Galway Advertiser 1981/1981_05_14/GA_14051981_E1_004.pdf 

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1981

W e b a d p l a n s for a different p h o t o g r a p h t h a n this o n e t o d a y , b u t after t h e w e e k e n d activities, we m u s t d o honour to the Galway footballers a n d s o w e have for y o u t o - d a y t h e 1934 G a l w a y t e a m , All Ireland C h a m p i o n s , a n d t h e first team t o bring the Sam Maguire across the Shannon. T h e y a r e , front r o w , from left: Paddy Stephens ( C o r o f i n ) , P r e s e n t President of Galway F . Board, Dinny O'Sullivan (Oughterard), Very Rev. J . O ' D e a P . P . , (then Chairman Galway Co. Bd., n o w President), Ralph Griffin (Ballinasloe), T a d h g McCarthy (An Cath Gaelach). Middle (from left): Brendan Nestor (Dunmore), T o m m y Hughes (Barnaderg), Michael " C u s s a u n " B r e n n a n ( A h a s c r a g h ) , Mick Higgins (Wolfe Tones, Capt.), D e r m o t Mitchell (Corofin), Mick Ferritter, Jimmy Nohilly (Sec. G a l w a y F . Bd.). Back (from left): M a r t i n R e g a n (Sec. G a l w a y C o . .Board), Tom Molloy

(Trainer), Hugo Carey (Clifden), J o h n Dunne (Ballinasloe), Mick C o n n a ire (Ballinasloe), Sgt. J . D a l y ( A n C a t h G a e l a c h ) , P.J. M c D o n n e l l (Ballinasloe), Frank Fox (Dunmore), D i c k K e n n y , D r . M . B. Farrell (Treasurer Galway F . , Bd.), a n d J . J . N e s t o r (Chairman, Galway F. Board). Our thanks to Jack M a h o n for this p h o t o g r a p h . A s w e g o t o p r i n t , a new s h o p f r o n t is t a k i n g s h a p e in M a r k e t Street. It has great character -- a timber frontage in the t r a d i t i o n a l style a n d an e n o r m o u s improvement on the a l u m i n i u m s h o p front t h a t w a s t h e r e . It will be a great a d d i t i o n t o M a r k e t Street. Finally, a t h o u g h t . H a v e you noticed a n y s t r a n g e r o a d signs lately, p o i n t i n g t h e w r o n g w a y . T h e r e is o n e in Salthill, which p u t s Pearse S t a d i u m o u t beside t h e Light H o u s e . S o m e signs a r e broken and some are just filthy, like t h e o n e a t t h e t o p of H i g h Street. A little clean up would do no harm. T.K.

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world publicity a n d good will w h i c h , it is h o p e d t o gain f r o m t h e f o r t h c o m i n g R o y a l w e d d i n g is n o w seen t o be in d a n g e r , especially in t h o s e f o r m e r colonies w h o s e s y m p a t h y in t h e p o s t c o l o n i a l e r a is seen as a vital p a r t of British d i p l o m a c y . Mrs. Thatcher, Mr. Atkins and co. now have to face t h e w o r l d with a c h o i c e which, w h a t e v e r t h e y d o , leaves t h e m c h e c k m a t e d .

While t h e H-Blocks issue a n d t h e hunger-strike of Bobby Sands and his c o m p a n i o n s h a s h a d an o b v i o u s political i m p a c t o n the S o u t h , even t o t h e degree t h a t it m a y h a v e been t h e factor which finally decided t h e d a t e of t h e 1981 G e n e r a l Election, the tensions arising from this c o n t i n u i n g saga in t h e N o r t h h a v e been even g r e a t e r , a n d h a v e totally o v e r s h a d o w e d t h e fact t h a t N o r t h e r n I r e l a n d is d u e t o g o t o t h e polls in local elections in j u s t t w o weeks time.

Either they agree to a n o t h e r B y - E l e c t i o n in Fermanagh/South Tyrone t o fill t h e v a c a n c y c a u s e d b y Mr. Sands's death or they d e c i d e t o c h a n g e t h e rules of t h e g a m e in t h e g l a r i n g light of w o r l d m e d i a . If, as s e e m s likely, t h e o p t for t h e l a t t e r , it c o u l d lead t o all s o r t s of o t h e r n a s t y files being o p e n e d a b o u t t h e n a t u r e of "British d e m o c r a c y " over t h e p a s t 6 0 y e a r s , especially in local g o v e r n m e n t , a n d p a r t i c u l a r l y in s o m e o f t h o s e six-county a r e a s w h i c h t h e D u b l i n m e d i a , a s well a s t h e British, have generally misrepresented as being ELECTION s o m e type of "bandit CONSEQUENCES t e r r i t o r y " o r p l a c e s in which, for s o m e u n e x p l a i n e d Already the By-Election r e a s o n , Irish C a t h o l i c s t a k e victory of M r . S a n d s in it u p o n themselves t o s h o o t Fermanagh/South Tyrone Protestants with an ease has had an important which w o u l d c o n f o u n d even political effect in t h e N o r t h . t h e m a k e r s o f wild west, T h e S D L P took considera films. T h e very n a t u r e o f t h e ble criticism for o p t i n g o u t ion. local g o v e r n m e n t elections of the, contest, n o t so m u c h themselves m i g h t c o m e i n t o because they t h u s d i s a p p o i U.K. C R E D I B I L I T Y question, not just the powers nted the Northern National T h i s w o u l d s e e m t o leave a u t h o r i t y a n d significance o f ist c o m m u n i t y , b u t b e c a u s e Mrs. Thatcher and her Tory their functions, but the their w i t h d r a w a l gave m o r e G o v e r n m e n t in a s o m e w h a t r e a s o n w h y p e r s o n s w h o militant elements in difficult s i t u a t i o n , n o m a t t e r h a v e been elected to Fermanagh and Tyrone an how stern a n d how loud the Westminster cannot contest opportunity to demonstrate t h a t , given a clean s w e e p , a t t i t u d e in t h e s h o r t - t e r m , elections t o d e c i d e h o w t h e a n d in spite of t h e terrible d u s t - b i n s a r e g o i n g t o b e t h e y c o u l d mobilise a full price in suffering, d e a t h a n d e m t i e d in thier o w n a r e a . s p e c t r u m of a n t i - U n i o n i s t misery which is being p a i d o p i n i o n in a w a y t h a t m a n y SLOW PROCESS while e v e r y b o d y waits for a felt w o u l d n o t h a p p e n , a n d against which s t r o n g voices s o l u t i o n of s o m e r e a s o n a b l e If t h e T o r i e s o p t for t h e in I r e l a n d , N o r t h a n d S o u t h , s o r t . choice of p u t t i n g b a c k t h e as well as in B r i t a i n , h a d By-Election u n t i l t h e e n d of T h e vast a m o u n t of w o r l d spoken. Sands did not stand p u b l i c i t y m a y n o t b e this P a r l i a m e n t ' s life, it as a P r o v o c a n d i d a t e , n o r w o r r y i n g t h o s e c h a r g e d with a p p e a r s t h e N a t i o n a l i s t w a s his election victory o n ' r e l a t i o n s with I r e l a n d , b u t p e o p l e of F e r m a n a g h a n d t h e issue of political s t a t u s t h e F o r e i g n Office is scared T y r o n e a r e g o i n g t o o r g a n i s e for p r i s o n e r s claimed as stiff, p a r t i c u l a r l y a b o u t the a m a s s i v e signature s u c h by t h e m . B u t t h e result t u r n - a r o u n d in a t t i t u d e s to c a m p a i g n a n d p e t i t i o n t h e a m e as a s h o c k t o m a n y , t h e European H u m a n Rights U.K. model of id all t h e m o r e so b e c a u s e d e m o c r a c y a s seen in t h e C o u r t . T h a t C o u r t h a s n o t many establishment U n i t e d S t a t e s . E v e n t h e g a i n e d in s t a t u r e in recent figures h a d raised t h e stakes in t h e e x p e c t a t i o n of a n electoral defeat. The i m m e d i a t e effect of t h e win, in political t e r m s , w a s to further polarise the c o m m u n i t i e s in t h e N o r t h , a n d in p a r t i c u l a r t o force m o r e e l e m e n t s of U n i o n i s t opinion into the more e x t r e m e Paisley D . U . P . P . camp. Efforts in the N a t i o n a l i s t side t o regain lost g r o u n d c o u l d only suggest that Provisional Sinn Fein s h o u l d now contest t h e local elections as well. S i n n F e i n t o o k a c o n s c i o u s decision n o t t o d o s o , if o n l y b e c a u s e they realised, that, unlike Westminster contests, c a n d i d a t e s for t h e N o r t h ' s local bodies c a n n o t be p r i s o n e r s , a n d m u s t in fact, h a v e a t least 10 years of a clear r e c o r d from convict

times due to the slow p r o c e s s e s involved in its w a y of w o r k i n g . E v e n Dr. Garrett FitzGerald can now see t h a t t h e p r o s p e c t s of a n 18 m o n t h wait for t h e p r o c e s s i n g of a n ' e m e r g e n c y c a s e ' is n o t m u c h use if y o u feel y o u have a real g r i e v a n c e . But t h a t very 18 m o n t h l o n g p r o c e s s i n g of a claim of denial of r e p r e s e n t a t i o n in P a r l i a m e n t is j u s t t h e type of t h i n g which Margaret, H u m p h r e y a n d t h e rest d o n o t w a n t a t the m o m e n t . "ALLEGED" NEGLECT It w a s , of course, Conradh na Gaeilge Ardfheis w e e k - e n d , a n d even though the proceedings were h e l d in C o r k C i t y this y e a r , t h a t fact m a y h a v e belied t h e o l d excuse t h a t R T E s h o u l d be facilitated b y h o l d i n g important national convent i o n s in c e n t r e s which technically a r e easy t o link u p . O r is it n o w suggested t h a t C o r k is also difficult t o cover? It is o u t s i d e D u b l i n after all. C o n r a d h , w h a t e v e r else c a n b e said a b o u t it, d i d n o t h a v e t o wait for p e o p l e t o d i e before t a k i n g a principled stand o n the whole H-Block issue, t h o u g h o r d i n a r y viewers, w h o n o t i c e d t h e failure t o cover t h e S t r a s b u r g d e b a t e o n t h e night of S a n d s funeral, m i g h t s u s p e c t t h a t t h e p r o m i n e n c e given t o t h e relatively small item of p r o c e e d i n g s in C o r k , was n o t t h e o n l y r e a s o n w h y it was featured with another item o n t h e m a i n television N e w s o n S a t u r d a y n i g h t last. The two points, broadcast after t h e r e p o r t of t h e British C u p F i n a l s , a t t h e very e n d o f t h e bulletin, c o n t a i n e d n o film a n d t h e r e f o r e n o r e p o r t of t h e official o p e n i n g by t h e n e w C a t h o l i c B i s h o p of Cork, Dr. Murphy of p r o c e e d i n g s . O r c o v e r a g e of t h e fact t h a t t h e r e p r e s e n t a tive of t h e C h u r c h o f I r e l a n d Community, the Rev. Sautter, from Bandon, s p e a k i n g in fluent I r i s h , made a scathing attack on R T E for its p r o g r a m m i n g policies. O n c e a g a i n R T E

s p o k e of " a l l e g e d " neglect o f p r o g r a m m e s in Irish for c h i l d r e n as if this w a s a m a t t e r of o p i n i o n and d i s p u t e . But w h e n o n e c a n s t u d y night after n i g h t of R T E schedules on two c h a n n e l s with a b s o l u t e l y n o p r o g r a m m i n g of this n a t u r e o n a r e g u l a r b a s i s , it is difficult t o see h o w R T E still have doubts about this matter. Everybody from I N T O to Aire na Gaeltachta h a v e raised t h e i r voices in recent times a b o u t this matter, have demanded changes, a n d have got promises. In the meantime .... well? W e shall all h a v e t o w a i t a n d see, w o n ' t we? OFF THE CUFF In the meantime you may h a v e seen an a d v e r t i s e m e n t in t h e p a p e r s recently w h i c h said t h a t " R T E is l o o k i n g for u n u s u a l v a r i e t y acts for a new summer television show," adding that " A n y t h i n g o u t of the ordinary considered". Perhaps somebody should suggest a s e g m e n t in Irish as part of the normal p r o g r a m m i n g , a n d see if it w o u l d qualify u n d e r t h e heading "out of the ordinary." Seriously t h o u g h , if a n y b o d y h a s a n y ideas t h e y c a n w r i t e , n o t t o us but to "Off the Wall,"RTE, Donnybrook, D u b l i n 4. A g u s g o n-eire a n b a l l a libh! H I N T S AT P R O G R E S S One should not assume e i t h e r t h a t this is a C o n r a d h , C o m h a l t a s , or even a F i a n n a Fail lobby at work, o r t h i n k t h a t t h e r e is g o i n g t o be a nice c o n s e n s u s t o let sleeping G a e l i c d o g s lie in t h e c o u r s e of t h e f o r t h c o m i n g General Election. T h a t m u c h , at least e m e r g e d f r o m a recent seminar in Castlebar which was o r g a n i s e d b y t h e C o n r a d h in that town, t o discussing the pressing and generally d e p r e s s i n g p r o b l e m s of t h e remaining Gaeltacht p o c k e t s in C o . Mayo. F i a n n a Fail were r e p r e s e n t ed by f o r m e r Mayo Gaeltacht Minister. Denis

G a l l a g h e r , with t h a t sense of direct b l u n t n e s s for w h i c h he is always* f a m o u s , a n d which e v e n his p o l i t i c a l r i v a l , Paddy O'Toole, Fine Gael spokesman on Industry and Commerce could only praise. Mr. O'Toole had s o m e fairly radical t h i n g s t o way himself a b o u t the h i s t o r y of Gaeltacht industrial development, the n e w U d a r a s , set u p w h e n M r . G a l l a g h e r w a s Minister, a n d revealed t h a t F i n e G a e l were working on a G a e l t a c h t policy d o c u m e n t which w o u l d be r e a d y for t h e election. ( F u n n y h o w such things always are ready for elections). T h e r e were h i n t s a b o u t p r o p o s a l s for a policy of re s t r u c t u r i n g of t h e agencies i n v o l v e d , a n d t h e r e seemed t o b e a general i m p r e s s i o n that the Western Develop ment Board, the longp r o m i s e d b a b y of T o m O ' D o n n e l l w h e n Minister for t h e G a e l t a c h t in t h e last N a t i o n a l C o a l i t i o n , which never s a w t h e light of d a y in the end due to economic and a d m i n i s t r a t i v e difficulties of t h e p e r i o d , w a s a b o u t t o be re-born. Nollaig Compiled by O Gadhra.

DRINKING PROBLEM
Have you a relative or friend with a drinking problem ? If so, AL-ANON family group can help you. Come to our meetings at Ozanam House, S t Augustine S t , Galway, every Tuesday and Thursday Night at 8.30 p.m.

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T.V. LICENCE
Pay your T.V. Rent and' Colour Licences together' by renting under our new ^Combined Plan.' O'CONNOR TELEVISION 2/3 Shop Street Galway