7 October 2004 Edition

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Mála Poist

Paisley's trip South

A Chairde

It was like seeing a child being baptised, the difference being that this was no child. It was the greening of Ian Paisley, his probing foray into the heartland of the enemy territory, where he had to walk past or sit under numerous emblems and icons of republicanism, including the Tricolour that he has burned on many occasions down through the years when he could not stifle his anti-Catholic, anti-republican feelings from coming to the surface.

But let bygones be just that (I would like to think big Ian would have felt more at home sitting across the table from his fellow Irishmen having the craic than he would have had pretending to be British in No 10 Downing Street and having them treat him as a deranged Irishman).

Neil Armstrong, on landing on the Moon, said: "One small step for man, one giant step for mankind." I believe Ian Paisley has just taken his first small step as an Irishman.

J Woods,

Gortahork, County Donegal.

Where are my voting rights?

A Chairde

As an Australian citizen and a member of the Australian Green Party living in Ireland, I will be afforded the democratic right, as every Australian citizen has, of voting in the federal election on 6 October.

However, as a native Irish citizen and frequent visitor to Australia, where I have had the pleasure of spending many years, I find that unless I fit into a specific category, I have no rights as an Irish citizen to vote while abroad.

Thankfully, I am not a member of the army or the Garda Síochána serving overseas, or indeed disabled, but because of this I am not afforded a postal vote. Having done some research, I discovered that in the forthcoming Presidential election, American citizens are entitled to vote while overseas, and in this regard, the British and other European embassies follow the same principle. In fact, the general consensus is that a citizen of a democratic country is entitled to vote, whether they are at home or overseas.

So why as an Irish citizen are my rights not recognised while abroad?

Having failed to get an adequate response from government departments, I must say I am very puzzled. If any of your readers can shed any light on this matter, I would be very grateful.

Dermot McGuckin,

Tallaght, Dublin 24.

Archive material sought for Portlaoise Re-union

A Chairde

Coiste na nIarchimí is in the process of putting an exhibition together for display at the upcoming function to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Portlaoise escape. Through An Phoblacht, we would like to appeal to anyone who may be in possession of photos and/or newspaper articles from that time relating to the jail and/or the escape.

If you have anything relating to the above that could be of use to us please contact:

Patrick Hayes, Coiste na nIarchimí, Dublin, Tel:01-8782301.

Any material given will be copied and returned immediately in an undamaged state.

Patrick Hayes,

Coiste na nIarchimí, Dublin.


An Phoblacht
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