LWT Big Cheese, The Republicans in Ireland were funded by Boston Irish and Irish from other cities in the USA for over one hundred years. Many seekers of Irish Independence visited the USA to raise support including Eamon De Valera, who although born in the US moved to Ireland at a very early age and became a leading politician and eventually President of the Republic.
I will certainly agree with you that the IRA were absolutely Terrorists and did some terrible things to innocent people but I think you will have to admit the IRA did not form in a vacuum and learned its lessons well from the centuries of crimes sanctioned and commited by the British Gov't. and I don't really see the connection between this and what happened in Boston last week.
Boggy, We are all well thanks! We were down here and well away from everything going on up near you. A friend of mine's son lives in Watertown and was woken by the gunfire during the shootout Thursday night and was stuck in his apartment all day Friday. Hope you are all well also. T. Murphy