OUR old pal Tom Hartley is a fine singer. He and I have been known to duet together. Back in the day in C Wing in Belfast Prison on the Crumlin Road, his dulcet tones echoed around the landings like a bird in flight while my rich baritone kept close harmony.
 
Our sonorous grace notes soared and dipped in perfect tune. Even now, decades later, men locked in the loneliness of their cells at that time, recalling nowadays how they were  transfixed by the magical quality of our voices, will shed a tear at this musical memory.  I even remember prison officers being moved by these moments. Tom always said he couldn’t abide mediocrity.

Archbishop Tutu: a voice for kindess: and reason has been lost
I HAD the honour and pleasure of meeting Desmond Tutu over the years. He was a friend of Ireland and a supporter of the Irish peace process. He was a remarkable, compassionate and inspirational human being. He never compromised on his belief in the essential goodness of people or on the imperative of dialogue as the means of resolving differences.