Features

Desmond Greaves Summer School : Achieving an Irish national democracy

The 19th Desmond Greaves Summer School took place in Dublin's ATGWU Hall on Sunday, 26 August. This year's theme was Labour and Republicanism - The Way Forward? Topics included Republicanism - A Subversive Ideology; the 1930s Republican Congress; and Socialism, Nationalism and Republicanism: Ideologies in Conflict? As part of the Summer School, a symposium on the Sunday addressed the issue of Republicanism and Labour in Ireland today: Interaction and Potential. The symposium was addressed by Eamon Gilmore TD, the most likely successor to Pat Rabbitte as leader of the 26-County Labour Party; Fianna Fáil Senator Martin Mansergh, who is also a historian and who has played a leading role in the formulation of Fianna Fáil policy on the Six Counties; and Eddie Glackin, a leading official with SIPTU, Ireland's largest trade union; and Sinn Féin Belfast City Councillor Tom Hartley, a former Chairperson and General Secretary of Sinn Féin. Tom Hartley is also the author of Written in Stone: The History of Belfast City Cemetery. Here is an edited version of Tom Hartley's address.

Photo: Tom Hartley

The Mary Nelis Column

Allegations of dishonesty and fraud have been flying across the airwaves of the local BBC Radio station in Derry for the past week, as parents whose children have been denied a place at local secondary schools accused other parents of 'grannying', a term used to describe the use of grandparents' Northern addresses, to access education and other services, by those living in the Donegal side of the border.

Shell to Sea : Struggle a microcosm of bad approach to development

Following a seven-year struggle against Shell's controversial Corrib gas project local campaigner and member of the Rossport 5, MÍCHEÁL Ó SEIGHIN outlines the continuing resistance to Shell's plans for the Erris area of North Mayo and the Irish government's compliance with the multinational's abuse of local people and the state's abandonment of the interests of Irish citizens in relation to public safety and the exploitation of Ireland's natural resources.

Photo: Micheal O Seighin

Policing : Republicans to play full role in shaping future of policing in Ireland

Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Policing and Justice ALEX MASKEY outlines the rationale and objectives behind the party's current engagement with policing structures North and South.

Photo: Sinn Féin Policing Board members Daithí McKay, Alex Maskey and Martina Anderson

EPA report shows Irish global warming double the global rise

Any doubts about the impact of global warming on Ireland's weather were ended last week with the publication of a ground-breaking report on climate change on the island.

Cúlchaint

Oh mo Dhia! Tá na daoine beaga istigh i mo chloigeann le casúir agus druil ag obair go dian.

Garda turban ban : Republicans should not support overt religious displays by state

In an opinion piece in last week's An Phoblacht, SINÉAD NÍ BHROIN argued that a decision by An Garda Síochána not to allow a young Sikh applicant to the Garda Reserve to wear his turban on duty was arrived at from ignorance. Allowing Sikh Gardaí to wear a turban would illustrate a new commitment to equality, Sinéad said. Sinn Féin Dublin City Councillor KILLIAN FORDE takes a contrary view.

TV Review : Gritty drama's first episode shows promise

Celtic Tiger. There. I said it. Lets not refer to it again. I haven't used the term for about four years now, which is a relatively long time to have passed without a definitive piece of TV drama that views the economic boom in the South of Ireland through the gritty prism of the marginalised, the forgotten and the plain ordinary people of modern Ireland.

The Matt Treacy Column

Anyone who thought that Limerick might have been content to have reached the All-Ireland final and be there to put up a good show would have been disabused by watching the faces of Richie Bennis and Gary Kirby when interviewed after the match.

Media View

Summer is traditionally the "silly" season for newspapers and broadcasting media, as the shortage of news means that pages have to be filled with stories that normally would not make the grade.

Fifth Column

Letter to the Taoiseach

Did Monday morning have that 'back to school feeling' for you, Taoiseach? It'll feel even more like this when Jay and Rocco come of age. My own three were all ready to go and we took a photograph of them together before a wasp introduced chaos to the proceedings. Meanwhile, Áine at Morning Ireland opined that the return to school normally brings with it more sunshine than usual.

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