Newspapers made a terrible mistake when they went online and allowed readers to comment on their content. There are at least two reasons why this was a mistake: (i) the comments are very often at odds with what the journo has written; and (ii) the comments are often far more entertaining – not to say authentic – than the journo’s piece.
There is a good example in today’s Irish Times. It’s by Andy Pollak and titled ‘How Sinn Féins past compromises its future’. Andy talks about the alleged rape of Mairia Cahill and goes on to point up two major difficulties Sinn Féin have: Gerry Adams has to defend past IRA actions and Gerry Adams today keeps telling lies. There’s quite a bit of other stuff but you can read it for yourself at http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/how-sinn-f%C3%A9in-s-past-compromises-its-future-1.2001611?page=1.
It’s some of the responses to Pollak’s article that produce the sound of a needle inserted in an inflated balloon.
“I swear to God – is there actually a columnist left in this country not currently unloading both barrels at Sinn Féin? It’s beginning to look overtly crazy. There were *twenty three* articles attacking Sinn Fein in the Sunday Independent from two weeks ago. Micheal Martin is meeting with unionist Protestants to see about trying to arrest former IRA members in the Republic (seriously, how crazy is that image?), at this rate, why doesn’t the state skip the flirtations and simply have the guards baton charge the Sinn Fein TDs??”
“From the sublime to the ridiculous. Whose left in the IT that hasn’t had a go at G/A? Oh yes the sport columnists will probably be next. They would have a field day.”
“In a speech last week, Gerry Adams happened to mention the 1916 occupation of the Jacobs factory and the GPO. Outraged biscuit makers and postmen are demanding to meet Enda Kenny for cuddles and to discuss the veiled threats being made against them.”
Needless to say there are comments that disagree with the above and agree with Andy Pollak; but since Andy has had a 1,000-word + run at it already, they don’t stand out with the same sharpness as the dissenters.
It’s only fair that every politician and every political party be open to criticism in the press and elsewhere. But the scale of attack on what the last opinion poll declared the most popular party in the south is beginning to look… how can I put it? …distinctly odd. In addition to the Pollak article in today’s Irish Times there are two others attacking Sinn Féin – one titled “Sinn Féin ‘sleeveens’ over electoral request – Dolores Kelly” and “Taoiseach says Sinn Féin only accepts democracy when it suits”.
There is one chink of light detectable: a number of journalists, particularly on RTÉ, are beginning to realise that Shinner-bashing can end up boosting Sinn Féin’s popularity rather than denting it. Which would suggest that virtually all of the Irish mainstream media, as well as the leaders of the main political parties, are out of step with the general population. What then to do? Carry on bashing? Right. Except that repeating the same unsuccessful action over and over in the hope of a different response is often seen as a sign of madness.
The SDLP need to be reminded of exactly who they represent.
Nationals/Republicans are still fighting for the equality and respect promised in the GFA and weve seen precious little of either in the intervening years.
This latest onslaught on SinnFein which the SDLP has joined with all the other frightened,whimpering politicitions on this Island is pure political opportunism at its most incompetent.
We need a party in the north capable of facing down loyalism and the souths indifference the SDLP are not it.
On your point of facing down loyalism I might suggest for example smarter voting patterns by Nationalists. For example continuing all the way down the list in assembly and council elections past our own party preferences. Tactical voting in Westminster for the strongest candidate likely to win in face of ‘unionist unity.’ Not only that should we nationalists not lend our votes to say Alliance in East Belfast like unionist voters already do in Foyle and South Down?
It would be a yes for me.
I second that AP – for example what is the point in voting Sinn Fein or SDLP in an East Belfast westminster election. Imagine Naomi kept her seat in East Belfast if all the ones in Short Strand and the middle-class fenians about the East voted for her. The look on every DUPer face would have us laughing for years
I agree with AP and yourself; Republicans should actively campaign to assist election of moderate Noami Long in east Belfast.
Antonio
Why not vote Naomi in for her for her constituency abilities rather than to keep someone out. It’s more the pity there aren’t more gifted politicians like Naomi in both Westminster and Stormont. Don’t know if the “ones in Short Strand” will welcome that description. It’s sailing a bit close to themuns. The “middle-class fenians about the east” will be outraged I suspect, and will now likely vote DUP.
What does AP stand for? Alliance Party by any chance? Cheap tricks. Why should socialist republicans vote for right wing monarchists? To keep the same right wing monarchists with a different coloured sleeve out? To me, the DUP, UUP, Alliance are all the same. The Upper classes supporting the status quo.
The status quo indeed needs challenged but SF and SDLP cannot do it all by themselves. There was talk last week of a pro agreement axis, I say the more involved the merrier.
As an example new super councils Antrim and Newtownabbey for one,
SDLP and SF will have 7 seats in total I could be wrong but believe a Petition Of Concern requires 8 cllrs. (Am open to correction.)
So who do Nationalists have to get onside DUP, TUV and UUP. Not much luck there. Well Alliance have 4 seats on the new council. Who out of all those could be possibly persuaded? Until nationalists get the required number of seats it should be an option.
Elsewhere Alliance did move the amendment on designated days in Belfast and caused much offense on taking ‘our’ seat in E.Belfast. To ignore those people voting other would be a mistake, to look only inward while there are potential allies to move to a non unionist majority is an error.
What choice would you make in a predominately unionist constituency you voted already for your party of choice, if the last seat was a coin toss between a Unionist and say a Green or someone else? Would you leave it for the unionist to win the seat?
By the way the ‘AP’ I use as my pseudonym could be anything from Alliance Party to An Phoblacht I will let you decide.
100% agree.
Nationals/Republicans are still fighting for the equality and respect promised in the GFA and weve seen precious little of either in the intervening years.
What exactly are you being denied?
We need a party in the north capable of facing down loyalism and the souths indifference the SDLP are not it.
One could say we need a party to face down and put some manners on SF….
Peadar
Can you tell me please what is it your still fighting for…….what is it I have that you do t
Let’s get it out there in public , Jude . what politician would last five minutes if they told the truth .Politics is a kind of sleazy artform where the “truth” is perceived as a malleable piece of clay to be sculpted into whatever shape suits an agenda for power. I never expect any politician to tell the “truth” so I am never disappointed, nor do I feel in any way let down when after all their political mountain climbing ..when they reach the summit of their political dreams and their frost-bitten fingers are unable to unwrap those sandwiches., I just chuckle .it’s the expected punch-line . isn’t it? Hah!
As the Irish Times article mentions…”Tony Blair’s chief of staff and “front man” in Northern Ireland, Jonathan Powell, tells of a 1999 meeting with Gerry Adams at which Adams said what he liked about Powell was that “you always blush when you lie, Jonathan”. The senior Northern Ireland Office official with Powell retorted, “unlike you, Gerry”.”….touche…indeed..Parry…thrust..parry …thrust,,,,,. etc.
So let’s get past the reptilian writhings of these political snake pits and see these tussles for what they are . Gerry adams never claimed to be a latter-day saint.He isn’t …nor are any of them…mostly liars to a man when it suits…Just like in “Yes Minister”..
..but what’s this talk in the article..”.The problem for Sinn Féin in this affair is twofold. The first is that Gerry Adams, despite being a brilliant politician – his success, with Martin McGuinness, in persuading the militarists of the IRA to end their violence for a largely internal Northern Ireland solution that was essentially on offer a quarter of a century earlier is testament to that…”
I have to admit that I don’t remember any solution being “on offer”…essentially or otherwise, twenty five years before .There was Sunningdale of course but I remember collective unionism being appalled by anything like that ….that would give the Republic some input and of course this was almost ten years before Sinn Fein became truly properly politicised and able to win elections to any real extent, so there was no real way to slow down that “armed struggle” at the time without them simply splitting once again into yet another grouping..it really took some time for all those little ducks to get in line… The thing that Adams did was to get them all on the same page …mostly…
..So what is that all about …..Who was offering republicans what exactly …as opposed to offering nationalists who were not involved in Sinn Fein… anything back then? Seamus Mallon talked about the good Friday Agreement being “Sunningdale for slow learners”..There is truth in that too, but neither republicans nor unionists were as advanced in their political project as the SDLP were at that time. Most of them wanted things to stand still…much as unionists are acting at this present moment .
The odd thing was that when the dust finally settled , it was the SDLP and the Official Unionists who were left with the frost-bitten political fingers …fumbling to unwrap those unattainable sandwiches. That little fact is what really has the southern political and the northern political establishments both in an uproar at the moment.
Andy Pollak wrote of the still ” not completely clear” nature of the Mairia Cahill case and Stephen Collins of “claims” and ” accusations” against Sinn Féin, then both ignored the lack of clarity or of proven guilt to launch intemperate attacks, mainly on Gerry Adams but increasingly on the party which he leads. The Irish Times is fast closing the gap between their coverage of Sinn Féin and the GERRY ADAMS ate my BUDGIE type stories that feature in Independent newspapers. I have decided not to buy the I.T. again till I am assured by at least 10 people of good character that it’s coverage is fair.
You’re either very patient, Colm, or you’re going to live to a very ripe old age…
It is futile to complain and boo hoo about the media. Deal with the accusations and stop shooting the messenger.
Have we got the full story from the helpful members of the republican community who have been accused?
No, we have a statement issued by lawyers full of denial but empty of detail. Very helpful.
The trouble for republicans is that it is all to easy to believe this kind of thing happened. We all know what the IRA were capable of, so when allegations of this nature surface as they will, no-one even supporters is all that surprised.
And the “all politicians lie” line being peddled by paddyk above won’t wash either. Gerry is not being accused of lying about his mistress here; the allegation is covering up rape and child abuse.
The past is still Sinn Fein’s achilles heel, and will continue to be so as long as they keep the old soldiers on stage.
Mallon was talking nonsense when he talked about “sunningdale for slow learners”.The 73 agreement allowed internment to continue,allowed a totally unreformed RUC to continue,never mentioned prisoner releases and gave the Brits total control of justice.
Ireland Inspires 2016 – Just Don’t mention the War
Ian Kenneally, in his book the ‘Paper Wall – Newspapers and Propaganda in Ireland 1919 – 1921’, makes the point that newspapers are not just chroniclers of events but are also participants and protagonists. His work outlines how the British Government and Dáil Éireann attempted to control and influence the press during the years 1919 – 1921. The final sentence in the book reads,
“…It is a testament to the determination and bravery of so many of the newspapers and their journalists that they continued to work and report amid the storm of suppression, censorship, intimidation, propaganda and violence.” (Kenneally 2008:178)
An 80 second promotional video was published to coincide with the launch of the 2016 Centenary programme at the GPO. A second version of the video updated on the ireland.ie website featured a lingering shot of a copy of the Proclamation set against a photograph of a burnt-out GPO.
Both videos feature footage of prominent figures including Ian Paisley, Queen Elizabeth, Bono, David Cameron and Bob Geldof but other than a brief glimpse of the proclamation document at the beginning of the newly-updated video, at no point are Pádraig Mac Piarais, James Connolly or indeed any of the other executed 1916 leaders mentioned in the piece.
The saying: “What doesn’t kill you, only makes you stronger” comes to mind when the media, north and south, along with political parties attack Sinn Fein. This latest onslaught and smear campaign against Sinn Fein is nothing new, its been happening for decades and it has always failed. Could you imagine the reaction of Sinn Fein’s enemies/opponents 20 years ago if they could see where Sinn Fein are today? I wouldn’t be surprised if in 20 years Sinn Fein held the office of Taoiseach.
As for the SDLP, I wouldn’t be surprised if they were non existent in 10 years, never mind 20. This party has been going down hill for years, constantly losing votes to Sinn Fein and their politicians still don’t do anything to stop the decline. The refusal of the pact offer made by Sinn Fein will pretty much ensure South Belfast will be a Unionist seat (if Sinn Fein decide to contest it) come 2015 elections. If SDLP accepted a pact from Sinn Fein it would counter any Unionist pact and it would pretty much guarantee North, South and West Belfast would be Nationalist/Republican for the first time and a develop a very strong Pro-Agreement Axis. But no, the SDLP will have none of it. I spoke to a few republicans a while ago that said the SDLP are a small “u” Unionist party and I thought they were maybe going too far with that assertion but now I’m seeing they might have a point…..
Jolly captivating all the same, Esteemed Blogmeister, how a chap with such an exotic surname as Pollak, rather more redolent of Lublin than Dublin one would have thought, should end up tut-tutting the democratically elected leader of the largest cross-border political party on the island of Ireland from the disinterested pages of The Unionist Times.
At least it was for the easily captivated Perkie.
But then Perkie’s inner Ceann Comhairle began to take matters in hand. As said CC is well able to speak for himself with all the gravity of the gavel which is his o’tool of trade, Perkie will now allow him to speak, with your permission, E.B. aka Captain of the Guard.
‘At first glance an education, fine though it might well be in other respects, at the blue nose Raynes Park Grammar School in London SW 20 followed by the redbrick University of Sussex might seem unpromising to equip A. Pollak even a pollock-eating A Pollak (though tis said to be good for the brains) to tut-tut tutting Taigues, from terrorist to tout, from the highish moral ground of TUT.
At second glance, though, some fishing in the archives reveals that such exotic courses as ‘inter-generational transmission and ethnic-national identity in border areas’ are not only freely available but actively encouraged for high infants upwards in the enlightened school system of SW 20.
As Compulsory Leprechaun is not an issue in those same schools it follows that neither are time or resources.
It is scarcely deserving, therefore, of even a half-hearted raising of an eyebrow that the one-man reconciliation ball and chain that is A. Pollak should find himself as Pooh-bah of the Hands across the Border thingy. Hands on, Hands red.
Sadly, he seems to have thrown in the t. in recent times from this favourable-headline- capturing pursuit. Hands off. Sadly, but sadly understandable. As Perkie’s innner zoologist, on very good terms with his inner CC, revealed.
It was the unexpected discovery of Boa Island in the County of Fermanagh as the habitat of the boa constrictor that broke the camel-coated one’s back.
The boa constrictor is known to feed voraciously on pollocks, not least its own in the absence of other varieties, though it is whispered to be particularly partial to pollocks from the fish farms of SW 20. Full of amour propre and other protein-filled riches.
Andy Pollak’s journalistic career here or hereabouts got off to an inspirational start as Religious Correspondent of TUT, before handing over the crozier to an equally enlightening Patsy McGarry. The buzz phrase in ecclesistical circles is now: Patsy is where it’s Atsy.
AP left a mark far more indelible on this exalted position than, say, the Ash Wednesday daub on the forehead of Bertie the Devout. Clap happily, his successor is following splendidly in, erm, the shoes of the original fisherman.
Andy and Patsy: so informal, so ‘call in any time for a cosy conversion, oops, conversation and a sambo’. So Andy and Amos ! Though a little less Sambos, and rather more Somme Bros.
And this is not the only characteristic this pair of revolutionary reconciling rel-cors sans rancour share: they are both pillars of the Unitarian Church. Well, curry one’s yogurt, to coin a phrase.
That two journalistic fish from the same small gene pool should reach the heights of the the McGillyhack Reeks of Hibernia, of which Carauntoole is the supreme peak, can only remind Perkie’s inner sports buff of the time little ole Ireland was the Big Wheel of the Cycling World in the svelte velcro-fastened forms of Roche and Kelly.
Now, Perkie has only, to his temporal if not eternal shame been inside the portals of the Unitarian Church on St. Green on the one occasion,, but it was enough to leave the impresh indelible upon him. For those not familiar with this gem of gothic architecture, think St. Patrick’s Cathedral in the glass canyons of the Big Apple, though on a miniature scale. A sanctuary of reflection in the perspex glens of the Big Potato.
If architecture is frozen music then the Unitarian Church is an exquisite concerto by Carolan. Fittingly, its architect also composed Queen’s University on Laganside. Gifted hands across the Border to Be.
The occasion of Perkie’s visit was to the underground room in the Unitarian Church when it functioned as the Damer Hall, the only venue at the time on earth and adjoining comets, for Theatre in the Lingua Franca of the Leprechaun. It was here indeed that Brendan Behan’s An Giall, later fitted out for proper society as The Hostage, was premiered.
Alas, this super, erm, space has since gone the way of soup kitchens and other oblique facilities. In the Free Southern Stateen, Compulsory Google has replaced Compulsory Gaeilge.
The Hall was called after Damer Leslie Allen, the pioneering Patsy Cline of Anglo-Irish Aviation, who disappeared into the pollack-infested waters of the Irish Sea in 1912 as he tried to be the first to fly from Wales to Ireland. Thankfully, Andy Pollak, like Flight Lieutenant K. Myers before him, arrived safely without encountering any turbulent weather. England’s Joe Loss was Ireland’s Mitzi Gaynor.
A depressed and delusional Southern Eire thus became South Teriffic, a smash ‘it musical by Kevin Rodgers and Andy ‘Ammersmith.
The hungry sheep of Hibernia and other publications like Fortnight looked up and were fed, fed with fact and not opinion.
The Unitarian Church of Dublin paunches well above its ecclesiastical weight, not least because it is Eglise du Jour for the Diocese of D’Olier than Thou, the seat of The Unionist Times.
Unitarians are people of liberal outlook who are united by a common search for meaning and truth (not at all to be mistaken for ‘truthiness’, as even a casual perusal of TUT has, does and will always reveal).
Unitarianism has no set dogmas.
Thus, even the dogs in the street, including the caleb breed, know that the bust of the Reverend W.H. Drummond which graces the vestibule of the Unitarian Church on St. Stephen’s Green, is not to be confused, under any circumstances, with the bellicose chap nicknamed ‘Bull Dog’.
Which is an opportune moment to note that the preternaturally versatile Pollak has also found time to oversee the annual Merriman Summer School, best summed up, perhaps, by the one memorable line of the literary giant it is named for, i.e, Merriman the Butler in The Importance of Being E: ‘The dog-cart is at the door, sir’
To conclude: although the non-pandering Andy Pollak is no longer involved in the Cross Border Reconciliation thingy his groundbreaking handiwork is still to be felt. Maude Gonne but not Billy Cotton, as it were.
How heartening was it to read of the surprise, surprise guest appearance of A Certain Lady at the annual knees up of the SDLP today. For too long now the Sword of Damocles (S.D.) has hung over the LP, threatening to make it as extinct as the old breakable 78 records. The same SD has been hovering over the party as long as that baffling fada over A Certain Lady’s (who shall be nameless) first name
Now as it seemed to be facing the vinyl curtain, having taken a shellacking in the polls from the sleevens of Sinn Fein, it seems their hairy bacons have been saved at the eleventh hour.
All hail, the Diva ex Machina.’
Do these ‘gas-bags’ or what is laughingly called journalists, have the freedom to write what they perceive to be the true story; or are there guidelines laid down by their editors/owners to follow a certain agenda, political or otherwise?
(Many North American media outlets, both print and TV are notorious for this.)
One other question; does Rupert Murdoch own any Irish newspapers?
On the question of freedom to write,it might be appropriate to mention An Poblacht,The Andersonstown News and the late Daily Ireland.Does anyone imagine that there was complete freedom of expression in any of those publications?!
Well now Argenta – COMPLETE freedom? Get real. But I do know they searched for a unionist columnist – no takers…
Both INM and the Irish Times have cottoned on that the comments sections are, by and large, taking the articles to task. INM are removing large numbers of comments and the Irish Times are only allowing certain articles to be commented on. Some of the more strident articles are not allowed comment.
Publish and be damned? Well only if it suits