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14 December, 2006 |
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Features
Border campaign - '50s republicans deserve recognition and gratitude 
Fifty years ago this week the IRA began its Border Campaign which was to last from December 1956 to February 1962. Here, MÍCHEÁL Mac DONNCHA writes on the background to the campaign and its first year. Photo: Lisnaskea Barracks after an IRA attack, December 1956 Interview - Author Danny Morrison 
Author Danny Morrison is a former editor of An Phoblacht and a former Director of Publicity for Sinn Féin. He was elected to the Six County Assembly in 1982 as an abstentionist Sinn Féin member for the constituency of Mid-Ulster and missed out in the 1983 Westminster Election by 78 votes. He was also a candidate for Sinn Féin in EU elections in 1984. Interview - Francie Molloy MLA, Six County Assembly Deputy Speaker 
Sinn Féin MLA Francie Molloy is a joint Deputy Speaker of the Six County Assembly. In that role he also alternately chairs the Programme for Government Committee with the DUP's Jim Wells. Here he speaks to ARAN FOLEY about the work of the committee, his own role and how he sees things progressing in the time ahead. Remembering 1981 - Paddy Agnew interviewed 
As a republican POW, Paddy Agnew topped the poll as a H-Block candidate in the historic 26 County general election during the Hunger Strike of 1981. Here, Agnew talks to ELLA O'DWYER about his imprisonment, memories of the Hunger Strikers and the support he received from the people of his native Louth when they went to the polls 25 years ago. Interview - Sinn Féin TD for Louth, Arthur Morgan 
Arthur Morgan is the Sinn Féin TD for Louth and party Spokesperson on Enterprise and Employment. A republican activist from the age of 17, he participated in the IRA's armed struggle against the crown forces in the Louth/South Armagh area in the 1970s. Following his arrest by the British Army aboard a boat in Carlingford Lough, he served seven years as a political prisoner in the H-Blocks of Long Kesh and was there during the historic 1981 Hunger Strike. Twenty-five years after that momentous event, Morgan speaks to ELLA O'DWYER about his experiences of struggle and his fascinating journey from Long Kesh to Leinster House. Photo: Arthur Morgan TD, outside the H-Block cell he once occupied, during a visit to Long Kesh last year Interview - Larry Kirwan, lead singer with Black 47 
Irish-American band Black 47 were in Ireland recently for a short tour covering Dublin, Galway and Wexford. Lead singer Larry Kirwan took time out to speak to MICHAEL DIXON about the band, his own writing and politics and plans for the future. 
Na rudaí is fearr faoin Nollaig: 
Even by Six Counties standards, it was an extraordinary incident. A high profile woman holding down one of the most powerful positions in the North and a man, son of one of the most powerful politicians around, almost coming to blows in a coffee shop. Interview - Republican veteran, Marian Steenson 
Dublin woman Marian Steenson (neé Murphy) is a lifelong republican and next February marks her 80th birthday. Here she talks to ELLA O'DWYER about her life, the republican home into which she was born and growing up in the 1930s and '40s. Nollaig 2006 - Republican reminiscences of a Christmas in Portlaoise Jail 
Christmas Eve 1990. I had just been interned by The Man on foot of my progressive views and was being marched through the grey stone corridors of the nether regions of the Big House. Between the Victorian appearance of the screws uniforms and everything else I would not have been surprised had I met 'Skin the Goat' Fitzharris on his way back from breaking rocks in the yard. 
Written In Stone (The History of Belfast City Cemetery), By Tom Hartley, Published by Brehon Press, Price £14 99 H-B Nollaig 2006 - Christmas on the web 
Are you finding it hard to get into the Christmas spirit? Do you want to be on the cutting edge of festive fashions and trends, or are you just wondering about that gift for a special partner? Or are you seeking revenge for decades of socks and other unwanted presents foisted on you by uncaring friends and relatives over the years? Well, there is a solution, and it's on the web. This news feature is funded by the European United Left/Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL) 
North West delegation in Brussels, EU Steamroller and Turkish surprise move confuses EU diplomacy Photo: This news feature is funded by the European United Left/Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL) Léirmheas suimiúil ar shaol agus tréithe Frank Aiken 
Maraon leis an gclár a bhí ar siúl an tseachtain seo caite ar RTÉ faoin bhfaisísteach Eoin O'Duffy, craoladh clár faisneise beathaisnéise eile faoi dhuine stairiúil ó thréimhse Réabhlóid na hÉireann. Frank Aiken a bhí mar ábhar ar an gclár áirithe seo, duine ar réabhlóideach agus iar-óglach poblachtánach dó. Ba cheannfort é ar Roinn Thuaidh Óglaigh na hÉireann le linn Chogadh na nDúbhchrónach ó a chuaigh sé isteach mar bhall sna hÓglaigh úd ina chúigiú bliain déag. Le linn an Chogaidh Chathartha, theastaigh uaidh seasamh neodrach a ghlacadh agus rinne sé gach iarracht réiteach a mholadh idir an dá thaobh. Ach i ndeireadh thiar thall, chaith sé le haill leis na poblachtánaigh tar éis do na saorstátóirí praiseach a dhéanamh iarracht é a ghabháil. Tar éis bhás Liam Uí Loingsigh, tháinig Aiken i gceannas ar na hÓglaigh agus d'ordaigh sé dóibh sos comhraic a fhogairt agus armlón a chaith ar leataobh, sa chaoi nach raibh mórán i ndán don bhfeachtas míleata poblachtánach faoin tráth sin. Is iontach na rudaí a fheictear agus tú ag fanacht ar eitleán - mná móra ramhra le cuirtíní thart orthu agus na fir chéile ag ithe sceallóg agus ag fanacht ar an 23.25 go dtí Los Angeles agus taom croí; agus colceathar Ronnie Corbett lena Mhamaí, a rinne na ceapairí dó, agus í ag brú an trálaí le dhá sheanmhála taistil brúite le chéile i gciorcal; scata déagóirí le spotaí orthu ag síneadh isteach a hataí tuí agus iad ar a mbealach go Fuengerola, na creátúir bhochta. 
The last big game before Christmas was last Sunday's Munster club final between Kerry's Dr. Crokes of Killarney and The Nire from Waterford. It was truly a clash of the patricians and plebeians of the game but The Nire paid scant respect to livery or genealogy and were unfortunate not to have at least gotten a draw. As was magnanimously conceded by Crokes, and newly appointed Kerry, manager Pat O'Shea. An Phoblacht's famous weekly satirical column. 
Christmas will soon be upon us, traditionally a time for thinking about political prisoners. There are less political prisoners in Ireland now than for quite a while. 
Pity the poor Irish Times. Even though Charlie Haughey is dead and on what the Irish call 'slí na fírinne' (way of truth), the 'paper of record' can't let him rest in peace. Once again this week, Tara Street led with a hopeful report by Tribunal challenger Colm Keena to the effect that the Moriarty Tribunal is poised to condemn Haughey for a payment-for-passport deal, for arranging a meeting for Ben Dunne with the Revenue Commissioners and for not cooperating with the Tribunal. |
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