Exiled memories of West Cork

A Chairde,

Now at age 76 I live here in Australia. I expect to end my life here in exile. I am but one of many, many thousands of my race - victims of the vast Diaspora of the Irish down the centuries. I shall never again ramble over the lovely Sheehey Mountains of West Cork, whose wild glens and fairy-haunted valleys knew me well. For many a time it was my joy and delight to follow in the track of Fionn and Osgur, Diarmuid and Grania - yes, even to that secret place on the slopes of Cnoc Owen, the Rock Shelter, Leaba Diarmuid `s Grania!

SINÉAD

I first saw her at noon of day Under a grey monument - The Limestone cross at Kilmichael Commemorating a victory And the death of Krake A British Terrorist... Echos of shots in the glen Wail of the war pipes, The screams of wounded men... Such a peaceful place now - Where the blackbird sings To the grey November dawn His Matin love song - And the tuneful thrush competes In harmonic rivalry... But I only remember now, How lovely she looked Under that grey monument - And I promised her A poem.

Pádraig Mac Séan Ó Síocháin Victoria, Australia.

Blair urged to ignore mutineers

A Chairde,

The Celtic League has written to the British Prime Minister following reports of pressure from senior Army Officers to delay a demilitarisation of the South Armagh area. The reports, well sourced in a British Sunday newspaper, said that senior ``Army commanders have warned Tony Blair that they will withdraw from the south Armagh border if they are forced to abandon their hilltop observation posts''. The Celtic League has urged the British PM not to be swayed from any quarter from the peace process in Northern Ireland, be it ``dissident republicans, recalcitrant unionists or a cabal of mutinous Army officers''. We conclude by urging that the demilitarisation process be expedited and also environmental regeneration, and that compensation and inward investment be provided for an area whose economy has long been blighted by the presence of high troop levels.

Bernard Moffatt Secretary General Celtic League