This past March I traveled through Northern Ireland as part of a group of 19 students and administrators from New York University's Gallatin School. We had come to Northern Ireland to gain a better understanding of human rights issues. What I gained an understanding of, however, was how large the gap had become between what I thought I knew and the reality of Northern Irish … [Read more...] about The Lessons of Division
Racism
News in Brief
Gay Priest Comes Out Father Martin Dolan, a priest at the Church of St Nicholas of Myra in Francis Street in Dublin's city for 15 years, came out as gay to his parishioners during a Sunday Mass in early January while calling for same-sex marriage equality in advance of the country’s May referendum on the issue. He received a standing ovation from his parishioners. The Dublin … [Read more...] about News in Brief
From Sectarianism to Racism
The only sign that something happened here last night is the shower of shattered glass spread across the pavement. A few hours after a pregnant Pakistani woman and her brother-in-law moved in to this house in the Village area of south Belfast, a large plank of wood was hurled through their living room window, forcing them to flee the area. Perhaps as disturbing is the … [Read more...] about From Sectarianism to Racism
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
The First Word:
Afraid of the Dark
The Irish writer John B. Keane once said of my home town
that "they should build a wall around it and let no man in and let no man
out."
I don't know why he said that about An tAonach, which means Fair or Market place. (The town was named Nenagh by the English during that great renaming which saw Gaelic names replaced by ones which bore no relationship to the Irish.) … [Read more...] about The First Word:
Afraid of the Dark