Looking back at the events of the last century in Ireland, it is interesting to note that British arrogance and intransigence was a constant factor in their attitude to Ireland and Irish republicans. Their arrogance needlessly prolonged the conflict. Of course, their arrogance was on display not only in their attitude towards Ireland but in their condescending attitude towards the […]
May, 2020
Battle of the Sexes: Wrong Result! by Pat McArt
I was in America in the early 1970s when there was a massive houha about a tennis match of all things. A braggart by the name of Bobby Riggs, who was then well into his 50s, opined he could easily beat any of the world’s leading female players. And he proved it by beating the […]
A STRIKING ATTITUDE, A BRAZEN HUSSEY AND A REGIMENT OF BALLSY WOMEN… by Donal Kennedy
I “CERTAIN WOMEN SHOULD BE STRUCK REGULARLY, LIKE GONGS”. The quotation is from a character in “Private Lives” by Noel Coward. It could not have had the playwright himself convicted of misogyny before the spawning of the”Me Too” generation. But certain women could tempt me to adopting a striking attitude. And one at least might persuade me […]
Staying stylish: a matter of life and death?
New Zealand, having a competent prime minister, is leading the way out of Covid-19 lock-down. And what was the first thing on the minds of many men, causing them to queue from midnight? A haircut. You know things have eased up when your barber gets up-close and personal with you. Which got me thinking: how does […]
Justice for Gerry after 40+ years
“Though the mills of God grind slowly, yet they grind exceeding small; /Though with patience He stands waiting, with exactness grinds He all.” – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow It’s hard to know how Gerry Adams feels this afternoon. On the one hand, there’s a fair chance he’s pleased that the Supreme Court has decided he was illegally […]
ABUSE–some letters I received by Joe McVeigh
Father Joseph McVeigh outside a disused customs hut in Pettigo, Ireland. Bloomberg photo by Mary Turner. The following are just a sample of the dozens of abusive letters that I received over the years of the conflict. I rediscovered them as I was going though old papers during Lockdown 2020.JMV South Leitrim […]
WHO WANTS TO BE, WHO NEEDS TO BE PACIFIED? by Donal Kennedy
By the time Queen Victoria celebrated he Diamond Jubliee in 1897 some seventy Wars, Expeditionary Campaigns or Punitive Raids had been fought in her name “When she died almost four years later her forces were battling in South Africa. Not a single War, Campaign or Punitive Campaign was waged in defence of Britain. Britain had built warships […]
How Germans were treated after VE Day 1945 by Dave Murphy
There was a very moving article by Fergus Finlay on the Irish Examiner’s website a few days ago about the German President’s speech on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of VE Day. However, he seems to believe that the horrors of WW2 in Europe ended with VE Day. Two books I have read in recent […]
Report from the American Brexit Committee by Michael J Cummings
AMERICAN BREXIT COMMITTEE 1919 CHESTNUT AVE, SUITE 1724 PHILADELPHIA, PA 19103 COMMITTEE ASK SECRETARY OF STATE POMPEO FOR BRITISH ACCOUNTABILITY ON NORTHERN IRELAND Philadelphia & NYC May 11, 2020 The American Brexit Committee has appealed to Secretary of State Pompeo to confront the British government for their efforts undermining the Irish peace process and the Stormont House Agreement. “The Department of […]
Letter from the American Brexit Committee to Mike Pompeo by Michael J Cummings
AMERICAN BREXIT COMMITTEE 1919 CHESTNUT AVE, SUITE 1724 PHILADELPHIA, PA 19103 May 8, 2020 Honorable Michael Pompeo Secretary of State U. S. Department of State 2201 C St. NW Washington, D. C. 20520 Dear Secretary Pompeo: The American Brexit Committee (ABC) was formed by a group of American citizens who share a deep concern for Britain’s […]