Saturday, July 15, 2006
MEP needs a little help with her research
We now know that Lindy McDowell depends on Slugger when abroad, it’s just a pity that others don’t use Slugger to broaden their minds. I see Mary Lou McDonald has contributed a piece to Daily Ireland (I know, I know), on the subject of our recent period of festivities.
I can understand that she needs to take a party line, and join in the condemnation, but her article displays a real lack of insight, knowledge and factual information. There is nothing compromising about what she has written, and no positive noises for reducing tyres on bonfires or anything else being done in a constructive manner. It’s a bitter little piece of writing, and perhaps the main point she is making is about the funding reduction for Féile.
‘one of the largest community festivals in western Europe, was recently denied funding. This community success story, which has the principle of inclusiveness at its core, has worked hard to bring people together, rather than preach the politics of separation
If you don’t live in Northern Ireland, the least you can do is try to inform yourself fully and accurately as to the totality of the subject you are preaching upon. I would suggest a good read of Slugger for Ms McDonald.
Miss Fitz @ 11:24 PM
“The detractors of the Daily Ireland on this site are quite openly ideologically motivated. They find it difficult to tolerate a republican voice in the media, particularly as the paper has proven quite successful in punching well above its weight and delivering stories which have shaped the news agenda”
Not quite Chris, my main problem with Daily Ireland is some of the utter tripe it publishes - just one example is about the watch towers in South Armagh, by all means object to them because they are “a symbol of occupation” or “a tool of spying”. But when a daily paper starts talking about how equipment in watch towers harms cattle and causes cancer without any scientific evidence apart from some Farmer Daithi standing with folded arms in his field looking angry, it does somewhat harm how seriously a person will take the newspaper.
Trying to make this scepticism about Daily Ireland into somethng sectarian is monotonously mopish. I don’t think any unionists would disagree that the Irish News is probably the best daily paper in Northern Ireland in terms of the quality of reporting and the news stories. Daily Ireland is a long, long way from this despite the huge sums of money it has been handed in funding.
Posted by on Jul 16, 2006 @ 10:55 AMMiss Fitz, perhaps the fragrant Mary Lou wasn’t informed that the Athboy strategy is currently in reverse gear.
The Auld Alliance of Sinners, clerics and Dublin’s Iveagh House that was operating in the 1990s appears to have been put into abeyance.
Perhaps it doesn’t currently suit Dublin to further sanitise the fundamentally fascist and mafiaist Sinner movement?
A year ago Philip McGuigan MLA was still operating the Athboy strategy; last August he was at sixs and sevens over the Republican parade in Ballymena and this year he was condemning sectarianism. It’s ironical that McGuigan failed to note that the Athboy straegy was, er, sectarian.
Posted by on Jul 16, 2006 @ 11:05 AMMick
I take your points, and they make a lot of sense. There is probably no ‘pure’ balance, just as there will never be one ‘pure’ version of the truth.On the other hand, I think that what I am referring to is the automatic,reflexive responses to issues. In this case, it appears that either the story about the 12th was written in advance of it or it was written without too much regard for fact.
If written in advance, it’s quite telling, as I have been trying to point out here. It demonstrates that minds are made up in advance, and it doesnt matter what else happens, but we’ve got our perspective thank you, and we cant let the facts get in the way of our prejudice.
If written post-12th, well its just factually wrong, and mopish. Look, when I used to chair AOIFE meetings years ago, I was really struck in the beginning with the fascinating story of how these festivals had operated during thirty years of opression.
After months of hearing the same story, and having each meeting held interminably up at the beginning, I eventually had to ask if we could take it as read that there had been 30 years of opression, and that we were all privileged to be in the company of such courageous people. We needed to skip the re-telling of the story to get on with the work.
And so it is now. Mary Lou is telling the same story, without apparent regard to whether or not it is factually correct.
Posted by on Jul 16, 2006 @ 11:05 AMFYI: Northern Ireland Events company, incorporating the Community Festivals Fund.
Posted by on Jul 16, 2006 @ 11:34 AM“If written in advance, it’s quite telling, as I have been trying to point out here. It demonstrates that minds are made up in advance, and it doesnt matter what else happens, but we’ve got our perspective thank you, and we cant let the facts get in the way of our prejudice.”
Miss Fitz
I think the above is a good point, one of the sad facts of political activity is this bunker mentality, as you are aware it is especially prevalent in the north of Ireland and in some cases for understandable reasons.I find it interesting that when people are removed from the political pressure cooker, wether due to a change of the environment or perhaps retirement, they seem perfectly able to see the others point of view or become open to new or different ideas.
I suppose it is the certainty of the past which makes everyone so comfortable with it. “All changed, changed utterly”, not in the north east it seems.
Take care.
Posted by on Jul 16, 2006 @ 12:43 PMMissFitz:” have no intrinsic problem with DI, I accept it for what it is. Every sinlge paper we have up here is biased in some way, there is no hope for a ‘down the middle’ line on any story.
Once more, this is not a pop at DI, (on this occasion). It was an attempt to point out that Dublin based politicians should take a little more time before making pronouncements on the issues that affect us deeply here. This is no game, and there is no room to play the situation solely for self advancement “
Missfitz, I know the title thing was a typo, no big deal.
But your Daily Ireland (I Know I Know) is very curious to say the least.
You appear to be acknowledging that most papers have a slant , so shall we expect an (I Know I Know) after every newspaper title you use.
I am not sure why you would feel the need to ‘apologise’ for reading Daily Ireland ( or anything else for that matter). I am hoping this does not indicate a prejudice toward the publication?Posted by on Jul 16, 2006 @ 01:02 PMIts ok to be opposed to poor quality.
Posted by on Jul 16, 2006 @ 01:05 PMGreat point Slug.
The great surprise isn’t that so many Republicans don’t like the Daily Ireland, it’s that so many Republicans do. It’s pish, plain and simple. Surely Republicans think they deserve better than the Daily Ireland?
Posted by on Jul 16, 2006 @ 02:33 PMThat first line should read so man non-Republicans…
Posted by on Jul 16, 2006 @ 02:33 PMTAFKABO
“The Blanket deserves to be a daily publication, the Daily Ireland deserves to be a vanity website.”
I was reading an article today from The Blanket entitled “It is only the intellectually lost who ever argue”I’m sure it’s been discussed here before.But to get to the point What has happened to liquorice bomb
Surely it deserves to a daily publication too.And I’ll finish off as Lindy McDowell has recently with the word DISCUSS… :-)Posted by on Jul 16, 2006 @ 06:01 PMSorry.
I’ve been too busy to update my own little vanity website, it shall be udpated today, with pictures.
Posted by on Jul 16, 2006 @ 06:09 PMWith easy to read pictures for the like of me? :-)
Posted by on Jul 16, 2006 @ 06:16 PMOK, it’s done.
Posted by on Jul 16, 2006 @ 06:51 PMAnd we were told Mary Lou was leadership material!!!!
Can’t wait for her first Paxman interview.
Posted by on Jul 17, 2006 @ 08:53 AMMiss Fitz wrote on Jul 16, 2006 @ 01:35 AM “… And sorry, I think its a bit rich for a Dublin based MEP to make such a harsh and inaccurate assessment of the situation in the North… “
Please explain as to why ‘so rich’ for an Kildare St politician to comment on NI as the ROI has a say in the governing of the statelet since the Anglo Irish Agree and the GFA? I’d be interested to hear your possible exclusionary views on elected member of the Dail. Do you think that MLMcD mightn’t be familiar enough with the situation?
“It was an attempt to point out that Dublin based politicians should take a little more time before making pronouncements on the issues that affect us deeply here. This is no game, and there is no room to play the situation solely for self advancement” Why single out Dublin politicos? The ones in Belfast and Westminster can’t be held up as shining examples of democ (see D. Hogg in London)
Posted by on Jul 17, 2006 @ 10:56 PMAnonymous
I thought this was pretty clear by now. Ms McDonald wrote an article for Daily Ireland and it was inaccurate.From my perspective, I saw the article as a poor effort, and I really had much higher hopes for this politician. I would have expected something insightful and thoughtful. I was really disappointed to find it was neither.
I dunno, I guess I was a bit offended that an SF rep in Dublin couldnt be arsed to either get her facts straight, or wait until the 13th and see what happened here. I may be a blow in too, but at least I went and evaluated a bonfire and 12th parades for myself and have developed the beginnings of an understanding for the culture of Orangeism. If Mary Lou is familiar, as you seem to suggest, she is a skillful actress, cos she betrayed not the slightest hint of understanding
Your other point about who else said what… well, I wasnt doing a critical analysis, and I despise what about ery.
Posted by on Jul 17, 2006 @ 11:06 PMOne more thing.
Nothing in my post or subsequent comments indicate that I feel that ROI politicians shouldnt have an opinion or voice their feeings about Northern Ireland.
What they SHOULD do is try to do the subject justice, research impeccably and be as open as possible. I was making the connection with people who read sites like this one in an attempt to either keep up with the pulse or find out more about what makes us tick. If Mary Lou cant/wont come to a bonfire/12th parade, she would do well to read how an entire community feels pride in those occasions, and try to understand their perspective.
Posted by on Jul 17, 2006 @ 11:26 PMChris Donnelly: The detractors of the Daily Ireland on this site are quite openly ideologically motivated. They find it difficult to tolerate a republican voice in the media.
Chris, what about the republicans who don’t like the Daily Ireland? How do you explain them?
We need a republican paper that’s comfortable with Orangeism and indeed is prepared to show it’s good side and even celebrate it. Irish Republicanism and Orangeism share a lot, such a desire for freedom of religion and also keeping the Roman Catholic Church out of government. But Daily Ireland is incapable of this, and is pandering to those who want to ethnically cleanse Protestants and/or Protestantism. As such, it’s probably as much an enemy of republicanism as anything else.
Republicans who buy the Daily Ireland should ditch it and call for a new better paper to take the lead in reaching out to all Irish people, no matter what their religion or culture, and which is not afraid to tackle so-called republicans who spout nonsense.
Posted by on Jul 18, 2006 @ 12:35 AMIf Mary Lou cant/wont come to a bonfire/12th parade, she would do well to read how an entire community feels pride in those occasions, and try to understand their perspective.
Posted by Miss Fitz on Jul 18, 2006 @ 12:26 AM
Miss Fitz,
Do you really believe this is what is happening, or is it just a tradition, say like Guy Fawkes night used to be for working class communities in England. Im sure it was great fun, but few thought much about poor old Guido when he was on the rack, nor how he found himself to be there. I am not being offensive here to those who celebrate the 12th, it is a genuine question
Mick
Posted by on Jul 18, 2006 @ 10:51 AMMick
I’m far from an expert on bonfires, although I have now been to a Lundy burning in Derry and the bonfire last week. The Lundy one scared me badly, but the context was different, so thats not a guide.I find your question interesting, and although I am somewhat constrained in what I can say, I’d like to try and answer.
The construct of everyone coming together for a common celebration is obviously what lies behind bonfire night. In all cultures and communities, you will find events such as these. However, as times and patterns change, certain customs have to be altered to more closely reflect the feeling among the participants.
My sense of this is that there is a need for an annual festivity, but that it could be enhanced and improved to a point where it was more inclusive.
Now, please stay with me as I want to make a really important point.
When I say inclusive, I dont mean to the local catholics. I think that the practice of bonfires are becoming less acceptable even within the communities they occur, and there is a slow but growing recognition that further alienation and disintegration of the locals will occur if something isnt done now. I think that the beacons could probably work, if there was an effort to make it a real celebration/party.
We used to have block parties when I was growing up in the States, and I got a little of that sense from the Bonfire night.
Is that any good?
Posted by on Jul 18, 2006 @ 04:44 PM
