News stand

George Harrison's birthday

In typically hearty style, George commended all present to emulate the courage of the veterans of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade (American internationalists who fought for the Spanish Republic) and advised all holding arms in Ireland to hold on to their weapons.

The celebrations were held in the offices of a New York law firm and as one of George’s friends commented; "A firm that has worked miracles over the years to prevent the imprisonment of the birthday boy".

Go mhairaidh se go deo!

The County Wicklow based Liam Mellows Society sponsored a meeting in Dublin in order to examine the current housing crisis that faces many people - especially young married couples attempting to find a home. The meeting was staged over a period of four hours and drew considerable interest from a number of different groups and activists interested in the issue under discussion.

New director for MI5

Our readers will be delighted to learn that MI5 is continuing with its praiseworthy practice of promoting women to its top position. They do not; however, appear to have broken free from the old practice of not entrusting the secrets of the Kingdom to commoners. The latest head of the service is Eliza Manningham-Buller, daughter of former Tory attorney general, Lord Dilhorne.

M/s Manningham-Buller has in her time with MI5 been responsible for, among other briefs, countering Irish republican activity in Britain and Ireland. She has also been in charge of all surveillance and technical operations - a polite name for telephone tapping, letter opening and general snooping into people’s lives and business. British newspapers report that Eliza is married to an army officer (presumably the British rather than the Irish Republican one).

New ideas from Cork City

Fourthwrite editor Tommy McKearney and former independent councillor Tony McPhillips were invited to Cork City in May to address a meeting organised to discuss different options to the current constitutional arrangements on the island.

The meeting was convened by Mr. Tomas McCormack and friends and they drew a considerable number of people to the Shandon Court Hotel to hear the views of McPhillips and McKearney on a proposal to provide for a wider interpretation of the right to exercise autonomy within the Six-County area. The proposal would, if implemented, grant the right to different areas within the Six-Counties to opt out of the British zone of control and apply for inclusion within the Dublin parliament’s area or to indeed seek to establish new and different methods of self government.

No conclusion was reached at the meeting but all agreed that it had been a most useful discussion and that it continues to be very necessary to examine every possible option in the search for a permanent settlement to our conflict.

Information tour by Jewish socialist

Roland Rance, a Jewish socialist and supporter of the Palestinian cause carried out an information tour of Ireland recently. He was sponsored by a wide range of individuals and group, many of whom also contribute to Fourthwrite