Frederick Douglass takes pride of place in Belfast

A great crowd turned out on Monday morning in Lombard St. in Belfast City Centre for the unveiling by Belfast City Ard Mheara Ryan Murphy of a very fine statue of Frederick Douglass, escaped slave and human rights campaigner. It is a striking image of Douglass who is an iconic figure for his work on campaigning for an end to slavery and for equality and justice for African Americans and for women. He visited Ireland in 1845-46 just before the worst years of The Great Hunger.

 National Hunger Strike March for Cork

For the first time the annual National Hunger Strike Commemoration will be held in Cork City on Sunday 27 August to remember the ten 1981 hunger strikers and Michael Gaughan and Frank Stagg. First Minister designate Michelle O’Neill will be the main speaker.

Gino and the Pen Behind The Wire.  

Prisoners Day is an important date in the Féile an Phobail calendar. The event on August 11 in the Felon’s Club is an opportunity to look at exhibitions, hear talks on issues affecting former POWs, including this year an up-to-date on the CR Gas campaign.

A few weeks ago I noted the upcoming launch at Prisoners Day of a wonderful book of poetry, The Pen Behind The Wire, by Eoghan ‘Gino’ MacCormaic. At the back of the book there is a list of family and friends and comrades who recorded some of Gino’s poems with QR codes for readers to listen to the spoken word. Among the many contributors are his wife and other family members, Christy Moore, Lucilita Bhreatnach, Rosie McCorley, Gerry Kelly, mé féin and many more.