Danny Morrison finds food for thought in the flawed but fascinating Provos, the new book and television series by journalist Peter Taylor Free article

I'm involved at the moment in organising a film festival in West Belfast, as readers of last week's An Phoblacht may have noticed. It's going well, if a bit hectic. We've secured quite a number of premieres and are delighted that the new film on the life of Oscar Wilde, entitled Wilde and starring Stephen Fry, will open the festival. We're doubly delighted that Fry, the director and the producer will all attend the showing and will then stay on to conduct a masterclass the following morning. But besides that there are quite a number of gems in the programmes. Something for everyone, as the saying goes. Free article

The Cuban authorities have arrested a Salvadoran national in connection with the recent series of ``unexplained explosions'' on the island. Authorities said that Raul Cruz Leon has confessed to planting five of the six bombs that have exploded in Havana, since mid-July. Free article

Tá dráma tráthúil ar tí camturas na tíre a thosú an tseachtain seo nuair a bheidh Compántas Drámaíochta na Breataine Bige, Theatre Y Byd, ag teacht chun Amharclann Halla na Cathrach i nGaillimh ar an Domhnach 28ú Meán Fomhair leis an dráma ``Marriage of Convenience''. Free article

Nothing would give greater pleasure to neutrals on Sunday than to see Mayo winning the All-Ireland Football Final. Not only because they lost last year's final. It's more that Connacht deserves a title and it would give football in that province a much-needed boost. Sam has't been across the Shannon since Martin Meehan put on his suit and spit-polished his shoes (or since Richard McAuley did his eleven plus). Free article

Side by side with the decline of the Irish language was the demise of the remnant of the Irish (as opposed to Roman Catholic) Church. While the Catholic hierarchy may not have agreed totally with Lord Clarendon's view that "the departure of thousands of patriot Celts must be a blessing to the country", they did seize the opportunity to extend their power into areas hitherto closed to their dictats and move closer toward Romanism, which had already been in train since the start of the century. Free article

RTÉ screened a shocker last week about one of the most deprived parts of Dublin, an area just as deprived as Ballymurphy, the Shankill, or Turf Lodge, Belfast, or the Bogside of Derry. Free article

The Wexford Rising in 1798: Its Causes and Course Revolt in the North: Antrim and Down in 1798 Free article

It's not easy putting pen to paper after a three month hiatus - similar to my journalistic colleague Eamon Dunphy I went to ground to avoid some Proinsias De Rossa type taking offence at my articles and landing An Phoblacht with a million pound court bill. Free article

In a little-reported development last week, the Ulster Unionists let it be known that they had secured eleven confidence-building measures in advance of talks. Many were silly (Mo Mowlam will now attend the Forum more regularly), some were porkies (pretending that the governments expect decommissioning during talks) and one was deeply ironic. Number 6 is: ``Arising from the... Free article