The People’s Archive by The People’s Priest: Have your say on the future of Ireland: Seán Keane: Walking with my Mother
.jpg)
Fr.
Des Wilson died in November 2019. I first met him in 1968. His long life was
dedicated to helping people. During the years of conflict, he stood with
the Upper Springfield community against the aggression and violence of the
British state forces. He gave comfort and solidarity to those in need and
was hugely respected and loved.
Fr.
Des was the people’s priest, a community activist, an educator, a defender of
people’s rights, an author, dramatist and writer. He was also a man of
great courage, a good neighbour, and a decent human being.
On a
more personal note in 1971, after internment, Fr. Des married Colette and me
while I was on the run.
Last
week the St. Comgall’s/Ionad Eileen Howell hosted an event celebrating Fr.
Des’s life. On show were some of the 10,000 individual artefacts and documents
that Fr. Des accumulated over his lifetime. Ciaran Cahill of Springhill
Community House explained that the Lottery Heritage Fund has agreed to support
the cataloguing of Fr. Des’s archive.
This
is a wonderful initiative providing an invaluable insight into the story of the
community of Upper Springfield and west Belfast and in particular of the
nationalist working class communities. The aim is to preserve and curate this
archive for future generations and researchers and to provide experience and
training in archival methodology.
Fr. Des and Noelle Ryan
Fr.
Des was a prolific writer, including a weekly column for this fine paper. He
wrote books and leaflets and pamphlets and collected posters, and photographs
and locally produced community and political material.
As I
wandered around the tables where some of his material was laid out I was
transported back to the 1970s and 8o’s, to the trauma of internment and the
tragedy of the H-Blocks and Armagh and of the hunger strikes. There were
posters and leaflets calling for the ban on plastic bullets and the end of
torture in RUC interrogation centres.
Fr.
Des kept a regular diary. Part of which he recorded on a twin-track tape
recorder. It was sitting in pride of place in the middle of a table with the
accumulated dust of the years on it alongside some of the original tapes and
posters. There was also a photograph of Fr. Des and Noelle Ryan who
worked closely with him over many years. Ciaran played for us a part of one of
Des’s diary recordings made shortly after the Ballymurphy Massacre in August
1971 in which he spoke of his desire for a centre for reconciliation as a
memorial to those who had been killed by the Parachute Regiment.
The Irish
Post in Britain carried a report of Fr. Des celebrating the 50th anniversary
of his ordination as a priest in September 1999. It includes a little poem from
his good friend Fr. Joe McVeigh:
He’s a Celt
and a Catholic, a
Buddhist and
a Jew,
A
republican, a socialist, and an anarchist too,
He’s a
priest and a prophet,
A fighter to
the end –
But most of
all.
Des Wilson
is our friend.
It
is clear just from the couple of dozen examples available last week that The
People’s Archive will be an important addition to the story of west Belfast and
to the strength and vision of its people. Well done Ciaran, Claire Hackett and
Tiarnan O’Muilleoir, the archivist, and all of those involved in this very
important project. The exhibition will be on show at various locations over the
rest of the year, including during Féile an Phobail. It you get a chance go and
see it.
Have your say on the future of Ireland
The Commission on the Future of Ireland was
established by Sinn Féin in November 2021. Its remit is to undertake a grassroots
consultation with the people of Ireland and internationally on the future of
our island. For people to have their say on what the future might be.
So far the Commission has held four People’s
Assemblies in Belfast, Derry, Ballybofey in Co. Donegal and the Carrickdale
Hotel covering Louth, South Down and South Armagh. Independent Chairpersons and
a wide range of political, economic, cultural and community contributors have
participated.
All of the events have been very well attended and
public reports have been published. Videos of the event are available on
YouTube. For example a video of the Donegal People’s Assembly is available
at: https://youtu.be/OUmR_pPnVt8
In June the Commission will be holding a Women’s
Assembly in Belfast and a Youth Assembly in Dublin and we are planning two more
Peoples Assemblies to be held in the South later in the year including one in
the Galway Gaeltacht.
The Commission has received over 150 written contributions from
a broad range of interested individuals and groups.
If you want to make a contribution – to give your opinion on the shape and format of the new Ireland why not email the Commission at commission@sinnfein.ie or via the following webpage www.sinnfein.ie/ futureofireland
Walking
with my Mother
Here
is another offering from a book of poetry - Poems for Hard Times –
I published a few years ago. This week I thought I would share this onewith
you.
Walking with my Mother
My mother died in 1992.
In 2007 I met her.
On the back road above Cashelnagore.
The August sunshine lit up
The scarlet fushia and the montbretia
And the white of her hair.
As I walked behind her
She picked wildflowers From the ditches.
Then at a gap in the hedge
She turned and smiled at me.
‘Lá deas ata ann’ she said.
‘It’s a nice day’.
I walked on.
Alone.
Wondering how this could be.
Seán Keane.
Regular readers will know that this column is a lover of music. My tastes are wide ranging and eclectic. But mostly I come back to folk music and invariably to Irish traditional music. And always when I’m in that mood it’s The Chieftains for me. Last week I purchased Chronicles: 60 Years Of The Chieftains on line from Claddagh Records.
I have been playing it constantly since then. Appropriately Paddy Maloney and his friends were belting out The Morning Dew when I got the sad news of the death of Seán Keane. Seán died suddenly at home in Dublin. He was one of our foremost fiddle players and a constant part of The Chieftains since 1968. I have been one of his fans since then.
Seán was the quiet, tall understated musical magician who brought old airs and traditional tunes alive. He was true to the tradition but expert at weaving it into his own unique style. He was a musician’s musician. He has three solo albums Gusty’s Frolics, Seán Keane and Jig it in Style. He and Matt Malloy, another genius, flute player and a Chieftain also, recorded Contentment is Wealth. If you want Irish music at its best it’s worth a listen. So too are Seán’s recordings with piper Liam O Flynn. He won many awards for his wonderful music.
He was always delighted to be part of The Chieftains. They brought traditional music across the world. With them, Seán also played alongside Mick Jagger, Kate Bush, Ry Cooder, Sting, Sinead O Connor and many other great performers.
His last public performance was the gig for President Biden down in Mayo weeks ago. I watched it on TV and I recall his huge smile as they finished up one particularly boisterous set. I bumped into him in the restaurant in Leinster House around the same time. I thanked him for his service to our culture. I’m glad I did. He told me he was still playing with Matt Malloy.
Paddy Glackin another wonderful fiddle player, in a tribute to Seán said that Seán understood the ‘emotional, spiritual and lonely quality in Irish traditional music.’
Seán will be missed by everyone who appreciates traditional music. Thankfully, because of his many recording, we can still listen to him.
Bá mhaith liom mo comh bhrón a dheanamh leis a teaghlach agus a cairde, go h’airithe na ceolteoirí eile.
Comments