ARDOYNE - 'THE AFTERMATH' UPDATE

Ardoyne – 'The Aftermath'

Limited Edition Booklet (250)

containing over 50 original

photographs from the exhibition

£10.00 plus P&P

Available:

Red Barn Gallery

43b Rosemary Street Belfast BT1 1QB

Tel: 0782 1260 883

Email: frankiequinn@ntlworld.com

http://www.rbgbelfast.com/

ARDOYNE - THE AFTERMATH at The Red Barn Gallery

© Joe ÓNéill 2009
In July of this year, Belfast's Red Barn Gallery exhibited a collection of eye witness photography documenting the after effects of the burning of Bombay Street on 14 – 15 August 1969.

Marking a tragic turning point in the history of Northern Ireland, the burnings were the culmination of catastrophic and widespread failures of communications, and were to herald the arrival of the British Army onto the streets of Belfast and the birth of the Provisional I R A.

The pictures displayed in Bombay Street – Taken From the Ashes were shot by gifted amateur photographer Gerry Collins, and the effect of their first collective public viewing were sensational.

Gallery Director, Frankie Quinn, (himself a highly respected photographer) says "I knew when I first presented these images that they were something special, but even I wasn't prepared for the overwhelming reaction they promoted from the public."

"Their most significant effect, perhaps, has been to bring to light the photographic collection of the late Hugh McKeown, who, while helping evacuate his family, captured the impact of the burning of Ardoyne on its people and its streets."

"Hugh, like Gerry, was a remarkably talented amateur. His images express an instinctively artistic version and an extraordinary empathy, which makes themas emotionally compelling as they are historically valuable."

The exhibition features British soldiers enjoying and impromptu tea party (complete with cups and saucers) on a demolished street, Hugh shows us groups of people regarding their streets with stupefied disbelief, he shows us buildings which, only hours before were family homes, reduced to scorched ruins. In one image, two children pose at the wheel of a burned out bus. The bus's destination – Falls via Ardoyne – forges a striking ironic link between the two collections of photographs. As Ardoyne burned so did Bombay Street on the Falls Road.

Hugh's exceptional photographs are to be seen in public for the first time thanks to his widow, Terry McKeown, who was encouraged, after seeing the Bombay Street exhibition, to unearth his collection and show them to Frankie.

Frankie says: "Hugh was an amazing and truly gifted photographer. He had an amazing ability to capture ordinary people struggling to cope in extraordinary circumstances. This is a vital piece of photographic history which everyone deserves to see. It's a fitting tribute to a fully inspired photographer."

Bombay Street - Taken From the Ashes

Ardoyne - The Aftermath

September 18 - October 22

Alliance Party E U Candidate defects to Conservative Party

In the second of the Soñar Guest Blogger series, Cllr Ian James Parsley explains his reasons for resigning from the Alliance Party to join the Conservative Party.

In these series, Soñar will publish without edit, the views of Guests.

The views of Guest Bloggers do not necessarily reflect those of Soñar.

Soñar will reserve the right to comment at time of publication, or thereafter, on articles submitted by Guests.

Cllr Ian James Parsley was born in 1977 and set up his own public relations consultancy in 1999. He joined the Alliance Party in 2002, was elected to North Down Borough Council in 2005, and served as Deputy Mayor from 2008-9. He was the Alliance Party's candidate at the European Election for the Northern Ireland region, attaining the party's best result for 30 years. He will spend the next year working with the Centre for Social Justice delivering a "Breakthrough Belfast" report as part of the think tank's "Breakthrough Britain" series.

No matter where we live, we cannot afford to stand aside and allow other people tackle the combined challenges of social breakdown, financial instability and climate change. We need to play our part in delivering social justice, economic turnaround, and sustainable living - and yet those of us in Northern Ireland have to put up with a UK Government which is directionless and a devolved Executive which is rudderless. It is time for change - a change in which we all play our part, nurturing opportunities for a new type of politics, advancing responsibility for the new generation, and protecting our security into a new decade. David Cameron's Conservatives offer that change.

The modernised Conservatives' commitment to tackling social breakdown is demonstrated by the ongoing work of Iain Duncan Smith's Centre for Social Justice - work I will be joining on Tuesday. The past 12 years have seen the development of a "client state", where people have become dependent on the state not just in times of trial, but at all times. We have left generations to face life with no real opportunities, unable to meet their responsibilities, and devastated by gangsterism and crime. Northern Ireland has its own legacy of conflict, but the basic problem of intergenerational frustration and hopelessness is the same. Earlier intervention in education, better collaboration with local communities, and more effective methods of policing and justice are essential - and that requires a vote for change.

The Conservatives also have the relevant answers on the economy - something about which I am keenly aware after 10 years in small business. Labour's claim to have "abolished boom and bust" has been shattered by recent economic developments, which have seen the UK slip into recession for longer than any other large nation. The country and its people are now in more debt than anywhere else in the developed world, and are faced with the threat of joblessness and falling incomes while the Government resorts merely to populism. Northern Ireland already had an economy hugely dependent on the public sector, and was even more ill-prepared for the downturn. Tax cuts for new jobs, lower business taxes and an entirely new economic approach are needed - and that requires a vote for change.

The Conservatives also recognise the UK's unique potential to be a global leader in developing a low-carbon economy, which will enhance our quality of life and make us less dependent on unreliable energy sources. Labour has dithered, turning the UK from a net exporter to a net importer of energy and leaving us all with the real threat that, some time during the next decade, the lights will simply begin to go out. As the Conservatives develop an energy grid based on renewable energy sources, a 'smart' energy grid and large-scale insulation projects, it is essential that Northern Ireland is not left behind - and that requires a vote for change.

Northern Ireland does have distinct interests and distinct needs. Choices in education, sport and leisure (not to mention politics) often follow sectarian fault lines. The cost of this division continues to be paid in outbreaks of violence, duplication (at expense to the rate payer) of public services, and limited choices of location for people to work and live. Tackling segregation is more important than ever at a time when the devolved political institutions are under pressure with the imminent transfer of justice powers, the local economy is in recession for the first time in nearly 30 years, and there is a renewed threat from dissidents in border areas. Conservatives in Northern Ireland are determined not only to put forward a slate of candidates who think and feel for the whole community in Northern Ireland, but also who can influence government policy at every level - and that requires a vote for change.

I am proud of the work I did with the party I left, the cross-community Alliance Party - serving it on my local Council, boosting its European Election fortunes, re-establishing its youth wing. I retain the utmost respect for the party, its principles, and its Northern Ireland Assembly team. In the end, however, I felt the challenges facing families in Northern Ireland were not just local but also global. I watched, hugely impressed, as David Cameron led the liberalisation and modernisation of the Conservative Party, and as Owen Paterson worked tirelessly to make it a new force in Northern Ireland. I recognised that, to achieve my political objectives, what was required was a vote for change.

Cllr Ian James Parsley
North Down (Holywood)

Irish Family History Foundation Genealogical Online Record Search System

Doire Cholmchille

Irish Family History Foundation info@ifhf.ie

New records added to Irish Genealogical Online Record Search System
The Irish Family History Foundation is pleased to announce the availability of the records of Derry ~ Londonderry Genealogy covering the parishes and districts of County Derry on its Online Research Service (ORS). This adds another 0.8 million more baptismal, birth, death, marriage, and census records to our online database. The total number of records now searchable online is 16.2 million.

Just go to the following site and login using your existing IFHF login details.
http://derry.brsgenealogy.com/

Remember that you can purchase and spend your credit at any of the IFHF online centres.

Please check out our interactive map to see which county genealogy centres have data available online.

If you have any questions please check our FAQ, the list of SOURCES available online for each county and the SAMPLES of the type of records available; if this does not provide an answer, then do not hesitate to contact us. Please note that all queries will be answered in rotation.

Yours sincerely

Irish Family History Foundation

Mattie Lennon has written articles (mostly humorous) for The Sunday Independent, The Irish Times, The Irish Post, Irelands Own, Irelands Eye, Kerry's Eye, The Wicklow People, The Leinster Leader as well as numerous on-line publications.

He claims that he was once told; "You have the perfect face for radio" and he compiled and presented his own programmes in the "Voiceover" series on RTE Radio One. He has presented ballad programmes on KIC FM and is currently doing a Sunday morning ballad show on Radio Dublin 100FM.

This year he co-presented the Saint Patrick's Day Ceol na nGael programme on WFUV 90.7 in the Bronx. He also does pre-recorded programmes for other stations. One such programme is "The Story And The Song" in which he plays a number of ballads, having first told the story behind each one.

He still writes the occasional ballad (not all of them fit for human consumption).

Many years ago, in a different life, Mattie and I contributed to the pioneering on-line magazine G21, under the title, “Irish Eyes.”

We recently reconnected, and Mattie has sent me this interesting review of Gaelic Games and Irish Transport.

This will be the first, in what I hope will be a continuing series, of Guest Bloggers on Soñar Blog.

Gaelic Games and Irish Transport
By Mattie Lennon

 John Cassidy is a voluntary steward in Croke Park and as such, he has witnessed spectacular victories, defeats and draws in football, hurling and camogie.

He is a Donegal man who won’t let you forget that his county won the all-Ireland final in 1992. His day job is as a supervisor with Dublin Bus, one of the CIE groups of companies. In October 2008, he was responsible for bringing CIE Transport Gaels to Gaelic Park, New York, to play teams from the NYPD and FDNY; the first time any CIE team played in America. In his memoir, he has written of how his childhood interest in Gaelic games was honed, “In McGettigan’s field in Clogher” and how, “two older boys would select the opposing teams: every one present was included which meant we often played twenty a side. As our pitch consisted of the entire field, this was no problem. With the goalposts (four jackets) in place, the game would begin. It would end for one of the following reasons: Hunger, darkness or a pitch invasion by Mc Gettigan’s cattle.”

John Cassidy’s experiences, literary ability and research skills have been, once again, juxtaposed to bring us his latest publication

“Buses, Trains and Gaelic Games” is a history of Gaelic games in Irish transport from 1885 to the present day. The author traces the path of Gaelic football, hurling, handball and camogie teams from the days of Charles Bianconi (the father of public transport, in Ireland) to the twenty-first century.

Since the foundation of Coras Iompar Eireann (CIE) in 1945 every section of the company, urban and rural, contributed to Gaelic sports and provided players at county, national and international level.

In his foreword, CIE Chairman John J. Lynch, says, “I deem it a high honour aprivilege to be invited to contribute a Foreword to the history of the many CIE G.A.A. clubs nationwide.” He goes on to praise, “ . . . the great sporting bodies within the CIE family ” and refers to the fact that their achievements “ both on and off the field, testify to the dedication of so many people . . . , which stands as a testimony to the organisational skills and tremendous sense of purpose which CIE has harnessed throughout its existence. Running a sporting organisation is a time consuming business but with the continued voluntary involvement of managers, coaches, administrators, players and supporters CIE will pass on a substantial legacy for future generations to build upon.”

Through, dedication, interviews and the relentless pursuit of source-material the author has given us a comprehensive and colourful account of clubs, teams and individual players associated with Irish transport over the generations. Some of these didn’t get the coverage they deserved, from the media, during their careers. One such, who features in this publication, was the most decorated player in the history of Gaelic games. Camogie player Kathleen Mills made her debut with the Great Southern Railway Club, Dublin, in 1938. In 1941, she played for Dublin, when they were beaten by Cork, in the All-Ireland final. She was on the winning Dublin team, which beat Cork in 1942 and 1943. She went on to win all-Ireland medals in 1948, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954 and 1955. She was Captain when Dublin beat Tipperary in 1957.

More All-Ireland medals were to follow in 1959, 1960 and 1961. The 1961 final was on her 38th birthday and it was the last time she wore the Dublin jersey. In retirement, she was known as “the Christy Ring of the camogie world”. She died in August 1996.

Every parish in Ireland has its sporting heroes and almost every townland has someone who works, or worked, in CIE. And John Cassidy hasn’t neglected the “sporting ballad.” Many clubs and individual players are lauded in such compositions as, “Kelly’s Heroes”, “Thirteen Men From CIE” and “Transport Gaels.” “A Tribute to Sean Kelly” by Christy Fitzgerald immortalises a legend.

Einstein said, “If I knew what I was looking for I wouldn’t call it research.” Well, the gems that John Cassidy didn’t expect to find in the National Library, publications as diverse as “The Freeman’s Journal” and “The Donegal Democrat” and the conversations of ordinary people, are now recorded for posterity between the covers on “Buses, Trains and Gaelic Games”.

This history of Gaelic games in Irish transport over a century and a quarter plus more than a hundred photographs is a book not to be missed.

“Buses, Trains and Gaelic Games” is available (Price €15, including postage) from;

Original Writing,

Spade Enterprise Centre,

North King Street, Smithfield,
Dublin 7.
www.originalwriting.ie
or you can get an autographed copy from the author,
John Cassidy,
4 Ardmore Avenue,
Dublin 7.
And you can contact him at;
johncassidy92@yahoo.com

Historic Fianna Fáil Meeting in Co. Down

Coming to a Constituency near You


© Joe ÓNéill 2009
L to R Minister Éamon Ó Cuív, Minister Dermot Ahern, Dr. Rory O’Hanlon, TD; meet with South Down Fianna Fáil Forum members.


A short distance from the constituency office in Downpatrick, Co. Down, of the Social Democratic and Labour MP, Eddie McGrady, local Fianna Fáil supporters met on Saturday evening, in the historic Denvir's Hotel, to launch a Fianna Fáil forum group for the South Down region.

Fianna Fáil party heavyweights who addressed the meeting were; The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr Dermot Ahern, TD, ; Éamon Ó Cuív T.D., Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs; and a grandson of party founder Éamon de Valera; and Dr. Rory O’Hanlon, TD; a former Ceann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann; (House Speaker) 2002 - 2007.

In his opening remarks, Gerald Kelly, a Co. Down forum member, said it was fitting that the meeting should be held in Denvir's, as the establishment could trace its history back to a time when the United Irishmen had met there, leading up to the rebellion of 1798. Daniel O’Connell had also addressed a meeting from the hotel balcony, as he held monster meeting throughout the country, during the fight for Catholic emancipation.

All three speakers from the party stressed that they were there to listen and learn form local people, and that there would be no dictates from party headquarters as to how, or at what speed, party organisation should take place.

Minister Ó Cuív, in a light-hearted moment, reminded the audience that his family had a 100% voting record running in South Down, referring to the election of his grandfather as a Stormont MP for the area, in 1933.

The first speaker from the audience to address the forum was Harvey Bicker, a former member of the Ulster Unionist Party, and member of the Down District Council, who quit his party in February of this year, and joined Fianna Fáil. Mr. Bicker, originally from Banbridge, told the meeting how his family’s commitment to Republican ideals goes back even further than their involvement in the ‘98 rebellion. He received a standing ovation from the audience.

Mr. Bicker, a retired Colonel, served in both the British army and the Ulster Defence Regiment, he now serves on President McAlleese’s Council of State.

Local Councillor, Peter Fitzpatrick, from the SDLP, also welcomed the formation of the Fianna Fáil forum.
Martin McAllister, a Co. Armagh Fianna Fáil forum member, from Crossmaglen, also attended the meeting. A similar group has been established in the strongly Republican heartland area, and have opened an office in the village.

The move by Fianna Fáil to establish the forums is in keeping with a resolution adopted at the party conference last February. The resolution called for the party to establish machinery for party members in the north of Ireland, to meet with Fianna Fáil elected officials, party officers, and southern-based membership.

10 Downing Street and petition to retract Senator Kennedy’s Knighthood

When people of great stature, such as Senator Edward Kennedy, pass on, the opinions and reminisces of politicians, statesmen, diplomats, and celebrities of all hues and colours are solicited in the media frenzy, which follows such a passing.

One of my first thoughts on hearing of the death of Senator Kennedy was, well other than a need to satisfy my own ego, there was no reason for myself on the lowly Soñar Blog to pass any comment. Everything that could possibly be said or written about Senator Kennedy will have been done by others.

The Office of the First Minister, and Deputy First Minister both issued statements praising the legacy of the Senator and their condolences to the Kennedy family. First Minister, Peter Robinson, said, "Edward Kennedy was a politician of world renowned whose influence was felt across the world including Northern Ireland. I may not have always agreed with his politics but his commitment to non-violence and to the success of devolved government was unquestionable in recent years. My thoughts and prayers are with the Kennedy family.”

“The passing of Edward Kennedy,” said Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, “will be felt by many across the world, and in particular the Irish Diaspora in America. Senator Kennedy played a central role in American domestic political life and contributed significantly to the development of the peace process here. It was an honour to have him with us in Parliament Buildings in May 2007 to witness the re-establishment of the Institutions. We owe him a huge debt of gratitude for his dedication to the creation of a better society for everyone here. I would like to pass my deepest condolences to the Kennedy family.”

Tributes from many other Irish political figures featured prominently in the press, including: Irish President Mary Robinson, Taoiseach Brian Cowen, Alliance Party leader David Ford, Democratic Unionist Party MLA Peter Weir, SDLP leader Mark Durkin, former SDLP leader John Hume, and Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams, and Ulster Unionist Party Deputy Leader, Danny Kennedy. Taoiseach Cowen, Mark Durkin, John Hume, and Martin McGuinness, would travel to Boston for the Funeral Mass.

The DUP MLA Peter Weir had this to say, “Latterly he came to recognise the validity of the Unionist argument and the reality of partition: he went as far as snubbing Republican political representatives over their failure to come up to the democratic standards set by the DUP and accepted an honorary knighthood from Her Majesty The Queen.”

With all these laudatory statements to the late Senator from Unionist politicians, something was troubling me, which I could not quite put my finger on. It took some time for the penny to drop. There would be no Unionist politician at the Funeral Mass for the late Senator. The secret society to which the majority of Unionist politicians belong have strict edicts on members crossing the threshold of a Catholic Church for any reason whatsoever, much less a Funeral Mass. Members who ignore these dictates, especially politicians, do so at their peril.

As often happens in politics, sometimes the left hand does not know what the right hand, and in this case right with a capital R, is doing. As the DUP First Minister was professing condolences to the family of Senator Kennedy, one of his own Councillors, John Montgomery from North Down, is calling for support for the petition to retract the Knighthood of “Tiresome Ted Kennedy”.

Councillor Montgomery has this to say, “Sometimes the affection shown to terrorists and their friends becomes a little tiresome. We hear about the former terrorists, reformed terrorists or those who have found the lord. If someone commits murder they are forever a murderer, or if child molestation they are forever a child molester. Why should it be any different for a terrorist, no nice words or membership of a religious sect will erase their evil.”

“Which brings me to a petition on the number10 website:- 'We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to Retract the Knighthood offered to Teddy Kennedy'.

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Kennedy-Ted/

Finally, in this sad tale of intolerance Northern Ireland style, on the theme of, “You couldn’t make this up.”

British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, penned an article on the passing of Senator Kennedy for the Boston Globe, on August 28, where he stated,

“He asked in detail what Britain was doing on health care, welfare, and education, about our international engagement on disarmament and later, terror. His abiding interest in an Irish settlement helped the United Kingdom enormously. He was a massive force in bringing the factions together to make peace in Northern Ireland possible. This was one of the many reasons why this year Her Majesty The Queen awarded Senator Kennedy an honorary British knighthood.”

The petition is hosted on the Official Website of No. 10 Downing Street.

http://www.number10.gov.uk/

The petition is Submitted by one Stephen Clements – Deadline to sign up by 06 March 2010 – Signatures: 5,391