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News about the Irish & Irish American culture, music, news, sports. This is hosted by the Irish Aires radio show on KPFT-FM 90.1 in Houston, Texas (a Pacifica community radio station)
January 04, 2007
Blair Warns NI Parties Must Act
News About Ireland & The Irish
BB 01/04/07 Blair Warns NI Parties Must Act
UK 01/04/07 Text Of Blair’s Statement On N Ireland
BB 01/04/07 Dropped SF MLA 'Sour Grapes' Claim
BT 01/04/07 Hain Ignores Call Re: Restructuring Of Councils
BB 01/04/07 Delight As Bank Charges Dropped
BT 01/04/07 Nazi Background Of Irish Publisher Exposed
BN 01/04/07 Numbers Training To Become Priests Up 7 In 2006
BT 01/04/07 Connemara Man Swept To Death Off West Coast
II 01/04/07 Saw Doctors Top Bill At US Political Ball
*************************
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/6230971.stm
Blair Warns NI Parties Must Act
Sinn Fein and the DUP need to honour their commitments on
policing and power-sharing for an assembly election to
happen, Tony Blair has warned.
Mr Blair came home a day early from holiday in Florida to
try to revive hopes of devolution returning to Northern
Ireland by the end of March.
"I am confident that both parties want to see progress and
will honour their commitments," he said.
"But there is no point in proceeding unless there is such
clarity."
Mr Blair said that if Sinn Fein delivered on supporting the
police, there should be devolution of justice by May 2008,
as set out in the St Andrews Agreement.
He said Sinn Fein would propose to a special conference on
policing that the party "commit now and fully to support
the PSNI and the criminal justice system and actively
encourage everyone to co-operate fully with the police
services in tackling crime in all areas as well as actively
supporting all the criminal justice institutions".
When there is delivery, there will be devolution
Tony Blair
"For their part, the DUP require that the Sinn Fein
commitments to support for the police, the courts and the
rule of law are translated into action so that there is
real and tangible evidence of such support.
"It is delivery on those commitments that creates the
conditions for devolution of policing and justice to take
place.
"When there is delivery, there will be devolution."
Mr Blair said he was "confident that both parties want to
see progress and will honour their commitments".
"But there is no point in proceeding unless there is such
clarity," he added.
Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams said Mr Blair had reflected
in his statement the basic elements of the motion he would
put to his party on policing.
The West Belfast MP said: "The core of a motion I would put
to a Sinn Fein ard fheis is accurately summarised in the
British prime minister's statement today."
Sinn Fein's leadership voted last month to hold a
conference on the issue of whether to support policing.
But the party signalled on Wednesday this was in doubt
because the move had not received a "positive enough"
response from DUP leader Ian Paisley.
If the conference does not go ahead, the March election may
be in doubt.
Although Mr Blair was away on his Christmas and New Year
break, he was involved in intensive discussions with
Northern Ireland politicians.
More than two-thirds of Sinn Fein's executive last week
voted in favour of holding a conference on the issue of
supporting policing.
Party leader Gerry Adams said the meeting would be held,
but only if the two governments and the DUP gave a positive
response.
In his new year message, DUP leader Ian Paisley said Sinn
Fein's "begrudging movement" on policing reduced the
prospect of any immediate action towards restoring
devolution.
However, Mr Paisley said his party would "not be found
wanting" if Sinn Fein honoured its commitment "with
actions".
Story from BBC NEWS:
Published: 2007/01/04 13:36:52 GMT
© BBC MMVII
*************************
http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page10689.asp
Text Of Blair’s Statement On N Ireland
I have spoken intensively to the leaders of both the DUP
and Sinn Fein over the past days. Ian Paisley and Gerry
Adams have made their positions clear to me, on the two
crucial issues of power-sharing and support for policing,
justice and the rule of law.
So let me set out my clear understanding of these
positions.
I need both leaders to agree to this understanding.
Both parties have already publicly agreed to power-sharing
on the basis and timeframe set out at St Andrews.
On policing, justice and the rule of law Sinn Fein will
propose to their Party's Ard Fheis that Sinn Fein commit
now and fully to support the PSNI and the criminal justice
system and actively encourage everyone to co-operate fully
with the police services in tackling crime in all areas as
well as actively supporting all the criminal justice
institutions. These proposals, if committed to, and acted
upon amount to the support by Sinn Fein for the rule of
law, police and courts that is necessary.
For their part, the DUP require that the Sinn Fein
commitments to support for the police, the courts and the
rule of law are translated into action so that there is
real and tangible evidence of such support. It is delivery
on those commitments that creates the conditions for
devolution of policing and justice to take place. When
there is delivery, there will be devolution.
On the above basis the Government is in a position to
facilitate the timeframe set out in para 7 of the St
Andrew's Agreement, namely on or before May 2008, provided
of course that the Sinn Fein commitments are translated
into action within that timeframe; and the DUP undertake it
will do nothing to delay or obstruct devolution of policing
and justice when those conditions are met.
My view therefore is that if there is delivery by Sinn Fein
of support for the police, courts and rule of law within
the St Andrew's timeframe, then there should be devolution
of policing and justice within that timeframe.
It is only on this basis and with this clarity that we can
proceed to an election. I am confident that both parties
want to see progress and will honour their commitments.
But there is no point in proceeding unless there is such
clarity.
*************************
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/6230571.stm
Dropped MLA 'Sour Grapes' Claim
Sinn Fein MLA Davy Hyland's concerns about policing were
not to blame for his de-selection, a party member says.
The Newry and Armagh MLA, who has resigned from the party,
said there was disquiet locally about the direction the
Sinn Fein leadership were going on.
But Sinn Fein assembly member John O'Dowd said this was
just sour grapes.
"An election convention was called with 21 days notice
given - Davy went on holiday and received, out of 63 votes
cast, three votes to have him back."
Mr O'Dowd added: "Davy resigned because his local
constituency office de-selected him in a democratic manner.
"This is not a policing issue, this is Davy (complaining)
because he was de-selected."
'Republican principles'
Mr Hyland is still considering whether to run as an
independent in the forthcoming election.
"I leave Sinn Fein secure in the knowledge that I have
remained true to my republican principles," he said on
Wednesday.
He said there should be more debate and consultation with
the community on whether republicans should sign up to
policing.
"You need a full, frank and open discussion on this matter
because it has massive implications for everyone on this
island," he said.
The week before Mr Hyland was de-selected, Sinn Fein leader
Gerry Adams met PSNI chief constable Sir Hugh Orde against
a backdrop of growing pressure on republicans to support
the police as part of the deal to restore devolution.
Story from BBC NEWS:
Published: 2007/01/04 11:50:21 GMT
© BBC MMVII
*************************
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/article2124966.ece
Hain Ignores Call To Shelve Restructuring Of Councils
[Published: Thursday 4, January 2007 - 12:29]
By Chris Gordon
Peter Hain has rejected the Assembly's call to shelve plans
for seven super councils.
The decision was widely expected - but an Ulster Unionist
MLA has said it proves that the Government will ignore the
Assembly for political convenience.
Last month the Assembly asked the Secretary of State to put
aside the plans merging Northern Ireland's 26 councils into
seven before 2009.
Most parties in Northern Ireland believe current public
sector reforms should leave 15 councils.
Sinn Fein is the only major party to support the seven
council model chosen by the Government in the Review of
Public Administration (RPA).
The transitional Assembly addressed the issue in one of its
first debates. MLAs supported the SDLP motion that called
for Mr Hain to shelve the current plans and "allow the
decision on future council arrangements to be taken by a
restored Northern Ireland Assembly".
But Mr Hain wrote to Speaker Eileen Bell to tell her he
would not accept the Assembly's view.
He said he wanted the Assembly to decide on RPA, but also
argued that 15 councils would be the wrong decision.
"An analysis of all of the evidence showed that, to achieve
everything we hope these new councils will achieve, the
optimum number of councils is seven," he wrote.
Mr Hain added: "Ideally local politicians in a local
Assembly should be taking decisions on all the key issues
affecting people in Northern Ireland.
"As I have said elsewhere, it would have been my wish that
locally elected politicians, who started this process, were
taking the decisions to implement the RPA.
"However, to realise the vision of world-class Northern
Ireland public services, delivery decisions cannot be
delayed and RPA implementation will proceed as timetabled."
Ulster Unionist Assembly member Michael Copeland said Mr
Hain's attitude showed that "when the Assembly's views are
made known, they're ignored" .
"This vindicates exactly what I said during the debate - we
were watching a piece of theatre played out on a rather
attractive stage at great expense.
"It is patently obvious that the settled view of the
Assembly could not change a lightbulb in the Great Hall.
"I find this extremely frustrating.
"I spend hours every week dealing with real difficulties
that people face - I feel like I deal with symptoms of the
disease, but I've been denied access to the surgical tools
to deal with the disease.
"These are decisions that should be taken by people
locally."
© Belfast Telegraph
*************************
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/6230891.stm
Delight As Bank Charges Dropped
The mother of a man who was accused of carrying out the
£26m Northern Bank robbery has been speaking of her relief
that the charges have been dropped.
Dominic McEvoy, 23, from Mullandra Park, Kilcoo, heard on
Wednesday that the charges of robbery and false
imprisonment had been withdrawn.
His mother Irene said she was overjoyed when she heard the
news from her son.
"It was 14 months of hell, and in five minutes, your life
was back together again," she said.
"It's a miracle - I just couldn't believe it.
"When Dominic told us, the family all just squealed - we
could not believe it."
Mr McEvoy was arrested in November 2005 in connection with
the robbery in Belfast city centre the previous December.
Charges against a second man of withholding information and
attempting to pervert the course of justice were also
dropped on Wednesday.
Mr McEvoy had been jointly charged with Northern Bank
official Christopher Ward, 25, from Colinmill, Poleglass,
in west Belfast.
Mr Ward was remanded on continuing bail on Wednesday.
Story from BBC NEWS:
Published: 2007/01/04 13:26:38 GMT
© BBC MMVII
*************************
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/article2124893.ece
Nazi Background Of Prominent Irish Publisher Exposed
[Published: Thursday 4, January 2007 - 10:45]
By David McKittrick
The Nazi past of Ireland's foremost educational publisher
is to be highlighted in a television programme to be
broadcast on the state system, RTE, this month. The
programme details the record of Albert Folens, a Belgian
who after fleeing to Ireland following the war built up a
highly successful business producing school textbooks.
Folens, who died in 2003 at 86, had not denied working for
the Germans but minimised his part in the war. But his
involvement with both the Gestapo and Waffen SS is to be
revealed.
He was among a small number of Germans, Belgians and Dutch
who arrived in the Irish Republic after 1945. Although some
were suspected of having worked for Hitler, there was no
determined official effort to weed them out.
Folens' general sympathies were no secret, though the
particulars of his role were not generally known.
He was, the programme says, a volunteer in the Waffen SS
Flemish legion, serving on the eastern front until he was
wounded. After treatment in an SS hospital, he joined the
Gestapo, working at their Brussels headquarters, he
claimed, as a translator.
His name is said to have appeared on the US Army's Central
Registry of War Criminals and Security Suspects, known as
Crowcass. But Folens always denied any involvement in
torture or inhumane treatment.
Arrested by the British Army in Germany, he was sentenced
to 10 years after a military trial. But he escaped after 30
months and fled to the Republic, on a false passport. In
Dublin, he worked as a teacher then set up a publishing
company, producing textbooks and copybooks for generations
of Irish children. The concern flourished and he became a
well-known figure.
At the time of his death, a dissident Irish republican
organisation paid tribute to him as "a big-hearted
benefactor of republican prisoners during the 1970s and
1980s", saying thousands of prisoners' children had
benefited from his generosity.
A sympathetic obituary of him in a Dublin newspaper said he
had joined Hitler's "Flemish Legion" - the 27th
Freiwilligen Sturmbrigade Langemarck - for the specific
task of fighting the Red Army. Another former Nazi lived in
Belfast after the war. Werner Heubeck, a colourful
businessman who had been a member of the Hitler Youth
movement, and made no secret of his record, became managing
director of the official transport company Ulsterbus.
His speciality during the Troubles, when many of his
vehicles were set on fire and blown up, was to enter buses
in which possible explosive devices had been placed. In
many instances, he carried the devices off the vehicles.
© Belfast Telegraph
*************************
http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/?jp=CWSNKFIDGBID&rss=rss1
Numbers Training To Become Priests Up Seven In 2006
04/01/2007 - 08:09:00
The number of men training to become parish priests has
increased over the past year, according to the Catholic
Communications Office.
The office says 26 men joined diocesan orders in 2006,
compared to 19 the previous year.
However, the number of priests being ordained is continuing
to fall steadily, with just 19 ordained in 2005, compared
to 39 in 2001.
Despite the fall, the Vocations Ireland organisation says
the number of people joining the lay ministry is growing
every year.
*************************
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/breaking-news/ireland/article2124915.ece
Gardai Name Connemara Man Swept To Death Off West Coast
[Published: Thursday 4, January 2007 - 11:03]
Gardai have named the 38-year-old man who drowned after
being swept off rocks on the Co Galway coast yesterday
evening.
Mairtin Sullivan, from Beal an Daingean in Connemara, was
swept to his death by wave shortly after 5pm.
He had been harvesting seaweed with his brother at the time
of the accident.
Mr Sullivan's body was found by neighbours a number of
hours later after an intensive land, sea and air search.
© Belfast Telegraph
*************************
http://www.unison.ie/entertainment/music/stories.php3?ca=61&si=1748887
Saw Doctors Top Bill At US Political Ball
Thursday January 4th 2007
GALWAY band The Saw Doctors are to headline the biggest New
Year political ball in the US.
The newly-elected governor of the state of Maryland will be
inaugurated at a glittering black tie event to be attended
by several thousand people on January 17.
The new governor, Martin O'Malley, has insisted on flying
his favourite band to the state capital.
Governor O'Malley, an Irish-American politician who shot to
public attention as an outstanding mayor of Baltimore, has
used his friendship with the band members to persuade them
to change their plans to play at the big event.
The band always takes the month of January off and keyboard
player Kevin Duffy even arranged his wedding to girlfriend
Paula Cannon for today in the knowledge that the entire
band could be present.
But once the call came from the new governor - previously
voted one of the top five US mayors by 'Time' magazine -
there was no way The Saw Doctors could say no.
"The governor is a big fan," said band manager Ollie
Jennings. "He is a musician himself and he has even played
on stage with us a couple of times."
Brian McDonald
----
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To January Index
To Index of Monthly Archives
To Searches & Sources of Other Irish News
BB 01/04/07 Blair Warns NI Parties Must Act
UK 01/04/07 Text Of Blair’s Statement On N Ireland
BB 01/04/07 Dropped SF MLA 'Sour Grapes' Claim
BT 01/04/07 Hain Ignores Call Re: Restructuring Of Councils
BB 01/04/07 Delight As Bank Charges Dropped
BT 01/04/07 Nazi Background Of Irish Publisher Exposed
BN 01/04/07 Numbers Training To Become Priests Up 7 In 2006
BT 01/04/07 Connemara Man Swept To Death Off West Coast
II 01/04/07 Saw Doctors Top Bill At US Political Ball
*************************
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/6230971.stm
Blair Warns NI Parties Must Act
Sinn Fein and the DUP need to honour their commitments on
policing and power-sharing for an assembly election to
happen, Tony Blair has warned.
Mr Blair came home a day early from holiday in Florida to
try to revive hopes of devolution returning to Northern
Ireland by the end of March.
"I am confident that both parties want to see progress and
will honour their commitments," he said.
"But there is no point in proceeding unless there is such
clarity."
Mr Blair said that if Sinn Fein delivered on supporting the
police, there should be devolution of justice by May 2008,
as set out in the St Andrews Agreement.
He said Sinn Fein would propose to a special conference on
policing that the party "commit now and fully to support
the PSNI and the criminal justice system and actively
encourage everyone to co-operate fully with the police
services in tackling crime in all areas as well as actively
supporting all the criminal justice institutions".
When there is delivery, there will be devolution
Tony Blair
"For their part, the DUP require that the Sinn Fein
commitments to support for the police, the courts and the
rule of law are translated into action so that there is
real and tangible evidence of such support.
"It is delivery on those commitments that creates the
conditions for devolution of policing and justice to take
place.
"When there is delivery, there will be devolution."
Mr Blair said he was "confident that both parties want to
see progress and will honour their commitments".
"But there is no point in proceeding unless there is such
clarity," he added.
Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams said Mr Blair had reflected
in his statement the basic elements of the motion he would
put to his party on policing.
The West Belfast MP said: "The core of a motion I would put
to a Sinn Fein ard fheis is accurately summarised in the
British prime minister's statement today."
Sinn Fein's leadership voted last month to hold a
conference on the issue of whether to support policing.
But the party signalled on Wednesday this was in doubt
because the move had not received a "positive enough"
response from DUP leader Ian Paisley.
If the conference does not go ahead, the March election may
be in doubt.
Although Mr Blair was away on his Christmas and New Year
break, he was involved in intensive discussions with
Northern Ireland politicians.
More than two-thirds of Sinn Fein's executive last week
voted in favour of holding a conference on the issue of
supporting policing.
Party leader Gerry Adams said the meeting would be held,
but only if the two governments and the DUP gave a positive
response.
In his new year message, DUP leader Ian Paisley said Sinn
Fein's "begrudging movement" on policing reduced the
prospect of any immediate action towards restoring
devolution.
However, Mr Paisley said his party would "not be found
wanting" if Sinn Fein honoured its commitment "with
actions".
Story from BBC NEWS:
Published: 2007/01/04 13:36:52 GMT
© BBC MMVII
*************************
http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page10689.asp
Text Of Blair’s Statement On N Ireland
I have spoken intensively to the leaders of both the DUP
and Sinn Fein over the past days. Ian Paisley and Gerry
Adams have made their positions clear to me, on the two
crucial issues of power-sharing and support for policing,
justice and the rule of law.
So let me set out my clear understanding of these
positions.
I need both leaders to agree to this understanding.
Both parties have already publicly agreed to power-sharing
on the basis and timeframe set out at St Andrews.
On policing, justice and the rule of law Sinn Fein will
propose to their Party's Ard Fheis that Sinn Fein commit
now and fully to support the PSNI and the criminal justice
system and actively encourage everyone to co-operate fully
with the police services in tackling crime in all areas as
well as actively supporting all the criminal justice
institutions. These proposals, if committed to, and acted
upon amount to the support by Sinn Fein for the rule of
law, police and courts that is necessary.
For their part, the DUP require that the Sinn Fein
commitments to support for the police, the courts and the
rule of law are translated into action so that there is
real and tangible evidence of such support. It is delivery
on those commitments that creates the conditions for
devolution of policing and justice to take place. When
there is delivery, there will be devolution.
On the above basis the Government is in a position to
facilitate the timeframe set out in para 7 of the St
Andrew's Agreement, namely on or before May 2008, provided
of course that the Sinn Fein commitments are translated
into action within that timeframe; and the DUP undertake it
will do nothing to delay or obstruct devolution of policing
and justice when those conditions are met.
My view therefore is that if there is delivery by Sinn Fein
of support for the police, courts and rule of law within
the St Andrew's timeframe, then there should be devolution
of policing and justice within that timeframe.
It is only on this basis and with this clarity that we can
proceed to an election. I am confident that both parties
want to see progress and will honour their commitments.
But there is no point in proceeding unless there is such
clarity.
*************************
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/6230571.stm
Dropped MLA 'Sour Grapes' Claim
Sinn Fein MLA Davy Hyland's concerns about policing were
not to blame for his de-selection, a party member says.
The Newry and Armagh MLA, who has resigned from the party,
said there was disquiet locally about the direction the
Sinn Fein leadership were going on.
But Sinn Fein assembly member John O'Dowd said this was
just sour grapes.
"An election convention was called with 21 days notice
given - Davy went on holiday and received, out of 63 votes
cast, three votes to have him back."
Mr O'Dowd added: "Davy resigned because his local
constituency office de-selected him in a democratic manner.
"This is not a policing issue, this is Davy (complaining)
because he was de-selected."
'Republican principles'
Mr Hyland is still considering whether to run as an
independent in the forthcoming election.
"I leave Sinn Fein secure in the knowledge that I have
remained true to my republican principles," he said on
Wednesday.
He said there should be more debate and consultation with
the community on whether republicans should sign up to
policing.
"You need a full, frank and open discussion on this matter
because it has massive implications for everyone on this
island," he said.
The week before Mr Hyland was de-selected, Sinn Fein leader
Gerry Adams met PSNI chief constable Sir Hugh Orde against
a backdrop of growing pressure on republicans to support
the police as part of the deal to restore devolution.
Story from BBC NEWS:
Published: 2007/01/04 11:50:21 GMT
© BBC MMVII
*************************
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/article2124966.ece
Hain Ignores Call To Shelve Restructuring Of Councils
[Published: Thursday 4, January 2007 - 12:29]
By Chris Gordon
Peter Hain has rejected the Assembly's call to shelve plans
for seven super councils.
The decision was widely expected - but an Ulster Unionist
MLA has said it proves that the Government will ignore the
Assembly for political convenience.
Last month the Assembly asked the Secretary of State to put
aside the plans merging Northern Ireland's 26 councils into
seven before 2009.
Most parties in Northern Ireland believe current public
sector reforms should leave 15 councils.
Sinn Fein is the only major party to support the seven
council model chosen by the Government in the Review of
Public Administration (RPA).
The transitional Assembly addressed the issue in one of its
first debates. MLAs supported the SDLP motion that called
for Mr Hain to shelve the current plans and "allow the
decision on future council arrangements to be taken by a
restored Northern Ireland Assembly".
But Mr Hain wrote to Speaker Eileen Bell to tell her he
would not accept the Assembly's view.
He said he wanted the Assembly to decide on RPA, but also
argued that 15 councils would be the wrong decision.
"An analysis of all of the evidence showed that, to achieve
everything we hope these new councils will achieve, the
optimum number of councils is seven," he wrote.
Mr Hain added: "Ideally local politicians in a local
Assembly should be taking decisions on all the key issues
affecting people in Northern Ireland.
"As I have said elsewhere, it would have been my wish that
locally elected politicians, who started this process, were
taking the decisions to implement the RPA.
"However, to realise the vision of world-class Northern
Ireland public services, delivery decisions cannot be
delayed and RPA implementation will proceed as timetabled."
Ulster Unionist Assembly member Michael Copeland said Mr
Hain's attitude showed that "when the Assembly's views are
made known, they're ignored" .
"This vindicates exactly what I said during the debate - we
were watching a piece of theatre played out on a rather
attractive stage at great expense.
"It is patently obvious that the settled view of the
Assembly could not change a lightbulb in the Great Hall.
"I find this extremely frustrating.
"I spend hours every week dealing with real difficulties
that people face - I feel like I deal with symptoms of the
disease, but I've been denied access to the surgical tools
to deal with the disease.
"These are decisions that should be taken by people
locally."
© Belfast Telegraph
*************************
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/6230891.stm
Delight As Bank Charges Dropped
The mother of a man who was accused of carrying out the
£26m Northern Bank robbery has been speaking of her relief
that the charges have been dropped.
Dominic McEvoy, 23, from Mullandra Park, Kilcoo, heard on
Wednesday that the charges of robbery and false
imprisonment had been withdrawn.
His mother Irene said she was overjoyed when she heard the
news from her son.
"It was 14 months of hell, and in five minutes, your life
was back together again," she said.
"It's a miracle - I just couldn't believe it.
"When Dominic told us, the family all just squealed - we
could not believe it."
Mr McEvoy was arrested in November 2005 in connection with
the robbery in Belfast city centre the previous December.
Charges against a second man of withholding information and
attempting to pervert the course of justice were also
dropped on Wednesday.
Mr McEvoy had been jointly charged with Northern Bank
official Christopher Ward, 25, from Colinmill, Poleglass,
in west Belfast.
Mr Ward was remanded on continuing bail on Wednesday.
Story from BBC NEWS:
Published: 2007/01/04 13:26:38 GMT
© BBC MMVII
*************************
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/article2124893.ece
Nazi Background Of Prominent Irish Publisher Exposed
[Published: Thursday 4, January 2007 - 10:45]
By David McKittrick
The Nazi past of Ireland's foremost educational publisher
is to be highlighted in a television programme to be
broadcast on the state system, RTE, this month. The
programme details the record of Albert Folens, a Belgian
who after fleeing to Ireland following the war built up a
highly successful business producing school textbooks.
Folens, who died in 2003 at 86, had not denied working for
the Germans but minimised his part in the war. But his
involvement with both the Gestapo and Waffen SS is to be
revealed.
He was among a small number of Germans, Belgians and Dutch
who arrived in the Irish Republic after 1945. Although some
were suspected of having worked for Hitler, there was no
determined official effort to weed them out.
Folens' general sympathies were no secret, though the
particulars of his role were not generally known.
He was, the programme says, a volunteer in the Waffen SS
Flemish legion, serving on the eastern front until he was
wounded. After treatment in an SS hospital, he joined the
Gestapo, working at their Brussels headquarters, he
claimed, as a translator.
His name is said to have appeared on the US Army's Central
Registry of War Criminals and Security Suspects, known as
Crowcass. But Folens always denied any involvement in
torture or inhumane treatment.
Arrested by the British Army in Germany, he was sentenced
to 10 years after a military trial. But he escaped after 30
months and fled to the Republic, on a false passport. In
Dublin, he worked as a teacher then set up a publishing
company, producing textbooks and copybooks for generations
of Irish children. The concern flourished and he became a
well-known figure.
At the time of his death, a dissident Irish republican
organisation paid tribute to him as "a big-hearted
benefactor of republican prisoners during the 1970s and
1980s", saying thousands of prisoners' children had
benefited from his generosity.
A sympathetic obituary of him in a Dublin newspaper said he
had joined Hitler's "Flemish Legion" - the 27th
Freiwilligen Sturmbrigade Langemarck - for the specific
task of fighting the Red Army. Another former Nazi lived in
Belfast after the war. Werner Heubeck, a colourful
businessman who had been a member of the Hitler Youth
movement, and made no secret of his record, became managing
director of the official transport company Ulsterbus.
His speciality during the Troubles, when many of his
vehicles were set on fire and blown up, was to enter buses
in which possible explosive devices had been placed. In
many instances, he carried the devices off the vehicles.
© Belfast Telegraph
*************************
http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/?jp=CWSNKFIDGBID&rss=rss1
Numbers Training To Become Priests Up Seven In 2006
04/01/2007 - 08:09:00
The number of men training to become parish priests has
increased over the past year, according to the Catholic
Communications Office.
The office says 26 men joined diocesan orders in 2006,
compared to 19 the previous year.
However, the number of priests being ordained is continuing
to fall steadily, with just 19 ordained in 2005, compared
to 39 in 2001.
Despite the fall, the Vocations Ireland organisation says
the number of people joining the lay ministry is growing
every year.
*************************
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/breaking-news/ireland/article2124915.ece
Gardai Name Connemara Man Swept To Death Off West Coast
[Published: Thursday 4, January 2007 - 11:03]
Gardai have named the 38-year-old man who drowned after
being swept off rocks on the Co Galway coast yesterday
evening.
Mairtin Sullivan, from Beal an Daingean in Connemara, was
swept to his death by wave shortly after 5pm.
He had been harvesting seaweed with his brother at the time
of the accident.
Mr Sullivan's body was found by neighbours a number of
hours later after an intensive land, sea and air search.
© Belfast Telegraph
*************************
http://www.unison.ie/entertainment/music/stories.php3?ca=61&si=1748887
Saw Doctors Top Bill At US Political Ball
Thursday January 4th 2007
GALWAY band The Saw Doctors are to headline the biggest New
Year political ball in the US.
The newly-elected governor of the state of Maryland will be
inaugurated at a glittering black tie event to be attended
by several thousand people on January 17.
The new governor, Martin O'Malley, has insisted on flying
his favourite band to the state capital.
Governor O'Malley, an Irish-American politician who shot to
public attention as an outstanding mayor of Baltimore, has
used his friendship with the band members to persuade them
to change their plans to play at the big event.
The band always takes the month of January off and keyboard
player Kevin Duffy even arranged his wedding to girlfriend
Paula Cannon for today in the knowledge that the entire
band could be present.
But once the call came from the new governor - previously
voted one of the top five US mayors by 'Time' magazine -
there was no way The Saw Doctors could say no.
"The governor is a big fan," said band manager Ollie
Jennings. "He is a musician himself and he has even played
on stage with us a couple of times."
Brian McDonald
----
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