M1 Podcast

In this episode, I speak with Adam Jazi who grew up in Damascus and lived there until 2015, when he fled the Syrian civil war. We talk culture, politics and life in Syria and his journey from Damascus to Drogheda.

In the last episode, I discussed the role of the Gormanston Army Camp. It is to have a future has the induction centre for all defence forces recruits. For decades, there has been Irish troops on peace keeping missions in Lebanon , with 389 currently in place.

In this episode, I open the discussion with Adam to reflect on the current situation in Lebanon, as it is so close to Syria. In fact, in Lebanon, there are over 1million Syrian refugees.

On coming to Ireland, Adam has built a life for himself and his family and he has a dream to establish an arts cafe in the Drogheda area. He has also worked to assist other Syrians to resettle in Ireland. We discuss this work its impact and the circumstances for Syrian refugees in Ireland.

We also reflect on what has happened since 2011, with the emergence of the Arab Spring protest movement, the regime response and descent into civil war and the Russian intervention and we discuss how Syrians are getting on in Ireland.

While most Syrians wanted to go to Germany, he chose to come to Ireland. He had heard about Ireland through watching the news of the conflict in Ireland in the 1980s and says Syrians identify with Ireland. We discuss the extreme challenges Syrian refugees have living in Ireland. Adam says ‘the people of Ireland are the kindest people of Europe. I have had a very good experience living here’.

We know the road to Damascus has an important place in the history of Christianity. Today, we talk about the road from Damascus and the road to Drogheda, in particular. I discuss with Adam Jazi his journey as a refugee from Syria and the experience for Syrians in Ireland. However, we start out discussion reflecting on what is going on in Lebanon. In the last episode, we talked of the future role of Gormanston Army Camp as the induction centre for all defence forces recruits. Currently there are 389 Irish soldiers based in Lebanon. And in discussing the road from Damascus and Syria more generally, it is important to discuss the situation there as well because Syria neighbours both Israel and Lebanon and Iraq on the other.

We cover a lot of ground from the current situation in Lebanon and its history and the perspective of what might be, and it looks like what might be is more war and conflict. We explore what happened in Syria from the hopes and early democratic years following WW2 to the takeover by military through to the dictatorship of Assad and further explored what happened in the Arab Spring and afterwards. I hope you found it of interest. I certainly did. If you like what we do at the M1 podcast, please do like and subscribe.

Just off exit 7 on the M1 is the Gormanston Army Camp. What goes on here? What is the history? I spoke to three people who told me more.

I discussed with Lt Col John Kirke (Retired), the history of the camp, from its set up as a training base for the British air force, what was to become the RAF, from 1917 during World War 1 through its use as a training base for the Auxilleries (black & tans) and his own experience training and flying with the Irish Air Corp from the 1970s onwards.

Lt Col Ronan Curtis is Officer in Command at Gormanston Army Camp today tells me that the camp is at a new phase and will be a centre of increased importance for the Irish Defence Forces. It is to be the induction base for all new recruits to the Irish army.

Gormanston College today is a base for refugees seeking international protection, but from 1970, extraordinary numbers came through Gormanston Army Camp from the early years of troubles in the north. Brian Hanley (Assistant Professor Trinity College Dublin) is author of The Impact of the Troubles on the Republic of Ireland. I discussed with Brian the use of Gormanston Army Camp as a refugee camp and explore the reactions of the time.

The episode finishes with an RTE from 1970 with Rodney Rice interviewing the social worker Mairead Murphy supporting residents at Gormanston at the time talking about her work. RTÉ Archives | War and Conflict | Fleeing From The North (rte.ie)

In this episode, we team up with the Irish History Show Podcast to do a historical drive down the M1. Motorways typically are not the most interesting of places. They are roads to and from one place and another. We look at places of historical interest along the road.

We start our drive on from the Cooley Peninsula just north of Dundalk and discuss the legend of Chu Chulainn, driving down the M1, we turn off to the Irish Military Museum just outside Collon.

We can learn so much about history by looking around us from studying books to visiting Drogheda and learn about the impact of the Siege of Drogheda. Learn why the Newgrange site is not only an important tourist site, but an important historical site.

Places come to prominence at different times and for Balbriggan, the Sack of Balbriggan received international attention. This was recognised as a brutal collective punishment on the part of British forces.

We discuss the under recognised figure of Thomas Ashe and appreciate his lasting legacy on the area of Lusk. We also discuss Portrane Psychiatric Hospital, now the centre for the national Forensic Mental Health Service. We recognise important efforts at preserving historic sites and developing them here we tell the story of Swords Castle.

There are many aspects of history that we could look at up and down the M1, but perhaps this is enough to whet your appetite and know more. What should we have covered?

Home – Irish Military Museum & Park

Millmount Museum & Martello Tower | Drogheda.ie

Newgrange World Heritage Site : Boyne Valley, Ireland 

battleoftheboyne.ie

Carrying a cross for Ireland: Thomas Ashe in profile | Century Ireland (rte.ie)

It has been compared to a youth club for adults.  That’s a fair comparison, as there is even a table tennis table in the Warehouse Balbriggan.  The Warehouse has been the home of the Sceal arts collective.  It was a vacant building with no water, no toilets, not much of a roof acquired by Fingal Council and handed over to the group to facilitate the creative arts.

Sceal arts brings local creatives together to meet and exchange ideas.  Since founding just two years ago, dozens of projects have emerged.  In fact, this very podcast is a product of the Sceal Collective.  I put a call out for collaboration on making a local interest podcast series and I received a reply from just the right person – David West, sound engineer.  What I think is great about Sceal is that it is open to anyone, who can come down on a Wednesday evening or whenever something is one and find out, be open and possibly being involved.  I failed art in the Intercert but even I feel comfortable in this space.  

I spoke to some of the key people involved to find out more.  Among those I spoke to were Akville Sims and Violeta Savickiene, two artists involved.  Unfortunately the sound quality of my recording was so bad I could not use, but among their art works are Akville’s mosaics at Balbriggan beach and on Quay street made out of recycled materials.  This work involved 60 people.  Violeta teaches children art at the Combined Clubs and in Flemington Community Centre and one of her public works of art is the Swans memory mural at the back of the Combined Clubs, because at this location at one stage there was a lake with swans and some locals will even remember it.

In this episode, I spoke to Anita Doolin, David Newton and Alison O Grady about their involvement with Sceal Arts Collective.

In the aftermath of the Dublin riots and more riots in Coolock and dozens of arson attacks on refugee accommodation centres, many people will be thinking Gardai have lost control. Added to a general perception of many, with the level of drug use that our city centres are not safe, there is increased anxiety about how safe we are in our society.

I ask former Assistant Garda Commissioner Jack Nolan the following questions:

Was the Minister for Justice right in stating that Dublin was generally safe, last year?

Is crime going up, down or staying the same?

The protests are out of control- will Gardai get on top of the situation?

How to combat misinformation?

How is Garda morale?

Why is drug crime increasing?

Is there a case for decriminalisation or legalisation of drugs in Ireland?

Do we have enough prison spaces?

Have Gardai lost control of anti immigrant protests?

Can people have confidence in the Gardai to respond to crime?

If you live in Balbriggan, you live on land that was once owned by just one family- the Hamiltons. Their home was Hampton Hall, which has achieved fame for different reasons. I went to speak to the current owner and custodian of Hampton Hall, David Pratt about how he came to own this building and discuss its history and his current and future plans.

This is a building with extraordinary history and I also discussed with Historian Gerry Mullins as regards ‘that photo’ and with Cathy Mullan about the Gaeltacht experience in the 1970s.

George Hamilton (1732-93) was an MP for Belfast but was chiefly known for developing the town of Balbriggan. His grandson George Alexander Hamilton (1802-71) was also an MP but was known for a reputation as a landlord where no tenant died during the famine. As Chairman of the company that developed the Dublin to Belfast rail line, he also famously negotiated the building of a private family train station, just for his family, as the location at what is known as Lady’s Stairs at the coastal entrance to Ardgillan.

Hampton Hall is dated from 1758 but there was a previous building at this site called Straw Hall dating back to the 1400s.

Last month, Dublin City Council listed new houses as affordable at €475,000 on Oscar Traynor Road. The ‘market’ price is even higher. This is a discounted price, which is meant to be affordable, but €475,000 is not affordable for most of us.

There is another housing scheme introduced in 2020 which seeks to address the crisis in affordability. The ‘cost rental’ housing which is increasing since that time find its inspiration from the so called ‘Vienna’ model. That is, housing rented out at no profit. The rent pays for the cost of the house and maintenance.

When activists were advocating this game changing solution in the period 2015-2020, they envisioned if introduced at scale, rents would become affordable at say €700-800 per unit. By the time the scheme was introduced, its first units were renting out at €1200 per month on the southside of Dublin for 2 bed houses and the first cost rented units at €1200 in Balbriggan for 3 bed houses.

Cost rental housing is administered through Approved Housing Bodies and others including the Land Development Agency. If we had cost rental housing over decades, the model would have served us, as a state, very well because housing rent would not only pay for itself but would also generate income at the end of loan terms.

In terms of sustainability, it is a preferred method to social housing rent, which is housing that is rented based on the household income. In Dublin City Council, this is 15% and in Fingal this is 12% of net income. There are people in older social housing developments who say the rent they have paid has more than paid for their housing. This is true, if they have been renting since the 1970s, when the average house price was less than €10,000.

Today though, houses and apartments are being acquired by AHBs and local councils at a cost of €400,000 and €500,000 each. They are then rented out at social housing rents (15% and 12% in the case of Dublin City and Fingal) which is at an average of €280 per month. Of course, it is vital that social housing is provided at an increased level because we are in a situation where we have 14,000 or more homeless.

Cost rental housing has not unfortunately delivered affordable rents to the ‘squeezed middle’. The cost rents have risen significantly since 2020 because the cost of buying houses has increased significantly. Recent cost rents advertised in Fingal list 3 bed houses renting out at €1600 and €1700 a month. This is more than most recent mortgages.

So affordable houses are listed at €475,000 and affordable rents are €1700 a month and we have more people in housing need than ever before, what policy is going to address the situation of a crisis in housing affordability.

Last year, it was announced the government has commenced the construction of up to 2,000 modular housing units at a cost of €145,000 each. They were built to provide accommodation for Ukrainian refugees. First look inside Cork’s modular homes as Mahon prepares to welcome Ukrainian families (irishexaminer.com)

People may remember modular housing was presented as a solution as far back as 2014, after the death of homeless man Jonathan Corrie. It was presented as a rapid build low cost solution to a growing crisis in housing and homelessness. One year on from Jonathan Corrie’s death, we’re still relying on short-term solutions (thejournal.ie) Dublin may be getting five modular housing sites – here’s where they’ll be (thejournal.ie) However, between regulations and objections to the notion of ‘flat pack’ housing, modular housing did not feature in the delivery of social housing over the years.

Having walked by one of the newer build ‘estates’ in Sligo built for Ukrainians, I was very impressed with their presentation. They do look different from standard housing, but they do look great. They are small at 45 sqm for a two bed house, but small is what you get for €145,000.

With the roll out of these schemes around the country, it led me to think, why not provide small low cost rapid build modular housing for anyone who wants it. At a cost of €145,000, this would lead to a cost rent of €500 per month. The nature of cost rent administration is that it would be provided to people who choose it, not simply forced there. Surely it could be provided to people on social housing lists too, particularly through the Choice Based Lettings schemes.

More and more I think about it and although I tried to raise it as a solution in various arenas, I thought I would use this podcast to delve deeper into the topic. I warmly welcome your feedback. As well as my two guests, I spoke to representatives of three other modular building companies. These are companies already getting busy in providing housing on a one off basis sometimes in back gardens but sometimes also as one off housing.

I spoke to Ciaran Byrne, Marketing Co-ordinator of The Pod Factory and to Housing Finance Commentator Karl Deeter to discuss more.

Have a look at the website of The Pod Factory and see what they do The Pod Factory | Bespoke Affordable Homes

and here are some images of the modular builds being delivered currently

OPW Ukrainian Modular Housing | COADY Architects

I have long wondered about this question, particularly as I have moved from Howth to Balbriggan. No cricket between Howth and Clontarf but then as soon as you pass Malahide, which has a club, every town in Fingal is blessed with a club. There is a cricket club in Malahide, Portrane, Rusk, Lusk, Skerries, Ring Commons, Balrothery, Balbriggan, Ongar, Tyrellstown and possibly a few other places. Nowhere in Ireland has such a strong cricket profile- here we find out why.

In this episode, I discuss with Jim Bennett, former President of Leinster Cricket and Chair of the Hills Cricket Club in Skerries this question, because he has written the book The story of cricket in Fingal. The discussion has left me wanting more. Cricket is the sport which generates the best writing and commentary, Jim contends. He recommends CLR James Beyond a Boundary, which I will surely follow up on. CLR James was a great writer and I have one of his other books, which is The Black Jacobin- the story of the slave uprising in Haiti 1789.

CLR James chronicles the only successful slave revolt in history and provides a critical portrait of their leader, Toussaint L’Ouverture, ‘one of the most remarkable men of a period rich in remarkable men’. James was also even an acquaintance of Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky, but I digress. This podcast is about cricket and there is nothing that says Summer like cricket. I have even included the BBC cricket theme tune music.

The grounds in The Hills are impressive, as they are in the North County club. As I look at both clubs, I have a niggling feeling, these clubs would really benefit from cycle paths to give children direct access to their facilities. If I had stood once again for local election, I would have made that an issue. These are great facilities and they should be opened up to all who wish to access.

My discussion with Jim, brings great insights into the sport and the culture within the game from the story of the relationships which laid the basis for clubs formation to more recent trends of young people from places like Afghanistan finding their home in playing cricket in Fingal.

I hope you enjoy this episode. If you do, please comment below. If you don’t, please also comment below. Please review, share and like on spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. It all helps to build profile for this podcast, which I hope to help to make a home for local and regional audio content.

Ireland’s Stephen Roche of the time in 1896, a Balbriggan local came to prominence when he won the World Championship in cycling in Copenhagen.

I spoke to Brian Howley, Chairperson of the Balbriggan Historical Society about Harry Reynolds, his life in Balbriggan and beyond. The Historical Society also had a display about Harry Reynolds on exhibition during their pop-up museum at the Summerfest.

I also spoke to Hugh Devlin of HD Bike and Sport at the Balbriggan Retail Park. Hugh’s father set up a bike shop in 1984 at the back of Quinnsworth, later Tesco, off High Street in Balbriggan. With the end of their lease, Hugh Junior made the move to their impressive new facility at the retail park. I spoke to Hugh about cycling trends then and now.

Election day is fast approaching and in this episode, we start with news updates. Caio Benicio was a Deliveroo cyclist who intervened to stop the knife attacker on Parnell Square in Dublin back in November and now is he is a Fianna Fail candidate in the local elections.

Marion Agrios was a candidate for Fine Gael for Drogheda Rural but had to step down after On the Ditch revealed she had received a pay off from a developer who wanted her to withdraw an objection to housing near her Termonfeckin home.

We discussed the far right prospects in the elections and also how they are featuring in the media. Alan Fagan, regarded as a foul mouthed internet troll, was interviewed on LMFM this week and was asked if he was a suitable candidate due to his criminal past when he was in the throes of addiction. We feel it was unfair to focus on behaviour while he was addicted and believe his call for a residential centre for addiction in Drogheda is very worthy. However we do feel he should be challenged on his posts, as outline in this article Foul-mouthed internet troll to stand in election for Irish Freedom Party – SundayWorld.com

Should there be a voter licence? In order to drive, you have to demonstrate knowledge, in order to pass a test. Should it be that in order to vote, you need to show knowledge about what you are voting for? We discuss this question.

I was also joined by Cllr Emma Coffee (Fianna Fail, Dundalk South), Cllr Emma Cutlip (Labour, Drogheda Urban) and candidate Maria White (Sinn Fein, Laytown Bettystown) where we discussed the campaigns and issues they are raising and the challenges of representing constituents.

We would love to hear your feedback. Please do send a comment and share the links and add to your favourites.