ALL AT S.E.A. !
A light-hearted look at the 'Single European Act' legislation .
From 'The Very End' column , 'New Hibernia' magazine , May 1987.
By Patrick Murphy.

The government is to hold a referendum on Thursday . That was the shock horror news which rocked everyone to sleep last night as the electorate tried to make up its mind whether it is for or against Thursday .

Already a strong pro-Thursday lobby has emerged in Leinster House and the government has announced that if there is not a massive pro-Thursday vote all the days of the week may have to be re-negotiated .

Fine Gael has revealed that it is very strongly in favour of Thursday but the Labour Party has said that while it supports Thursday morning it still has no policy on Thursday afternoon . The problem has arisen over a recent Supreme Court decision which was made on Friday . This , of course , clarified the position of Friday but it still leaves a referendum on Thursday and the question now arises as to whether the entire week is in breach of the Constitution .......
(MORE LATER).


BILLY WRIGHT , LOYALIST VOLUNTEER FORCE .
" I have been prepared to die for long many a year . I don't wish to die , but at the end of the day no one will force their opinion down my throat . No one . "
On August 29 , 1996 , shortly before the 'Combined Loyalist Military Command's' death threat against him expired , EMER WOODFUL interviewed LVF leader BILLY WRIGHT in his Portadown home .......
From 'MAGILL' magazine , February 1998 .

Emer Woodful : " What exactly does that mean ? " (ie that "people have the right to defend themselves")
Billy Wright : " Well , if people in the past took up arms to defend their community , because of IRA violence , well I won't be condemning them . "

Emer Woodful : " Tell me how important your religion in your life is to you . "
Billy Wright : " I have a number of my family that are missionaries . I understand the right way in life . However , I don't practice it . And I believe that true Protestantism is about faith in the Lord Jesus Christ . You are quite correct to say that if you were practising that faith then you could not align them to your other beliefs . "

Emer Woodful : " So you don't practice anymore , because of that dilemma you see yourself ? "
Billy Wright : " That's correct . "
(MORE LATER).


LIAM MELLOWS AND THE IRISH CIVIL WAR .......
This is the bulk of a public lecture given at University College , Galway , by Sinn Fein Ard Comhairle member and Deputy General Secretary of the 'Local Government and Public Services Union' , Phil Flynn , on December 8th 1982 , the 60th Anniversary of the Free State's execution of Liam Mellows .
First published in 'IRIS' magazine , March 1983 .

In Ireland in 1922 the smaller property owners were potentially a greater social force than the largest property owners - this was due to the specific historical development of Ireland which caused those Irishmen who had become large businessmen under British rule to look towards Britain as towards the sun , and caused them to be regarded as an alien , anti-national force by the great majority of the people of Ireland .

De Valera , the political leader of the Irish Republicans in the Civil War , based himself on the small property owners ; he took responsibility for , but discouraged , the military actions of his followers . He ended the Civil War at the earliest possible moment . He organised a political party based on the small property owners , who brought him to power within ten years . As those small property owners grew bigger , their interests came closer to those of the Free State/Fine Gael Party , until today they are almost identical .......
(MORE LATER).

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