14 August 2003 Edition
Handshakes and gestures make peace
14 August 2003
Personal qualities, handshakes and gestures were topics for discussion at several of the debates I attended during the West Belfast Féile an Phobail, as was the role of the British media in covering the conflict here. Joe Cahill, the 83-year-old republican revolutionary, came from his hospital sick bed to speak at the 11th Frank Cahill Memorial lecture, in memory of his brother. Free article
Bringing them home - The PJ McGrory Lecture
14 August 2003
This year marked the 15th year of the West Belfast Festival and the 15th year of the tragic train of events which provided the inspiration for the community demonised and marginalised to assert its pride in its identity by instituting Féile an Phobail. Free article
Straight talking from Michael Moore
14 August 2003
Michael Moore, the American film-maker and political commentator, received a tumultuous welcome when he spoke to the thousand or so people who had crowded into the festival marquee on Saturday to hear what the Oscar-winning director of Bowling for Columbine and author of Stupid White Men had to say. Such was the genuine delight to see him in West Belfast that he was given a standing ovation before he had even begun his speech. Free article
Tawdry splendours of our new aristocrats
14 August 2003
The 26-County state describes itself as a republic, but for the new elite enriched by the Celtic Tiger, it is a republic only in name. The Lord Rackrents and Squire Grindums of the past have been replaced by a new set of wannabe aristocrats. But instead of land-thieves and the sons of royal mistresses, our new aristocracy is recruited from talent contests, modelling agencies, reality TV shows and manufactured boy-bands. Free article
11,000 Irish nationals to be deported - from Ireland!
14 August 2003
Think about it. You are born in Ireland. You are an Irish national. You'd think you should have the right to stay here, and, as a child, to be with your parents. But Justice Minister McDowell has decided otherwise. Over the past ten days, he has issued 700 deportation notices to parents of Irish-born children, and added that he will not be "blackmailed" by parents threatening to leave their children behind, but will compel the parents to take their children away with them. Free article
Croí an Phobail i mBéal Feirste
14 August 2003
They couldn't keep AN DRAOI RUA away from Féile an Phobail in Belfast which, he writes, had an atmosphere of celebration and struggle. Free article
Humour, hope and black hacks
14 August 2003
Féile Play Review - Black Taxi Dubbeljoint Production Written by Brian Moore Directed by Pam Brighton Free article