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Saturday, July 25, 2026

Urgent Appeal from LAOH National Catholic Action Office:

Posted by Jim on March 7, 2022

Our help is needed in Ukraine and their bordering countries where there are already 2.9 million people in need of aid. LAOH members are asking how they can help. We have always been very generous in times of trouble; the corporal works of mercy tell us what to do. We are asking all members, Divisions, Counties and States Boards to help our sisters and brothers in the Ukraine. The L.A.O.H. is taking a collection that is going to be distributed to Catholic Relief Services. They are on the ground in Ukraine, Poland, and all surrounding countries. The suggested donation is $50.00 per division. We will thankfully accept all donations both large and small from our individual members as well as from our divisions, counties, and state boards.Make checks out to: LAOH Inc with Ukraine in Memo.Mail to: Peggy Cornish, 141 N Kinsella Ave., Covina CA, 91724.

Break the connection with England!

Posted by Jim on March 3, 2022

psnivehicles2.jpg

By AIA Ireland

The irony of British Imperialism pontificating about ‘illegal Occupations’ of Sovereign Nations can not be lost on many.For more then 850 years, British Imperialism and principally English Imperialism has maintained an illegal occupation of Ireland. Today, Britain maintains its illegal stranglehold on Ireland through a direct and colonial military occupation of 6 Irish Counties and a semi colonial rule over 26 Irish Counties.

You won’t hear much about this ongoing occupation in the compliant mainstream media, or from the subservient free state administration that is but a puppet of Britain in Ireland.

But the truth today is that there are 5,000 full combat British Troops in Ireland, 9000 members of a paramilitary police, thousands of MI5 spooks and many thousands of members of loyalist death squads controlled by British Imperialism. The head of the Free State Police is an MI5 agent meaning that British Military Intelligence controls policing across Ireland. The British Navy are responsible for policing Irish costal waters and the British Airforce are responsible for policing Irish Skies, with the full compliance of Leinster House. Many of the shops in the towns and cities in Ireland are English and English feudal lords still own vast tracts of land in Ireland.

Yet where is the talk of sanctions against British Imperialism for its ongoing illegal occupation and partition in Ireland?

Dean Swift once had a tactic to deal with English Imperialism in Ireland, he advocated that the people should ‘Burn Everything English, But their Coal!’. An economic boycott of English goods in Ireland is a tactic that can hit the occupation and imperialism where it hurts and is worth being considered by all opposed to the British presence in Ireland.

The Irish People want no part in an imperialist war with the people of the Donbas or Russia. Our fight is against British Imperialism and the Occupation of our country as the primary contradiction, along with the fight against North American and European Imperialist Interference in Ireland.

Our people should not be misled by Anglo-American propaganda and warmongering. Our enemies remain those that hold our country in chains and oppress and exploit our people. Our struggle is to drive the British Occupation and its imperialist allies out of Ireland.

As western imperialism marches ever closer to war, the focus in Ireland must be on rebuilding the struggle for National Liberation and Socialist Revolution into a mass movement across the country, a movement that will not accept Ireland being used as an imperialist pawn.

All Republicans should rally to the cause to drive Britain out of Ireland once again. It is only by addressing the primary contradiction that all other contradictions in Ireland can be resolved

For National Liberation and Socialist Revolution- Break the Connection with Imperialism- Brits Out Now!

Belfast to mark St Patrick’s Day with extended city-wide celebrations

Posted by Jim on March 2, 2022

Conor McParland March 02, 2022 ST PATRICK\'S DAY: Hugh Brown (Ambassador and Creative Performance Director with Beat Carnival), Amy Weir (Suffolk Circus) and musician Joshua Burnside with Harper McCleary (3) and Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Kate NichollST PATRICK’S DAY: Hugh Brown (Ambassador and Creative Performance Director with Beat Carnival), Amy Weir (Suffolk Circus) and musician Joshua Burnside with Harper McCleary (3) and Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Kate Nicholl

BELFAST’S popular St Patrick’s Day event will make a welcome return this year – but this time, with a reimagined 11-day citywide celebration from 10-20 March.

Belfast City Council awarded creative development funding to four organisations to deliver a new-look celebration that is fun and welcoming, and offers a creative line-up of family activity, including a live concert on March 16, a St Patrick’s Day carnival pageant, a trad music trail and a community showcase event.

Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Kate Nicholl said: “After two years of not being able to host our usual St Patrick’s Day event, I am really thrilled that it is back this year, bigger and better than ever.

“It’s great to have the input of community organisations too to help make this a city-wide celebration that will appeal to a wide range of people, young and old, from all corners of our city, with plenty of free activities happening day and night across the 11 days. 

Harper McCleary (3) and Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Kate Nicholl

“As a UNESCO City of Music, music will play a major role this year with a Féile Trad Trail running from March 10 and a St Patrick’s Eve concert at Custom House Square. The concert promises to be a real family-friendly affair this year featuring authentic homegrown talent.

“And, on St Patrick’s Day itself, I’m excited to be leading Beat Carnival’s pageant parade and am really looking forward to seeing the city come alive with colour and performances.”

A free family-friendly concert will take place on Wednesday, March 16 at Custom House Square, 5pm-9pm, delivered by The Duncairn Centre, supported by the Arts Council NI.

The concert will feature some of the Island’s brightest voices with music from beloved duo Mick Flannery and Susan O’Neill, rising-star Tolü Makay and experimental folk artist Joshua Burnside. There will also be special performances from trailblazing flute and whistle player Brian Finnegan and The Duncairn Creative Collective, which brings together over 20 independent Irish musicians from different backgrounds and genres.
 
Barry O’Kane from The Duncairn Centre said: “We have been champions of independent Irish music since opening in 2014, so to give these artists a platform in Belfast’s city centre is a dream come true.

“We look forward to representing the authentic, modern and diverse society we live in, while providing an inclusive and family-friendly atmosphere where all shades of Irishness, and none, are welcome.”

This year’s new look St Patrick’s Day parade by Beat Carnival will be a colourful, carnival pageant of costume, music, dance, circus and theatrical performance. 

David Boyd, Director of Beat Carnival, said: “We want to involve and inspire people of all backgrounds and abilities, to entertain and captivate audiences and to promote an inclusive and forward-looking experience of St Patrick’s Day in Belfast. The new parade will be a spectacle of creativity, fun and challenge proclaiming that ‘we are all Patrick’.”

Féile an Phobail will also be delivering a series of events as part of this year’s St Patrick’s Day programme of activity.

Kevin Gamble, Director at Féile an Phobail, said: “We’ll be bringing an array of music sessions, gigs, illuminations, workshops and more over 10 days across the city. Some of the highlights include a Féile Trad Trail – which will see popular bars, restaurants, hotels and visitor spots throughout the Gaeltacht Quarter and city centre come alive with traditional Irish music – plus St Patrick’s Day music at the Spar Craic 10k and inside 2 Royal Avenue.”

St George’s Market will also be getting in on the craic, with traditional music performances at the market each day from 18-20 March.

Tickets for the St Patrick’s Eve concert are free and will be available here from 10am on Thursday 3 March (limited to four per person). Terms and conditions apply.

Edwin Poots ‘unaware’ of Donaldson-Beattie meeting over party switch

Posted by Jim on March 1, 2022

Edwin Poots
Image caption,Edwin Poots briefly led the DUP in 2021

Edwin Poots has said he was not aware the DUP’s Sir Jeffrey Donaldson and the UUP leader Doug Beattie met last summer.

The pair met after Sir Jeffrey lost out to Mr Poots for the DUP leadership.

Mr Poots added that those who supported his leadership campaign were “not aware of this meeting” nor any details “of engagements that took place”.

The assembly member also said suggestions he was the source of the story were “entirely untruthful”.

At the time of the meeting, Mr Poots was leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).

But he was forced to resign after just 21 days in the role following an internal party revolt and was replaced by Sir Jeffrey.

On Tuesday, Mr Poots said in a tweet that the media should “desist from using sources to spread myths which have zero substance on behalf of people seeking to cause division within the DUP “.

Doug Beattie and Jeffrey Donaldson
Image caption,Doug Beattie and Sir Jeffrey Donaldson have given different accounts of their conversation

Sir Jeffrey and Mr Beattie have given differeing accounts of the meeting.

Sir Jeffrey has said while he was invited to join the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) he had no intention of re-joining the party he left in 2003.

Mr Beattie has said he believes Sir Jeffrey did consider switching parties.

The UUP leader also rejected Sir Jeffrey’s claim that their meeting had focused on improving unionist co-operation.

Edwin Poots was the other big player at the time and now he too has had his say on the talks- if only to deny he was the source of the leak about the Beattie-Donaldson meeting.

Mr Poots says his name was mentioned a number of times but doesn’t say by whom.

But his intervention serves another purpose as it underlines how he, as leader at the time, was in the dark about the engagement.

He also attacks those seeking to cause division within the party, perhaps mindful of the potentially divisive forthcoming DUP executive meeting, which could decide his political future.

St. Patrick’s Day prayers and Irish blessings

Posted by Jim on

Take a minute out from celebrating to share a St. Patrick’s Day blessing with your loved ones.

IrishCentral Staff@IrishCentralMar 01, 2022Have a blessed St. Patrick\'s Day! Take a minute out from celebrating to share a St. Patrick’s Day blessing with your loved ones.Have a blessed St. Patrick’s Day! Take a minute out from celebrating to share a St. Patrick’s Day blessing with your loved ones. GETTY

Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all our IrishCentral readers! We hope that you have an incredible St. Patrick’s Day full of fun, friendship and lots and lots of Irish music, dance, literature, drama, food and so much more.

While we enjoy all the celebrations, we must remember, of course, that St. Patrick’s Day is a Catholic feast day and so in that spirit, we’ve compiled a collection of prayers and blessings specifically related to St. Patrick and to St. Patrick’s Day with which to bless your loved ones this year.

Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig oraibh ar fad. (Blessings of St. Patrick’s Day to you all.)

St. Patrick’s Prayer

May the Strength of God pilot us.

May the Power of God preserve us.

May the Wisdom of God instruct us.

May the Hand of God protect us.

May the Way of God direct us.

May the Shield of God defend us.

May the Host of God guard us

Against the snares of the evil ones,

Against temptations of the world.

May Christ be with us!

May Christ be before us!

May Christ be in us,

Christ be over all!

May Thy Salvation, Lord,

Always be ours,

This day, O Lord, and evermore. Amen.

Prayer to St. Patrick, Patron Saint of Ireland

Dear St. Patrick,

in your humility, you called yourself a sinner,

but you became a most successful missionary

and prompted countless pagans

to follow the Savior.ADVERTISING

Many of their descendants in turn

spread the Good News in numerous foreign lands.

Through your powerful intercession with God,

obtain the missionaries we need

to continue the work you began.

Amen.

Prayer about St. Patrick

God our Father,

you sent Saint Patrick to preach your glory to the people of Ireland.

By the help of his prayers,

may all Christians proclaim your love to all men.

Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

Thanks for St. Patrick

O God, Who didst vouchsafe to send Thy Confessor and Bishop, Blessed Patrick, to preach Thy glory to the nations, grant, through his merits and intercession, that what Thou dost command us to do, we may, by Thy mercy, be enabled to perform. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.

St Patrick’s Breastplate

St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York.2Gallery

St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York.

Christ be with me, Christ within me

Christ behind me, Christ before me

Christ beside me, Christ to win meADVERTISING

Christ to comfort me and restore me.

Christ beneath me, Christ above me

Christ in quiet, Christ in danger

Christ in hearts of all that love me

Christ in mouth of friend or stranger.

(390-461 A.D.)

The Prayer of St. Patrick

I arise today

Through the strength of heaven;

Light of the sun,

Splendor of fire,

Speed of lightning,

Swiftness of the wind,

Depth of the sea,

Stability of the earth,

Firmness of the rock.

I arise today

Through God’s strength to pilot me;

God’s might to uphold me,

God’s wisdom to guide me,

God’s eye to look before me,

God’s ear to hear me,

God’s word to speak for me,

God’s hand to guard me,

God’s way to lie before me,

God’s shield to protect me,

God’s hosts to save me

Afar and anear,

Alone or in a multitude.

Christ shield me today

Against wounding

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,

Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,

Christ on my right, Christ on my left,

Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,

Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,

Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,

Christ in the eye that sees me,

Christ in the ear that hears me.

I arise today

Through the mighty strength

Of the Lord of creation.

 – Anonymous

READ MORE

God and His Angels

May you have:

A world of wishes at your command.

God and his angels close to hand.

Friends and family their love impart,

And Irish blessings in your heart!

H/T: Latin Times/Belief Net/Catholic.org