Thirty years ago the Civil Rights movement in the Six Counties began with a march from Coalisland to Dungannon. Brian Dooley describes how they drew inspiration from the campaign for civil rights in the United States. Free article

To those who understand, no explanation is necessary; to those who don't understand, no explanation is possible. So ran the greeting which accompanied countless birthday and Christmas messages for political POWs over much of the seventies and eighties. No explanation was necessary because we understood. Free article

I was proud to see Dublin Sinn Féin members Daithi Doolan and Martin Vernon on (a much improved) Questions & Answers last week giving a very informed advocacy of the plight of refugees in Ireland. At a time when some of the O'Reilly-owned press has succeeded in whipping up ignorant emotions against so-called ``waves of illegal immigrants'', it took great moral and political courage to come out so strongly against the cheap populist grain of blaming refugees for everything from crime to homelessness. Free article

Tá Slógadh bliantúil Shinn Féin ag druidim go tapaidh linn aris i mbliana. Free article

Fifteen building workers died in 1997, 15 others have died already in 1998. This week another five builders narrowly escaped death when the four tonne roof they were working on collapsed. Free article

Kilkenny's legendary tradition seemed to portend victory all along despite the gallant play we have seen from Waterford throughout their eventful season. Free article

Why did Britain's ``Daily Mirror'' (circulation: 4,000,000 readers) on August 14, write: ``Ulster: Bring home the troops''? Why has this paper written: ``The time has come for a new start. One that would allow the Irish people to rule themselves''? Free article

A Military History of Ireland edited by Thomas Bartlett and Keith Jeffery Published by Cambridge University Press Price £17.95pb/£45hb (stg) Free article

The week in quotes... Free article