Ambrose Uprichard Sinn Féin proudly announce that they are sending a team to speak at the European Social Forum 2004 in London.“Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams MP, party MEPs Mary Lou McDonald and Bairbre de Brún and Deputy Mayor of Belfast Joe O Donnell will attend this year’s meeting of the European Social Forum which is taking place in London on 15 – 17 October. Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams will address the opening rally on Thursday evening and a session on …
Newshound today has an article by Danny Morrison in which he seems to be preparing the ground for another de facto act of surrender by the Provos. In this he talks of the murder and maiming of people at the Brighton Bombing as putting “manners on the colonial power”.This offensive triumphalism – look what WE did – is surely bluster designed to ease the pain of what is to come. It’s unpleasant language – imagine if the British Government described …
Ruth Dudley Edwards rather neatly put a certain poster in his place in yesterday’s Sunday Independent.While mentioning that she was attacked on Slugger, she scornfully brushed aside her attacker, denying him the kudos of a mention by name. You may feel that you have been labelled a “class enemy” Ruth, but at least, as plenty of us in Ireland acknowledge, you have got some class. Ambrose Uprichard
Belfast Telegraph carries a story on President Nixon’s reactions to Bloody Sunday.“Former US President Richard Nixon considered sending a celebrity self-help guru to Northern Ireland to heal divisions after Bloody Sunday, new White House tapes released to the Belfast Telegraph have revealed. Nixon also considered sending fundamental Protestant preacher, Billy Graham and the Catholic Cardinal of New York, Terence Cooke. The tapes show how the Nixon administration strongly sided with the British government but wanted to show that they were …
Enjoyable and wide-ranging article in the LRB by Tom Paulin – on holiday with Dean Godson’s biography of David Trimble. Ambrose Uprichard
BBC Radio 4 tonight at 11PM has a New series of Great Lives in which Tim Pat Coogan will help David Puttnam examine “what distinguishes Terrorists from freedom fighters”“On August 22 1922, as the Irish civil war raged, a 31-year-old man was shot dead in an ambush at Beal na mBlath, County Cork. Michael Collins was commander-in-chief of the National Army and – take your pick according to political prejudice – a hero of Irish independence, a traitor to the …
The Irish News today carries a story that Newry and Mourne councillors have voted to name a new block of flats Cois Locha, which translates as Waterside, despite being informed that to so do would be breaking the law. As it stands the flats should be named in English and an Irish sign can subsequently be erected if a majority of residents wish to do so.Sinn Féin councillor Brendan Lewis said that the legislation was counter to the Good Friday …
First part of a detailed review, of “Who Needs Irish?” by Seaghán Ó Murchú is here, in the current edition of “The Blanket”.The reference to Marianne Faithfull’s wonderful album, Broken English, is a neat touch! Lyrics. Ambrose Uprichard
The Irish News’ exellent “Faith Matters” today carries the story of Eunan, patron saint of the Diocese whose day it is today, as well as comments by Bishop Robinson , the first openly Gay man ordained as a Bishop, and an abridged version of the homily on the burning of Bombay Street given on the 35th anniversary last month by Father Gerry Reynolds.Saint Eunan was born in 624 in Raphoe and died on Iona September 23 704 AD. At the …
The Irish Independent announces that Harry Potter The Golden Stone is to be released next Month in Irish as Harry Potter agus an Orcloch – which will make the works of J.K.Rowling available in 200 Languages. Ambrose Uprichard
The Scottish newspaper, The Herald, carries news that the EU is to fund a skill-sharing initiative in Northern Ireland.After the apparent unwillingness to co-operate for the common good shown by our politicians in Leeds Castle, It’s good to see that at grass-roots level communities can work together. €3m over the next few years from the EU’s Peace and Reconciliation Fund will fund the “Focus Farm Programme.” The initiative is aiming to inject cash, divided between farmers across the religious divide, …
A survey reported in today’s Irish Independent suggests that the “vast majority of those under 45 now favour allowing abortion in some circumstances”.In a second article, Eilis O’Regan writes “The latest report, compiled by researchers at the Royal College of Surgeons for the Crisis Pregnancy Agency, shows that only 8pc believe abortion should not be permitted in any circumstances. Around 12pc say that a woman should be able to choose abortion if she is not married and 9pc say it …
The Irish Independent carries an article by Peter van de Kamp which has the welcome news that there is a new book by Brendan Kennelly, typically named “Familiar Strangers”.A murky morning was rescued by I don’t propose to go on about cries, but I’ve been hearing a lot of them lately, mainly from within. It stems from a childhood in North Kerry. That’s where the snipe wear Wellingtons and swallows from Africa swim through the summer For me this puts …
Belfast Telegraph announces that Down cathedral at 5PM will be using the Gaelic translation of the newly issued church of Ireland prayer-book.To quote Alf McCreary- This will be part of a one-day conference at the Cathedral on Celtic Worship, beginning at 11.15 am. The new Church of Ireland Book of Common Prayer in English was launched at the General Synod in May, and the Irish translation was published by Cumann Gaelach na hEaglaise – the Irish Guild of the Church, …
Frank Delaney lists his “Top 10 Irish Novels”.I was pleased to see he includes “Thy Tears might Cease “ by Michael Farrell, although less convinced by “Star Of the Sea” by Joseph O’Connor. Joyce, Edna O’Brien, McGahern, Flanagan, Bowen, William Trevor and JG Farrell are all represented. I would replace the O’Connor book by Redemption by Francis Stuart or The Informer by O’Flaherty and Finnegans wake by Colm Tóibín’s Blackwater Lightship. How do other sluggers rate his choices ? Ambrose …
While Slugger had it’s problems Dave Wood carried on writing on his excellent website.Thanks Dave. There’s a book in this, and I’ll want you to sign a copy for me! Ambrose Uprichard
It’s good to see that the “developers” aren’t having it all their own way. Well done Councillor Forde and Sinn Féin for helping to protect our heritage. “Sinn Fein Councillor Killian Forde has expressed concern over the Dublin City Council proposal to delist more than 500 Georgian houses as protected buildings. The proposal to delist these structures has been submitted in the Draft Dublin Development Plan for 2005-2011.” Sinn Féin rejects plans to delist Georgian buildings Ambrose Uprichard
The Irish News today carries a report that the Irish Guild of the Church of Ireland, Cumann Gaelach na hEaglaise, is to publish an Irish Version of the new “Book of Common Prayer” only four months after the English version of the first revision since 1926 was launched at General Synod. Irish Language services, based on the 1926 Book of Common Prayer, are regularly held in Co Donegal , Dublin and other places. Cumann Gaelach na hEaglaise ‘was founded 90 …
The Sunday Independent today carries a report that “ONE in two Irish graduates from the class of 2003 are still seeking employment or have had to continue with their education”, in contrast to UK figures which showed that “one in three graduates from the class of 2003 were still seeking gainful employment”. Do these figures reflect badly on Ireland’s education system or are they a sign that all is not well in Ireland’s economy and job-market? Ambrose Uprichard
The Irish News today has a disturbing special report focusing on domestic violence. In it a Police Officer reveals that research shows that on average a woman is assaulted 35 times before she calls the police. In total in NI there were 4,726 incidents of domestic abuse reported in the first 6 months of 2004 – but in less than 1 in 10 can action be taken as the majority of victims don’t want to press charges. Approximately 10% domestic …
