indiscriminately into the crowd killing or fatally wounding 14 during a Dublin-Tipperary Gaelic football match. The dead included 13 spectators and Tipperary's captain, Michael Hogan. Posthumously, the Hogan stand built in 1924 was named in his honour. These shootings, on the day which became known as Bloody Sunday, were a reprisal for the assassination of 15 people associated with the Cairo Gang, a group of British Intelligence officers, by Michael Collins's 'squad' earlier that day.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croke_Park

Shocking all the same, but it was indiscriminate shooting not the cold blooded killing you describe.

The least we owe Jim Stynes is the truth. Jimmy was a reconciler and would not have been about trying to stir anti-British feelings.

Vale Jim Stynes. Wonderful Irish/Australian. Wonderful human being.

[Piesnchess]

^ Strange Jack, ok i got the ground wrong, and the dates(it did go for years those strifes) but I distinctly recall Jim telling it on this doco that it was the Irish footy team that were shot, and by soldiers, he was dead serious, and believe me, I would not miscontrue what he said in any way, I recall what he said clearly, and i admired him for it. One would think he would know the facts of it, and I took him at his word, I remember what he said as if it were last week. I would never use his sad passing as some political point scoring, just stating the fact he was a man of many colours and vast interests, and I applaud him for it. He was obviously a proud Irish -Australian, and good on him for that. BTW, wasnt Bloody Sunday in 1972, when the Poms massacred a lot of Irish in Londonderry, I remember that one very well myself.

[die4pies]

[think positive]

Thats beautiful.

RIP Jim.

Peace be with You.