Léargas

The 94 Cessation The IRA cessation is 30 years old this Saturday. That Wednesday morning on 31 August 1994 two journalists – Barney Rowan from the BBC and Eamon Mallie from Downtown Radio – arrived at The Patio Restaurant in the Kennedy Centre. It’s where 26 West is now. They met a woman republican activist who took from her pocket a small scrap of paper – a comm – on which was written the IRA statement announcing a “complete cessation of all military operations”. While there had been significant speculation over the previous months of the possibility of a ceasefire the enormity of what was being read to them - very slowly because Mallie doesn’t have shorthand - was not lost on both. The cessation would begin at midnight. In its statement the IRA leadership said that it believed, “that an opportunity to secure a just and lasting settlement has been created”.  It noted that the “Downing Street Declaration is not a solution …  A solution will only be found as a result of inclusi...

 - 19th August 2024 A Look Back at Féile 24 I thought I would reflect on some aspects of Féile 24 in this week’s column. In particular the debates and discussions. First of all I’m sure all Féile enthusiasts agree that this was an outstanding Féile. The debates and discussions in particular were of a very high standard and variety and audiences and speakers had a very special treat this year at their Saint Mary's mecca on the Falls Road. Not only did they experience an outstanding programme of political debates - some 84 in total- they did so in the spectacular surroundings of a thirty million pounds refurbishment of the University College. Well done to Peter Finn and to West Belfast MP Paul Maskey. And to think the powers that be tried to close Saint Mary’s a decade or so ago. The splendid eye catching make over enhanced the overall experience for those attending Féile. The centre piece of the renewal plan is the transformed assembly hall- now the main auditorium. With i...

- 12th August 2024 Kneecap I’m a big fan of Kneecap. From the time they were called NÍ CEAPAINN – a clever use of the Irish phrase and a play on the English words Kneecapping. Ní Ceapainn means ‘I don’t reckon’ or ‘I don’t think so’. For example, in ‘An ceapainn tú go bhfuil seo ceart?’ – ‘Do  you reckon this is right? Ní ceapainn. ‘I don’t reckon’. Or ‘I don’t think so.’ Anyway it soon morphed into KNEECAP. As part of a clever and provocative name recognition ploy. That’s my recollection anyway of the origin of the name of this trio of Rappers and I’m sticking by this wee bit of musical history. The Kneecap rappers are brilliant. Provocative. Clever. Funny. Satirical. Politically and lyrically in tune with their roots. And very, very talented. Which brings me to their film. Be warned. It too is provocative. From the start it's full of foul language. One f… word follows the other at breakneck speed. There is also sex in it. Well sex scenes. So if you are thinking of bringing your G...

- 5th August 2024 No to racists and fascists - No Pasarán! I was delighted to attend Féile An Phobail’s Carnival Parade last Saturday as it meandered its colourful, inclusive and vibrant way from the Dunville Park to An Sportlann on Bothar na bhFal. Underage representatives of local GAA clubs, other sporting organisations, community groups and numerous street artistes joined ethnic groups as they danced their way up the road. Led by a battalion of motor bikers and more sedate Lambretta scooterists, Palestinian flags were on display the length of the walk. It was brilliant, noisy, cheerful and uplifting It was also in complete contrast to the behaviour of the fascist and racist gangs who gathered at the City Hall as part of far right demonstrations organised across the ‘Kingdom’ against refugees following the awful events in Southport in England. Events which have no connection with refugees, awful as they were with the terrible deadly attack on school children, but which were seized up...

 - 29th July 2024  Moore Street – Rising to our Future The campaign to save the 1916 Moore Street Battlefield site and those iconic buildings and streetscape that are forever linked to the most important historic event in modern Irish history has reached another potentially decisive moment. In May, An Taoiseach Simon Harris announced the establishment of “a Taskforce to take a holistic view of the measures required to rejuvenate Dublin City Centre, north and south”. The stated objective is to make Dublin City Centre “a more thriving, attractive, and safe cityscape; and a desirable location to live, work, do business and visit.” The Taskforce is expected to report this month (August). On Monday, James Connolly Heron, Christina McLoughlin and Honor Ó Brolcháin of the Moore St. Preservation Trust and architect Seán Ó Muirí who is the Design Principle at Fuinneamh Workshop - an award winning architectural company based in Cork - met with David McRedmond, CEO of the Taskforce. The ...

Significant boost for Unity Referendum This summer the momentum behind the demand for constitutional change and for the Good Friday Agreement commitment to a unity referendum has dramatically increased. The very successful Ireland’s Future event in Belfast several weeks ago, the all-island economic conference by Sinn Féin’s Commission on the Future of Ireland, the emergence of a small but resolute grouping of United Irelanders from within Northern Protestantism and the positive soundings from an increasingly vocal pro-uniting Ireland lobby in the 26 counties, including from some within the political establishment, means that hardly a day passes without the issue of Irish Unity being raised in the political discourse. Last week’s publication of the report from the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreemen t - ‘Perspectives on Constitutional Change: Finance and Economics’ – marks a new and decisive moment in the unity debate. The Joint Committee include...