Tuesday, January 31, 2006
North and south 'must work together to prosper' - Hain
The economies of NI and the Republic of Ireland must forge closer links if they are to prosper in an increasingly competitive world marketplace, British Secretary of State Peter Hain has said.With more manufacturing and service jobs being outsourced to countries like China and India, Peter Hain insisted the North needed to develop a high-value skills economy in conjunction with the Republic.
Mr Hain told the Fabian Society at Stormont that meant developing a common inward investment strategy and companies on one side of the border expanding in the other.
He argued: "The island of Ireland faces common external threats from globalisation which, by working together, we can help overcome.
"The Republic’s enormous success has led to some of its companies being prevented from expanding because of a lack of additional capacity and skill shortages. They should be encouraged to outsource in the North.
"More Northern Ireland-based businesses should follow those which have successfully expanded into the South.
"In addition, both governments should have a joined-up strategy to attract inward investment, especially maximising the South’s strong relationship with Irish American business to showcase opportunities in the North.
"We should also work on a joint audit of opportunities for further economic co-operation to mutual advantage both sides of the border, bearing in mind, for example, the Republic’s proposed €7.5m investment in the City of Derry Airport which will benefit Donegal as much as the north-west of Northern Ireland, and which is an integral element of the €100bn investment plans for the island’s infrastructure over the next 10 years.
"I believe all of this is good, common-sense co-operation on matters of mutual interest across both jurisdictions."
While unemployment levels in the North had been halved and reached an historic low at 4%, Mr Hain said the level of economic inactivity among adults of a working age remained alarmingly high at 27.4%.
Ireland's north, he said, had a much higher percentage of long-term unemployed than the UK – 33.8% compared with the national average of 20.7% - while 23% of the working population had no qualifications whatsoever, compared with 13% nationally.
"Only 15% of the Northern Ireland workforce has a degree or equivalent, compared to 18% in the UK," he observed.
"Therefore, it is vital to invest in opportunities and skills, with greater access to vocational education, training and apprenticeships, to ensure no young person is left behind.
The minister said the North’s economy also had to wean itself off its current over-dependence on the public sector.
Public expenditure accounted for around two-thirds of the North’s GDP, he said, whereas the UK average was around 40%.
The private sector remained under-developed, with the public sector accounting for almost a third of all jobs in Northern Ireland compared with the UK average of a fifth.
Public expenditure as a percentage of GDP was significantly higher in the North than elsewhere – accounting for some two-thirds of regional GDP, compared with the national average of around 40%.
I have to applaud Mr Hain for his ideas. The island of Ireland does need to unite for the benefit of the people throughout the island.
The North needs help and the south can provide it.
Keep up the good work, Mr Hain.
January sets new records
Posting will be light from me today as I just have too much work to do right now (no, seriously).
I thought I'd say thanks though to those of you who have visited lately as January has seen United Irelander get more visitors than ever before. Site Meter tells me that as of right now January has seen over 7,500 hits which is a new record for this blog.
Lately, as I'm sure you have probably noticed, there has been quite alot of heated debate on this site. There's nothing wrong with that of course, indeed it makes things interesting, but sometimes we can let our emotions get the best of us when we are dealing with emotive topics. I include myself in that.
United Irelander follows the Slugger O'Toole philosophy of 'play the ball and not the man', in other words to attack the post but not the poster. Let's all try and avoid the ad hominem attacks and stick to the subject at hand.
Anyway, thanks for your contribution to the site. Onwards and upwards.
I thought I'd say thanks though to those of you who have visited lately as January has seen United Irelander get more visitors than ever before. Site Meter tells me that as of right now January has seen over 7,500 hits which is a new record for this blog.
Lately, as I'm sure you have probably noticed, there has been quite alot of heated debate on this site. There's nothing wrong with that of course, indeed it makes things interesting, but sometimes we can let our emotions get the best of us when we are dealing with emotive topics. I include myself in that.
United Irelander follows the Slugger O'Toole philosophy of 'play the ball and not the man', in other words to attack the post but not the poster. Let's all try and avoid the ad hominem attacks and stick to the subject at hand.
Anyway, thanks for your contribution to the site. Onwards and upwards.
No sex please, I'm the Italian Prime Minister
This amusing story in the Herald AM paper caught my eye yesterday.Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has pledged not to have sex before the April 9 election!
At a party rally in Sardinia, TV preacher Massimiliano Pusceddu blessed the media tycoon, thanking him for opposing gay marriage and defending family values.
"Thank you dear Father Massimiliano, I'll try not to let you down and I promise you two and a half months of complete sexual abstinence until April 9," pledged Berlusconi.
Well we know what politicians are like for keeping promises!
Still, if he does manage keep his word and he wins the election, there will be some celebration then won't there?!
Monday, January 30, 2006
Bruce declares for Ireland
This is a great bit of news that I came across on Slugger.Birmingham defender Alex Bruce has opted to declare for the Republic of Ireland team, despite being selected in the North's under-21 side.
Manchester-born Bruce qualifies to play for both countries through his grandparents.
Bruce, son of manager Steve, was last week selected by Northern Ireland for an under-21 clash with Israel, however, he looks set to turn them down in the hope of working his way into Steve Staunton's Ireland set-up.
The smart man in question
Bruce has explained why he turned down the NI team in favour of the Irish team.
"I'm very flattered that Northern Ireland and the Republic are both showing an interest in me.
"But I think I'm going to pick the Republic purely because I think they are a better team. That's no disrespect to Northern Ireland. I've still got a few things to sort out but hopefully I will be playing for them soon."
Bwahahahaha!
I like this guy already!
In other words, no offence to the NI team but you're muck and the Irish team are far superior! Therefore, slán libh!
I salute Alex Bruce on a wise decision. Why waste your time going to a team whose main goal will be to finish above Liechtenstein and who have a fanbase that contains a hefty portion of bigots, when you can instead join the Irish team who will be challenging for qualification and who have the greatest supporters in the world? It's a no-brainer.
Best of luck to the young lad. Hopefully he will prove an excellent addition to the Irish squad!
Today in History - Bloody Sunday
Today we the people of Ireland remember the dark day that was the 30th January, 1972, better known as Bloody Sunday, when the British Army murdered 14 civil rights marchers in cold blood in the Bogside district of Derry.On the fateful day, some 10,000 people gathered in Derry to march under the banner of the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association against the policy of internment. The march had been banned. Within an hour of the march, 13 protesters were shot dead by members of the 1st Parachute regiment, the final victim died later.
The soldiers claimed they had been fired on by the IRA as they moved to make arrests but the Catholic community maintains to this day that the crowd was peaceful and that the British Army murdered unarmed civilians.
A British inquiry under Lord Widgery concluded that,"At one end of the scale, some soldiers showed a high degree of responsibility; at the other end, firing bordered on recklessness."
This view was not shared by the Derry coroner, Major Hubert O'Neill, who stated that:
"The army ran amok that day. They were shooting innocent people. These people may have been taking part in a march that was banned but that does not justify the troops coming in and firing live rounds indiscriminately. I would say without hesitation that it was sheer unadulterated murder."
The Widgery inquiry backed up the Army's account of events but it is widely regarded as a whitewash. In fact British Prime Minister John Major wrote to John Hume in 1992 stating:
"The Government made clear in 1974 that those who were killed on 'Bloody Sunday' should be regarded as innocent of any allegation that they were shot whilst handling firearms or explosives. I hope that the familes of those who died will accept that assurance."
In January 1997, English television station Channel Four carried a report on its news programme which suggested that members of the Royal Anglian Regiment had also opened fire on the protestors and could have been responsible for 3 of the 14 deaths.
A new inquiry under Lord Saville is now attempting to uncover the truth about what really happened on Bloody Sunday. At a total cost of £155m it is the biggest investigation in British legal history.
Barney McGuigan - shot dead as he attempted to help an injured man
The events of Bloody Sunday were absolutely horrific and the Irish people will never forget what happened on that day when 14 civilians were murdered at the hands of the British Army. The image to your left depicts the horror. It is the dead body of Barney McGuigan who was shot dead by British troops as he waved a white handkerchief high above his head attempting to go to the aid of a dying man.
The scumbags who perpetrated these murders never went to jail for their crimes. Indeed, shockingly, some of those involved in the murder were actually HONOURED by the British Queen.
El Blogador has written an excellent and poignant post here which touches on the human element of the tragedy.
The families of the victims deserve justice and the people of Ireland deserve answers over what occurred today in history, 30th January, 1972.
The day was significant in a political sense too as it signifies why Ireland ought to be ruled as a sovereign and united state, independent of Westminster and why British rule can never be fully trusted by either community.
It is clear that Bloody Sunday is one of the most important dates in Irish history. Take the time to pause and reflect today about what happened that day 34 years ago.
Remember the murdered. Never forget them.
Conan O'Brien enters Finnish election campaign!
This is without a doubt the funniest story I have heard in a long long time!Conan O'Brien, the well known US talk show host, has decided to help out Finnish president Tarja Halonen in her bid to get re-elected - because she looks like him!
Right now Finns are voting in the second round of their presidential election and Halonen, the country's first female leader, has failed to win an outright majority in the first round. Her bid for a second six-year term is facing a strong challenge from the Conservative candidate Sauli Niinisto and opinion surveys say the race between President Halonen and Mr Niinisto is too close to call.
O'Brien has explained why he is supporting the current president.
"Why do I support Tarja Halonen? Because she's got the total package: a dynamic personality, a quick mind, and most importantly - my good looks."
Apparently O'Brien's support has not gone unnoticed in Finland. "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" airs five days a week on SUBTV, a Finnish cable channel, with a few days' delay and every time he mentions Finland or Halonen, local tabloids report it prominently.
"Of course, when she is mentioned so many times it's positive for our campaign," said Halonen's campaign manager, Markku Jaaskelainen.
Conan looks on...
Halonen's supporters quickly saw an opportunity, and her campaign started running real ads before O'Brien's show on Finnish TV.
Halonen was hugely popular even before O'Brien discovered their similarities, but Jaaskelainen said hits on the campaign Web site have quintupled partly because of O'Brien's shows.
In one show, O'Brien presented a mock ad for Halonen in which he and two Finns were discussing the election while fishing on a frozen lake.
When they talk about rival candidate Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen, a dead fish shoots out of the hole in the ice, prompting a joke about how the mere mention of his name causes fish to commit suicide.
"Fish recognize a bad leader," O'Brien says in broken Finnish to laughter from his studio crowd.
Halonen's opponents have reacted angrily to O'Brien's actions.
"He's just making fun of the whole election," said Harri Jaskari, campaign manager for Niinisto.
"If this decides the election, then we're in trouble. It gives a very poor picture of Finnish democracy."
In Helsinki, people did not seem to take offense at O'Brien's use of their presidential election for comic relief.
"I think it's quite funny," said Mia Myllymaki, a 28-year-old elementary school teacher. "Of course we are proud that Conan O'Brien talks about Finland and Finnish people. ... People in the USA don't even know where Finland is, so maybe it helps if he talks about it."
Anu Linnus, a 22-year-old economics student, said O'Brien's backing could indirectly affect the election.
"I don't think people are going to vote for Tarja because she's on the show, but it helps her image," she said.
NBC, which runs Conan's show in the United States, said the popular host is planning a trip to Finland in February. It was not clear whether he would meet with Halonen, 62, who apparently does not mind being compared to the 42-year-old O'Brien.
"She thinks that it's very nice that she looks the same as Conan O'Brien because Conan O'Brien is so much younger than she," said Jaaskelainen, the campaign manager.
I think this is hilarious! I've become a big fan of Conan O'Brien and I try to watch his show whenever I can. He's sort of like Ryan Tubridy...but with talent. He's also very proud of his Irish roots which is great.
You can watch Conan giving his support to Tarja Halonen in this clip here.
Personally I hope Tarja Halonen does get re-elected and I hope she meets with Conan in the February show. How funny would that be?!
Come on you Finns, do your duty! Re-elect Tarja Halonen!
Monday Madness - Sam Maguire silliness
What a load of nonsense we have been subjected to over the fact that the All Ireland champions Tyrone paraded the Sam Maguire trophy before Celtic's clash with Dundee United on Saturday at Parkhead, Celtic's ground.Scottish Conservative politician Bill Aitken MSP even went so far as to call for the Sam Maguire to be banned from Glasgow Celtic's ground this weekend.
The stupid bigot then had the audacity to brand former Irish Republican Brotherhood activist Sam Maguire a 'terrorist'.
I support Tyrone County Board Chairman Pat Darcy's call for the unionist community to see Gaelic games in a sporting context and to disregard their hang-ups over names. The county GAA chairman has called for an end to verbal attacks on the GAA by politicians, particularly those from the unionist persuasion, simply because many clubs are named after republican and nationalist historical figures.
"Every year we have certain unionists politicians in the county taking issue with the flying of Tyrone flags during the championship," said Mr Darcy. "Club names is another point of issue.
"Gaelic clubs were founded in Irish traditions. Both cultures have names that are associated with their traditions. That's the reality and we should all get on with it. We should accept it and stop making an issue of it.
"Take Craigavon, for example. It is named after a man considered as someone who discriminated against a section of the community for years.
"Windsor Park is named after the British Royal Family, as is the Royal Victoria Hospital. We all have to tolerate these names.
"We have to accept that these are places that exist. Politicians should do the same rather than criticise GAA clubs. It's just an excuse they give for not participating in Gaelic games."
Mr Darcy is quite correct. Windsor Park is named after the Royal family, which one half of the North's community does not support and Craigavon is named after one of the most disgraceful, sectarian individuals to have ever lived in Ireland, James Craig. Yet nationalists get on with it.
Furthermore, the simple fact is that Celtic is a club with strong Irish roots. Brother Walfrid, an Irishman from Sligo who established the club to alleviate poverty in Glasgow, suggested the club's name be 'Celtic' to reflect the club's Irish and Scottish roots. With that being the case, for the Sam Maguire to be paraded before Celtic fans, many of whom will be from Ireland anyway, is perfectly acceptable. Donegal, Armagh and Galway have all brought Sam Maguire to Celtic Park in the past and when Celtic won the European Cup in 1967, they brought to trophy to Dublin where they presented it before Irish president Eamon de Valera.
Celtic's crest - Can you believe they have Irish roots?
West Tyrone Ulster Unionist MLA Derek Hussey, a critic of the GAA in the past, said that Mr Darcy has to understand that many of his constituents have strong views on the GAA.
The UUP politician said, "The greatest difficulty arises when names are associated with those who have been associated with more recent terrorism in Northern Ireland. There is also concern with the ethos that the association has had in the past with regard to the security forces.
"Club and pitch names within the GAA quite often are related to personalities who have a preeminence within what would be regarded by some within the unionist community as republicanism.
"I realise there would be appear to be a gradual sea of change within the association in general on issues such as participating and ground use. But we live in a society that is slow to change," added Mr Hussey.
In fairness to Mr Hussey, at least he's setting out his stance in a respectful manner without resorting to hysterical hyperbole like others.
Even so, Mr Hussey has to appreciate that Irish people are entitled to be proud of their Irish Republican history and that we don't take kindly to bullshit comments such as Mr Aiken's who has the audacity to label Sam Maguire a "terrorist".
Mr Hussey is right that we live in a society slow to change but there is no point in trying to change the past, is there? The fact is the GAA has an association with Irish cultural nationalism and many of its members fought for the independence of Ireland. The fact is Celtic football club has an association with Irishness and the club itself was built upon this association.
Neither the GAA nor Celtic should have to apologise for that and sad little bigots like Bill Aiken will just have to learn that any attempt which is made to try and damage Irish culture will be challenged and challenged vociferously by Irish sports fans!
Deal with it!
Special Branch cover-up their role in innocent man's death
This is a shocking bit of news.A police watchdog has found Special Branch officers launched a cover-up to conceal their fatal role in the shooting of inocent man, Jean Charles de Menezes at Stockwell Tube station.
According to a report in The News Of The World, undercover police tried to change a surveillance log to hide the fact they had mistakenly identified the 27-year-old electrician as a suspected suicide bomber.
As a result blame for the tragedy would have been shifted to senior Scotland Yard commanders or the armed police who pulled the trigger.
The claimed leak of the IPCC report - handed over to the Crown Prosecution Service 10 days ago - revealed de Menezes was only shot after he was wrongly identified as suspected suicide bomber Hussein Osman by an undercover Special Branch team.
However, once they realised their fatal error, officers altered the log to show that no positive identification had been made.
A "Whitehall source" is quoted as saying: "It says the log was actually tampered with in a major way.
"In particular the words AND and NOT were inserted about the Osman ID, so it read 'and it was not Osman' rather than 'it was Osman'."
The log was apparently tampered with at a debriefing meeting 10 hours after the shooting.
It had been produced by colleagues of the officers listening to the team's radio messages.
During the evening debriefing, the officers on the ground were allowed to check it for errors - but crucially, the alterations were not signed.
A spokesman for the de Menezes family launched a scathing attack on the British authorities for keeping them "in the dark" - and said the latest revelations added to their beliefs the shooting had been shrouded by "lies and deception".
It's all so very murky but is anybody really surprised at the actions of Special Branch? The people of Ireland have had to deal with collusion between Special Branch and loyalist paramilitaries for decades.
Perhaps this incident will highlight to the British people just how dangerous Special Branch really are.
I hope that the Menezes family get justice for their murdered relative.
Sunday, January 29, 2006
Poll Results - Britishness in decline
Britishness is in decline according to visitors of United Irelander. Having been up for a week, I've closed the poll on my sidebar which asked the question:
Is Britishness in decline?
The results were:
Yes - 78% (18 votes)
No - 22% (5 votes)
Would a similar result occur if a proper survey was conducted of people in Britain? Perhaps. Perhaps not.
I've stated already on United Irelander that I personally feel Britishness is in decline but it's more of a decline in the perception of Britishness. The challenge that Britishness faces is whether or not it can successfully incorporate a growing sense of Englishness within the United Kingdom.
It will be interesting to see what happens in the UK in the future.
Is Britishness in decline?
The results were:
Yes - 78% (18 votes)
No - 22% (5 votes)
Would a similar result occur if a proper survey was conducted of people in Britain? Perhaps. Perhaps not.
I've stated already on United Irelander that I personally feel Britishness is in decline but it's more of a decline in the perception of Britishness. The challenge that Britishness faces is whether or not it can successfully incorporate a growing sense of Englishness within the United Kingdom.
It will be interesting to see what happens in the UK in the future.
Playwright hits out at loyalist harassment
There's an interesting interview by Henry McDonald in The Observer (hat tip Slugger) with the playwright Gary Mitchell, whose family have been intimidated out of their homes by loyalists.Loyalists have been incensed by the playwright's work. His best known drama, As the Beast Sleeps, screened in 2001 on the BBC - revealed how young Protestants were coping with life before and after the loyalist ceasefires. It provoked a hostile reaction.
In his first interview since the attack, Mitchell reveals what has happened to his family in the aftermath: their seven-year-old son, Harry, is so traumatised he spends most days in his bedroom and has had to take time off from school; Alison rarely goes beyond the door; and Gary cannot return to the house they still own on the northern outskirts of Belfast.
Henry McDonald explains why the man has been harassed:
"The Mitchells were attacked for two reasons: first, there has been growing resentment in Rathcoole about Gary's exploration of Ulster loyalism and its identity crisis. Secondly, the loyalist paramilitary groups have begun to fragment.
"Detectives have recently identified 'rogue paramilitaries' at Rathcoole - where Mitchell used to live - who don't answer to either the Ulster Volunteer Force or Ulster Defence Association leadership. They deal in drugs, picket Catholic families trying to visit graves at nearby Carnmoney Cemetery, and killed a doorman at a north Belfast nightclub because he refused to let them sell cocaine and ecstasy on the premises.
"Mitchell admits he has 'history' with some of this renegade gang. In 1997 when he won a Dublin-based award for new writing, he was branded a traitor. 'They would stop you in the street, ask you what you were doing in Dublin and accuse you of selling out.' The 40-year-old writer eventually left Rathcoole the next year, after a campaign of intimidation. He returned for his grandmother's funeral in November. 'They (the gang) sent a message that I was banned from Rathcoole and had defied them, but I never even knew there was a ban.'"
Absolutely disgusting what these loyalists are engaging in. Can you believe the hostility the poor man faced just for accepting an award in Dublin?
This man deserves the chance to live in peace but not enough is being done for him. Henry McDonald makes that point in his article:
"Peter Hain, the Northern Ireland Secretary, offered Mitchell and his family some comfort just before Christmas - an invite to a drinks reception at Hillsborough Castle. But the playwright says that the invite spectacularly backfired.
"'When we arrived at Hillsborough there were senior loyalist paramilitary figures drinking and eating in the same room. It was insensitive of the Northern Ireland Office to invite a family who were victims of loyalist intimidation to a function where loyalist leaders were in attendance.'
"The Northern Ireland Office stressed there was never any intention of putting the Mitchells into a difficult situation."
There doesn't seem to be any effort from the Northern Ireland Office to get the Mitchells out of a difficult situation.
It's OK to have a piss-up with loyalists but it's not OK to challenge their activities?
Why is the focus always on Republican paramilitaries when the loyalist paramilitaries appear to be far more dangerous right now?
When are the loyalist activities going to be condemned by the main unionist parties?
Some trivia about United Irelander
I came across this cool little thing called The Mechanical Contrivium (hat-tip Fence). Here's what it had to say about yours truly:
1. It took united irelander 22 years to build the Taj Mahal!
Better late than never, right?
2. United irelander became extinct in England in 1486!
1. It took united irelander 22 years to build the Taj Mahal!
Better late than never, right?
2. United irelander became extinct in England in 1486!
Those bloody English...
3. United irelander was originally green, and actually contained cocaine.
My solicitor says I shouldn't comment on this.
4. The international dialling code for united irelander is 672.
This should help me break into that tricky Japanese market...
5. United irelander is the only bird that can swim but not fly!
Yes, now that I've exterminated those pesky penguins the honour is all mine!
6. A united irelanderometer is used to measure united irelander.
Indeed. And ladies, I measure up nicely!
7. United irelander has only one weakness - the colour yellow!
Bah! My secret's out!
8. Early thermometers were filled with united irelander instead of mercury.
Those were the days...
9. United irelander was originally called Cheerioats.
That's actually true. I got rid of that name as it sounded too gay.
10. There are six towns named united irelander in the United States!
This year I'm aiming to have seven!
Why don't you enter yourself in The Mechanical Contrivium and see what it comes up with!
Saturday, January 28, 2006
Anti-Irish NI fans
Seeing as football has been all people have talked about lately I decided to visit the forums of Our Wee Country, a football fanzine for the North's fans, to see what they had to say. Some of you who visit United Irelander might remember my anger a few months back towards a truly vile and sickening article that is still lauded on their front page and which expresses sickening anti-Irish and anti-Traveller sentiments. It can be read here.Anyway I noticed a thread entitled 'Euro 2008 Qualifier with the Republic' which had a poll asking fans, "Would you like a draw with the Republic in the qualifiers"? Sadly this thread also contains some sickening comments about the Irish and you can read the thread for yourself here. I've chosen to highlight some of the comments. First up:
"Nah, I'll be happy with a visit to a far flung Eastern European country instead of a trip to the Theatre of Xenophobia (aka Croker)."
As well as that here are comments from 'MD HNISC':
"Dambusters and Rule Britannia would no doubt get an airing (particularly as the country were playing wouldn’t let the Royal Navy use their ports in the Second World War). GSTQ will feature a few times as well, particularly away after we finish booing the Soldiers Song but, that aside, I think we could ensure that Northern Ireland football songs predominate and hopefully make the Beggars look bad, when they start up their usual repertoire."
Charming stuff, don't you think? 'MD' follows this up with:
"Also as Stuart G says, a trip to Latvia or Slovenia to check out the lovely ladies there is much more appealing than waking up in a Tallaght tower block next to some dog rough Dublin knackerette."
Such lovely folks these NI supporters. Can you believe nationalists are sceptical of their motives?
Most disappointing of all, 'mac' follows up the 'dog rough Dublin knackerette' comment with:
"Especially with a horse baying in the background."
What lovely sentiments don't you think?
'Football For All' indeed
It seems that all this talk of NI supporters changing their ways is exactly that - talk.
I would continue to advise northern nationalists to steer clear of the NI team and not to go near it with a fifty foot bargepole!
The views which I have highlighted about the south are narrow-minded and unhelpful and they contribute nothing of benefit to football or society.
Fatah farce
Things are crazy right now in the Middle-East.Several gunmen from the defeated Fatah Party climbed on the roof of the Palestinian parliament building today, firing in the air to the cheers and whistles from hundreds of supporters below.
Thousands of Fatah activists held protest marches across the West Bank today, demanding the resignation of their leaders after a stinging election defeat at the hands of the Islamic militant Hamas.
In Wednesday’s parliament vote, Hamas captured 76 of 132 seats in the legislature.
They don't seem to have grasped what democracy is all about over there. Democracy involves handing over power peacefully to your rivals and with good grace as happened in the Irish Free State when Cumann na nGaedheal handed power over to Fianna Fáil peacefully in 1932.
Thankfully they didn't climb on the Dáil and start shooting in the air like maniacs.
Hopefully the Palestinians will understand things one day!
Holohans ask DPP to appeal O'Donoghue sentence
I hear that Robert Holohan's mother Majella has reportedly written to the Director of Public Prosecutions asking him to appeal against the sentence handed down to her son's killer.Last Tuesday, Wayne O'Donoghue was given just four years for the manslaughter of the Cork schoolboy.
The Holohans feel this was too lenient and have, since the victim’s impact statement at the end of the trial, raised questions over the nature of the relationship between their son and the defendant.
The office of the DPP now has until the February 21 to consider the state's position.
I think I speak for most Irish people when I commend the brave stance of Mrs Holohan and I truly hope that the DPP reconsiders the disgraceful sentence given to Mr O'Donoghue for the 'manslaughter' of Robert Holohan.
Let's restore some faith in the Irish judicial process.
Friday, January 27, 2006
Fun Irelander Feature - Pet peeves
Last week's Fun Irelander Feature was quite cheerful as I went and described the little things in life that make it worth living. Right now though I'm feeling about as cheerful as Victor Meldrew here to your left so I figured that this week I'd describe some of my pet peeves which make life a pain in the arse:- People who don't watch where they're going - I have to deal with these types all the time on O'Connell Street. They're either stopping to talk to their friends or stopping to look in the window but they don't seem to be aware that there are other people around too. WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING. I particularly hate these muppets who whip out their mobile phones and hold it aloft as if it were Moses' staff parting the red sea. Idiots.
- Ringtones - Speaking of phones, another pet peeve of mine is people with annoying ringtones. As for those people who have the Crazy Frog as their ringtone, they deserve to be beaten with sticks.
- Dublin Bus - Maybe I could tolerate the fact that they keep raising their prices to ridiculous levels if they actually made sure the busses turned up on time. Sadly, trusting Dublin Bus to show up on time is akin to trusting Sven-Goran Eriksson on his own with an attractive female...
- People who cough on you - Staying with Dublin Bus, I had the pleasure today of sitting in front of an old guy who was coughing and splurting right behind me. What the hell do you do in this situation? You can't exactly turn around and tell him to shut up. Maybe if you're from New York you can I suppose. Incidentally my throat feels a little sore right now. Gee, I wonder why that is? It's certainly not from yelling at sick old people.
- Rip-off culture - It's ridiculous in this city. I got charged forty cents for taking two teeny tiny pieces of butter for some toast. Forty cents? Are we that loaded? Whatever next? Paying for straws and napkins? F*cking joke. Where's Eddie Hobbs?
- People who spit - Use a hanky for feck's sake.
- 'Dorsh' accent - 'Roysh so loike myself and Sorcha were out at that club Bondi and loike it was soooooooo amazing loike. Loike totally loike.' This D4 accent does my head in. The people who use it sound like a cross between posh Brits and dopey Americans. It seems to be catching on down here too. Loike totally.
- The Corpo - Dublin Corporation workers are a pet peeve of mine. I'm seeing them everywhere these days. Anyone know what all that construction work on O'Connell Street right now is for? I'm just wondering why it is that they're turning the street into a shithole.
Anyway that's all the pet peeves I can think of for now. I probably have alot more. Getting that off my chest has mad me feel much better! Feel free to offer some of your own pet peeves.
Ireland get Wales in Euro 2008 Draw
I've just watched the draw for Euro 2008 live on Sky Sports News.It was the usual stuff with men in suits talking waffle and clips being shown but they eventually got down to business and it proved an exciting draw.
(It was also funny how one official struggled to open the little plastic balls that were used for the draw!)
I think Ireland have found themselves in a good group by being drawn in Group D. It could have been alot worse anyway.
Group D reads as follows:
Czech Republic
Germany
Slovakia
Ireland
Wales
Cyprus
San Marino
First thoughts that spring to mind? Why the hell are we ranked below Slovakia? I know they have improved in recent times but come on! Ireland play Wales for the first time competitively which will be good, we have a history with the Czech team and hey we're going to Germany after all...just a little later than the World Cup teams in 2006.
As for the 'Northern Ireland' team, which for some reason was depicted with an 'Ulster flag' when NI doesn't have a flag, they are in Group G with Iceland, Liechtenstein, Latvia, Denmark, Spain, Sweden. Presumably their goal is to finish above the mighty Liechtenstein!
As for our neighbours in Britain, England have got a good group in Group E with Macedonia, Andorra, Estonia, Israel, Russia, Croatia. I would fancy them to top that group. Why was Sven there though when he will be leaving in the summer? He must have felt awkward. Poor old Scotland eh?! Not only are they in the 'Group of Death' but they're in the Group of Hell in my opinion. They are in Group B with France, Italy, Ukraine, Lithuania, Georgia and the Faroe Islands. Ouch.
It was a good draw from an Irish perspective in my view and I think Irish fans will be pleased. At least we're not in Scotland's group! Here are my thoughts on Ireland's opponents:
Czech Rep - We had a memorable victory over the Czechs a few years ago at Lansdowne Road in the qualifying camapign for Euro 2000 I think. They are a good team and will be at the World Cup this year but I think there are more dangerous teams out there and I fancy our chances against them.
Germany - Our last encounter with the Germans was the memorable game in the 2002 World Cup when Robbie Keane scored that dramatic late equaliser. I think the Germans are vastly overrated and I fancy us to beat them in Dublin.
Wales - This should be a good encounter. We've never met competitively before but that will soon change. I think we can take these guys. They struggled against the North's team and they will struggle against us. There's a red dragon about to be slain by some Irish warriors...
Cyprus - Why do we always get this team? We've had them in the last two World Cup campaigns and we have them yet again. They have threatened to embarrass us in the past but have failed to do so and I imagine they will fail again. We should handle them.
San Marino - Should be a good trip for Irish fans to get to travel to a sunny place as Damien Duff torments these guys.
Overall, we should be pleased. I'm glad in a way that we have got Wales as we tend to struggle against the supposedly weaker teams but the two games against Wales will surely inspire us. As for the supposed big boys of the group, Irish teams tend to do well when we are depicted as the underdog so I think we can take points off the Czechs and the Germans in Dublin.
I fancy our chances of qualification for Euro 2008 if Staunton and Robson can successfully rebuild the Irish team. We have one or two world class players and some decent youngsters coming through and if we have a good team spirit, we should be a force to be reckoned with.
Come on you boys in green!
O'Donoghue won't attend Holohan inquest - why not?
The student convicted of killing Co Cork schoolboy Robert Holohan last January will reportedly refuse to attend the inquest into the 11-year-old's death.Reports this morning said Wayne O'Donoghue (pictured left) would not attempt to use the inquest to reject allegations of a sexual link between himself and his victim.
The 21-year-old's solicitor is quoted as saying that he will not attend the inquest even if summoned to do so by the coroner.
O'Donoghue was said to be "deeply upset" by suggestions that he had a sexual relationship with Robert, which were made by the youngster's mother at the student's sentencing hearing earlier this week.
Isn't that a bit baffling? Why won't he attend the inquest - even if he is summoned by the coroner?
If you were accused of something that you didn't do, wouldn't you be eager to fight the accusation tooth and nail?
O'Donoghue's motives certainly are questionable. Not just on this matter.
I think it was Mrs Holohan who made this point before, that if Robert's death was an accident, why didn't he call for help at the time?
Wouldn't that be the typical response? If you were in his shoes (God forbid), would you dump the body, actively take part in the search - when you know where the body is - and then criticise the Garda's response to the search?
You might try and excuse these actions by saying that he wasn't thinking and that he panicked.
I'll respond to that point through Judge Carney's own words:
"It cannot be dismissed as being due to panic by reason of the calculation and deliberation involved."
On Tuesday, Wayne O'Donoghue was sentenced to just four years in prison for the manslaughter of Robert Holohan. He is unlikely to have to serve the full term.
Mr O'Donoghue's actions certainly raise alot of questions.
And this country, especially the family of Robert Holohan, deserve answers to them.
Hamas Headache
The big issue in the world right now concerns the victory in the Palestinian elections by Hamas, the radical Islamic militant group.Israeli interim Prime Minister Ehud Olmert ruled out any talks with "an armed terror organisation that calls for Israel's destruction".
Near-complete results gave Hamas 76 of the 132 seats in parliament.
The Middle East "Quartet" - the US, UN, EU and Russia - issued a statement later on Thursday, calling on Hamas to renounce violence and accept Israel's right to exist.
The group will hold talks in London on Monday to decide what to do after the victory.
US President George W Bush said Washington would not deal with Hamas unless it rejected its call to destroy Israel.
I am quite concerned about these developments. It's not my place to question the outcome of a democratic election but I do not like the idea of terrorists being endorsed.
I haven't discussed the Israel/Palestine situation much here on United Irelander, primarily because I have little interest in the issue.
What I will say is that I think the two sides are a long way away from peace and unlike the situation here in Ireland, I question whether these two sides genuinely do want to have peace as they seem too gripped by hate and revenge to contemplate a compromise.
The Israel/Palestine situation brings home to me that things in Ireland are a hell of alot better than we think and while we may differ on this island about what is best for the future politically, thankfully we all seem to share the same concensus that whatever the future holds, peace must be a part of it.
I hope the situation in the Middle-East can one day find a peaceful solution that satisfies the people but I do not know where this will come from, or who indeed will be responsible for it.
Friday Fun's Fascinating Fact
Fact: 'During his or her lifetime, the average human will grow 590 miles of hair.'
Though if you're a Frenchman, chances are you will grow that much in the space of a year.
Though if you're a Frenchman, chances are you will grow that much in the space of a year.
Thursday, January 26, 2006
Ahern and Blair meet in Dublin for talks
How nice it is that Taoiseach Bertie Ahern is holding a summit with British Prime Minister Tony Blair in Dublin today in a bid to kick-start a fresh bid to bring back the North's Assembly and other political institutions.
The two leaders will meet at Farmleigh House in Dublin’s Phoenix Park as parties in the North prepare for a new round of talks on February 6.
The Irish role in the North's affairs is pivotal and the British government acknowledges that.
However it might be now time for the British government to grant Joint Authority in the North and make the Irish government an official partner in the governing of the region.
As I've said before, the DUP can't be allowed to halt progress.
The two leaders will meet at Farmleigh House in Dublin’s Phoenix Park as parties in the North prepare for a new round of talks on February 6.
The Irish role in the North's affairs is pivotal and the British government acknowledges that.
However it might be now time for the British government to grant Joint Authority in the North and make the Irish government an official partner in the governing of the region.
As I've said before, the DUP can't be allowed to halt progress.
Events of Shame - Partition of Ireland
Continuing with the 'Events of Shame' feature on United Irelander which looks at shameful episodes in Irish history, today we look at perhaps the most shameful episode of them all - the partition of Ireland. I don't want to dwell too much on the background of events which led to Partition as not only would it take me forever, but I assume most people who read this blog are aware of the basics. I think it would be wise however to at least detail the main background details of Partition for those who might not be aware of them.There are many factors for the partition of Ireland but it essentially stemmed from the third Home Rule Bill which was set to become law at long last in Ireland in 1914. Home Rule involved Ireland attaining a subsidiary parliament within the United Kingdom to look after domestic affairs. It did not mean separation from the United Kingdom but it was met with fierce opposition in the north-east of the country from unionists who did not want to be ruled from Dublin. Ireland was predominantly Catholic and it was felt by unionists that 'Home Rule is Rome Rule'. However by 1914 Home Rule was set to become law and unionists in the north-east were prepared to resist this democratic reality by force if necessary.
Following threats of civil war on the part of the Ulster Volunteer Force, British politicians began to talk of excluding certain counties in Ulster from Home Rule. This was a policy adopted by unionist leader Edward Carson, a Dubliner by birth, who did not really want Partition but was willing to threaten it to prevent Home Rule for Ireland. The Home Rule leader John Redmond eventually acquiesced to the idea of some form of partition of Ireland - which he was told by Lloyd George would be temporary - but it outraged Irish public opinion and is incidentally the reason why Padraig Pearse dropped his support for Home Rule and became a Republican.
In the end, Partition was eventually imposed on the island of Ireland under the Government of Ireland Act 1920 which involved Home Rule for Ireland in the form of two states, a far cry to what was originally planned. Partition remains arguably the most appalling thing the British have ever done to the Irish people (which is saying something!) and I will now attempt to explain why Partition was so disgraceful.
"You can no more split Ireland into two parts than you can split England or Scotland into parts. Ireland is a nation; not two nations, but one nation. There are few cases in history, and, as a student of history in a humble way, I myself know of none, of a nationality at once so distinct, so persistent, and so assimilative as the Irish." - British Prime Minister Herbert Asquith, speaking in Dublin in 1912.
The will of the people was ignored
The Government of Ireland Act was passed in Westminster in December 1920, two years later in the 1918 General Election Sinn Féin's republicans effectively wiped out the Home Rule party by gaining 73 out the 105 total Irish seats available. In the local elections of 1920, Sinn Féin obtained 80% of the seats, winning a majority in 28 of the 32 counties. It was to be the last national election that the Irish people as a whole were to participate in.
The Government of Ireland Bill had been introduced in Parliament in December of 1919. It was rejected by all sides in Ireland. The pro-Unionist Irish Times commented, "The Bill had not a single friend in either hemisphere, outside Downing Street." Not a single member of any Irish party voted for it. The Irish people did not vote for it and did not want it. Carson remarked, "I know Ulster does not want this parliament." Despite this, unionists ultimately accepted the partition of Ireland. (The Northern Ireland state which unionists achieved was actually a Home Rule parliament which as we know they had previously fought)
An artifical statelet is created
The six-county entity which was called 'Northern Ireland' had never existed before then as an entity in history, politics or economics. Containing six of the nine counties of Ulster, it was a completely artificial area, made by drawing an arbitrary boundary and carving an artificial unionist majority out of a majority nationalist country. Even Lloyd George, the British Prime Minister responsible for Partition, called it "a frontier based neither upon natural features nor broad geographical considerations." In 4 1/2 counties out of the 6 there was a majority of people for independence. The numerical strength of the unionists in the other 1 1/2 counties enabled them to permanently out-vote the nationalists majority in the rest of the northern statelet.
The other three counties of Ulster contained 70,000 unionists who were not included in the new statelet because they also contained 260,000 republicans and nationalists. This was the only reason Britain would not keep the entire province of Ulster in the "UK". The inclusion of Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan would "reduce our majority to such a level that no sane man would undertake to carry on parliament with it," said James Craig, the first Prime Minister of the six counties.
Unionists prepare to rule
The discrimination against Catholics in the 6 county state, which would be angrily challenged decades later by Catholics in the Civil Rights campaigns, began around this time. Between June 1920 and June 1922, in what can only be described as ethnic cleansing, 428 people were killed in political conflict, 8,750 Catholics were driven from their jobs and 23,000 Catholics were driven from their homes.
While the province of Ulster was and is a nine county entity, the unionists recognized that they would not have a sufficient majority to control the historic province.
"We should like to have the very largest area possible, naturally. That is a system of land grabbing that prevails in all countries for widening the jurisdiction of the various governments that are set up; but there is no use in our undertaking a government which we know would be a failure if we were saddled with these three counties." - Edward Carson
Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan were the three Ulster counties that were left out of the 'Northern Ireland' state.
The British treat the Irish with contempt
"We must make it clear that at the end of the provisional period Ulster does not, whether it wants to or not, merge in the rest of Ireland." - Lloyd George
It suited the British government to have a divided Ireland. A divided Ireland could be controlled by the British. Their aim was to retain the whole country by dividing it and thereby making it an untenable entity.
"We never asked for partition and we never wanted it," said Lord Glentroan, a unionist leader, many years later in the Stormont Parliament.
Lloyd George admitted that if the Irish people were asked what form of government they wanted, they would choose an Irish Republic "by an emphatic majority." But the British government made sure that this did not happen. Throughout the rest of 1920, the British waged war on Ireland in order, according to the Irish Times, "to scourge the Irish into obedience, leaving as sole alternative to resistance, the acceptance of the present Bill." That was in November 1920, the bloodiest month of the war.
In that month, 18 year-old Kevin Barry was hanged; in India, Corporal James Daly was executed for leading a mutiny in protest of Black and Tan atrocities; 14 British agents were executed by the IRA in Dublin; 13 Irish sports fans were shot dead by Black and Tans at Crooke Park; two IRA officers and a civilian, Conor Clune, were tortured and shot dead in the guardroom of Dublin Castle and at Kilmichael in Cork, the IRA, taking on a force many times its size in personnel and arms, inflicted the worst military defeat on the British army to date.
A month later, the British passed the Government of Ireland Act.
Final piece of treachery from the British
The British needed to sell the Act to the Irish people but how do you sell to nationalists the partition of their country? Well it was simple - you lie to them. Lloyd George persuaded the Irish delegates in the Anglo-Irish Treaty talks that a Boundary Commission would deliver huge chunks of nationalist-dominated territory in Northern Ireland to the Irish Free State. Michael Collins and Arthur Griffith were aware that the counties of Tyrone, Fermanagh, the southern portions of County Armagh, Down and Derry had Catholic/nationalist majorities. Lloyd George indicated that the Free State would acquire this territory and that the Northern Ireland state would be too small to function in a divided Ireland. Because of this, they signed the Treaty.
As history shows, not only did the Boundary Commission NOT advocate territory for the Free State, in actual fact it advocated that the Free State lose territory to Northern Ireland!
It is for all these reasons that the partition of Ireland is, in my opinion anyway, the most disgraceful thing the British have ever inflicted upon the Irish people. We are all still dealing with the ramifications of the British abuse of democracy and justice almost 100 years later.
Perhaps those reading this who aren't from Ireland and who sometimes wonder why this is such an important issue for Irish people now realise why we care so much.
Partition was a heinous act of shame inflicted upon Ireland. I would hope that the majority of Irish people, and indeed British people and people around the world, would echo my sentiments when I say that it was a terrible wrong and a wrong that one day soon should be righted through the reunification of the island of Ireland.
Ni neart go chur le chéile (No strength without unity)
FG and Labour call on TDs to actually work
I had to comment on this story.Fine Gael and the Labour Party are reportedly demanding an increase of up to 50% in the number of Dáil sitting days as TDs returned yesterday from their annual five-week Christmas break.
Those of you from abroad who are reading this, no this is not a joke - they returned from their Christmas break YESTERDAY.
Now bear in mind that we're almost into February at this stage!
Reports on Wednesday said Fine Gael and Labour wanted to see the Dáil sitting for four days every week, with shorter recesses for summer and Christmas.
Gee, should we really allow that to happen? I mean, we wouldn't want them to burn themselves out!
I can't believe I'm back in work already
The call for more sitting days from Fine Gael and Labour is expected to coincide with a sustained attack on the Government during the upcoming Dáil session as they continue their efforts to present themselves as a viable alternative coalition.
Well I certainly back the idea of reducing the time off for these politicans. They only returned yesterday from their Christmas break can you believe that?
All their kids would have been back in school weeks ago, that's the ridiculous aspect of it all! You can just imagine what the mornings must have been like in the households of these politicans...
"Mam it's not fair! Why do I have to go back to school while Daddy McDowell gets to stay home and watch This Morning on ITV?!"
"Because it's like I told you sweetie...Daddy's an Irish politician."
What a country we live in eh?
We get a week off for St Paddy's Day too!
People in Britain have been bemoaning George Galloway for entering the Big Brother house when he should have been working (quite rightly too) but the thing is, in Ireland, our politicians weren't even working at all!
They were all busy sitting at home watching Galloway on TV probably!
George Galloway should try being a politician in this country as it would be far less hassle for him!
"Politics is too serious a matter to be left to the politicians." - Charles de Gaulle
Damn straight, Charles! Shower of gangsters!
Lions vs Hyenas
Ever wondered who would win in a fight between a lion and a hyena? Well now you can see for yourself:
Lion vs Hyena war
Never disrespect a lion!
Lion vs Hyena war
Never disrespect a lion!
News round-up
Gorgeous (sic) George Galloway has been evicted from the Big Brother House! 1, 2, 3...aww!
He should consider himself lucky in my opinion. Having watched both Big Brother and the debates in the House of Commons, the British parliament seems far more exciting!
Galloway of course pretended to be a cat in the Big Brother House. No word yet on whether he'll milk his performance. (I'll get my coat)
George Galloway relaxing
In other news, the always interesting Ronan Mullen has written an article in the Irish Examiner regarding priesthood celibacy and Clonfert priest Fr Mossie Dillane, who it was revealed recently has fathered a child.
Mullen points out that contrary to one of last weekend's newspapers, the issue had not "reignited the debate over celibacy" since we haven't ever had a proper debate on it. It's an article that's well worth a read and I agreed with his final paragraphs:
"However we look at the story, no one can present it as an argument against mandatory celibacy. You might as well claim that a man having an affair after years of happy marriage is an argument against keeping your marriage vows.
"Not everyone should choose priesthood and not everybody will live celibately in the proper spirit. But when it is lived well, a celibate life typifies the kind of selflessness an individualistic society badly needs."
Staying with the Irish Examiner, they touch on the major issue in Ireland right now - the sentence given to Wayne O'Donoghue for the manslaughter of Robert Holohan and the issue of semen that was found on the boy's body:
"What many people find perplexing is how such leniency could be extended to someone who had daily participated in the hunt for the Robert’s body after killing him, knowing at the time that he lay in a ditch near Inch strand in east Cork"
"Two families have been destroyed. The nation has been shocked. A community is riven by remorse.
"And the State’s legal system has been called into question"
And finally in a truly bizarre bit of news that I learned of yesterday on Slugger, Brokeback Mountain, the movie about a relationship between two gay cowboys, is apparently not coming to cinema screens in Ballymena.
I'm sure Maurice Mills will be devastated!
He should consider himself lucky in my opinion. Having watched both Big Brother and the debates in the House of Commons, the British parliament seems far more exciting!
Galloway of course pretended to be a cat in the Big Brother House. No word yet on whether he'll milk his performance. (I'll get my coat)
George Galloway relaxing
In other news, the always interesting Ronan Mullen has written an article in the Irish Examiner regarding priesthood celibacy and Clonfert priest Fr Mossie Dillane, who it was revealed recently has fathered a child.
Mullen points out that contrary to one of last weekend's newspapers, the issue had not "reignited the debate over celibacy" since we haven't ever had a proper debate on it. It's an article that's well worth a read and I agreed with his final paragraphs:
"However we look at the story, no one can present it as an argument against mandatory celibacy. You might as well claim that a man having an affair after years of happy marriage is an argument against keeping your marriage vows.
"Not everyone should choose priesthood and not everybody will live celibately in the proper spirit. But when it is lived well, a celibate life typifies the kind of selflessness an individualistic society badly needs."
Staying with the Irish Examiner, they touch on the major issue in Ireland right now - the sentence given to Wayne O'Donoghue for the manslaughter of Robert Holohan and the issue of semen that was found on the boy's body:
"What many people find perplexing is how such leniency could be extended to someone who had daily participated in the hunt for the Robert’s body after killing him, knowing at the time that he lay in a ditch near Inch strand in east Cork"
"Two families have been destroyed. The nation has been shocked. A community is riven by remorse.
"And the State’s legal system has been called into question"
And finally in a truly bizarre bit of news that I learned of yesterday on Slugger, Brokeback Mountain, the movie about a relationship between two gay cowboys, is apparently not coming to cinema screens in Ballymena.
I'm sure Maurice Mills will be devastated!
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Labour TD calls on DPP to appeal O'Donoghue sentence
I'm delighted to hear that Labour Party TD Joe Costello has called on the Director of Public Prosecutions to re-examine the sentence handed down to Wayne O'Donoghue yesterday.The 21-year-old was jailed for four years for the manslaughter of his 11-year-old neighbour, Robert Holohan, in January of last year.
It emerged during the sentencing hearing that semen had been found on the youngster's body, but reports this morning said the DPP decided not to introduce the evidence as it could not be proved that the semen was that of Mr O'Donoghue.
The presiding judge said he was handing down a four-year term based on the evidence heard in court, but Mr Costello is now calling on the DPP to appeal the leniency of the sentence.
I made my feelings on the sentence given to Wayne O'Donoghue quite clear yesterday. I think it was an absolute disgrace and I hope and pray for the sake of the Irish judicial system, but more importantly for the sake of Robert Holohan's family, that the court's decision is reviewed.
Not everything is at it seemed from the looks of it.
I salute Joe Costello for bringing this to light. I know Joe and I feel he is a good man and that he's not simply another political slimeball tying to get ahead, but rather someone who genuinely does want to make a difference in society.
What Irish society needs to know is whether or not justice was done yesterday and in light of revelations that semen found on the body was not introduced, that may not have been the case.
The DPP has serious questions to answer.
Sonia O'Sullivan becomes an Aussie!
This is news I was not expecting to hear (thank you to maca for drawing my attention to it), Sonia O'Sullivan, one of Ireland's most famous athletes in history, has only gone and become an Aussie!Sonia O’Sullivan will receive Australian nationality at a ceremony in Melbourne tomorrow and has confirmed she now wants to compete for her new country at the Commonwealth Games in March.
O'Sullivan, who hails from the Australian town of Cobh, County Cork, was one of the leading 5000m runners for most of the 1990s and early 2000s.
She won a Gold Medal at the 1995 World Athletics Championship and set a 5000m world record time in 1991, becoming the first Irish woman to set a world track record.
She also won a silver medal at the 2000 Olympics, being narrowly beaten by Romanian Gabriel Szabo.
Even with one leg Sonia was devastating
However O'Sullivan now intends to bid for a team place over the 5,000 metre distance by contesting the Australian trials which take place in just over a fortnight.
"I have finally got my nationality sorted out but I will not really believe it until I’ve got the certificate in in my hand," O’Sullivan told PA Sport.
O’Sullivan, who has two young children and lives in a second home in Melbourne with their father Nic Bideau – also her manager – was delighted she has made a dream come true.
She said: "Let’s remember I am Irish and they don’t come and compete in the Commonwealth Games but with dual nationality I can now do so. It’s a simple thing really."
But she insisted: "No matter what championship it might be, I would never compete against Ireland. That is the country where I was born and bred. But this is an exception.
"I plan running for them at the European Championships in the summer," she added.
Now O’Sullivan is looking forward along with other people granted citizenship, to swearing her allegiance to Australia and receiving her official papers at a public ceremony in Melbourne.
Then she plans to continue preparations for the Commonwealth Games where the track and field programme will take place at the Melbourne Cricket Ground from March 19-26.
'OK which joker took my real flag'?
I think this is a real shame. As visitors to United Irelander will know, I support the idea of Ireland rejoining the Commonwealth as I think it would have many benefits for the island of Ireland including a chance to participate in the Commonwealth games.
While we refuse to even countenance the idea of rejoining, here we see an Irish athlete actually adopting another nationality to have a chance to participate! It would be so much simpler if we actually rejoined the organisation. Other republics are already there so what's stopping us?
I'll be rooting for Sonia if she does participate in the Commonwealth games, and I hope most Irish people will do the same and I think they will, but I can't help feeling that the best solution in the long run is for Irish athletes to participate in the Games under their own flag and colours.
'What If'? Wednesday - New Irishness
There has been alot of talk about the British identity in recent weeks. As some of you may know there is a poll on United Irelander's sidebar asking whether Britishness is in decline. As I write this, 80% of you so far say yes while 20% say no. Go and vote in the poll if you haven't yet. There does seem to be a concern about Britishness right now amongst politicians in the UK. Gordon Brown has called for a national day of celebration for Britishness which has received a mixed reaction at best. While a decline in Britishness largely affects the people of Britain, it would also affect the north of Ireland too and thus would have ramifications for the people of Ireland as a whole. With that being said, I feel the question needs to be asked...
What if there is a decline in Britishness in NI? Will we see a new sense of Irishness amongst those who currently renounce it?
I think it's an interesting thought. The north of Ireland is a peculiar place when it comes to discussing national identity. Prior to the Easter Rising, Irish people in Ireland felt both British and Irish. As is the case now with the people of Scotland, Wales, and to a lesser extent England, people did not have to choose between the British aspect of their character and the Irish aspect. Indeed, at the outbreak of World War I, Irishmen queued up in their droves to join the fight for the British Army and recruitment matched levels of those in Britain. Of course, the 1916 Rising changed everything. Suddenly a separatist desire had been reawakened in Irish people and thanks to alot of British incompetence, such as the desire to introduce conscription in Ireland, the Irish people suddenly found themselves having to do something that they had not had to do prior to 1916 - choose between their Britishness and Irishness. As we know, most people in Ireland chose Irishness and renounced their Britishness. In the Free State and subsequently Eire, Britishness gradually withered away.
Ireland's north was different. While some renounced their Britishness, most people retained their sense of Britishness as well as their sense of Irishness, albeit an Irishness quite different to the one perceived of down in the south. However the North had issues of its own to face which would force the people to choose between their Britishness and their Irishness - The Troubles. The Provisional IRA campaign in the North led to many people who regarded themselves as 'Irish unionists' renouncing their Irishness totally in favour of Britishness or else 'Northern Irishness', which was little more than a retaliatory identity anyway.
In the North today, the two main unionist parties try to outdo one another on which one is more British. The same is true of the nationalist parties in relation to Irishness. None of the main parties seem to acknowledge the groups who refer to themselves as British and Irish or British and 'Northern Irish' or who simply refer to themselves as neither. Everything is left in black and white terms. Or green and orange terms to be more precise!
What happens though if Britishness declines in Britain? Where does that leave the people in the North who curently define themselves as British? Would they consider the idea of once again calling themselves Irish?
I know it can be hard to assess the relevance of surveys, however one 'Northern Ireland Life and Times' survey conducted in 2004 attempted to determine the political attitudes of people. The results were:
Unionist - 39%
Nationalist - 23%
Neither - 37%
Other (specify) - 1%
(Don't know) - 1%
When one assesses the 18-25 age bracket, things get even more interesting:
Unionist - 27%
Nationalist - 27%
Neither - 45%
Other ( specify) - 1%
(Don't know) - 0%
Now people can draw many different conclusions from these types of surveys but what I think is abundantly clear is that there is a significant portion of people in the North who are sick of being herded into one of the two tribes, unionism or nationalism. As I highlighted above, unionist parties are too busy preaching about their Britishness while nationalists are too busy preaching about their Irishness.
The situation facing the two national identities is complex. I personally believe there is a decline in Britishness but that this decline is more of a decline in the perception of what it means to be British.
I think the same is becoming true of the Irish identity. We can see small glimpses of this happening. How people define their Irishness in 2016 will be vastly different to how people would have defined it 50 years previously in 1966. It won't be based on Catholicism, it won't be based on anti-Britishness, it won't be based on conservative values. In 2016 we will see a more secular Ireland, we will see an Ireland that has embraced Europe (hopefully not too much) and we will see a more liberal type of Ireland I reckon.
The point I'm trying to make here is that Irishness is evolving. Soon we will have to reshape Irishness altogether as it was reshaped in 1916. We will have Polish-Irish, Chinese-Irish, Nigerian-Irish etc. If Ireland can successfully integrate these people into Irish society, as a true republic should be able to, then it will greatly enhance the chances of a United Ireland in my opinion.
If Britain does not handle the evolution of its national identity as well as Ireland, and with its strong conservative elements and cautious approach to the outside world it's quite possible, then the people of NI, particularly the younger generation, might find it in their best interests to be part of in a society with many definitions of what it means to be Irish.
After all, if we can have Polish-Irish, Chinese-Irish and Nigerian-Irish, what's stopping us from having British-Irish as well?
Irishness in 1916 witnessed a revolution in its identity. Irishness in 2016 will have hopefully witnessed an evolution in its identity.
We've spent long enough focusing on the 'dead generations'. Let us all now focus on the future generations.
What if there is a decline in Britishness in NI? Will we see a new sense of Irishness amongst those who currently renounce it?
I think it's an interesting thought. The north of Ireland is a peculiar place when it comes to discussing national identity. Prior to the Easter Rising, Irish people in Ireland felt both British and Irish. As is the case now with the people of Scotland, Wales, and to a lesser extent England, people did not have to choose between the British aspect of their character and the Irish aspect. Indeed, at the outbreak of World War I, Irishmen queued up in their droves to join the fight for the British Army and recruitment matched levels of those in Britain. Of course, the 1916 Rising changed everything. Suddenly a separatist desire had been reawakened in Irish people and thanks to alot of British incompetence, such as the desire to introduce conscription in Ireland, the Irish people suddenly found themselves having to do something that they had not had to do prior to 1916 - choose between their Britishness and Irishness. As we know, most people in Ireland chose Irishness and renounced their Britishness. In the Free State and subsequently Eire, Britishness gradually withered away.
Ireland's north was different. While some renounced their Britishness, most people retained their sense of Britishness as well as their sense of Irishness, albeit an Irishness quite different to the one perceived of down in the south. However the North had issues of its own to face which would force the people to choose between their Britishness and their Irishness - The Troubles. The Provisional IRA campaign in the North led to many people who regarded themselves as 'Irish unionists' renouncing their Irishness totally in favour of Britishness or else 'Northern Irishness', which was little more than a retaliatory identity anyway.
In the North today, the two main unionist parties try to outdo one another on which one is more British. The same is true of the nationalist parties in relation to Irishness. None of the main parties seem to acknowledge the groups who refer to themselves as British and Irish or British and 'Northern Irish' or who simply refer to themselves as neither. Everything is left in black and white terms. Or green and orange terms to be more precise!
What happens though if Britishness declines in Britain? Where does that leave the people in the North who curently define themselves as British? Would they consider the idea of once again calling themselves Irish?
I know it can be hard to assess the relevance of surveys, however one 'Northern Ireland Life and Times' survey conducted in 2004 attempted to determine the political attitudes of people. The results were:
Unionist - 39%
Nationalist - 23%
Neither - 37%
Other (specify) - 1%
(Don't know) - 1%
When one assesses the 18-25 age bracket, things get even more interesting:
Unionist - 27%
Nationalist - 27%
Neither - 45%
Other ( specify) - 1%
(Don't know) - 0%
Now people can draw many different conclusions from these types of surveys but what I think is abundantly clear is that there is a significant portion of people in the North who are sick of being herded into one of the two tribes, unionism or nationalism. As I highlighted above, unionist parties are too busy preaching about their Britishness while nationalists are too busy preaching about their Irishness.
The situation facing the two national identities is complex. I personally believe there is a decline in Britishness but that this decline is more of a decline in the perception of what it means to be British.
I think the same is becoming true of the Irish identity. We can see small glimpses of this happening. How people define their Irishness in 2016 will be vastly different to how people would have defined it 50 years previously in 1966. It won't be based on Catholicism, it won't be based on anti-Britishness, it won't be based on conservative values. In 2016 we will see a more secular Ireland, we will see an Ireland that has embraced Europe (hopefully not too much) and we will see a more liberal type of Ireland I reckon.
The point I'm trying to make here is that Irishness is evolving. Soon we will have to reshape Irishness altogether as it was reshaped in 1916. We will have Polish-Irish, Chinese-Irish, Nigerian-Irish etc. If Ireland can successfully integrate these people into Irish society, as a true republic should be able to, then it will greatly enhance the chances of a United Ireland in my opinion.
If Britain does not handle the evolution of its national identity as well as Ireland, and with its strong conservative elements and cautious approach to the outside world it's quite possible, then the people of NI, particularly the younger generation, might find it in their best interests to be part of in a society with many definitions of what it means to be Irish.
After all, if we can have Polish-Irish, Chinese-Irish and Nigerian-Irish, what's stopping us from having British-Irish as well?
Irishness in 1916 witnessed a revolution in its identity. Irishness in 2016 will have hopefully witnessed an evolution in its identity.
We've spent long enough focusing on the 'dead generations'. Let us all now focus on the future generations.
One for the lads
Don't you just hate it when women tell you what to do?Well...now you can tell them what to do!
See here. If you're in work it will make the day fly by.
You're welcome!
British warship anchors in Malvinas
I read with interest how a British warship anchoring in Argentina for the first time since the two countries went to war over the Islas Malvinas, aka the Falkland Islands, 23 years ago, met with a chilly reception in its homage to those who died in the conflict.The captain of the icebreaker HMS Endurance, Nick Lambert, and interim Tierra del Fuego Governor Carlos Saladino presided over today’s memorial ceremony in Ushuaia, 2,150 miles south of the capital, Buenos Aires.
Captain Lambert called the visit "historic" and said he hoped it would mark the start of "a very good relationship between Argentines and Britons", according to Argentine news media.
But some residents, still bitter over the war, raised a poster reading: "Killer pirates: English out of here!"
The British ship anchored yesterday, making what was described as a technical stop on a scientific research expedition to Antarctica.
Relations between Britain and Argentina have been haunted by the 1982 war that began when Argentina’s military government of the time captured the islands, known in Argentina as the Islas Malvinas.
Jose Martinez Aranibar, who heads the Argentine veterans association for the Rio Grande area, complained that Britain has blocked efforts by his comrades to return to the islands to visit the graves of war dead there.
"I would like it if the recognition of the dead was in the Malvinas, but because of various manoeuvres carried out by Great Britain, we cannot visit our dead in the islands," he said.
Authorities in the Falklands have refused to allow the Argentine flag to fly there.
So the veterans said they did not want to see British warships in Argentina.
"Next year, we’re ready to oppose this and the ship probably won’t be able to enter our waters", said the veterans association chief for Usuaia, Juan Carlos Parodi.
I think it's a damn shame that the British have been so hostile towards the Argentinian veterans.
The 'Falklands War' was a terrible business altogether and it wasn't really all that surprising when war broke out. The British tend to be quite protective of their former colonies as we here in Ireland know all too well.
As we all know the British response to the Argentinian occupation of the Malvinas was one of outrage. You see when the British do that kind of thing it's called expanding the glorious Empire and is praised in history books, whereas when the backlash comes as a result of this kind of expansion, it is loudly condemned.
That's not hypocrisy - it's just history.
When her atlas revealed where the islands were, Thatcher was outraged
I feel bad for the Argentians over this issue. The Malvinas/Falkland Islands are yet another example of the terrible legacy that the British Empire has left to the world. They have brought misery, pain and suffering upon many nations, not just Ireland.
Hopefully one day a peaceful solution will emerge for the disputed Malvinas.
The Argentinians deserve that.
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
More on the Holohan case
Following on from my earlier post, I've just watched an RTE reporter on TV explain the issue of semen found on the body of Robert Holohan.I will try to explain what he said as best I can.
Apparently when Robert Holohan's body was found, traces of semen were found in the left hand. A swab was taken and the sample was sent to France where it was suggested that the sample may have matched the DNA of Wayne O'Donoghue.
O'Donoghue's defence then wrote to the examiner in France who then produced a report saying that the sample might not actually match Wayne O'Donoghue's DNA.
The DPP then ruled that the sample could not be used as evidence.
It all sounds very dodgy and it's looking like the full story was not presented to the court.
Mrs Holohan made a speech to the court questioning how it had been conducted. As Breaking News reports...
She said she knew that semen had been found on her son’s body.
She referred to O’Donoghue’s explanation for the start of their confrontation which led to the death of her son, in which he said Robert had been throwing stones at his car.
"Would you kill someone for throwing stones at their car?" she said.
She said there had been no forensic evidence that stones had hit the car and questioned why there were no fingerprints found on her son’s mobile phone.
"Who wiped it clean and deleted a number of images from it?" she said.
She told a packed courtroom that Robert’s phone had shown that Wayne had contacted him at 6am.
"What was Robert doing in Wayne’s bedroom at 7.30am when he was supposed to have been on a sleepover?" she asked.
Mrs Holohan also asked why her little boy had rang 999 that morning as his phoned showed he did and why were his two runners were off when his body was discovered.
Was justice really done in this case?
O'Donoghue gets away with 4 years
This is a dark day for the Irish judicial process.Wayne O'Donoghue has been sentenced to just four years in prison for the manslaughter of Robert Holohan.
Last month O'Donoghue, a 21-year-old engineering student from Ballyedmond near Midleton in Co Cork, was acquitted of murder but convicted of the manslaughter of 11-year-old Robert in January 2005. O'Donoghue admitted killing his next-door neighbour. He said that it was an accident after a row erupted when Robert threw stones at his car.
Earlier today Robert Holohan's mother, Majella, addressed the court. She claimed that semen was found on Robert's body when it was discovered dumped in a ditch at Inch strand in east Cork last January.
Mrs Holohan said that her family's suffering following Robert's death was heartbreaking and indescribable.
She asked why would he have been killed for throwing stones; why were images deleted from his mobile phone; and what was Robert doing in Wayne O'Donoghue's bedroom at 7.20am on one occasion when he was supposed to have been on a sleepover with a friend.
Prior to imposing sentence, Mr Justice Paul Carney warned Majella Holohan to prepare herself.
He told her that the sentence he was going to impose would be upsetting; he said that he would endeavour to explain what he was doing but there was no getting away from the fact that it would upset the mother.
Mr Justice Carney then set out the aggravating and mitigating factors and imposed a sentence of four years.
I'm not so much outraged by this news as I am sick to my stomach. My heart goes out to Mrs Holohan at this time as she must be reeling at this decision.
This family has suffered enough and now they have suffered again, this time at the hands of the Irish judicial system.
Mrs Holohan's testimony raised some dark and disturbing issues. Semen on the body, images deleted from a phone, why was Robert in O'Donoghue's bedroom unbeknownst to his family?
Four years is the result?
It is a tragic case of that we can all agree, but I feel this is a tragic sentence and a rotten day for justice in this country.
The system has failed here.
Top Ten Tuesday - An Ideal ROI
I figured it would be worthwhile doing an optimistic list this week.In an ideal world the Irish people would have a United Ireland where they shared a nation-state with their fellow compatriots but as we know, despite the majority of the island wanting this, that is not what we have.
However, 26 of the 32 Irish counties have autonomy, although I don't think this autonomy is being utilised as well as it could be. With that being said, this week's edition of Top Ten Tuesday is about my views on an ideal Republic of Ireland. So without further ado:
1. Northern representation in the Seanad - This was in the works ages ago yet it has conveniently fallen by the wayside. In my opinion, politicians from north of the border should have the option of having speaking rights in the Oireachtas. If not in the Dáil, then in the Seanad. It makes sense.
2. All-Ireland economy - In an ideal ROI, we would have an all-Ireland economy. This would be a good way to highlight to unionists the benefits of all-Ireland cooperation. The British Secretary of State Peter Hain wants to see it happen and so do I.
3. All-Ireland Presidential elections - I think it's high time that people in the North were allowed to vote in Irish Presidential elections like the rest of the island of Ireland. President Mary McAleese was born in the north of Ireland and is the President yet people from the North can't vote for her! This is farcical and needs to be sorted out.
4. All-Ireland police force - There should be an all-Ireland police force because recent events in the North show that political policing is still very evident and even the British government seem to be realising this of late.
5. British citizenship - I think granting British citizenship rights to people in the Republic who desire it would be a good idea and a great way of showing unionists how far the Republic has come. Again, it would highlight the benefits of greater links north and south.
6. Leave the EU - In an ideal ROI, we would be free of the hellhole that is the EU which has the audacity to castigate Ireland for using UN courts instead of EU ones! If only we could get away from these bumbling bureaucrats.
7. Commonwealth membership - In an ideal ROI, we would be once again members of the Commonwealth as this would be a great way of reaching out to the British culture on the island of Ireland.
8. NATO membership - In an ideal ROI, we would abandon the joke that is Ireland's 'tradition of neutrality' which is nothing but a great big sham. It would be a big weight off Irish shoulders.
9. Visit from Queen - In an ideal ROI, the British Queen would be set to make her historic first visit to the Irish Republic because at present, this visit still doesn't look like it's happening. It should happen as it would go down well throughout the island and would improve relations north and south a great deal.
10. No Cork - In an ideal ROI, Cork would be cut off and allowed to sail away into the Atlantic somewhere.
So there you have it. The ten hallmarks of an ideal Republic of Ireland. Feel free to comment on my choices or to offer up some of your own.
Stop calling it the 'British Isles'!
While visiting Pub Philosopher yesterday I was reminded of one of my pet peeves - the term, 'British Isles'.Steve wrote:
"Have you ever tried to explain the difference between England, Great Britain, the United Kingdom and the British Isles to a foreigner? Come to that, explaining it to another Englishman can be a challenge."
Now if you're Irish this immediately sets alarm bells ringing in your head because most Irish people do not like the term 'British Isles' and in the Irish Republic, the term is no longer used in Irish state documents, has been abandoned in schoolbooks and is gradually being phased out of textbooks.
I back this stance as the term has led to confusion in the past such as when the then Soviet Union Leader Mikhail Gorbachev, during a stop-over visit to the Republic of Ireland, indicated that he presumed Ireland's head of state was the British Queen Elizabeth, given that she was the British Queen and his officials said that Ireland was a part of the British Isles.
Personally I like the term 'IONA' - Islands Of the North Atlantic - which was actually coined by a British Conservative minister, Sir John Biggs-Davison. It's a nice term. Short and sweet.
With that being said, I think in the interest of fairness we should look at some other potential terms:
- The Isles - Not very catchy admittedly but at least it's harmless.
- The Irish Isles - Let's see how you Brits take to that!
- LIBI (Little Island, Big Island) - Seeing as this is one I've just invented myself, I personally wouldn't object to it.
- Little and Large - Might be copyright issues with this one...
- The Teddy Bear and..whatever the hell you call Britain - This one might not take off.
Tell us about your thoughts on the term 'British Isles' or feel free to come up with your own term for the islands!
Friends to return...Oh my God!
In news that is sure to delight all those who like a cheap laugh, TV sitcom Friends is returning to television after each of its six stars agreed multi-million dollar deals to star in four one-hour specials.Yes the sound of laughter (canned laughter) will soon be heard again as the cast of Friends have reportedly agreed a $5m (€4m) apiece deal with NBC bosses in Los Angeles.
Scriptwriters have already started penning lines for the four double episodes, which are due to air this year.
Jennifer Aniston, who has filmed a string of movies since the final Friends episode, was the last to agree to the new deal.
An NBC insider says: "She's the one who had been holding out. But she's now agreed to reprise Rachel (Green).
"Bringing them back is a dream come true. Ratings will go through the roof."
Network bosses have also hinted at a second spin-off of the hit comedy, following the disappointing performance of Matt LeBlanc's show Joey. The new programme will see the three male stars - Matthew Perry, David Schwimmer and LeBlanc - pilot a series called It's A Guy Thing.
An NBC spokesperson confirms: "Negotiations on future projects are going on all the time."
So Friends returns. I guess they never ended it, rather they were just 'on a break'. This is dreadful news in my opinion. It's bad enough that Friends staggered on for as many seasons as it did yet now we're going to be subjected to even more episodes!
I'll confess that I used to enjoy Friends - for a time - but the show ended up going on for far too long and the writers quickly became bereft of ideas. The same thing has happened to The Simpsons and countless other sitcoms that have outstayed their welcome.
If only America could produce more quality comedies like Curb Your Enthusiasm as opposed to once again inflicting upon us a sitcom that should have never made it past the nineties!
Also, what's the deal with all the lame Friends spin-offs? Whatever next? Gunther's Coffee Shop? Friends should be left in the dustbin!
Could I be more pissed off?
Monday, January 23, 2006
Monday Madness - DUP halting progress
It has been confirmed that at some point this week, DUP leader Dr Ian Paisley will meet with British Prime Minister Tony Blair to table his party's devolution blueprint for the North. These proposals however fall short of a fully-fledged Executive and have already been rebuffed by the Irish nationalist parties, Sinn Fein and the SDLP.Paisley has laughably claimed that his party's paper, humorously titled, 'Facing Reality ... The Best way Forward', is a realistic way of ensuring "the foundation of good government".
Under the plan it is understood Assembly members would be allowed to scrutinise decisions by Direct Rule Ministers and have some role in relation to the North's legislation.
Let's be clear about this. Paisley's plans are an insult to the people of the island of Ireland and the fact that both he SDLP and Sinn Féin have rejected the proposals means that this week's talks with Mr Blair are just another example of DUP intransigence on efforts to restore power-sharing.
James Kelly of the Irish News does a good job of taking Dr Evil to task on the "rubbish on 16 pages" as he calls the proposals. Kelly writes...
"My advice to Mr Hain is 'chuck it in the wastepaper basket' and I have had a long experience of the fulminations, political and religious, from that quarter since the old menace fulfilled Terence O'Neill's dire prophecy that one day he would end up squatting on top of the Ulster 'dunghill'.
"Meantime, he and his party members are to present their proposals to prime minister Tony Blair in London next week. The document is entitled The Best Way Forward, when we all know that it is the best way backward. No talks with Sinn Féin this time. Last time it was no talks with teagues or fenians. So be warned Mr Blair, give this gang of disruptionists short shrift. Their message is a quick descent from an uneasy peace to political turmoil. Send them packing!"
Mr Kelly goes on to highlight the problems the North will face as long as the Ballymena bigot continues to get his way:
"We know who has been playing blind man's bluff and we are heartily tired of his clap-trap. Is there no-one around big enough to shut him up? Why are the business and industrial chiefs so silent about the menace of a Paisleyite disaster sequence? Under his disguised apartheid regime the economy will remain in the doldrums.
"South Africa's apartheid regime is no more and now the last remnant of religious apartheid is to be found with a false face hiding in the sick counties of Ulster. Let Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern be advised and not fall for Paisley's new posturing as a devolutionist. He was the sworn enemy of the Good Friday Agreement and remains a determined and unscrupulous wrecker of this international treaty, backed by majorities north and south. Aided by the election bungling between the SDLP and Sinn Féin, he has used every trick in the book to attempt to dismantle the agreement bit-by-bit and set up a restored Protestant parliament for a Protestant people akin to the Craigavon-Brookeborough one which amazingly lasted for half a century."
James Kelly is quite correct and it's certainly fair to compare Dr Paisley, sectarian bigot and the key figure in modern-day unionism, with the sectarian bigots of unionism's past such as Craig and Brooke.
The unionist people need to say enough's enough in relation to Paisley's stalling. The man has been blinded by hate and rage since he was a young man and he is too stubborn and too prejudiced in his old age to allow peace and progress for the people of the island of Ireland.
It is time for the Irish and British governments, as well as all the Irish parties on the island, particularly the Ulster Unionists, to stand up to this bully at long last and to inform him that Irish democracy cannot and will not be trampled on!
You think you can continue to halt progress, Paisley? Never, never, never!
Is Britishness in decline?
I read an interesting article in the Sunday Times (hat-tip Slugger) which highlighted the hostility towards Britishness in Kirkcaldy, home town of Gordon Brown, the guy tipped to be future Prime Minister of Britain.You might remember Mr Brown's recent call for a day for Britain to celebrate Britishness which I posted about on Wednesday here.
Interestingly though, Mr Brown's constituents don't seem too enamoured with the idea as journalist Paul Lamarra discovered when he took a stroll around Kirkcaldy wearing a Union Jack T-shirt.
"I wait to be flooded with a sense of overwhelming pride, the kind of resolute spirit that carried the day at Balaclava, the siege of Mafeking and Dunkirk.
"Instead I am immediately overcome by an urge to explain to those trying not to stare that I am not racist, an Ulster Loyalist, or a Little Englander."
Lamarra concludes:
"Removing my T-shirt I slip it back into a bag where it will stay until the day when we take a holiday, hang out the Union flag and light fireworks in celebration of our Britishness. More likely it’ll end up as a duster."
It seems that there is a growing English national consciousness and that this is resulting in a reevaluation of Britishness which,it seems to me, is leading to many people in Britain turning away from Britishness and associating more and more with their own national identity, whether it's Englishness, Scottishness or Welshness. Perhaps this in turn will lead to a growth in popularity of Irishness in Ireland's north by those who have previously renounced it? One can only wait and see.
I haven't done a poll in a good while so with that being said, I have added a new poll to United Irelander which asks the question...
Is Britishness in decline?
Please take the time to scroll down the page and vote in the poll on my sidebar and use the comments box of this post to explain which way you voted and why.
Personally I voted yes because, as I pointed out above, it seems to me that Britishness is on the wane in Britain and that the people are realising that their national identities respectively mean more to them than an artificial, constructed identity that came about due to an enforced political union.
Cruise Bans South Park from UK
I was reminded by The View From 103 about the news concerning Tom Cruise and how he has threatened to sue Paramount if they broadcast one more time the South Park episode on Scientology which includes Tom Cruise refusing to come out of a closet. As a result, UK viewers won't get the chance to see the episode on TV, meaning Irish viewers presumably won't get to see it either.
Mr Cruise must not realise that this is 2006 and that we live in the information age. By the wonders of the internet, Irish people, British people, and people from all over the world can see the episode!
I have and I thought it was great! R Kelly even makes an appearance.
I watched it on the Youtube site where you can watch the episode in full here.
Down with censorship!
Mullen on the money again
My favourite journalist, Ronan Mullen of the Irish Examiner, has written an excellent article in which he sets the record straight on 'the Tilson case', often cited by those who seek to show how the Catholic Church had a negative influence on Irish life. He writes...
"But there is a great deal more to the Tilson case than either Archbishop Neill or the Irish Times would have us believe...In fact, in upholding the contractual validity of the pre-marriage promise given by Mr Tilson, the court was rejecting an archaic principle of British law that would be the object of public scorn if it still applied in Ireland today."
Great article as usual by Mr Mullen. You can read it in full here.
"But there is a great deal more to the Tilson case than either Archbishop Neill or the Irish Times would have us believe...In fact, in upholding the contractual validity of the pre-marriage promise given by Mr Tilson, the court was rejecting an archaic principle of British law that would be the object of public scorn if it still applied in Ireland today."
Great article as usual by Mr Mullen. You can read it in full here.
Sunday, January 22, 2006
Get nominatin'
Worth putting out another reminder to you all about the inaugural Irish Blog Awards since the nominations close tomorrow, January 23rd, at 8am.Details on nominating can be found on the Irish Blog Awards site here.
Many of you I'm sure will no doubt want to nominate a blog that, say, has a very catchy patriotic sounding title...perhaps with a colour that wasn't too showy like, say, blue or light blue, and one that maybe...writes about important issues like reuniting Ireland or something like that.
I don't know if such a wondrous site exists of course though I know if one did, that's definitely the one I'd nominate. *ahem*
Anyway, enough of my harmless pondering which has no ulterior motive whatsover.
I hope the awards go well and that they raise the importance of blogging and may the best blog, presumably with the criteria listed above, win!
Saturday, January 21, 2006
Podcast fever
Podcasts seem to be all the range these days. A Tangled Web did their first one recently, Slugger O'Toole are thinking about doing one and Jefferson Davis did a podcast recently where he mentioned yours truly as well as Balrog. You can listen to that here.
Stray Toaster recommended on A Tangled Web using Audacity for podcasts but does anyone have any information on the steps that need to be taken to do a podcast?
I've been mulling over whether United Irelander should have its own podcast. What do you all think? Would it be a good idea or do you see podcasts as overrated and a waste of time?
Stray Toaster recommended on A Tangled Web using Audacity for podcasts but does anyone have any information on the steps that need to be taken to do a podcast?
I've been mulling over whether United Irelander should have its own podcast. What do you all think? Would it be a good idea or do you see podcasts as overrated and a waste of time?
Leak 'does not match reality' - Hain
In an interesting bit of news that has been picked up already by Balrog, the British Secretary of State Peter Hain has said a leak from a confidential Policing Board meeting over IRA activity bears "little resemblance" to reality.Peter Hain was speaking for the first time about the row involving Security Minister Shaun Woodward and the board.
It follows the refusal of a senior PSNI officer, Sam Kinkaid, to accept Mr Woodward's view that the IRA as an organisation was no longer involved in crime.
But Mr Hain told the BBC everyone was now waiting for the the Independent Monitoring Commission's assessment, whose report is due early next month.
"We cannot rely on leaks from the Police Board without any record of what was actually said," he said.
"The leaks bear very little resemblance, if any, to what I understand actually occurred there.
"What is very clear is that the chief constable, his chief investigating officers, my security minister and myself are all at one in awaiting the outcome of the Independent Monitoring Commission report which will make as assessment.
"Then we will all be able to form a judgement."
The Policing Board remains at odds with Mr Woodward.
A police briefing to the board said the IRA was involved in organised crime, but last month Mr Woodward said the IRA is no longer involved in such activity.
Mr Woodward wrote to the board and said there was a distinction between the actions of individuals and the "intention of organisations".
How interesting is this? What we are clearly witnessing is the British government finally standing up to the police at long last and perhaps acknowledging finally the filthy, vile, rogue elements that exist within the police service in the North.
Let's all take a look at Mr Hain's record though over the last few months which is something I also did here in a post back in November. Firstly he declared the NI economy unsustainable in the long-term and called for an all-Ireland model, secondly he unveiled plans to reduce the number of district councils in the North, thirdly he has set up a transfer of policing and on top of all that, he has now sided with his Security Minister Sinn Féin against the PSNI.
All I will say on all this is what I have said to unionists here on United Irelander for the last number of months - the British want rid of the North!
Today in History - Freedom struggle begins
It was on this day, 21st January, 1919, that two massively important events occurred in Irish history.The first big event that occurred in 1919 was that the first Dáil, chaired by Sean T. O'Kelly, convened in the Mansion House in Dublin for the first time where it ratified the 1916 Proclamation of Independence, called for the evacuation of the British Military garrison, and called on the "free nations of the world" to recognise Ireland's independence.
The second significant thing was that on this day in 1919, by an odd coincidence, IRA volunteers under Dan Breen, acting on their own initiative, killed two RIC members when they refused to surrender a consignment of gelignite they were guarding in Soloheadbeg, Tipperary. This is regarded as being the beginning of the War of Independence despite the fact that it was some time before the Dáil accepted responsibility for the actions of Irish Volunteers.
Clearly then today is a hugely important date for the people of this island.
Ireland said to hell with British oppression
As we look back on the 21st of January, 1919, let us be grateful that finally, at long last, a stand was made against the British occupying tyrants who had mistreated the Irish people for centuries.
Tyrants who took land from the natives and gave it to settlers, tyrants who sought to do their best to destroy Catholicism, tyrants who sought to destroy the language and other aspects of Irish culture, tyrants who left Irish people to rot in the Great Famine, tyrants who denied Irish people self-government and tyrants who thrust partition on an unwilling majority of Irish people.
Let us be grateful that brave men and women sought to establish an independent Republic free of these horrors. Let us praise the brave men and women who did what had to be done against an occupying force with superior numbers.
Let us be grateful that the British were driven out by the scruff of the neck from 26 Irish counties and let us lament the fact that they did not possess the decency to leave the entire island.
I myself was privileged to grow up in a Dublin without a union jack flying over the GPO and without having a British monarch as head of my state. I must thank the men and women who played such a crucial role in Irish history on January 21st, 1919, for that.
We are all slowly getting closer to the day when the total dream will be fulfilled, when Ireland's destiny is made complete and when the island as a whole is made a sovereign and independent entity.
We are lucky to have that chance and we owe it to those who acted on this very day back in 1919.
Go saoraigh Dia Éire!
Friday, January 20, 2006
Love Ulster meet with Gardaí over march
I see representatives of the Love Ulster campaign are due to meet Gardaí to finalise details of a march the group is planning to hold in Dublin next month.The campaign was set up by a coalition of unionist politicians, Orangemen, loyalist paramilitaries and victims groups to lobby against what they perceive as moves to force the North into a united Ireland.
It expects around 1,000 people to attend its march in Dublin on February 25.
Of course this Love Ulster parade is in no way designed to cause offence to Dubliners in any way. A point that was assured to us by 'DV9' on a Love Ulster forum thread entitled, 'We're on our way to Dublin'. He writes:
"I can't wait to see the faces on the nationalists when the union-jacks and the ulster flags are flown"
Aw bless. Love Ulster have such noble intentions don't they?
Regarding the meeting between Love Ulster campaigners and the Gardaí, you won't believe this but I've actually managed to get an exclusive first look at what these details will entail (cough!). They are as follows...
Love Ulster's demands
- We demand the right to wave our union flags. Being in the Irish capital for a few hours might make us forget our own nationality so union jacks are a must. It's not like we'd ever ban nationalists from waving their tricolours in the North...
- We demand the right to wear lillies as a symbol of our Protestantism. Being in such a sinful bastion of Roman Papishness like Dublin might scar our souls forever.
- We demand Dubliners acknowledge that we see their city as irrelevant. It is so irrelevant to us that we are saving up and travelling all the way down to Dublin to let that be known.
- We demand the right to express to Dubliners how sick we are of their State meddling in the North's affairs. Unionist politicians would never meddle in the affairs of the Irish Republic and for example would never tell the Republic how to deal with issues like the Colombia Three.
An Garda Siochana's demands
- Don't stay too long.
Fun Irelander Feature - The little things
'It's the little things that count' as the saying goes. So very true! We live in a very materialistic world right now and it can be quite a depressing place most of the time but it's the little things that happen which restore your faith in the world and make life worth living.I know I'm coming across like Daniel O'Donnell right now what with all this positive malarky but I'm feeling cheerful and as any Irishman knows, cheerfulness is to be embraced as it ain't likely to last long.
I've been thinking about the little things in life that make life great and I thought I'd make a post about them since the weekend is almost upon us! So without further ado...
- Hearing a song you like that you haven't heard in a while.
- Lying in bed all snug and cosy while it's pissing rain outside.
- Finding money in a pocket that you didn't know was there. (Good one)
- Getting a smile from a good looking woman. (Doesn't happen as often as I'd like)
- Running for the bus and making it just in time.
- When a car stops to let you walk across the road
- When your dog is all excited to see you.
- Performing a chivalrous deed for someone.
- Waking up all disappointed that you have to go to work before you realise it's actually Saturday (Great one)
That's all I can think of off the top of my head. Anyone got any others? Let's hear 'em!
Irish public satisfied with Government
Baffling breaking news today.A new opinion poll published this morning shows public satisfaction with the Government has risen to its highest level for a year.
Forty-six per cent of respondents to the Irish Times/TNS mrbi poll said they were satisfied with the performance of the Fianna Fáil-Progressive Democrats, up nine percentage points since September.
The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, has also seen his popularity rating increasing nine points to 56%, while support for Fianna Fáil is up five points to 36%.
Elsewhere, Fine Gael's support is unchanged at 18%, Labour's is up two at 12% and Sinn Féin is down one to 7%.
The Greens have also seen their support drop one point to 3%, while the PDs are unchanged at 3%.
Were the people that were polled drunk or what? We have a health service in crisis with people forced to wait on trolleys and a Health Minister (PD leader Mary Harney) who doesn't even have the support of most Irish doctors according to a recent survey, Irish house prices continue to spiral out of control, drink related road accidents continue to be a menace yet nothing is done and the majority of the Irish public deem all this to be satisfactory! Heaven help us.
The Irish public said what?
As for the other findings of the poll, good to see Labour's support increasing, Fine Gael continue to look ordinary, nice to see the useless Greens losing support and the drop in support of Sinn Féin might silence those who believe we will see Sinn Féin in power in the Republic in the near future.
Overall, I'm disappointed with the poll's findings. We desperately need a new government but the Irish people are living in Cloud Cuckoo Land!
Irish warlord boasts 3 million descendants
I thought this was a pretty interesting story...
Up to three million men around the world could be descended from a prolific medieval Irish king, according to a new genetic study.
It suggests that the 5th-century warlord known as "Niall of the Nine Hostages" may be the ancestor of about one in 12 Irishmen, say researchers at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. Niall established a dynasty of powerful chieftains that dominated the island for six centuries.
In a study of the Y chromosome - which is only passed down through the male line - scientists found a hotspot in northwest Ireland where 21.5% carry Niall’s genetic fingerprint, says Brian McEvoy, one of the team at Trinity. This was the main powerbase of the Ui Neills, which literally translated means "descendants of Niall".
McEvoy says the Y chromosome appeared to trace back to one person.
"There are certain surnames that seem to have come from Ui Neill. We studied if there was any association between those surnames and the genetic profile. It is his (Niall's) family."
The study says that Niall "resided at the cusp of mythology and history but our results do seem to confirm the existence of a single early medieval progenitor to the most powerful and enduring Irish dynasty".
The results also lend support to surviving genealogical and oral traditions of Gaelic Ireland and are a "powerful illustration of the potential link between prolificacy and power".
The study says the chromosome has also been found in 16.7% of men in western and central Scotland and has turned up in multiple North American population samples, including in 2% of European-American New Yorkers.
"Given historically high rates of Irish emigration to North America and other parts of the world, it seems likely that the number of descendants worldwide runs to perhaps two to three million males," the study says.
It compares the result with similar research that suggested that Mongol emperor Genghis Khan has 16 million descendants after conquering most of Asia in the 13th century.
Though medieval Ireland was Christian, divorce was allowed, people married earlier and concubinage was practised. Illegitimate sons were claimed and their rights protected by law.
"As in other polygynous societies, the siring of offspring was related to power and prestige." The study points out that one of the O'Neill dynasty chieftains who died in 1423 had 18 sons with 10 different women and counted 59 grandsons in the male line.
Niall of the Nine Hostages, who became high king of Ireland, got his name from using the taking of hostages as a strategy for subjugating his opponent chieftains. He is known in folklore as a raider of the British and French coasts. Supposedly slain in the English Channel or in Scotland, his descendants were the most powerful rulers of Ireland until the 11th century.
Potential warlord descendant
Wow, fascinating stuff! They sure got around those Irish warlords!
Modern surnames which trace their ancestry to Niall include (O')Neill, (O')Gallagher, (O')Boyle, (O')Doherty, O'Donnell, Connor, Cannon, Bradley, O'Reilly, Flynn, (Mc)Kee, Campbell, Devlin, Donnelly, Egan, Gormley, Hynes, McCaul, McGovern, McLoughlin, McManus, McMenamin, Molloy, O'Kane, O'Rourke and Quinn
Are you descended from an Irish warlord?
Up to three million men around the world could be descended from a prolific medieval Irish king, according to a new genetic study.
It suggests that the 5th-century warlord known as "Niall of the Nine Hostages" may be the ancestor of about one in 12 Irishmen, say researchers at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. Niall established a dynasty of powerful chieftains that dominated the island for six centuries.
In a study of the Y chromosome - which is only passed down through the male line - scientists found a hotspot in northwest Ireland where 21.5% carry Niall’s genetic fingerprint, says Brian McEvoy, one of the team at Trinity. This was the main powerbase of the Ui Neills, which literally translated means "descendants of Niall".
McEvoy says the Y chromosome appeared to trace back to one person.
"There are certain surnames that seem to have come from Ui Neill. We studied if there was any association between those surnames and the genetic profile. It is his (Niall's) family."
The study says that Niall "resided at the cusp of mythology and history but our results do seem to confirm the existence of a single early medieval progenitor to the most powerful and enduring Irish dynasty".
The results also lend support to surviving genealogical and oral traditions of Gaelic Ireland and are a "powerful illustration of the potential link between prolificacy and power".
The study says the chromosome has also been found in 16.7% of men in western and central Scotland and has turned up in multiple North American population samples, including in 2% of European-American New Yorkers.
"Given historically high rates of Irish emigration to North America and other parts of the world, it seems likely that the number of descendants worldwide runs to perhaps two to three million males," the study says.
It compares the result with similar research that suggested that Mongol emperor Genghis Khan has 16 million descendants after conquering most of Asia in the 13th century.
Though medieval Ireland was Christian, divorce was allowed, people married earlier and concubinage was practised. Illegitimate sons were claimed and their rights protected by law.
"As in other polygynous societies, the siring of offspring was related to power and prestige." The study points out that one of the O'Neill dynasty chieftains who died in 1423 had 18 sons with 10 different women and counted 59 grandsons in the male line.
Niall of the Nine Hostages, who became high king of Ireland, got his name from using the taking of hostages as a strategy for subjugating his opponent chieftains. He is known in folklore as a raider of the British and French coasts. Supposedly slain in the English Channel or in Scotland, his descendants were the most powerful rulers of Ireland until the 11th century.
Potential warlord descendant
Wow, fascinating stuff! They sure got around those Irish warlords!
Modern surnames which trace their ancestry to Niall include (O')Neill, (O')Gallagher, (O')Boyle, (O')Doherty, O'Donnell, Connor, Cannon, Bradley, O'Reilly, Flynn, (Mc)Kee, Campbell, Devlin, Donnelly, Egan, Gormley, Hynes, McCaul, McGovern, McLoughlin, McManus, McMenamin, Molloy, O'Kane, O'Rourke and Quinn
Are you descended from an Irish warlord?
Best days of your life...
Came across this recently - the class of 1993.
If you think the guy in the middle of the top row has a funny name, check out the name of the girl five columns across and five rows down on the far right.
Yikes.
If you think the guy in the middle of the top row has a funny name, check out the name of the girl five columns across and five rows down on the far right.
Yikes.
Friday Fun's Fascinating Fact
'In 1976 an LA secretary named Jannene Swift officially married a 50 pound rock in a ceremony witnessed by more than 20 people.'
Damn, that shouldn't have been allowed take place - clearly the groom was stoned. (I'll get my coat)
Damn, that shouldn't have been allowed take place - clearly the groom was stoned. (I'll get my coat)
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Thursday Thoughts: British nationalism
I picked up a book recently called 'Postnationalist Ireland' by Richard Kearney. It's a good read and it offers a critique of Irish nationalism. What intrigued me in particular was Mr Kearney's comments on the subject of British nationalism. In light of the recent comments from Gordon Brown about a British day of celebration, which I posted about here, I figured it would be worth making a post on Mr Kearney's view of British nationalism and also how it relates to Irish nationalism.Kearney writes...
"Far too often, the sins of nationalism have been laid exclusively on the Irish side, with the result that Britain's implication in the nationalist quarrel is conveniently occluded. This, I would argue, has been one of the most ingenious ploys of British (or more particularly English) nationalism: to pretend that it doesn't exist, that the irrational and unreasonable claimants to sovereignty, territory, power and nationhood are always others - Palestinians, Indians, Africans, Irish."
Kearney then goes on to assess the foundations of British nationalism:
"What the crisis of Irish nationalism brings home to Britain is the realization that it too is founded upon a nationalist principle of sovereignty; and that this principle is in fact more absolutist than the former's. Indeed, political theorists like Neal Ascherson and Tom Nairn have gone so far as to claim that Britain is the most absolutist nation-state in Europe. 'There is nothing else like it in the developed world', writes Anderson. 'What happened in the seventeenth century was that the English parliament just took absolutism away from the King, from the divine right of Kings, and gave it to parliament, where it still is. So there is no concept of popular sovereignty. Instead, you have an elected parliament, but it is completely sovereign in itself - it is not subject to the people as a concept or to a constitution.'"
Finally, Kearney assesses the relationship between the two nationalisms:
"This all-or-nothing nationalism stands in contradiction, of course, to the fact that the British state is ostensibly a 'multinational state' made up of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. But to acknowledge this seminal fact would entail exposing and challenging 'the almost total sovereignty of an English-dominated parliament over these parts.' This explains why Irish (or for example Scots) nationalism, and the increasing demand for greater regional democracy, has put the very basis of British nationalism in question."
Kearney makes an interesting point here that perhaps Gordon Brown should take note of. It's a bit hollow for Gordon Brown to harp on about a "united share of purpose" when in a national sense at least, the UK has anything but!
A power struggle within the UK could very well be on the cards in the future and I'm not just talking about one concering the 'Northern Ireland' polity.
On one level, as Kearney points out, the English dominate the British parliament so much so that to everyone else, British and Englishness go hand in hand. Then again, we have been witnessing a more confident and noisy English national identity emerge in recent years out of the shadows of Britishness and who knows, a good World Cup run this year for England might create even more noise! The English seem keen on having a parliament established for their nation which they want to see acknowledged.
There are interesting times ahead for the British.
The UK succeeded in maintaining itself as a political entity. However, it did not quell the traditional nationalism inherent in the countries that made up the UK and this may very well come back to haunt them in the long run.
It all seems to augur well for the Irish though!
Unionists invent another gripe
I was interested to read Fred Cobain's thoughts on the price Sinn Féin should pay to get back into the North's assembly (hat-tip Slugger).After meeting US Congressmen in Belfast, Ulster Unionist MLA Fred Cobain MLA warned that the IRA must surrender every property, piece of land or business it has acquired over five decades if Sinn Féin is to have a future policing or justice minister in the North.
He also warned the NIO that it must not ignore any ill-gotten gains republicans may have amassed before last July’s IRA statement declaring an end to its armed campaign.
"What the British Government is trying to do is play smoke and mirrors with this issue and say that criminality has ended from last July," the North Belfast Assembly member said. "Any of the criminality and ill-gotten gains before that could be swept under the carpet. There is no way unionists are going to accept that. Criminality in all its forms must end and that means the criminal empire that the Provisionals have built is going to have to be brought some way into the light for the police to deal with. Every piece of property, piece of land, business will have to be surrendered. They have a financial empire. We have seen that in some of the money-laundering stuff it is very sophisticated. Are we going to allow that to continue just because it was before the IRA statement in July 2005?"
I think this is getting ridiculous and tiresome.
One minute the problem is decommissioning, so the IRA decommission - but still unionists are unsatisfied.
The next minute the problem is actually the IRA's armed campaign, so the IRA declare the armed campaign over - but still unionists are unsatisfied.
Notice a pattern emerging?
Now the problem has become the IRA's assets! It's a farce. Whatever will be demanded next?
Unionists won't share power until Quantum Leap returns
Unionist intransigence on these matters is unacceptable. Progress has been halted for long enough.
The people of Ireland voted for the institutions outlined under the Good Friday Agreement and as democrats it is the duty of the parties in the North to make it work.
The two governments may have to consider resorting to desperate measures if unionists continue to refuse sharing power with nationalists.
Joint Authority may now be required.
This unionist intransigence reminds me of an old British saying about the 'Irish problem' that I think is worth altering slightly...
Every time Sinn Féin come up with the answers,
The unionists keep changing the questions.
Enough of this nonsense.
McAleese discusses United Ireland
Irish President Mary McAleese told pupils at a top school in Ireland's north yesterday that it was up to them to decide if they wanted a united Ireland.She met boys at the Royal Belfast Academical Institution, an overwhelmingly Protestant school, whose former students include politicians and senior members of the judiciary.
During a question-and-answer session with pupils, Mrs McAleese was asked if she thought the province would merge with the Republic in the near future.
The President told the pupils she did not know the answer to the question, but said the Good Friday Agreement had put in place a framework for resolving the constitutional dilemma.
Mrs McAleese said: "You will be part of the process of change because it is going to be your generation that will take these issues, open them up and explore them.
"And the happy thing for your generation is that you are the first generation to probably have the joy of debating these issues coolly, calmly, without any threat of violence, in an egalitarian atmosphere, in a democracy, and I think that's a great gift to your generation.
"Whatever your decision is about it, it is your decision.
"That's the big, big difference and the debate, for the first time in a very long time, will take place in a very, very different environment.
"As to what the outcome will be, that will be down to you because it is down to the people of Northern Ireland, under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement, to make the decisions."
Seems like a very safe answer to me which I guess is smart since if it wasn't, she'd be facing calls from unionist politicians demanding apologies left, right and centre.
The President is right though. Future generations will determine the fate of a problem that is firmly rooted in the past.
I strongly believe that in an environment free of intimidation and suffering, the people of the north and south will come to the conclusion that it is in this island's best interests to unite and put an end to the unnecessary evil that is partition.
It is the way forward.
Political policing continues
I'm sure you've heard by now the recent furore surrounding comments by Sam Kinkaid, the PSNI's most senior detective, who said that the IRA is still involved in organised crime.Unionists have reacted angrily because Mr Kincaid's comments contradict Security Minister Shaun Woodward (pictured left) who last month said the IRA was not active.
The DUP has called for Mr Woodward to resign, while the UUP has said the police view was a "damning assessment" of his credibility. Sinn Fein's Gerry Adams described the briefing as "a political intervention".
Mr Kinkaid, the PSNI's assistant chief constable in charge of crime operations, gave his assessment of the IRA's activities during a private briefing to the Policing Board on Tuesday.
It is believed Mr Kincaid said there had been significant progress in terms of ending some activities on the part of the IRA, such as paramilitary attacks and armed robberies.
However, he told board members that no paramilitary group, including the IRA, has ceased involvement in organised crime. He added the police had seen no change in this for a year.
The Security Minister has stood by his assessment that the IRA is distancing itself from organised crime.
Mr Woodward said: "There is clearly a distinction to be made between the activity of individuals and the intention of organisations."
Someone is being dishonest here and as Big Ulsterman noted, either the PSNI are engaging in political policing or else the British government are covering up for IRA activity in order to get the North's assembly up and running.
I'm inclinded to think it's the former. We have all seen the damage that British Intelligence has done over the last few weeks and months through the Donaldson affair and it's clear that high ranking figures in MI5 do not wish to see the peace process move forward.
I see this as yet another attempt to derail the political situation in the North and therefore I strongly condemn it.
I think we need to trust the word of the British Security Minister in this instance.
End celibacy rule say priest's supporters
The Catholic Church is losing its best priests because they can’t get married, supporters of a cleric forced to retire after fathering a child today claimed.
Fr Maurice Dillane, a curate in the Woodford-Looscaun parish in east Co Galway quit the Clonfert diocese after he was confronted by his bishop.
The 73-year-old cleric is believed to have had a two-year relationship with a Dublin-based teacher, 31 whom he first met in a previous parish in the Co Galway area. (Some age gap!)
The child was born at the end of last year.
Broadcaster Fr Brian D’Arcy and well-known Manchester priest Fr Denis Maher today both backed Fr Dillane and warned the Catholic Church that it was losing its best priests because they weren’t allowed to marry.
"The compulsory celibacy issue has to be addressed. I’m not saying what the conclusions will be but at least it is time that we discussed it," Fr D’Arcy said.
"I really think that some of the absolute cream of the priesthood have been lost and I think it’s one of the reasons we are in the huge mess we’re in at the moment," he noted.
He estimated that over 110,000 priests have left around the world, of which 70,000 would have been leaders in the Catholic Church today.
Fr Maher, who rose to media prominence in 1998 during the police investigation into the Dr Harold Shipman murders in his Manchester parish, also supported Fr Dillane.
"Any priest who doesn’t fall in love is only half a priest," he said.
The Tipperary-born cleric said he had 14 married priests in his parish who were very successful in their jobs. He also revealed that he once fell in love with a woman but overcame it to continue as a priest.
"We remain the best of friends. It’s a very nice relationship. There’s nothing bad taking place," he told Liveline.
The Bishop of Clonfert, Dr John Kirby earlier confirmed in a statement that a priest had admitted to him on January 6 that he had recently fathered a baby. Fr Dillane’s parish priest Fr Pat Naughten was unavailable for comment today.
I'm inclined to agree with this view. I think it's unfair to expect priests to go through their lives and not acknowledge their sexuality. Priests are human beings after all and I think the current line of thinking from the Catholic Church is damaging to the future of the Church.
What are your thoughts?
Fr Maurice Dillane, a curate in the Woodford-Looscaun parish in east Co Galway quit the Clonfert diocese after he was confronted by his bishop.
The 73-year-old cleric is believed to have had a two-year relationship with a Dublin-based teacher, 31 whom he first met in a previous parish in the Co Galway area. (Some age gap!)
The child was born at the end of last year.
Broadcaster Fr Brian D’Arcy and well-known Manchester priest Fr Denis Maher today both backed Fr Dillane and warned the Catholic Church that it was losing its best priests because they weren’t allowed to marry.
"The compulsory celibacy issue has to be addressed. I’m not saying what the conclusions will be but at least it is time that we discussed it," Fr D’Arcy said.
"I really think that some of the absolute cream of the priesthood have been lost and I think it’s one of the reasons we are in the huge mess we’re in at the moment," he noted.
He estimated that over 110,000 priests have left around the world, of which 70,000 would have been leaders in the Catholic Church today.
Fr Maher, who rose to media prominence in 1998 during the police investigation into the Dr Harold Shipman murders in his Manchester parish, also supported Fr Dillane.
"Any priest who doesn’t fall in love is only half a priest," he said.
The Tipperary-born cleric said he had 14 married priests in his parish who were very successful in their jobs. He also revealed that he once fell in love with a woman but overcame it to continue as a priest.
"We remain the best of friends. It’s a very nice relationship. There’s nothing bad taking place," he told Liveline.
The Bishop of Clonfert, Dr John Kirby earlier confirmed in a statement that a priest had admitted to him on January 6 that he had recently fathered a baby. Fr Dillane’s parish priest Fr Pat Naughten was unavailable for comment today.
I'm inclined to agree with this view. I think it's unfair to expect priests to go through their lives and not acknowledge their sexuality. Priests are human beings after all and I think the current line of thinking from the Catholic Church is damaging to the future of the Church.
What are your thoughts?
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
EU attacks Ireland over Sellafield
Sovereign Ireland's dead and gone,It's with McCreevy and the EU brigade.
This story makes my blood boil. So much for Irish sovereignty!
A European Court judge today said that Ireland had breached EU rules in its long-running dispute with the UK over the Sellafield nuclear plant.
The Government launched legal action at the United Nations in 2001 over marine pollution from the site, on the Irish Sea coast in Cumbria.
But an Advocate-General at the European Court of Justice backed the European Commission's case that Ireland should have tried to settle its dispute under EU jurisdiction.
It is the first legal action involving an EU rule which obliges the member states not to take a dispute concerning EU law to "any other means of settlement".
The conflict over Sellafield, argued the Commission, was a matter which could and should be tackled with the EU.
"As environmental protection constitutes an area of shared competence in EU law, Community institutions should be given precedence as the forum for dispute resolution," said a Commission submission to the court.
Today's "opinion" is not a final verdict, which will be delivered later this year by the full court.
But in a majority of cases, the final result reflects the views of the Advocate-General, who today recommended that Ireland pays the costs of the case.
Lawyers for the Irish government maintained Dublin was right to turn to the UN, because the case against the UK concerned the alleged flouting by the Sellafield plant's operators of marine environmental protection obligations under the UN Tribunal on the Law of the Sea.
The Tribunal itself concluded that the dispute was solely based on UN requirements, even recommending "provisional measures" to resolve the problem, including further exchanges of information between the UK and Ireland, the monitoring of potential risks for the Irish Sea and pollution prevention measures.
But Advocate General Miguel Poiares Maduro said today there were remedies for such cases under EU law, and Ireland should not have asked the UN body to interpret EU directives and the UK's obligations under them.
Furthermore, said the Advocate General, Ireland had breached its "duty of cooperation" under EU law: "By instituting UN dispute settlement proceedings against the UK concerning the Sellafield Mox Plant, without prior consultation with the Commission, Ireland has failed to fulfil its Treaty obligations."
In cases where even part of a dispute between EU member states was governed by EC law, they had to be dealt with in the European Court of Justice: "Where the case raises issues of Community law, member states must settle their differences within the Community."
Have you ever heard such ridiculous nonsense in all your life? We didn't use their precious poxy court so now we are in the doghouse? What kind of farcical bullshit is this? We really need to get out of this hellhole that is the European Union. They ought to rename it the European Dictatorship.
These Nazis for the new millenium are now going to make Ireland pay for the costs of the case as well?
What the hell happened to Irish sovereignty? Watch and observe how the Irish clowns who runs this country bend over like nice little lackies for their EU overlords in Brussels over these matters.
It makes me sick.
We ought to tell the EU and their corrupt and contaminated courts to shove their laws and rulings up their arses!
Are we our own country still or what? Can you imagine if the EU Constitution gets the go ahead? We will be utterly paralyzed in a European Superstate then and sovereignty will be but a memory when they walk all over us.
Let's get the hell out of this evil 'Union' before it's too late!
'What If'? Wednesday - Brown as PM
Gordon Brown recently caused a bit of a stir by stating that Britain should have a day to celebrate its national identity and for urging Labour supporters to "embrace the Union flag".Why that's poppycock old chap! Seems to me like a lacklustre move on Brown's part. Apparently, to paraphrase a very old sectarian slogan, the blue, white and red card is the card to play! When a politician plays the patriotic card it's usually a move out of desperation. Perhaps the new Tory leader David Cameron has Gordon a bit flustered?
"We should assert that the Union flag by definition is a flag for tolerance and inclusion," said Brown.
Not in the north of Ireland sadly! There it's mostly used as a tribal symbol.
Of course Mr Brown's attitude towards Ireland is the only thing I'm concerned about and when it comes to Ireland's north, Mr Brown's views are unclear. His recent patriotic speech did seem to be geared towards Britain rather than the north of Ireland as the Irish News pointed out. In fact the Irish News raised many questions about Mr Brown and what his premiership might mean for events here in Ireland:
"Mr Brown went on to speak approvingly about the practice in the US and some other countries of householders flying their national flag in their gardens
"It would seem that he has never visited Northern Ireland during the summer months when flags of all descriptions appear on houses, traffic signs and telegraph poles in enormous numbers.
"These displays are not intended to promote any sense of togetherness but rather to emphasise sectarian boundaries and to intimidate individuals from different backgrounds.
"Both traditions, unionism and nationalism, are guilty of abusing flags, which are routinely left hanging in the wind and rain until they are reduced to a bunch of tattered rags.
"Mr Brown might well see the potential of developing the UK's answer to the July 4 US Independence Day and the July 14 Bastille Day but he should also take a close look at what happens in Northern Ireland on July 12.
"The Orange Order commemorates the Battle of the Boyne in 1690 in a triumphalist way which implies that one section of the community sees itself as superior to all others.
"It does not involve a particularly large leap of imagination to envisage how some elements might use a festival of Britishness to send out an equally negative message to a range of minority groups.
"In fairness, Mr Brown's speech stressed the need for the Union flag to represent tolerance and inclusiveness in Britain.
"However, although colleagues claimed he was referring to all parts of the UK, at no stage did he indicate how these values might be promoted through the use of British emblems in Northern Ireland.
"Is it possible that Mr Brown, the premier in waiting, effectively regards Britain and Northern Ireland as two different places?
"By accident or design, he has prompted some intriguing speculation about his future intentions."
The Irish News bring up a very valid point about how the sectarian organisation known as the Orange Order have managed to abuse other traditions under the guise of patriotism.
What we here in Ireland really want to know though is what is Mr Brown's view on Ireland's north? That's why the question needs to be asked...
What if Mr Brown becomes British Prime Minister. What will this mean for Anglo-Irish affairs?
What do you think?
Sense prevails in Croke Park dispute
I was delighted to hear yesterday's news that Irish rugby and soccer international matches will be played for the first time at Croke Park, home of the Gaelic Athletic Association, in 2007.Lansdowne Road, the home of soccer and rugby, will be closed in 2007 for redevelopment and the English and French rugby teams will be among the first international sides to take to the field in front of around 80,000 fans as part of next year's Six Nations Championship.
The GAA, the Irish Rugby Football Union and the Football Association of Ireland announced the agreement in a joint statement this afternoon.
The agreement marks the end of years of national debate about the future of Ireland's largest stadium and the fourth biggest in Europe.
The GAA's ruling body set aside the organisation`s controversial Rule 42, which banned the use of its headquarters for foreign sports, last April following years of sometimes bitter internal and external debate.
GAA President Sean Kelly said he was pleased that agreement had been reached between the respective sporting organisations.
FAI Chief Executive John Delaney described the agreement as an historic day for soccer and sport in Ireland.
IRFU Chief Executive Philip Browne said the plan represented a significant milestone in Irish sporting history.
All three men are correct. This is great news for Ireland and it is an absolute joke that it took so long for this decision to be reached.
Those who aren't from Ireland might not understand but you see, to some GAA enthusiasts, Croke Park is like an Irish cultural shrine of sorts whose 'hallowed turf' can only be graced by Irish games.
However this bullshit theory kind of runs into difficulty when you take into account the fact that International Rules games have taken place against the Aussies there, American football has taken place there and as as well as all that, the 'hallowed turf' has been graced by the likes of Jon Bon Jovi, Elton John and Robbie Williams. If you ask me letting those three play there was a disgrace to music as well as 'Irish culture'.
Of course one of the most significant reasons for the opposition towards allowing the GAA be opened to soccer and rugby was the fact that, as looks set to happen now, an English flag would have to be flown at the stadium when England play there. Oh no! Not a St George's flag! Sadly for alot of these people, their sense of Irishness is so pathetically fragile that the mere sight of a British flag sends their nationality into a nervous breakdown. Why was the Australian flag seen as acceptable to these people when it bears a union jack on it you ask? Your guess is as good as mine. I have long given up trying to logically figure out the mindset of people who think the way some of these Croke Park die-hards do.
Avert your gaze if you value your nationality
What really ticks me off about all this though and what I find most disgraceful is the fact that the people who were willing to deny Croke Park from witnessing soccer and rugby matches, presumably to safeguard Irish culture in their eyes, were quite willing to send Irish citizens over to a foreign country, more than likely England or Scotland, to watch Irish soccer and rugby matches while Lansdowne Road was being repaired!
Can you imagine that?
Irish fans forking over large amounts of cash and taking the time to make a journey to a FOREIGN COUNTRY in order to watch THEIR COUNTRY play. Now what kind of successful first world country do you know which would have to put up with that?
What a laughing stock we would have been and it has happened before when in the nineties Irish football fans had to watch their team play at Anfield in Liverpool.
That kind of nonsense cannot be allowed to happen again and I don't believe Irish people would have been made fools of a second time by these narrow-minded little Irelanders.
Irish culture is more than able to stand up for itself. I say let the English and everyone else come to Croke Park and see this magnificent stadium which can hold over 80,000 spectators. Let all flags fly proudly and if on the day the English rugby team gets the better of the Irish team then we ought to give them a round of applause as they leave the pitch.
I tell you right now that doing that would do more for this county's pride and culture than locking up that stadium ever would.
British troops leaving North
"You anglo pigs and scottiesSent to colonize the North
You wave your bloody Union Jacks
And know what it's worth!
How dare you hold to ransom
A people proud and free
Keep Ireland for the Irish
Put the English back to sea!" - John Lennon
I am pleased at the news from RTE that British troop levels in Ireland's north are about to drop to their lowest level in 30 years.
A battalion from the Royal Welch Fusiliers, based in Bessbrook in south Armagh, are starting to pull out and will be gone before the end of the week.
Their departure will see troop levels fall below 9,000, lower than at any time since the beginning of the 1970s.
One of their key tasks has been the manning of hilltop border observation posts. Three have been demolished but five remain.
A British Ministry of Defence spokesman said today that soldiers from the Cheshire Regiment, based in Ballykinlar, Co Down would transfer to Bessbrook to man the remaining observation posts.
In the picture above you can see a Security watchtower at Crossmagen village, Armagh. Watchtowers like these and the British troops who man them are an ugly blot on Irish landscapes.
I can't fathom how horrible it must be for my compatriots in the north who have to endure all this.
The people of Armagh have to put up with these ghastly monstrous sights on a daily basis and have to hear the howlings of British Army helicopters flying over their heads. How great then it is to see the Royal Welch Fusiliers sent packing!
It shows how far we have come and it shows the great progress that has been made. Britishness is now respected in Ireland by the vast majority of people in the north so it would be nice if the people of the north could be respected by these wretched watchtowers and by having troops reduced even further.
This is news that both unionists and nationalists can welcome.
A British eyesore in lovely Armagh
How great it would be however to reach the day when ALL British troops are sent home and when their presence is no longer required.
Who knows, perhaps one day the Cheshire Regiment can ask for a nice big watchtower to be constructed in Cheshire and we can all observe how the locals react!
I don't think they'll warm to their presence too much though!
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Top Ten Tuesday - Irish places
While I was over visiting Jefferson Davis' blog, he mentioned he was visiting Ireland this year and asked me to suggestsome places worth visiting which I did. It got me thinking about some of the places in Ireland that hold a special place in my heart and I felt it would be a nice idea to do a list of what I consider the top ten places in Ireland worth visiting. So without further ado...1. Tramore, Waterford - Tramore's beach is pictured above and it truly is a sight to behold. On a warm summer's day it is absolutely gorgeous and looks like a beach straight out of the sunny continent! I visited Tramore alot as a child and I have relatives there so for nostalgia purposes Tramore has a warm place in my heart. I would recommend it to anybody who has never been there.
2. Tralee, Kerry - Kerry in general has some fantastic scenery and while there are lots of nice places there, for example Killarney, for me Tralee is the nicest place in the county. Again, check it out if you've never been!
3. O'Connell Street, Dublin - It would be number 1 except for the fact that I get to see the place practically every day. However, when I'm away from Dublin, I miss O'Connell Street the most. O'Connell Street is the epitome of Dublin and thus the epitome of Ireland. When walking around the capital you really feel like you are in a city steeped in great culture and tradition, despite the modernisation of the street in recent times. This is in stark contrast to the soulless, desolate atmosphere that one gets when walking around Cork City Centre.
4. Botanic Gardens, Dublin - Or 'National Botanic Gardens' to give it its proper name. If you're a Dubliner, particularly a Northsider, you will know all about the Botanic Gardens. I love the Botanic Gardens and I loved it as a child because it displays natural beauty that you wouldn't expect to see in Dublin which is more renowned for the city lifestyle. Whenever I meet a tourist in Dublin and they ask me to recommend somewhere to visit, I recommend the Botanic Gardens. And what's more - it's free of charge!
5. Howth beach, Dublin - I love Howth, especially the beach. The beach was immaculate when I last went there, which sadly was a long time ago. I've always enjoyed a nice day out on the Dart down to Howth! Far better than Bray anyway.
6. Bettystown, County Meath - You haven't lived until you've gone on a caravan holiday to Bettystown. Trust me! I have good memories of Bettystown and the beach is nice there. You even get to ride a donkey! A great place for kids.
7. Phoenix Park, Dublin - I don't tend to visit Phoenix Park much as it's so damn huge but on a nice warm day there's few places better than it. It's also near Dublin Zoo so it's probably the ideal place to take young children on a nice July day.
8. Salthill, Galway - Salthill is another place that has a warm place in my heart. They used to have some horse-riding event down there if I remember correctly. I don't know if they still do that as I haven't been there in years but I do remember enjoying the place alot. Even so, remember it's Galway so you're likely to be met with rain down there!
9. Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin - A cemetery you ask? Fair enough it's not worth visiting if beautiful surroundings is what you're after but if you've a keen interest in Irish history, Glasnevin cemetery is the place to got. See the Round Tower where Daniel O'Connell is buried as well as all of Ireland's greatest sons, Eamon de Valera, Michael Collins, James Larkin, Charles Stewart Parnell and more. What's more, this is free of charge. I remember the day when my father first showed me Michael Collins' grave, I was so shocked that two regular Joes like me and my Dad could simply walk up to such a historical figure's grave as if Collins was but a regular Joe himself! I suppose the Irish aren't known for being showy. Wikipedia gives lots of good info on Glasnevin cemetery. As I say, worth a visit if you're a history fan.
10. Knock, Mayo - A nostalgic pick yet again! You're not a real Catholic unless you've visited Knock at some point! I was taken here as a young boy once and I actually found the place quite enjoyable. The elderly folks love it anyway!
So there you have it. The top ten places worth visiting in Ireland. Feel free to comment on my choices or to offer up some of your own.
All-Ireland GAA summer camp scheme
I'm delighted at the news that tens of thousands of children will have the chance to learn hurling, Gaelic football and camogie during the summer holidays under a new national scheme announced on Monday.The ‘Vhi Cul’ camps will run from 9.30am to 2.30pm Monday to Fridays throughout the summer, and participating youngsters will receive sports kit and rucksacks.
Co-ordinators will be appointed to oversee the scheme throughout all 32 counties on the island.
The GAA said the huge growth in numbers participating in summer camps since they were set up on an ad hoc basis in the 1980s meant there was a need to organise them on a national basis.
The association’s president Sean Kelly said he was confident the new initiative would boost participation in hurling, camogie and Gaelic football.
"This initiative has huge potential to increase participation in our games all over Ireland and we are delighted that Vhi Healthcare have joined with us in our endeavours to provide what we feel will become a hugely popular summer activity for children.
"I think that their involvement will add an extra dimension to the underlying Camp philosophy given their health and safety focus.
"While GAA-run summer camps have operated successfully for many years, I am confident that through this fresh initiative we will be able to combine our resources to ensure a first class product nationwide," he said.
Vhi Healthcare chief executive Vincent Sheridan said his company was proud to sponsor the camps and would continue to do so for at least three years.
"I am delighted that we will partner the GAA on this initiative, which will give thousands of children nationwide a fantastic activity to attend this summer.
"Vhi Healthcare is committed to supporting the Cul Camps for at least three years and we will work closely with the GAA and the individual clubs to ensure it is ‘the’ summer activity for children of all ages."
This is outstanding news. It is heartening to see a national scheme such as this one which will cater to tens of thousands of children from the 32 county Irish nation.
It is very important to promote Irish culture throughout the island and it's good to see the GAA and Vhi Healthcare working together towards that aim.
Well done to all concerned.
Stan's the man - Just ask him!
Did you all catch Steve Staunton's first press conference as Ireland manager on Monday?What the hell was that about?
While he conducted himself well when questioned, did anyone else feel like myself that he was a bit too focused on getting across that he was the guy in charge?
I felt pretty bad for Bobby Robson to be honest!
"I’m the boss. I’m the gaffer. At the end of the day what I say goes, the buck stops with me," said Staunton.
"I will use Bobby in whatever role I see fit. He has a huge role to play, he’s there for me all the time. I’ve got a very good coach alongside me (Kevin MacDonald) and I will put my trust and faith in him and that is why I got this team together."
Damn! Did he wake up on the wrong side of the bed or what?
Respect my authoritah!
As I've already stated, I'm a bit sceptical about this whole arrangement and I really hope it doesn't end in disaster a couple of months down the line.
There was an interesting story in yesterday's Irish Independent that when Bobby Robson asked Staunton if he should call him Stephen, Steve or Stan - he replied: "Gaffer".
I don't know if that's true or not, all I know is that there could be some really tough years ahead for the Irish team as we try to build a side worthy of reaching the major tournaments.
I wish Stan and Bobby all the best though and I hope things work out well for Ireland in the future. Come on you boys in green!
Monday, January 16, 2006
Monday Madness - UVF man becomes member of British Legion
What an outrage!The Belfast Telegraph reports that therere was uproar Friday night after it emerged that a convicted UVF terrorist has been elected as a committee member of a Co Derry branch of the Royal British Legion.
An enraged member of the legion - the UK's leading charity providing financial, social and emotional support to the millions who have served and are currently serving in the armed forces - contacted the Belfast Telegraph to complain that Russell Watton had been elected to the position of assistant secretary of the Coleraine branch.
"I think it's an absolute disgrace. I've been a member for years, but I'll not be back," said the man, who did not want to be identified.
In June 1977, Watton was sentenced to life imprisonment after pleading guilty to wounding three men with intent during a gun attack on a bar in Dunloy.
A spokesman for the Royal British Legion refused to say whether Watton was a member of the organisation, and added: "We do not comment on anonymous claims. If anyone is unhappy about membership, they should be coming to us and not the Press."
But when contacted by the Belfast Telegraph, Watton confirmed his position as assistant secretary of the Coleraine branch.
He said: "Whoever complained has little to do with their time. I was in trouble 30 years ago, and there are other ex-prisoners in the legion.
"I have been a member for 12 or 13 years and this year I was asked to stand, and I won a democratic vote, 36 votes to 24.
"I am married with a child and a mortgage like everyone else and I'm trying to move on, but I'm never going to get away from it."
However, East Derry MLA John Dallat has called for Watton to be immediately ousted from the organisation.
"He should never have been allowed in the door, never mind be allowed to take up a high-profile position," said Mr Dallat.
"This type of disclosure runs totally against the efforts of people who want to develop the British Legion as unconnected to elements which badly tarnished its image in the past, in particular, I am thinking of when UFF killer Torrens Knight wore a poppy when coming out of court.
"To find a high-profile terrorist of this kind is not only a member of the legion, but occupies a position on the committee, is something that needs to be addressed as it certainly makes it difficult for Catholics to embrace the efforts of the legion to portray itself as politically neutral."
Passing sentence on Watton in 1977, Judge Higgins described his UVF group as a "nest of terrorists" who had been responsible for grave and wicked crimes during 1975 and 1976, including the burning of Catholic-owned premises, the armed robbery of two post offices and bomb attacks on three bars.
The judge also said that Watton was responsible for planning the offences and involving others in them.
This is absolutely disgusting. How dare the Royal British Legion allow a UVF terrorist to become a committee Member!
I guess the fact that this man put the lives of innocent Catholics in danger is irrelevant!
I salute the individual who said he wouldn't have anything to do wih the organisation from now on and I also salute Mr Dallat for telling it like it is. This man certainly should not have been allowed through the door but to be given such a prestigious position is an insult to the man's victims and is a pat on the back for his actions!
Shame on the Royal British Legion! You have condoned terrorism!
Defining Irishness
Chris over at Balrog spotted an interesting story on UTV about how academics from around the world are trying to figure out what it means to be Irish.Discussing the question at Dublin's Trinity College, they reckon the Irish have sex appeal to rival the Italians - and are also proud of their native language. (Ha, what do you think of that, Antonio?!)
Professor Thomas Ihde of the City University of New York, also said studying Gaeilge is becoming more common in the US. (Good to see some countries taking our language seriously)
Chris said that there is no single definition of what it means to be Irish. I'm afraid he is mistaken.
You see this question is being put to the wrong people. I mean can people from Trinity College really know what it means to be Irish? Come on. No, this question should have been put to me and a few people down my local as we would have put this issue to rest in a matter of seconds.
With that being the case, I hereby give to you the following characteristics which define what it means to be Irish...
- You must be from Dublin. I'm sorry but if you want to regard yourself as properly Irish, you must hail from the greatest city on the greatest island on God's green earth - Dublin, baby!
- You must be very sceptical of the weather at all times. If grey skies are spotted overhead, you must proclaim aloud, "Hmm. Looks like it's gonna rain." The really gifted Irish, usually Irish mothers, will be able to instinctively sense approaching rainfall which will lead to them to running out to the washing line, James Bond-like, in perfect time to save all the clothes from saturation.
- You must never expect too much from sports athletes.
- You must hate the British for expecting too much from sports atheletes.
- You must be able to recite the first line of the Irish national anthem - the rest is not important though.
- You must prefer Gay Byrne to Pat Kenny. That is not up for debate.
- You must view Ryan Tubridy as the biggest twat to grace Irish TV screens in some time.
- Your drink of choice must be a Guinness. Same goes for teenagers.
- You must cringe at the sight of certain Irish 'celebrities', and I use that term wrongly, such as Dara O'Briain, Dara O'Briain's long-haired friend from The Panel, Linda Martin (ugh), Dana, Daniel O'Donnell, Phil Coulter and of course Shirley Temple Bar - a transvestite whose work experience includes fronting a daytime television bingo gameshow.
- You must regard all Irish politicians as gangsters and you must express that clearly and concisely to the old ladies who you hand your vote to on polling day.
- You must not only blame the British for the problems in the North but for every problem around the world since the dawn of time.
- You must never let Protestants in on the secret that Catholicism really does go hand in hand with Irishness and that on your Holy Communion you are presented with a rifle and tricolour from the priest.
- You must be able to write a list defining what Irishness is.
That's a small taste of what it means to be Irish. Ideally immigrants coming in to Ireland should be made aware of the above points if they want to assimilate in this country appropriately.
Now if you'll excuse me, I must head off and get myself a Guinness.
G'wan the Ireland! G'wan ya good thing! And so forth...
Sunday, January 15, 2006
It's panto stuff
Must be a very slow news day here in Ireland.
What am I talking about? See here.
Just remember - you heard it here first...
What am I talking about? See here.
Just remember - you heard it here first...
The Media's Svendetta
Fair enough there wasn't exactly a mad rush of contenders eager for the chance to be Ireland manager, but would you ever want to be the England manager with what that job entails?England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson is now facing pressure after an undercover reporter with the News of the World was told that he would quit his job as England manager if England win the World Cup this summer.
Eriksson is also quoted suggesting he would be prepared to become manager of Aston Villa as part of a takeover.
The Football Association refused to comment on the article, which also featured claims attributed to Eriksson about David Beckham and Michael Owen.
Eriksson's agent Athol Still called the article "disgraceful entrapment."
Eriksson, who is under contract as England coach until 2008, was on an FA-sanctioned trip to Dubai when he is said to have been contacted by an undercover reporter who said he wanted to discuss a coaching job at a new football academy in Dubai .
He is said to have told the reporter that Aston Villa was for sale, that England captain David Beckham would return to play in England if Eriksson asked him to, and that striker Michael Owen was not happy at Newcastle.
The paper quotes him saying that five-and-a-half years is "a long time to be England manager. Anyway if I win the World Cup, I will leave, goodbye".
I find this extraordinary! Do the English want to win the World Cup this year or not? If they do, why the hell are they so intent on upsetting the guy that they are depending on to win the competition? What a messed up media that country has!
You tell 'em Sven
Sven's agent Mr Still says there were never any negotiations and described many of the claims as "sheer fantasy".
"Following the discussions the people we spoke to said they had a substantial sum of money to invest in a Premiership club," he said.
"I mentioned Aston Villa and Sunderland. The rest of the conversation was sheer fantasy.
"At no point did Sven say he would not honour his contract with England - he has even talked with me about extending it to 2010.
"He did talk about possibly managing Aston Villa because you never know what will happen in football, but it was all hypothetical.
"There were never any negotiations, it was all just fantasising.
"Sven is really angry that they have done this in a World Cup year. I will have to read the article fully before considering whether we will take any further action."
It doesn't seem to me that Sven-Goran Eriksson has done anything wrong. He was merely speculating on some things.
If I was an England supporter I'd be more pissed off about my country's media who seem hell-bent on causing as much distress to the team as possible in order to shift newspapers.
That country's Press is a shambles and what that man has had to put up with from them is nothing short of obscene. Not that I necessarily want England to win the World Cup or anything but it's just bizarre what they put their own people through.
The English need to learn that while freedom of speech is great and all, sometimes it's better to keep schtum. 'Empty vessels' and all that...
Beanz Meanz United Irelander
I came across this great little thing called The Advertising Slogan Generator.
Some of the slogans it came up with:
"All United Irelander, All The Time"
"Exceedingly Good United Irelander"
"Big Chocolate United Irelander"
"It's That United Irelander Feeling"
And my favourite one of all:
"Lipsmackin' Thirstquenchin' Acetastin' Motivatin' Goodbuzzin' Cooltalkin' Highwalkin' Fastlivin' Evergivin' Coolfizzin' United Irelander"
Enter your name or handle and see what it comes up with!
Some of the slogans it came up with:
"All United Irelander, All The Time"
"Exceedingly Good United Irelander"
"Big Chocolate United Irelander"
"It's That United Irelander Feeling"
And my favourite one of all:
"Lipsmackin' Thirstquenchin' Acetastin' Motivatin' Goodbuzzin' Cooltalkin' Highwalkin' Fastlivin' Evergivin' Coolfizzin' United Irelander"
Enter your name or handle and see what it comes up with!
Saturday, January 14, 2006
Today in History - O'Neill/Lemass meeting
"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man." - George Bernard ShawIt was on this day, 14th of January, 1965, that a very important moment occurred in Irish history. On this day, Taoiseach Seán Lemass and Prime Minister of the North, Terence O'Neill, met together after the Taoiseach had accepted an invitation from O'Neill to visit Stormont. Lemass had sought a meeting with the North's PM on several occasions but the then Prime Minister, the bigot himself Basil Brooke, refused to invite Lemass to the North. The meeting between Lemass and O'Neill was seen as an end to the 'Irish Cold War'.
Both men were future-focused. Lemass wanted to reform the Irish Republic economically and make it a place that unionists would want to join, whereas O'Neill wanted to tackle the sectarianism that was widespread in the North at the time. In O'Neill's case, he suffered strong opposition from within his party.
The Prime Minister went on television to justify the meeting, observing that north and south 'share the same rivers, the same mountains, and some of the same problems'.
However some unionists were too enamoured with their sectarian outlook. Ian Paisley infamously threw snowballs at Lemass' car during the visit.
In February, O'Neill paid a visit to Lemass down in Dublin. Opposition to O'Neill's reforms was so strong however that in 1967 George Forrest, the MP for Mid Ulster who supported the Prime Minister, was pulled off the platform at the Twelfth of July celebrations in Coagh, Tyrone, and kicked unconscious by fellow members of the Orange Order.
Charming bunch that Orange Order don't you think? This sort of mentality is what mainstream unionism appears to be derived from. This is what mainstream unionism is built upon.
Today, Ian Paisley, the man who threw snowballs at the visiting Taoiseach in 1965, now regularly met with the current Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, in 2005. It took forty years but better late than never I guess. Sadly for us, he meets the Taoiseach as the leader of the largest unionist party in Ireland's north.
However, whilst mainstream unionism appears to celebrate the men who were renowned for saying 'No' to progress, people like Craig, Brooke and Paisley, it is my honest belief that future generations who study Irish history will regard these three men as forces of great evil in Ireland and that Terence O'Neill, the man who put up with so much hostility from his fellow unionists, will be given a warm place in the annals of Irish history. While I feel he should have done alot better in his dealings with the Civil Rights campaign, overall I think this is a fault of unionism in general and not something that O'Neill should have to bear the burden of alone.
I feel he was a good man who wanted what was best for all the people of Ireland. These are the kinds of people we need to acknowledge and celebrate. People like Seán Lemass. People like Terence O'Neill.
As Shaw would say, reasonable men who adapt to the world around them.
Friday, January 13, 2006
Show me the money?
It's just occurred to me that unlike alot of other blogs, I'm not making any money out of blogging.No AdSense. No Tip Jar. Nothing. It's all non-commercial!
Am I missing out on some moolah here?
What do you think?
Fun Irelander Feature - County swap
I posed this question to Andrew McCann over at A Tangled Web in his Q&A session and I figured it would be fun to pose it to all of you...If you could swap one county from north of the border for one county south of the border, what county would it be and why?
If you're not from Ireland you can still give an opinion from a neutral perspective.
Personally, I would swap Cork for Derry.
Why you ask?
Well because I think Derry is a nice part of Ireland whereas I've always found Cork to be quite soulless and, to be perfectly honest, a dump.
What county would you swap though if you had the choice? Let's hear from you.
Student gets away with 'gay horse' remark
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Have you all heard about this bizarre story yet?A final-year Oxford University student from Belfast, who was arrested for calling a mounted policeman’s horse gay, will now not be prosecuted it was announced yesterday.
Police stood by their decision to take Sam Brown (aged 21) to court for making "homophobic comments" after the Crown Prosecution Service today dropped the case.
Mr Brown approached the officer during a night out with friends in Oxford after his final exams, and said: "Excuse me, do you realise your horse is gay?"
Moments later, two Thames Valley Police squad cars appeared in the High Street and Mr Brown was arrested under section five of the Public Order Act for making homophobic remarks.
Mr Brown, an English Literature graduate, then at Oxford’s Balliol College, spent the night of May 30 last year in the cells.
He refused to pay an £80 (€117.10) fine, so police took the case to court.
But at Oxford Magisrates’ Court today it emerged the Crown Prosecution Service had chosen to discontinue the case.
Prosecutor Cariad Eveson-Webb said: "The police issued a summons but the CPS have decided they do not wish to proceed."
I think this is absolutely ridiculous! The student was just horsing around (pun intended). This is the bit of the story I love though:
"His remarks were deemed likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress."
To who? The horse? Is the horse sensitive about his sexuality or something?
The horse refuted the claims
What a crazy world we live in eh?
Stan's the man
Steve Staunton looks set to become Ireland manager after he was released from his contract by Walsall yesterday. Bobby Robson and Aston Villa reserve coach Kevin McDonald are expected to be part of Staunton's backroom team. Congratulations to them. They worked like blacks to get the job...
Friday Fun's Fascinating Fact
The venom of a King Cobra is so deadly that just one gram of it can kill 150 people.
Damn. I'm sure glad St Patrick got rid of all the snakes from Ireland!
Damn. I'm sure glad St Patrick got rid of all the snakes from Ireland!
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Replace sterling with euro - Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin's Mitchel McLaughlin, pictured left making a dramatic pose, has said the euro should replace sterling as the currency in Ireland's north to pave the way for an all-Ireland economy.Sinn Féin made the proposal in a draft Enterprise and Job Creation policy document to be voted upon at the party’s Ard Fheis next month.
Mitchel McLoughlin, who was a member of a Policy Review Group that drafted the document, said having a single currency would promote economic harmonisation north and south of the border.
"The extension of the euro throughout the whole island is part of the transition to an all-Ireland economy with one tax regime and one currency," said the Sinn Féin general secretary.
"We believe that currency harmonisation is a necessary step in paving the way for reunification and would yield substantial benefits in terms of economic development particularly for those communities in the border region."
The Sinn Féin policy document, which will be debated at an internal party meeting on Saturday, calls for a all-island bodies to encourage indigenous and overseas investment.
It also recommends a harmonised 17.5% rate of corporation tax north and south of the border.
An all-Ireland rail network, more north-south air routes and a state oil and gas exploration company are also proposed.
I have to give credit to Sinn Féin for these proposals. Good, solid ideas that will benefit the island as a whole.
An all-Ireland economy is the way to go if you believe the British government who claim the North's economy is unsustainable in the long-term, so let's step up measures to make sure we have an all-Ireland economy that is sustainable in the long-term.
Replacing sterling with the euro is a step in the right direction.
Nationalists have been at each other's throats in recent times. Let's put the petty squabbles to one side and unite around this idea which is one that all of us can embrace.
Havin' a blast in Oklahoma!
Hey, let me ask you all a question. Where's a good place to take a little girl for a day out? The park? The cinema? The zoo? Nah - a firearms display! That is if you're from Oklahoma of course!
See here.
Now I don't know how they do things down in Oklahoma but what in the name of God is a girl who looks around five or six years of age doing blasting away at things with artillery that wouldnt look out of place in the Terminator movies?
This is messed up. I don't know whether to laugh or cry!
What are your thoughts?
See here.
Now I don't know how they do things down in Oklahoma but what in the name of God is a girl who looks around five or six years of age doing blasting away at things with artillery that wouldnt look out of place in the Terminator movies?
This is messed up. I don't know whether to laugh or cry!
What are your thoughts?
Thursday Thoughts: Churchill and Ireland
Winston Churchill has been discussed on United Irelander the last couple of days and my feelings towards the man have been made known. With that being said, I decided to read up on the guy a bit more and I found this great resource - The Churchill Centre - which does an excellent job of highlighting the man's life. If you are have an interest in history or even just Churchill you might find it a good read.Of course my main interest is Churchill's relationship with Ireland and I thought it would be a good idea to highlight some of the more interesting points. Interestingly, I find myself agreeing with some of the sentiments expressed by the man although I disagree with alot of them too.
Churchill on the Irish question in the House of Commons:
"It is a curious reflection to inquire why Ireland should bulk so largely in our lives. How is it that the great English parties are shaken to their foundations, and even shattered, almost every generation, by contact with Irish affairs? When did Ireland derive its power to drive Mr. Pitt from office, to drag down Mr. Gladstone in the summit of his career and to draw us who sit here almost to the verge of civil war, from which we were only rescued by the outbreak of the Great War? Whence does this mysterious power of Ireland come? It is a small, poor, sparsely populated island, lapped about by British sea power, accessible on every side, without iron or coal. How is it that she sways our councils, shakes our parties, and infects us with great bitterness, convulses our passions, and deranges our action? How is it she has forced generation after generation to stop the whole traffic of the British Empire in order to debate her domestic Affairs? "Ireland is not a daughter State. She is a parent nation. The Irish are an ancient race. 'We are too,' said their plenipotentiaries, 'a far-flung nation.' They are intermingled with the whole life of the Empire, and have interest in every part of the Empire wherever the English language is spoken, especially in these new countries with whom we have to look forward to the greatest friendship and countenance, and where the Irish canker has been at work. How often have we suffered in all these generations from this continued hostility? If we can free ourselves from it, if we can to some extent reconcile the spirit of the Irish nation to the British Empire in the same way as Scotland and Wales have been reconciled, then indeed we shall have secured advantages which may well repay the trouble and uncertainties of the present time."
Sorry 'bout that Will but we're defiant so and so's!
Churchill on the Home Rule question:
"I admit that perfectly genuine apprehensions of the majority of the people of North-East Ulster constitute the most serious obstacle to a thoroughly satisfactory settlement ... but whatever Ulster's rights may be, she cannot stand in the way of the whole of the rest of Ireland."
Sadly as we all know, Ulster DID stand in the way of the rest of the island.
Churchill on the Black and Tans, 1920:
"I do think that something more than perfunctory lip-service is required in condemning the cold-blooded repeated murders of policemen and soldiers by people in plain clothes coming up with a smile on their faces and then shooting them through their jacket." He refused to stop the policy of reprisals until Sinn Fein would "quit murdering and start arguing."
This was a disgraceful move on Churchill's part. He advocated inflicting the evil of the Black and Tans on Irish civilians.
Churchill's view on Ireland two years later, 1922:
"C.P. Scott reported in his diary that Harold Laski had found Churchill, who had begun negotiating the eventual Irish Treaty, full of threats against Irish extremists, arguing that Britain had utterly broken rebellion in the 16th century, so "why not now with our vastly greater power?" "Yes," replied Laski, "but the condition of Ireland today is the fruit of our policy then."
Mr Laski was right and we are fortunate that Mr Churchill had cooler heads around him.
Churchill's wife Clemetine on the Irish situation, 1922:
"Clementine pressed moderation upon her husband: "Do my darling use your influence now for some sort of moderation or at any rate justice in Ireland. Put yourself in the place of the Irish. If you were ever leader you would not be cowed by severity and certainly not by reprisals which fall like the rain from Heaven upon the Just and upon the Unjust. It always makes me unhappy and disappointed when I see you inclined to take for granted that the rough, iron-fisted 'Hunnish' way will prevail.""
It seems his wife was very wise.
Churchill and the Irish delegates at the Treaty talks:
"Churchill played a key role in negotiating an acceptable treaty with the Sinn Fein delegates, Arthur Griffith and Michael Collins. Griffith warned the English that although he would sign the treaty there would be great difficulty getting it approved in Ireland. As for Griffiths's colleague, Churchill later wrote, "Michael Collins rose looking as if he was going to shoot someone, preferably himself. In all my life, I have never seen so much passion and suffering in restraint."
No doubt Collins was in turmoil but he still shouldn't have signed the Treaty.
Churchill on a United Ireland, 1922:
"...I have a strong feeling that the top of the hill has been reached, and that we shall find the road easier in the future than in the past....there is nothing we should like better than to see North and South join hands in an all-Ireland assembly without prejudice to the existing rights of either....The prize is so great that other things should be subordinated to gaining it. The bulk of people are slow to take in what is happening, and prejudices die hard. Plain folk must have time to take things in and adjust their minds to what has happened. Even a month or two may produce enormous changes in public opinion."
Wow I'm shocked. That sounds like something I would say. Maybe the guy wasn't that bad after all. Hopefully North and South will join hands one day.
Churchill ignores Collins, 1922:
"Collins asked for the support of Churchill and the British Government in opposing the Local Government Bill for Northern Ireland. He argued that is would "oust the Catholic and Nationalist people of the Six Counties from their rightful share in local administration." His pleading was unsuccessful. The cause of peace received two serious blows in August with the loss of two signatories to the Irish Treaty. The first was Arthur Griffith, who Churchill described as "a man of good faith and good will." Eight days later Michael Collins was assassinated in County Cork. Churchill had just received this message from Collins through an intermediary: "Tell Winston we could never have done anything without him." He now feared his greatest problem would be in dealing with "a quasi-repentant De Valera. It may well be that he will take advantage of the present situation to try to get back from the position of a hunted rebel to that of a political negotiator."
History I think proved Collins right on that. The death of Griffith and Collins were truly massive blows to the Irish Free State. Interesting remarks from Collins above.
A humorous story concerning Ireland and Churchill:
"Clementine Churchill's amusement was told by Churchill's bodyguard, the late Eddie Murray. In the days when aircraft refueled in Shannon before flying the Atlantic, a Churchill flight alighted there and Eddie went to order some duty free Irish whisky for his Secret Service friends in the States. The Irishman at the counter said he'd box it up, and what name should he put on it? "Murray," Ed told him.When he arrived at the counter to pick up his box, the man handed it to him saying he hoped he would enjoy it‹"But can ye tell me, Mr. Murray, what's a man with a name like Murray doing working for an old bastard like Churchill?"As the flight resumed, Eddie related the incident to Churchill, who thought it uproariously funny and related it to his wife. About five minutes went by in silence; then suddenly Clemmie exclaimed, in her high pitched Scottish voice: "But he was wrong, Winston, he was quite wrong‹you DO know who your father was!""
A nice, funny story I must admit.
De Valera after the death of Churchill:
"LONDON, AUGUST 18TH: Columnist Alan Hamilton wrote that discreet British enquiries established that Eamon De Valera, President of Ireland, would not accept an invitation to Churchill's funeral. Instead he sent a low grade representative and made a statement describing Churchill as "a great Englishman, one of the greatest of his time," but adding, "We in Ireland had to regard Sir Winston over a long period as a dangerous adversary." De Valera did send a message of personal condolence to Lady Churchill."
De Valera proving again proving he was a class act. His opinions on the danger of Churchill reflect the widespread feeling of the Irish people about the man.
All in all, the site is worth a look if you want to read up on Churchill. It's often overlooked that this very well known figure from British history had a big role to play in Irish history as well.
While I still regard him as someone who has had his flaws airbrushed from history and his achievements overly praised by the British, perhaps it was a tad unfair of me to place him on a list of the worst ever Britons.
Single men happiest in Ireland
Single and middle-aged men are the happiest in Ireland, a new survey has claimed.Researchers found levels of contentment increased on both sides of the Irish border between 2001 and 2004 but women remain more satisfied with their lot.
A Mintel Ireland spokesman said: "The report found that those men who have the least amount responsibility are the happiest and there is a reluctance amongst young men in Northern Ireland to change their status quo."
The team examined the attitudes of men to work, their family, their lifestyle choices and women.
I really hate these opinion polls which tell us things that are blatantly obvious. I mean do we really need a survey to tell us this? A simple chat with a bunch of men down the pub would have revealed all this. Let's have a look at the key findings...
- The average age of marriage is increasing year on year as men choose to stay single for longer.
Smart guys!
- The average age of men who tie the knot in the North is 32 and in the Republic 34.
Smarter guys from the Republic who are enjoying the single life!
- 60% of 20-25s in Northern Ireland and 65% in the Irish Republic live at home with their parents due to soaring property prices.
Fair enough there are more momma's boys in the Republic, but this is probably the fault of Cork I reckon...
- One in five men are willing to sacrifice time with their families in order to get ahead in the workplace.
Makes sense!
- Over 55s were found to be happier as their mortgage payments had ceased and their incomes were at their highest.
Well obviously!
Poor Jeffrey Donaldson is f*cked...
On the issue of responsibility, a Mintel spokesman said: "The average age of marriage is increasing year on year as men and women actively choose to stay single for longer.
"This delay in taking on particular responsibilities allows men to spend more money and time on their own leisure habits and the more comfortable they are with their independent cash rich lifestyle the less likely they are to want to change until they are absolutely ready."
Those needy women will just have to wait, eh lads?
The report said there are 2.88 million men in Ireland – 0.84 million in Northern Ireland and 2.04 million in the Republic – which amounts to 49% of the population.
More ladies to go around for the men. Nice!
As I said above, the poll doesn't tell us anything we didn't already know. Basically men are great, women are needy and marriage doesn't equal happiness.
I suppose it is necessary to remind ourselves though...
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
'What If'? Wednesday - Stan, Mac and Bob?
Well we didn't get Martin O'Neill, we didn't get David O'Leary, we didn't get Roy Keane and we didn't get Terry Venables. Who are we getting you ask?Steve Staunton and Kevin McDonald. Hmm.
Yes RTE has reported that Steve Staunton is set to have McDonald, currently reserve-team coach at Aston Villa, as his 'coaching guru'.
Staunton is due to officially be unveiled by the Football Association of Ireland on Monday along with advisor and mentor Bobby Robson. Staunton, who celebrates his 37th birthday in eight days' time, looks set to be handed a four-year contract, with Robson a two-year deal.
The FAI see that as ideal for Robson in order to ease Staunton, who has recently been coaching with Coca-Cola League One Walsall, into an unfamiliar role given his lack of managerial experience.
However, the FAI have entrusted Staunton with the task of appointing his own backroom team, despite Robson's welter of contacts from his many years in the game. It was initially felt Robson would look to bring in John Carver, who was his assistant during his five years at Newcastle, and who is now head coach at Leeds.
But the FAI see it as vital there are no grey areas when it comes to the roles of Staunton and Robson, and have been drawing demarcation lines to that effect.
Staunton is the man in charge, with Robson to undertake whatever is required, a position he is believed to be more than happy with.
This is all very strange. Gurus, mentors, why does it feel like Steve Staunton is set to become a Jedi rather than the manager of the Irish football team?
Obi-Wan Robson
Former Irish internationals have been giving their thoughts on the prospect of Steve Staunton as Ireland maanger.
Ray Houghton told BBC Sport: "The players have a healthy respect for him. And if the fans see progress and a bit of belief and spirit, he'll be fine."
Tony Cascarino added: "There's huge respect for Steve in Ireland and he knows how to get the best out of players."
Staunton's 3 years of modern dance should help
Well that's what they think but the question still has to be asked...
What if this is the plan for the Irish team?
Will it prove successful? Will we qualify for the 2008 European Championships? Will it fail miserably?
I have to say at this point in time I'm very sceptical and I don't think our chances of qualifying in 2008 look good.
Victory
The controversial On-The-Run legislation has been scrapped!What a glorious day this is. A triumph of the people. A triumph of democracy.
Mr Hain told MPs Sinn Féin’s decision late last month to oppose the Bill because security force personnel would also have qualified for the scheme had rendered the legislation meaningless.
"Sinn Féin has now said that any republican potentially covered by the legislation should have nothing to do with it," the minister said.
"But if nobody goes through the process, victims, who would have suffered the pain of having to come to terms with this legislation, would have had done so for nothing.
"That is unacceptable and I am therefore withdrawing the Bill."
Victims and human rights groups, the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, unionists, nationalist SDLP and the cross community Alliance Party condemned the legislation for failing to compel those accused of offences to face their victims during the tribunal hearings.
The SDLP and Sinn Féin also criticised the inclusion of security force personnel involved in murders carried out by loyalist paramilitary groups in the scheme.
But Mr Hain defended their inclusion in his statement.
"Mr Speaker, to exclude any members of the security forces who might have been involved in such offences from the provisions of the Bill would not only have been illogical, it would have been indefensible and we would not do it," the Northern Ireland Secretary insisted.
"Closure on the past cannot be one sided. That was, and is, non-negotiable."
Cut out the lies, Hain. No amnesty can ever be granted to the British state which murdered innocent Irish civilians. No amnesty should ever be granted to killers.
When Sinn Féin jumped on the bandwagon and decided to oppose the bill, those of us who opposed the plan had won the battle. Now that the bill has been confined to the scrapheap, we have won the war!
United Irelander and El Blogador were two Irish blogs which worked dilligently to show people how evil and sinister this OTR legislation really was and I think I can speak for them when I say that this feels like a personal victory.
I'm personally very pleased to see the British government come to its senses and ditch this bill.
It was not supported by the people and it would have been undemocratic to proceed with it.
This is a great day for the people of Ireland.
United Irelander up front
Recently over on A Tangled Web they had the splendid idea of offering their readers a Q&A session where a reader asks the blogger any question they like which the blogger answers.I liked that idea alot and while I'm not the kind of guy who steals good ideas (wink, wink), I figured it would be nice to allow visitors to United Irelander the chance to ask me a few things.
I will endeavour to answer as truthfully and honestly as I can, providing the questions aren't rude or anything.
So then - ask away.
Loyalists want black woman to leave home
It seems not only are loyalists sectarian to the core, but they're also racist as well.UTV reports that a black woman may be forced to quit a loyalist housing estate after her home was daubed with shocking racist slogans.
According to the article...
Alison Antoine, 34, woke today to find the words "Die N****r" spray-painted on the front of the house in Stiles, Antrim.
A swastika, the Nazi SS symbol and "White Power" were also scrawled on the Housing Executive property at Rathkyle where she has lived for four years.
Ms Antoine said: "I'm sick of it and don't know what to do.
"I'm frightened to walk out onto the street unless I have someone with me."
The Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities described it as one of the worst incidents of race hate it had encountered.
Executive director Patrick Yu said: "Normally they distribute leaflets, but this time it is targeting a specific family. It's very serious.
"Ms Antoine, originally from Grenada, moved to the North more than 10 years ago to be close to her partner Robert Jones's family.
Although the unemployed woman stressed most people in Antrim have caused her no trouble, she told how the intimidation from a minority has intensified.
A garden shed was burnt down and her kitchen windows smashed since she moved into the town, she said.
"I have been victimised because of my colour and had racist names shouted at me, but nothing like this," Ms Antoine added.
"I don't know why somebody has done this to me, I wish they would leave me alone.
"It's making me think about asking to move."
A Housing Executive order has been issued to have the graffiti removed on Wednesday.
The attack horrified Ken Wilkinson, a Progressive Unionist representative in Antrim.
Mr Wilkinson, whose party is aligned to the Ulster Volunteer Force, said the Loyalist Commission he sits on has attempted to stop the spread of racism by distributing leaflets and talking to youths.
"These people who come in the dead of night and target a vulnerable girl are scum," he said.
"They probably cheer on their favourite football team with five or six black players.
"My father and his brothers fought to defeat the swastika which represents the murder of six million people.
"When I see a swastika it insults me and it insults the people I represent.
"Mr Yu also insisted those responsible posed a major threat and urged any witnesses not to stay silent.
"Someone, somewhere saw something and they need to tell the police," he added.
"One of the difficulties of race-hate crime is when local police say nothing.
"A Police Service of Northern Ireland spokesman confirmed detectives were investigating a racist attack at Rathkyle.
He said: "Racist slogans were spray-painted on the wall."
"A man and woman were in at the time and it's thought the incident took place during the hours of 4am to 8am.
"Antrim police are appealing for anyone with information to contact them on 08456008000."
Wow. I guess I shouldn't be shocked at the activities of loyalists but I must admit that I'm shocked over this case. This is one of the most appalling stories I've read in a long time. To see this kind of racism is just so disheartening. My thoughts and sympathies are with Ms Antoine.
Loyalists want blacks as well as the Irish out
I'm pleased to see the PUP's Ken Wilkinson condemn the attack but one has to question his sincerity when you consider the party he represents.
It is clear that racism remains a real problem for loyalists and the use of pro-Nazi symbols proves that pro-Nazi sentiments still exist within loyalist circles. In the past of course, many loyalists had sympathy with the Nazis and felt their outlook on Jews was one that should have been adopted towards Catholics. Henry McDonald in The Observer wrote an interesting article in 2003 on how loyalists today have strong links with neo-Nazis in Lancashire, England. Clearly this pro-Nazi outlook remains very strong to this day.
One thing is for sure though, these people are an out and out disgrace. They not only disgrace Britishness but they disgrace society in general.
Shame on them. Racism can never be tolerated.
Mountjoy mockery
What an absolute joke this government is.For those of you not aware, the Government is planning on selling Mountjoy jail and building a new prison for 1,000 inmates in Kilsallaghan - despite objections from residents in the north of Dublin.
As RTE tells us...
"The Minister of State at the Dept of Finance, Tom Parlon, has said the 20-acre site at Mountjoy Prison could be worth up to €2 billion to the State.
"Mr Parlon was speaking at the announcement of the Government's intention to seek tenders for the services contract to re-develop the site.
Meanwhile, the Department of Justice says it is unlikely that part of the site at Mountjoy to be sold off for development will be donated to the Mater Hospital.
The Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell, says the Government is determined to maximise the value of the site in Dublin.
He is considering securing planning permission as well as designing the development before selling the site and he says it is therefore unlikely that any land will be donated to the Mater Hospital.
Further to all of that, on Monday night Fingal County Council passed a motion opposing the project. Councillors insist they will not assist the development while the Rolestown St Margaret’s Action Group (RSMAG) claim they have proved the 150 acre site at Thornton Hall, Killasaghan is the wrong site.
"We are delighted with this action by Fingal Co Council. Yet again the minister is being told that Thornton Hall is not a suitable site for this development," said RSMAG spokeswoman Nessa Shevlin.
"We have been left with no democratic rights in this process. This community and its environment face decimation if this unsustainable development goes ahead.
"Paying €30m for a site does not make it suitable, throwing more and more money at it will still not make it suitable. Thornton Hall is the wrong site."
The motion, put forward by Fine Gael councillor Leo Varadkar, called on Fingal Co Council to oppose the prison plan.
A spokesman for the Irish Prison Service insisted this would not affect any plans for the prison insisted moves were well underway to have a masterplan for the prison ready by the summer and for building work to begin in 2007.
Mountjoy being sold by people who belong there
It is unclear however whether the council are legally entitled to refuse to co-operate.
It is understood Fingal Council is obliged to provide all developments with clean water and adequate sewerage but it has also been suggested that authorities could refuse to co-operate on the building of new roads.
A High Court challenge to the procedure adopted by the minister in selecting the Thornton site and claiming it is a national monument is to begin on February 14.
What a shambles! This government are an awful shower altogether. This fiasco explains why I am highly unlikely to give my vote to these clowns.
Why do we need to sell Mountjoy? It's been doing fine for decades.
A shower of gangsters!
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Loyalists forcing playwright out of North
Playwright Gary Mitchell, who is in hiding after loyalist attacks on his family, says he is on the verge of quitting Ireland's north for good, UTV has reported.In his first television interview since the violence started, Mitchell told Ivan Little today that his entire family had been forced out of the Rathcoole estate in Newtownabbey.
Mitchell has written extensively on the violent tensions within the Protestant loyalist community and has stated previously that he believes his success has caused paramilitaries who operate within that community to turn against him.
"There is a very small minority who are jealous and angry at someone else being successful, who are using every opportunity to lash out at me and my family," he said.
"Images of myself winning awards in Dublin is enough to give these people the impression I've sold out or done something against them.
"I doubt these people have ever seen anything I've written."
This is absolutely atrocious. It is sickening to see loyalists so intent on forcing out of the North those who do not conform to their narrow political viewpoint.
Unionists and the people of the wider world need to acknowledge how wrong these people are and must ask themselves what these people contribute to society in the North.
I think we desperately need to work towards a United Ireland that caters to all beliefs and traditions.
What is being offered in NI right now is quite frankly unacceptable and disgusting.
Top Ten Tuesday - Worst ever Britons
Last Tuesday I compiled a top ten list of the worst ever Irish people.This week I figured it would be a good idea to compile a top ten list of the worst ever Britons!
So without further ado...
1. Oliver Cromwell - A heinous individual who brutally suppressed Royalists in Ireland. He massacred nearly 3,500 people in Drogheda and over 2,000 people in Wexford including men, women and children. The Irish were to him, "barbarous wretches" and as he sought to take Irish land, the choice for the native Irish was "to hell or to Connaught". An evil man.
2. Henry VIII - From 1536, decided to re-conquer Ireland and bring it under control. Not only that but he married six times and renounced a religion in the process. An odious individual.
3. Elizabeth I - Brutally put down the second Desmond Rebellion in Ireland where almost the entire population of the north-western part of the province of Munster died. She also fought the Gaelic chiefs from Ulster, the O'Neills and the O'Donnells, during the Nine Years War. A disgraceful, power-mad Briton.
4. William III - Also known as 'King Billy' to some. A sick, power-hungry individual who infamously defeated the forces of King James II at the Battle of the Boyne. After the battle, the peace Treaty of Limerick was signed which promised Irish Jacobites generous terms if they were willing to stay in Ireland and give an oath of loyalty to William III. However these terms were not honoured and the penal laws were imposed on the people by parliament. A popular contemporary Irish saying went, "cuimhnidh Luimneach agus feall na Sassanaigh" ("remember Limerick and English treachery"). William is also praised by the Orange Order to this day which tells you all you need to know about this horrible man.
5. Lloyd George - A deceitful man who tricked Irish delegates like Michael Collins and Arthur Griffith at the Treaty talks into believing that a Boundary Commission would give huge pro-nationalist areas to the Free State government but which ultimately proposed giving territory of the Free State to the Northern entity. Earlier in his career he promised Home Rule leader John Redmond that any Ulster counties excluded from Home Rule would be excluded temporarily but who likewise told Edward Carson, in wriitng, that exclusion for counties would be permanent. A liar. Later in his career he went on to praise Adolf Hitler saying, "Yes, Heil Hitler. I, too, say that because he is truly a great man."
6. Margaret Thatcher - A truly despicable woman who callously gave no regard to the Hunger Strikers like Bobby Sands. She also destroyed the mining industry in her country and was a bully when it came to foreign affairs. One of the very worst British Prime Ministers.
7. Randolph Churchill - Father of Winston Churchill, Randolph Churchill toyed with the tense relationships that existed in Ireland and utilised sectarianism for his own ends. He gave fiery speeches in Ulster that led to deaths in the subsequent sectarian violence. During this time he coined the phrase "Ulster will fight, and Ulster will be right". Also coined the phrase which became Tory strategy, "The Orange card is the card to play" which sums up his sectarianism pretty well.
8. Oswald Mosley - Founded the British Union of Fascists and supported the Nazi regime. Nuff said!
9. Winston Churchill - Not higher on the list for his admittedly great oratorical skills however this man was part of a British delegation intent on denying Ireland freedom and partitioning the country. He also tried to deny Ireland its treaty ports when de Valera sought them, he tried to deny Irish people aid during WW2 in an effort to get Ireland to join the war effort thus putting Irish people's lives at risk over a political dispute and he criticised Eire's role during WW2 in his victory speech as well as de Valera despite knowing full well that the country had given him far more assistance than a neutral country should have including around 60,000 of its citizens. Churchill also said of Hitler prior to the war, "One may dislike Hitler’s system and yet admire his patriotic achievement. If our country were defeated I hope we should find a champion as admirable to restore our courage and lead us back to our place among the nations". Telling stuff.
And here's Churchill's thoughts on race: "I do not admit... that a great wrong has been done to the Red Indians of America, or the black people of Australia... by the fact that a stronger race, a higher grade race... has come in and taken its place." - Churchill to Palestine Royal Commission, 1937
His thoughts on Mahatma Gandhi: "It is alarming and also nauseating to see Mr. Gandhi, a seditious Middle Temple lawyer of the type well-known in the East, now posing as a fakir, striding half naked up the steps of the Viceregal palace to parley on equal terms with the representative of the King-Emperor." - Commenting on Gandhi's meeting with the Viceroy of India, 1931
Churchill also felt that the mentally ill should be sterilized writing to Asquith in 1910: "The unnatural and increasingly rapid growth of the feeble-minded and insane classes, coupled as it is with a steady restriction among all the thrifty, energetic and superior stocks, constitutes a national and race danger which it is impossible to exaggerate... I feel that the source from which the stream of madness is fed should be cut off and sealed up before another year has passed."
Clearly one of the most overrated Britons in history and no friend of Ireland's!
10. Robert Kilroy-Silk - A very silly man with very worrying ideas. He said of Muslims, "Muslims everywhere behave with equal savagery. They behead criminals, stone to death female — only female — adulteresses, throw acid in the faces of women who refuse to wear the chador, mutilate the genitals of young girls and ritually abuse animals."
He said of the Irish people, "A country peopled by peasants, priests and pixies."
His talk show was shite too.
So there you have it. The top ten worst Britons. Feel free to comment on my choices or to offer up some of your own.
One man's terrorist...
Yesterday's post on the IRA proved interesting and seemed to get alot of you thinking about Irish history and politics, but I found that the issue of terrorism which was raised by some of you who left comments, was an interesting tangent of the discussion and worthy in itself of a post.The man pictured to your left is Michael Collins, the famous Irish revolutionary and former Director of Intelligence of the IRA.
Was this man a terrorist?
Some are of the opinion that Collins and indeed Collins' Irish Republican Army were terrorists and no different to later groups, some of which are still around to this day and who go by the same name.
I disagree with this view wholeheartedly.
In my opinion Michael Collins and the IRA of the time were not terrorists, rather they were freedom fighters.
I think an important step in determining what 'terrorism' is acknowledging that it is far from easy to define it. A study by the US Army in 1988 found over 100 definitions for the word 'terrorism'.
The Oxford Concise Dictionary of Politics definition of 'terrorism' reads:
"Term with no agreement amongst government or academic analysts, but almost invariably used in a pejorative sense, most frequently to describe life-threatening actions perpetrated by politically motivated self-appointed sub-state groups. But if such actions are carried out on behalf of a widely approved cause, say the Maquis seeking to destabilize the Government of Vichy France then the term 'terrorism' is avoided and something more friendly is substituted. In short, one person's terrorist is another person's freedom fighter."
Of course from an Irish standpoint and for the purposes of this post, the telling sentence there reads, "if such actions are carried out on behalf of a widely approved cause" and as we all know, the IRA's actions were carried out on behalf of a widely approved cause.
In the British General Election held in December 1918, Sinn Féin won 73 out of the 105 Irish seats. Sinn Féin candidates were pledged not to participate in the Westminster parliament but to convene an Irish Parliament in Dublin. On January 21st, 1919, Dáil Eireann was established and in September of the same year, the British military proclaimed the Dáil "illegal". In the local elections of 1920, Sinn Féin obtained 80% of the seats, winning a majority in 28 of the 32 counties. And as the BBC's site states, "The civilian population was at first shocked by the IRA's actions but rapidly came to support them out of patriotic sentiment and because of the repressive nature of the British government’s response."
That to me indicates that the IRA were certainly NOT a terrorist outfit but rather a group working to rid their country of an occupier that most of the country didn't want there!
Some have criticised the methods employed by Collins and the IRA but for a country of Ireland's size, guerilla tactics were the only way to beat a numerically superior enemy.
In my opinion, if a group are acting against the wishes of the majority of their countrymen then they are engaging in terrorist activity. However the 'Old' IRA were acting on the wishes of the majority of their countrymen and the British were the ones who were occupying territory against the Irish nation's inhabitants.
Michael Collins a terrorist? No. A freedom fighter.
Sectarian threat made to Catholic students
It seems anti-Catholic attitudes are very much alive in Ireland's north.A Belfast college has confirmed that Catholic students were threatened outside its east Belfast campus.
A spokeswoman for the Belfast Institute of Further and Higher Education at Tower Street said two men verbally abused students having a smoke break.
The spokeswoman said sectarian threats were made before the men left but they returned armed with knives.
She said the PSNI were called and the men were questioned. Police said the incident was being investigated.
Three years ago the campus, which is in a loyalist area, was closed after masked men threatened Catholic students there. The college said the students involved in Monday's incidents were attending performing arts courses.
It said there was CCTV footage of the incidents which would be examined on Tuesday.
Disgraceful that this sort of thing is still happening in Ireland's north.
We all need to condemn those who seek to keep sectarian attitudes alive in this day and age.
If there is one area we can all unite upon, it is against this kind of sectarianism.
FAI set to give Stan some Bob
I guess you've all heard the news about Steve Staunton and how he is set to land the job as Ireland manager, and interestingly the FAI want to give him an experienced manager as a mentor and this is set to be none other than former England boss Sir Bobby Robson.Staunton is currently Paul Merson's assistant at Walsall and Merson has said he won't stand in Staunton's way if he got the chance to manage the Irish team.
"I'd back him," Merson said. "Everybody who plays football would love to manage their country one day, so, if it came along, of course I'd let him go."
Do we want him though? That is the question. I respect Steve Staunton for the service he gave Ireland as a player. You have to respect a guy who has 102 caps for his country, but I just don't know if he is up to the task of being Irish manager.
Clearly the FAI feel the same way judging by their plan to have Robson overlooking the team but how will that system work? Will the two get on? Will it all end in a farcical manner with one of them leaving after a few months?
There are alot of questions to be answered.
A rare creature - a likeable Englishman
I actually like Sir Bobby Robson (would he be the first knight involved with an Irish team?) and I respect his managerial record so I personally have no problem with him having a role in the side and I think most fans would feel the same.
All in all it's a strange combination. I'm not quite sure what to make of it but I am willing to give it a chance if this is the plan for the Irish side.
What are your thoughts on it?
Monday, January 09, 2006
Monday Madness - IRA's place
The people pictured left were part of an IRA flying column in the War of Independence.During the War of Independence which took place from 1919 to 1921, the IRA used guerilla tactics against the numerically superior British army.
As an Irishman who owes his independence to the men and women of the 'Old' IRA as they are commonly called (to distinguish them from subsequent versions), I must say it makes me quite angry that here in Ireland we aren't allowed to openly express pride in these people.
The events this past Friday, which saw the UUP's Tom Elliot and the DUP's Arlene Foster react with anger to a PSNI recruit wearing a medal commemorating the 'Old' IRA for their war against the Black and Tans, proved that there is still a big gulf for nationalists and unionists when it comes to viewing the events of the War of Independence and the 'Old' IRA.
I discussed the issue of the recruit's medal in my post on Friday so I don't want to dwell on that issue in this post but rather to take a look at how subsequent groups who called themselves the 'Irish Republican Army' have not only sullied the original group's name but have in actual fact sullied our own view of this point in time generally. It has gotten to the stage where in this country, unlike the majority of other countries around the world, it's almost taboo to express pride in the men and women who freed this country from British rule despite the fact that British rule was so miserable for Irish people throughout the centuries.
Let me offer you a personal account which details what I mean. When I was about six years old or so, around about the time I had just started school, I heard some older boys speaking about a group called the 'IRA'. When I enquired who this group were I was told they were the 'Irish Republican Army'. Fast forward to later on that day when I declared aloud to my parents how great the IRA were. Needless to say they were not impressed and my father told me I was to never say such a thing again. I could not understand what the problem was seeing as, like many young boys, I was impressed by things like army men and soldiers and all that sort of stuff. My father had to explain to me that while it was OK for me to be proud of the Irish Army, I wasn't allowed to be proud of the 'Irish Republican Army'. I guess you might say that was my first introduction to the intricacies of the Irish political situation. Of course my father and the boys at my school were not talking about the 'Old' IRA and with that being the case my father was right to rebuke me for unwittingly speaking well of a group which was but a horrible imitation of it.
The point I'm making though is that when the letters 'IRA' are mentioned, they don't conjure up images of Michael Collins' men hiding in a ditch somewhere in the country preparing to hit the Tans, but rather an image of men in balaclavas planting a bomb in some busy city centre in the North waiting for it to explode.
If I was sitting in a pub and I declared aloud that I felt pride in the IRA, I am likely to receive some angry glares from the surrounding people similar to the glares I received as a young boy from my parents! I think it's such a shame that the original IRA have become victims of retrospective history and I'm sure most Irish people understand what I mean when I say that.
I've always found it interesting how the War of Independence, which achieved the desired result of forcing British troops out of areas of Ireland, is in actual fact rarely acknowledged with pride by the Irish people. Contrast this with the failed rebellions of history such as occurred under the O'Neills and the O'Donnells which led to the Flight of the Earls, as well as the United Irish rebellions which failed, Emmet's speech from the dock, and of course the 1916 Rising itself. All of these events are looked on fondly despite the fact that, technically speaking, they were failures. Yet the one event which can be classed as technically being a success is almost ignored.
Why is that?
I actually think it is something that is inherent in the Irish character - the glory of defeat. It is something that manifests itself in sport I find. If you look at the mindset of Irish people whenever Irish teams have qualified for the World Cup, you see the manifestation of this attitude.
"Ah shorr it doesn't matter how we do. Qualifying's the main thing."
Look at the reaction of the country at what have been sporting failures - Italia '90, USA '94, Korea and Japan 2002. 'Oh what a brave display we put on'! 'Little old Ireland went down gallantly'! 'For a country of our size we did brilliantly'! 'Let's throw a party for the lads when they return'! In my opinion it's all a direct result of this almost uniquely Irish trait of being in love with the idea of the heroic downfall. 'Give it a lash Jack' as one of the chants went. This is in stark contrast to attitudes held by countries like America and Australia whose mindset is pretty much "win at all costs". None of the romanticised blarney bullshit for them and they have the trophies and medals to prove it.
There is something in the Irish character that is in love with the idea of a romantic and heroic downfall. Irish mythological hero Cuchulainn fell bravely, the Gaels from Ulster fell bravely, Wolfe Tone fell bravely, Robert Emmet fell bravely, Parnell fell bravely from the political scene, the 1916 rebels fell bravely, Collins fell bravely trying to make peace etc.
We, the Irish people, love it. We're obsessed with it. But God forbid we actually be proud of the men and women responsible for finally achieving our aims! What's wrong? Did it lack the romantic aspect? So what. It worked. Why must we continue to emphasise the gallant losses? Because it doesn't put anyone's noses out of shape?
Of course this phenomenon is an Ireland-wide phenomenon. When did the Provisional IRA begin to get significant support from Catholics? When did they begin to get significant media attention? Two big moments spring to mind - Bloody Sunday and the Hunger Strikes. This is what people focused on at the time.
When the Michael Collins film came out a few years ago, it proved of great benefit to the Irish people because it forced them to look at a period of history that had been overlooked. It forced the Irish people to make their mind up on it. Collins emerged from the film as once again the Irish hero. His legacy given a nice boost. However Collins' IRA remained in the limbo of Irish history. It seems the only historical moment that has been ignored as much as the War of Independence was the Civil War that followed it.
Nah, we can't focus on the Civil War. Too unpleasant. Where's the glory for us all to bask in? You can't revel in a glorious defeat when it's your own compatriots who have defeated you.
Collins found his place but will the IRA?
I would very much like to end this piece with a solution that neatly sets out what needs to be done to correct the selective interpretations given to Irish history and offer parity of esteem to all the main protagonists. Alas, I cannot. What I would say is that it would be a terrible shame for us to airbrush things out of history purely because they have been tainted by later generations.
This year we here in Ireland will bear witness to the 90th anniversary of the Easter Rising and the 25th anniversary of the Hunger Strikes. This year Irish history will be challenged and analysed like never before and that is of benefit to all of us for we must always be willing to question ourselves.
What we must be wary of however is those who seek to edit out the bits of our history which do not conform to their own particular viewpoints. Napoleon Bonaparte once wrote, "History is the version of past events that people have decided to agree upon".
My own belief is that we the Irish people must stay true to our history as much as we can and true to our identity as much as we can, regardless of what the naysayers say.
A country that tries to fool itself is a country full of fools.
Mind-bog-gling discovery made
Some of you may have heard about this story already but for those of you who haven't, there was an interesting discovery made in Ireland recently.Archaeologists unveiled two Iron Age "bog bodies" which were found about 25 miles apart in 2003 in peat bogs not far from Dublin.
The first body dropped off a peat cutting machine in February 2003 in Clonycavan, near Dublin. The forearms, hands and lower abdomen are missing, believed to have been hacked off by the machine. The second was found in May the same year in Croghan, just 25 miles (40km) from Clonycavan. Old Croghan Man, as it has become known, was missing a head and lower limbs. It was discovered by workmen clearing a drainage ditch through a peat bog.
A team of experts from Ireland and the UK have been examining the bodies to learn how they lived and died.
Interestingly, Clonycavan man had been using a type of Iron Age hair gel; a vegetable plant oil mixed with a resin that had probably come from south-western France or Spain. He was about 5ft 2in and according to Ned Kelly, not the Australian hero but rather head of antiquities at the National Museum of Ireland, "The shorter man appeared to attempt to give himself greater stature by a rather curious headdress which was a bit like a Mohican-style with the hair gel, which was a resin imported from France."
As for Old Croghan Man, scientists worked out from the length of his arms that he would have stood around 6ft 6in tall! Damn, if only Irish guys were as tall today. We'd be great at basketball.
Unfortunately for Old Croghan Man, he had been horrifically tortured before his death. His nipples had been cut and he had been stabbed in the ribs. A cut on his arm suggested he had tried to defend himself during the attack that ended his life. The young man was later beheaded and dismembered.
The beheaded and dismembered remains
Details of the finds are outlined in a BBC Timewatch documentary to be screened on 20 January and Mr Kelly has developed a new theory which explains why so many remains are buried on important political or royal boundaries.
"My belief is that these burials are offerings to the gods of fertility by kings to ensure a successful reign," he told the programme.
"Bodies are placed in the borders immediately surrounding royal land or on tribal boundaries to ensure a good yield of corn and milk throughout the reign of the king."
Very interesting stuff and the programme looks like one to watch out for.
These fascinating findings tell us something else though in my opinion and that is that historical findings like these are of vital importance and provide us with valuable knowledge about our past that enriches everyone around the world.
With that being the case, these findings should send a clear message to the Irish people that important historical and cultural sites need to be protected and that the proposed motorway which is set to pass through the Tara-Skryne Valley needs to be opposed at all costs.
Visit the Tara SOS campaign for more info.
At the end of the day if peat bogs can preserve our history, what's stopping us?
Hanafin to introduce two-part Leaving Cert
A new two-part Leaving Cert will be introduced by the Minister for Education Mary Hanafin early next year in order to reduce exam stress. (Bwahahaha! - Ah no, she's serious)Students will sit sections of some papers during the school year, accounting for 25% of their marks.
However, John White of teachers' union the ASTI says high standards must be preserved.
"The Leaving Certificate is recognised all over the world. We would be very concerned that standards are maintained and we would also very much wish that the external marking of the examination is continued," he said.
Stress can lead to an outbreak of dancing
I'm in two minds on this issue. On the one hand I think it will reduce stress levels for students seeing as the final exams won't be a do-or-die type scenario, but on the other hand, I think stressful situations like that separate the good from the bad and highlight which students cope well under pressure!
I agree with John White that standards must be preserved. Ultimately I guess I'm in favour of the measure. I'm at least willing to see how it turns out anyway.
What are your thoughts?
Caption Time
It's that time again!Can anyone come up with a good caption for this image to your left?
(Mine can be viewed by rolling over the image)
Sunday, January 08, 2006
Celtic 'IRA chant video may be fake'
An interesting story from the Sunday Herald reports that a film showing two of its players taking part in a drunken sing-song was overdubbed with sectarian chants.
The Sunday Herald understands that the club have had footage of striker John Hartson and winger Stephen Pearson analysed and believe that the clip was doctored to include shouts of "IRA!" and "Sinn Fein!"
Many people have reacted with fury to the clip which appeared to show support for the IRA during pauses in a rendition of the club anthem, The Fields Of Athenry.
But last night sources revealed that the club had received word that the footage, which first came to light after it was posted on football supporters’ websites last week, had the sectarian shouts added later.
The sources also said that the club believed that the copy was "not of a high quality".
The incident happened at a testimonial party in Donegal in Ireland for former Celtic captain Jackie McNamara. Hundreds of fans turned up alongside players and backroom staff at the four-star Clanree Hotel in April to pay tribute to the Scotland star.
In the grainy film clip, taken on a mobile video phone, Pearson is seen joining in with the Irish folk tune as revellers in the background shout sectarian slogans during pauses in the song. Hartson, wearing a black striped shirt, is also shown on the film hugging fans and bouncing around. Both players have admitted singing along to the terraces’ favourite, but have strongly denied any IRA shouts.
Last night a source suggested that it was easy to doctor film clips. He said: "You can buy software for around £30 that can allow you to manipulate sound and images on video phones. It does not take much technical expertise to overdub sound on these things."
A Celtic spokesman would only say that the club had launched an inquiry into the possibility that the players had been involved in the anti-sectarian shouts. A spokesman said: "We are investigating various aspects of this. I am not in a position to comment further."
Patrick Sweeney, who organised the function, said: "The players were a credit to Celtic football club that night. I don’t recall IRA chants."
Both the players’ agents have rejected any claims of wrongdoing.
Yesterday Celtic also said that any suggestion their players had taken part in sectarian behaviour was "utterly laughable".
The spokesman added: "The club and players are both considering their legal options. Both players freely admit they joined in the singing of The Fields of Athenry, a well-known and popular Irish folk song, at a supporters’ event in Ireland. But they absolutely did not join in any sectarian chanting."
Well, well, well! Isn't this an interesting turn up for the books?
People have today come onto United Irelander and presumed these Celtic players guilty.
Well what have you to say for yourselves now?
The Sunday Herald understands that the club have had footage of striker John Hartson and winger Stephen Pearson analysed and believe that the clip was doctored to include shouts of "IRA!" and "Sinn Fein!"
Many people have reacted with fury to the clip which appeared to show support for the IRA during pauses in a rendition of the club anthem, The Fields Of Athenry.
But last night sources revealed that the club had received word that the footage, which first came to light after it was posted on football supporters’ websites last week, had the sectarian shouts added later.
The sources also said that the club believed that the copy was "not of a high quality".
The incident happened at a testimonial party in Donegal in Ireland for former Celtic captain Jackie McNamara. Hundreds of fans turned up alongside players and backroom staff at the four-star Clanree Hotel in April to pay tribute to the Scotland star.
In the grainy film clip, taken on a mobile video phone, Pearson is seen joining in with the Irish folk tune as revellers in the background shout sectarian slogans during pauses in the song. Hartson, wearing a black striped shirt, is also shown on the film hugging fans and bouncing around. Both players have admitted singing along to the terraces’ favourite, but have strongly denied any IRA shouts.
Last night a source suggested that it was easy to doctor film clips. He said: "You can buy software for around £30 that can allow you to manipulate sound and images on video phones. It does not take much technical expertise to overdub sound on these things."
A Celtic spokesman would only say that the club had launched an inquiry into the possibility that the players had been involved in the anti-sectarian shouts. A spokesman said: "We are investigating various aspects of this. I am not in a position to comment further."
Patrick Sweeney, who organised the function, said: "The players were a credit to Celtic football club that night. I don’t recall IRA chants."
Both the players’ agents have rejected any claims of wrongdoing.
Yesterday Celtic also said that any suggestion their players had taken part in sectarian behaviour was "utterly laughable".
The spokesman added: "The club and players are both considering their legal options. Both players freely admit they joined in the singing of The Fields of Athenry, a well-known and popular Irish folk song, at a supporters’ event in Ireland. But they absolutely did not join in any sectarian chanting."
Well, well, well! Isn't this an interesting turn up for the books?
People have today come onto United Irelander and presumed these Celtic players guilty.
Well what have you to say for yourselves now?
Clyde and passion
Like most Irish people I have what you might call a passing interest in Celtic. It wouldn't be fair to call myself a supporter of the team but I do like to see the club do well, although I don't go out of my way to watch them play.However, with my favourite Irish footballer of all time Roy Keane set to make his debut away to Clyde today, I figured I would forgo my usual Sunday lie in and get up to watch the game on Sky Sports.
Sadly while I was awake for the game, many of the Celtic players were very much still asleep.
Charlie Nicholas and Packie Bonner were there to give analysis on the game and for some reason the Sky host kept calling him Pat Bonner. Sky idiots. He's Packie to all of us! (Those of you who aren't from Ireland, don't worry this isn't a racist term) Sadly it wasn't a good day for Charlie, Packie and those of us cheering on the hoops as Celtic were thoroughly humiliated by Clyde who defeated them 2-1 for their first win over Celtic in 48 years.
I was stunned to see Clyde go a goal in front and even more so when they then got a penalty. Full credit to the goalkeeper for saving it but in the corner which followed, Clyde scored again! What was most shocking though was the performance of some of the Celtic players, particularly the defense.
There was a Chinese lad called Du Wei who was also making his debut today and while I don't wish to anger my Chinese readers, the guy had a nightmare!
According to the BBC's report on the game, "Keane had a very quiet game as the SPL leaders struggled to cope with their eager opponents and a badly rutted pitch" and a caption of Keane reads, "Keane had a Celtic debut to forget" thus implying that Keane had a bad game. Anyone who watched the game will know that Keane's performance was one of, if not the only, positive thing to take out of the match from a Celtic perspective. Nicholas in the studio thought so too. In fact, if I were asked to name the Celtic players who should escape criticism for their performances I would name Keane, Shaun Maloney, the goalscoring substitute Zurawski and the goalkeeper Artur Boruc who saved the penalty. Young Irish midfielder Aiden McGeady looked lively enough when he came on but he wasted a glorious chance to score. The rest of the players all deserve flak.
I'm just waiting now for all the smart arses to come out and deride Keane for going to Celtic but in my eyes the guy who deserves blame for this defeat is the manager Gordon Strachan. Tactically, Clyde got the better of Celtic.
Celtic as a team were absolutely muck and Ronaldinho himself could not have helped that team today. I don't watch Celtic regularly and don't know many of their players but their defense was atrocious and John Hartson was pure rubbish. How did Hartson play you ask? Think Gary Doherty when he plays up front for Ireland and you'll get an idea of how he performed today.
As for Clyde, I'll give them the credit they deserve. They played Celtic off the park at times. They missed a penalty and had two good goals ruled offside. While this is a shock in terms of the stature of the clubs involved, anyone who saw the game will know that the result was not a shock because Clyde played out of their skins and were worthy winners.
Celtic aren't in a crisis by any means. They are very likely to win the league as Rangers are in crisis but that should not detract from the glaring flaws that exist in the team at present.
As for Roy, he still looks sharp and determined and while the BBC say he was "quiet" today the truth is that the majority of his Celtic teammates let themselves and their fans down today big time.
Sort it out Celtic!
Moore admits Connery was best Bond
Former Bond girl Ursula Andress, who played Honey Rider in the first Bond movie Dr No, claims Roger Moore admitted to her that his predecessor Sean Connery was the best James Bond.She said: "The best Bond ever was my Sean. Every time I see Roger, I say to him that Connery was the best Bond - and he says that I am right.
"The last one, Pierce Brosnan, was handsome but he did nothing for me. (Daniel Craig) looks like he has it, but where are all the real men?"
Ursula asks a fair question when she wonders where the real men are. Daniel Craig clearly isn't the man for the job but no one seemed to go for my suggestion of giving Wayne Rooney the part...
A'right I'd like a martini and a kebab please
I would hope however that we could all agree that Sean Connery is by far the greatest James Bond of all time.
What's your view? Connery the best Bond ever?
Saturday, January 07, 2006
It's all about the money
Salaries paid to MLAs may be cut off unless progress is made towards restoring devolution by the summer, British Secretary of State Peter Hain said today.
Peter Hain said he may take the move to stop salaries and allowances if no real movement is made towards returning the Stormont Assembly.
Mr Hain said MLAs were getting £32,000 (€46,700) salaries for a job which they will not take responsibility for doing.
"I’m not giving a particular month, but I am saying that if we haven’t seen progress by the summer, the first decision I’m going to have to take is over continued payment of salaries and also allowances," he told BBC Radio Ulster’s Inside Politics programme.
"You have got more being paid in costs, in legitimate costs for staff, for the services they provide, for travel and subsistence and all the rest of it, as well £32,000 (€46,700) salaries for assembly members elected to a job which they won’t take responsibility for doing."
In his New Year’s message, Mr Hain had warned there would be little point in having elections to an Assembly in 2007 if there was no meaningful devolution.
He said unionists needed to know republicans were serious about their commitments to totally lawful means. But he also acknowledged that nationalists wanted to know unionists were serious about sharing power on a genuinely equitable basis.
After the power-sharing executive collapsed in October 2002, the House of Lords agreed Assembly members would continue to receive a reduced salary of almost £32,000 (€46,700) as they held representative duties.
I must say I agree with Peter Hain's stance on this issue. If MLAs aren't doing the job they were elected to do by the people then there's really no point in paying them their salaries and allowances.
I feel if salaries and allowances are taken away, then we will see a bloody great effort by all parties concerned to restore devolution!
It's all about the money!
Peter Hain said he may take the move to stop salaries and allowances if no real movement is made towards returning the Stormont Assembly.
Mr Hain said MLAs were getting £32,000 (€46,700) salaries for a job which they will not take responsibility for doing.
"I’m not giving a particular month, but I am saying that if we haven’t seen progress by the summer, the first decision I’m going to have to take is over continued payment of salaries and also allowances," he told BBC Radio Ulster’s Inside Politics programme.
"You have got more being paid in costs, in legitimate costs for staff, for the services they provide, for travel and subsistence and all the rest of it, as well £32,000 (€46,700) salaries for assembly members elected to a job which they won’t take responsibility for doing."
In his New Year’s message, Mr Hain had warned there would be little point in having elections to an Assembly in 2007 if there was no meaningful devolution.
He said unionists needed to know republicans were serious about their commitments to totally lawful means. But he also acknowledged that nationalists wanted to know unionists were serious about sharing power on a genuinely equitable basis.
After the power-sharing executive collapsed in October 2002, the House of Lords agreed Assembly members would continue to receive a reduced salary of almost £32,000 (€46,700) as they held representative duties.
I must say I agree with Peter Hain's stance on this issue. If MLAs aren't doing the job they were elected to do by the people then there's really no point in paying them their salaries and allowances.
I feel if salaries and allowances are taken away, then we will see a bloody great effort by all parties concerned to restore devolution!
It's all about the money!
Hain sets up transfer of policing
Interesting news from the Belfast Telegraph concerning the British government's plan to lay the ground work for the North to get its own Minister for policing and justice.They write...
"Legislation giving Secretary of State Peter Hain the power to transfer responsibility for justice to Stormont will go before Parliament next month.
"Mr Hain will retain those powers until Stormont can be restored, but the new law will allow him to turn them over with the stroke of a pen.
"Government sources say the "enabling legislation" will be accompanied by a discussion paper about what the transfer of powers will mean, such as the possible shape of a Stormont Department of Justice.
"The move is seen as a crucial building block for efforts to restore power sharing at Stormont, because Sinn Fein says it will not consider support for the PSNI until they have a hand in policing powers.
"Sinn Fein says it needs to see legislation and a specific time frame for handing over policing powers before it holds a special ard fheis to consider supporting the PSNI.
"The Government is hoping to begin talks in the next few months about restoring Stormont.
"A central part of those talks will be the shape of a Justice Ministry - especially since the DUP and Sinn Fein are unlikely to trust each other to run the department on their own.
"When the power-sharing Executive was established by the Good Friday Agreement, policing and justice powers were left out of the functions handed over to the Belfast administration.
Those powers were retained by the NIO throughout the period of devolution, which collapsed in 2002.
"Unionists have generally supported the idea of transferring powers to Belfast, but are extremely wary of ending up with a Justice Minister who has a history of IRA involvement."
I must say I think this is excellent news. It's all part of the process of bringing normality to Ireland's north.
This measure does seem like yet another effort from the British government to placate Sinn Féin but I think this is something that all of us can support.
Good news.
50,000 visits to United Irelander!
Well I've been waiting for it but on Friday Sitemeter informed me that United Irelander had achieved its 50,000th visit.I didn't really know what to expect when I first started this blog but I certainly didn't imagine staying with it as long as I have so reaching this milestone is pretty great.
I've had visitors from all over the world to this site and it's nice to think that this humble Dubliner's views have been read by people across the globe.
It's amazing when I think about it and we truly do live in a great age to be able to do this. According to Sitemeter's current breakdown of the country share, 45% of my visits come from the UK, 23% from the US, 12% from Ireland and the rest is made up of visits from a whole range of places around the globe.
I'd like to thank everyone who has visited the site since its inception. It's been fun for me and I hope it's been fun for you and thank you for your contribution!
Friday, January 06, 2006
Fun Irelander Feature - Women's Christmas
Wow you learn something new every day!On a visit to Sigla, I discovered a tradition I'd never heard of before which is celebrated on the 6th of January mainly in Ireland and Italy - Nollaig na mBan, or as it is known in English, Women's Christmas.
What does Women's Christmas involve you ask? Well, Wikipedia tells us that...
"It is so called because of the tradition (still strong in Cork, though only just surviving in the rest of the country) of Irish men taking on all the household duties on that day and giving their spouses a day off."
Whoa, whoa, WHOA! Let's not go NUTS!
What a ridiculous notion altogether! On the plus side it gives me another reason to dislike Cork but still...
This idea is ludicrous because quite frankly this country can't afford to go one day without women doing the chores. The whole country would collapse if that happened.
A chain of events would occur similar to what was described in one of the Father Ted episodes. Husbands would try to make a cup of tea themselves and burn the house down, and they'd try to make their beds themselves and end up losing a leg.
Irishmen if left to themselves...
We as a country simply cannot afford to allow women even one day off from the chores.
Do we want society to crumble or what?
It's a tradition still strong in Cork and look at the state of that place.
Men can of course perhaps offer a little extra assistance on such a day. We could perhaps dry one or maybe even two cups. Perhaps we could run our own bath. As crazy as it sounds maybe we could even do a spot of hoovering. And I mean a 'spot'.
That's all well and good but giving women a whole day free of their mandatory chores? No thanks.
(Note - some of the comments in this piece about women are not meant to be taken seriously. The comments about Cork...well they're heartfelt actually. Sorry but Cork is a dump.)
Unionist's anger is moronic
I was outraged to read this story regarding Ulster Unionist Assembly member for Fermanagh and South Tyrone Tom Elliott and how he has slammed a police recruit who wore a medal honouring the old IRA at a passing out parade in the North.Mr Elliot, pictured left, was outraged today that the Black and Tan medal, commemorating IRA members who fought British soldiers (known as the Black and Tans) during the 1917-21 campaign for Irish independence, was pinned to the chest of a graduate during a ceremony in November.
He ridiculously claimed that the wearing of the medal was offensive to police families who lost relatives following Provisional IRA attacks.
"It is frankly disgusting that a new recruit has been allowed to wear an IRA medal at a graduation ceremony for the PSNI," the UUP Assembly member said.
"It is highly insensitive given the history of the Police and their respected role in holding the line against the IRA over many years here. It is also grossly insulting to the families of many policemen and women who were murdered or maimed by the IRA.
"I am calling on the PSNI to ensure that this situation never happens again. They must take action to ensure that medals worn are appropriate, legitimate and obviously not of a paramilitary or terrorist nature."
What a load of BULLSHIT!
I, quite frankly, am the one who feels insulted and disgusted at this.
Let me give you a little history lesson, Mr Elliot - the IRA which fought in the War of Independence from 1919-1921 and the Provisional IRA which fought during The Troubles are NOT ONE AND THE SAME. They are two very different organisations from two very different eras.
The campaign against the Black and Tans took place mostly in the southern region of the country anyway!
How dare this fool lambast the men who are responsible for me living in an Irish state today as being of "a paramilitary or terrorist nature".
The Black and Tans were scumbags and they were the real terrorists. The campaign to get rid of these British terrorists from Irish soil was a noble one.
Mr Elliot gives the Provos alot of credit here, perhaps unwittingly, because he is associating the Provisional IRA campaign with the campaign of the War of Independence and that is something they always tried to convince the Irish people, that they were the same as the IRA of the War of Independence. Mr Elliot's views are just preposterous.
Mr Elliot, learn your history before you rush to the moral highground.
Your comments are a disgrace and they sicken me. Shame on you!
It's the economy, stupid
I've been meaning to write a post about this article by David McWilliams which featured in the Sunday Business Post.In it, David McWilliams makes a very interesting and exciting case for an all-Ireland economy.
Permit me to take some of the more interesting extracts from the piece. It's quite long but if you believe a United Ireland is the way forward then you will be impressed by the article...
"The solution to Ireland's economic dilemmas - like congestion, queues, rip-offs and not being able to find a good plumber - lies just up the road.
"Northern Ireland is probably the greatest untapped economic resource on the island, but politics - or at least the incessant "whataboutery" that passes for sectarian politics - has ensured that we cannot see this.
"Anyone who spends any time in the North will realise the logic of an all-Ireland economy, not from the narrow triumphalist view of nationalist politics, but from the pure common sense of geography. Everything is cheaper in the North, and the place is on our doorstep. To understand why we could all benefit by sharing the Republic's ferocious economic appetite, it is important to establish why the North is so much cheaper.
"The main reason prices have risen so fast here is because they could. Up North, there is a lot less money sloshing around, which in turn ensures that prices have not risen so rapidly.This is a result of numerous factors.
"First, the population structure is different.Northern Ireland's baby boom peaked in 1970, ours in 1980. So the key spending component of the economy is ten years older in the North than here.
"Second, those who are spending are spending less. The easy caricature to explain this is the image of the parsimonious Prod versus the feckless Fenian, but a much more telling explanation lies in economics.
"We are spending more because our incomes are growing much more quickly.
"Job creation has been dramatic - unlike the North where it has been average. This year, the Republic - with a population barely three and half times bigger than the North - will create nine times more jobs.
"Without taking into account the usual 100,000 of us who will change jobs next year, the Republic will absorb 11,000 immigrants a month in 2006. This is more than the entire increase in employment forecast for the North for the whole of this year.
"Wages in the Republic are substantially higher, not because we are nice to our workers, but because productivity here is significantly higher. This productivity gap is largely explained by multinational investment, which has driven the economy here but has been almost absent in the North. For example, 95 per cent of the increase in Irish exports came from new multinational investment, propelling this country forward in the 1990s. In the North, however, multinational investment actually fell in the 1990s.
"Tellingly, this multinational investment gave a positive boost to local suppliers of these new firms, which reinforced the uplift in productivity. This process did not occur up North.
"A third factor has been the wealth effect associated with house prices. Although house prices have been rising in the North, they have not been anywhere near the spiralling nonsense down south. The average cost of a house in the North is €153,000,while down here it is €271,000.
"The wealth effect of this divergence, driven by equity releases, has amplified the amount of credit in the Republic's system, thus pushing house prices up further.
"Finally, because the public service accounts for almost half of all employees in the North, as opposed to 18 per cent here, there is less dynamism and innovation in the workforce, and arguably a lack of risk-taking, which itself affects the overall feeling of economic sterility. This, again, is reinforced by figures published last year in the European Journal of Social and Regional Studies, showing that, proportionately, there are twice as many self-employed people in the Republic as there are in the North.
"It is still suffering a brain drain to Britain - particularly by young middle-class Protestants - and, as Peter Hain stated quite obviously, the Northern economy is not sustainable in its present form. By this, he was referring to the annual subvention the North receives from the British exchequer.
"To put this figure into an all-Ireland context, the North, with its much smaller population, gets more subsidies in anyone year from Britain than the Republic did from the EU throughout the entire 1990s.
"At some stage, the North must at least make some moves towards self-reliance.
"We can help them in this process and, in turn, they can ease some of our congestion problems.
"Belfast is the closest city to Dublin on the island of Ireland. It is the only one that has sufficient mass to act as a counterweight to the capital. It has the people, and they need our types of jobs. By 2007, with the completion of the final stretch of the Dundalk-Newry motorway, it will be only two hours away by car.
"Geography demands that we wake up to the resource that is the North. We should help them to agitate Westminster for corporate tax breaks like ours, so that they can compete properly. They should be part of our sales pitch, not least because as we get too expensive, cheaper workers and better infrastructure in the North will become part of our unique selling point.
"Reading all the antediluvian stuff about the North in the 1975 government papers over the past few days, one can't help but feel that the best way to condemn that nonsense to history is indeed to join hands and jump together - in economics, if not in politics. They need us and we need them. Now that we can afford it, it is time for us to be both far-sighted and generous."
This man knows his sums
I have covered the economic argument for an all-Ireland unit before on United Irelander here, here and here.
Clearly economics is no longer a problem when one considers the prospect of Irish reunification. Top economists are now urging us to look at the potential of an all-Ireland economy and more importantly than that, the British Secretary of State Peter Hain is urging us to look at the potential of an all-Ireland economy.
It is the way forward and it suits both sides of the island. It is time for all of us, north and south, to advocate an all-Ireland economy for the greater good of the people.
Let's see it happen.
Friday Fun - News in Brief
Friday Fun's News in Brief has returned! Oh yeah baby! Huh? What do you mean you never noticed it in the first place? Lousy ungrateful...
Anyhow, here's a brief summary of what's been in the news...
A Co Clare councillor has said rural dwellers should be excused from drink-driving. Fianna Fáil Councillor Flan Garvey said people who visit pubs as their only social outlet are familiar with local roads and drive more carefully and slowly, especially when they have had a few drinks.
Janey Mac. Only in Ireland would someone offer up a solution for drink-driving which involves criticising the law itself rather than the actual alcohol consumed. Who knew boggers were so attached to the drink?
In other news Model Sophie Anderton and former It girl Tara Palmer-Tomkinson are fighting over a lucrative modelling contract. Both girls want to get their teeth into the £50,000 (€72,500) job for whitening firm Teethwhite.
It remains to be seen whether this tactic will pay off but insiders say a dark horse for the teeth-whitening contract is this guy.
And now briefly, some images of the week...
As preparations get underway for the neutral St Patrick's Day parade in Belfast, one Irishman plans to openly flout the parade rules...
As George Galloway settles into the Big Brother House, three men gleefully look forward to seeing him voted out first...
And finally, Dermot Ahern finally unveils his Plan B to deal with the parties in the North if they aren't willing to deal...
So there you have it folks. The news in brief.
Anyhow, here's a brief summary of what's been in the news...
A Co Clare councillor has said rural dwellers should be excused from drink-driving. Fianna Fáil Councillor Flan Garvey said people who visit pubs as their only social outlet are familiar with local roads and drive more carefully and slowly, especially when they have had a few drinks.
Janey Mac. Only in Ireland would someone offer up a solution for drink-driving which involves criticising the law itself rather than the actual alcohol consumed. Who knew boggers were so attached to the drink?
In other news Model Sophie Anderton and former It girl Tara Palmer-Tomkinson are fighting over a lucrative modelling contract. Both girls want to get their teeth into the £50,000 (€72,500) job for whitening firm Teethwhite.
It remains to be seen whether this tactic will pay off but insiders say a dark horse for the teeth-whitening contract is this guy.
And now briefly, some images of the week...
As preparations get underway for the neutral St Patrick's Day parade in Belfast, one Irishman plans to openly flout the parade rules...
As George Galloway settles into the Big Brother House, three men gleefully look forward to seeing him voted out first...
And finally, Dermot Ahern finally unveils his Plan B to deal with the parties in the North if they aren't willing to deal...
So there you have it folks. The news in brief.
Irish Blog awards
This image to your left is the snazzy logo of the inaugural Irish Blog Awards which are being organised by Damien Mulley. Rumour has it that Damien turned down a suggestion from Belfast City Council to rename it as: "The blog awards emanating from the island of Ireland which are open to all people across the island and which neither explicitly nor indirectly infringes on the identity of the inhabitants of the island in any way."You can nominate the blog of your choice here.
Everybody must be going award crazy because there is also the small matter of the 2006 Bloggies which has a 'British and Irish' category. (What are the odds that there willl be no Irish blog?)
I'm usually quite cynical about award ceremonies and things of that nature (probably because I never win) but I do hope that Damien's Irish Blog Awards go well because he has put alot of effort into it and hopefully it will bring Irish bloggers together in a good way.
Let the bitching begin!
Friday Fun's Fascinating Fact
Antarctica is the only land on our planet that is not owned by any country.
Well then it seems to me that Bertie needs to claim that land in the name of Ireland. It's only fair considering that Irish explorers are renowned down there.
Not only that but it would be a great place for us to send Ryan Tubridy...
A chance at last for Tubridy to be cool
Well then it seems to me that Bertie needs to claim that land in the name of Ireland. It's only fair considering that Irish explorers are renowned down there.
Not only that but it would be a great place for us to send Ryan Tubridy...
A chance at last for Tubridy to be cool
Thursday, January 05, 2006
Thursday Thoughts: Optimism
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"We have always found the Irish a bit odd. They refuse to be English." - Winston ChurchillI am optimistic about the chances of a United Ireland.
Some might view this as merely a side effect of the overall air of optimism that tends to be generated at this time of year. That's not it though. In my honest opinion, if you are a supporter of a United Ireland, there is plenty to be hopeful about for Ireland and plenty of things to look forward to in the future.
Let's look at some of the things that have made the reunification of the country so difficult. Paramilitary violence, economics, identity. These three major problems have prevented the greatest day in Ireland's history taking place. But there's no need to be so cynical about these three factors any more.
Regarding the political situation, things have improved dramatically. This month the Independent Monitoring Commission is expected to confirm that the IRA have been true to their word and that they have renounced their illegal activity. Compare this with a decade ago and it's a great improvement. Compare it with thirty years ago and it is extraordinary. Paramilitaries are still a threat but not to the extent that they once were. These groups made sure that Irish Unity would be very difficult if not impossible but slowly and surely they are being taken out of the political equation.
A United Ireland is coming
Economics made the prospect of Irish Unity difficult as well. In the past the Irish Republic struggled to establish itself as an economic force and there was a history of emigration associated with the country. Unionists took a look at the impoverished south and regarded the idea of Irish Unity as the stuff of fantasy. Yet things have changed dramatically. The Republic has made itself an economic force and since the Celtic Tiger, the economy has generally been in very good condition. Again, this gives us hope because recently economists have started to realistically discuss the idea of a United Ireland. Who would have thought twenty or thirty years ago that a British Secretary of State would describe the NI economy as 'unsustainable' in the long term and advocate an all-Ireland economy? It is cause for much optimism.
In terms of identity, there is definitely still a problem but things are clearly improving. The Good Friday Agreement proved that people in Ireland can agree on issues which affect identity. The illegal claim on the territory of the 6 counties has been altered and people from the North can still regard themselves as members of the Irish nation under Bunreacht na hEireann. There are still problems though. The two main unionist parties spend most of their time trying to outdo one another on which one is more British whereas likewise the two main nationalist parties try to outdo one another on which one is more Irish. There is little or no consideration given to the 'other side' and that is a big problem. Many Republicans term attempts to unify Ireland as 'The struggle' but the real struggle in my opinion involves coming to terms with the other tradition and establishing a compromise which doesn't see any side losing out to the other. That is the challenge but it is a challenge I think we can all meet.
The noble quest to right the wrong of partition is going well. The Irish state aspires to Irish Unity and it would appear the British state and people share that aspiration. What northern nationalists need to do is work with unionists within NI. This is important for the prospects of Irish Unity. If a certain unionist party is determined to halt political progress, even if it means bringing discomfort to the people of the North, then that is something unionists have to take a good long hard look at.
There are many efforts that can still be made to advance progress. The people of the North should be allowed to vote in Irish Presidential elections, the British Queen should finally make her first state visit to the Irish Republic, an all-Ireland police force should be considered, an all-Ireland economy should be advocated as well. More radical steps should not be ruled out such as Ireland rejoining the Commonwealth, particularly if it can allow for British citizenship in the Republic which would be a good step on the road to Irish Unity in my view.
All in all, things are looking good. The greatest day in Ireland's history hasn't happened yet and we must all strive towards making sure that this day comes sooner rather than later. The day when the 32 counties of Ireland are officially united as a country once more. A day that will be ten times as emotional and joyous as the fall of the Berlin wall.
Winston Churchill was right. We're not English and we never will be English. We're Irish. Some of us might want to prefix that Irishness with the word 'British', or 'Northern', and that's fine.
The important thing is that we all unite together as compatriots and give the future generations an Ireland to be proud of. One that is free of segregation and division.
One that is united.
More money than sense
So Belfast City Council will provide £100,000 towards the organising of this year's St Patrick's Day Parade for the first time ever.Whoop-de-doo. Big deal. We must not forget that this parade is a complete and utter farce.
Councillors voted on Wednesday by 25 votes to 24 to organise an outdoor, carnival-type event on 17 March.
It has been laughably termed a 'neutral' event (more like politically correct guff) and is being described as "an inclusive event which can be enjoyed by everyone in the city, whatever their background."
I would describe it as: a politically correct event which can be met with apathy by everyone in the city, whatever their background.
What will be permitted at this 'parade' you ask? Alcohol, green shamrocks, national flags, partisan face painting and football tops are to be banned and revellers will only be allowed to sport rainbow-coloured shamrocks or a cross of Saint Patrick. Sounds about as exciting as a St Patrick's party at Ian Paisley's gaff.
God forbid people sport green shamrocks on St Patrick's Day! Who knows what kind of cross-community damage that would do! Far better to go with the cross of St Patrick - the same flag that that was originally designed by British authorities in Dublin Castle in the 17th century as a counterpart to the St George's Cross and which is still used by regiments of the British Army. That's a fine 'neutral' symbol right?!
An inspirational figure for Belfast City Council
As well as that, those caught wearing Rangers or Celtic tops will get green T-shirts to put over them. Just green shirts? Is there not an orange shirt, or maybe a red and white option for unionists? What a dreadful insult towards the unionist people!
As the BBC reminds us, "In the past, the parade was regarded as contentious with unionists objecting to the presence of Irish tricolours."
Yeah those Irish tricolours are really offensive what with the nasty symbolism behind it urging Catholics and Protestants to...well, live in peace with one another. We can't have that! Nah, far better to do what alot of unionists do and go around burning that very flag.
Kryptonite for Unionists
DUP councillor Sammy Wilson, who possesses a ghastly moustache that would have looked out of place in the eighties, put forward a motion calling for the decision to provide funding to be rejected in view of the fact security and other issues surrounding the event had not yet been resolved satisfactorily.
That's an interesting one because as far as I know, the DUP's Gregory Campbell and Jeffrey Donaldson are very enthusiastic about the proposed Love Ulster rally in Dublin and I'm pretty sure security and other issues surrounding that parade have yet to be resolved satisfactorily. Sammy Wilson of course in July of last year famously slammed the decision to fund three new Irish medium primary schools as quote, "nothing short of a disgraceful use of public money". Wow, can you believe he doesn't support the proposed funding?
I have said before that I think this proposed parade is an exercise in stupidity and that it's a case of political correctness gone mad. The fact that the Irish flag, supported by the majority of people on this island, has been BANNED while the St Patrick's cross has been fully supported just goes to show the disgraceful attitude that is shown towards the nationalist community in Ireland's north still to this day. My country's flag has been spit on by these people.
All this talk of the Irish tricolour being offensive to unionists is a load of BS in my opinion. I'd like to ask any unionists who might be reading this some questions...
1. Do you honestly regard the flying of Irish tricolours on St Patrick's Day as offensive and if so, why?
2. If your view is based on the fact that the Irish tricolour is not an official flag for the North, what are your thoughts on NI fans who fly this so-called 'Ulster flag' at NI football matches which likewise is not an official flag for the North? Is that offensive too?
3. What if people are holders of Irish passports and are Irish citizens. Is that not good grounds for these people at least to fly the Irish flag at parades in the North since it would then be their official flag?
I hope the Belfast 'parade' passes off peacefully but in my honest opinion, northern nationalists should boycott this PC 'parade' and head down south for the St Patrick's Day parade in Dublin. There, Irish tricolours will be waved freely, green shamrocks will be worn, people will laugh and have fun and people will express their national pride freely and openly without condemnation. All are welcome.
St Patrick's Day is Ireland's day. Let's all say a prayer to St Patrick in the hope that one day, Belfast City Council realise that.
Thieves steal collection box from church
This is a depressing story.
Gardaí in Co Mayo are investigating the theft of a collection box from a church in Crossmolina last weekend.
The money, which was destined for African missions, was taken from St Tiernan's Church on New Year's Eve.
Local curate Fr Michael Reilly said the box was so big it would have taken at least two people to remove it from the church.
It is believed to have contained between €700 and €1,200.
How sad is this? What kind of warped individuals rob a church of its collection money?
Utter scumbags and hopefully they'll soon be caught and imprisoned.
Irish society sinks to a new low...
Gardaí in Co Mayo are investigating the theft of a collection box from a church in Crossmolina last weekend.
The money, which was destined for African missions, was taken from St Tiernan's Church on New Year's Eve.
Local curate Fr Michael Reilly said the box was so big it would have taken at least two people to remove it from the church.
It is believed to have contained between €700 and €1,200.
How sad is this? What kind of warped individuals rob a church of its collection money?
Utter scumbags and hopefully they'll soon be caught and imprisoned.
Irish society sinks to a new low...
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
'What If'? Wednesday - Plan B
There is no 'Plan B' available if power-sharing is not restored in the North during 2006, the Government claimed today.Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern warned political parties that the time had come to decide whether they want to work together in a devolved government in the coming months.
He said that dragging negotiations on the issue into 2007 would create separate difficulties for the British and Irish governments.
"There is no Plan B. We don't countenance failure in this because we were very close to it back in December 2004," Mr Ahern said today.
"But we see 2006 as the window of opportunity because of the fact that once you turn into 2007 you will be in election mode in the Republic in the first half of the year and also the political instability in the UK.
"Everyone would agree that 2007 may very well be a difficult year in the UK. So both governments are absolutely adamant that 2006 is the time when the politicians of Northern Ireland have to decide for themselves whether they want to work in partnership in a devolved government."
At least this guy had a Plan B
Mr Ahern added that an assembly and executive needed to be set up to deal with the bread-and-butter issues that affect every person in the North.
Isn't it reassuring to know that our politicians have absolutely no back-up plan in case their efforts fail? That puts my mind at ease for sure!
How does the rest of that saying go? 'Failing to plan is...'? Oh well, never mind.
I think it's still important to ask the following question though, even if our politicans won't answer it, which is...
What if power sharing isn't restored in the North? What should be the Plan B in such a scenario?
Your thoughts?
Today in History - Burntollet
It was on this day, 4th of January, 1969, that a group of civil rights protesters, from the civil rights group People's Democracy, suffered an attack from around 200 unionists armed with iron bars, bottles and stones at Burntollet Bridge on a march from Belfast to Derry. It is an important day in history and is notorious by virtue of the fact that police did little to help the protesters. The girl pictured to your left is being carried away by fellow marchers from the scene and a number of girls were savagely beaten.In fact, the march was repeatedly attacked by loyalists (including off-duty members of the B Specials) along its route.
The march was modelled on the Selma-Montgomery march in Alabama in 1966, which had exposed the racist thuggery of America's deep South and forced the US government into major reforms.
CAIN offers good information on the march both here and here.
"Available police forces did not provide adequate protection to People's Democracy marchers at Burntollet Bridge and in or near Irish Street, Londonderry (sic) on 4th January 1969. There were instances of police indiscipline and violence towards persons unassociated with rioting or disorder on 4th/ 5th January in Londonderry (sic) and these provoked serious hostility to the police, particularly among the Catholic population of Londonderry (sic), and an increasing disbelief in their impartiality towards non-Unionists.
"Loyalists viewed the People's Democracy and the march as another attempt to undermine the Unionist government of Northern Ireland. A number of leading Loyalists, including Ronald Bunting and Ian Paisley, had indicated in advance of the march that they would be calling on 'the Loyal citizens of Ulster' to 'harrass and harry' the four-day march.
"On each day of the march groups of Loyalists confronted, jostled, and physically attacked those taking part in the march. At no time did the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC), who were accompanying the march, make any effort to prevent these attacks. The most serious incidents occurred on the last day between Claudy and Derry. The march was ambushed at Burntollet Bridge by approximately 200 Loyalists, including off-duty members of the 'B-Specials', and 13 marchers required hospital treatment. The march was again attacked as it passed through the Waterside area of Derry. Later in the evening members of the RUC attacked people and property in the Bogside area of Derry sparking several days of serious rioting.
"The way in which the police mishandled the People's Democracy march confirmed the opinion of many Catholics that the RUC could not be trusted to provide impartial policing in Northern Ireland. The events also further alienated many in the Catholic population from the Northern Ireland state. The march also marked the point where concerns about civil rights were beginning to give way to questions related to national identity and the constitutional position of Northern Ireland."
A young Socialist marcher bludgeoned by ambushers
.I think it's important that we remember incidents like this because they played a big part in the subsequent campaign which the Provisional IRA later carried out in Ireland's north. While some unionists like to point the finger squarely at the Provisionals, the fact is that if the NI State had taken care of its Catholic citizens at the time like it should have, then the IRA's campaign would not have been as lengthy nor as fierce as it was. Back people into a corner and they'll fight back. What a tragedy that these people were backed into a corner in the first place! Here are some of the accounts from people at the march courtesy of CAIN:
"The repeated refrain 'up to our knees in Fenian blood' seemed a little ominous to me" - Eddie Toman
"I saw people, including one man who was standing with an armful of stones against his chest on the lower ground to the left of the field. Suddenly, I heard screams coming from behind, and looking around saw a shower of stones in the air. The march scattered in some panic; then I saw a girl being put onto a police tender with blood pouring from her head. Then I saw a television cameraman with blood streaming down his face" - John Gilmore, Belfast student
"The major portion of the C.R. procession was cut off and left at the mercy of the attackers. A fusillade of stones and bottles was followed by the full weight of the attack against the young men and women who had pledged themselves to a policy of non-violence.
"The attackers showed no mercy. Men were beaten senseless. Girls tore their way through the hedges screaming: 'No! No!' Shouting, club-waving, men pursued them." - Description of events from the Irish News
"I saw the police moving through the fields, and then I saw the first attacker wearing a white armband. Then I began to see other men wearing similar armbands standing in groups on high ground along the road. I remember then dismissing the idea that the attackers would simply be angry groups of locals annoyed at demonstrators passing through their village. My impression now was that the attack was well organised, and the armbands were for recognition purposes.
"By now the field seemed crowded with men and youths, perhaps 100 or 150. I saw some women and girls, too, among the people in the field. I saw the police marshalling a girl along in the field. She carried two milk bottles in her hand. Then I saw the first stone come whizzing through the air and remember shouting to the people near me to get in against the hedge. In a second the air was thick with missiles. I pulled my coat up around my head and crouched down, stumbling forward. There was utter confusion as girls screamed, and stones and bottles crashed around. I kept my head down but on once looking up I saw another large group of men with cudgels and sticks running onto the road ahead of us.
"There was tremendous confusion as people stumbled and grabbed each other for cover and protection." - Teacher giving his account of events
"I then saw a girl with a white, furry hat being confronted by a Paisleyite with a wooden club. The hat was taken off and she received two blows each followed by blood." - Cohn Moore, marcher from Belfast
"Showers of rocks crashed round us. I was in the middle of the fourth row and bent double in an attempt to avoid the hail of missiles, when a middle-aged man in a tweed coat, brandishing what seemed to be a chair leg dashed from the left-hand side of the road, hit me on the back, then pulled down the hood of my anorak and struck me on the head. I then tried to crawl away, but, teeth bared, he hit me again on the spot on my skull . . . I fell, and a fellow marcher picked me up and dragged me up the road; I passed out, and came round in the ambulance on the way to Alnagelvin Hospital" - Mrs. Judith McGuffin, a schoolteacher from Belfast
"I passed through the hail of stones, being hit only once on the leg. When we crossed the bridge I turned back because my three sons were in the march, and I wanted to find them. Standing on the side of the bridge to the marchers' left, was a large, middle-aged, well dressed man, leaning against the bridge wall quite casually. As a line of marchers passed he whipped what seemed like a police baton out of his overcoat pocket and smashed it on the back of the nearest marcher. Boys and girls went down, one after another" - Mrs. Margaret Tracey, a fifty-four year-old housewife, of Dungiven, giving her account
A group of attackers wait for the marchers to appear
It's important as I said to remember incidents such as this one at Burntollet because they remind us all of the NI State's history. They remind us of the dirty, putrid, vile sectarianism that the 6 county entity was built upon and what it fostered in people.
We must look ahead and acknowledge that future generations deserve better than what previous generations of Irish people had to go through.
We must look forward and seek to create a new State, a new Ireland, in which sectarianism becomes merely a simple reminder of a sad and sorry past.
This is the history of the Northern statelet. It is there in black and white for all to see. The question unionists and nationalists in Ireland's north must ask themselves is whether NI is a place worth clinging to when its past is taken into consideration. Unionism in particular has some thinking to do. Today unionism is represented by one of the biggest bigots of the time. A man who was at Burntollet orchestrating mayhem - Ian Paisley.
Unionists, what do you want for your future? It is time to decide. There is a better way forward which involves opening the hand of friendship to your fellow nationalists rather than clenching your fist in anger.
As Indira Gandhi eloquently put it, 'you cannot shake hands with a clenched fist'.
Fists have been clenched for too long. Let's shake hands instead. Let's unite!
Dieting women and their secret stash
James Tapsfield of the Irish Examiner has written an article in relation to research published Monday which found that millions of dieting women secretly stash snacks under the bed, in wardrobes, and even in the bathroom.
The confessions are revealed in a survey of more than 1,100 women carried out for British weight loss magazine LighterLife.
Nearly a third of these women also admit preferring unhealthy treats to a night of passion. (Irish women wouldn't say that I'm sure...)
The poll found that nearly one-in-five had hidden food or eaten secretly in a range of locations including a child’s bedroom, nearby woodland, the car, and even a school toilet. A quarter of dieters then apparently lied to friends and family about what they had scoffed.
Women also felt their other halves did little to help in the battle against the bulge, with 15% claiming partners had tried to sabotage diets by encouraging them to eat something they shouldn’t (To be fair, if men got on the backs of these women they'd still complain).
Has your significant other got a stash?
Bar Hewlett, founder of LighterLife, said: "Our survey reveals the extent of British women’s desperation. There have been women who hide food in the washing machine, under the plastic bag inside a cereal packet and even up their sleeves."
This tells us two things about British women. Not only do they like food which makes them fat, they're greedy swines to boot.
How sad it is that these women feel the need to have a secret stash of food. The slogan, 'It's not Terry's, it's mine' apparently takes on a literal meaning for some women.
If you're a man and reading this and have noticed sweets or chocolate bars going missing around your home on occasion, then it might very well be a result of your partner having her own snack stash.
I advise that you confront these fat birds immediately and demand your snacks back! Or, alternatively, create your own stash. Whatever works for you...
The confessions are revealed in a survey of more than 1,100 women carried out for British weight loss magazine LighterLife.
Nearly a third of these women also admit preferring unhealthy treats to a night of passion. (Irish women wouldn't say that I'm sure...)
The poll found that nearly one-in-five had hidden food or eaten secretly in a range of locations including a child’s bedroom, nearby woodland, the car, and even a school toilet. A quarter of dieters then apparently lied to friends and family about what they had scoffed.
Women also felt their other halves did little to help in the battle against the bulge, with 15% claiming partners had tried to sabotage diets by encouraging them to eat something they shouldn’t (To be fair, if men got on the backs of these women they'd still complain).
Has your significant other got a stash?
Bar Hewlett, founder of LighterLife, said: "Our survey reveals the extent of British women’s desperation. There have been women who hide food in the washing machine, under the plastic bag inside a cereal packet and even up their sleeves."
This tells us two things about British women. Not only do they like food which makes them fat, they're greedy swines to boot.
How sad it is that these women feel the need to have a secret stash of food. The slogan, 'It's not Terry's, it's mine' apparently takes on a literal meaning for some women.
If you're a man and reading this and have noticed sweets or chocolate bars going missing around your home on occasion, then it might very well be a result of your partner having her own snack stash.
I advise that you confront these fat birds immediately and demand your snacks back! Or, alternatively, create your own stash. Whatever works for you...
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
Steven Gerrard - Accident prone
I'd like to talk about football for a minute and how nice it was to see Bolton Manager Sam Allardyce slam Steven Gerrard over his 'tackle' on Kevin Nolan in last night's game, when Gerrard appeared to stamp on the player.The incident occurred during Monday's 2-2 draw at Bolton's Reebok Stadium.
"It is serious foul play. The incidents are plain, clear and obvious," said the Bolton manager.
"Gerrard stamped on Nolan and Sissoko stamped on Diouf. Both should have been sent off."
Gerrard however has denied the accusation.
"It was a complete accident. I am mates with Kevin Nolan so why would I ever try to deliberately hurt him?" he said.
Yeah Steven, I mean it's not like you to stamp on players is it? But wait. Remember this incident? When you lunged at Everton's Gary Naysmith in a Merseyside derby a little over three seasons ago?
Gerrard seen accidentally falling on Naysmith
It doesn't look like anything will happen to Gerrard sadly since Nolan himself has defended his fellow scouser. Nothing would have happened anyway though in my opinion since the FA tend to look favourably on their own English players. Former players like Alan Shearer tend to get preferential treatment as well.
If Roy Keane had done what Gerrard did last night whilst playing for Manchester United there would have been uproar. Seeing as Gerrard is one of England's darlings, I bet there won't be another word said about this incident. In my view the FA should at least warn the Liverpool captain.
Gerrard is massively overrated anyway. Keane always had him in his pocket whenever the two clashed and the guy has a rash aspect to his character that could cost England dearly in this year's World Cup.
He's a dirty player!
Top Ten Tuesday - Worst ever Irish
One of the big stories of last week was in relation to a list compiled by historians for the BBC History Magazine which put together a list of the 10 worst Britons of the last 1,000 years.There was no shortage of contenders for that honour (or should that be dishonour?) but in the end, Oswald Mosley was chosen as the worst ever Briton. My choice for the gong meanwhile, Oliver Cromwell, did not even make the list!
I noticed that A Tangled Web put forward their own list of worst Britons and I noticed that alot of American blogs put forward their own list of the ten worst Americans.
However I didn't see any Irish blog put forward a top ten list of the worst ever Irish people. With that being the case, I give to you all the ten worst Irish people of all time! So without further ado:
1. James Craig - Partition was the greatest evil ever inflicted on Ireland and this odious individual did everything in his power to make sure it came about. He opposed the democratic will of the Irish people which sought Home Rule, he organised the paramilitary force the UVF, and he was involved in the importation of arms from Germany through the Larne gun-running. While Edward Carson to his credit did not want partition, this heinous individual greeted it with enthusiasm. Craig was influential in the decision to make the Northern polity a 6 county region as it made sure that a unionist dominated entity would be guaranteed. He sold out unionists in other parts of Ireland, including Ulster Unionists in Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan to achieve this. Even worse, Craig made no effort to reach out to northern nationalists and these people were neglected and treated like second-class citizens. He is a horrid person and future generations will not judge him kindly.
2. Dermot MacMurrough - Dermot MacMurrough is the infamous figure responsible for inviting King Henry II of England into Ireland. As a result, he is regarded as one of the greatest traitors in Irish history. I won't take issue with that! MacMurrough was ousted as King of Leinster and so he made a pact with Richard FitzGilbert de Clare, Earl of Strigoil, giving him a share of his kingdom of Leinster, and the rest when he died, in return for military help from the Normans. The subsequent invasion led to Henry becoming Lord of Ireland himself, and marked the beginning of eight centuries of English dominance. Where would Ireland be today if this guy had not sought aid from across the sea? Alot better off I'm sure.
3. Leonard MacNally - Throughout Irish history there have been Irish informants working for the British. This practice has continued up until quite recently as we well know. The nastiest informant of them all however was this man, Leonard MacNally. It wasn't until 20 years after his death that the truth came out when his son put in a claim to the British for the continuation of the £300 per annum 'Secret Service' pension which MacNally had received. MacNally was a barrister and was called many times to defend United Irishmen in court. MacNally made a tidy profit from his deceit. He charged the going rate to the rebels he defended in court while at the same time selling their defence details to the British. He made a fine defence for Robert Emmet and cheered him in his last hours, although before appearing in court he had sold, for 200, the contents of his brief to the lawyers for the Crown. This cretin was with Emmet in his last hours also, a man with more class and courage than his cowardly counsel.
4. Ian Paisley - A truly awful human being. A man who no doubt encouraged countless men to go out and murder innocent Catholics due to his bigoted bile. Even today the man is still saying 'No' to everything. Another who won't be judged kindly by history.
5. Basil Brooke - Another vile individual who was PM of NI from 1943-1963. Like Craig he did nothing to help the Catholics of the North and came out with charming statements such as, "I recommend those people who are loyalists not to employ Roman Catholics, 99 per cent of whom are disloyal". As well as that, in the thirties Brooke said that "the Roman Catholics were endeavouring to get in everywhere" and he appealed to loyalists "wherever possible, to employ Protestant lads and lassies". Craig refused to rebuke Brooke and said "I would not ask him to withdraw one word". These are the figures of which modern day unionism is built upon.
6. D.P. Moran - A Gaelic cultural nationalist who was responsible for inciting hatred against those who didn't fit in with his narrow view of Irishness. He was a bigot who believed that the vast majority of Protestants could not be truly Irish though he was ready to admit that there were some individual Protestants who contributed to the welfare of the country. How nice of him! He was responsible for popularising nasty terms such as 'West Briton' which is a term sadly still in use today in some quarters.
7. William Burke - I'll include Burke over Hare since Hare confessed to his crimes and gave evidence against Burke in order to live. Burke and Hare were of course the infamous serial killers who committed a series of murders in Scotland in the 19th century and who sold the corpses to doctors for use in their research. I don't think many will object to this guy making the list. Burke's method of killing even coined a new word.
8. Eoin O'Duffy - O'Duffy was Ireland's equivalent of Hitler and Mussolini and while nowhere near as threatening, he was just as arrogant. He was the first leader of Fine Gael but quickly resigned and he went on to fight for Franco in Spain in the Spanish Civil War.
9. Edward Carson - I don't view Carson as badly as I do Craig since he didn't really want partition however he was well prepared to threaten partition, and his role in opposing Home Rule and the fact he was the first name on the Ulster Covenant earns him a spot on this list.
10. Charles Haughey - Ireland's worst ever Taoiseach. Had the audacity to come on TV and warn the country about tough times when he was up to his knees in corruption and lavish spending. A joke.
So there you have it. The ten worst Irish people ever. Feel free to comment on my choices or to offer up some of your own.
Iraq vigil set for Shannon (yawn)
Having had a good Christmas in which they probably received a new bong from Santa Claus, the Irish anti-war prot