Villagers: Letters to the Editor 2006-07-06
There are no circumstances in which Florida governor Jeb Bush, a prominent neo-con and signatory of the notorious Project for the New American Century, should be welcomed to speak in this country. How often do we have to kow-tow to blatant American imperialist interests before we wake up to see the Stars 'n' Stripes over Leinster House?
Nor can it be a coincidence that various Chambers of Commerce around Ireland are now receiving visits from representatives of the American Right. On 28 June, the Galway Chamber of Commerce was entertained by US ambassador James Kenny; at the same time Galway newspapers were announcing the loss of 250 jobs at the American APC manufactury in the city. So much for playing nice with the US for the sake of jobs.
Perhaps it would be more fitting in a country such as ours, with its revolutionary heritage, for gardaí to detain good ol' Jeb on his arrival for questioning in connection with the deaths of thousands of Iraqis. Then, as a designer and supporter of terrorism, he should be handed over to his brother and detained at Guantánamo.
Fred Johnston, Circular Road, Galway
Valuing young people - Government is failing Irish young people
I disagree with the statement from the National Youth Council of Ireland [NYCI] that appeared in the Villagers section of your magazine on 22 June, entitled 'Government commitments show young people are "valued"'. I call on the NYCI to withdraw this statement until there is action on youth suicide, a proper outreach service for homeless and begging children, efforts to end homophobic bullying in schools and adequate paediatric facilities for our children.
As a young person aged 19, I call into question their use of the word "valued". To say the youth of Ireland is valued at a time when we have homeless teenagers on the streets is perplexing. Emma Browne, in her article of 22 June, elucidated how there is no outreach service for homeless or begging children. I ask the NYCI, how valued do you think our young homeless feel?
The government's commitment to the Irish youth is unsatisfactory. As a community activist and a member of a housing action group outside my own community, I have not seen "value" for the young people in most need of help. Fresh ideas are rapidly needed to help, advise and support young people to avoid increasing suicide rates.
To their credit, the NYCI recently issued a press statement on the area of mental health, and many people work very hard in the organisation. The purpose of this letter is not to attack the work of the NYCI but to highlight those young people we are failing. They need a much bigger commitment.
Wayne Tobin, Bray, Co Wicklow
Greystones Harbour - Big business taking over
The residents of Greystones Harbour are under siege from Wicklow County Council and SISPAR (a consortium of two major property developers, Sisks and Park Developments) who propose a public-private partnership (PPP) to rebuild the public harbour in Greystones. The council, as part of this proposal, will issue a compulsory purchase order on the beach and foreshore, creating a precedent that may be replicated all over the country.
An oral hearing was held on the matter by An Bord Pleanála. This was the only stage involved in this planning process. An Bord Pleanála had asked the council to outline alternative locations for the development of 375 houses and apartments and over 60,000sq ft of commercial space. The council claimed there was no other location.
It has since been revealed that the council has over 20 acres south of the town which, according a council official, were being held to help pay for the harbour development among other things. The council never told the public or An Bord Pleanála about this land. The council sold this development to people on the basis that there was no alternative. Over 6,000 people objected to this development. This is not democracy. This is big-business taking our beach and foreshore to build apartments and a private fee-paying marina. PPPs are meant to be for necessary public infrastructure. This development has become a private enterprise legitimised by the need to repair a harbour.
Rory Fallon, Greystones Harbour Residents' Association. ? More www.greystonesmarina.com
Charles Haughey - Haughey left two legacies for Ireland
Even those of us who, over decades, opposed Charles Haughey, and what he actually stood for, cannot deny that his was an extraordinarily complex and often contradictory character.
He was a Republican in the Irish usage of that word – but anything but a republican in the non-Irish usage. He may possibly have had compassion for individuals, and for groups such as widows. But he had nothing but a Bourbonic contempt for 'the people' as a whole. In the daylight months after the dream-night of 9 January 1980, he betrayed us all.
However, considering carefully the record since 1922, none of our leaders has had anything equal to Haughey's almost obsessive personal relationship with the arts, culture and history.
In this regard I agree with Tommy Hamill (Village 22 June) that Haughey as Taoiseach (and maybe even more so as leader of the opposition) would have seen at once the symbolism of Tara/Skryne.
The question is: Do our current Taoiseach and government identify with that aspect of the Haughey legacy – the recognition of the nation and its heritage? Or, generous with polite meaningless words, do they identify with the other part of the legacy, where everything, even the soul of the national community, has a price on the open (or secret) market – and is for disposal?
Maurice O'Connell, Tralee, Co Kerry
Waters is in denial about Haughey
John Waters' article on Charles Haughey ('The Chorus', Village 22 June) is mealy-mouthed and avoids the real issues. It fails to capture the essential significance of a politician who, on the one hand, was a man of enormous ability and intelligence but, on the other, was a creature of self-indulgent venality.
One not very endearing characteristic of Haughey was his dismissive attitude to those in the public service who disagreed with him or of whom he did not approve. Public servants who saw themselves as citizens of a democratic republic and expressed honest disagreements with him had their careers undermined and their characters destroyed. John Waters is willfully in denial about the fact that Charles was no ordinary person but one who had elements of megalomania and paranoia in his make up.
Tony Leavy, Sutton, Dublin 13
Crime and the public - Ridiculous laws make public fearful
Recently Michael McDowell chided the public for not "helping out more" in the detection and resolution of crime. He admonished them in particular for not getting involved in an assault which led to a death in Dublin [Alan Barber, who was attacked on O'Connell Street on 18 June].
The first reports of the assault made it sound like a frenzied attack that should surely have attracted attention of passers-by. Reading more over the following days, I understood that it was a single punch to the head, the victim fell to the pavement and hit his head, dying shortly after. No less tragic for all that, it was probably so fast that most passers-by didn't even notice. However, had they noticed, it is still unlikely they would have got involved.
To begin with, there is the potential for danger to themselves. But the main reason people don't get involved is the nanny state. Over the years, our laws have become progressively more ridiculous to the point where people are afraid to defend themselves, never mind come to the assistance of anyone else in case they get sued or hauled before a court for assault. The nanny state has taken all responsibility and authority for our safety into its own hands, yet is almost wholly unable to deliver on this deal.
The state is trying to have it both ways. I'm surprised the minister can't grasp this. But then, if I had garda protection at my house I'd sleep well too.
Nick Folley, Carrigaline, Co Cork
Statement - Funding for musicians in Ireland
A new Performance and Touring Award has been developed by Music Network, the national music development organisation, to assist Irish and Ireland-based musicians in realising performance opportunities. With an initial award fund of ?65,000 in 2006, the scheme aims to: offer increased employment opportunities to Irish musicians; develop the skills base of Irish artists in areas such as project planning and administration, self-promotion and self-management; and offer a new source of music programming to concert promoters, and in turn to audiences.
In total, 24 applications were received in the first round seeking ?228,167. However, given the budget available, the selection panel allocated a total of ?31,517 to six applicants as follows: Darragh O'Neill (classical guitar); The Bridgewood Ensemble (violin, cello, clarinet); Strands Chamber Ensemble (violin, cello, piano); Isabelle O'Connell (piano), Elizabeth Cooney (violin), Jane O'Hara (cello) and Sylvia O'Brien (soprano); Osteti (trumpet, voice guitar, electronics, percussion); and Ann Scott (vocals, guitar, keyboards) and band.
The second 2006 deadline for applications is 5pm on Monday 25 September (for projects taking place either in 2006 or 2007) and is open to musicians and ensembles of all genres who are of Irish nationality or who are resident in Ireland.
?More Contact Louise Walsh, PR and Marketing Manager, Music Network, Coach House, Dublin Castle, Dublin 2. 01 6719429 or 087 2498713 www.musicnetwork.ie. pr@musicnetwork.ie
Palestine - Good Friday could be the answer
It is hard to know where to begin in addressing the Palestine-Israel problem, but perhaps we owe a debt to Richard Kimball in Galway, who last January organised an encounter between a Palestine activist group and some key participants in the peace process in the North. See www.quakers-in-ireland.ie/principles/
faithact.htm#palestine for a report which underlines the importance of making the political process in the North work. It could constitute a model for peaceful political development of situations where land is occupied by rival tribes, both having perceived valid historic claims, dated differently.
The idea of a 'Jewish state', in which all non-Jews are second-class citizens, is analogous to Craigavon's "Protestant Parliament for a Protestant People". The process needs to be consensual and to lead to win-win, compromise solutions to outstanding issues. Perhaps this can happen with the proposed Good Friday process.
The proposed 'two-state' division of Palestine is a recipe for disaster: an apartheid system with 'bantustan' sources of cheap labour is the likely outcome. A single state in Palestine, inclusive of Israel and its people, would be possible if Israel were to occupy all of existing 'Palestine', and then magnanimously offer equal citizen rights to all inhabitants. However, there would be a majority of non-Jews. Therefore majoritarian-type democracy, if implemented in the spirit of Palestinian triumphalism, would be seen by the Jews in Israel as a disaster. It would only work if powersharing were built into the consitution. Whence the importance of the Good Friday Agreement: do we have the makings of a model for a win-win resolution of the Palestine question?
Roy Johnston, Rathgar, Dublin 6
John Redmond - Redmond was proved wrong
I thank Pierce Martin for bracketing me with Casement and Connolly (Village 22 June) but must decline the compliment. After centuries of turmoil at home and abroad, that part of Ireland which managed to disconnect itself from Britain has evaded further war and conquest for almost a century; which must be a vindication of Casement and Connolly.
Regarding German Imperial tyranny, Redmond wrote: "There are 25 states in the German empire, every one of them with its own parliament and executive, with full control over all local as distinct from imperial affairs..."
The German empire was a union of Protestant and Catholic states with a shared language and culture. While Sinn Féin looked towards the voluntary relationship between Hungary and Austria, Redmond compared the German Imperial Parliament favourably with the British Imperial Parliament which administered the starvation and extermination of conquered peoples around the globe.
On the question of resistance to the British conquest of Ireland Redmond said: "We demand self-government as a right... We regard [the Act of Union] as ... a great criminal act of usurpation carried by violence and fraud... Resistance to [it is] a sacred duty; and the methods of resistance will remain for us merely a question of expediency. There are men today... who think that the method we ought to adopt is force of arms. Such resistance I say here... would be perfectly justifiable if it were possible."
Perhaps Redmond had in mind the peaceful separation of Norway from Sweden in 1903. But when Britain overruled the Irish vote for independence in 1918, Redmond was proved wrong and Casement and Connolly were proved right.
Pat Muldowney, Belmont Crescent, Derry
Edward Carson - Carson was an all-Ireland unionist
Pierce Martin's creativity knows no end. He now has Carson raising an illegal army, and getting British Generals to sponsor it, in order "to defend the six counties of Ulster and nowhere else in Ireland against Home Rule" (Village 22 June).
Carson was strictly an all-Ireland unionist. He was placed in the Ulster leadership for the purpose of keeping Ireland within the Union and not for the purpose of cutting off the northeast.
Ronald McNeil made it quite clear in his book, Ulster's Stand for Union, that separation of Ulster from the rest of Ireland was the second line of defence and that: "The Loyalists of Ulster were successful in holding this second line... but they only retired from the first one – the maintenance of the legislative Union – after a long and obstinate defence..."
The British Unionist case against Home Rule was that it would endanger the integrity of the Empire. 'Ulster' was a means of defeating Home Rule, not of securing a separate arrangement for the northeast. That is why the opposition defied parliament and government on the issue to the extent of raising, training and arming an illegal army.
If Carson's purpose had been a kind of six-county nationalism his efforts would have achieved success with the opening of the Northern Ireland parliament in 1921 and he would have been the first Northern Ireland prime minister. He gave up the "Ulster" leadership and went into the English administration as Lord Justice of Appeal. And if he had been content that the rest of Ireland should go its own way, he would not have responded to the treaty in December 1921 by throwing a tantrum in the House of Lords and denouncing his colleagues for selling out the cause.
Jack Lane, Millstreet, Co Cork