The year was 1981, and Irish American elected officials – including the junior U.S. Senator from Delaware, Joe Biden – had plenty of reasons to be concerned. Yes, another festive St. Patrick’s Day in Washington D.C., was approaching. But so were some of the darkest days of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. Amidst rising clashes on the streets of Belfast, an Irish Republican … [Read more...] about Time for Peace
Politics Archives
Irish Friends on Capitol Hill
The Impact of the Election Results on Irish Issues With one or two notable exceptions, the November 1998 elections saw those politicians most influential on Irish affairs safely re-elected to their posts and preparing for action on Irish issues in the new Congress. Senator Chris Dodd of Connecticut, Representatives Peter King and James Walsh of New York, Richard Neal of … [Read more...] about Irish Friends on Capitol Hill
A Fragile Peace
The Northern Ireland Assembly is back but intransigence could still damage the prospects for peace. Anne Cadwallader reports. Glimpse a furrowed brow or lips shut tight against gritted teeth at Stormont right now and you're looking at someone who was counting on the peace process ending in failure and recriminations. Those with a spring in their step, a whistle on their lips … [Read more...] about A Fragile Peace
Bloody Sunday’s Legacy
On January 30, 1972, the British Army opened fire on civil rights marchers in Derry. Thirteen people were killed and 14 others were seriously injured.A new inquiry into the massacre is currently underway. Brian Dooley reports. The wounded survivors and the families of the dead sit stone-faced in Derry's Guildhall listening to details of a story they already know: that on … [Read more...] about Bloody Sunday’s Legacy
British Offensive Begins in the U.S. to Discredit Irish Side on Peace Process Problems
IA Newsletter January 28, 2023
With President Biden's visit to Northern Ireland in April bringing international attention, the stakes could not be higher in the blame game over the stalled peace process. A truly dishonest op-ed by an arch-conservative writer in The New York Times casting blame for the stalled protocol on the Irish side likely signals that a major offensive between now and the … [Read more...] about British Offensive Begins in the U.S. to Discredit Irish Side on Peace Process Problems