Unreal footage of our dirty old town from way back in 1983. Features coppers moving on pram ladies, the diceman and breakers doing their thang at Stephen’s Green. All filmed on Super 8. Magic. That’s some good YouTube.
When History Goes Bad.
One peculiar myth that has gained currency amongst the TLDR crowd is that of the ‘Irish Slaves’. What sounds like a good story over a couple of pints has become a keystone of white supremacist theory in the USA.
IMC Still Standing.
Pictured: William Hederman captured these iconic moments from the 2004 mobilisations against the European Summit in Dublin. In the first a media activist climbs a pole for a better view while the second features a large open air meeting before the long march to Farmleigh. Back in October a question kept popping up among wizened activist heads, where’s Indymedia.ie gone? Had the old dame of online publishing finally shuffled off … Read More
They’re Looting The Town!
While historical re-enactments are all the rage in this ‘Decade of Centenaries’, and we have seen everything from Ulster Volunteer Forces rallies to Fenian funerals re-enacted by enthusiastic historical societies, it’s unlikely we’ll see anyone recreate the looting of Noblett’s sweet shop come 24 April 2016. Donal Fallon has this tale of proletarian shopping in the rare auld times. Somewhat at odds with the popular narrative of the Easter Rising, … Read More
Who Fears To Speak?
Already there has been plenty of uproar about how the government and its cultural institutions intend to commemorate the rising. Sean Finnan takes a look at how conflicting narratives battle over 1916 to legitimise contemporary concerns. Commemorating 1916 has always been both a factitious and contentious event. In 1966 on the fiftieth anniversary of the Rising, the events of Easter week were celebrated with militaristic bravado while in 1991,with the … Read More
1916 In Stoneybatter.
Savage weekend of events going ahead in D7 with the Stoneybatter and Smithfield History group taking over the Cobblestone for another weekend long celebration of happenings in the area.
The Friday night sees a new magazine on 1916 in the area seeing the light of day for the first time. Then punky ska outfit The Bionic Rats will be brewing up a storm in the back of the Cobblestone after a day of talks and workshops on the Saturday too. Tommy Rash of our own parish will be on selection duties after.
No better bar to nurse a few pints out the smoking area either.
Greek Crisis 1915.
Thanks to the Irish Newspaper Archives we see that 100 years ago, most eyes were on Greece in another Euro-conflict. On 22nd June 1915, Europe’s Allies were petitioning Greece to bring Germany to heel. The Cork Examiner reported: “Greece, too, is entirely in sympathy with the allies and, though some delay might be expected, it is not improbable that the Greek armies will lend their aid in completing the ring of steel … Read More
A Survival Story.
Vincent Browne’s “People’s Debate” show visited Tuam this week. Vincent gave a platform to survivors of the Tuam Mother & Baby Home. The tragedy of the Tuam Mother and Baby Home has been prolonged, as is always the case in Ireland, while the victims’ stories are dismissed by those in power. The local paper, The Tuam Herald, far from doing a job of journalism while an institute of guilt, misery and death ran … Read More
There’s Something About Water.
Photo: A Woman takes on military with a slingshot Credit: Thomas Kruse. Thomas McDonagh, a researcher and project coordinator at the Democracy Center based in Cochabamba, Bolivia looks back on the water war that took place there fifteen years ago this month. With one eye cocked to Ireland, he talks about how water struggles lead to huge political changes. Ireland and Bolivia have a lot in common. Both are relatively … Read More
#clubbersCognotes: David Holmes On Acid House.
Great interview with David Holmes, churned out as part of the Alternative Ulster history project up Norf. They’ve gathered up interviews with some of the musical movers and shakers of the NI scene over the years. Holmes ran the famous Sugar Sweet club, Orbital wrote the track Belfast, after playing it. In this one he chats the impact of acid house on the city: “It was the kind of the perfect … Read More