Miss Fitz Eoin O’Murchu is the political editor of Radio na Gaeltachta, but he writes a weekly column in the Village magazine in a personal capacity. He is a staunch defender of the Irish language, but after last week’s contribution, I wonder if he’s missing the point. He is taking issue with Henry Murdoch in the Irish Times who was demanding that the language requirement be dropped so that – wait for it – lawyers can be free to love the language …
I wasnt familiar with the story of the Ballymurphy massacre in 1971 According to this story, 11 people were killed in the aftermath of the introduction of internment, and new questions are being asked about the deaths. If it’s borne out, perhaps one of the most significant areas of this story are the claims that the soliders involved in the shooing were the same ones involved in Bloody Sunday 6 months later. Now whether that means same regiment or same …
Someone bought me a 6-month subscription to Village magazine a couple of years ago, and I still get it delivered every week. Mind you, if as much care is taken with the subscription list as with the sub-editing, there’s no surprise there. However, it’s a great way of keeping in touch with the main events in the Republic of Ireland, although many of the articles tend to make one uncomfortable. I read Finola Meredith’s interview with Iris Robinson with great …
I really couldnt resist this. Playstation are hoping to capture the ‘girly’ market and have produced a limited edition Pink Playstation. I would have provided a photo, but have used all my Flickr memory for the month. 🙁 I know I fall victim to this myself all the time. For instance, they sell Pink Domestos bleach now, and while it smells exactly the same as the other stuff, I much prefer the pink bottle. Images and colour must be very …
I really couldnt resist this. Playstation are hoping to capture the ‘girly’ market and have produced a limited edition Pink Playstation. I would have provided a photo, but have used all my Flickr memory for the month. 🙁 I know I fall victim to this myself all the time. For instance, they sell Pink Domestos bleach now, and while it smells exactly the same as the other stuff, I much prefer the pink bottle. Images and colour must be very …
The Belfast Rose of Tralee has grasped a thorny issue this week. While out shopping for a frock for the contest in Belfast, she was amazed at the lack of awareness of the competition and wants to promote the event up here. Indeed, she would like particularly to see a protestant Rose. Yes, well. My recollection of attending the Rose of Tralee in my younger days is a little hazy. It was always great fun, but I seem to remember …
As I drove to Belfast today, I listened to Talkback and caught the Suzanne Breen piece about Belfast. I know she doesnt get much sleep, living in the Holylands, but her bitter and acrid view on Belfast made me catch my breath. Listening to her, it’s a filthy dirty city, devoid of character, culture or interest. It made me all the more apprehensive about meeting a group of people through a Flickr invitation, to explore the Shipyard. I’d joined the …
The Belfast Telegraph ran a story yesterday about Jacob’s Creek wine company’s competition for the 50 Best Views in the World. I cant find any informtion on the Jacob’s Creek website, but I’ve written to them to see what its all about. In the meantime, I thought I’d put the question out there, and invite you to submit your best view or nomination if you dont have a photo. You can e-mail me photographs if you like, and I can …
It seems that when I was wandering around Ireland last week, the fine upstanding youth of Newry had important matters to manage for themselves. Apparently there was rioting last Sunday with PSNI patrols coming under attack as they tired to deal with explosive devices left on the railway lines. It seems that this was all sparked off by the admission from the Real IRA that they were the cowardly souls who blew up our shops the week before. And in …
Before you start this post, its not about politics, sport, war, sectarianism or any of the other fun Slugger topics. So please dont complain if you carry on reading. I posted some pictures from Belfast Pride earlier this month on my Flickr site, and I noticed a message and poem for Titty has been posted in the comments for her picture this evening. I am positive one or two of you will find it fascinating……. And for a little more …
I’ve been away for a few days, as no-one seems to have noticed. Part of my trip included the All-Ireland quarter final between Laois and Mayo. With his newfound passion for GAA, I honestly thought Fair Deal would have covered the match. Perhaps he was at Casement instead of Croker. I couldnt possibly give a pundit perspective, but from a girly point of view it was a great match. Clean, open football, with good refereering. At one point, I remember …
I had decided last year not to stray too far from home for my ’06 holidays, and I now feel very clever in light of increased airport security. Time to look about Ireland again, I decided, and follow some of my passions here. I’ve mentioned my interest in Memorials and Commemorations on Slugger several times in the past, and last week I took an enormous step for someone steeped in the traditions of Fianna Fail. I went to Béal na …
The NIO have published details of an 8 week consultation process on the ending of Diplock Trials in Northern Ireland( see below fold). In future, the preseumption will be that all cases will be trial by Jury, except in special circumstances, as outlined in the document. Despite the many attempts of people to either hold on to the past, or plunge us back there, this is another step on the road to a normal society, and is a positive, forward …
Exactly a year to the day of his murder, Detectives have now arrested 2 men in connection with the murder of Thomas Devlin. UPDATE 2 people arrested in connection with the murder have been released. Police had launched an Anniversary appeal last night, with fresh requests for people to come forward. There has always been unease about the nature of this killing with PSNI reluctant to label it sectarian. As late as yesterday, a sectarian motive was still being ‘considered’. …
Quite a row is brewing between the internet site ‘Mumsnet’ and a writer of childcare books Gina Ford. It appears that Ms Ford, who has neither children nor childcare qualifications, takes a very structured and almost militaristic approach to childcare. She advocates strict regimes for children and parents, including feedingon demand and allowing babies to cry for up to an hour. She has been the focus of many heated conversations on the Mumsnet site, and last week one of the …
I remain mindful, indeed reminded almost every day, that although the intense violence of the Troubles has ended and we have had ceasefires for many years, other issues remain painful and ever present. As I have lost no-one in the period, I am always conscious that I have no right to speak for anyone, and that the journey and process of grieving needs to be endured in its own time and alone. However, time slowly moves on, and as a …
A little more from our resident poet, Dave Wood and his reconciliation project in the Mournes. Dave is telling us about one of his days, and his interaction with some of the people he met. The writings that follows are based on the idea of using the word reconciliation as an acrostic base, with each of the first letters of the word reconciliation running down the left side of the page, and a word or image starting with that letter. …
CNN are running an on-line poll, asking if people think the action taken by Israel is justified. The ‘No’ camp are slightly in the lead as of this moment in time (54%:46%) , and it looks to me like there have been over 2 million votes. You might like to take a look. Miss Fitz
I’ve covered the Interim Victims Commissioner a couple of times in the past, and there has been some discussion on various aspects of the role. The Victims Unit announced last week that the consultation process to establish a permanent post of Victims Commissioner was beginning and would last until September 15th. This was never going to be an easy job, and having such a role raises many issues on the definition of victim in the first instance, the treatment of …
It’s one of those things you dearly wish you had thought of first. American woman Kathleen McGowan has written a book about her ancestors, and has been signed by Simon and Schuster to complete a trilogy for a 7-figure sum. Oh, her ancestors were none other than Jesus and Mary Magdalene, hence the almighty international attention being bestowed on this author. On her website, it tells us that she was the Editor in Chief of Belfast’s the Irish News and …
