Celtic Origins of Halloween

Halloween's Pagan Celtic Roots

Today Halloween is celebrated by children across the Western world. But like many other annual family festivals, it has become so commercialised by 'Americanised' popular culture that its true origins and religious aspects have long being forgotten. I have nothing against much of the entertainment and children elements now so symptomatic of events such as Christmas, Easter and Halloween. After all, if it brings a bit of sparkle into the lives of our youth, that can only be welcomed.

The Christianisation of Samhain

Many people though associate the origins of Halloween with the Christian festival of 'All Hallows Eve' or 'All Souls Day' when people remember their dead family members.
But actually, this event was superimposed onto the ancient pagan Celtic festival of 'Samhain' which marked the coming of winter and the beginning of the Celtic New Year.

Typical of many agricultural societies, the Celts had four major annual festivals based on the cyclical differences experienced in the changing seasons of nature and their corresponding weather patterns. The other three were 'Imbolc' (spring) 'Bealtane' (summer), 'Lugnasa' (harvest).

Samhain was a time when food was hoarded as people prepared for the cold season when nothing grew. As with all Irish festivals, bonfires were lit as people gathered together at warm fires to socialise.

Antecedents to the Pumpkin & 'Trick or Treat'

But it was also a time when creatures from the supernatural world could enter into the world of mortals. 'Fairies' and the spirits of the dead would walk the earth. Many of these beings were benevolent and the spirits of dead ancestors; so families laid out extra food and set aside a table space for their ghostly visitors. Hence the modern Halloween custom of children dressing up as ghouls and witches, calling door-to-door and receiving presents of apples and nuts when they called. (Such fruits were common in Ireland).
But there were spirits that came on the night of Samhain that were malevolent. Candles were placed in skulls at the entrance to dwellings as light was feared by these dark foreboding creatures. This protection against evil became transformed in modern times into the positioning of pumpkins with carved out faces and internal candles at windows
and doorways.

Irish Bring Halloween to USA

The Irish & Scottish emigrants of the nineteenth century introduced Halloween and its rituals to America. Within a few decades, the festival was transformed into the fun and games event of today.

(Photos from Macnas' Halloween youth parade, Ballinfoile, Galway City)

Galway City Goes Wild!- Celebration of Urban Wildlife

Galway City's first ever celebration of its rich biodiversity under the theme of ‘Go Wild in the City!’ ended last week.
The timing could not have been more appropriate as the publication this week of the British government's economic report on the environment- the 'Stern Report'- clearly shows the catastrophe the world faces unless urgent measures are undertaken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It warns of the climatic effects of the destruction of wildlife habitats and the possibility that over 40% of species could become extinct this century.

Galway can do its part to take on board the warnings expressed by Richard Stern and most reputable scientists. Protecting Biodiversity in our city will help save humanity itself!
Planting trees and creating urban forests will not only create habitats for wildlife but also lower greenhouse gasesThanks to some funding from Galway City Council/Galway City Development Board/Galway Education Centre and the support of dozens of unpaid volunteers from a plethora of organisations (college departments, Marine Institute, BirdWatch Galway, 'Crann', National Aquarium etc), we were able to provide a variety of opportunities for local people to appreciate for the first time the wonderful variety of plants and animals that exists inside our municipal boundaries.

A Cornucopia of Wildlife Habitats

Galway probably has probably the greatest number of wildlife habitats of any city in Ireland. We have forests, wetlands, turloughs, meadows, lakes, rivers, limestone landscapes, beaches and rockpools to name but a few. Each of these has their own unique set of species. The Week's series of lectures, plantings and nature walks allowed young and old to enjoy the wonders of the locality’s magnificent flora and fauna. Furthermore we helped people to actually increase biodiversity in the city through planting bulbs and creating home gardens thereby improving their own lives in the process.
Some of the most important public events included a talk on the 58 most significant natural habitats in the city; a major conference at the Environmental Change Institute, Galway University on how best to integrate the planning of green zones into urban development and a public lecture on how to create a wildlife-friendly garden .

Planners & Developers Fail to Turn Up!

The school events were totally booked out with 15 schools. Great! The same uptake alas could not be said about the non-school public events- much work needs to be done to ensure a higher attendance for next year's event. But at least the start has been made.
However, we were particularly disappointed with the total failure of any politician, developer, or engineer, planner or parks personnel from City Hall to attend the university Conference on 'Building a Diverse Galway'. After all, the event was organised primarily for their benefit!

...But City Hall Agree on Wildlife Action Committee..

On the positive side it was agreed at a meeting that I attended with the City Manager (Joe MacGrath) to create a joint City Hall-community committee that would lay down the framework for implementing the recommendations of the Galway City Inventory of Wildlife Habitats as adopted by City Council last May.
This new committee will comprise representatives from each of the relevant City Council departments (e.g. Planning, Roads, Parks), the Mayor (ex-officio) & an equal number from other important city stakeholders such as the National Parks & Wildlife Service, BirdWatch Galway, Western Regional Fisheries Board & An Taisce.
It will met for a limited period in order to draft a specific set of proposals to be completed & presented to City Council by Feb/March 2007
The proposals will include putting in place a ‘pilot’ management plan for a selected local biodiversity area & an 'ecological corridor' (or what the Americans call a 'Green Highways'!)

Finally it will lay down the terms & methods for an annual review or monitoring of the 58 habitats as listed in the Inventory Report

Woodlawn House- the most Haunted House in Ireland?

Three schools projects that I am involved in 'swept the boards' at the recent annual Galway County Heritage Awards.

These awards are unique in Ireland and represent an important morale booster to the diverse range of communities and organisations involved in preserving and promoting our rich native traditions. Enthusiasts range from the big tourism business interests such as the 'Dartfield Horse Museum' through to little neighbourhood groups such as a village committee looking after the upkeep of their local graveyard.
The awards were the brainchild of the energetic Marie Mannion, probably the best Heritage Officer in the country. Since their inception four years ago, I have promoted the involvement of primary schools that I manage under the 'Fionn' Science programme. Named after a mythological Celtic hero, 'Fionn' provided the children and teachers with digital media training and technology for the production of yearly science documentaries. Yet I have always encouraged participants to take an interdisciplinary approach to science and allow the inclusion of art, drama, local history, music, public speaking, languages ... So not surpisingly many schools include heritage themes in their films. For instance traditional lobster fishing in Inis Óirr has both a science as well as a heritage element.
We have always done exceptionally well in these County Awards.
2006 (our last year sadly) was no exception:
a) Doorus National School won the top Schools prize for its fascinating film documentary on the Tidal-powered Mills that once were a major source of industrial power in south Galway until destroyed by a tsunami that hit the coast in the 17th century! b) Kiltartan Primary School was runners-up for its movie on the local Gort River. c) The tiny Woodlawn School (population: 12 pupils) won the special 'Merit Award' for its outstanding film on the history of 'Woodlawn House'- one of the finest examples of Georgian architecture in Ireland.
The Woodlawn school principal, Maureen Duhan (photo- in centre with family), is the wife of the famous singer-songwriter Johnny Duhan (writer of such classics as the Christy Moore song 'The Voyage'). She is also an excellent innovator and has over the years helped her pupils produce some vintage projects.
The locality is a quiet rural backwater dominated by the old demense and its awe-inspiring mansion now sadly falling into dereliction.

But in its heyday, Woodlawn was a hub of economic actvitity with its aristocratic owners possessing considerable wealth and political power. The estate was home to an army of specialised servants including coopers, blacksmiths, maids, cooks, chefs, gamekeepers, gardeners, stable boys and coachmen. Look at the size of these stables!

The most famous owner, the first Lord Ashtown, was powerful enough to have the new Dublin-Galway railway line diverted to go through his lands. He built a quaint railway station that is still in existence today. In fact his building programme included many other fine buildings of architectural beauty that still stand today including an Anglican Church, a Gamekeeper's Lodge, a family Mausoleum, an Ice House, artisan cottages and above all Woodlawn House itself. In fact over 150 years later, there are few other buildings of note in the area.
The team that produced the independent American film 'The Blair Witch Project' came to Ireland a few years ago to undertake a documentary on the most haunted houses in Ireland. They stayed in many but found Woodlawn House to be the scariest!

Still I don't think that Woodlawn will be a sleepy village for much longer. With the recently announced plans for the re-development of the railways in the West of Ireland and the selection of nearby Athenry as a transport hub, the locality is a prime location to re-emerge as a satellite town of Galway City. Woodlawn House may be recognised as a prime site for a hotel and golf club complex. Hopefully though the area's rural ambience is not destroyed in the process as is too often happening nowadays in Ireland.

Finally, check out my next article on Woodlawn House written as a result of some interesting corrispondence from Lord Ashtown's son

George Bush singing "Sunday Bloody Sunday"!

Thanks to http://onegoodmove.org and Rx @ http://thepartyparty.com/

A really funny and very brilliant video clip of Bush 'singing' the classic U2 song. The word 'Bloody' in the title is quite appropriate for Bush when one considers how many innocent people's blood has been spilled in his so called 'War against Terror'. Actually Bush's war & that of his Israel proxy is a 'War By Terror'.

Trampoline Through The Fence

Kid does a flip off the trampoline and goes through the fence

The Concentration Camp that is Gaza-the truth of the brutality of the Israeli Occupation

I would ask everyone to read the article (below) in today's British 'Independent' by the excellent journalist Patrick Cockburn detailing the reality of the Israeli brutal occupation of Gaza, probably the most populated region in the world
As I said before, Israel has turned Gaza into a giant concentration camp and are deliberately humiliating its inmates and robbing them of all sense of human dignity.

Check out http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/article1372026.ece

Northern Ireland’s Sperrin Mountains–a hidden Rural Gaelic heartland

Abandoned house, Sperrin Mountains, Northern Ireland
Originally uploaded by Speedie1.

I have just spent a few wonderful days living in the midst of the Sperrin Mountains, a region of untold natural beauty and a stronghold of vibrant Gaelic culture.
I was pleasantly surprised to come across such a vast area of largely unspoilt natural beauty in development-driven Ireland. Unlike most of the rural regions of the Irish republic that are sadly being urbanised at an alarming rate, there are here stringent controls on building and road construction, on overgrazing as well as the ample provision of state funds to protect natural heritage.
Our northern brethren & the British government can teach us southerners a thing or two on environment protection and land management.
The Sperrin region consists of a landscape of gently rolling mountains, deep valleys (glens), small streams and boglands where ‘sheep’ is king.

Here farming seems to be thriving: you can see young farmers driving tractors, sheep pens dotting the hillsides and busy market days in towns such as Draperstown. Sizeable government grants are provided to stop sheep grazing mountains at certain times of the year so flora can blossom and provide cover for nesting birds.

Likewise, funds are allocated to encourage the replanting of hedgerows along the roadsides. The results are remarkable: a blanket of purple heather covers the hillsides and there are unbroken lines of hedgerows.This farm building is home to the 'sheep collector', a man whose job is collect stray sheep and return them to their owner. The animals are identified by the colour and shape of the dye on their wool.

The Flaming Red of the Rowan Tree
At this time of year in the Sperrins, one of the great Irish trees of Celtic mythology- the 'Mountain Ash'- gives a beautiful red colour to the autumn days. Also known as the 'Rowan', or 'Caorthann' in Irish, the red berry fruit of this tree only matures in the autumn thereby providing much needed food to wildlife. Its redness and bearer of autumn food made it associated in ancient Celtic times with life giving properties and with fire.

Amazingly for the 21st century, you come across more cyclists, walkers and farm vehicles than cars along the narrow roadways.
A large re-forestation programme is underway. Though primarily commercial and dominated by conifers, nevertheless it is helping to re-introduce the forests that once dominated the landscape. Interestingly, copses of trees woods sprinkle the hillsides planted by farmers to provide shelter for their sheep
The Sperrins are reminiscent of an Ireland that existed 150 years ago.

Mountain Stream

The intricate detail shown in the stone walls of this old farm building is testimony to the superb
craftmanship of the buliders of a bygone era

The area is also steeped in pre-history: it is a treasure trove of stone circles and megalith tombs some dating back 5,000 years.

Catholic Highlands & Protestant Lowlands

But it is its living folk traditions that helps bolster the unique identity that is the Sperrins. Traditional Gaelic music thrives in the pubs and schools; the names of most mountains, rivers, woods and towns are Gaelic in origins and labelled on all road signs. Monuments and posters to IRA volunteers and hunger strikers give visual expression to the strong republicanism that permeates many of the local population, the majority of whom are Catholic. Television news bulletins over the last few decades often spoke of finds of secret weaponry caches in the Sperrins. The inaccessible terrain with its dozens of abandoned farmsteads must have provided safe hide-outs for many an armed republican. Interestingly, locals also speak of other visitors staying incognito in these old buildings, namely British army undercover squads their presence often identified by the butts of their cigarettes left behind.
A Roadside Poster Sign dedicated to the IRA prisoners who died on hunger strike in British jails in their efforts to have the British authorities accord them 'political' rather than 'criminal' status

This strong sense of Irish nationalism is a product of both the history of the Sperrins and of wider Ulster. From the early 17th century onwards, the northern province experienced waves of British Protestant colonists who forced the native Catholic population from their lands. The Irish were either killed outright, forced to flee overseas or transplanted to poorer lands further west. However many escaped to the neighbouring highlands of the sprawling Sperrins where mountains, bogs and forests provided sanctuary from the British settlers and armies. The colonists preferred to concentrate their plantation activities in the rich fertile lands of the lowlands and left much of the difficult inaccessible terrain of the Glens of Antrim and the Sperrins to the natives to try and eke out an existence.An old abandoned farm house. Notice its three-levelled structure which I believe was divided as follows: the larger section was for human habitation, the middle section for storage of grain and somtimes larger animals and the smallest section for poultry or pigs

It was a lean and hungry life in the Sperrins; the dozens of ruined homesteads bear grim testimony to the harshness of their new existence which eventually forced many to emigrate.

‘Raparrees’: Ireland’s ‘Robin Hoods’
But the natives did not accept the loss of their lands lightly. From the forests of the Sperrins, armed raids were launched on the settlers in the lowlands during the seventeenth, eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Many of these rebels became famed in song and verse for taking on the British occupiers, robbing wealthy colonists and giving the money to starving and destitute people many of whom were now reduced to the status of tenants on their former lands. These armed horsemen were known as ‘Tories’ but more usually as 'Rapparees' and were looked as by the local populace as the Irish equivalent of the English ‘Robin Hoods’. The term ‘Rapparees’ probably derives from a mix of Irish (ri= king) and French (rapier=sword) words that translates as the ‘King’s Swordsmen,’. For many of these highwaymen were originally Gaelic Catholic gentry who had joined the army of the Catholic British King James 1 in the hope of reclaiming their lost lands.
Probably the most famous Sperrin outlaw was Shane Crossagh who operated in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. According to Jim McCallen in his book ‘Stand & Deliver’, Shane’s real surname was “McMullan’; Crossagh meaning ‘pock-marked’ was a nickname. He took to the hills after he narrowly evaded capture during a secret visit to his family’s former home from whence they had been evicted. There are many tales of his gang’s daring exploits. One relates to a British General Napier who was overheard by Shane boasting in an inn one night that he would have the rebel’s head on a pike within the week. Next morning the general and his cavalry unit were ambushed by Shane’s men at a bridge near the village of Feeny. After the soldiers were forced to surrender, they were stripped, tied up in pairs and marched off led by General Napier dressed up as a women!
Brave Death of a Raparree
But Shane was eventually caught and sentenced to be hanged along with his two sons. However, he was surprisingly offered pardon by an influential planter Henry Carey, whose life he had once saved. But when he was told that his sons were not to be spared, he declined the offer of a pardon. According to a witness- John Low the Presbyterian minister of Banagher- he died with a son either side of him, holding each by the hand after making a speech to an sympathetic crowd thanking them for their support over his years as an outlaw.

The British police barracks in Draperstown now no longer in use

But with the Northern Ireland Peace process now over a decade old, a cultural, social and economic transformation is taking place. The imposing and foreboding Police barracks is closed (see photo), tourism is taking place, housing estates are being built in the towns for new city commuter residents, religious animosities are diluting and young Eastern European workers are starting to populate the shops and factories.The place of Presbyterian worship in the centre of Draperstown. Not as ornate as a Catholic or Anglican church, nevertheless it possesses an innate beauty of its own.

Galway Races: Where Ordinary Folk Rub Shoulders with Ireland's Elite

Race Week in Galway held earlier this month is Ireland's most famous Festival; it is when the rest of the country seems to pour like a tidal wave into the city to indulge in a 7 day extravaganza of gambling, drinking, frolicking, style, paddywackery & networking!! But all in good taste and humour.

The city abounds with fleets of helicopters setting the air a-buzzing; the very latest BMW & Mercs populating the hotel car- parks; restaurants and bars bursting at the seams; pink champagne flowing like tap-water; high class prostitutes turning tricks in city centre apartments & all-night card games offering pots of six figure sums.

The ruling political party –Fianna Fáil- host a special marquee tent at the Ballybrit race course where the captains and kings of business and industry come to pay homage and socialise with Bertie our honourable Taoiseach (prime minister). ‘Pay’ being the operative word as its 350Euro for a meal & seat in this illustrious tent!


Ladies' Day - A Race Course Full of Ireland's Most Beautifully Dressed Women
Thursday is ‘Ladies Day’ when women of all shapes & sizes dress up in their most beautiful finery to be praised and ogled.
From early in the morning, large groups of classy looking females wait at bus stops all over the city on their way to the race course.
Amazingly, once the event ended, hordes of girls in the most expensive dresses just take off their high heels and just walked the miles back to their city centre hostelries and hotels. There is something so refreshing about this attitude. People may dress up in fantastic clothing for the festival, but most are still just ordinary 'down to earth' folk underneath.



'All the Fun of the Fair'

So don’t believe for one minute that the city transforms into the playground for only the rich and famous.
The festival is an amazing egalitarian event when-for one week only-the ordinary office clerk rubs shoulders with aristocracy, gypsies, priests, farmers, alcoholics, hookers, politicians, beggars, tourists and billionaires. And there is something for all ages- from betting offices, bars, restaurants to fairground attractions.
It is in many ways a festival from Celtic pre-history when all members of the tribe would gather and stand equal on hallowed ground combining worship with sport, competitions and entertainment for all ages.

'Crazy Hat' Day!

One of the funniest events takes place on Sunday when girls and women (& a few men) wear "Crazy Hats'. The craftsmanship and time that people put into their headgear is absolutely fantastic. Fully fledged farm, stables and race tracks are recreated in the most detailed minuture to sit precariously on the top of people's heads!

Not only that, others create the most outrageous full length costumes to match their garish hats.
For hours these ostentatious individuals walk and mingle with the crowds before gathering together for the awards ceremony.
This year's competition was judged by none other than Rosanna Davision, the former Miss Ireland and daughter of the internationally renowned musician Chris de Burgh.






There is nothing else quite like the Galway Races on this planet!

Galway City Mayor Leads Public Protest Against Israeli Actions in Lebanon & Gaza

Israel's present campaign against the Lebanese civilian population & Palestinians in Gaza has finally unveiled the 'fascist' idealogy that exists at the heart of its state and its backers in Washington. By pure militaristic and terrorist tactics, both countries (& Britain) are trying to ensure that no country in the Middle East threatens Western control over its oilfields while also ensuring that Israel continues to re-draw the boundaries of Palestine to the detriment of the Arab population.

(Photo shows Galway City Mayor addressing the recent anti-war demonstration in Eyre Square)

European governments & the European Union have consistently done little more than gently complain about Israel's wars of aggressions against its neighbours. It has been reduced to imitating the squeal of a mouse rather than the roar of a lion.
Fear of the USA has castrated our political leaders' sense of injustice.
The big naval fleets of Europe gathered off the coast of Lebanon not to protect the citizens of the democratic and liberal state of Lebanon from armed invasion but to meekly seek permission of Israel to evacuate its own citizens before the coming firestorm.
Sadly all the millions of ordinary Europeans that have protested against the invasions of Lebanon & Iraq have not changed their government's cowardice.
(Photo shows Marie Crawley, an old campaign stalwart friend of mine, on the protest march. Poor girl- she came to Galway from Northern Ireland to leisurely enjoy the Arts Festival activities only to find herself out demonstrating!)
Yet what choice do we have but continue our street demos and hope someday that public opinion will win out and that the Middle East, Chechnya, Columbia, Mexico, Tibet, Kashmir, Afghanistan, Sudan...will no longer serve as the playthings of the big powers and their local puppets but that true democracy and human rights will blossom?
Recently a few hundred Galwegians of all ages led by the Lord Mayor marched through the streets of the city and demanded that the Irish government do more to end Israeli aggression...One can only live in hope that every individual action & every little protest will collectively make a change occur. Fool's Paradise? Maybe, but our vision of a better world may someday become a reality. Even if we never live to see it, we will have played our part. For why else do we exist?

(On the right of the photo are Doug -long beard!- & Ann, two highly motivated & veteran anti-war activists from America. Doug is actually a work colleague of mine at Galway university. Being 'anti-war' has nothing to do with being 'anti American'. In fact some of the fiercest critics of present U.S. foreign policy are Americans such as Michael Moore, Bruce Springstein, Susan Sarandon, Cindy Sheehan... )



The protest ended at the constituency offices of senior Irish government minister Eamon Ó Cuiv when hundreds of letters demanding firm government action against Israeli aggression were handed in. It is strange that this minister & our city's anti-war Mayor were earlier that week my special guests of honour at a university reception organised for my asylum seeker students -see my posting of August 1st-!! But that is the great thing about Ireland, we can disagree fundmentally on some issues but work together on areas of common agreement)

Israelis have Lost all Sense of Humanity
Finally, I recommend everyone to look at the following website that my friend Bill from India sent me which shows in gruesome detail the aftermath of Israel's indiscriminate bombings of civilian targets. Please note that it is not for the squemish

www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=20060721&articleId=2787

Europe must Expose the Lie of Israel's Terrorism Disguised as a Defence of 'Western' Values

Lebanese & Palestinian Flags proudly fly over Galway City during a recent anti-war protest

Below is the text of a letter that I wrote that appeared in this week's 'Galway Advertiser', one of Ireland's best & most popular weekly newspapers

Time for the Israeli Myth to be Shattered

Dear Editor,
In light of recent events in Lebanon and Gaza, is it not time now for Europe to finally expose the lie that Israel is a beacon of democracy and freedom in an unstable totalitarian Middle East? In fact it is the very country that has created the regional instability in its never-ending wars of aggression that represents such a growing threat to world peace. Europe has consistently supported or acquiesced in its deliberate humiliation of the Arab peoples. Continuing failure by Israel to implement a string of UN resolutions and to secretively build a large nuclear arsenal has gone unpunished by the European Union.

Israel was created in the aftermath of World War Two largely due to the efforts of a guilt-ridden Europe shocked by the 6million Jews exterminated on its soil in the Holocaust.
Parts of the British-controlled Palestine were to become a homeland for the survivors of the death camps and would go some way in acting as a form of redemption for the thousand years of oppression suffered by Jews at the hands of Christian Europe. But right from its inception it metamorphosed into an expansionist, racist, militaristic state that has taken on so many aspects of the ideology of the Jews’ former Nazi oppressors.
In 1948, its military terrorised hundreds of thousands of the indigenous Palestinian natives to flee from their United Nations-designated lands into neighbouring countries where they and their descendents still live today in squalid refugee camps. These peoples are still denied the right of return. In 1967, the Israelis repeated a similar process by invading the remainder of Palestine.
Armed and financed by the United States, successive governments have encouraged hundreds of thousands of foreigners to colonise the lands of the Arab population. This process followed a similar path to the Nazi policy and plans for Poland in 1939-‘41: the best lands were given to racially or religiously-aligned settlers; the raw materials and main sources of water requisitioned; the natives confined to isolated apartheid-style Bantustans with all borders and main roads through the newly conquered territories controlled by the military. Gaza is no more than a large concentration camp completely surrounded by a perimeter fence with its air and seaways controlled by the Israelis. With the continued construction of a massive wall on Arab lands, the West Bank will soon follow suit. A whole people imprisoned in their own homeland.
Today, the famed biblical Jordan River is reduced to a trickle as the Israelis siphon off its waters to supply its own farms and cities. As with Nazi Poland, the occupying power sees the primary role of the governing councils of these glorified ghettos and camps is to ensure that the inmates do not undertake aggressive actions against the occupier. In classic racist parlance, the Israeli state warns that the whole population will suffer collective punishment for any individual attack on their soldiers or settlers. When the downtrodden rebel, the Israelis immediately implement a draconian 'Iron Fist' policy; until a few years ago, the family homes of young stone throwers were bulldozed to the ground. Today the offices of the democratically elected Palestinian Authority are demolished and its politicians imprisoned. When a Hezbollah unit recently kidnapped two Israeli soldiers and demanded a prisoner swap from some of the over 10,000 Palestinian and Lebanese prisoners held in Israel, the response was to refuse negotiation and to publicly promise to send Lebanon back 20 years in time by a massive bombing campaign with the proviso that Israel considers all inhabitants in south Lebanon to be legitimate targets.

Furthermore, the need for the West to secure cheap oil supplies by invading Iraq, by supporting repressive Arab regimes and by ostracising democratically elected governments in the region has only increased awareness amongst ordinary Arabs that Europe and the United States are the enemy. Anti-western fundamentalism is understandably on the rise. It says a lot that if Osama Bin Laden was allowed to run in a free and fair election tomorrow in his native Saudi Arabia, he would win by a landslide.

The source of the cancer in the Middle East is Israeli expansionism. Europe should at the very least now impose a total economic embargo on the country and demand its compliance with UN Resolution 242 and begin a complete withdrawal to its pre-1967 boundaries.

Yours sincerely,

Brendan Smith
bspeedie@eircom.net

Surprise Gifts to the Minister, the Mayor & Myself!

-Photo shows yours truely & Galway City Mayor holding our beautiful wooden wildlife sculptors in the accompaniment of their creator Radoslav Benka-

As a surprise at the recent university reception for my asylum seeker students, I presented the two official guests with two beautiful wooden wildlife sculptors created by Radoslav Benka, a Slovak carver now based in Galway city. I am at the moment helping Rado to set up his own business website. I am a real fan of his creations; so I thought that it would be a nice idea to buy some of his artifacts for such an event and secure him in the process maximum exposure.
Both Minister Eamon Ó Cuiv and Mayor Ó Brolchain were chuffed with their gifts!
I thought I was being very clever! But it was me that got the biggest shock when I was publicly presented with one of Rado’s carvings by my colleague Liam Moran in recognition of my Online Social Networking activities/courses with community groups!
Nice one Liam.

The ‘Global Village’ arrives in the flesh(!) at Galway University

(Photo shows one of my students (Joy) with Irish government minister Eamon Ó Cuiv & the Galway City Mayor, Niall Ó Brolchain)

I had a really great time at an event I organised last Monday in Galway University for 18 of my asylum seeker students who had completed an Internet course held in their own hostel.
It was ‘standing room only’ for an event that had an extensive guest list that included a senior government minister (Eamon Ó Cuiv), the Lord Mayor of Galway City (Councillor Niall Ó Brolchain), local government officials, academics, police, media, community leaders…..
Speeches were made, certificates were presented, officlal photographs were taken, food was eaten…Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves!
While the Irish guests were amused at the wide ethnic diversity of the students present (Iraq, Israel, Nigeria, Cameroon, Albania, Zimbabwe, Russia, Congo…), what I found most interesting was the comments made by the asylum seekers themselves. Many were pleasantly surprised to find how easy it was to have a friendly relaxed chat with a major government minister or a mayor! Actually Eamon (the Minister!) himself said to me afterwards that he noticed how formal and reserved the students were when talking to him- some were treating him as if he was royalty.
In fact that is one of the nice things about Ireland. There is little engrained social snobbery in the country- the ordinary citizen seems to be on first name terms with everyone - even the Taoiseach (Prime Minister) and the President are referred to by their first names (Bertie & Mary) by the crowds on the street!
Speaking of the ‘masses’ mixing with the ‘elite’, this happens on a massive scale at this week’s 'Galway Races'- probably the largest and most egalitarian festival in Europe- see my blog entry in last August's archive.
(Photo shows my two good Iraqi friends Doctors Adil & Huda Jaber with the guest politicians at the university reception)

'The Wind that Shakes the Barley'... A 'Must See' Film for Irish and British people

What a film! One of the best and most evocative films that I have ever seen.
The storyline, the production and the acting were first class. The motley group of Iraqi, American and Irish friends that went with me to the movie were emotionally captived by the performances. Huda and my wife Cepta were reduced to tears; my 'green' Irish rebel heart was beating with joy one minute, with anger and sorrow the next. I could see images of my own grandparents and grandcousins in so many of the onscreen roles.

In its portrayal of the 'Irish War on Independence', the 'Wind that Shakes the Barley' brilliantly touched on universal themes that could be placed in any age, in any country across the world that is or was experiencing occupation by a foreign military force. It particularly captured the essential racism and terrorism of all armies of occuption as they try and fight a native guerilla force that is deeply woven into the fabric of a local community. In the film, the British forces carry out classic counter-insurgancy tactics that almost always fail in the end. In response to the successful guerilla campign of the IRA, the British government created what John Walsh of the English 'Independent' newspaper recently called modern Europe's first state-sanctioned terror group. The orders for this army force (the 'Black and Tans')-comprising many criminals and recently released prisoners-was to initiate a reign of pure terror against the civilian population and bludgeon them into submitting to British rule.

In the film as in real life, they left a trail of death and destruction in their wake- burning streets and houses, shooting innocent civilians, torturing prisoners and carrying out summary executions. Their open racist contempt for the natives was shown in the film not just in their brutality but in their verbal abuse and sneering of the Irish and all things Irish. Their words and actions reminded so much of Israelis' comments this week towards the Lebanese; of American GI language towards the Iraqis and formerly the Vietnamese; of the Turks towards the Kurds; of Bosnian Serbs towards the Muslims; of Russians towards the Chechens; pf Sudanese Arabs towards the Darfur negroes... Yet the British atrocities only had the opposite effect to what the their government had hoped for, with support and recruitment to the Irish republican resistence only increasing.
But the movie also admirably showed the underlying tensions and divisions that existed in the Irish republican movement. The scenes that centred on the debates and arguments over the terms of the Treaty brought back by Michael Collins from London were classic! One of my favourite moments though was when a Irish republican court -operated by an almost exclusive all-female (!) judiciary- awarded in favour of a poor woman who was unable to pay the principle and exhorbant interest for a loan that she had obtained from a wealthy Irish businessman. Priceless! But the next scene then showed an IRA unit going in and forcibly releasing the convicted businessman. Why? Because they needed his money to buy rifles and bullets to fight the British! For already the seeds for the divisions and largely social class conflict of the Irish civil war of 1922 were been sown.

The movie also cast light on many other forgotten aspects of this period of Irish history:
-the prominent role of women in the resistance movement
-the refusal of the Irish railway workers to transport British military personnel and weaponry
-the execution of 'traitors' by the IRA volunteers of men they once called friends
-the excommunication by the Catholic Church bishops of anti-treaty republicans
-the racist attitudes of the landed aristocracy towards the native Irish
-the network of farm houses that provided food and lodgings to the IRA
-the excellent guerilla tactics employed by the IRA
-the high level of IRA weaponry that came from raids on British police barracks

The British 'Independent' reporter John Walsh said of the film, "At last a film that brings the truth to British eyes (of British rule in Ireland)". The same could also be said of Irish eyes. Ken Loach has done a great service to both countries

Film on Ireland's 'War of Independence': Obvious comparisons to modern Iraq

Well done to the British film producer, Ken Loach. His film - 'The Wind that Shakes the Barley' - on the subject of the 'Irish War of Independence' has being condemned viciously by the British tabloid press. Which must be a good thing!
'The Sun' and other similar newspapers tore him asunder for exposing the terror tactics of the British army against the Irish population during the War of Independence (1918-1921). But he told nothing but the truth about the British paramilitary units known as the 'Black 'n' Tans' (so called becasue they wore a mix of brown and black uniforms) who committed so many atrocities against civilians- torture, burnings, drunken rampages, murders.... that, as with Cromwell's armies of the mid-17th century, they will live forever as demons in the folklore of Ireland. But for the British establishment today it is embarrassing that people will make the obvious comparision to the tactics of the US & UK occupation military forces in present day Iraq.
Ken is representative of an honourary tradition amongst a section of British society who always had the courage to speak the truth about Ireland and other issues of worldwide human rights and suffered much personal abuse and vilification as a result. People such as Gareth Pierce, Tony Benn, Ken Livingstone and Chris Mullins spring to mind.

Irish, Iraqis and Americans 'out on the town' together!
I am going to see the film tomorrow night in the company of my wife Cepta and some friends who happen to be Iraqis and American anti-war activists. They requested me to go with them because of my political views as well as my family's involvement as IRA volunteers in this war of liberation of 1918-'21. But my family were typical of this period-so I hold no special knowledge except that I listened too many a fireside chat when I was a little boy as these old veterans told their stories.

Anyway, our pub conversation after the movie should be priceless!
So I will give you my views on the movie in my next posting