Posted by Jim on October 17, 2016
By Brian Feeney (for Irish News)
Charlie Flanagan tells us the Irish government will seek ‘legal
recognition of the unique status of the north and the circumstances on
the island’.
However, he was talking in terms of the free movement of people and
goods on the island.
That seems to be what the Taoiseach’s planned ‘All-Island Civic
Dialogue’ seems to be concentrating on too.
(You daren’t call it an ‘All-Ireland Civic Dialogue’ in case you offend
unionists who aren’t turning up anyway).
Most experts think that will be a tall order. In the last week the
indications are that other EU members are lining up to make negotiations
as difficult as possible for the British government after Theresa May
and her ministers’ aggressive and provocative remarks at her party’s
rally in Birmingham.
The Conservative Brexiteers really know how to make friends and
influence people. May and her immediate xenophobic entourage are the
only people who count.
That’s clear now. Our proconsul, her local little Englander Sir Echo, is
her political lapdog who has worked with her during his years at the
Home Office where her authoritarianism was evident in every statement.
Our proconsul takes care to use exactly the same words as May, for
example ‘no borders of the past’, without having a clue what that means
in the future or how it will be implemented.
What we know for sure is this. May and her braying conference place
immigration at the top of the agenda.
Control of numbers means leaving the single market and probably the
customs union too. She, and of course her local lapdog, witter on about
the Common Travel Area, deliberately confusing it with free trade in
goods which it certainly isn’t.
How the two are going to be equated in Charlie Flanagan’s ‘legal
recognition’ is a mystery when Britain leaves the single market.
Puzzling enough as that conundrum is, there’s another more profound
political conundrum.
How do you retain the right to pursue the aspiration towards Irish unity
to be operated by a border poll as provided in the Good Friday Agreement
when the north isn’t in the EU? So far only the Taoiseach has made a
passing reference to this problem in an important speech a couple of
weeks ago.
Suppose post Brexit, in a decade with an inevitable nationalist voting
majority here especially as economic hardship bites, suppose people did
vote for Irish unity: how would that work when the north isn’t in the
EU? How does it join?
The Taoiseach compared the problem to West Germany’s position after 1989
when the wall came down. It joined with East Germany which was admitted
automatically after 1990 to the EEC as it then was.
Could the north do the same and if so, what would the Scottish
government think if the same arrangements weren’t available to Scotland?
Would other EU members agree? Would Spain want similar arrangements to
incorporate Gibraltar as their price?
Charlie Flanagan and the Irish government need to start thinking about
how they incorporate such a process as the German one into the ‘legal
recognition of the unique status of the north’ instead of just talking
about trade.
The Irish government goes on about how a hard border will cause
difficulties for the peace process. Fair enough.
What will cause incomparably more difficulty is if the carefully worded
deal in the Good Friday Agreement about how to advance Irish unity
peacefully and democratically is casually set aside unilaterally by the
British government with no concern for the inevitable consequences.
Let’s state quite simply what they are. A boost for republican
dissidents, destabilisation of Sinn Fein’s political position and
general nationalist outrage that a British government has once again
reneged on a deal, in this case an international agreement.
The Irish government has to start making these points explicitly because
the Brexiteers in this horrible British government care nothing of the
consequences for the north of their rush towards a UKIP-lite position.
Cutting immigration is the number one priority in order to steal UKIP’s
clothes and undermine Labour. Dublin should remind them of the
consequences of ignoring Ireland.
Posted by Jim on
An arson attack on a flat in north Belfast was a sectarian bid by
loyalists to burn out Catholics living in the area.
A bin was pushed against the door of a ground floor flat on Ligoniel
Road and set alight at around 1.25am on Thursday morning.
The death threat ‘KAT’ had been spray-painted outside the property,
which is in a predominantly loyalist area. ‘KAT’ is an abbreviation for
‘Kill All Taigs [Catholics]’.
The blaze damage the ground flat and an upper apartment. Three people
were treated for smoke inhalation, but the targets of the attack escaped
serious injury.
Meanwhile, there was shock when two loyalists who nearly killed a young
Catholic man in an “animalistic” sectarian attack in Derry were this
week given only suspended sentences.
Judge Barney McElholm admitted the victim was lucky to be alive as he
allowed two Waterside men to walk free for their part in the attack,
which took place in the predominantly Protestant Fountain area of the
city.
Darren Dougherty and Robert Lyttle, both 24, were charged with assault
and assault occasioning actual bodily harm respectively.
The court heard the victim was attacked by a group of six-seven males
who were said to have shouted sectarian abuse such as “you Fenian
bastard” during the 2014 attack. CCTV footage played in court showed
Lyttle kicking the victim six times as he lay on the ground and
Dougherty on top of him as girls attempted to break it up.
Passing sentence, Judge McElholm said the attack could have proved fatal
and the victim could have sustained “serious and permanent brain
damage.”
Addressing both defendants, Judge McElholm said: “Both of you need to
take a long hard look at yourselves.” Dougherty was a given three months
jail sentence suspended for two years and Lyttle was given a nine month
jail term suspended for two years
Posted by Jim on
A court has thrown out politically-motivated charges against a prominent
County Tyrone republican after British prosecutors abandoned the case.
David Jordan was accused of trying to kill a member of the Crown forces
in May 2008 in an attack later claimed by the breakaway ‘Real IRA’, but
the case was withdrawn during a hearing in Strabane this week.
Last month Mr Jordan was appointed as the first chairman of newly
established anti-agreement political party Saoradh – which is Irish for
liberation.
Mr Jordan, who denied any part in the 2008 attack, said he was
previously questioned about it eight years ago and released without
charge. He described the decision to charge him as “vindictive” .
Restrictive bail conditions imposed on Mr Jordan included a ban on
having a mobile phone or accessing the internet. He was also ordered to
report to the PSNI daily, abide by a curfew and wear an electronic tag.
He described the timing of his arrest as “suspicious”.
“It put me off the road for ten and a half months,” he said. “I feel it
is part of a campaign on the part of the British to stabilise the six
counties.
“Any vocal opposition to the status quo in the six counties is met by
internment by remand and stringent and draconian bail conditions.”
ANTI-INTERNMENT CAMPAIGN
Meanwhile, pressure is growing for the release of Derry political
activist Tony Taylor. Protests are due to take place in Dublin and
Glasgow on Saturday, October 29 by anti-internment groups in both
countries.
In March this year, Mr Taylor was arrested while on a family outing in
Derry following order for his internment by then Direct Ruler Theresa
Villiers, who claimed he was a risk to the public. He has been held at
Maghaberry prison since then without charge or trial.
This week, prominent Derry priest Fr Paddy O’Kane lent his support to
the campaign for Taylor’s release.
“The case simply boils down to this,” he wrote. “They should either
charge him or release him. The fact is however they are in no rush to do
so and seem quite happy to simply sit on their hands and keep Tony
locked up. That is where the injustice lies.”
Sinn Fein has also renewed its calls for the release of the Derry man.
In a recent meeting with the current Direct Ruler James Brokenshire,
Sinn Fein’s Martin McGuinness said he told him the continued detention
of the Derry man was “unacceptable” and made it clear that, in the
absence of due process, he should be “released immediately.”
Posted by Jim on
from Irish Central
Munster coach Anthony “Axel” Foley died suddenly in Paris.
Former Ireland captain and Munster Rugby coach Anthony Foley passed away suddenly in the team’s Paris hotel on Saturday night, the night before Munster were to play Racing 92, in a European Champions Cup tie.
Foley (42) died of a suspected heart attack and was found dead in his hotel room. It is reported by the Mail on Sunday that Foley, known as Axel, shared a quiet drink with his colleagues before retiring early to bed. He was pronounced dead at the scene after he failed to attend an early morning meeting.
As a mark of respect the Sunday game was rescheduled and Munster fans gathered at the stadium, Stade Yves du Manoir, to hold an impromptu vigil for the rugby hero.
Foley captained the Ireland rugby team three times during a 62-cap career and skippered Munster to Heineken Cup glory in 2006, over Biarritz in Cardiff. Back-rower Foley made a try-scoring international debut against England in the 1995 Six Nations and from 2000 to 2005 that he became established as a key figure in Ireland’s team.
In 2008 he retired leaving Munster as the club’s most-capped player with 194 appearances for the provincial side.
Foley is survived by his wife Olive and his two children. Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs have confirmed that they are providing consular assistance through Ireland’s Embassy in Paris.
Former Irish captain and teammate Ronan O’Gara, who is now a coach at Racing 92, spoke of the loss of an “incredible man.” O’Gara and Foley were long time team mates and won two Heineken Cups and a Celtic League with Munster and a Triple Crown with Munster in 2004.
He tweeted:
Former Ireland coach Donal Lenihan spoke of the “shock and horror” of Foley’s death and said he was a man “destined to play rugby.”
Eddie O’Sullivan who coached Foley, on the Ireland team, told Off the Ball “What he brought was a phenomenal rugby brain to the game. It wasn’t just his ability to play. He had a great skill set… He knew that nuance that keeps teams on track and steers them to victory.”
He added “I’ve no doubt in my mind, that he was going to take on Munster again a few years down the track… He was going to coach Ireland, I’ve no doubt about that. From a rugby point of view, it’s a dreadful loss to Irish rugby.”
Posted by Jim on October 14, 2016
Greetings folks, on Sunday November 06, 2016 from 12:00 PM till 4:00 PM @ Columbus Council #126 we will be having our 2nd Annual Military Veterans Appreciation Day BBQ.
The cost for both is $15.00 PP and will include Beer, Wine & Soda.
There is no charge for Columbus Council #126 Military Veterans, but we do ask that if you are bringing a Military Veteran that you please pick up the cost for them.
All payments must be submitted by Tuesday November 01, 2016 11:00 PM as we are only having enough food on hand for those who submit payments or names. Please no day of event walk ~ in’s.
Columbus Council #126 Military Veterans please submit your name by Tuesday November 01, 2016 11:00 PM.
Please contact Eddie Velinskie @ 347-210-1249
