A massacre in Instalments

AS I write this column the number of Palestinians killed this year by Israeli forces and settlers in the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza strip is 207. By the time it is published in a few days time that number will have increased. Last Friday I watched online video of the last moments of Ammar Mufleh, aged 23, shot dead in Huwara, south of Nablus in the occupied West Bank, by an Israeli soldier. He was the tenth Palestinian killed by Israeli forces in 10 days. 

MAKING THE CASE FOR IRISH UNITY

In 2019 Professor Colin Harvey and Mark Bassett, Barrister-at-Law, co-authored an independent legal and academic report – 'The EU and Irish Unity: Planning and Preparing for Constitutional Change in Ireland'. It was part of a series of reports which examined the implications of Brexit. 

Last month the two produced a second report. “'Making the Case for Irish Unity in the EU' was commissioned by The Left in the European Parliament. It explores the legal mechanisms that are part of the Good Friday Agreement for the island of Ireland to be reunited within the EU. The report also sets out the steps the EU can take to provide for such an eventuality.

Marie Ferris and Martin. 

A week or so ago on November 18 in Killarney 820 republicans broke bread together in honour of Martin and Marie Ferris. It was a great night. Marie Ferris is one of my heroes. A warrior woman. An activist. A mammy. A mamó. And the wife of Martin Ferris. Martin is one of my heros as well. He is as tough as old boots. As strong  as teak. A Kerry Gael from head to toe. But he has the heart of an angel. That’s probably why Marie has put up with him all this time. 

Adrian Dunbar in Moore St.

I want to thank Adrian Dunbar and all of those who turned out last Saturday morning for tour of the 1916 Moore St. Battlefield site in Dublin

Words.

In Ireland the English which we use is Hiberno English. We use Irish language constructions a lot as well as many Irish words or words based on Irish words.

As part of the colonisation of our island people London tried to destroy our native culture, music, dance and language. They failed and we hibernised the language they forced on us. In Ulster there is also a Scots influence. Different locations have their own local phrases or words. And native place names are special. I love that. Dialects are all part of the colour or fabric of dialogue.

Moore Street 

So the battle to save the 1916 Moore Street Battlefield site continues and is growing in strength. More and more people want to see this area developed as a historic quarter which would be of huge educational, economic and social significance to the people of Dublin Inner city, the capital and the nation, as well as a fitting memorial to the heroism of the men and women of 1916

Thank You Briege and Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin 

Friends from far and near were in the Four Seasons Hotel in Monaghan last Saturday night for a special testimonial event for my old friend and comrade Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin. Mary Lou McDonald was there to remind us of Caoimhghín’s long and distinguished life of activism for over 40 years. It was also an opportunity to thank Briege. It’s not easy being the partner of an activist but Briege is a Republican in her own right and her family before her. So go raibh maith agat a bheanuasal agus do chlann.

‘The Eternal Buzz and the Crock of Gold.’ 

The event for Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin was not my only social outing last week. Shane MacGowan published what some have described as his first ever art book. However that label doesn’t do it justice. It is a wild mixture of over 3,000 poems, photographs, sketches, and paintings. It includes self-portraits and handwritten lyrics of almost two dozen songs, including early versions of lyrics for The Pogues. There are even some of his cocktail recipes.

Alcohol Abuse

Out of my brain

And suddenly my world

Was free of pain

Out of my brain

And I didn’t think

I’d feel that good again

But I could

And I would

And I did

Time to Extend Presidential Vote to North and Diaspora  

Last week I wrote about the threat posed to our world by climate change. The international climate change conference - COP 27 – which commenced in Egypt on Sunday is viewed by many as the world’s last real opportunity to reverse this threat. This year has been especially dangerous with a mixture of floods, droughts, huge storms and the threat of famine in East Africa.


End the Cuban Embargo

The economic and societal impact on the people of Cuba of the economic blockade by the USA is enormous. The blockade, which began in 1960, prevents essential economic and medical resources from reaching the people of that Caribbean island nation. It imposes billions in costs on the Cuban economy each year. 

A Good Day Out. 

It was good to be able to attend the Sinn Féin Ard Fheis in Dublin last Saturday. The Ard Fheis is the supreme authority in Sinn Féin. It is  the open democratic forum where policy is agreed, leaders elected and strategy and direction discussed. Members can attend and visitors but the democratic base of the Ard Fheis is the delegates elected and directed by local cumainn and other party structures  to speak and vote on motions  which have also been put forward by members.  

Good Advice? 

I thought I might pass on a random sample of some of the personal advice I have been given over the years. You dear reader  might, like me, benefit from some of it. Or perhaps not.

Brazil

The successful election in Brazil of former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (popularly called Lula) has raised hopes that the huge damage being done to the Amazon rain forest and the threat to the indigenous peoples of that region will now end.

The Climate Emergency

This weekend the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 27 – the Conference of the Parties) will begin in Sharm El Sheikh, in Egypt. It will be the 27th UN Climate Change conference and last for 12 days

It comes at a critical juncture in the effort to tackle climate change and follows the publication of three keynote reports by UN agencies warning that we are on the cusp of  climatic changes from which there is little prospect of recovery.

Conway Mill – 40th birthday

Conway Mill has been at the heart of west Belfast for over almost 200 years. First as a hard place of work for generations of local people, mainly women, and then as a community hub providing education and employment opportunities. Last week the Mill celebrated its 40th birthday promoting, supporting and facilitating small indigenous economic enterprises, and providing adult education facilities

Famine

The history of An Gorta Mór – the Great Hunger – runs deep in the Irish psyche. Few have not read of or heard about the unimaginable horror that the people of Ireland faced during the 1840s. Some label it The Famine although we know that there was sufficient food on the island to feed the people. Political decisions allowed over a million to die and millions more to take to coffin ships for other shores.

Surrender

Bono - U2’s lead singer has written a book. Surrender 40 Songs One Story. I’m looking forward to reading it. 

I understand from press reports that he says his wife Ali and he were targets for the IRA. That’s news to me and I’m sure to anyone else close to republican thinking back in the day.  Bono is also quoted in some news reports claiming that I hate him. Nope Paul, not me. You must be mixing me up with someone else. I don’t hate anyone. It’s a wasted negative emotion. I do detest imperialism - a good old fashioned word. Greed. Cruelty. Unbridled capitalism. War. Poverty. I believe in freedom. Solidarity. Equality.  Community. Socialism. The Arts.  

Wee Baby Brothers

My mother, Annie, gave birth to thirteen of us. I am the oldest.  Then came Margaret, Paddy, Ann, Frances, Liam, Jim and David, Sean and his twin Brendan, Maura, Deirdre and Dominic. We are probably not all listed here in proper chronological order. I rarely get anyone’s birthday right. It’s hard to keep track. We are now reduced to eight. Our brother Liam and sister Frances died in the last few years. David and Jim died at birth or shortly afterwards in 1956 and Sean’s twin Brendan in 1958 again at birth or shortly afterwards.

Well done Ciarán and Orlaith

Two weeks ago my good friends Ciarán and Orlaith Staunton from New York were awarded the Presidential Distinguished Service Award for the Irish Abroad by President Michael D Higgins.

Belfast Peoples Assembly

Well done to Belfast Sinn Féin for last week’s successful Belfast People’s Assembly in the Waterfront Hall. Over 300 hundred people packed into the studio conference hall to hear submissions from a range of individuals and groups, including community activists, academic, business people, anti-racist groups and Gaeilgeoirí.

Cresslough
I know Creeslough well. I have friends who live there. Outside the village. At both ends. My heart goes out to the families of the ten people who were killed last Friday.

Same old Story

Last Saturday’s DUP party conference saw it behave as unionist parties have usually behaved. Within their own little bubble.   

It’s the same old story. The DUP was established 50 years ago to oppose civil rights. It was openly sectarian. It pledged to Smash Sinn Féin – and failed - founded its own paramilitary organisations and set its face against power sharing. It successfully outmanoeuvred its unionist electoral rivals and emerged triumphant as the largest party in the Assembly.

Patrick Kavanagh

I am a long time fan of Patrick Kavanagh. And a long time supporter of Claddagh Records. Poet and writer Patrick Kavanagh was born in rural north Monaghan in 1904.  He left school at the age of 12 and taught himself about literature. He went on to become one of our leading poets.

Together we Can

 Ireland’s Future is well named. Its landmark event last Saturday in Dublin was all about the future. 

Saturday’s conference was an ambitious project. Over thirty participants addressed 5,000 citizens. Ten political parties with five party leaders along with leaders from civic society and the Arts talking about their desire to achieve a united Ireland.  And music and dance as well. That’s a remarkable achievement.

Belfast Peoples Assembly.

If you want to continue the discussion on future constitutional change why not come along to Belfast’s  Waterfront Hall at 7pm on 12 October. Sinn Féin’s Commission on the Future of Ireland will launch the first of our Peoples’ Assemblies. The second one is on November 24 in the Mount Errigal Hotel in Letterkenny.

State Murder in the Glens

It has long been my view that people need to tell their own stories and the stories of their communities. Historians often concentrate on the big events, the big stories and big leaders. These are important but usually the personal accounts of citizens and their individual experiences are ignored.

Lucas

We buried Óglach Frank Lucas Quigley last week. A very large funeral on a beautiful warm afternoon. There was tears and music – a fine piper and Bik on the feadóg. And  songs. Fra McCann was fear an tígh and Danny Morrison excelled himself with a wonderful oration which captured the essence, humanity, humour, bravery and history of Frank and his family especially Jimmy, another Óglach, killed  aged eighteen by the British Army  fifty years before on the very date of Frank’s funeral.