Say no to London | Nakba
Dublin Needs To Say No To London. Last week Mr Justice Humphreys, sitting in the High Court in Belfast, in his summary of judgement ordered the “disapplication of provisions of the Illegal Migration Act 2023 in Northern Ireland and declared others to be incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights.” Tips For Aging. I intend to include occasional Tips For The Aging in this column. If I can remember to do so. This one comes from Doctor Tom. If you get a mobile phone hang o...
26 Touko 202417min
Immigrants are not the enemy | Recognise the State of Palestine
Immigrants are not the enemy. Divide and conquer is an age old tactic. It is often utilised by conservative elements to advance their regressive agendas. This is true of the Irish as it is of any other nation. In fact historically some Irish people have acted against the interests of Ireland and supported imperialistic and other colonial or domestic adventurers. Nonetheless the vast majority of Irish people are fair minded, decent and progressive. Recognise the State of Palestine...
19 Touko 202415min
Student Protests | Captive Columns | Rights in a New Ireland
Solidarity to Student Protesters In the late 1960s the major national and international issues of the day that helped shape my politics were the anti-Vietnam War movement, the anti-apartheid struggle against the racist South African government and the civil rights movement in the North. In all three the activism of students was central to raising public awareness and opposition to injustice. Today students are again at the heart of an ant-war movement. In the USA students at over 100 ...
12 Touko 202414min
Moore Street | Mass Graves | The Falls
A successful conference in support of Moore St. Last week The Moore Street Preservation Trust and Uachtarán Shinn Féin Mary Lou McDonald organised a conference to support the development of a Historical 1916 Cultural Quarter in Dublin City centre with Moore Street at its heart. Mass graves an act of barbarism At the weekend Leas Uachtarán Michelle O’Neill was in London to address a massive pro-Palestinian march. She described what is happening in Gaza as the “gravest human rights violation...
5 Touko 202414min
Palestine | Sean Mackel | Rights in a New Ireland
It time to recognise the State of Palestine In 2014 Sinn Féin brought forward a Dáil motion calling on the government to “officially recognise the State of Palestine, on the basis of the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the capital …” I was part of this initiative. It got support from other TDs from other parties and none. It was not opposed by the Government at that time. Following a two day debate the motion was passed. This meant that ten years ago both Houses of the Oireachtas suppor...
28 Huhti 202412min
Unity | 100 Years | Keep supporting Palestinian people
Expanding the debate on Unity A recent report - "Northern Ireland Subvention: Possible Unification Effects" - published by the Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA) caught the headlines. It contained the startling claim that Irish Unity could cost the South up to €20 billion annually. It was grist to the mill of those who oppose unity. Before the day was out contrary and critical opinions of the report began to emerge with other senior economists criticising it for its failur...
21 Huhti 202415min
Antrim | Six Months of Hell
Up Antrim! 24 years ago I wrote a short piece for Antrim 2000. I discovered it this week when I was clearingout three decades of accumulated books, newspaper clippings and assorted pamphlets. The 2000 reflection on Gaelic games is reproduced below. Since then much has changed in the Gaeldom. The most important change is probably the growth of womens football. Until recent times women were confined to Camogie. Now Ladies Football is the fastest growing Gaelic game.&nbs...
14 Huhti 202413min
Special Rapporteur criticises Irish government on Gaza
Special Rapporteur criticises Irish government on Gaza Fifteen years ago this month I led a Sinn Féin delegation on a visit to the occupied Palestinian territories. Our visit took place seven weeks after Israel’s assault on Gaza between 27 December 2008 and 18 January 2009. In that attack Israeli forces killed 1400 Palestinians, including more than 400 children and injured thousands more. Schools and hospitals and infrastructure were also targeted. Our delegation was impressed by the re...
7 Huhti 202414min
