Fán am a léifidh tú seo, seans go mbeidh an tAthair Shay Cullen, i bpríosún i Manila. Tá an sagart as Dún Laoghaire – a ainmníodh do Dhuais Nobel na Síochána – sásta bheith curtha i gcillín le aird a dhíriú ar uafás thionscail an ghnéis sna hOileáin Fhilipíneacha, áit a bhfuil sé ag obair …
Author Archives: Robert McMillen
Aontas idir-Aontachtach
Lá breá samhraidh, an ghrian ag briseadh na gcloch, cailíní óga ina ngúnaí éadroma ildaite amuigh ag coisíocht faoin aer the. Tá bean amháin amuigh ag baint suilt as an teas agus í ag siopadóireacht ar Bhóthar na Seanchille ach aistrítear as an saol sona achan lá í go dtí an t-uafás. Taobh istigh de …
Aspects literature festival
The Aspects Irish Literature Festival is a lovely wee five-day celebration of some of our finest writers in English. The festival was launched at Nick’s Warehouse in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter yesterday with Ciarán Carson’s recital of Londubh Loch Lao/The Blackbird of Belfast Lough, a poem written in Irish by a monk in the 9th Century, …
Gregory Campbell: a bum rap?
“Is Gregory Campbell (whose young family the Derry IRA once tried to kill on their way to church) getting a bum rap on BBC Spotlight?” asked Mick Fealty of Sluggerotoole.com after the DUP MLA’s excruciating reaction to the report of the Saville Inquiry on Bloody Sunday. Answer: No. Although I would have sympathy for him …
Ian Berry, photographer
It was quite a coincidence that Ian Berry should be in Belfast on the day the findings of the Saville Inquiry were made public. Berry is one of the world’s best-known photographers, invited to join Magnum on the invitation of Henri Cartier Bresson himself. Despite being born in England, the Lancastrian made his name working …
David Trimble and the Mavi Marmara
So the Nobel Peace Laureate, Lord Trimble, has been nominated by the Israelis to be an observer into the killings on the Mavi Marmara, the lead ship in the humanitarian effort to help break the blockade on Gaza. An excellent choice if you ask me. It’s probably coincidental that the findings of the Saville Enquiry …
Drennan’s Restaurant, Belfast
That’s why the three of us – two adults and a fifteen-year-old – were grinning like Cheshire cats when leaving Drennan’s on Belfast’s University Road last night. Sulking beside Villa Italia, it doesn’t have the most enticing of exteriors compared to the brash modern neon exteriors of many a Belfast eaterie, but that shouldn’t put …
Daonáireamh 1911
Baineadh geit asam. Tá cuid de mo theaghlach báite sa náisiúnachas ó rinne mo mháthair mhór teachtaireachtaí do James Connolly le linn dó bheith i mBéal Feirste idir 1910 agus 1914. Bhí muid inár gcónaí in iarthar Caitliceach Bhéal Feirste leis na cianta ach de réir daonáireamh 1911, atá ar fáil ag www.census.nationalarchives.ie baill de …
Streetdance – never mind the plot
Forget the story, it’s one we’ve seen hundreds of times before – working class kids down on their luck with only their dancing skills to keep them out of borstal. The inevitable happens. The dance crew lose their top choreographer and a place to practice just before the finals of the UK dance championships. Will …
Sunny Jacobs: bean a tháinig slán
Ó shraith an bháis go dtí an t-athbhreith i gConamara “Is deas liom bheith anseo,” a deir Sunny Jacobs liom. “Ar ndóigh, is deas liom bheith áit ar bith na laethanta seo.” Is greann atá i gceist ach tá uafás dochreidte taobh thiar den ghreann. Chaith Sunny 17 mbliana i bpríosún – 5 bliana acu …