Shane:

Last Friday I travelled to Nenagh for the funeral of Shane MacGowan. It was a sad and yet joyous event with family and friends lifting their voices and their hearts as a succession of musicians played some of Shane’s best known songs, including the exuberant Fairytale of New York, Cór Cúil Aodha, including Seán O’Sé and Seán O’Riada’s son Peadar also did what they do best.

The de-humanising of the Palestinians:

Last Sunday was the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It was a response to the horror of the Second World War, and in particular the holocaust of European Jews and murder of countless millions of trade unionists, gay people, socialists and others the Nazi regime regarded as inferior. Its first sentence encapsulation what many hoped would be the dawn of a new era – ‘All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.’

Christmas Ceol:

If you are looking for musical stocking fillers this column recommends two bits of ceol. First off is Fergus O Hare’s new CD – Deep in my Heart.

Slán Shane

Shane MacGowan was a friend of West Belfast. Back in 1988 in the wake of the killings of IRA Volunteers Mairead Farrell, Dan McCann and Sean Savage in Gibraltar, and the killing of other citizens at their funerals and the killing also of IRA Volunteer Kevin McCracken in Turf Lodge this community was subjected to a vicious full frontal tsunami of vilification on the back of decades of demonisation and discrimination.

Connolly House - End of an Era.

Sinn Féin’ Connolly House in Andersonstown is now to close. A new constituency office has been opened for Órlaithí Flynn MLA in the row of shops just below Casement Park and opposite The White Fort.

 The lies of War

Israel’s genocidal campaign against the Palestinian people recommenced last week. The deliberate murder of hundreds of Palestinian civilians and the industrial scale destruction of Palestinian homes, schools, hospitals and refugee camps is about the expulsion of the Palestinian people from Gaza.

Where to for Loyalism?

I have met many loyalists over a very long time. In prison. Out of prison. In secret or in private talks going back to the 1970s. And many times since then. I like to think that some of us became friends. Or at least we became friendly. Some loyalist leaders played a crucial role in the negotiations which led to the Good Friday Agreement. They deserve great credit for that. That was then.  Unfortunately some of those involved have died or are no longer active. In other instances more progressive elements have been replaced by a younger cohort, with little interest in politics or experience of prison or conflict. Twenty five years after the Good Friday Agreement the main loyalist organisations remain in existence. Why?

Peace requires respect for Palestinian rights

The four day ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages, including Emily Hand the nine year old Irish/Israeli child, was a welcome development. Every effort must now be made to ensure the release of all hostages. But this must include those Palestinian hostages – now numbering in their thousands and including many children – some of whom have been interned by Israel for years.

The Far Right must be challenged

The horrifying stabbing in Dublin last week of three children and a woman from Gaelscoil Choláiste Mhuire and the subsequent street violence was shocking. And the bravery of those who tackled the attacker is to be commended.  The burning of Garda cars and buses  and  the looting of shops  must be condemned. But that is not enough.  There are real questions about how these events were handled  and about the lack of resources, policing capacity and intelligence.  

strength to strength 

Regular readers will know that Ionad Eileen Howell/St. Comgall’s was formally opened in June by the US Economic Envoy Joe Kennedy. It came after many years of fundraising, planning and hard work by all involved – not least Eileen Howell who the centre is named after. The project is designed to promote economic, educational, social and cultural benefits for the people who live and work in the local area and to promote good relations between communities. Ionad Eileen Howell joins Conway Mill and other local projects in this important work.

 Seán Harte - a fior Gael, republican and decent man

Seán Harte was a proud County Tyrone man – a native of Loughmacrory - a GAA stalwart and long standing republican activist in Canada where he was a board member of Friends of Sinn Féin. His death is a huge loss to the Irish Republican and GAA communities in Canada but especially to his family. 

First Prize

I rediscovered this certificate last week. I was awarded it fifty years ago. It celebrates me winning the Leeper category in the annual Long Kesh Cage Feis organised by the local Sinn Féin Cumann. In our cage the Cumann was called after big Mundo or Eddie O’Rawe. Eddie was an IRA Volunteer executed by the British Army after they captured him down the Falls in Belfast, in April 1973. Eddie was a patriot and a gentleman.

Palestine.

The awfulness of the Israeli State’s onslaught on Gaza continues to shock people in Ireland and throughout the world. The mobilisation of people everywhere is admirable. It is crucially important that we do not stop our demand for a Ceasefire.

Fr. Alec Reid

Next Wednesday – 22 November – will mark the tenth anniversary of the death of Father Alec Reid. It is a matter of wonderment that a decade has passed since he left us. Students of the Irish peace process will know that Alec was a central figure in our search for peace. He and Fr. Des Wilson were key to the beginning of that process. I won’t deal in this column with all the twists and turns of those times or the stubborn refusal for decades of the establishments, British and Irish, to embrace dialogue. Fr Alec and Des helped to change that. And much more. This column reflects on some of Fr Alec’s qualities.

Making magic at the Ard Fheis

There have been Sinn Féin Ard Fheiseanna that have had their special, magical moment that remains in the memory years – even decades - later. Last weekend’s Ard Fheis in Athlone produced two such moments. The first came just before 1pm on Saturday. Matt Carthy TD - the party’s spokesperson on Foreign Affairs - introduced the Palestinian Ambassador Dr Jilan Wahba Abdalmajid.

The Unity Debate 

Seven key Irish-American organisations have announced an ‘Irish Unity Summit – For a New and United Ireland’ to be held in New York on 1st March next year. This major initiative – coming as it will just before St. Patrick’s Day and the visit to the USA of political leaders from Ireland – is being organised by the Ancient Order of Hibernians; the Brehon Law Societies of NYC and Nassau; the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick Long Island; Friends of Sinn Féin; Irish American Unity Conference; the James Connolly Irish American Labor Coalition, and the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians. More details on the format and speakers will be announced by the organisers later. 

Ethnic Cleansing

 By the time you read this column the numbers of people killed in Gaza will have exceeded 10,000. Almost half of these are children. Every minute, of every hour, of every day new and dreadful images emerge from Palestine that horrify and shock.

This is not the first time that the Palestinian people have faced ethnic cleansing.  In 1948 the Nakba or Catastrophe witnessed the ethnic cleansing of almost 80% of historic Palestine by the newly established Israeli state. In the decades since then an Israeli apartheid system has dehumanised and demonised the Palestinian people.

Crann Na Saoirse. 

This is tree planting time. Again. Any month with an ‘R’ will do but it’s usually best between October and March. But plant your wee baby trees well before or well after the frost kicks in. I always try to do my planting in the Autumn so the tree will have time to settle in before Spring. Container grown trees can be planted at any time, though they too need protected from frost  but I mostly use bare root or wee slips grown from seed.

Wolfe Tone’s Cordial Union 

Last week I attended an event in Parliament Buildings at Stormont, hosted by US Special Economic Envoy Joe Kennedy. There was a panel discussion on the impact of the Good Friday Agreement which involved myself, former DUP leader Peter Robinson; former Alliance Assembly Speaker Eileen Bell; Lady Daphne Trimble, President of the Ulster Unionist Party; and former SDLP leader Mark Durkan. First Minister designate Michelle O’Neill, DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson and UUP leader Doug Beattie were all present. 

Ceasefires Now

News from the Middle East continues to numb and outrage and anger most people. But we cannot give up. We have a duty to the people of Palestine to stay focussed on the demands to Stop the War - Support Humanitarian Initiatives - Start Peace Talks. The people of Israel and Palestine need the support of the international community. We are part of that community. Let us find ways to get our leaders to uphold international law. End the siege of Gaza. Free Palestine. 

 PULSE

Mickey Coleman , his wife Erin and their sons Micheál and Riordan were in An Cultúrlann last week on Belfast’s Falls Road to launch Mickey’s new book PULSE. Peter Canavan was there also along with mé féin. I never thought I would be on a panel with Peter Canavan - one of my footballing heroes and all Ireland champion with Tyrone. Twice. But there we were telling yarns and sharing songs and funny stories. And a bunch of fine singers from Glassdrummond entertained us and moved everyone with their rendition of The Brantry Boy. 

We are all Palestinians

As I write this week’s column all of the scéal coming from the Israeli government and its international allies indicate that a ground invasion of Gaza is imminent. It will, according to some be a ‘surgical strike against Hamas’. From British government Ministers, to political pundits, to international allies of the Israeli government, to Israeli spokespersons the aim – they say - is to destroy Hamas.

It’s all nonsense of course. The reality is that Israel can no more destroy Hamas than Hamas can destroy Israel.

Peacemakers

30 years ago on Monday an IRA bomb exploded on the Shankill Road killing nine people and IRA Volunteer Thomas Begley. It was a shocking event compounded a week later when eight people were shot dead in Greysteel. These were two of many atrocities which occurred during a quarter century of conflict in the North. Their impact on families and communities reverberates still today, as do the more than 3,000 other deaths and the thousands of injuries that resulted from those desperate years. The families of the dead and the injured have lived with the consequences ever since. 

Today we are in a much better place. Not least because many of those who suffered directly from the violence became peacemakers. Citizens willing to step beyond their own personal tragedies and provide support and comfort to the bereaved and injured and to become advocates for peace and for justice.  We are mindful of their loss and grateful for their courage and dedication in breaking down barriers. Alan McBride - who lost his wife Sharon and her father Desmond in the IRA bomb - is one such person. He is an example to the rest of us, including this columnist. 

Tír Chonaill Thuaidh 

Bhuail mé le spéirbhean 

Ar bharr portaigh

I measc na sléibhte 

I dTír Chonaill Thuaidh. 

 

Ireland Should Launch A Middle East Peace Initiative.

Like many of you I have been shocked and distressed by the appalling events in the Middle East. The attack by Hamas fighters which targeted civilians cannot be defended. Mary Lou McDonald spoke for all of us when she unreservedly condemned these actions and called for the release of all hostages.

Waterford Assembly votes for Citizens’ Assembly

Exactly one year after the first Peoples Assembly on Irish Unity was held in Belfast the ninth such conference took place in Waterford. The Waterford event was held last Thursday 12 October in the Tower Hotel in Waterford. Other  conversations have taken place in Belfast, Derry, on the border at Carrickcarnon, in Donegal, Dublin and now in Waterford. Another is planned for 27 November in the Galway  Gaeltacht. There have also been online events attracting hundreds of participants. 

Moore Street 1916  Womens Tour. 

The Moore Street Preservation Trusts 1916 Women’s Tour was a great success. Hosted by renowned singer and actress Imelda May and narrated by Liz Gillis and Honor Ó Brolcháin every one on the tour learned a lot.

Peace Talks Now

The scale of the assault by Palestinian fighters into Israel last weekend is unparalleled. The scenes of death and destruction on both sides are heart breaking. But shock and despair at more violence in that region is not the answer.

On Being Seventy Five. 

I  published a version of this reflection  when I was seventy two.Following my recent 75th birthday I  think it deserves another slightly revised outing. I might rewrite and republish it again when I’m eighty. Who knows? 

The 1916 Women’s Tour. 

 

Robert Ballagh’s recent limited edition print for the Moore St. Preservation Trust is a timely reminder of the key role women played in the 1916 Rising. Too often in our history their contribution is either ignored or only found in the margins of the accounts.