"History says, don't hope on this side of the grave. But then, once in a lifetime the longed for tidal wave of justice can rise up, and hope and history rhyme."– Seamus Heaney from The Cure At Troy.For a brief time in August, hope and history rhymed in Northern Ireland. The IRA made a significant move towards putting their weapons beyond use and the hope of a permanent peace … [Read more...] about The First Word: No Rhyme What Reason?
Northern Ireland
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
SDLP Approves New Police Plan
The latest proposed implementation plan on policing in Northern Ireland has been rejected by Sinn Féin, whose chairman Mitchell McLaughlin said the proposals – jointly put forward by the Irish and British governments – did not go far enough and failed to meet republican demands for radical change. However, in a move that widened the gulf between nationalists and republicans, … [Read more...] about SDLP Approves New Police Plan
The First Word: “Dear Sir or Madam”
When Northern Ireland comes to lunch, it can be uncomfortable. It nags at complacency and the notion that everything will be okay and peace will hold, even though there are signs that say otherwise. On June 19 – a beautiful New York morning – I make my way to the Mutual of America building on Park Avenue for a National Committee on American Foreign Policy lunch to hear … [Read more...] about The First Word: “Dear Sir or Madam”
Sinn Féin Surges Ahead
On election day in Northern Ireland, David Trimble, leader of the Ulster Unionist Party and First Minister in the Northern Ireland Assembly, was roughed up by Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) supporters as he approached the polling station. Trimble needed the protection of the police to get in and out of the building unharmed, and ended up with a few bruises. When the votes were … [Read more...] about Sinn Féin Surges Ahead