Gladys Ganiel – Page 5 – Slugger O'Toole

Launch of The Art of Listening: What will we hear at the 2016 Four Corners Festival? (28 January-7 February)

Gladys Ganiel on January 22, 2016, 2:58 pm

| Readers 274

A sampling of the musicians, poets and artists who will be participating in the fourth annual 4 Corners Festival took part in its launch today in the newly-opened Girdwood Community Hub in North Belfast. Building on this year’s theme of ‘The Art of Listening,’ the organisers encouraged people to begin reflecting on this idea and to approach the festival with ears and hearts open. This year’s programme includes 15 events, ranging from music, discussions, art, poetry, film, and a churches’ …

The Art of Listening: Launch of the Fourth Annual 4 Corners Festival (28 January – 7 February) set for 22 January at Girdwood Community Hub

Gladys Ganiel on January 18, 2016, 1:42 pm

| Readers 291

The Girdwood Community Hub in North Belfast will host the launch of the annual 4 Corners Festival on Friday 22 January at 11 am. The festival aims to inspire people to ‘cross boundaries’ and participate in events in all four corners of the city. All events are free. This year’s theme is ‘the art of listening’ and the events are designed to help people hear what others have to say about how the city can be transformed. The programme is …

Was the Easter Rising Blasphemous?

Gladys Ganiel on January 6, 2016, 1:22 pm

| Readers 1858

Patsy McGarry’s article in yesterday’s Irish Times, ‘Pádraig Pearse’s overtly Catholic Rising was immoral and anti-democratic,’ characterizes the 1916 Easter Rising as ‘quasi-blasphemous’. Readers familiar with so-called ‘revisionism’ in Irish history will not find much surprising in his critique. (I must confess I was convinced of the merits of much ‘revisionist’ thought when studying Irish politics with Tom Garvin at UCD). So I think I would go further than McGarry and say blasphemous rather than simply quasi-blasphemous! From an Irish …

Nourishing Reading for the Season: Pádraig Ó Tuama’s ‘In the Shelter: Finding a Home in the World’

Gladys Ganiel on December 8, 2015, 8:38 am

| Readers 298

Whether you’re looking for the perfect holiday gift for a reflective, spiritual friend – or wanting to take some time out to nourish yourself this Advent season – the latest book by Pádraig Ó Tuama, In the Shelter: Finding a Home in the World (Hodder & Stoughton 2015) is an ideal aid to contemplation. Just to be clear – the book isn’t aimed specifically at the Advent season. Rather, it is a book for all seasons. The warm (and wounded) …

Remembering the Life of Fr Gerry Reynolds

Gladys Ganiel on November 30, 2015, 3:52 pm

| Readers 1277

The island of Ireland lost one of its great ambassadors for peace today with the passing of Fr Gerry Reynolds. Fr Reynolds, a Redemptorist priest based at Clonard Monastery in West Belfast for more than 30 years, is well known for his long and patient work promoting reconciliation among Christians. He was 82. Fr Reynolds’ pioneering work includes the Unity Pilgrims (a group of Catholics who worship at Protestant churches on Sunday mornings); the Clonard-Fitzroy Presbyterian Fellowship, which he developed …

An Insight into Belfast’s and Europe’s Past: Rest and Be Thankful by Fr Daniel Cummings – Book Review

Gladys Ganiel on November 18, 2015, 9:27 am

| Readers 583

The autobiography of a Redemptorist missionary might not be at the top of everyone’s reading list, but a new book by the late Fr Daniel Cummings should appeal to a much broader audience than might be expected. Rest and be Thankful: Autobiography of a Belfast Missionary – Daniel Cummings C.Ss.R, was published this year and launched at Clonard Monastery in July. The book chronicles the varied and fascinating childhood and religious career of Fr Cummings (1907-1977). It includes descriptions of …

Politics and Peace in Northern Ireland by David Mitchell – Book Review & Launch 5 November

Gladys Ganiel on October 30, 2015, 3:59 pm

| Readers 895

While the Northern Ireland peace process is considered an outstanding success internationally, those who observe its politics day by day know that it hasn’t all been ‘happily ever after.’ Yes, we’re all grateful that violence has by and large ceased. But the implementation of the 1998 peace agreement has been fraught and 17 years on, many citizens have grown apathetic about politics. A new book by David Mitchell, assistant professor at the Irish School of Ecumenics, Trinity College Dublin at …

QUB Compromise after Conflict Research Project Launches Web Resource on Northern Ireland, South Africa and Sri Lanka

Gladys Ganiel on September 5, 2015, 3:26 pm

| Readers 784

‘Compromise after Conflict,’ a five-year research project directed by Prof John Brewer of the Institute for the Study of Conflict Transformation and Social Justice at Queen’s, this week launched a web resource which includes excerpts from interviews of victims and survivors of conflicts in Northern Ireland, South Africa and Sri Lanka. The website describes the project this way: This website represents a summary of the five year Compromise After Conflict research project, directed by Professor John D. Brewer, focusing on the …

Waiting and Silence Today at Aperture – A Film to Aid Reflection

Gladys Ganiel on August 1, 2015, 10:54 am

| Readers 212

This weekend’s programme at Corrymeela’s Aperture Festival features several films, including at 4 pm today a screening of ‘Waiting and Silence.’ The short documentary (28 mins), focused around an act of worship at a Quaker Meeting House in Coleraine, includes elegantly-paced narration by Pádraig O Tuama. It explores not only Quaker life and practice, but also the wisdom that can emerge from contemplative silence more generally. The film is directed by Paul Hutchinson, a Corrymeela Community member and former director …

Belfast: Toward a City Without Walls by Vicky Cosstick — Book Review

Gladys Ganiel on July 5, 2015, 9:41 am

| Readers 1136

In certain parts of Belfast, walls dominate the landscape – as well as the consciousness – of those who live and work around them. A new book by Vicky Cosstick, Belfast: Toward a City Without Walls, explores the history, significance and most daringly, the future, of these walls, highlighting the efforts of some citizens of the city to transform the conflict that produced them. Cosstick, who lives in London and Ireland, is a journalist who has also worked as an …

Government of Ireland’s Plans for 2016 Commemorations

Gladys Ganiel on May 20, 2015, 2:30 pm

| Readers 1346

The School of History and Anthropology at Queen’s and the Community Relations Council, in conjunction with the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Community relations, today hosted a briefing on the Government of Ireland’s plans for commemorations in 2016: Ireland 2016: Centenary Programme, presented by John Concannon, Director of the 2016 Programme. The programme, which was launched at the end of March, is impressively wide-ranging, encompassing seven strands: state ceremonial, historical reflection, the living language, youth and imagination, cultural expression, …

The Contested Identities of Ulster Protestants, edited by Burgess and Mulvenna – Book Review

Gladys Ganiel on May 17, 2015, 9:13 am

| Readers 2964

Edited academic collections are often technical and specialized – appealing to academics, but offering little to other readers interested in the topic. The Contested Identities of Ulster Protestants (Palgrave 2015), edited by Thomas Paul Burgess (UCC) and Gareth Mulvenna (Queen’s) is an exception to this trend, as it draws in an eclectic range of contributors from academia and beyond. (Unfortunately, the book carries an academic price tag – £68 – which places it beyond the ‘reasonable’ price range for most.) …

Brian Kennaway and Dominic Bryan on ‘The Historical and Social Impact of Flags and Symbols on our Society’

Gladys Ganiel on May 14, 2015, 9:16 am

| Readers 2098

The Irish Association and the Institute of Irish Studies at Queen’s hosted a seminar on ‘The Historical and Social Impact of Flags and Symbols on our Society’ on Tuesday. Kennaway is a Presbyterian minister, past president of the Irish Association, and author of The Orange Order: A Tradition Betrayed. Bryan is director of the Institute of Irish Studies and Reader in Social Anthropology at Queen’s. He may be known to some Slugger readers as the researcher who has consistently, year on …

Same-Sex Marriage Referendum in the Republic: Review of ‘Who Owns Marriage?’

Gladys Ganiel on May 7, 2015, 4:35 pm

| Readers 843

As the date for the Republic’s same-sex marriage referendum draws closer (22 May), various parties have weighed in on the debate. Unsurprisingly, official representatives of the four largest Christian churches are opposed to same-sex marriage, and have urged the faithful to vote ‘no.’ At the same time, Christian activist groups like ‘Faith in Marriage Equality’ have supported a ‘yes’ vote, and theologians like Prof Linda Hogan, Vice Provost of Trinity College, have argued that there is a Christian case to …

After Dresden – Review of New Play based on Story of Rev Ray Davey & Corrymeela

Gladys Ganiel on May 4, 2015, 9:15 am

| Readers 1182

After Dresden, a new play based on the wartime diaries of Rev Ray Davey, founder of the Corrymeela Community, concluded on Saturday after a short run at the Belvoir Playhouse. Written by Philip Orr, the play sold out or nearly sold out each day on its Thursday-Saturday run and has been reviewed favourably by Alan in Belfast. The play is set in 2004, at the 40th anniversary celebrations for the ‘Community of the Rock,’ the name given for Corrymeela in …

Senator George Mitchell Recommends Integrated Education – Queen’s Conflict Transformation Spring Festival

Gladys Ganiel on April 23, 2015, 12:51 pm

| Readers 611

Senator George Mitchell was back in Belfast yesterday to deliver Queen’s University’s Institute for the Study of Conflict Transformation and Social Justice’s third annual Harri Holkeri Lecture on ‘Reflections on Brokering Peace in Divided Societies.’ Mitchell shared memories and insights about his role in brokering the 1998 Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, before fielding questions from the BBC’s William Crawley, as well as those in attendance. Mitchell refused to be drawn on most questions about the current state of the political process …

Queen’s Institute for Conflict Transformation’s Spring Festival of Events, 22 April-28 May – Featuring Senator George Mitchell and Baroness Nuala O’Loan

Gladys Ganiel on April 21, 2015, 10:42 am

| Readers 483

Queen’s University’s Institute for the Study of Conflict Transformation and Social Justice’s (ISCTSJ) Spring Festival of Events gets underway tomorrow with Senator George Mitchell delivering the third annual Harri Holkeri Lecture on ‘Reflections on Brokering Peace in Divided Societies.’ The former US Senator is best known in these parts for his role in chairing the Northern Ireland peace talks that produced the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. He also served as Chancellor of Queen’s from 1999 to 2009. The lecture is in …

The Religious Case for Marriage Equality: Conference at TCD

Gladys Ganiel on April 12, 2015, 8:08 am

| Readers 1053

Yesterday the group ‘Faith in Marriage Equality’ and the Irish School of Ecumenics hosted a conference on ‘The Religious Case for Marriage Equality’ at Trinity College Dublin. Colin Gleeson’s Irish Times report on the event leads with the headline: “Catholic Church ‘will pay price’ for stance on gay marriage,” attributed to sociologist Richard O’Leary. He predicted a ‘smaller, anti-gay church’ could emerge from the referendum. Recently a Dutch journalist interviewed me about the upcoming referendum and asked how I thought …

Irish Churches Peace Project Conference featuring Terry Waite – Questions and Reflections

Gladys Ganiel on March 28, 2015, 1:48 pm

| Readers 542

The Irish Churches Peace Project (ICPP) held a major conference to mark the closing stages of its programme, 26-27 March at the Hilton in Templepatrick. The conference featured as keynote speakers former hostage Terry Waite, Rev Emmanuel Murangira of Rwanda, and Rev Dr Johnston McMaster of the Junction’s Ethical and Shared Remembering Project. Waite, reflecting on the role of religious institutions in reconciliation, said that ‘established religion is not enough,’ adding that: ‘What’s required is a real church, people who …

Can Faith & Politics Enrich Each Other? Discussion at the Festival of Ideas and Politics

Gladys Ganiel on March 13, 2015, 10:41 am

| Readers 299

Last night’s Faith and Politics discussion at the Duncairn Centre for Culture and the Arts, part of the Imagine!2015 Belfast Festival of Ideas and Politics asked panellists to reflect on times when faith and politics had enriched each other. While conversation (inevitably?) slipped into examples of times when religion had exerted a divisive or violent influence on politics, particularly on the island of Ireland, speakers managed to introduce some positive examples and, perhaps, generate some further thinking. Rev Dr Lesley Carroll of …