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Na Mná Abú.
I have been a life-long supporter of Antrim’s footballers
and hurlers. And the Camógs as well. Colette played county back in the day.
Back in another day I had a dream that I too might make the grade. But
wee boy dreams faded into reality and alas it was not to be. I sometimes
reflect on how different my Gaelic sporting life might have been in a different
political dispensation. If only?
So, I have followed our county’s fortunes and misfortunes
from the side-lines for over seventy years now. That’s a long time. I am
one among many. Not all of us can be county stars. But we kept the faith on
tough days out as well as on heady days in Casement and other county grounds
and occasionally in Croke.
In recent years the totally unacceptable delays on building
the New Casement has infuriated us all. I am thinking especially of a
generation of young Gaels who have been robbed of the opportunity to play in
our county ground. Some of the stalwarts on our Senior county teams may never
get that chance. That’s really not fair.
So I wish our county players the very best of good luck no
matter how much the odds are against us at times. A big thanks to our
management teams, our sponsors, all the committee members and the legions of
volunteers at every level. And especially the players.
I keep an eye on the efforts of our Camógs and this column
supports the footballers ‘Corrigan Or Nowhere’ decision about the Ulster
Council’s totally unacceptable and stupid decision not to give Antrim our
entitlement to home advantage. I also support Davy Fitzs’s and the County
Boards efforts to continue the revitalisation of the hurlers in the time ahead.
Sunday’s decisive victory against Laois was brilliant. Lovely hurling.
But enough of the men.
Let’s shine a light on Antrim’s most successful athletes in
recent times. The Ladies Gaelic Football Team. They are brilliant. So
far, under the management of Glenavy’s Chris Scullion and Michael Devlin, they
have had an unbroken run of wins in Division Four. No mean feat. Very
well done to all involved.
I watched them recently in Davitt Park against Wicklow. What
a great afternoon of Gaelic sport. Davitts GAC – a great club doing
mighty work especially down the Falls – rose to the occasion of hosting a
senior game with style. The stewarding was exemplary. The welcoming set up in
the Davitt Park is a credit to the club and all its volunteers.
I lapped up the medal presentations for, and the
performances of the underage girl’s teams who graced the pitch at half time. I
know similar events with underage teams happen in clubs across the city, county
and country and I know hosting big fixtures, not least in Corrigan Park, is to
a very high standard and a great credit to all involved but there was something
special about seeing dozens of wee girls in their club colours playing their
hearts out. And watching their role models in their county colours winning with
such confidence.
That’s what lifted us all. The players. Their team work,
football skills and cohesion as well as individual displays by some outstanding
footballers. It was a joy to watch. Wicklow are a good team but Antrim
overpowered them and outplayed them in every part of the field. They did
the same against Derry on Sunday.
A short time ago women or girls didn’t play football in this
organised way. The GAA was a male only playing zone. No women need apply.
That is changing. There is a lot of progress yet to be made. Equality with the
male players with support, logistics and resources on the basis of parity is
essential. And publicity also. The achievements of our Antrim footballing
women Gaels need highlighting. Let’s give them and their mentors the credit and
recognition they deserve. Na mná abu!
Let’s welcome the World
It has been a very busy and eventful couple of weeks for all
of those who speak and enjoy the Irish language and who have campaigned for
decades against government policies of institutionalised exclusion, inequality
and discrimination.
Two weeks ago, and after years of prevarication by
successive British governments, the British Secretary of State finally
commenced the legal process by which the last penal law – the Administration
of Justice (Language) Act (Ireland) 1737 - will finally be repealed.
This is an important milestone in the long struggle to ensure equality of
language rights for gaeilgeoirí in the North. There is now an onus on the
Justice Minister Naomi Long to bring forward effective guidelines in the courts
that reflect the increasing numbers of citizens using Irish in their daily
lives in our society.
Nationally we are also currently in the midst of
an extensive programme of events celebrating Seachtain na Gaeilge.
The 17 days of Seachtain are full of events including music and dance,
poetry and plays, sport and much more. Belfast has made a real
effort to participate fully in this programme.
Adding to this atmosphere of positivity the First Minister
Michelle O’Neill and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly last week
announced the launch of the appointments process for the Irish Language
Commissioner and Ulster Scots Commissioner. This too is an historic, though
long overdue, step forward and is an integral part of establishing the new
identity and language bodies.
It was also revealed last week that Belfast will host Oireachtas
na Samhna (The November Gathering), the oldest Irish language and arts
festival on the island of Ireland. The festival, which will run from 29 October
to 2 November, celebrates the Irish language, arts and traditions and each
year is packed with events that include debates, films, workshops – all through
the medium of the Irish language. Thousands of gaeilgeoirí from across the
island and beyond are expected to come to Belfast.
And finally, the icing on the cake was the formal
announcement last Saturday that the biggest celebration of traditional Irish
music and culture in the world – An Fleadh Cheoil – is coming to Belfast
between 2 August and 9 August 2026. Over the years I have had the great fortune
to attend the Fleadhs in towns and cities across the island. They are
exuberant, hugely enjoyable sessions, with tens of thousands thronging pubs,
hotels, community centres and streets to listen to wonderful music.
Next year will mark the Comhaltas’s 75th birthday
and plans are already well advanced for the hundreds of events ranging
from major concerts to street performances, pop-up gigs and community céilís.
There will be music, dance and singing competitions. In addition, Féile an
Phobail will take place over the same period. So, Belfast will be alive with
the sound of music.
Well done to all of those who have played a part in these
developments and in particular to the thousands of young people who through An
Dream Dearg successfully put the issue of language rights on the public agenda.
John Finucane MP put it well when he welcomed the decision
by Comhaltas. He said: “This will be a game changer for our people and
communities. Let’s get ready to welcome the world.”
And let’s have a great Saint Patricks Day. Lá Fhéile Padraig
Faoi Mhaise Daoibhse.
Opening the Gates of Hell
Late last week war criminal Benjamin Netanyahu announced
that he was blocking humanitarian aid from entering the Gaza Strip. His Finance
Minister Bezalel Smotrich applauded this decision and called
for the cutting off of electricity and water. Within hours this was
done. Smotrich went further and demanded the "opening
the gates of hell on Gaza with a powerful, deadly and quick attack.”
UN Human rights experts accused Israel of "weaponised
starvation" after the decision to block humanitarian aid. They asserted
that Israel as the occupying power is obliged to ensure sufficient food,
medical supplies and other relief services reached the people of Gaza and the
west Bank. They accused Israel of weaponising aid by deliberately cutting vital
supplies.
None of this will come as a surprise to all of those who
have been appalled by Israel’s genocidal policies. But at a time when much of
the world’s focus in on US foreign policy toward Ukraine there is a real danger
that the plight of the people of Palestine will slip off the political agenda.
We must not allow that to happen.
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