Cuban/Miami Five begin 13th year in US jails

BY EMMA CLANCY

AS THE Cuban Five enter their 13th year behind bars in US jails, the international campaign for their release marked the anniversary of their imprisonment in September 1998 with demonstrations and vigils around the world, including in Ireland.
René González, Antonio Guerrero, Gerardo Hernández, Ramón Labanino and... Free article

AN EDITORIAL in The Guardian in London is possibly the last place you might expect to find praise of the GAA but, yes, there it was on Tuesday morning: a fulsome piece lauding the All-Ireland Football Final.
Amateurism, the mixing of supporters and so on are unremarkable for any Irish person but one can see why they attract comment from people beyond these shores.
Particularly... Free article

An opportunity for peace in the Basque Country

BY EOIN Ó BROIN

ON September 5th, ETA declared an end to “offensive armed actions”. In its statement, the Basque independence organisation said “the Basque Country is at a crossroads [and] can now take the road to independence”.
The armed group confirmed its “commitment to finding a democratic solution to the conflict... to a... Free article

HOW are things, Taoiseach after the Fianna Fáil drink-in - sorry, think-in?
Did you see Michael McDowell on ‘Ireland’s Greatest’ on RTÉ? His great man is none other than Michael Collins but this has not impressed our North Belfast Councillor Conor Maskey who tweeted afterwards “Michael McDowell will always exist as an inconsistent, weak-willed and revisionist west-Brit wannabe.”... Free article

Terence MacSwiney dies as the world watches

ONE EVENT more than any other in 1920 brought international attention to the Irish people’s struggle for freedom and that was the hunger strike and death in London of the Sinn Féin Lord Mayor of Cork and Irish Republican Army officer Terence MacSwiney.
Terence MacSwiney was elected mayor of his native city in March 1920 following the... Free article

Families to sue PSNI chief

BY LAURA FRIEL

THE families of those shot dead by loyalist gunmen in a Belfast betting shop are suing the PSNI Chief Constable for failing to prevent the killings.
Seán Graham’s bookies on the Ormeau Road became a scene of carnage after two UDA gunmen opened fire at customers in February 1992. Five men were shot dead and seven others were seriously... Free article

Dessie can do it

BY JOHN HEDGES

DESSIE ELLIS is organised. Very organised. He has to be. His desk in his constituency office in Finglas (part of his house) is covered in constituents’ case forms.
They’re in neat, segregated piles, according to their type. I give up counting them when I reach 38. And that’s without those in working files on the desk behind him.
When I turned up... Free article

“GOD, what an uninspiring interview by Taoiseach this morning.” So began Simon Coveney’s September 14th tweet. By that evening, the Fine Gael spokesperson for Transport and the Marine had caused three separate media hurricanes: a debate about libel online, Ireland’s international reputation, and a full-scale leadership debate in Fianna Fáil.
First up was the libel issue.
Had... Free article

Sligo hunt for loan sharks

BY JOHN HEDGES

“PARASITICAL” and violent loan sharks preying on families struggling to make ends meet are being pursued by Sinn Féin Sligo County Councillor Seán MacManus. Seán has asked the council to back his motion urging the Government to crack down on illegal money-lenders charging interest rates anything up to 200%!
The long-standing Sinn Féin... Free article

SPEAKING at the opening of a GUE/NGL conference on the European Citizens’ Initiative with Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic, Irish MEP Bairbre de Brún said that mobilising people to engage in decision-making should be at the heart of the Citizens’ Initiative.
Bairbre de Brún said:
“It is extremely important that the Citizens’ Initiative is as accessible as possible. This... Free article