Talk:Billy McMillen

McMillens role

I posted a photograph of Liam McMillen on this site yesterday (26/4/07) and it has been removed. I have full permission to use the photograph from its copyright owners. The photo came from the files of the United Irishman newspaper (1948-1980) which is now defunct. The United Irishman was the organ of what was then Sinn Féin / Sinn Féin the Workers' Party and is now named the Workers' Party. They have given me permission to upload the photo on a copyright free basis. Therefore the photo should be reinstated on Wikipedia and on the Liam McMillen page. I would also like to know why this page is rated as being of low importance. Liam McMillen was the leader of the IRA in Belfast in the 1960s, before its split into Official and Provisional wings. He continued to lead the Official IRA after 1969/70 and was one of those who brought it to a position of ceasefire and along a purely political path shortly before his death in 1975 at the hands of ultra-leftist gunmen. He is at least as important as figures like Seán McStiofáin of the Provos who's article is rated as high-importance.Coolavokig 08:25, 27 April 2007 (UTC)

I would tend to agree with the last point. McMillen is a pretty important historical figure in the context of the IRA and the early years of the Troubles.Jdorney 23:37, 13 May 2007 (UTC)

If someone wants to come up with some more sources I'll happily change it to mid importance. However unless there's potential for significant expansion it's not really relevant what the importance is. One Night In Hackney₃₀₃ 23:40, 13 May 2007 (UTC)

The point about McMillen is that he was the leader of the most important IRA command area at the time of the 1969 split. If he had managed to avoid a split or if he himself had joined the Provisionals, history would have been very different. The leadership, politcs and tactics of the IRA would have been determined by left-republicans like him and not by straightforward militarists like MacStiofain. What is more, in the early 1970s, he was in command of a very substantial and well armed paramilitary group, the OIRA in Belfast. The fact that he, by and large, chose not to use this group's armed capability is also important. For certain he was a more significant figure than Joe McCann, who was under his command and who is rated as of mid imporance. Re expansion, I don't necessarily agree that all bio articles should be very long. The point on wp is surely to produce short, to the point articles?Jdorney 11:47, 14 May 2007 (UTC)

You've missed my point, in that I don't really think there's that much that can be done with this article. Regardless of his historical importance I really don't think there's anything immediate that needs doing with the article, so that's why it's low importance. One Night In Hackney₃₀₃ 11:50, 14 May 2007 (UTC)

Yes but importance refers to notability of the topic and not the urgency of the need to expand the article, no?.

Jdorney 10:31, 19 May 2007 (UTC)

I still don't have an explanation for the removal of the photograph. As I stated I have full permission from the copyright holders.

Coolavokig 13:52, 20 May 2007 (UTC)