The evolution of Martin McGuinness – from high school dropout and IRA man to political leader seeking an end to violence and, finally, his emergence as Northern Ireland's Minister for Education. If it's fair to judge the effectiveness of a politician by the depth of his opponents' dislike for him, then the Sinn Féin MP and Assemblyman for Mid-Ulster, Martin McGuinness, … [Read more...] about Martin McGuinness: The Man, The Myth, The Minister
Politics
Sinn Féin Under Pressure
Sinn Féin has come in for scathing criticism in the past weeks, with many blaming the party for the deadlock in the peace renegotiations, after the Stormont Assembly was suspended at the beginning of August by Secretary of State for Northern Ireland John Reid to allow a six-week break during which the parties could return to the drawing board. A Unionist rejection of … [Read more...] about Sinn Féin Under Pressure
Caucus Ruckus
Chicago alderman Thomas Murphy's attempt to bridge cultural gaps seems to have gone unappreciated. Murphy represents the 18th Ward on the city's Southwest Side, with an 85 percent black population. For this reason Murphy asked to join the City Council's black caucus even though he is white. But caucus members said that membership in the caucus was not based on the racial makeup … [Read more...] about Caucus Ruckus
New U.S. Ambassadors to Ireland
Richard Egan, the ninety-ninth wealthiest person in America, was nominated by President Bush as the new U.S. Ambassador to Ireland. Egan, one of Irish America's Business 100, holds an Irish passport, and traces his roots back to Westmeath. He is the founder of EMC Corporation, which controls 30 percent of the data storage market in the United States. A Massachusetts native, … [Read more...] about New U.S. Ambassadors to Ireland
A Darker Shade of Green
When Bill Clinton took the stage in Dundalk on his final presidential visit to Ireland last December, he could have had no idea how much of a welcome was waiting. In the late 1990s, the border town (population 30,000) had almost shaken off its El Paso image, a legacy from the Troubles, and was working hard at promoting itself as a center for multinational investment. … [Read more...] about A Darker Shade of Green