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January 10, 2007

Blair Sets Out MI5's Future Role

News About Ireland & The Irish

BB 01/10/07 Blair Sets Out MI5's Future Role
SF 01/09/07 SF To Meet Amid Concerns At DUP Position
BN 01/10/07 Ahern Seeks DUP Clarification On Power-Sharing
BT 01/10/07 McGuigan Daughters Released From Hospital
BT 01/10/07 Opin: SF Likely To Proceed With Conference
BT 01/10/07 Opin: Blair Scare For Gerry?
BT 01/10/07 Opin: A Wind Of Change That's Long Overdue
WP 01/10/07 Castlebar Bridge To Be Named After Patriot
IT 01/09/07 Laws Dating Back To 1066 To Be Repealed
IV 01/10/07 AOH Fund Raiser For ILIR
BG 01/10/07 S. Boston's James Kelly Dies At 66

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/6247807.stm

Blair Sets Out MI5's Future Role

The prime minister has insisted that the police and MI5
will operate as distinct bodies in Northern Ireland.

In a written statement to the House of Commons, Tony Blair
said police and the security services would be "completely
distinct and entirely separate".

MI5 are due to take over responsibility for national
security issues in Northern Ireland later this year.

But Mr Blair stressed they would not have any role in civic
policing - a move aimed at reassuring republicans.

He said he hoped his statement would reassure Sinn Fein and
help republicans move to support the police.

Questions about the role and accountability of MI5 have
dominated the debate about policing in Northern Ireland in
recent weeks.

Mr Blair also announced that police officers would not be
seconded to work under the control of MI5.

But he said there would be liaison between them in response
to the threat of international terrorism, as directed by
the chief constable.

As expected, the prime minister also announced that Lord
Carlisle, the government's independent monitor of anti-
terrorism legislation, will review annually the operation
of the arrangements for handling national security related
matters in Northern Ireland.

The statement is expected to be welcomed by Sinn Fein - but
the SDLP said it did not go far enough.

Both the SDLP and Sinn Fein have raised questions about
oversight of the security services.

MI5 is building a £20m headquarters in Palace Barracks
outside Belfast.

Story from BBC NEWS:
Published: 2007/01/10 11:13:03 GMT
© BBC MMVII

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http://www.sinnfein.ie/news/detail/17336

Sinn Féin Ard Chomhairle To Meet Amid Concerns At DUP Position

Published: 9 January, 2007

Sinn Féin Chief Negotiator Martin McGuinness speaking today
following a meeting of the party Officer Board expressed
"deep concern" at Ian Paisley's comments yesterday
rejecting out of hand Tony Blair's assessment of the DUP's
position. He said Sinn Féin will remain in contact with the
governments in the coming days to "try and move beyond the
current difficulties".

Mr McGuinness said:

"The party Officer Board met in Dublin today to assess the
current situation. There was deep concern expressed at Ian
Paisley's comments yesterday rejecting out of hand Tony
Blair's assessment of the DUP's position.

"The DUP clearly need to be given some time to reflect
because if they are now ruling out power sharing on March
26th and the transfer of powers on policing and justice by
May 2008 this is a serious development.

"The Ard Chomhairle motion is predicated upon a commitment
by the leadership of the DUP to power sharing in the St.
Andrews timeframe.

"Sinn Féin will remain in contact with the governments in
the coming days to try and move beyond the current
difficulties."

The party Ard Chomhairle will meet in Dublin on Saturday at
1pm at the Great Southern Hotel at Dublin Airport. ENDS


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http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/?jp=CWSNCWQLAUEY&rss=rss1

Ahern To Seek DUP Clarification On Power-Sharing

10/01/2007 - 07:51:33

The Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has promised to do all he can in
the coming days to secure clarification from the DUP on its
willingness to share power with Sinn Féin.

Yesterday, the Sinn Féin leadership said it would not go
ahead with plans to endorse the PSNI unless the DUP made a
firm commitment to power-sharing.

The move follows a string of negative comments from DUP
politicians since Sinn Féin decided to hold a special ard
fheis to end its opposition to the policing arrangements in
the North.

The unionist party says it needs time to assess Sinn Féin's
level of co-operation with the PSNI and there will not be
enough time for this assessment before the planned
restoration of devolution in March.

DUP leader Ian Paisley has also denied agreeing to the
transfer of policing powers from London to Stormont in May
2008.

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http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/article2141506.ece

Miracle Recovery Of Death Crash Survivors

[Published: Wednesday 10, January 2007 - 08:33]
By Lisa Smyth

Two sisters critically injured in an accident that killed
their father and sister just before Christmas were last
night discharged from hospital.

Saoirse and Stacey McGuigan, aged four and five, returned
home from hospital yesterday - less than two weeks after
the horrifying car crash which claimed the lives of dad
James McGuigan (30) and their older sister, eight-year-old
Lorna.

The mother of the three girls caught up in the terrible
tragedy, Tina, has spoken of the miraculous recovery of her
two daughters and said they had helped her deal with her
grief.

"They are my wee miracles," she said.

"Having the girls has kept me strong. I do have my days
where I am down and the girls have their days as well. But
I could have had nobody and I am grateful that they are
still here today with me.

"They are on the mend. You want to see them, they are
brilliant."

Both girls were left fighting for their lives in hospital
after the crash which occurred as Mr McGuigan took his
daughters to their grandmother's house in Lenadoon.

Saoirse suffered a fractured skull, broken collar bone and
broken leg in the crash. Stacey had a fractured skull and
arm, bruising to her lungs and broken ribs.

Speaking yesterday, their mum continued: "I don't feel
angry, because God only takes the best in this world and he
took them for a reason."

And paying tribute to the staff at the Royal Victoria
Hospital in Belfast, she said: "They were in a room
together and there were two nurses, one for each of them.

"Any time one nurse went out, another one came in. They
never left them alone at any time of the day."

She said cards had been sent from people she had never met
before and from " the four corners of the world".

Meanwhile, parish priest Father Aidan Troy of the Holy
Cross parish in Ardoyne, said he was amazed at the family's
bravery.

"I saw them (the little girls) on Sunday afternoon. They
were in such wonderful form, it is terrific," he said.

© Belfast Telegraph

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http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/article2141694.ece

Opin: Sinn Fein Likely To Proceed With Policing Conference

[Published: Wednesday 10, January 2007 - 11:32]

Will Tony Blair's statement be enough to convince Sinn Fein
to press ahead with its ard fheis? Security writer Brian
Rowan analyses the issues

You get the sense that something's cooking, and that the
planned Sinn Fein ard fheis on policing might yet go ahead.

Why? Because in this process we join up dots and we usually
find that they take us somewhere.

This time those dots look to be forming a policing line.

Why else would the Prime Minister be making a written
statement in relation to national security here?

It's all about the controversy over MI5's planned new role
- the decision to give it lead responsibility for national
security issues - meaning the international terrorist and
republican dissident threats.

The plan is for that to happen late this year, and the
issue has been what that means for working relations with
the PSNI, and more specifically the key question of police
accountability.

Today's written statement to Parliament was due to set out
the " distinct and different roles of the PSNI and the
security service and the accountability arrangements".

It has the look of something designed to create a context
that would allow for the Sinn Fein ard fheis on policing to
proceed as planned.

That decision has yet to be made, however, we know if the
conference goes ahead the motion it will debate will be on
support for the PSNI and on Sinn Fein joining the various
policing boards.

Gerry Adams wants the republican community to support the
police in tackling crime in all areas.

The doubt - the major question mark over the ard fheis to
quote Martin McGuinness - has to do with the context in
which it was sold to the party leadership, the ard
chomhairle when it met in Dublin on December 29.

That context was about being certain about dates for the
restoration of power sharing and for the transfer of
policing and justice powers to local politicians.

There is still no such certainty on those issues, and the
question is will, or can, the Adams-McGuinness-Kelly
leadership move ahead without it.

We still don't know.

I have argued that they should, indeed that they must, but
a lot will depend on clarity around other issues -
including that MI5-PSNI working relationship.

There is a view that today's planned statement could
resolve that issue.

What republicans will want to hear is that there will be no
police secondments to MI5, no role for the security service
in civic policing, and that police accountability is
guaranteed.

This is about ensuring that police officers involved in the
world of intelligence remain under the control and
direction of the chief constable, and continue to be
accountable to the Policing Board and the Police Ombudsman.

Republicans will also want to read what is said about new
plans for annual reviews of national security arrangements
in Northern Ireland.

While the SDLP has issues about secondments, its concern
also is that MI5 will move to recruit not just former
police officers, but ex-RUC Special Branch officers.

Party sources talk about "warm words" and "window dressing"
around the issue of separating the roles of MI5 and the
police.

They believe that for the police to have access to MI5
intelligence information relating to Northern Ireland that
there will be a working relationship between the two.

This is what the five principles written by the Assistant
Chief Constable Peter Sheridan are all about.

And the suggestion is we might hear something today or soon
about a " crime liaison desk" - that this will be one of
the ways the police will get access to intelligence
information gathered by MI5.

We will be listening out also for something to be said soon
about intentions on the future use of plastic bullets.

This is another key issue for republicans.

If the planned Sinn Fein ard fheis is to happen by the end
of January there's not much time left to call it - not much
time to achieve a context in which it could go ahead.

© Belfast Telegraph

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http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/columnists/lindy-mcdowell/article2141602.ece

Opin: Blair Scare For Gerry?

[Published: Wednesday 10, January 2007 - 09:56]
By Lindy McDowell

Tony Blair earlier this week described the Sinn Fein
leadership as "remarkable". This in itself was remarkable.
There was a time, after all - and not so long ago at that -
when republicans would have recoiled at the very thought of
an endorsement from a British prime minister.

Even today, you can't help but think there must be quite a
few long term Sinn Fein voters wondering if being back-
slapped by a Brit is entirely compatible with party ethos.

Put it like this, in those parts of the republican
constituency where there is considerable angst about the
strategy of the current leadership, it's hard to see how a
few kind words for Gerry from Tone is going to help
matters.

Tony Blair was infamously referred to as a "naïve idiot" by
the Provies.

Is he really so naïve that he hasn't copped that a
compliment from him - a typically OTT and gushing
compliment - is unlikely to stabilise those crying "sell-
out"?

That it's more likely, in fact, to have the opposite
effect? Then again, is it being unfair to the PM to assume
that he should know that at grassroots level his words
could backfire?

Actually, no.

Because, in a way, he has been through this one before.

He saw, for example, how an unasked-for endorsement from
Gerry Adams for David Trimble went down like a lead balloon
with UUP party followers. (Just as it was, presumably,
intended to.)

"Well done David," smirked Gerry.

And you could almost hear the UUP faithful bolting en masse
for the DUP.

But now it's no longer what Gerry himself once cynically
dubbed a Save Dave process.

In recent days, ironically enough, it's been looking more
like a Save Gerry process. The question was - could he,
would he, face down the naysayers in his party? And would
this cost his party major support?

In terms of who the PM's comments this week were most
likely to impress, the answer is, outside of Sinn Fein -
not a lot.

But within that section of the electorate which has
traditionally voted Sinn Fein?

Surely, even here, Tone's "remarkable" comments will have
only added to the cynicism of those who already disdain
Sinn Fein's cult of personality?

The prime minister is known to be concerned about his
legacy and is thus understandably keen for a result in
Northern Ireland.

But there's a growing feeling that Gerry, too, is looking
to his legacy; that he, too, would like a 'result' that
will give him a place in history - and a future on the
statesman circuit.

Oddly, it doesn't appear to be a place that most
republicans would have hitherto envisaged.

Which, in its own way, is remarkable ?

Oh, brother, is it time to get real

One of the most fascinating trends in the national Press is
the amount of column space taken up in recent days by
reports of what happened on TV last night.

Pages and pages and pages are being devoted to Channel
Four's Celebrity Big Brother despite criticism that it has
the poorest line-up of so-called 'slebs' in the history of
this dubious show.

In fact, apart from the sport and a daily update on the
amount of drink being put away by Britney Spears and
Charlotte Church, one tabloid appears to feature little
else. But it's not just the tabloids.

What used to be called the broadsheets are now also
obsessed with last night's TV. Who's going out in Soapstar
Superstar?

Who might be appearing in the next Strictly Come Dancing?
(Sean Rafferty, apparently.) And who are those people on
Just The Two of Us?

In the news there are reports about how two murderers
walked free from an open prison. But it gets nothing like
the coverage of Donny Tourette (right) leaving Big Brother.

Donny, we're told, "broke out" of the BB compound after a
mere 48 hours. He did not. What he did was step over a wall
which appeared to be conveniently studded with a handy
step.

This wasn't so much an escape - more an early release
scheme. (Which is probably what those two murderers also
felt about their open prison.)

Meanwhile, Ken Russell (above), later quitting the same
show, gets almost as much coverage as the double standards
of a former education minister who takes her child out of
the state education system to send him to a £17,000 per
annum private school.We are all becoming increasingly bored
by politics, politicians and the hash they're making of
running the country.

And, true, there isn't much of a cheery nature to interest
us elsewhere in the headlines.

Hence, the appeal of the escapism that is reality TV.

But like Mr Tourette, some papers seem to be going way over
the top.

We need to keep a bit of perspective here. Ken Russell left
Big Brother after a row over ? crackers. Apt or what?

A wee problem for tourists?

In Dublin there are plans to re-open a number of public
conveniences. These were closed down some time ago because
members of the public wouldn't use them amid fears that
they'd become the haunt of druggies and muggers.

How does our toilet provision in the north compare?

In Belfast city centre, I can think of two examples - the
self cleaning loos in the Dublin Road area and the public
loos down near the Hi Park centre. But that's about it.

Maybe there are more. I don't know.

There is always the option, of course, of nipping into a
bar or café. But when you do that you always feel under
pressure to buy a drink or coffee to justify your visit.
Thus you're merely topping up the bladder again.

The question of loo provision might seem like a wee matter.

But, with the upsurge in our local tourist industry, it's
something we may need to give thought to.

We'd like tourists to spend a fortune during their hols
here.

The least we can do is ensure that they're also able to
spend a penny.

Common sense gone to the dogs

In the US, where what's called the obesity epidemic
continues to be a major concern, they're now making a dog's
dinner of the battle of the bulge.

Overweight canines are the latest target of the slimming
industry. A diet drug has even been created for lardy dogs.

Why not just feed them less?

Or is that just too much like straightforward common sense?

It strikes me that there is something very wrong about the
idea of a slimming pill for animals. In one half of the
world men, women and children are dying for lack of food.
In the other half people are spending a fortune on
medication to trim down their pampered pets.

It's just not right.

© Belfast Telegraph

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http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/opinion/article2141512.ece

Opin: A Wind Of Change That's Long Overdue

[Published: Wednesday 10, January 2007 - 09:14]

More pressure has been piled on local politicians with the
disclosure that Peter Hain is considering slashing the
number of government departments from 11 to six. Unless the
DUP and Sinn Fein reach a deal, and devolution returns, the
decision will be taken by the Secretary of State instead of
the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Under the Review of Public Administration, the NIO is
already planning to cut the number of district councils
from 26 to seven and to introduce single authorities for
education and health, in place of the present boards. The
objective is to provide more uniform, economic public
services, with savings in staff and administration, but
there is a natural desire for all such decisions -
including reductions in government departments - to be
taken at local rather than national level, by politicians
with a local mandate.

The proposals -- leaked exclusively to the Belfast
Telegraph -- come at a sensitive time, when the DUP and
Sinn Fein are locked in a dispute over policing and power-
sharing, which must be resolved by the end of this month.
They now know that the only hope of stopping the Government
in its tracks, and getting some democratic input into the
future administration of Northern Ireland, is to reach a
deal that both parties can support. Otherwise - and the
Government may have wanted to raise public concern -
matters will be taken out of their hands.

While people should be worried about government edicts that
affect their everyday life, they will hardly object to the
reduction of costly bureaucracy in departments that are
surplus to requirements. Everyone knows that the Good
Friday Agreement in 1998 meant that new departments had to
be invented, so that all four parties in the executive had
a share of power, and the sooner they are trimmed -
devolution or not - the better.

The new proposals are a return to a simpler past, although
there must be doubts about a giant Sustainable Development
and Energy Department, incorporating Agriculture,
Environment and Regional Development, plus elements from
two other departments. Civil service heads and the unions
will have a lot to say, for and against, but they will know
that the days of ever-expanding empires, run in ways that
are constantly being criticised by the audit office, are
over. Even the quangos are to be culled, down from 81 to
54.

Having run an eye across our over-governed province, Peter
Hain is preparing the ground for more streamlined, up-to-
date administrative arrangements, whether or not devolution
returns. The detail could - and should - be worked on by
local politicians, in a new executive, but change is
unavoidable, and overdue.

© Belfast Telegraph

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http://www.westernpeople.ie/news/story.asp?j=34904

Castlebar Bridge To Be Named After Patriot

By: Marian Harrison

THE PEOPLE of Castlebar have spoken and the new road into
Castle Street car park will be named after Ernie O’Malley.

Castlebar Town Council invited the residents of the town to
make suggestions on the name of the new bridge, which was
opened last year.

Sinn Féin Councillor, Noel Campbell had suggested at a
Council meeting that the new road be named after O’Malley
who was born in Ellison Street in 1897 but the councillors
decided they would instead look for the public’s opinion.

The Ernie O’Malley Road topped the poll.

“We now have a result and I am delighted that in this year,
the 50th anniversary of his death, the people of Castlebar
have chosen to dedicate this road to a local legend, Ernie
O’Malley,” Cllr Campbell told the Western People.

Mr Campbell said he was delighted the people of Castlebar
were not willing to minimise the role Ernie O’Malley played
in the history of the State.

Castlebar-born Ernie O’Malley was a key figure in the War
of Independence and Civil War before turning to matters of
Irish art and culture. His memoirs have become classics of
revolutionary literature. Ernie O’Malley later settled at
Burrishoole Lodge, between Newport and Achill, and was a
frequent visitor to Achill Island and Dooagh.

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http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/breaking/2007/0109/breaking68_pf.html

Laws Dating Back To 1066 To Be Repealed

Paul Anderson
Tue, Jan 09, 2007

A Bill to repeal 3,200 outdated laws dating back to the
time of William the Conqueror was unveiled this evening by
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.

"Many of these laws are written in language that is obscure
and published in books that are out of print. This means
that Irish people are theoretically bound by laws which
they cannot find and if they could find them, could not be
expected to understand," Mr Ahern said.

The Statute Law Revision Bill 2007 is the most
comprehensive revision of the Statute Book ever undertaken
in the history of the State. Laws dating back to 1066 will
be repealed following a comprehensive review of 26,371
statute by the Attorney General's office.

The Bill will repeal all public general statutes enacted
before 6th December 1922, though a "white list" of Acts
have been preserved.

These laws were found to have current relevance and must be
replaced with modern laws before they can be repealed.

The review found some 9,266 were already repealed and
12,557 were not applicable to Ireland. This left 4,550
statutes of which 3,200 will be repealed and 1,350 will be
pending a more comprehensive review. "It is important that
we keep our statute book up to date and relevant and that
we clear from the statute book any laws which are obsolete,
as well as identifying those which are still of relevance.

Many of laws were remnants of British rule and the various
parliaments which sat in Ireland between the Norman
conquest in 1169 and the Act of Union in 1800. Among the
laws repealed will be the Government of Ireland Act 1920,
which preserved Britain's authority over Ireland. The
Belfast Agreement Agreement ion 1988 rendered teh statute
redundant.

The review also uncovered a law from 1542 which maintains
the King of England and his heirs and successors as
monarchs of Ireland.

It was repealed by the Dail in 1962 but recent research
revealed a second 1542 law which declared Henry VIII to be
the King of Ireland which had never been repealed. The Bill
also makes publicly a complete list of the retained pre-
1922 statutes available for the first time.

Speaking the Church of St Werburgh in Dublin, the Taoiseach
said: "The Bill will be a landmark development in creating
a modern and relevant statute book."

© 2007 ireland.com

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http://irishvoices.blogspot.com/2007/01/aoh-fund-raiser-for-announced-to.html

AOH Fund Raiser For Announced To Benefit Irsih Lobby For
Immigration Reform

The Ancient Order of Hibernians, Division 1, Monroe, New
York has announced a fundraising event to benefit the Irish
Lobby for Immigration Reform.

The event is scheduled for February 10, 2007.

Event entertainment will include Irish Step Dancing; live
music from The Wild Rovers, MacGillicuddy Reeks, Enda
Keegan, the Pipes and Drums of AOH Divison 1, and a special
appearance by Ann Marie Maolney who will perform the
national anthems of Ireland and the United States.

The suggested donation is $15.00

DOORS OPEN 6PM

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http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/01/10/s_bostons_james_kelly_dies_at_66/

S. Boston's James Kelly Dies At 66

Fought outsiders, helped neighbors

Kelly led efforts to halt court-ordered school busing.
(ap/file 1975)

By Brian MacQuarrie, Globe Staff January 10, 2007

James M. Kelly, the powerful city councilor from South
Boston who was considered a pugnacious neighborhood
champion by his supporters but a polarizing symbol of
intolerance by others, died yesterday morning after a long
battle with cancer. He was 66.

Mr. Kelly, who served an unequaled seven consecutive terms
as City Council president, had undergone several surgeries
since 2003 to remove cancerous masses from his brain and
colon.

After achieving notoriety as a firebrand opponent of court-
ordered busing in the mid-1970s, Mr. Kelly used his 23
years on the City Council as a bully pulpit. He fought
integration of South Boston's public housing, battled the
inclusion of gay and lesbian marchers in the neighborhood's
St. Patrick's Day parade, and negotiated a controversial
financial bonanza for the neighborhood in exchange for his
support of waterfront development.

William M. Bulger, the former state Senate president from
South Boston, said Mr. Kelly "had that most valuable
quality of courage."

The councilor trusted his own judgment "to the point where
you assert it, stand for it, and fight for it," added
Bulger, who will deliver a eulogy at a funeral Mass Friday.

As a councilor, Mr. Kelly earned a reputation among friend
and foe as doggedly attentive to constituent services,
often personally responding to complaints about potholes,
abandoned cars, and rowdy teen-agers. But outside his
district, Mr. Kelly was often seen as an unapologetic
point-man for a white constituency that he considered under
attack and belittled by a liberal elite, a view that shaped
his public persona beginning with the violent antibusing
demonstrations that rocked South Boston.

To many, Mr. Kelly, a lifelong resident of South Boston,
became the most visible face of his neighborhood, a symbol
of what some perceived as an angry, isolated enclave that
bitterly resisted change. But within the neighborhood, Mr.
Kelly continued to be idolized among the long-established
Irish-American families that gave South Boston a national
reputation for tough-minded, community-oriented,
politically savvy cohesion.

In the end, Mr. Kelly proved to be a tenacious political
survivor, holding the council presidency from 1994 to 2000
and wielding influence afterward, even as the city's
demographics changed and the council became more diverse.

Mr. Kelly helped frustrate plans to move the New England
Patriots to South Boston. He also opposed French doors on
bars and cafes in the neighborhood and sought to restrict
sun decks in a district that became increasingly
gentrified.

Mr. Kelly had an up-and-down relationship with Mayor Thomas
M. Menino and was not afraid to buck the mayor. Yesterday,
Menino called him "a true gentleman, a man of his word
whose convictions always came from the heart."

Governor Deval Patrick also had praise for Mr. Kelly. "He
was a passionate advocate for his beloved neighborhood and
constituents," Patrick said. "His dedication to public
service was unquestioned."

Mr. Kelly was born shortly before the United States entered
World War II to a father who worked as a laborer for the
Boston Housing Authority and a mother who ironed for a
laundry service. Like many of his generation in South
Boston, Mr. Kelly had a passion for sports and played
football at South Boston High School. After graduating from
high school in 1958, he married in 1959 and worked as a
sheet-metal apprentice, eventually joining the union.

Off the job, Mr. Kelly pursued a fast, hard-drinking life
in which he fraternized with the notorious Mullins Gang
from South Boston and often carried a gun. The drinking
took a toll on his personal life, Mr. Kelly once recalled.
In 1971, after a weeklong binge following St. Patrick's
Day, he joined Alcoholics Anonymous.

In 1974, divorced and disabled by an industrial accident
that had severed the tendons in his right hand, Mr. Kelly
found an all-consuming focus in the federal court order to
integrate the Boston schools. A tough, stocky man with a
penchant for brown leather jackets, Mr. Kelly clashed with
police sent to South Boston to protect black students from
white protesters and also confronted black demonstrators at
Carson Beach.

Mr. Kelly first tested the political waters in 1981 when he
ran for City Council, whose nine members were selected in
citywide voting. He finished 10th, but the seeds of his
future success were apparent: He had outpolled Raymond L.
Flynn, the successful mayoral candidate, in their native
South Boston. In 1983, the City Council expanded to 13
members, with nine seats dedicated to individual districts.
Mr. Kelly won the District 2 seat -- which also included
Chinatown, Bay Village, much of the South End, and a slice
of Dorchester -- and was never seriously challenged
afterward.

During that first successful campaign, Mr. Kelly spoke to
residents' fears that the neighborhood's public housing
projects would become substantially integrated, saying he
harbored crime-related "concerns about a large influx of
blacks moving to South Boston." Later, in 1988, he
challenged federally mandated integration of public housing
as reverse discrimination against white residents, who
previously had received preference for vacancies in their
neighborhood.

Mr. Kelly repeatedly insisted that he was not a bigot and
that he supported equal opportunity for all races. But he
nearly came to blows with Councilor Charles C. Yancey, a
black representative for Mattapan and North Dorchester,
after an expletive-laden shouting match in 1991. However, a
decade later Mr. Kelly engineered Yancey's election as
council president knowing he himself could not win an
eighth term with the gavel.

"We differed on many key issues," Yancey said yesterday.
"But after the debates and the sometimes confrontational
discussions, we always came together as friends." The
morning after the 1991 shouting match, Yancey recalled, he
and Kelly attended the groundbreaking of the South Bay
shopping center. "There we were, the best of friends, and
having a great time," Yancey said.

Yancey said Mr. Kelly's views on racial issues appeared to
evolve over time. Mr. Kelly's support for a 1999 resolution
to honor Martin Luther King Jr., Yancey said, would have
been unthinkable at the beginning of Mr. Kelly's political
career.

To the end, Mr. Kelly was considered a formidable political
presence in a city renowned for them. "We worked together
for better neighborhoods, and, yes, we often strongly
disagreed on issues," Flynn said in a statement. "But he
was my friend. . . . Jim Kelly was one of a kind."

Mr. Kelly's son, James M. Kelly Jr., said his father died
at 4:19 a.m. surrounded by family and close friends after
five days of hospice care. Mr. Kelly last attended a City
Council meeting on Dec. 6.

"As he struggled with this disease for the last few years,
my father was enormously grateful for the outpouring of
love and affection from his friends and neighbors," the
younger Kelly said.

Mr. Kelly leaves three children, Sandra J. Walsh of
Chester, N.H., James Jr. of Norwell, and Thomas F. of South
Boston; two sisters, Margaret Moretto of Wakefield and
Elizabeth Lynch of South Boston; and seven grandchildren.

A funeral Mass will be said at noon Friday at St. Brigid
Church, South Boston.

Globe correspondent Andrew C. Ryan contributed to this
obituary.

----
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