Don’t Let The Old Man In | Failure of Leadership

Few names from the Tan War 100 years ago are as well known that of Kevin Barry. His torture and execution by the British at the age of 18 generated huge national and international attention. His name evokes a deep rooted emotional connection to a young man who heroically fought for Irish freedom and lost his life at the end of a hangman’s rope. The song was written a few months after his death. No one knows who wrote the lyrics but there are few songs of Ireland’s long struggle fo...

25 Loka 202017min

My Podcast this week deals with the demolition of Herbert Park in Dublin, the home of the only leader of the 1916 Rising to be killed in action, and the report of the Independent Panel of Inquiry into the Circumstances of the H-Block and Armagh Prison Protests 1976-1981.’ 40 Herbert Park was demolished two weeks ago in a shameful act of political and corporate vandalism and greed. Its demolition again raises serious concerns at the refusal of successive Irish governments to protec...

9 Loka 202013min

For those of you who don’t know him or have never heard of him Chuck Feeney is an extraordinary human being whose kindness and vision has brought hope and joy to millions. Last week he signed the papers to finally bring an end to Atlantic Philanthropies – a humanitarian and charitable organisation he established in 1982. His purpose was to give away his 8 billion dollar fortune. I first met Chuck in 1993. Niall Ó Dowd brought the two of us together. We hit it off from that first crinniú...

26 Syys 202010min

This weeks Podcast is about An Taoiseach Micheál Martin; his failure to address Irish Unity; and questions his Shared Island Unit. Partition is almost 100 years old. But for democrats across this island, and in the Irish diaspora, for all of that time it has always been the great wrong that has to be righted. But it is not only a historic wrong. It is also a great injustice now, today. It remains the greatest cause of instability and division on our island. Where stands the leader of Fianna ...

9 Syys 202010min

WITNESS TREES. I used to have an old hard backed copy of Nora Connolly O’Brien’s; ‘Portrait Of A Rebel Father’. This wonderful account of James Connolly’s life, as recalled by his daughter, is a must read for followers of the great man. I foolishly lent my copy to a comrade and that is the last I saw of it. But that’s another story... In my copy of ‘Portrait Of A Rebel Father’ there is a photo of some of the Connolly children outside their family home at Nos 1 Glenalina Terrace opposite the C...

25 Elo 20207min

This podcast is going to deal with the shameful refusal of successive Irish governments to develop a national monument, a cultural quarter, a revolutionary quarter, a freedom quarter, a 1916 quarter on the battlefield site of Moore St. For those of you who don’t know Moore Street runs parallel to O’Connell Street from Parnell Street to Henry Street beside the GPO. 16 Moore Street was the last meeting place of five of the seven signatories of the 1916 Proclamation - the leaders who plann...

13 Elo 202013min

Sunday, August 2nd is the anniversary of the death on hunger strike in 1981 of Andersonstown man Kieran Doherty. Normally, August is also when Sinn Féin holds its National Commemoration in remembrance of all of the 1981 Hunger Strikers and of Michael Gaughan and Frank Stagg who died in prisons in England. However this year the Covid-19 pandemic has made that impossible, so like so many other events this year it will be held online. ...

30 Heinä 202011min

This week I thought I would talk about the 12th in this podcast. When I mentioned a few days ago to some friends that I was going to do this podcast about the 12th and asked them what they thought if I sang a few Orange songs, the answer was no. And that’s understandable. Some of these songs are very sectarian, are about hatred and are not acceptable. I first came across Orange songs way back in the day when I came across the writings of Richard Hayward. He wrote a number of books about Irela...

16 Heinä 202012min