Concern Worldwide are opening a school in Wil Wal, north Mogadishu, Somalia. It will soon have over 900 pupils. But first the playground has to be cleared of the remains of the dead. It is nauseating to discover that the little broken pieces of roofing asbestos jutting out of the ground are "gravestones," and that the pervasive smell is from corpses rotting inches below the … [Read more...] about Somalia: Ireland’s Concern
Feature
Remembering Bobby
Twenty-five years ago the hopes of a nation were shattered as Robert Kennedy lay dying, his final words "Is everyone else all right?" reflecting the person that he was. On June 6 a "Mass for Courage and Reconciliation" was held to mark his anniversary. Patricia Harty reports. The crowd of some 18,000 who had gathered at Arlington Cemetery fell silent as Ethel Kennedy and her … [Read more...] about Remembering Bobby
An American in Ireland
Denise Hall, an American journalist, gave up the fast-track for the briar paths in a remote corner of Ireland. I lived in Los Angeles for ten years. For three of those years, I worked for the legendary National Enquirer, and I was definitely ready for a change. It wasn't just the lurking behind palm trees in expensive Beverly Hills restaurants that eventually got to me. I … [Read more...] about An American in Ireland
Blazes Boylan
Twenty-two years in the music business, three previous songs in Ireland's National Song Contest and suddenly it was all happening for Jimmy Walsh, who kept on plugging until he made it. Walsh's song "In Your Eyes" won the Eurovision Song Contest, the biggest competition of its kind in Europe which is broadcast live via satellite. Over three hundred million people watched Niamh … [Read more...] about Blazes Boylan
Northern Ireland Elections: Not Quite What They Seem
Election fever in the North of Ireland over the last few months was more like a head cold than a serious illness. It coughed and sighed for a while, but the few sneezes as it dissipated marked for some their political demise while for others it just helped clear out the system. The Local Government Elections in Northern Ireland are held every four years in 26 council areas. … [Read more...] about Northern Ireland Elections: Not Quite What They Seem




