Slán Irish Voice

 

Two weeks ago Niall O’Dowd, founder of the Irish American newspaper The Irish Voice announced that it was to close after 36 years. The New York based Irish Voice and the Irish Echo were the principle sources of news for decades of Irish Americans and new Irish immigrants moving to the USA. Now the Irish Voice is gone. But a far sighted Niall O’Dowd realised some years ago the direction of travel for newspapers competing against the huge growth in online media services and founded the online Irish Central. Today IrishCentral.com gets over two million visitors monthly.

Every Brilliant Thing

Listening, as I usually do on Sunday mornings, to Sunday with Miriam on RTE Radio  after Sunday Miscellany I really enjoyed Altan’s tunes and Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh’s craic. I was also very taken by the preview of Every Brilliant Thing which is being staged at The Galway Arts Festival.

Theatre Director Andrew Flynn gave us an insight into this play by Duncan Macmillan. Essentially this is about a young man who starts, at the age of seven, to compile a list of those things which make his life worth living. This is while he is battling with the challenges of the different stages of his life, including his mother’s attempt at suicide. 

War Crimes in Jenin

The Israeli Government’s assault on Jenin, the Palestinian refugee camp, in the occupied west Bank left 12 people dead and scores more injured. Using bombs, Apache helicopters, drones, bulldozers and hundreds of troops Israel’s apartheid regime imposed a reign of terror on the 14,000 people who live in Jenin. More than 3,000 civilians were displaced from their homes.