Go n-éirí le Kila agus Kells

Tá mé i ndiaidh dhá alt iontacha a léamh ar Nuacht 24 (an leagan clóite) fá The Secret of Kells, a bhfuil fuaimrian de chuid Kila leis.

Tá an scannán ainmnithe do Ghradam Oscar san oíche amárach agus má éiríonn leis, dhéanfaidh sé maith mhór do Kila, ceann de na bannaí ceoíl is éirimiúla dá bhfuil againn, agus don scannán féin a bheadh molta dá mbéinn i mo thost.

Ach is ar dhea-iriseoireacht Nuacht 24 a ba mhaith liom bhur n-aird a dhíriú. Is é an nuachtán is fearr sa tír é.....beimid ag súil leis an chaighdeán céanna as Gaelscéal ar ndóighe nuair a nochtar é ag deireadh na míosa seo agus is mór linn i gcónaí Foinse...ach níl sárú Nuacht 24 le fáil.

Tá súil as agam taobh istigh de chúpla seachtain go mbeidh an Nuacht 24 arlíne nua, maoinithe ag an Chiste Craoltóireachta, faoi lán seoil. Ach go dtí sin is féidir eagrán digiteach de Nuacht 24 a íoslódáil anseo.

Creidim gur amuigh sa Pheiriú atá an t-eagarthóir Eoghan Ó Neill faoi láthair agus beidh briseadh beag ag an eagrán clóite an tseachtain seo ach nára fada go raibh sé arais againn.

Fáilte romhat a Uachtaráin Ramos-Horta

José Ramos-Horta, East Timorese freedom struggle leader, Nobel Laureate and current President of Timor Leste, visits Ireland this week on a state visit.

Doing my homework before his visit, I read the wonderful 'East Timor: A Nation's Bitter Dawn' by Dutch journalist Irena Cristalis who has been covering the little nation's anguished journey to freedom from the mid-ninenties.

No sooner had the colonial power Portugal pulled out in 1974 than the Indonesians, backed and armed by the Australians, British and Americans, had occupied the tiny country of fewer than one million, heralding a 25-year slaughter of the native peoples dressed up as a war on terrorism.

Amazingly, with uniforms and arms stolen from their tormentors, bands of revolutionaries survived the worst excesses of the Indonesian occupiers and emerged victorious in 1999 when the Indonesians — like the Portugese emerging from years of dictatorship — decided to give up the ghost and allow East Timor its independence.

Only a few hundred miles from Australia, East Timor was, as Cristalis chronicles in her epic account, abandoned by the west. But worse was to come, as the Indonesians pulled out, they set their bloodthirsty puppet militias on the pro-independence community to punish them for voting for independence in the 1999 poll, carrying out a series of Rwanda-style massacres in schools and churches and burying bodies in mass graves, some discovered years after the onslaught.

Sadly, the UN was in place but took no action to protect the civilians of East Timor as the retreating Indonesians and their militias carried out a scorched-earth policy.

Cristalis' book is unusually written; rather than a straight chronological account, each chapter picks up on her return to East Timor on a journalistic mission — often placing herself in great danger (in 1975 five foreign journalists were murdered by Indonesian troops and their bodies dressed in guerrilla fatigues as part of a cover-up; many other journalists died in the following years.) But this journalistic device adds to the readability and authenticity of the account.

Unfailingly direct, Cristalis doesn't spare the revolutionaries. The Falintil fighters were guilty of their own share of human rights abuses, feuds and internal 'punishments' of anyone who didn't toe the line. She also shows that the path to freedom is anything but straight. Many of the leaders of the struggle returned from abroad (include Ramos-Horta who had been East Timorese representative at the UN since the 1970s), while the most charismatic of the leaders, Xanana (his name comes from the seventies song, "Sha-na-na.na-na-na-na, Sweet Maria, wait for me." Honest.) spent most of the years of warfare as a prisoner in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta.

As the Indonesians tightened the net on the remaining rebels during the nineties, the fighters retreated further and further into the hills, living a basic existence. One of the staggering statistics from the book is that when the ceasefire came and Falintil withdrew its fighters to four 'cantons', it reported that it had a mere 670 men under arms.

In more recent times, the Falintil fighters-turned politicians, have not fared well. Some old warriors took the law into their own hands in the nineties, leading virtual coup attempts against the government. Indeed, in 2008 Ramos-Horta was shot and seriously injured by one rebel leader turned renegade while Xanana escaped injury in the same putsch (24 of the attackers were sentenced this week). Xanana, similarly, now Prime Minister, has been distancing himself from some of his former comrades. Together, both men have been urging their compatriots to move on from the bitter past, though that means the victims of human rights abuses feel denied justice.

This is a wonderful, moving testament to wonderful people who suffered grievously as the world looked away. And it is brought almost up to the present day where, having seen its capital Dili and villages burnt in a succession of outrages, the people of Timor-Leste are battling some of the worst levels of poverty and underdevelopment in the world. The good news for Timor-Leste: Prime Minister Xanana and President Ramos-Horta enjoy broad support and are focused on rebuilding their nation (national language Tetum has enjoyed a revival in official use and recognition as the country redefines itself post-occupation). The good news, it is sitting on extensive oil and gas supplies which are providing a funding lifeline into the future.

Unputdownable, A Nation's Bitter Dawn, is a journalistic tour-de-force, moving and illuminating in equal measure. Read it.

Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao (speaking into microphone) and President José Ramos-Horta are pictured above.

Ag fanacht leis an urchar

Mo léan, níl go leor scríofa agam fá Rith 2010 a thosaíonn i mBéal Feirste ar 9 Márta agus a théann an bealach uilig go Gaillimh.

Iarracht iontach atá ann le cás na Gaeilge a chur os ard agus é múnlaithe ar an Korrika i dTír na mBascach agus a mhacasamhail chéanna sa Bhreatain Bheag.

Ní hé amháin go mbeidh airgead á bhailiú le linn Rith 2010 ach, níos fearr arís, beidh aird á tarraingt ar an Ghaeilge.

Moltar go hard na daoine óga a ghlac cinneadh tabhairt faoin togra seo.

Anois, cá'l mó bhrógaí reatha?

Mayo shows the way

Plans for a Troubles archive/museum/gallery as part of the ambitious rebirth of the St Comgall's School project in West Belfast have been logjammed somewhere in government for a while now though I'm confident the Falls Community Council promoters will realise their dream of a new flagship centre.

In the meantime, I remain convinced of the need to incorporate a 'peace gallery' as part of the new Beechmount campus proposals being spearheaded by the Irish language community. Dedicated to the visual arts, this gallery would show off important pieces of art related to the Northern conflict.

There's been some doubt about whether such a project can succeed outside the city centre of Belfast but a new gallery in Mayo, the Jackie Clarke Collection shows that nothing is impossible.

Billed as Ireland's Newest National Treasure, the collection was bequeathed to Mayo County Council by Jackie Clarke, a great patriot and republican from the county. Curator Sinéad McCoole is to deliver a talk on the collection in New York next weekend at the American Irish Historicial Society premises on Fifth Avenue.

Spanning 400 years, the Jackie Clarke collection contains many priceless pieces, including its first item dating from 1617: a letter from 'William Sarsfield of the City of Corke' conferring lands on the Penn family. William Penn spent time living on his family estate in Ireland before going to America and becoming the founder of Pennsylvania.

The 1916 material in the collection is "outstanding", says McCoole.

Off the record, I'm told the deal was the Council would get the collection if they acquired a gallery to show it off. As a result, the council bought a landmark building, the former Provincial Bank on the main street of Ballina. The building was an early design by Thomas Manly Deane who was later the architect of some of Ireland's finest buildings including the National Library and National Museum.

Achieving for all our society

John Kelly of the Belfast Media Group put together this excellent video from the Belfast 40 under 40 in City Hall yesterday.

I like this line from Minister Sammy Wilson: "achievement should be celebrated because when people achieve for themselves, they achieve for our society".



As for Owen Rodgers' Famine event in New York, here's more detail, including date and venue (which as one blogger pointed out, I omitted from last posting):

This pioneering transatlantic initiative is being organized by Dr. Ruan O'Donnell, University of Limerick; Owen Rodgers of New York; and Michael P. MacDonald, author of the acclaimed Boston memoirs “All Souls” and “Easter Rising”. O'Donnell, an authority on the history of Irish Republicanism, will explore the manifestation of “Fenianism” in the US and the long-term influence of these revolutionaries on the land of their birth and ancestry. MacDonald will address the ongoing transformation of Irish-American communities and the dynamics now redefining those who retain an interest in their origins in Ireland.

Robert Ballagh, who is also visiting New York to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the world famous “Riverdance” show, claims “without question, the Famine was the greatest catastrophe in Irish history, yet if one goes to museums, galleries or archives, one will find very little visual record of that traumatic event.” In his paper “The invisibility of the Irish history,” Ballagh will attempt to explain this phenomenon.

In announcing the symposium, O'Donnell stated from the University of Limerick: “the New York symposium will be the first in a series of events which will examine new thinking and research on Irish and American-Irish character since the Famine. We are hoping to encourage fresh work on both sides of the Atlantic and are planning a major conference in New York City during the Fall.” The event will take place in the heart of NYC at O'Lunney's, Times Square, 145 W. 45th Street, New York, NY (212-840-6688) on 15 March 2010 at 6.30 PM. Admission is free and all are welcome.

Owen Rodgers back on Famine trail

Veteran Tyrone activist in New York Owen Rodgers has put together, at short notice, an important seminar on the Famine to coincide with St Patrick's Day. Owen, of course, memorably organised a mammoth campaign in the US in the nineties to have the Famine placed on the curriculum of schools in the US. Details below:

New York: Migration and Memory: American Irish Consciousness Since the Famine, O'Lunney's at Times Square, 145 W 45th St. The event will explore a range of themes emanating from the shock of an event which transformed Ireland and generated a massive influx of its surviving population to the US. The impact of the Famine reverbates 160 years after its conventional endpoint, not least in the form of a massive and diverse Irish diaspora present in every sector of society. Participants include Irish artist Robert Ballagh, Dr. Christine Kineally, Michael Patrick MacDonald, and Dr. Ruan O'Donnell. Event organized by Owen Rodgers and Dr. O'Donnell. Free and open to the public.

Congrats to the Belfast 40 under 40

Comhghairdeas leis an 40 faoi 40 ar hóladh a sláinte i Halla na Cathrach inniu. Tá sé le sonrú go raibh an aos óg as an Cheathrú Ghaeltachta chun tosaigh — Feargal Mac Ionnrachtaigh, Diarmaid Ua Bruadair, Colma Nic Sheáin, agus Tony Devlin. Maith iad.

Belfast City Hall never looked that good when I was a councillor but it was at its sparkling best (following a £12m refurb) today for the Belfast 40 under 40 celebration where we rolled out the red carpet for that other ex-councillor Sammy Wilson, now Minister at the Department of Finance and Personnel.

Having retired from the Council on Monday, some staff in the Dome of Delight may have been surprised to see former councillor Wilson back so soon but he gave a witty and generous speech which reflected the long distance travelled by Belfast and its people over the past 40 years.

You can see the bios of the 40 under 40 on our website but the Special Achievement Awards were particularly noteworthy, going to Colma McKee, who runs a training scheme as Gaeilge for 100 students aged between 16 and 18, Belfast Giants manager Todd Kelman, New York Stock Exchange dynamo Conor Allen (who spoke beautiful Conamara Irish), Charlotte Dryden who heads the Love Music-Hate Racism campaign, boxing champ Brian Magee and Harry Connolly of the Fáilte Feirste Thiar tourism initiative in West Belfast.

Our photo shows Brian Magee, who picked up a European super-middleweight title and a purse for €140,000 in Denmark in January, with Minister Wilson. Also pictured are as many as the 40 who hadn't bolted after lunch on the stairs at City Hall (led by the indefatigable Sinn Féin MLA Sue Ramsey).

Footnote: we serenaded the 40 in with a jazz band. Someone unfamiliar with his heritage remarked, "isn't that a bit foreign?" "Not at all, I replied, don't you know jazz comes from the union of Irish and African music in the US and the very name, as Danny Cassidy memorably pointed out, comes from the Irish word 'deas'." (5 Márta: Ooops: As Concubhar points out, he says it comes from teas/heat not deas/nice though anyone who met Danny or read How The Irish Invented Slang will understand the fun and the devilment was in telling the story rather than the accuracy of his conclusion.)

Focal scoir: Last night, I watched a marvellous 2006 documentary on TG4 about the indomitable but sadly passed Fr Ó Péicín, who led the fight for justice for the people of Tory before being banished by the church authorities, followed by the top-class Dónal Lunny series (Lorg Lunny) where he tours the country seeking members for a new band. The quality of the musicianship was out of this world, the Rosses Irish of Lunny a revelation and the breathtaking backdrops — Magee College, Belfast Castle, Limerick University, Philip King's home in Dingle — inspiring. I'll be tuning in next week to see the penultimate programme in this series which is a credit to the South Belfast film company Stirling Productions (under Anne Stirling — who I've just called to commend, she says: "I think this is the best thing we've ever done.") which, with seven Irish speakers on its staff full-time, is a major player in the Gaeilge universe.

The three per cent rule

There are all sorts of 'per cent' rules, so here's a new one.

I was with the Colin Neighbourhood Partnership board and key workers last night at an 'away-day'in the Dunadry Inn.

One of the key areas of work the Partnership champions is community safety: in base terms, trying to handle up to 500 young people who take to the streets of the area (Poleglass, Twinbrook, Dunmurry, Lagmore, Mount Eagles) on a weekend night. Not all of these young people are drinkers, not all are violent. But a minority are — which is why we get the sort of pitched battle scenes witnessed in the area this weekend.

An inordinate amount of the Partnership's resources are focused on containing this anti-social behaviour.

There are 16,000 young people in the Colin area. That 500 represent about three per cent of the total.

Also each year in Colin, about 500 young people or three per cent, leave school to go to college. Those young people will usually only peripherally avail of Partnership services.

So here's a thought: what about diverting the majority of resources focused on the three per cent at one end of the scale and trying instead to up that figure of college admissions from three to ten per cent.

In the case of Cristo Rey in New York, school ceo Fr Joseph Parkes says the focus isn't on the top 25 per cent of those heading to high school from disadvantaged backgrounds because they can usually access scholarships. Neither is it on the bottom 25 percentile because they are, sadly, already too far behind to benefit from the Cristo Rey approach. Instead, his energies are directed at the 50 per cent in the middle.

What percentage of our community resources go to the equivalent groups here?

Pictured is Ciaran Sheehan, head of Clarendon Executive Recruitment and a key player in Business in the Community, who also sits on the Colin Neighbourhood Partnership Board — as he enjoyed the post-discussion dinner last night. Next door was an Ulster-Scots dance night which, as you can see, Ciaran was keenly anticipating.

Homo erectus

I'm up but still shaky on it though the sunny weather — I saw my first wasp of 2010 30 minutes ago — will surely cure all ills.

This morning, I had a useful meeting to discuss a new plan to provide US scholarships to some of our ambitious young people in North Belfast and later today I will attend an away-day outside Belfast about the future of the Colin area (Dunmury-Twinbrook-Poleglass-Mount Eagles to you).

My brief is to discuss 'selling Colin'. The community leaders in the area are already at the top of their game when it comes to community regeneration but the next step will be to rebrand the area as one where the peace process has blossomed in terms of employment, training and education.

I think back to Tom McEnery, former Mayor of San José, who created the strap-line 'capital of Silicon Valley' for his Californian city and then lived up to the dream by making it the hub of the world's high-tech industries.

Tom asks an area wishing to recreate itself to search for its 'cathedral', that element which sets it apart and which makes for a compelling proposition. In the Gaeltacht Quarter, that's Irish culture and language. What will it be in Colin?

While you're thinking about that Heather Trotta of Cristo Rey has sent this photograph of St Patrick as he appears in a stained glass window in St Cecilia's church, which stands next door to her school. It really is something else. Thanks, Heather.

Out of circulation

It's not often I miss a blog posting but yesterday, after a four mile run along the Lagan, body and soul both called a time-out.

I've been horizontal since.

Still, on Saturday, I did finish off an article I'd been writing about the remarkable Cristo Rey school in East Harlem, New York, "the school that works".

Under the leadership of Fr Joe Parkes (pictured), Cristo Rey (one of a network of 24 schools across the US) adopts a unique approach: its students, aged from 14-18 spend a day a week working for a bluechip company.

Everything the school does is aimed at helping its students get to college and to succeed at college. A 'congratulations' message board contains the letters of acceptance for this children who are predominantly from immigrant homes and the first in their families to aspire to a university education.

An interesting footnote: I saw one white student, he hailed from Cuba, but while the majority of the student body were of colour, three quarters of staff were white. Make of that what you will. The school's mission: "Transforming urban America, one student at a time."

I interviewed Fr Parkes, whose parents hail from Leitrim and Fermanagh, about his work. The full article should appear in the Irish Echo and Belfast Media Group titles this week.

Fr Parkes is a former recipient of the Irish Echo Black and the Green awards and you can read his bio here and a podcast I did with him by clicking here.