Posted by Jim on March 11, 2014
Saint Patrick’s Day as been celebrated on March 17th since the early seventeenth century. The day commemorates Saint Patrick and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland, as well as the celebration of all things Irish; culture and heritage. It is widely celebrated all around the world, especially in the US, Canada, Britain, Australia and New Zealand.
Saint Patrick has become the most recognized and famous of the Patron Saints of Ireland. Patrick was born in Roman Britain in the forth century into a wealthy family. At the age of sixteen he was kidnapped by Irish raiders and brought to Ireland as a slave. According to his confession, he was told by God to flee from captivity and return to Britain.
Patrick returned to Britain and studied to become a priest. At night it was said that Patrick would hear in his dreams the call from the Irish. They called him to come and free them from paganism, “crying to thee, come hither and walk with us once more.” Patrick’s wish was fulfilled when he was ordained a bishop and returned to Ireland. Patrick set out to bring Christianity to Ireland and spread the teachings of Christianity across the country. He helped build churches, baptized pagans into Christianity and also ordained bishops and priests.
Take a look at this charming short video from Brown Bag Films of a child telling the story of Saint Patrick to her school teacher.
After nearly 30 years of devoting his life to spreading Christianity, he died on the 17th March, 461. It is believed that he is buried at Down Cathedral, Downpatrick (shown in the top image). It was said that on the day Saint Patrick died that the sun did not set, but shone from twelve days and nights. Saint Patrick is most famously credited for introducing Christianity to Ireland and for his famous teachings using the symbolic shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit to the people of Ireland. March 17th has been commemorated St Patrick’s Day ever since.
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I believe it is fair to say that it is Mr. Brush who is on “cloud cuckoo land “with regard to denying that DUP members knew nothing about amnesty letters for On the Runs during Mr. McGeough’s on again off again four year trial.
Mr. Brush, who was at attendance with other DUP people at the trial of Mr. McGeough, must have been mentally disconnected from the proceedings as well as the other DUP people struggling to stay awake, as these facts were introduced at the trial by Mr. McGeough’s attorney and written into the court transcripts along with vast media coverage on the issue dating back to March 7, 2010. It is also important to mention that a witness at the trail of McGeough, a loyalist and member of the Progressive Unionist Party, William Plum Smith, gave testimony on behalf of Mr. McGeough underscoring these facts.
Mr. Brush, a former member of the UDR, needs to get his facts straight. Brush and the DUP leadership need to get out of its time warp, get into real time, and start doing grown up politics with the rest of the political parties in NI.
Posted by Jim on March 10, 2014
CAPITOL HILL. Sunday, March 9, 2014 — Irish-Americans greatly welcome the Congressional Hearing: “The Northern Ireland Peace Process Today: Attempting to Deal with the Past” before the House Subcommittee on Human Rights, Tuesday. March 11, 2014. ( See Witnesses below).
Fr. Sean Mc Manus, president of the Capitol Hill-based Irish National Caucus, explained: ” This will be the fifteenth Congressional Hearing on Northern Ireland that Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) will have held — a feat unequaled in the history of the U.S. Congress. As I say in my Memoirs, My American Struggle for Justice in Northern Ireland, Congressman Smith is the human rights champion in the Congress. His Irish record is unsurpassed. ” (page 275)
Fr. Mc Manus reflected on the bad old days when human rights Hearings on Northern Ireland were banned: ” To cover up for the British Government, Hearings were banned from 1974 to 1995 — and banned with the collaboration of the Irish Government and big Irish Catholic names in the House and Senate. It was a shameful, disgraceful period in Irish-American history. But, thank God, a great Jewish-American came to our rescue. When the splendid Congressman Ben Gilman (R-NY) became Chairman of the House International Relations Committee, he immediately announced that he was going to give “Fr. Mc Manus his long sought prize:a Congressional Hearing …” ( ibid. page 275 ). Congressman Smith simultaneously became Chairman of the subcommittee on Human Rights, and the rest is history… Two Republican leaders saved the honor and integrity of the U.S. Congress by refusing to go along with the cover up imposed by famous Irish Catholic Democrats Tip O’Neill and Teddy Kennedy. That is something the Irish in Ireland should be more aware of since the Irish media insists in giving the impression that the Irish-charge in Congress was led by Democrats. Sadly and shamefully, the big Irish Catholic names were complicit in a corrupt cover-up — using the power of Congress to cover up British murder, injustice and anti-Catholic oppression in Northern Ireland.”
END
Witnesses at Hearing :The Honorable Richard N. Haass;
Ms. Geraldine Finucane; Mr. Eugene Devlin, Victim of the Military Reaction Force; Ms. Julia Hall, Expert on Criminal Justice and Counter-Terrorism in Europe, Amnesty International: Baroness Nuala O’Loan , Appearing via videoconference.
Posted by Jim on
On Thursday, Prime Minister David Cameron announced a senior judicial figure will head the inquiry into the operation and extent of the administrative scheme for OTRs. The person conducting the review will have full access to all government papers about the operation of the scheme. They will be free to interview key individuals in the civil service and the police, and any others where those individuals are willing.
Commenting on the announcement, Aiden Carlin said: “Despite the fact half a dozen High Court Judges have already heard evidence on this subject via my client’s case, the significant disclosures made in John Downey’s case were never previously made at Gerry McGeough’s trial, Appeal or in other related proceedings. Instead the NIO would appear to have sat quietly on this material while my client spent 2 years in prison. My client will want to know what letters were sent to Sinn Fein regarding him and whether those letters contained errors. My client has always maintained his innocence and also intends to make a complaint to the Police Ombudsman in light of the revelations in John Downey’s case.”
Solicitor Aiden Carlin concluded: “We have already written to the Secretary of State and the Police Ombudsman and shall be factoring recent developments into our client’s pending Supreme Court application.”
Yours faithfully
_____________
Carlin Solicitors
Posted by Jim on March 8, 2014
Eirigi press officer Stephen Murney has given an account of the
physical and mental torture he endured while interned at Maghaberry
prison, outside Lisburn over the past 14 months. The following extracts
are taken from an interview with Newry journalist Paula Mackin and
published by the Sunday World last week.
Eirigi press officer Stephen Murney has revealed how he was made to
endure humiliating ‘crucifix-styled’ strip searches and other abuses
during his 14 months held awaiting trial.
The 30-year-old said the experience proved to be a mental as well as
physical torture following repeated forced strip searches, sometimes
twice a day. His health suffered and he lost a significant amount of
weight.
“I was forcibly strip searched about 20 to 30 times when I was in there
(Maghaberry),” he said.
“Just before the searches were about to happen, I was taken into a room
and asked if I was going to comply with a search, I would make it known
I wouldn’t.
“Then I was left in a room for about 15 minutes, a reflection period
they call it, in the cell by yourself.”
He said this was to “get you worried” before the cell door then opens
and six warders known as ‘the Riot Squad’ enter the room in black boiler
suits with utility belts and batons.
“You are standing in the cell, they stand around you,” he said.
“One in front, grabbed me by the face, each one to the side grabbed me
by the arms, and hold you out like a crucifix position.
“The others behind me force me on my knees then pushed my face literally
into the ground. At that point you are fully clothed, then they start
removing your clothing. I didn’t put up resistance.
“They held me in arm locks and pressure points and then left me lying on
the ground, degraded and feeling humiliated.
“And they never tell you what they are looking for,” explained Mr
Murney.
He said the searches were unnecessary as the prison is equipped with an
electronic chair that can detect any concealed object.
The Eirigi spokesman was finally acquitted last month after the last
charges of taking and publishing photographs of PSNI members were
rejected by the non-jury court. Other charges including possession of
BB guns and combat-styled clothing had been thrown out by the Diplock
judge in January.
Defending lawyer Darragh Mackin has now confirmed that he will be
pursuing a civil action for damages for his client.
Mr Murney was arrested in November 2012. The whole experience had been
hard on his family, especially his six-year-old son, he said.
“He knew where I was and why, he knew the police had been harassing me
for months before the raid. He was there in the house when the armed
police raided my home at six in the morning,” he recalled.
Occasional visits from his son and the support of his family helped keep
him going.
“As you can imagine I always looked forward to his visits. It was really
difficult to say no to bail, but I had the support of my family.
“My mother, Martina wrote to the Attorney General John Larkin, the NI
Human Rights Commission, and the director of public prosecutions to
examine my case. So there was a campaign going on all the time.”
He said he would continue in his work with in establishing a new
electoral campaign north and south of the border.
“We were being heard before I was arrested and we are continuing to be
heard and that is what the British state tried to put a stop to by
locking me a way,” said Mr Murney.
The socialist republican does says that a united Ireland is possible in
his lifetime, but has says Sinn Fein’s Martin McGuinness
is living in “Cloud Cuckoo Land”.
“Martin McGuinness’ vision of a united Ireland by 2016 is just two years
away, and in my opinion it is just not going to happen.
“I would like to see it happen in my lifetime. Ireland has a wealth of
natural reserves that is yet to be tapped into, and just like Scotland
voting on independence, it can happen here too.
“We have already chosen candidates for the upcoming local council
elections with two in Belfast and seven in the South. And we will be
considering potentially sitting in the new super council of Newry,
Mourne and Down.
“Don’t forget I am an innocent man, and I intend to pursue my political
beliefs despite all that has happened to me,” said Mr Murney.