Let me do what I wanna do, I can't decide 'em all
Just tell me where to put the money and I'll tell you who to call
Nobody can get no sleep, there's someone on everyone's toes
But when Quinn the politician gets here, everybody's gonna wanna doze..' (from here, slightly edited.)
And Marie is in good (!) company in regards to politicians pensions, lump sums and golden handshakes : 'The taxpayer paid out close to €20m last year in pensions, lump sums, and other retirement benefits to former politicians..the €19.67m bill was inflated by large golden handshakes for TDs and senators who retired or lost their seats in the last general election..thirteen politicians received more than €200,000 last year, their payments boosted by generous retirement lump sums available from the Oireachtas...the largest individual pensions are still being paid to former taoisigh Brian Cowen and Bertie Ahern - both received annual pensions of €134,500 last year, made up of their pensions from the Oireachtas and from the Department of Finance for their time as ministers and as taoiseach...' (from here). And these are the type of characters that want you to vote next month (October 2018) for either one of them or for one of their colleagues, in the Free State presidential election (€5000 a week salary). Do as we do - claim your ballot paper on the day and write 'NOTA' on it. Don't vote for them to have a lifestyle that we can't afford to pay for.
From 'The United Irishman' newspaper, October 1954.
AMERICA PROPPING UP THE EMPIRE....
A more sinister aspect of the Senator's 'misunderstanding' appeared on September 24th when it was announced that a U.S. naval task force, including an aircraft carrier and six destroyers, had arrived in Derry for intensified training. So this is the American idea of 'preservation of Irish freedom' ; to send forces to co-operate with and support the English invader.
We know they were there during the recent war, and they had no right then any more than now - but they could use the war as an excuse. Since then U.S. forces in the North have been gradually cleared out, but apparently this policy is to be reversed. It is time we had some blunt speaking about this.
We have heard great talk about the Communist puppet governments in East Germany, Austria, Hungary etc , propped up by the Red Army. The U.S. forces in Ireland are doing precisely the same job as the Red Army in those countries. The fact which must be faced is that you cannot preserve freedom by destroying it or helping another to destroy it... (MORE LATER.)
From 'The United Irishman' newspaper, February 1955.
'AN CUMANN CABHRAC...
Collection details - Athlone £19 12 shillings 0 pence, Monaghan £92 19 9, Nenagh and District £242 9 0, Ardfinnan £16 3 0, Laoighis (part) £225 0 0, Donegal £94 16 10, Strabane £50 0 0, Derry £82 0 0, Sligo £64 2 0.
MAYO - Westport, Castlebar £91 5 2, Meath £49 3 11, NCA collection £198 12 0, RA Committee New York £100 0 0, Tyrone Men's Social Benefit Patriotic Society Philladelphia £63 16 7, Benevolent IRA Association £100 0 0. (END of 'An Cumann Cabhrach' - next ; 'Back To Wolfe Tone', from the same source.)
VIEW FROM THE HILLTOP CAFE...
Throughout its history, the 'Orange Order' has enjoyed a powerful position within society. The problem of restrictions on parades is much wider than that at Drumcree ; parades are being re-routed throughout Northern Ireland (sic) and many such bans have led to various levels of civil disturbance. Michael Goodman of the Lower Ormeau Road Concerned Community, a residents group based in Belfast and opposed to parades on the nationalist Lower Ormeau Road, dismisses the view that Catholics ever watched Orange marches. He cites historical evidence which records civil disturbance as far back as 1920 in the Lower Ormeau Road.
He denies also that residents groups are a front for Sinn Féin, and claims that the main reason the residents in the Lower Ormeau decided to oppose the parades was after the death of five civilians shot by the UFF in a bookmaker's outlet on the Ormeau Road. Later that year, at an Orange parade, a female associate member danced outside that bookmaker shop shouting "five nil!, five nil!" , referring to the UFF murders.
Links between residents groups and Sinn Féin, however, are undeniable - Gerard Rice, spokesperson for the Lower Ormeau Road Concerned Community, served four years in prison for possession of explosives and membership of the IRA, although Michael Goodwin claimed he was unaware of that fact. When asked if he could see why some Orangemen would have a problem talking to a former IRA man, he simply replied that "the residents association is more than one person..." (MORE LATER).
ON THIS DAY NEXT WEEK (WEDNESDAY 12TH SEPTEMBER 2018).....
...we won't be posting our usual contribution, and probably won't be in a position to post anything at all until the following Wednesday ; this coming weekend (Saturday/Sunday 8th/9th September) is spoke for already with a 650-ticket raffle to be run for the Dublin Executive of RSF in a venue on the Dublin/Kildare border (work on which begins on the Tuesday before the actual raffle) and the 'autopsy' into same which will take place on Monday evening, 10th, in Dublin, meaning that we will not have the time to post here. But we'll be back, as stated above, on Wednesday 19th September 2018, providing nothing else catches our fancy between now and then - so we hope you can hold on until the 19th..!
Thanks for reading, Sharon.
