There should of course be a caption competition for this one: The President telling Gerry Adams, "don't run for the Áras, Gerry, it's a slog" and him retorting, "I swear I'm not interested in that position, anyhow, that's the yellow press talking". I'm sure, dear reader, you could do much better.
President McAleese and hubbie Martin were in West Belfast last night to deliver the annual PJ McCrory lecture which this year, appropriately enough, focused on the great lawyer himself. A fellow-North Belfast resident, PJ McCrory represented the families of the Gibraltar Three (Sean Savage, Mairead Farrell and Dan McCan) at what passed for an inquest into those 1988 executions. Not a bad idea to remember that no-one was every charged with any offence related to those extra-judicial killings — not a bad thing to remember when the unionists start ranting about escapees from Brixton jail evading the long arm of the law.
I was on the either side of the road during President McAleese's impressive address to a full house at St Mary's. In the Cultúrlann, Seán Mistéil was launching his new book about the burning of Bombay Street which focuses on the role of Belfast Irish speakers — led by Críostóir de Napier (RIP), Séamus Mac Seáin, Seán Mac Goill, Ciarán Ó Catháin (RIP) and Seán Mac Seáin.
Both Seán Mac Goill and Seán Mac Seáin spoke at the launch, recalling that the authorities hounded the young Irish speakers when they decided to immediately rebuild the houses torched in the RUC-loyalist mob attacks of 15 August 1969. Ultimately, they fined Séamus Mac Seáin the princely sum of £3 (plus £8 costs) for building without the appropriate planning permission (subsequently obtained). Amazingly, the first houses were handed over in June 1970 — the perfect response to thuggery.
I'm not sure if Seán Mistéil will put the book up on the web to be downloaded — I'll keep you posted — but the bilingual Ón Luaith Go Dti An Aisling — From Ashes to Aisling, Belfast Gaels and the Rebuilding of Bombay Street is a major work with an undeniable proposition: that from the burning of Bombay Street came a community response, led by Irish speakers, which put people first. That same verve and determination is, of course, evidenced in the current proposals to use Irish as an economic driver in the fledgling Gaeltacht Quarter (plans for which will be discussed at a business breakfast tomorrow at 8am in the Cultúlann, hosted by Belfast Media Group, sponsored by Deloitte and featuring Gerry Adams and Marie Thérèse McGivern, Director of Development at Belfast City Council. Robert Ballagh will also attend to give an update on the artpiece An Ceiliúradh.)
7 comments:
".... Ultimately, they fined Séamus Mac Seáin the princely sum of £3 (plus £8 costs) for building without the appropriate planning permission (subsequently obtained). Amazingly, the first houses were handed over in June 1970 — the perfect response to thuggery..."
I always suspected Séamus Mac Seáin carried around alot of gold coins in his purse!!
Go raibh maith agat for the confirmation!!
Now what about "the perfect response to (the)thuggery" going on today against Colaiste Speirini in that mid-Ulster wasteland known as Cookstown?
We have another Bombay Street-type "pogrom" going on right now as we speak, and this time around you certainly cannot blame it on loyalists or unionists -- in all fairness.
If we could rebuild Bombay Street, we sure as hell can stop the republican/nationalist/Catholic Church pogrom in Cookstown against the cross-community Colaiste Speirini.
"Are you Nelson Mac Causland?"
"No, your Excellency, I can speak Ulster-Scots."
(What's the prize? - Philip
I am sure the RUC mob which burned down Bombay Street had the appropriate planning permission. So it was all very legal. Not to be concerned.
And to think poor Seamus had to pay £3 when the current police chief makes a salary of £183,000, plus a bonus and a rent free house worth more than half a million pounds.
W.of the Bann, that is insulting to compare the colaiste speirin situation to bombay street. It's crack-pots lile you that put people off listening to their case.
Pol, a chara,
It is absolutely impossible to break into the mindset of the Sinn Fein leadership.
The difference between Bombay Street and Colaiste Speirini is simply a matter of degree.
Bombay Street was a terrible, terrible affair.
It was an attempt at Ethnic Cleansing, albeit on a very small scale.
At that time what did the leadership of the Catholic Church do?
They effectively closed their eyes to the horror. As far as they were concerned, it was "understandable." Always best not to rock the boat. That would endanger our most priviliged position of power, control, and subjugation of all those poor souls, without whom we would have absolutely no reason to lord over them. And then where would we be? We must keep those poor ignorant creatures on their knees.
An Piobaire pointed out a few weeks ago that when the famous founder of the Boystown orphanage for boys in America, Fr. Flanagan, was asked by the US President Harry Truman in 1945 to go to Europe and see what could be done for the many orphans at the conclusion of WW II, he came first to Ireland since he was from Roscommon and toured the Catholic Church's orphanages and was outraged at the abuse he saw.
Today it is well documented in the latest Ryan Report. The Catholic Church, the Irish media, and with the Irish government in the background vilified Fr. Flanagan, and ran him out of the country. Fr. Flanagan spoke the truth about what I would call today a crime against humanity.
History is repeating itself today with Colaiste Speirini, perhaps of a degree that is a little less to those in power, but fundamentally, nothing has changed within the mindset of the the heirachy of the Catholic Church or within the Sinn Fein mindset which uses the Catholic Church's hierarchy as a "model."
This is about power and control and the destruction of any type of cross-community initiative that the powers instantly perceive as a potential threat to them because there is courage and goodness being demonstrated by little people who care about the future of their children and are not closet bigots.
They are trying their damnest to do the right and honourable thing, and for that they must be destroyed.
The Irish and Scottish languages are a God-given treasure to be valued by all communites. The Irish language is not supposed to be used by anyone as a pawn for the greater glory of a few in power politically and religiously.
Colaiste Speirini represents the very, very best in Irish society. Its philosphy is openness and creativity for the greater good of all communities.
Without creativity and problem solving this country cannot ever hope to compete internationally or solve the horrendous global warming and environmental problems.
You must have a significant competitive advantage in this day and age. You cannot live life like you did 50 years ago.
Colaiste Speirini represents the future -- not the ignorance of the past or of the ruling elites.
It is past time for Education Minister to do the right and honourable thing and for the SF leadership to stop their bigoted opposition to the future for the benefit of all communities and the world itself.
Please, let's have everyone stop making all the failed attempts at excuses or playing deaf and dumb. Results are what count. With results, there is no need to make excuses.
Do it for the benefit of all the children.
Success breeds success.
Pol,
Colaiste Speirini has had their case out there for two full years.
There is no longer any need to listen to it. You have been doing that for two years now and have done nothing.
The time is past due for action, not more listening.
Let's not pull another Conor Murphy like you did with La Nua.
Pól,
If you a member of Sinn Fein with any influence, then you need to step in and get this Cookstown college situation resolved right now.
The Irish language-types took the leadership position rebuilding Bombay Street. I do not think they are deterred by civil service-type reasoning or threats or being ignored by the political parties.
There is a lot of very ugly black smoke coming out of Cookstown, and I would think there is one helluva of a fire burning that is producing this smoke.
It would be best to resolve this situation now before it just gets worse and worse.
You correct a wrong by righting the wrong, not by making the wrong even worse.
Currently, it says little about the value of the peace process, if Sinn Fein treats its own in such a manner, or maybe, they are now two separate and opposite tribes, and there is no commonality whatsoever.
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