Last week, President Clinton thanked the Ku Klux Klan for having refrained from the lynching of black people over the past number of weeks and for agreeing to not burn down any more churches until later in the year. The President conceded that whilst there were still cross-burning and constant harassment of people of colour, such activities are no more than a harmless and colourful expression of traditional white culture and the Klan were to be commended for their restraint. Free article

When the Jefferson Smurfit Group decided to issue an invitation to the Smurfit Environmental and Human Rights Shareholders group to visit the company's operations in Colombia, it could not have expected a report full of criticism of Smurfit's activities in the South American country. Free article

Is minic a luann cuairteoirí go dtí an Tuaisceart an bhagairt a mhothaíonn siad nuair a chluineann siad drumadóirí ag gríosadh na sluaite le linn paráidí oraisteacha. Free article

Mayo ended Galway's reign as All-Ireland champions with an impressive four-point victory at Tuam on Sunday, giving them their third Connacht title in four years. In Munster, defending champions Kerry were also dethroned by a hungry Cork outfit, while Dublin booked a Leinster final date with old rivals Meath after a two-point win over Laois.. Free article

While Sinn Féin and the Republican Movement in general were making major headway and growing rapidly in 1917, the question of the POWs (mainly those sentenced rather than interned after the 1916 Rising) was never forgotten. Free article

Peter Brooke, the ninth colonial administrator to take over at Stormont since 1972, has all the qualifications needed for this office. Free article

Story of a people's struggle and Fatal flaws Free article

It's here, after many months of hype - the first installment of the Star Wars' presequel, directed by George Lucas, has been delivered to movie goers. Some of the older fans have an almost religious devotion to the ortiginal movie and new fans will flock to if believing it to be the New Messiah of science fiction films. Free article

Programmes reviewed; Weekend Sport Far Out (Channel 4) Ruby's American Pie (UTV) Questions & Answers (RTÉ) Free article

The week in quotes.... Free article