Top Issue 1-2024

14 January 1999 Edition

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Editor's desk

It was a republican marketing executive's dream. A dollop of free publicity in the world's highest selling Sunday newspaper to help you get rid of those last few calendars.

The News of the World duly obliged with a ranting and raving spread last Sunday. ``We reveal IRA's sickest stunt ever'' they screamed, which, for a British tabloid, is really saying something. They printed pictures from the calendar and quoted well-known salesman Ian Paisley Jnr and lo and behold the demand for the last few calendars has gone through the roof. Thanks to the News of the World, there may even be a reprint.

 


The prospect of Scottish independence is causing moustaches to twitch in the British military establishment. The Scottish National Party's defence spokesman, Stuart Crawford - dubbed `Colonel Calamity' by the tabloids - is himself a former lieutenant colonel in the Royal Tank Regiment but he is unpopular with his former comrades for saying that an independent Scotland would have no place for the Scots Guards.

He said that many Scots Guards (members of which shot dead Peter McBride in the New Lodge Road) are from outside Scotland, ``although many claim tenuous Scottish ancestry. They tend to be officered by a breed who vigorously defend their Scottish connections but are generally indistinguishable from their peers.

``It has been suggested that on Scotland gaining independence, they would be best left where they are as a quasi-mercenary Scottish regiment, much along the lines of the Gurkhas.

``Given the popular perception that they have somehow become tainted by their long association with England, this would seem by far the best solution,'' he said.

 


Is maith an rud go bhfuil an Body Shop i Sraid Grafton, Baile Atha Cliath, ag tabhairt spás feiceálach do chomhartha i nGaeilge ina phríomh-fhuinneog. Ach tá fadhb... Deir an comharta: ``Sale - last week''. Agus ansin an `aistriúchán': ``Reic - an tseachtain seo caite''!

An Phoblacht
44 Parnell Sq.
Dublin 1
Ireland