Slugger O'Toole

Latest comments from anne warren (see all)

anne warren has commented 146 times (10 in the last month).

1. Comment on Lost and Found: In Search of Owen Roe O’Neill
   on 21 May 2012 at 8:00 pm

   Joseph Devlin, also known as Joe Devlin, (13 February 1871 – 18 January 1934)
   Long, long before my time Framer

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2. Comment on Lost and Found: In Search of Owen Roe O’Neill
   on 20 May 2012 at 12:05 pm

   To be honest I knew nothing of Bigger but I was interested in the house as I believe I visited it when it was in the hands of later owners before demolition.

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3. Comment on Lost and Found: In Search of Owen Roe O’Neill
   on 20 May 2012 at 12:36 am

   Your’re quite right Seaan.

   I should have added the link.

   I realised I had forgotten to as I was switching off my PC to go out. I hadn’t time to boot up, search for the site again and add it.

   Hope you will forgive me!!

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4. Comment on Lost and Found: In Search of Owen Roe O’Neill
   on 18 May 2012 at 1:38 pm

   Footnote to Ardrigh House
   Ardrigh (pronounced ard ree) the Irish for High King

   It became a meeting place for Irish cultural enthusiasts from every section of Belfast society. F.J. Bigger possessed a rare gift, that of engendering great loyalty in others. This allowed all those who shared a love of Irish culture to meet under the auspices of Ardrigh and commune across conflicting traditions and beliefs. Local artists, writers, musicians, Irish linguists and antiquarians would regularly gather in his extensive library at Ardrigh in order to discuss and celebrate all things Irish. The historian Roger Dixon has written that, in its time, it was known as ‘the most hospitable house in Ireland’.

   In 1986, after many years of neglect, Bigger’s house at 737b Antrim Road was demolished. A modern development of private flats, Ardrigh Court, now stands in its place.

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5. Comment on “Mr Varadkar said Ireland and Britain could become a ‘mini-Schengen’”
   on 16 May 2012 at 7:47 pm

   Have travelled between Schengen countries – no passport check
   Travelled from Dublin to London last Sunday – no passport check
   Fait accompli!!

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6. Comment on Brady departure in sight
   on 6 May 2012 at 10:07 pm

   Newman
   There are so many points in your reply that I would like to discuss and so many questions I want to ask.

   In the first place you wrote “There is no doubt that the Church must face up to the culture of deference and the sins of those who have sought to protect the institution at the expense of children who were abused”
   Cynic2 proposed a Mass boycott which you refused to countenance. I believe it was attempted some time ago in the ROI with little success. So you may be right that the faithful do not want it.

   In that case, what other proposal can you make to express disapproval/non-condoning of what went on?
   What about refusing to donate any money ever again until certain conditions (to be established) are met?
   What about supporting only the Irish priests who have been censured by the Vatican?
   Have you any problems with these ideas?
   Would you care to make other proposals?

   You also said “That may ultimately mean that many will have to resign”.
   How is that going to come about if the faithful do not exert pressure in some way?
   There has been widespread media coverage, Enda Kenny made a well received speech saying the laws of the Irish Republic were pre-eminent.
   Yet we have seen few resignations and fewer prosecutions.

   “What we are seeking to uncover are the failures of a different age which has bequeathed a legacy of such suffering to victims”.
   It did not all happen a long time ago and the suffering of survivors will be life-long.
   I agree some of the victims may have exaggerated but there are too many similar stories from all over the island of Ireland, from the USA, Canada, Europe. And proof is available in too many instances.
   We can no longer deny the existence of crimes, a culture of silence and attempts to cover up crimes. We know what went on.
   We know the hierarchy apologises, says it wasn’t their fault, it was the fault of the times or the children, or lack of information, of believing Canon law superceded the law of whatever land they are living and operating in, promises they will do/ are doing better.
   Doesn’t it seem too little too late, particularly if the Statute of Limitations has run its course and they cannot be prosecuted?
   Don’t practising Catholics feel angry their faith has been betrayed?
   Don’t they want to salvage what they can and move on without this criminal mindset and its perpetrators?
   If so, how do they hope to do it?
   If not, what does that say about their Christian faith?
   What conclusions will non-Catholics, lapsed Catholics, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Sikhs, non-believers, atheists and agnostics inevitably draw?

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7. Comment on Cardinal Brady should go – in charity
   on 4 May 2012 at 3:39 pm

   I would like to focus on the Cardinal’s actions, not what any other political party did or did not do at the time or at present because if we keep dragging in red herrings we lose sight of the enormity of his crimes.

   As far as I know the earliest child protection laws in the UK date from the beginning of the 20th century.
   I personally know of a child in Belfast in the mid 1960s who witnessed a man exposing himself in a local park and told her parents who then phoned the police immediately. The police followed through and decided on a course of action with the parents. So however rudementary compared with modern legislation, procedures were in place even 50-odd years ago to deal with such complaints. And please note that exposure in a public place is a much less serious crime than child rape.

   Furthermore, definitely by the mid 70s, if not earlier, people were obliged to report to the police any information they had about crimes.

   If there is a lawyer in the house, could s/he please explain why the Cardinal cannot be prosecuted at least for failure to report a crime and possibly for aiding and abetting a criminal pedophile?

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8. Comment on The citizenship test: Protestants as well as Catholics in favour of fee waiver?
   on 2 May 2012 at 9:32 pm

   Wasn’t a lecture Reader – you obviously don’t recognise one!

   Just an attempt to provide another perspective in answer to your question “should nationalists travel to the UK for free university education when there are still perfectly good universities in Ireland?”
   Answer on a postcard: nationalists can travel to wherever a tuition-free third level education is offered in the EU – as can any other EU citizen .
   If I’d written that you or someone else would probably have demanded proof, feasibility etc. You had it upfront.

   As far as regards your latest query: “your lecture seems to assume that the EU recognises “Scottish National” as a concept. I doubt that.”
   I can only direct you to http://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/education/faq/index_en.htm
   Here’s the example given:
   • My university in Scotland is charging me (I’m English) higher fees than it’s charging locals from Scotland, and students from other EU countries. Isn’t this a case of discrimination that the EU can help me with?
   NO – As this concerns the relationship between the United Kingdom and its own nationals, it is a purely internal situation and has no connection with European law.

   I have shown how students from NI can get tuition-free 3rd level education without compromising any passport-related principles.
   What’s your problem?

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9. Comment on The citizenship test: Protestants as well as Catholics in favour of fee waiver?
   on 2 May 2012 at 8:41 pm

   Reader, you apparently haven’t grasped one of the key principles of the EU.
   EU law says a student from an EU country must be treated the same as a national from the country s/he wants to study in.
   For example
   Irish nationals don’t charge tuition fees to Irish nationals or to any other EU nationals
   Sweden do not charge any types of fees
   In Finland students enrolled in regular degree studies pay no tuition fees.
   Norwegian universities and state university colleges as a rule do not charge tuition fees
   Denmark, The Netherlands and Austria follow similar policies.
   Minimal fees e.g. 500euros have recently been introduced into some German universities.
   Many of the Nordic, German and Dutch university courses are taught through English
   So there is no need for a UK passport holder from NI to compromise his/her feelings about nationality or change his/her passport to get a tuition-free university education in the EU. He or she will not, however, get it in the UK.
   And there is no need for an Irish passport holder from NI to feel his/her choices are limited to the ROI.
   For NI students a study course at any European University will bring benefits far beyond a professional qualification
   I hardly need list them.

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10. Comment on Shared Origins
    on 23 April 2012 at 10:53 pm

    interesting thread.
    Would like to read all comments before adding my 2 cents but as often happens the older ones are not available.
    Why not?
    Have noticed that other posters have sometimes complained about the same inconvenience.
    What’s the problem?

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