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  • International Women’s Day

    Last Friday was International Women’s Day – a day when around the world humankind celebrates the work of women who are active in their communities, in trade unions, voluntary organisations, business, politics, their families and across every facet of our society.

    Two formidable Belfast Women

    On International Women’s Day history was made when two statues were unveiled at the front of Belfast City Hall to two formidable Irish republican women - Mary Anne McCracken and Winifred Carney. Despite the cold hundreds of people gathered for the ceremony to applaud these two fearless women and this important initiative by Belfast City Council

    Macalla na mBan


    On Saturday evening as part of the events to mark International Women’s Day the garden in the Roddy McCorley Club in west Belfast was rededicated after major renovations. The garden was first opened in 2007. Carál Ní Chuilín gave the main address reminding those present of the sacrifice of republican women in the struggle for Irish freedom. I was asked to read my poem which I wrote in 2006 as a tribute to my friend and comrade Siobhan O’Hanlon.

  • The Commission on the Future of Ireland held successful public meetings in Fermanagh and West Tyrone on Irish Unity.

    Friends of Sinn FĂ©in USA and various other Irish organisations held a successful summit in New York.

    Ireland’s Future released its ‘Ireland 2030’ proposals.

    Mary Lou McDonald & Pearse Doherty addressed the Irish Unity Summit in Cooper Union NYC.

    In my unity roundup hope and change are the pathway.

    Éire Aontaithe nua, nĂĄisiĂșn ina bhaile do chĂĄch.

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  • Casement

    I have spent many enjoyable afternoons in Casement Park watching countless football and hurling games and playing in some of them. I have lost count of my man of the match triumphs. Especially for St. Marys or Belfast Schools in hurling. Or on Sports Days. In the past the stand and terraces or raised mounds around the pitch provided a wonderful view of the contests. Some games attracted a few hundred spectators while others were watched by enthralled thousands.

    Casement Park was opened in June 1953 and was named after Roger Casement. He was one of the leaders of the Easter Rising of 1916 who was hanged in London by the British in August that year. The people of Belfast, but especially the west of the City, raised over one hundred thousand pounds to construct Casement Park.

    Starvation

    There is now overwhelming evidence that the Israeli state has added a new weapon to its arsenal of genocide against the Palestinian people – hunger. The video and photographic images of starving children and desperate parents searching for food and water are heart rending. The UN says some 2.3 million people in Gaza are now on the brink of starvation.

  • Respect

    On Sunday last I spoke at the 40th Anniversary Commemoration of the killing by the SAS of IRA Volunteers Henry Hogan and Declan Martin in Dunloy County Antrim. Declan was 18. Henry was 20.

    I was also the speaker at the funerals in February 1984. At that time hundreds of RUC and scores of landrovers surrounded Henry Hogans wake house and myself, Martin McGuinness, Danny Morisson and Owen Carron linked arms with other mourners to create a human barrier around the house and the funeral to shield them from the RUC. That is the way many republican funerals were conducted in those days.

    A Window on the Past

    Ask almost everyone you know about the date when internment was introduced and the 9 August 1971 will be the popular answer. .

    That was the day 342 men and boys were dragged from their homes in the early hours of the morning to be beaten, interrogated and interned. Fourteen were the victims of planned torture – the Hooded Men.

    Ceasefire Now

    The European Union’s Foreign Policy chief Joseph Borrell took issue with US President Joe Biden and his remarks that the Israeli state’s offensive against the Palestinian people had been excessive. “If you believe that too many people are being killed maybe you should provide less arms,” Mr. Borrell said
”If the international community believes that this is a slaughter, that too many people are being killed, maybe they have to think about the provision of arms.”

  • An appeal for Information

    In the 1970s the IRA shot dead and secretly buried a number of people. This is a terrible legacy of that period of our history. The families of those killed have suffered a grievous injustice. Republicans, including the IRA, recognise and have acknowledged this fact. What happened was wrong and unjustifiable.


    Israel’s War Against Children

    The accounts of the Israeli genocide in the Gaza Strip against the Palestinian people have produced many difficult and heart wrenching moments. The destruction of homes and schools and hospitals; the deliberate killing of over 30,000 children, women and men; the mass murder of health workers, journalists and civilians; the destruction of cemeteries; the premeditated shepherding of civilians into killing zones by Israeli forces, and so much more have shocked and appalled millions around the world. The Israeli state’s war on Gaza will be remembered for all this. It will also be forever remembered as Israel’s war against children

    Moore St Raffle

    The Moore Street Preservation Trust are raffling a framed, limited edition Moore Street Print by renowned Irish Artist Robert Ballagh.

    Tickets are €10/£9 and the draw will take place on Easter Sunday.

    Get your tickets here: http://msptshop.myshopify.com/

  • Historic Change

    The restoration last Saturday of the political institutions and the election of Michelle O'Neill as First Minister marks an extraordinary turning point in the process of constitutional change for the North and for the island of Ireland. It is a significant new chapter in the transitional process of change that began with the peace process. Last Saturday something fundamental happened.

    Alex Maskey

    Alex has committed himself to continuing his activism and to the goal of Irish Unity and to the principles and objectives he has dedicated his life to. So, well done Alex and well done also to Liz, an activist in her own right. She has been by his side through all of these years. Ádh mor oraibh a chairde.

    Ivor Browne

    Ivor Browne died last week, aged ninety four. I admired him a lot. And I’m glad to say I met him a few times. He was one of the world’s leading and pioneering psychiatrists. As President Micheal D Higgins said he ‘
left a profound mark on the understanding and attitudes to mental health in Ireland’. A visionary and a doer Ivor dismantled mental institutions and developed community clinics. He was a revolutionary. Professor Brendan Kelly said his legacy was ‘the additional liberty enjoyed by thousands of people who avoided institutionalisation as a result of the reforms which Ivor came to represent’.

  • Comhghairdeas Kneecap

    Comhghairdeas Kneecap as an rath a bhí ar bhur scannån ag féile scannån Sundance.

    Last August I travelled over to a studio close to Queen’s University to meet with Kneecap. The three west Belfast lads were busy putting the final touches to their movie which recounts – mostly i nGaeilge - how they were formed. That night they were to do some work with Michael Fassbender but I was there to film a short segment.


    Irish government must join South Africa

    Many thanks and commendations to the government of South Africa for taking the case to the ICJ on behalf of the people of Palestine.

    There was widespread welcome for the decision of the International Court of Justice last week ordering Israel to:

    · Refrain from acts under the genocide convention

    · Prevent and punish the direct and public incitement to genocide

    · Take measures to ensure humanitarian assistance to civilians

    · Preserve evidence of genocide and submit a report to the Court

    · And submit a report to the ICJ in one month.




    Áras Uí Chonghaile – A world class visitor centre

    Áras Uí Chonghaile – the James Connolly Visitor Centre on the Falls Road – was formally opened by Uachtarán Michael D Higgins in April 2019. The Áras celebrates the life and times of James Connolly, the key role he played in Irish history, the struggle for freedom and the Labour Movement. It be a world class visitor centre exploring the life of Connolly; with a unique interactive exhibition; a library of writings by and about Connolly; historical objects relating to Connolly, and an all year round programme of engagement with communities, schools and visitors and a bialann.

  • Time for Clarity.

    The question – will he or won’t he – has yet to be answered. Will Jeffrey Donaldson provide the leadership needed to persuade his party to go back into the Executive or, as Michelle O’Neill pondered at last week’s meeting of the Assembly, have we seen the final sitting of the Assembly?

    Irish government must recognise Palestinian State

    The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ruled out a post-war peace process that would lead to the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state. A statement released after he had spoken to President Joe Biden last weekend said: "In his conversation with President Biden, Prime Minister Netanyahu reiterated his policy that after Hamas is destroyed Israel must retain security control over Gaza to ensure that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to Israel, a requirement that contradicts the demand for Palestinian sovereignty."

    On the same day in a post on X – formerly Twitter Netanyahu said that Israel must retain "security control over the entire area west of [River] Jordan." This is an area which also includes the Israeli-occupied West Bank territory.

  • WCNSFs – Wounded Child No Surviving Family

    Israel’s genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza and the west Bank passed the 100 day mark at the weekend. By the time this column is published the number of dead at the hands of Israel’s war machine is likely to have passed 25,000, mostly women and children. That’s almost equivalent to the entire population of Newry wiped out.

    Irish Unity Summit for New York

    This week the tickets became available for a major public event on Irish Unity to be held in New York on 1st March. Billed as an ‘Irish Unity Summit’ the event is jointly sponsored by the Ancient Order of Hibernians, the Brehon Law Society, Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, Friends of Sinn FĂ©in USA, Irish American Unity Conference, James Connolly Labor Coalition, Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians.

    The ‘Summit’ will be held in The Great Hall at Cooper Union. It will start at 1:00 pm on Friday 1st March and conclude at 6:00 pm. There will be keynote speakers, panel discussions, and cultural performances.

    The Fermanagh Blackbird

    DĂłnal O Connor and his family have made a long standing and continuing contribution to Irish traditional music and song. DĂłnal is a well known and respected musican, broadcaster and producer. We are all indebted to and enriched by the work of the O Connor and NĂ­ UallachĂĄin clanns. Because of them and others like them the traditional music scene is alive and well. Many songs and tunes which might have been lost have been retained or recovered.

  • Death of a Hero

    Just before Christmas my colleague Greg O'Loughlin, the Executive Director of Friends of Sinn FĂ©in in the USA , gave me the sad news that veteran American Civil Rights leader King Hollands had died. I had the honour of meeting King and his fellow activists Rip Patton and Richard Dinkins during a visit to Nashville in November 2018.

    Frank Kitson.

    Richard has insisted that I write a little bit about the death of Frank Kitson. Kitson, British Army general and leading advocate of counter-insurgency operations and collusion between state forces and death squads died last week. I have written about him many times. I am sure his death will be mourned by those within the British system whom he served over many decades in defence of the Empire. He was rewarded with medals, a knighthood, and military promotions. He was for a time Commander in Chief of the UK Land Forces and from 1982 to 1985 he was Aide-de-Camp General to the British Queen.

    Few if any of his many victims who were tortured, imprisoned, killed by his counter-gangs and collusion strategies, whether in the North or in Malaya, Kenya, Aden or Cyprus, will shed tears at his passing. Nollaig na mBan

    Nollaig na mBan - Women’s Christmas or Little Christmas – was celebrated last Saturday. Traditionally, it’s the last day of the Christmas period when the role of women who did all the work preparing for and making Christmas a success for everyone else, was celebrated. January the 6th was the day when they had the opportunity to rest and celebrate.

  • This Land Is Your Land.

    I am a long time fan of Woody Guthrie. He is one of the worlds great song writers in the English language and many of his words are as relevant today as they were when he wrote them. He was also an American activist who agitated and educated and sang for social equality, immigration reform, peace and fairness. He stood against fascism, racism, war, corruption and for a clean environment. He sang about love, for workers rights and a better life for all.

  • So, 2023 was a very busy year. Lots of activism. 2024 is already shaping up to be even busier. So, join the campaigns for a Citizens’ Assembly and for the unity referendums. Have your say on the future and help shape the new Ireland.


    A New Year Wish

    Bbliain Úr Faoi Mhaise Daoibhse Go Leir.

    I received this verse in a Christmas card. Very appropriate.

  • A Boy named Jay

    I did a book signing for Christmas at An Fhuiseog’s stand in the Kennedy Centre. It was a pleasant hour of banter and craic, meeting old friends and making new ones. Gerry Kelly was there just before me but he escaped when I arrived. So it was just me and the punters. And RG and Maggie who was selling all matter of gifts for An Fhuiseog.

    2024 – Momentum toward Unity Polls set to increase

    After weeks, months, of public and private negotiations it is still not clear as 2023 draws to a close what the future of the Executive and Assembly will be. The British government says it has delivered its final word on the issue. The various party positions remain as they were. We shall see what the New Year brings on this.

  • 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, CĂłr CĂșil Aodha, including SeĂĄn O’SĂ© and SeĂĄn 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.

  • SlĂĄn 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 FĂ©in’ Connolly House in Andersonstown is now to close. A new constituency office has been opened for ÓrlaithĂ­ 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 CholĂĄiste 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.

    SeĂĄn Harte - a fior Gael, republican and decent man

    SeĂĄn 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 FĂ©in. 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 FĂ©in 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 FĂ©in 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 FĂ©in; 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 MicheĂĄl and Riordan were in An CultĂșrlann last week on Belfast’s Falls Road to launch Mickey’s new book PULSE. Peter Canavan was there also along with mĂ© fĂ©in. 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.