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Galway Advertiser 1991/1991_03_07/GA_07031991_E1_018.pdf
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Galway Advertiser,
7th March,
1991
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L E T T E R S
WINNING THE PEACE
The Stunning speed of the crushing Allied Victory over Saddam Hussein must not blind us to the fact that just as much energy and initiative must now go into designing a lasting framework for peace in the Middle East. There can be few now who can seriously maintain that the Allied war effort was anything less than morally, economically and politically justified. However, winning the war is only the first stage in the complete operation of ensuring that situations like the one that led to the war will not happen again. And it is here that diplomatic finesse of the highest order will be required. The post-war situation presents us with a new balance of power and infiuence, in both the Middle East and on the international scene. Firstly, The United States has emerged from this conflict as the most powerful nation in the world. Despite the last minute attempts by the Soviet Union to seize the initiative in the Gulf War situation, it was the U.S., along with its Coalition partners, that set the agenda in the closing days of the war, and who will now set the agenda for the peace. In the Middle East, a new power bloc has emerged, focused on Egypt, Syria and Saudi Arabia, and here too there are possibilities that a lasting settlement may be achieved. There is an urgent requirement on the part of the victorious Allies to appreciate the depth of Arab coiKcm over what has happened in the Gulf region. Feelings of impotence and humiliation are endemic in many of the poorer Arab countries, such as Jordan. And the symbolic core of Arab resentment is the question of a Palestinian homeland. Many times during the course of the war uncomfortable parallels were drawn by Arab commentators between the readiness of the West to go to war on behalf of Kuwait and, on the other hand, their apparent indifference to the continuing Israeli occupation of the West Bank. Saddam Hussein almost succeeded in undermining the Coalition with his attempt to link his invasion with the Palestinian issue. He failed. But the issue remains. Unless the United States seriously tackles the Palestinian question, Arab resentment will undermine virtually all of what has been achieved through the Gulf War victory. Charges of double-standards will be deafening and unanswerable. President Bush, who does not owe his office to support from the powerful U.S. Jewish lobby, must show the same confidence and decisiveness in the face of criticism he demonstrated during the course of the war, and move swiftly to address the Mestinian issue. He must not allow himself to be deflected by Israeli bloody-mindedness. While Israel may feel they are owed something for not retaliating to Iraqi attack, equally they must realise that without U.S. assistance, their country might have suffered grieviously at the hands of Saddam Hussein. Being placed in a vulnerable position, dependent on someone else might have a sobering effect on the Israeli leadership. The key to lasting peace in the Middle East is the settlement of the Palestinian issue. President Bush has a golden opportunity to add the laurels of the peacemaker to those of a skilful war leader. Let us hope he will have the courage and intelligence to g r a s p the opportunity.
CONCERN OVER SCHOOL CLOSURE
The Bells of St. Nicholas
The bells of St. Nicholas have a long history some of which is recorded in inscriptions on the bells themselves.
The oldest bell tells that Hugh Butwall was the founder who made it and that it was renewed by James Lynch in 1590. Another was made in France by Lxjuis Longree in 1631 and first hung in a church in Normandy. The corporation of Galway in 1684 erected a pair of bells and a second pair in 1726. The final pair, which complete the chimes, was put up one hundred years ago this year by Henry Sadlier Persse in memory of Eleanor Alice Persse who had died the previous year. The bell-founder for these two bells was J. Murphy of Dublin. Persse was also responsible for the handsome east window in the church. It was originally erected by James Lynch in preReformation days. Centuries later Persse had it restored in memory of his daughter, Matilda Theodora. When Persse himself died in this week in 1899 a memorial to him was erected by restoring the stained glass in the central west window. Henry S. Persse was a son of Burton Persse of Moyode Castle. The family of Moyode and of Roxboro' had long associations with Galway city. The most notable of them established an extensive brewery at Newcastle. Hardiman wrote of it: "the porter made here . . . has been much esteemed, and had for some time a good deal superseded the use of ardent spirits among the lower orders!' Henry S. Persse's contributions to Galw^ were of a more permanent nature. Not only did he enhance the church of St. Nicholas he also, shortly before his death, purchased and presented the site for the building of a rectory as a residence for the rectors of the parish. Thomas P. O'Neill Dear Editor, I have been reading with dismay your article in the Galway Advertiser of 28.2.91 regarding the closure of The Holy Family School in Renmore. My initial interest lies in the fact that I have a mentally handicapped brother who now has gone well past the school going age. For much of his school going life my parents, along with dedicated teachers, parents, and interested parties, persistently lobbied government for facilities for these children, young adults and eventually older adults. The result of this work in the Galway area was the school at Snipe Avenue, The Holy Family School, Renmore, and Kilcoman Training Centre, Clarenbridge - at present talking also about community integration. The most modem thinking with regard to our "special children" is this concept of integration into the community. I have no doubt there exists sound research to support this concept. But I wonder where Hoes one draw the line, and how far is the minister willing to commit himself to ensure the success of this concept. As a parent I would wish for my own son the best possible start in life and education plays a major role here. Despite the existence of the European Social Fund and the wealth of the nation in taxes, many of our children "make it" only because of the dedication of school teachers teaching in overcrowded classrooms and using out of date equipment to match a rapidly changing society with changing needs. If Mr. Fahey persists with the concept of integration regarding our special children I hope and pray that he has the foresight to equip and staff our schools, in order to provide the quality of time, care, individual attention and education which the existing systems provides. It has always been a great source of satisfaction and happiness to parents, friends and teachers of our "special children" to observe how happy and secure they are, and how well they learn and progress in the existing learning environment. It would be very irresponsible to disrupt this winning combination for the sake of modern thinking. There was a time in history where singlemindedness produced a need for organisations like The Council of Europe fighting to protect the rights of individuals against blinkered dictators. Today we are less likely to take people or concepts at "face v a l u e " . We do our homework and in our cautiousness endeavour to remember the "other person". I ask Mr. Fahey not to take any facts or research at face value and remember the "individuals" who cannot speak for themselves. It took a lot of work and years to ensure the happiness and security of our "special children" in the Galway area and research proves that once this security is damaged it takes a huge amount of time and heartache to restore it. Name and Address with Editor.
WELCOME FOR INTEGRATION pilot schemes have proved Dear Editor, PLAN a major success. The The Galway Branch of
the Downs Syndrome Association welcome the policy of the Department of Education to integrate children with learning difficulties into standard schools and to provide the necessary support services. The Downs Syndrome Association nationally, through its branches have successfully implemented integrated education in a number of areas with the co-operation of Principals and teachers over the past number of years. In doing this they have employed resource teachers to pro- Department is providing vide additional support to these facilities & will always the teachers in the par- need to incorpwrate the ticipating schools. The provision of special schools resource teachers have and workshops. Yours sincerely, been funded by the parents Marie Long of these special children as Chairperson well as the Downs SynGalway Branch, drome Association of Downs Syndrome AssociaIreland, both nationally and tion of Ireland. locally, each contributing one third of the cost. It was always hoped that when such a scheme was found to be successful that the Department of Education would take responsibility for its funding and future development. These
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A SPLENDID PROSPECT!
G a l way's increasing attractiveness as a p l a c e to live a n d a place to visit is based o n many factors - clean air, a c h a r m i n g streetscape, a t h r i v i n g artistic c o m m u n i t y , that i n t a n g i b l e , u n q u a n t i f i a b l e " s o m e t h i n g " that e n c o u r a g e s investment a n d b u s i n e s s g r o w t h but certainly o n e hitherto u n r e a l i s e d feature is t h e city's seaside l o c a t i o n . Galway is a city of s t r e a m s and rivers that flow into o n e of the m o s t beautiful bays in Western E u r o p e . G e n e r a t i o n s of G a l w e g i a n s have strolled along the p r o m a n a d e a n d refreshed their souls with the fresh breeze off the Bay, o r the p r o s p e c t of the soft C l a r e Hills of the B u r r e n . But in recent years Salthill, w h i c h should b e the real " j e w e l in the c r o w n " of Galway, h a s tended to look a bit " d o w n at heel". Development has b e e n h a p h a z a r d a n d , it has to b e said, often insensitive. T h e n e w s this w e e k of a m a j o r d e v e l o p m e n t plan from Galway C o r p o r a t i o n Planning and Engineering d e p a r t m e n t s for G a l w a y ' s seafront must b e w a r m l y w e l c o m e d by all G a l w e g i a n s . U n d e r the t e r m s of the p l a n , 5 miles of coastline, from N i m m o ' s P i e r all the way out to Silver Strand, will b e developed into a nukjor amenity area. If w e add this to the exciting M u t t o n Island d e v e l o p m e n t , it looks as if Galway is about to finally get a s u p e r b seafront development that will add a ftirther d i m e n s i o n to what this vital city has to offer b o t h the visitor and the citizen.
PADRAIC SETS THE RECORD STRAIGHT!
Dear Sir, I wish to reply to an allegation made by Minister Frank Fahey in last week's Galway Advertiser. He accused me of not knowing what I was talking about in relation to special education. I would like to inform Minister Fahey that I have all my facts in order. I have consulted with everybody concerned, particularly the parents, re Minister Fahey's controversial plans for the Holy Family and Snipe Avenue schools. Had he consulted the parents, who will be most affected by his plans, he wouldn't be in the awkward position he is now. Yours, Padraic McCormick T.D., Fine Gael Spokesman on Mental Health and Special Education.
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