Galway Advertiser 2009/GA_2009_01_22/GA_2201_E1_016.pdf 

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BE A GALWAY VOICE

Senator was `scare- I pray for Eagleton says mongrelling' with former atheist Briarhill dog story
Dear Editor, Permit me through your column, to make some comments regarding an article which appeared in last week's edition of the Galway Advertiser, under the heading "Briarhill families terrorised by dangerous dogs, claims senator". As a mother and one of the aforementioned residents, I must say that I read this article with total dismay and disgust. The Briarhill "area", as portrayed in your article was a place which neither I nor indeed, many of my neighbours recognised! The impression painted by Senator Fidelma Healy Eames in her statements, was that of gangs of marauding dogs running wild all over the Briarhill area. She specifically mentions staffordshire bull terriers and a rottweiler roaming free, to such an extent as to be almost holding some of the residents hostages in their homes! Such an impression is both factually untrue and very unfair to all of the respectable, law abiding, residents of this area, many of whom, myself included own dogs. Indeed, reading the article itself begs the question, what exactly were Senator Healy Eames' real motives in using such highly emotional and visual language, in her efforts to present the Briarhill area as an area "controlled" by dogs. In her comments, she mentions other incidents which have occurred in relation to some of these dogs, but she conveniently neglects to point out that these incidents occurred in totally different parts of the city! It seems to me that Senator Healy Eames is engaging in the practice of "tarring all with the same brush". How would she feel I wonder, were the Irish public to engage in the same activity, vis a vis politicians, in today's political and financial climate? In the same vein, maybe her suggestion about checking out the character of dog owners is a good one, but once again, maybe such an idea would better serve the people, if such character checks were introduced for politicians instead of dog owners? The results of such a character check would make for very interesting reading indeed! The more cynical amongst us might be forgiven for thinking that the main purpose in Senator Healy Eames making these statements about the Briarhill area was to gain cheap publicity, (at the expense of the decent hardworking Briarhill residents) in her ongoing attempts to increase her electoral recognition. If Senator Healy Eames was genuinely concerned about vicious dogs in this, or any other area of the city, should she not simply contact the relevant authorities, namely the Gardai or the dog warden, to have the matter investigated? Surely, if she was seriously concerned, she could have easily accessed the telephone numbers of these authorities, rather than occupy a 6 x 5 inch space in your newspaper which, to put it mildly, was nothing short of irresponsible, unwarranted, and unfair scare mongering, or should that be "scare mongrelling"! Yours, Briarhill Residents. (Names and address with editor) Dear Editor, After reading the letter published in your excellent newspaper on December 30 last, titled "Eagleton comments on atheism are the usual canards" I would like to express one or two thoughts that this letter created in me. First of all the writer claims that atheism stands for nothing, it is not even a negative and can't define a person etc. Surely what we think is what we are as our thoughts produce behaviour and the behaviour expresses ourselves. Having been in the past an atheist myself I agree that an atheist has nothing to prove and as such I never cared less what other religious people said about me and atheism. And since I never bothered with religion I never wrote books nor wrote letters of 1000 and more words to newspapers against religious people of any kind let alone to do so with a very vehement manner. Let alone to ask strange questions to say the least. For the writer asks Mr Eagleton if he has made a deep and wide-ranging analysis of all other religions -- 4,000 of them -- and deities before choosing his religion. It would be interesting if the writer of the letter he/she -first -answers his own question, ie, has he -himself - made a deep and wide -ranging analysis of all other religions and deities before choosing to be atheist? As about his/her assertion that Mr Eagleton as any other religious person should realize that by accepting one god out of 4000 gods then the religious people are 99.9999 per cent atheists- he must be joking or worse. Surely to believe that one god from the 4,000 is the True One and thus to disregard the 3,999 false ones, does not make you an atheist even by 0.000000001 per cent. Because I don't eat meat that does not mean that I starve a little bit or all together, I am just a vegetarian. The writer claims that he grew up as a Catholic, so what? That does not mean that he knows anything about faith, what it is, and how it feels. Faith is felt and known by the ones in the inside of religion not from reading books or people, even by the ones that read and know the Gospels by heart. I grew up as an atheist, so? Today I am a Christian for the simple reason that for 48 years I tried by all means to kill and bury Jesus of Nazareth. I read and followed Von Daniken and others like Dawkins and Hitchens. Though I was a bit puzzled why they were always playing safe and always arguing about and against Christianity but never against Mohamed ism and other religions. But I still followed the people with such ideas and once or twice I even

Government urged to see the links between the Irish and the Palestinians
Dear Editor, We call on the Irish Government to recognise the parallels between the Palestinian present and the Irish past. A people with a developed culture have their land stolen and occupied by a vastly more powerful, expansionist, military power. The people are made second class citizens in the tiny percentage they are allowed to hold on to, unfair distribution of resources, lack of infrastructure, mass unemployment, economic stagnation grinds the people into the ground. They are murdered through state endorsed violence, and killed by being starved, deprived of the basic necessities, food, medicine, security, shelter, existential stability, their houses are knocked, they are scattered around the world. They are characterised in the media as violent, intransigent, barbarous, religious fanatics responsible for their own awful living standards. The aggressors portray themselves as the epitome of civilisation and reason. We call on the Irish Government, the media, and most of all the Irish people to make the link, not only as a general atrocity but from our own specific, communal historical experience. As a first step we call on people to boycott and encourage others, collectively and individually to boycott Israeli goods; Remembering as we do that the word boycott entered the English language as a synonym for ostracise because of Irish collective organisation and action to make people who are responsible for such crimes to feel like social pariahs. In solidarity, Dette and Micheal, on behalf of the Galway Free Gaza Campaign

Two for ones
Dear Editor, Just a couple of brief points in response to Willie Shaw's article entitled 'Consumer Power' on page 52 of last week's Advertiser. The article asks the reader, rhetorically, I think, " how many two for one offers do you see advertised?". Within the pages of that very issue, I was immediately struck by three separate dining establishments with special offers, indeed, one was even a 'two for one offer'. Moreover, I also work for a fourth separate establishment that also does a two for one offer in the city centre at the moment. The author of the article also asks us how many times we have been offered "a second bottle of wine free?". To say the very least, this is an unfashionable notion at the moment. The abolition of happy hour drinks promotions, and the new licensing laws regarding the prohibition of the sale of alcohol after 10pm, both seek to combat the drink culture, so it's unlikely this particular offer will become popularised. Yours, Cathal Kelly, Shrule.

Panto opens people up the joys of theatre
Dear Editor, I just wanted to congratulate everyone connected with this year's Renmore Pantomime which has just completed another fantastically entertaining season at the Town Hall Theatre. A big thank you to the organisers, directors, producer, choreographers, performers, and of course the magnificent Smurfs. That magic feeling of panto still exists and serves to remind people of their younger days. For many people it can often be their first visit to a theatre with all its colour, laughter, and general gaiety. The Renmore Pantomime this year celebrates 30 years of truly wonderful entertainment for everybody. Long long may it continue to enthrall all audiences, both young and old. Yours, John Quinn, Ballyloughane Road, Galway.

Thesis on attitude towards women in medicine
Dear Editor, I am a second-year history of medicine PhD student at the National University of Ireland, Galway, studying early women medical students and doctors in Ireland in the period 1877-1922. My PhD thesis examines attitudes towards women in medicine in Ireland in the late 19th and early 20th century. In addition, a major part of my project involves the creation of a collective biography of the social backgrounds, experiences and subsequent careers of early women medical graduates of Irish institutions. I would really like to hear from any of your readers who might have a relative who was an early Irish woman doctor who trained at one of the Irish universities in the period 1880-1930. Similarly, if any of your readers happen to know of any historical sources such as the letters or diaries of Irish women doctors or information relating to Irish women in medicine, I would be grateful to hear from them. I would be particularly interested in meeting descendants of early Irish women doctors so that I might be able to include their relatives' personal stories in my work. I may be contacted by email at: irishwomendoctors@googl email.com or on 00 353 87 9765916. All replies I receive will be responded to in complete confidentiality. Thank you in advance for your help. Laura Kelly, 62 Dun na Mara, Renmore, Galway

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HAVE YOUR SAY

16 L E T T E R S

January 22 2009

triumphed against religious people in words and actions. Many a time I killed the Christ with my words and behaviour. And then I found that the Man from Nazareth was still alive. Many times I mocked Him and cursed at Him and did everything against His doctrine. I buried Him and stamped on His grave and then I found, like all the people like me found, for the last 2,000 years that the Man was alive again. And because I got fed up fighting and losing this stupid battle with the truth, 15 years ago I gave up fighting and gave in and I accepted that God does exist and He did become a man and He did die for me to make me His friend and He did rise from the grave and He is still alive. And I found my health and my peace. And I stopped sleeping rough and in the cemeteries as I used to do in 1993. I don't even hate and ridicule Mr Dawkins and Hitchens and his followers. I only pray for them - as other Christians were praying for me when I was an atheist - that one day God will help them to open their eyes to the truth. And the fact that I can do so, this my friend is the best proof that I can give you that my God is alive and works in me. God bless you. Mise le meas Basilis Nikolakos Galway