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December 23, 2004

News 12/23/04 - Ferry Gives Up Struggle

Monthly Table of Contents 12/04

IE 12/22/04 Ferry Gives Up 2-Year Struggle To Stay In U.S.
GU 12/22/04 Belfast Bank Robbers Posed As Police -V(3) -A(2)
IO 12/22/04 Bank Raiders May Have To Dump Cash
CP 12/22/04 The Politics Of Public Humiliation
IE 12/22/04 Analysis: Politicians Won't Relish Men's Return
BT 12/22/04 Bloody Sunday Trust Unveils Its New Centre
IO 12/22/04 Allen Urges US To Respect Emigrants In US
IT 12/23/04 Eames Calls For Determined Effort To End Sectarianism
IT 12/23/04 UCC Acquires Archive Of Sean O Riada For �500,000

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http://www.irishecho.com/newspaper/story.cfm?id=15753

Ferry Gives Up 2-Year Struggle To Stay In U.S.

By Ray O'Hanlon
mailto:rohanlon@irishecho.com

Former IRA man Ciaran Ferry could be flying home to Ireland for
Christmas. He will leave behind him not just a Colorado jail cell but
quite possibly his wife and child. Not to mention his American dream.
Ferry's wife, Heaven, and daughter, Fiona, are expected to soon join him
in Ireland. Whether they can get a flight before Christmas, however, was
in some doubt this week.

Either way, a reunion between Ferry and his family will be bittersweet
because he had hoped to raise his 3-year-old daughter on her native
American soil.

The imminent end of Ferry's almost two-year battle to avoid deportation
became starkly clear in recent days as he faced another Christmas in
jail.

Attorney Eamonn Dornan, one of Ferry's team of attorneys, said that Ferry
had agreed to withdraw a motion seeking a stay on deportation if he could
secure a guarantee that he would be able to return to Ireland by
Christmas.

A release from custody in order so spend Christmas with his wife and
child in their Colorado home was not going to happen. And even if an
unlikely court decision had directed such a release, Dornan said he had
it would have been immediately stymied by a government appeal.

"Because the Department of Homeland Security has exhibited such
belligerence in this case, there was little reason to expect that it
would have immediately complied with such an order," Dornan said.

All the DHS would have had to do was file a form to prevent any early
release on bond, Dornan said.

"There was no give whatsoever in this case by the Department of Homeland
Security," he added.

Dornan said that he was hoping that the department would, however, abide
by an agreement that would ensure a quick flight to Ireland in return for
Ferry ending all avenues of appeal.

The withdrawal of "any and all" of Ferry's requests for stay of removal
from the U.S. was submitted "sadly but respectfully" in a motion to the
U.S. Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals last week by Dornan and Ferry's
attorneys in Colorado, Jeff Joseph and Thomas Burke.

Last month, a Colorado judge denied Ferry's habeas corpus plea, which had
been before the court for 19 months.

Ferry's continued presence on U.S. soil looked extremely doubtful from
the moment the decision was signed.

The court ruling was handed down Nov. 8. Ferry had 30 days from that date
to appeal.

Ferry had argued that his detention violated due process and his right to
equal protection. He said he was denied his rights because he was
prevented from having a green-card hearing following his marriage to his
Arkansas-born wife, Heaven.

Ferry has been jailed since Jan. 30, 2003. He was detained when he turned
up for the green-card interview with his wife.

Ferry was first held at the Federal Corrections Institution in Englewood,
Colo. He was transferred at the end of February to the maximum-security
wing of Denver County Jail. In September 2003 he was moved to the
Jefferson County Jail in Denver. He has been held there since.

Ferry, through his lawyers, argued that he was treated in an arbitrary
fashion by the Department of Homeland Security. He also disputed the
government's position that he posed a threat to U.S. security. He was
supported in this contention by 12 members of Congress who wrote to the
DHS on his behalf.

However, in his habeas corpus decision, U.S. District Court Judge Edward
Nottingham ruled that while Ferry had been lawfully admitted to the U.S.
under the visa-waiver program, he had, under the rules of the program,
effectively waived his rights to legally fight deportation on any basis
other than a plea for political asylum.

In his ruling, Judge Nottingham noted that such a plea for asylum had
been separately denied by U.S. immigration authorities. Nottingham, in
denying habeas corpus, stated that Ferry was "subject to removal" from
the U.S.

That decision was still in appeal before the Tenth Circuit Court when
Ferry decided to end his legal battle.

When he appeared for his green-card interview, Ferry was questioned about
a prison term he served in Northern Ireland for IRA-related activities in
the early 1990s.

Ferry was arrested in Belfast in 1993 after two guns and ammunition were
found in a car in which he was a passenger. He was sentenced to 22 years
but was released in 2000 under the terms of the Good Friday agreement.



Ferry, when he first entered the U.S., did not reveal that he had been in
prison. He did, however, admit to IRA membership on his green-card
application.

This story appeared in the issue of December 22-28, 2004

**********************************

See video at:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/news_web/video/40657000/nb/40657691_nb_16x9.ram

Paramilitary involvement not ruled out following North heist - Michael
Fisher reports from Belfast
http://www.rte.ie/news/2004/1222/9news/9news56_1a.smil

Tommie Gorman, Northern Editor, reports on the investigation operation
following the bank robbery
http://www.rte.ie/news/2004/1222/9news/9news56_1b.smil

World: Belfast Bank Robbers Carry Off More Than $40 Million
12-22-04, All Things Considered
http://www.npr.org/dmg/dmg.php?prgCode=ATC&showDate=22-Dec-2004&segNum=8&NPRMediaPref=RM&getAd=1

World: Belfast Bank Heist Has Hollywood Echoes
12-22-04, Talk of the Nation
http://www.npr.org/dmg/dmg.php?prgCode=TOTN&showDate=22-Dec-2004&segNum=2&mediaPref=RM&getUnderwriting=1
----

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,1379002,00.html

Belfast Bank Robbers Posed As Police -V(3) -A(2)

Steven Morris, Owen Bowcott and Ted Oliver in Belfast
Thursday December 23, 2004
The Guardian

Detectives investigating the largest bank robbery in the UK revealed
yesterday that the criminals had detailed knowledge of the bank and had
posed as police officers.

The operation, which netted the gang at least �22m from the vault of the
Northern Bank in central Belfast, was carefully planned and slickly
executed; a large team was involved, police confirmed. The possible
involvement of a paramilitary organisation remains a "key line of
inquiry".

At a press conference in Belfast, Detective Superintendent Andy Sproule
said gang members had inveigled their way into the home of one of the
bank officials by impersonating officers and pretending that a relative
had been killed in a car crash. Once they were inside, a gun was put to
the official's head and he was tied up. He was named yesterday as Kevin
McMullan.

"This was a carefully planned operation by professional criminals who
obviously had done their homework," said Det Supt Sproule.

The robbery began at 10pm on Sunday evening when three masked men forced
their way into a house in Poleglass, on the outskirts of West Belfast. A
father, mother, two brothers - one of them an official at the Northern
Bank in Belfast - and one of the younger men's girlfriends were in.

While two of the raiders stayed with the family - they were to spend more
than 24 hours there - the young bank official, named as Chrissie Ward,
was taken to a bungalow in County Down, where his supervisor lived.

The robbers then interrogated the two officials separately about the
bank. They appeared to have knowledge of the bank and the banking system.
At 11.30pm the wife of the supervisor was taken away. She was to be held
blindfolded for almost 24 hours.

On Monday morning at 6.30am the masked men left the house in Downpatrick,
having told the two bank officials what they were to do.

The officials arrived at work at noon and worked normally throughout the
afternoon in the cash centre, which is in the basement. The two were told
to send the rest of the staff away early for Christmas shopping.

Shortly after 6pm, one of the two left the bank with a holdall, which was
handed to a man wearing a hat and scarf. The holdall contained more than
�1m in new notes. Officers believe this might have been a "dry run" to
test whether police were on to them.

Over the next couple of hours, cash was loaded into crates and boxes. On
two occasions, between 7pm and 7.15pm and between 8pm and 8.15pm, a white
van pulled up at one of the bank's entrances and took away large amounts
of cash.

The van, an unusual vehicle with a tail lift, had been "ringed" - genuine
number plates from another van had been put on it. The registration
number was RCZ 6632. Police are examining CCTV tapes in hope of
identifying gang members.

At least �12m of the cash taken was in new �10 and �20 Northern Bank
notes. Police said another �1.15m was in new Northern Bank �50 and �100
notes. Detectives have serial numbers for these, which will make them
almost impossible to pass on.

There was also �5m in other new Northern Irish notes - three other banks
are also authorised to print money and the notes have always been
difficult to change outside Northern Ireland. The balance of �4m is
believed to be made up of used Northern Bank notes.

One of the women taken hostage was later released at a remote spot in
Drumkeegh Forest, Co Down. Her car, which the robbers had taken, was
found burnt out.

Sam Kinkaid, assistant chief constable of the Police Service of Northern
Ireland, confirmed that one of the lines of inquiry being pursued was
paramilitary involvement. The gang involved, which had more than 10
members, was highly professional. They were "forensically aware" and were
careful not to leave DNA traces at the hostages' homes.

Ian Paisley Jr, a DUP policing board member, claimed the Provisional IRA
must have been involved. He claimed the robbery showed how poor police
intelligence was in Northern Ireland. Sinn F�in declined to respond.

The Northern Bank has admitted it had no external insurance cover and its
Australian owners will have to bear the cost of the �22m loss.

**********************************

http://breakingnews.iol.ie/news/story.asp?j=128248430&p=yz8z49y36

Bank Raiders May Have To Dump Cash

22/12/2004 - 18:32:03

The gang behind the Northern Bank heist may be forced to dump more than
half the cash, it emerged tonight.

Police chiefs hunting the robbers revealed most of the missing money is
made up in new notes.

Money laundering experts in Britain believe it will be virtually
impossible to shift the cash without raising suspicions.

With police refusing to rule out republican or loyalist paramilitary
involvement in the raid, Jeffrey Robinson said: "If they are smart they
will take the US dollars and euro that are there and burn the rest."

Detectives said considerable pre-planning was made in advance of the raid
on a cash distribution centre in the basement of Northern Bank
headquarters

Superintendent Andy Sproule, who is heading a team of 45 detectives,
admitted: "This was a carefully planned operation by professional
criminals who obviously had done their homework."

It has also been revealed that:

:: the gang posed as police officers when they held the families of two
bank employees hostage for over 24 hours.

:: security arrangements at the basement cash distribution centre are
under close scrutiny.

:: the bank has admitted it had no external insurance cover and its
Australian owners will have to bear the cost of the loss.

Detectives are trawling through hundreds of hours of CCTV videotapes in
the hunt for the robbers.

They are examining tapes from cameras positioned in and around the
headquarters of the bank in the centre of Belfast.

Even though police do not know where the stolen cash is located, Mr
Robinson, author of The Money Launderer, insisted they had taken too much
in the wrong currency.

"They obviously did not count on there being so much money, and Northern
Irish notes," he told the ITV news Channel. "The money is fundamentally
useless. I suspect they know that by now."

With the IRA among several terrorist organisations still under suspicion,
detectives are studying details of other military-style raids in a bid to
identify the men behind the spectacular heist.

Although investigators have not named any organisation which might have
orchestrated the raid, it is clear that the Provisionals are under
serious consideration.

They were linked to a hold-up at a big Belfast superstore earlier this
year where robbers struck with ruthless efficiency. Staff were tied up by
the gang who made off with alcohol, cigarettes and top of the range
electrical equipment.

The Independent Monitoring Commission, the body set up to study terrorist
ceasefires in Northern Ireland, blamed the Provos for the raid on a Makro
cash and carry store in the south of the city last May.

If police establish a definite link with the IRA it will have a
devastating impact on the future of the Northern Ireland peace process
and effectively end any lingering hopes of Sinn Fein being part of a
restored power-sharing Executive.

Police are also considering that a highly organised criminal outfit with
no paramilitary connections may have masterminded the robbery.

**********************************

http://www.counterpunch.org/browne12222004.html

The Politics Of Public Humiliation

Northern Ireland: No Postcards from the Edge

By HARRY BROWNE
Dublin.

"HEIST ALMIGHTY!"

That was the suitably seasonal headline on Wednesday's Irish Sun. The
story below the giant, screaming typeface, and also plastered across
other more restrained front pages, was of the robbery of about �20
million sterling (nearly $40 million) in cash from a bank headquarters
right smack in the middle of downtown Belfast, of all the locked-down
places.

The enormous and carefully planned heist has excited lower-than-typical
levels of romantic admiration. This is partly because the gang involved,
believed to number up to 20 operatives, used the increasingly common and
distressing method of kidnapping family members of bank employees. Two
bank officials -- each of whom held a separate password for vault access
-- were forced to work as normal all day Monday while their loved-ones
were held hostage, then facilitate the robbers' night-time access to the
money. The hostages were unhurt, though one woman was reportedly
abandoned barefoot on a remote roadside, on a very cold night.

But there's another complication amid all the usual speculation. (Was it
an inside job? Is there forensic evidence? Can the gang get rid of so
many Northern banknotes, which Irish travellers know to their frustration
are hard to spend in Britain, despite their being legal UK tender?)
Politically the heist has prompted a big "uh-oh", because everyone knows
the name of the organisation most qualified to pull a job like this: the
IRA. And that's the same IRA that until a couple of weeks ago was
negotiating its way out of active existence.

In fairness, the IRA is only the first name on a reasonably long list of
suspects. It also includes "dissident republican" groups such as the Real
IRA and the INLA, or perhaps an alliance. Dissidents have been setting
off minor incendiary devices for several weeks around Northern Ireland,
so the fact that they're active and presumably short of funds might point
to them. Then there are the various loyalist groups, the UDA, UVF and
their various splinters and pseudonyms. "Ordinary Decent Criminals" might
just be involved, though the scale of the job suggests that if it was
done merely for fun and profit, the gang may still have been ex-
paramilitaries.

The timing is dramatic, at any rate. Earlier this month, talks involving
the IRA's political wing, Sinn Fein, the British and Irish governments
and Ian Paisley's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) broke down over
Paisley's demand that IRA disarmament be photographed, and the pictures
published.

With Sinn Fein now, by some distance, the main elected representative of
Irish nationalism in Northern Ireland, mainstream republicans were
prepared to totally "decommission" their weapons, but not to submit to
Paisley's call for a photo-album, which they saw as the latest
incarnation of "the politics of public humiliation".

Paisley's DUP now leads unionism, but he in turn wasn't prepared take up
his role as the First Minister in Northern Ireland's still-suspended
government without some visible sign of IRA surrender -- or as he called
it, "sackcloth and ashes".

There was some talk from politicians of rescuing an agreement before
Christmas, but in reality it was only likely to happen if accompanied by
the sight of Satan tossing a few snowballs. A UK general election is due
in the new year, probably May, and Paisley likes the look of fighting the
mini-election within Northern unionism as the man who wouldn't cave in to
Popish pressures.

Since the talks fell apart, the focus of political discussion south of
the Border has not been on unionist intransigence, but rather on the
IRA's extracurricular activities, known in the press as "criminality"--
though republicans would of course debate that description of actions
intended to raise money for "the cause". Politicians, including some in
the Republic's ruling coalition government, have demanded that the
decommissioning IRA should also pledge that its members will not engage
in any criminal activity. Four IRA men convicted of killing a policeman
in the Republic in the course of an apparently-unauthorised robbery in
the 1990s are still in prison, and the prospect of their release in the
event of a final Northern Ireland settlement has caused outrage in the
Republic's media. (This outrage bemuses the families of people killed in
Northern Ireland by paramilitaries in the most horrific of circumstances-
-all the killers there who claimed membership of organisations on
ceasefire have been released as part of the "peace process".)

So, it is into this ugly, bitter and rather confusing scene that this
week's Belfast bank-robbers have strode purposefully. Tony Blair in
Baghdad said the British were not a nation of quitters, but if the best
Iraq can hope for is the sort of democracy and stability that prevails in
British-ruled Northern Ireland, perhaps his boys should get out of there
now.

Harry Browne is a lecturer in Dublin Institute of Technology and a
columnist in Village magazine. He can be reached at:
Harrybrowne@eircom.net

**********************************

http://www.irishecho.com/newspaper/story.cfm?id=15755

Analysis: Politicians Won't Relish Men's Return

By Paul Colgan
pcolgan@irishecho.com

DUBLIN -- The Colombia Three, wherever they are, must be feeling lonely.
It would appear that apart from their families and a team of dedicated
supporters, few in Irish political circles would relish their arrival on
Irish soil in the coming weeks or months. With speculation as to their
whereabouts continuing unabated, focus has turned to the possibility that
the men may have escaped Colombia and be planning a trip home.

Various reports in recent days have placed the men in locations such as
Venezuela and Cuba. Much of the reporting has been based on little more
than the hunches of office-bound hacks and security analysts.

The prospect that they may step off a plane at Dublin airport has,
however, seemingly rattled Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.

Ahern conceded Monday that his government would have to examine any
possible extradition requests raised by the Colombian authorities in such
an event. At present, Ireland does not have an extradition treaty in
place with Colombia.

Ahern has had to tread carefully over the matter. Coming amid the
collapse of the most recent talks initiative in the North, the timing of
the decision to convict Jim Monaghan, Martin McAuley and Niall Connolly
could not have been more sensitive.

With all the major Southern parties just getting into the swing of latest
bout of Sinn Fein bashing, the conviction of the three is like manna from
heaven.

Putting aside any concerns that existed over the fairness of the
conviction (which the Colombians have conceded is based on circumstantial
evidence), many politicians have used the issue to hammer republicans.

Tanaiste Mary Harney said she had "no reason" to believe that a
miscarriage of justice had taken place. She called on the three men to
turn themselves into the Colombian authorities and appeal the conviction.

Harney neglected to mention that such an appeals process is expected to
take up to five years and would mean the men would have spent a total of
eight years in prison before they could expect release.

Neither did Harney address the concerns of the men's supporters that they
are now prime targets for pro-government right-wing paramilitaries who
would jump at the chance to kill alleged FARC collaborators.

She has said that the Irish attorney general should be called upon to
deal with the men if they arrive in Ireland.

Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern, meanwhile, has said that the government is
not going to get involved in the legal process of another state. He said
he was surprised at the ruling and perturbed by the severity of the
sentencing but this is as far as his government appears willing to go.

In Belfast, unionists have warned the Irish government that its
credibility would be put seriously to the test if the three men return.

Sinn Fein is also unlikely to relish their return given the current
circumstances. It had been widely expected that the original ruling,
which cleared the three of charges of training FARC guerillas, would be
upheld and the men would be home before Christmas.

As it turned out the men have now been deemed guilty. The anti-republican
machine has kicked into overdrive throwing aside qualms about the nature
of their trial.

The DUP's Ian Paisley Jr. welcomed the convictions as "an early Christmas
present" for the people of the North. He said they proved that the
psychology of Sinn Fein remained one of "warfare."

Focus has been taken off the impasse in the North and instead now points
toward Sinn Fein's credentials in the Republic.

A return home by the men would bring Sinn Fein front and center.
Unionists and the Southern parties would demand that the party support
calls for the men to return to Colombia, turn themselves in and rely on
the appeals process.

In the event that this happens, it would be unlikely that the Irish
government would call for repatriation to an Irish prison. Fine Gael has
already staked out its position out on this matter. Party sources say
that the men could not feature in any future political negotiations and
Fine Gael would reject any moves to treat them under the Good Friday
agreement's prisoner release scheme.

Just what impact this type of political pressure would have on the
republican rank and file is unclear.

The deadlock between Sinn Fein and the DUP, meanwhile, has now
disappeared from the front pages. Bertie Ahern said at the weekend that
he did not see any prospect of agreement over IRA arms in the near
future.

However, some commentators have suggested that movement on the issue may
be going on behind the scenes.

The DUP leader, the Rev. Ian Paisley, said following last week's
discussions at Hillsborough Castle that he had "firm evidence" that the
IRA was considering going ahead with decommissioning without photographs.
Paisley warned that such a move would have "serious consequences" for the
two governments' draft agreement.

While Sinn Fein described Paisley's comments as the stuff of "Alice in
Wonderland," RTE reported Thursday that senior republican Gerry Kelly had
refused to rule out speculation about unilateral IRA decommissioning.

Senior DUP negotiator Jeffrey Donaldson fueled the speculation Sunday
when he told the Dublin-based Sunday Business Post that his party would
demand a longer "cooling off" period between IRA disarmament and power
sharing if the IRA decommissioned without photographs. He refused to rule
out the possibility of a deal being struck between Sinn Fein and the DUP
in light of such an event.

The Belfast-based Sunday Life newspaper also quoted anonymous DUP sources
as making similar overtures.

**********************************

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northwest_weekly/story.jsp?story=595522

Trust Unveils Its New Centre

22 December 2004

The Bloody Sunday Trust in Londonderry has officially unveiled its new
centre.

Located on the Foyle Road, the centre, which acts as as a liaison point
for family members and an information centre for tourists, was opened by
Mayor of Derry Gearoid O'hEara.

Also present was Dr Abdul al-Jibouri, an Iraqi doctor and anti-war
activist living in Northern Ireland.

John Kelly, whose brother Michael was shot and killed on Bloody Sunday,
said he was delighted with the new premises which were vital for the
families' continued fight for justice.

He said: "In a way we will be sad to see the move from the old building
in Shipquay Street which Garvan O'Doherty let us have rent free for the
last five and a half years. It has become an integral part of the
families' lives.

"But the new premises in Foyle Street are fantastic and still very
central. Relocating has also allowed us to expand the exhibitions to
include new items which many people won't have seen before.

"The centre has been and continues to be vital for us during the course
of the inquiry and has provided a focal point for the families.
Particularly now when we are in limbo waiting for Lord Saville to make
public his findings.

"Family members call in here on a daily basis to find out what's
happening or just to have a cup of tea and a chat. The centre is also
very important in educating people about what happened that day. We have
as many as a hundred tourists a day coming through our doors, many of
whom have made a specific point of visiting the centre to learn about
Bloody Sunday."

Two such tourists have been acclaimed US filmmaker Michael Moore and 'The
Edge' of U2.

The centre will also contain the offices of the 'Museum of Free Derry'.
It is hoped that the museum will be opened in Glenfada Park next summer.

The ambitious project is initially aimed at documenting and providing a
chronology of the years from 1968 the birth of the civil rights movement
to 1974. The proposed plans for the museum are to be unveiled as part of
the Bloody Sunday commemorations at the end of January.

Adrian Kerr, the project co-ordinator, explained the thinking behind the
museum.

"There cannot be an 'official' version of the events in this period," he
said.

"And therefore it is important that every community and those with
differing points of view take the first step to telling their own story.

"We are currently in the process of deciding what exhibits to use. We
have around 16,000 artefacts contributed from the local community and
would appeal for anyone else with anything they may think is of interest
to contact us. Obviously Bloody Sunday will be a significant part of the
museum, but this is about telling the history of the Free Derry area, not
exclusively that day.

"We want to feature the history of the Bogside, the battle of the
Bogside, Internment and Operation Motorman to begin with and then go on
to try to tell the 30 year story."

The Bloody Sunday Centre at 7 Foyle Street is open to the public from
9.30am to 4pm, Mon-Thurs, and 9.30am to 3pm on Fridays.

**********************************

http://212.2.162.45/news/story.asp?j=156743238&p=y56744yxy&n=156744181

Allen Urges US To Respect Emigrants In US

22/12/2004 - 15:28:08

A more reasonable and respectful approach is needed towards the
deportation of hundreds of illegal Irish emigrants from the United
States, it was claimed today.

Bernard Allen, Fine Gael spokesman on Foreign Affairs, said he was
concerned many people faced weeks behind bars before they were thrown out
of the country.

The TD called on US Ambassador James C Kenny to attend a joint
Oireachtais committee on foreign affairs to address the plight of the
hundreds of Irish citizens forced to leave the US and the thousands left
behind in legal limbo.

Deputy Allen said he hoped the Ambassador would make representations to
officials in Washington to ensure there was more understanding on all
sides.

Figures from the Department of Foreign Affairs showed 60 Irish nationals
were deported from the US so far this year, with 69 thrown out the year
before.

It is estimated as many as 50,000 undocumented Irish citizens remain in
the US. Deputy Allen said the plight of illegal aliens had to be
addressed whether they were kicked out or not.

US Ambassador James C Kenny has been invited to attend the committee as
early as possible in the New Year.

**********************************


http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/ireland/2004/1223/3261847880HM8EAMES.html

Archbishop Eames Calls For 'Determined Effort' To End Sectarianism

The Church of Ireland primate Archbishop Robin Eames has called for "a
community-wide and determined effort" to tackle sectarianism and racial
attacks. Patsy McGarry, Religious Affairs Correspondent, reports.

In his Christmas message, Dr Eames says: "The birth of Christ speaks of a
love for all of human-kind, irrespective of class, creed or colour.
Sectarianism, because of religion or political identity, has no place in
the stable of Bethlehem. We have got to move away from words, attitudes
or actions which judge a person because of their creed or colour. The
only identity which should matter in Northern Ireland as we greet a new
year is the worth of a person made in the image of God."

This Christmas, he said, the people of Ireland had much to be thankful
for, "but much to ponder. On the one side there is wealth and prosperity
- on the other need and deprivation".

He continued: "We have long been regarded as a compassionate and caring
people and the ways we have responded to appeals for the needy of the
world speak loudly of a generous spirit. But the casualties of our
society cry out for justice and help. The homeless, the unwanted, those
who are prisoners of long-term poverty and those who continue to live
with the burden of believing that the suffering of the past has not been
addressed or recognised as society moves on."

Referring to the North, he said that politically it had "come so far and
yet has stopped short of what so many had hoped for. That hope must take
us all into 2005 and we pray for courage by all involved to take those
final steps to bring stable, open and democratic government to the
province.

"We must never, never slip back into the darkness of the past and
political structures which will provide stable government for all the
people of Northern Ireland must surely be within our grasp in 2005. Let
the hopes be for shared responsibilities more than merely shared power,"
he said. He also called for greater protection for older people, "our
most vulnerable members".

The Church of Ireland Bishop of Derry and Raphoe, Right Rev Ken Good, in
his Christmas message said: "In this corner of the world, dare we believe
that we are closer than we have been for many years to a time not just of
genuine peace but also of more widespread goodwill? I am daring to
believe that we are and I am detecting that many others are daring to
believe it too."

The politicians deserved thanks for the measure of agreement they had
worked hard to produce, he said, adding that "yet there is so much more
that needs to be done - in healing hurts, supporting victims, re-
establishing trust, forgiving others and loving our neighbours. Those who
celebrate the coming of Jesus and who claim to live by his words and
example must take particular care to demonstrate that allegiance", he
said.

� The Irish Times

**********************************

http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/ireland/2004/1223/166965852HM2ORIADA.html

UCC Acquires Archive Of Sean O Riada For �500,000

The archive of renowned Irish playwright and composer Se�n � Riada has
been acquired by one of the country's leading universities, it was
announced yesterday, writes Daniel McConnell.

University College Cork (UCC) paid �500,000 for the Se�n � Riada
archive, which includes documents, papers, correspondence and instruments
belonging to the late musician.

The archive has been obtained from the � Riada family who have preserved
his collection at his home in Ballyvourney, a Gaeltacht area in west
Cork, since his death in 1971 at the age of 40.

Making the announcement of the acquisition, made with the co-operation of
the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism, the president of UCC, Prof
Gerry Wrixon said: "This is a collection that is immensely important in
the cultural and musical history of this country."

� Riada achieved national prominence in the 1960s when he wrote the score
for Mise �ire, a documentary about the Irish War of Independence.

He founded a group called Ceolt�ir� Cualann (The Musicians of Cualann),
which helped to revive Irish traditional music.

Three of its members - Paddy Moloney, Martin Fay, and Sean Keane - went
on to form the Chieftains.

As well as his composing work, � Riada was also a playwright, a newspaper
columnist and a strong enthusiast for the Irish language.

The Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism provided UCC with the �500,000
required to acquire it from the family, as well as another �100,000 to
pay for conservation and public display.

UCC is currently building an extension to its library, which will include
a public reading room named after � Riada.

The Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Mr O'Donoghue, said yesterday:
"It is timely that his work and legacy will be permanently safeguarded
and displayed in UCC as Cork begins its period at the centre of Europe's
cultural life, as European Cultural Capital 2005."

UCC's librarian, Mr John Fitzgerald, said he was delighted that the
collection would stay in Ireland as it had attracted the attention of
other institutions abroad, most notably in the US.

� Riada studied music at UCC in the 1950s and taught there as a lecturer
in the following decade.

"He achieved a huge amount in a short life. His biggest achievement was
to modernise or re-interpret Irish traditional music," said Mr
Fitzgerald.

� The Irish Times

Monthly Table of Contents 12/04
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