Posted by Jim on September 1, 2017
August 31st
FRED’S TEAM, NYC MARATHON
Members of the FDNY BFI will be running the NYC Marathon to support cancer research at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, NYC’s premier cancer research and treatment facility. They are part of Fred’s Team and the money they raise goes directly to MSK. Please be generous in supporting cancer research. Suggested donation is $10/pp. Please click on the link to donate and share the link via social media.
http://mskcc.convio.net/site/TR/RunsWalks/FredsTeam?team_id=59045&pg=team&fr_id=2921&_ga=2.155459643.1829518167.1504099856-57033811.1485437743
IAFF TO ESTABLISH HURRICANE HARVEY DISASTER RELIEF
The IAFF response team arrived in Texas at the Houston Local 341 union hall, where the IAFF has established disaster relief operations. General President Schaitberger is on his way to meet with affected members and assess the situation. Thousands of IAFF members’ homes are in some of the worst hit areas, and already dozens have reported severe damage by the rising waters – with many more to come. Yet members continue to work around the clock, rescuing thousands, while at the same time knowing that their own homes are likely under water.
The best way to help your brothers and sisters is with a donation to the IAFF Disaster Relief Fund, which provides assistance to IAFF members affected by major disasters.
Donate today with a tax deductible contribution online or make a $10 donation by texting DISASTER to 50555*
www.iaff.org/disasterrelief
PLEASE DO NOT SELF DISPATCH TO THE DISASTER ZONE. For additional updates, visit the IAFF website.
NEW ROCHELLE AFFORDING HOUSING LOTTERY APPLICATIONS
Applications are now being accepted for affordable housing units at Heritage Homes Phase III, Winthrop and Brook Streets, New Rochelle, NY 10801. Applications may be obtained in person at 542 Main Street 3rd Floor, New Rochelle, NY 10801 or at www.cornellpace.com. To request by mail :send a self-addressed legal-sized envelope with your application request to ‘Cornell Pace’ at the above mentioned address.
NYC LABOR DAY PARADE 2017
The UFA will be marching and showing solidarity with the rest of NYC’s Central Labor Council on Saturday, September 9th 2017 at 10am. We are NYC and workers here set the standard that other cities follow. We come from all backgrounds and all walks of life, and we all play an important role in helping to keep NYC a world class, union-made city. Parade steps off from 44th Street & Fifth Avenue. For more information:(212)-604-9552 or visit www.nycclc.org .
Posted by Jim on
To date, 127 names are listed on the World Trade Center Memorial Wall at FDNY Headquarters. On Thursday, September 7th at 4pm, a ceremony will be held at FDNY Headquarters where 32 names of new fallen heroes will be added to the wall.
Firefighter Gary E. Celentani E-233 November 25, 2002
Lieutenant Cruz A. Fernandez L-111 July 14, 2006
Firefighter Robert J. Ventriglia E-207 November 2, 2010
Firefighter James M. Hicks E-7 July 25, 2015
Firefighter Thomas A. Lynn E-5 October 23, 2015
EMT Norman Valle Sta. 20 January 6, 2016
Firefighter Thomas Farrell L-41 March 25, 2016
Firefighter Robert W. Johnson E-81 April 10, 2016
Fire Marshal Gregorio Morales BFI July 30, 2016
Firefighter William E. Woodlon E-21 August 20, 2016
Lieutenant Ronald D. Biller E-151 September 18, 2016
Captain Vincent R. Ungaro E-235 October 1, 2016
Firefighter Paul F. Santoro E-259 October 15, 2016
Firefighter John A. Dunn E-230 November 7, 2016
Firefighter Harry L. Davis Sq-18 November 11, 2016
Lieutenant Raymond W. Alexander E-70 November 21, 2016
Firefighter Joseph P. O’Toole L-41 December 12, 2016
Firefighter Kevin A. Rooney E-42 January 22, 2017
Firefighter Brian J. Masterson M-9 January 22, 2017
Firefighter Robert F. DiGiovanni L-144 January 27, 2017
EMS Lieutenant Edith Elida Torres EMS Communic February 8, 2017
Firefighter Robert E. Newman B-4 February 9, 2017
EMT Rose M. Scott EMS Communic February 15, 2017
Lieutenant Steven Sorger E-6 March 11, 2017
EMS Lieutenant Mario Bastidas Sta. 58 April 1, 2017
Firefighter Roy E. Smith E-156 April 2, 2017
Firefighter James J. Lanza L-43 April 6, 2017
Paramedic Mark A. Harris Sta. 23 May 13, 2017
Firefighter Raymond J. Pfeifer E-40 May 28, 2017
Lieutenant William J. Kelly L-116 June 10, 2017
Firefighter William J. Gormley L-174 June 14, 2017
Marine Engineer Robert W. Alexander M-1 August 14, 2017
Fraternally,
Gerard Fitzgerald, President
Robert Eustace, Recording Secretary
Posted by Jim on
John McDonagh and Martin Galvin co-host.
RADIO FREE EIREANN will broadcast this Saturday September 2nd on WBAI 99.5 FM radio or wbai.org at 12noon New York time or 5 pm-6pm Irish time or listen any time after the broadcast on wbai.org/archives.
Tyrone AOH President and former Republican political prisoner GERRY McGEOUGH will explain the controversy surrounding the upcoming Hibernian Day Parade with special honors to families of the 1981 Hunger Strikers.He will also talk about the connection between the Irish and the Carribean and why a new statue to Irish patriot,Henry Joy McCraken is going up in Dublin rather than locations where he was born or executed by the British.
KATE NASH , the sister of one of the innocent Civil Rights Marches killed on Bloody Sunday in Derry will speak about why families of the Bloody Sunday victims are protesting at the Free Derry Museum
MICK O’BRIEN of the DRIUDS Irish rebel band will talk about their upcoming American tour and documentary on the band and why an appearance by the band in Belfast has sparked calls to stop government funds for festivals where Irish rebel music is played.
RADIO FREE EIREANN can be heard live in New York on 99.5FM or on wbai.org on Saturdays noon-1pm New York time or 5pm to 6pm Irish time or listen any time after the broadcast on wbai.org/archives (programs are listed in date and time order)
Radio Free Eireann is heard Saturdays at 12 Noon-1pm New York time on WBAI 99,5 FM and wbai.org
It can be heard at wbai.org in Ireland from 5pm to 6pm or anytime after the program concludes on WBAI.ORG/ARCHIVES
Posted by Jim on August 31, 2017
John Manley. Irish News. Belfast. Thursday, August, 31, 2017
A former senior Ulster Unionist who helped negotiate the Good Friday Agreement has claimed northern nationalists are not equal to unionists.
John Taylor, now cross-bench peer Lord Kilclooney, told The Irish News that a unionist majority meant nationalists could not claim equality – though they were entitled to equality of opportunity.
On a day when five Stormont parties voiced their support for an Irish language act, he defended his controversial remarks – originally made on Twitter – and said Sinn Féin was “dictating terms” with calls for standalone language legislation.
The former UUP deputy leader, MP, MEP and Stormont minister has previously called for Scotland to be re-partitioned in the event of a vote for independence.
His comments on equality are likely to fuel debate about a perceived lack of respect from unionists for Irish nationalist culture.
Speaking from his home in Armagh, Lord Kilclooney said he found Twitter’s 140-character limit “restrictive”, which meant tweets were “sometimes misconstrued”.
However, he said he was standing by his assertion that nationalists and unionists “are not equals”.
“What I’m saying is that all people, nationalists in particular, must have equal opportunity with everyone else,” he said.
“But when it comes to equality, which is the word used by Sinn Féin, they are a political minority in Northern Ireland.”
Asked whether it was merely an issue of meaning or one that had real political implications, Lord Kilclooney responded: “I get worried when Gerry Adams talks about equality – and I make the distinction between equality of opportunity and equality of political support.
“The distinction is to ensure that each individual in Northern Ireland is equal in life’s opportunities, whereas politically it means nationalism is a minority political force.”
He claimed Unionism had increased its majority in June’s general election because “Michelle O’Neill went to Loughgall and praised the IRA murder gangs”.
“That really roused the Unionists and they came in greater force and they voted DUP,” he said.
The former minister in the old Unionistbut they had to “recognize they are a minority and can’t dictate terms”.
Lord Kilclooney also said it was “increasingly evident in my opinion” that support for The Union among the Catholic population was growing.
Posted by Jim on August 30, 2017
“Several documents refer to the government’s difficulties combating the influential MacBride Principles, an anti-discrimination campaign in the USA that acted as guidelines for US companies doing business in Northern Ireland.”
Mark Devenport . BBC-NI. Belfast.Friday, 25 August 2016
…A series of documents from the 1980s reveal the Northern Ireland Office’s attempts to promote political dialogue against a backdrop of continuing IRA and loyalist violence.
They cover events in the 1980s running up to 1989.
The files come from the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI).
They have been released under what is known as the 30/20 rule, which refers to the phased release of files that used to be kept secret for 30 years but will in future be released after 20 years.
Throughout this period the government struggled with how to address deprivation in areas like west Belfast, where Catholic male unemployment was running at 47%.
Dr. Phoenix came across one strongly worded document from April 1987 written by Sir Ken Bloomfield, the head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service.
Difficulties
Sir Ken spoke of west Belfast’s “ghetto mentality” and alienation “from normal civilized behavior.”
He feared that if the government engaged in efforts to regenerate West Belfast, Unionists might respond “on the lines of “do you have to kill British soldiers… to benefit from a cornucopia of assistance?”
Despite these concerns, the government signed off on a major development programme for deprived areas in Belfast in 1988.
Several documents refer to the government’s difficulties combating the influential MacBride Principles, an anti-discrimination campaign in the USA that acted as guidelines for US companies doing business in Northern Ireland.
Secretary of State Peter Brooke wrote to cabinet colleagues that the implementation of what he called tough and radical new fair employment laws would be crucial to the success of the government’s Northern Ireland policies and to perceptions abroad, especially in the United States