Léargas

February 27th 2009 I got word the other day that Eddie Keenan is dead. Eddie was 88. A few years ago when I was paying for petrol in a lonely garage in the west of Ireland who was in the place but Eddie and his old friend Cathal Holland. They had been up all night singing and swapping yarns and were now about buying bacon and eggs and bread and butter for breakfast for themselves and whatever household had had the privilege of their company. We three were delighted to see one and other. ‘A bullaí, Gerry’ Eddie exclaimed ‘Fear maith thú! Cad é an craic leatsa ar an mhaidin gheal seo?’ Good man yourself Gerry. What’s the craic with you on this bright morning? ‘Bhí muidinne ag damhsa an oíche ar fad’ explained Cathal as I eyed their slightly dishevelled appearance. Cathal and Eddie are both small, white haired men. Both were in the eighties. Still I wasn’t surprised to learn that they had been dancing all night. In fact with little or no encouragement from me they slipped into a set dan...

Feb 23rd 09 We need a Rising! That thought came into my head as I listened to RTE radio’s report of last Saturday’s mass trade union rally in Dublin. The rally was in protest at the government’s handling of the economy. The Gardaí estimate that 120,000 citizens thronged the city centre. Most of them were public sector workers. By all accounts they were very angry. And why not? The government has imposed a public service pension levy. Not unreasonably many of the marchers feel this is unfair. The demonstration was led by 500 uniformed fire fighters who marched behind a pipe band. Most of the protestors vented their spleen at the government’s protection of the heads of banks who are clearly engaging in dodgy book keeping. There’s also widespread resentment at the exorbitant salaries and obscene bonuses being drawn down. Government Ministers are paid around 230,000 euros annually. This is as much as the President of the Republic of France and more than the British Prime Minister. The head...

February 18th 2008 It is Sinn Féin Ard Fheis time this weekend and I am closeted away speech writing with my good friend Richard, my ipod and my trusty laptop. The Ard Fheis assembles on Friday afternoon through to Saturday night so yours truly is under pressure to get my few words sorted out. The Ard Fheis is being broadcast live for the first time by BBC and UTV as well as RTE. If you are interested check it out. PAT FINUCANE I should let you know of some events I attended in recent days. One was the conference in Trinity College to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the murder of human rights lawyer, Pat Finucane. It was a very good event with an awesome line up of very impressive speakers including, Michael Mansfield, Peter Madden, Clara Reilly, Inez McCormack, Judge Peter Corey, Dato Param Cumaraswamy and many, many others. Everyone concerned about human rights owes a great debt to the Finucane family. Pat’s clann are a credit to him. Catherine , John and Michael his children an...

February 14th 09 NO DICKET - NO DOAT. This has been another really busy week. Monday and Tuesday at Stormont and in the constituency. Wednesday in Kilkenny. Thursday in Kerry. Friday in Limerick. And Saturday in Dublin. It would take too long to tell you all the twists and turns of the road as we voyaged from event to event. Suffice to say that everyone we met was angry at the daily revelations of chicanery and corruption in our financial institutions. The government, deservedly, is getting it in the neck for the way it is handling this particular can of worms. But that’s a blog for another day. When I was in Kilkenny the good burghers of that fine city in that fine county presented me with a Kilkenny jersey. Gaels will know immediately that Kilkenny are the All Ireland Hurling champions of the world. THREE IN A ROW as my hosts reminded me. I was there in Croke Park last September when they did the treble and I must say I feel extremely privileged to have witnessed that master ...

February 9th 2009 The International Wall Danny Devenny is one of Ireland’s leading artists. A long time ago he and I were in Cage 11 of Long Kesh. Among other things he provided illustrations for some of my prison musings. Since then he has pioneered mural painting in Belfast and other parts of the world. He has taught and mentored other artists. A modest and unassuming sort, Danny's work has been the subject of film documentaries, books, magazines. His art has been photographed by people from all parts of the globe. Some of the work is commissioned and depicts campaign issues or historical events. A lot of it is commentary on issues which Danny is taken by. He’s an internationalist and the International Wall on Divis Street in Belfast is one of his projects. When Danny D was first painting the Palestinian mural on the International Wall a group of young Palestinian people, who were visiting Belfast stopped to look at his work. Danny thought it would be good to have some Arabic ...

February 1st 09 The First Day Of Spring. Lá Féile Bríde faoi mhaise daoibh. Today is the first day of Spring here in Ireland. Saint Brigid’s Day. The days are lengthening. By a rooster’s step every day, the rural elders tell us. And crocuses and daffodils are peeking through and visible in sheltered spots. It is always a great joy to feel the change of seasons that we enjoy here in this small island. I like all the seasons but Spring always has the capacity to uplift our spirits. So too does the annual Féile An Earraigh in Belfast, an established part of Féile an Phobail. If you are about these parts from the fifth of February to the eighth and are interested in the best of ceol agus craic, debate, drama, mountain walks, literary matters, exhibitions or dancing then check out www.feilebelfast.com This blog is a highly mobile affair this week. I am in the car putting it together, poking away at the laptop. Don’t worry I’m not driving. On my way to Derry for the annual Bloody Sunday...