Gerry Adams Statement on Ronan Kerr

It's not everyday that I link to a video clip of Gerry Adams, but having listened to his statement in the Dáil Éireann yesterday, I am moved to do so.

He talks about the feelings in the North as a result of the murder on Saturday. He talks about the need to take things forward in a democratic matter and through the peace process.

One thing I am shocked by the the emptiness of the majority of the chamber with only the Sinn Féin benches being full. This is something that does affect all of Ireland and I praise Sinn Féin for actually bringing this to the floor of the Dáil, but the lack of support from the rest of the elected representatives is shocking, I hope it was not political point scoring at Sinn Féin without thinking about the wider consequences of a peace together. Sadly it did look like Sinn Féin were themselves largely alone at a time when they were actually reaching out for the good of the many.

Party Election Broadcast Watch 2: Sinn Féin #AE11

Over here in Northern Ireland we have a different set of parties, with a different set of policies and a different set of priorities to a lot of the rest of the UK. In the run up to the Assembly Election on May 5th they are going to be prodicing a series of election broadcasts. I intend to, if they are easily available (i.e. on YouTube), embed them here so that people outside of Northern Ireland can see what the parties here are saying. I personally won't be passing comment, but feel free to add you own in the comments thread.

Yesterday's offering came from Sinn Féin (there are two lines in Gaeilge which I might see about translating later if I have the time).

Gather for Peace, Democracy and Justice 1pm Belfast City Hall

 Later at 1pm I'll have made my way into Belfast City centre and hope many of you who are able will do likewise and those who are elsewhere will take a moment to bow you head with the people of Ireland (yes all of it) to pay respect to Constable Ronan Kerr and to stand with us as we proclaim "Not in Our Name". Here is a statement from the Irish Congress of Trade Unions Northern Ireland (ICTU NI)

Dear Colleagues

Following the brutal murder of Constable Ronan Kerr, Congress will be providing an opportunity for Trade Union members and the greater public to assemble at Belfast City Hall, at 1pm on Wednesday 6th April, to show our abhorrence of the murder of PSNI Constable Ronan Kerr.

At this event a short statement will be read by the Vice Chair of the Northern Ireland Committee and no other Speeches will take place. The event will finish at 1.15pm.

We would urge you to encourage as many people as possible to attend this brief event in support of democracy, peace and justice across Northern Ireland.

Peter Bunting
Assistant General Secretary
ICTU NI


Further Statement from ICTU
--

Peter Bunting, Assistant General Secretary of the ICTU, said: 
“The murder of Police Officer Ronan Kerr in Omagh was an attack on a brave public servant and therefore an attack on every worker who serves the community and works towards a better future.

“The assassins targeted Constable Kerr because he was Catholic, and that makes this a sectarian murder, deliberately aimed at intimidating one section of the community.

“All citizens must stand together to show that we will not be intimidated by violence or threats from armed groups who should now publicly disband

“This public event being organised by the Trade Union Movement is open to all citizens, the vast majority of whom support the democracy we have achieved in this region. We all depend upon the maintenance of peace, democracy and justice.


“We urge all people who can attend the short event at Belfast City Hall at 1pm on Wednesday 6th April to do so.”

http://www.ictuni.org/

Conor sets the Irish Daily Fail Right on Civil Partnerships

Today Ireland finally allowed same-sex civil partnerships. One thing that the Daily Fail, even its Irish edition doesn't fail to do is live up to the fail element that us of a liberal nature constantly find it to do. This morning it was the case of Richard Waghorne who seems to neglect the need for it simply because he doesn't want to be civilly partnered or married as a gay man. I'm allergic to cats so don't want to have one of them if I can help it, hardly an argument to prevent others who love cats to keep one for live now is it?

Fortunately my friend Conor has put a rather excellent counterpoint blog post together looking from the point of view of the children of same sex couples, a group that is often overlooked. It is an excellent written post taking on some of the stupidity of the arguments that Waghorne tried to bring to the debate. I urge to go take a read of it yourself.

Of course I'm still hoping to maybe some day get married in a ceremony that allows my God to be part of proceedings rather than an afterthought or a prequel which is what I'd still have to do even if civil partnerships could be held in a religious building. I'd still need to have two distinct parts of a ceremony, not intertwined as my heterosexual friends are able to do. I'd still be treated as a second class person of faith, simply because I'd want to get married to someone of the same sex.

Party Election Broadcast Watch 1: DUP #AE11

Over here in Northern Ireland we have a different set of parties, with a different set of policies and a different set of priorities to a lot of the rest of the UK. In the run up to the Assembly Election on May 5th they are going to be prodicing a series of election broadcasts. I intend to, if they are easily available (i.e. on YouTube), embed them here so that people outside of Northern Ireland can see what the parties here are saying. I personally won't be passing comment, but feel free to add you own in the comments thread.

Yesterday to get the ball rolling it was the Democratic Unionist Party




Next up will be Sinn Féin which is airing this evening.

Omagh a Tale of Two Bombings

Inspired by Michael's post about the last time Omagh made all the wrong headlines I thought I'd look at what my memories where of that day back then and the differences with now.

It was a glorious afternoon on 15 August 1998. I was wearing just by polo shirt as I was playing on the NICS bowling green, on the Stormont Estate, in a Junior Irish Cup Semi-Final match. That afternoon I first suspected something was wrong by an increase in traffic heading into the estate and up towards the Castle and the Office of the Secretary of State.

Later on near the end of the match some of the spectators were huddled inside the club house, they then told us at the end that something had happened in Omagh, so the celebrations of reaching my first Irish Cup Final were somewhat muted as we headed back to Bangor to catch up on the news.

Saturday the 2 April 2011 was a mixed day. At time the sun was bursting out of the heavens at others it was overcast and even raining. The news this time, as my friend Phil wrote, was spreading via Twitter. I'd read the first reports on the train on my way back to Bangor after being part of the banner drop for the Yes! to Fairer Votes.

But this time within hours there was grass roots condemnation appearing from all sides (well almost) across Twitter, the hashtag #NotinMyName was trending late on Saturday. We didn't have Twitter back in 1998, people found out in their own time through car radios, portables at football games, or when they got back in after the afternoon shopping or gardening. Now many of us found out as we were going about what we were doing and we able to comment our own feelings to a few or many. We could also follow the views of others through the #Omagh #NotinMyName #PSNI etc hashtags.

As Phil said in his Tweet we could also see the disgusting side of a very small number of individuals who felt that the loss of a 25 year old's life at the start of a career in a role he was looking forward to was right. Thankfully that is only a small handful, overwhelmingly people are outraged at what has happened and never want to revisit those dark days again.

Looking around us today, life is going on in Northern Ireland. Some of the political parties postponed press conferences until tomorrow, Sinn Féin pushed theirs back so as not to clash with the FM and dFM statement. there are a couple of security alerts and suspect devices, so we are being vigilant once again (but then those of us brought up in the troubles have never really ceased to be). But overwhelmingly the people here want peace, we've tasted it and want it to continue. "Not in my name" is the cry of many this weekend and going forward will remain the message to those who want to drag us back into a era of fear and uncertainty.

Not in My Name: In Memoriam to Constable Ronan Kerr 2 April 2011

Not again poor Omagh
Not more young life wiped out.
Not in our name most people say
Except some who don't see what we're all about.
We don't want this continuity
We want a shared future, we want it now
What we want is normality.
Is that too much to for our children to know?

There are those standing side by side
They’ve stretched their hands across the divide
They are working together for the peace of all
They rise up today, together appalled
At a life so young, so fresh in his new job
Wiped up by the undemocratic opinion of the yobs
Who don’t care for peace but only live for war
In a Norn Iron we don't want anymore.

Not in my name did they kill Ronan Kerr.
Not in the name of the many standing here
Catholic and Protestant, native born or elsewhere,
Or whatever community we wish to declare.
Were standing together demanding this peace.
So Neanderthal eejits, stop this war! Hold yer weest!
Catch yerself on and get in on the act
We're all looking forward so stop looking back.

© Stephen Glenn 2 April 2011