As someone who has never identified himself as an Irish-American but as an American, whose grandparents all came from Ireland, I have to say I was enjoying reading your intelligent posts, but when you make snarky comments like this, you come off as much the bigot as those you properly condemn.
You've got the facts on your side; leave out the BS bigotry (or, depending on if you're an Irish-American yourself, the self-loathing). I only mention this because I like what you've got to say and am learning a lot, so it's for selfish reasons I respectfully ask you to can that kind of stuff, which is precisely the type of partisan "ethnic" thinking that the IRA scum engaged in.
"...I have to say I was enjoying reading your intelligent posts..."
I agree that this thread has been a good read and I learned something about the conflict (I am not of Irish descent). I am struck, however, by the backward-looking theme of the whole discussion. It may be that there is too much history and brutality on all sides to have anything less, but when is it time to start looking to the future?
The real question is not who won or lost or who is guilty or not guilty anymore, but what happens next? Armed conflict is easy compared to the more difficult task of rebuilding and changing hearts.