Section 31 Upheld by Euro Court
For 20 years, the Irish government has deemed it illegal for members linked to the IRA or any of the other paramilitary parties to appear on radio or TV broadcasts. This applies to members of the republican Sinn Féin party as well, as the government has argued that broadcasting Sinn Féin members, even ones who are community leaders with seats in Parliament, would only encourage violence.
The members of Sinn Fein are not the only ones who have protested this decree, which is commonly known as Section 31. Journalists and others who have been concerned with free-speech issues have protested the ban, saying that it denies “equal time” to competing politicians. With this in mind, the broadcasting unions of RTE, which is the national TV and radio outfit, appealed to the Human Rights Court of the European Community.
However, there was great disappointment as the court ruled recently that the Irish government was within its rights to impose Section 31, and rejected the unions’ argument that the ban interfered with the right of the public to hear balanced news coverage.
The court said that its decision is final, and that no appeal will be allowed.
The Great Irish Condom Debate
For the past several months perhaps the hottest debate in Ireland has been over those little pieces of latex known as condoms.
The spread of AIDS in Ireland, plus a shift in the attitude of young people away from the doctrines of the Catholic church, has brought pressure on the government to loosen its restrictions on condoms and other forms of birth control.
Being an overwhelmingly Catholic nation, Ireland has long toed the line of the Church on the touchy social issue of birth control. To young people who have emigrated all over the world, where restrictions on such issues are not as conservative, returning home to find that it was relatively difficult to get your hands on condoms, seemed ridiculous.
Not too long ago, a doctor’s prescription was necessary.
Today, they are available only in registered chemists’ shops, and only to those over eighteen years. Advocates of lowering that age point out that it’s legal to get married, or even to own a gun, at age sixteen.
In late April, despite heavy criticism from the Church, Charles Haughey’s Fianna Fáil government decided on a compromise which would lower the age to 17 instead of 16, and has also pledged to allow for more locations where condoms may be sold.
The debate is still going on, and many issues have yet to be resolved, but one thing is sure — for better or worse, the influence of the Catholic church in Ireland is not as all-mighty as it once was.
Surprise! Most Irish Americans Are Protestant
In the past few decades it has been proven that being Irish and being a Democrat is not always indivisible. But another popular misconception was also shot down recently when a national survey discovered that most Irish Americans are Protestant, not Catholic.
The survey, done by the City University of New York, is the most extensive survey of religious affiliation ever conducted. For one thing, it found that, overall, 26 percent of Americans are Catholic. But surprisingly enough most of those who refer to themselves as being Irish American are also Protestants.
The survey speculated that the reason for this was that many of the Irish American Protestants are “descended from Protestant settlers from Northern Ireland and others are the products of intermarriage.”
But another likely reason is that many Irish Americans whose ancestors were Catholic when they emigrated converted a few generations later.
This is particularly true in the South, where, according to the 1980 census, 10 million Irish Americans live. Because Catholicism was frowned upon for many generations there, many Catholics who settled there converted.
Intermarriage is also a large reason for the switch, as exemplified by the family of President Ronald Reagan.
Reagan’s mother was Protestant and his father was Catholic, and Reagan himself was raised a Protestant. But Neil Reagan, the President’s brother, chose his mother’s religion and remained a Catholic.
And The Talks Are On!
After months and months of talking about talking, the negotiations concerning the future of Northern Ireland have actually begun. Astrish America goes to press, the first round of talks, between Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Brooke, Unionist parties and the constitutional nationalist Social Democratic and Labor Party, have begun in Stormont, just outside of Belfast City.
As mapped out by Northern Secretary Peter Brooke, the second round of talks, which is hoped to begin shortly, will bring in the voice of the Irish Republic’s government, to give the Dublin leaders the chance to converse with both the Unionist and the SDLP leaders. Crucial to this round is the demand by the Unionists for the Dublin government to drop its Constitution’s second and third articles, which together stake a claim on the six counties of the North for the Republic. For decades Dublin has resisted pressure to do so, but it now seems as if it could happen, in the interest of compromise.
The third and final round then will involve full intergovernmental negotiations between the Northern parties and both the London and Dublin governments.
The purpose of the talks is to end the violence in Northern Ireland by involving as many voices in the talks as possible. By involving the Dublin government, Brooke hopes to stem any objections from the North’s Catholic community by acknowledging the fact that the 26-county Republic ought to have a say in what goes on in the six northern counties.
However, Brooke’s detractors argue that one major oversight is that the voice of many of the North’s Republicans, Sinn Féin, has been told to stay at home.
Brooke argues that Sinn Féin advocates paramilitary violence by its endorsement of the IRA, and is therefore not welcome at the bargaining table. To some people this makes sense. To others, it is exactly the reason why the talks are doomed for failure. Only time will tell.
Nuns on the Run Again!
Despite what Hollywood has said in the past, it can be certain that there is no such thing as a Flying Nun.
However, some folks in Trim, County Meath have proven that even though nuns can’t fly, there are more than enough galloping nuns out there. This will be the fourth year in a row in which the people of Trim will be organizing a “Nun Run,” with competitors coming in from all over the world to compete for the honor of being named the fastest Sister on four legs.
Last year, Sr. Margaret Murphy and Sr. Mary Ann Cyrnik traveled from Amityville, New York to be in the race.
“We just read in the paper in New York that they were looking for nuns who could horse-ride for this fundraiser in Ireland. I thought it was a joke,” said Sr. Mary Anne. “But there we were!”
Last year’s winner Sr. Mary Joy, travelled from Peru to take part in the race, which raised £2,000 for various church projects around the world.
So if you’re a bronco-busting sister, and you happen to be headed for Ireland towards the end of June, be sure to contact Trim, County Meath’s Fr. Declan Smith – the “Godfather” of the race – for what is sure to be a livelier race than both the Grand National and the Budweiser Derby put together! The only drawback however is that the gambling isn’t as fierce..
Bank of Ireland Opens in Boston
The Bank of Ireland recently opened a new Boston office that will specialize in the ethnic market.
Bernard R. Hayes has been appointed regional vice president with responsibility for running the office which will serve the borr owing needs of the large Irish population in the area. Services offered will include commercial and residential mortgages and business loans. The office is expected to cater principally for the small, middle-market borrower.
Hayes previously managed the bank’s Chicago office from 1983 to 1986 and the bank’s White Plains, New York office from 1986 to 1990. To contact Bank of Ireland in Boston, call 617-261-4866.
– Bernard R. Hayes
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in the June 1991 issue of Irish America. ♦
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