Irish Hstory Synopsis: Troubles to Tiger 1990-2007

Irish History Synopsis: Troubles to Tiger 1990-2007


As the stagnant island passed into the 1990's the north still hotly contesting which malitia controlled its territory ,the south passed from the control of Charles Haughey of FF into the hands pf Albert Reynolds in an FF/Labour coalition with Dick Spring as Taniste by
An agreement brokered by Bertie Ahern than a Dial Eirean member and a Haughey loyalist.

During this historic alliance occuring John Hume began a dialogue with Gerry Adams, one the leader of the constitutional SDLP party and the other now leader of Sinn Fein, on ways to end armed struggle and have peace in the north.
Such notable figures as Gordon Wilson a Senator who had lost his daughter in the 87 Enniskillen bombing worked to achieve some sort of peace in the north meeting with IRA personel to try and get them to stop their campaign.

In the south the new Reynolds government offered a tax amnesty to evadors.
The wealthy were allowed to settle with the government on millions of undeclared or evaded back taxes much to the chagrin of ordinary taxpayers and labour voters.
This corrosive influence annoyed the compliant taxpayers leaving a nasty memory of the amnesty well into the 21st century.

With the coming in the early 90's of low intrest rates coupled with grants from the Brussels EU of sugnificant capital and an increased employment a new economic prosperity began developing in the Republic.
A growth rate of 7% occurred in Ireland increasing in the second half of the 90's to 9%.
Irish consumers arose purchasing some 23 billion in goods and services.
International companies were attracted to Ireland with low tax rates and preferred status providing much needed skilled jobs throughout the Republic.
Over 800 foreing firms were invited into the country employing over 1/2 of the Irish workers.
These firms also exported over 80% of the workers manufacture.
High tech companies have achieved an impressive sucess in Ireland.

In 1990 Ireland had a 50% gap between its living standard and that of other EU countires.
Most of the Irish owned companies had little competative edge over 3rd world contries who could produce the same item at a low labor cost.
However a combination of money availability and available consumer goods led Ireland almost overnight into a progessive updated economic upturn under the auspices of its 1st woman President Mary Robinson of the Labour Party.

Ms Robinson took a modern progressive stance on such social conserns ad contraceptive use, divorce, homosexuality and such national matters as peace, meeting directly on this problem with both Gerry Adams of Sinn Fein and the British Monarch.
Maried to a prodistant she manifested a spirit of tolerance in matters of religeous conscience.

The Reynolds opposition to the X Case of a 14 year old pregnant by rape to abtain an abortion won a barrage of critizim both nationally and internationally which lead to an IIrish Court ruling forbidding the girl exit from Ireland to have her abortion.
[the girl was later reported to have a miscarriage]

In the north meanwhile an effort towards a lasting peace was being envisioned by the 3 leaders Albert Reynolds the Taoiseach of the Republic, John Major the British PM and Bill Clinton the US President.

With efforts by diplomatic servies in all 3 countires and the ever online John Hume a way forward was explored .
Indirect talks were teniously begun between and amogst the sides.
Clinton took a particular open role in promiting a negociated peace in his appaointment of George Michell a the US Senator from Maine as negociator to the all party talks peace effort.

tiger pg 2


On October 1993 the IRA bombed a fish fry shop in the Shankill and the Ulster Freedom Fighters retaliated by shooting 7 dead at the GreySteel Bar in Derry.
During these continious violent outbursts talks were ongoing between parties, between Irish government and republican dissentors, between British and Sinn Fein representatives, between Adams and Hume, all trying to create agreement on a peace process.

On December 15 1993 a joint statement called the Downing Street Declaration was issued by Taoiseach Reynolds and Prime Mininster Major outlining agreed terms of nationalist and republican,unionist and loyalists.

It reaffirmed the British governments lack of any selfish strategy or ecnomic interest in North Ireland.
It affirmed self determination attached to Irish acceptance of consent of significant groups to a constitutional settlement and a pledge to undo the causes of conflict.

On this note and the advise of John Hume and the Irish Republic government Clinton offered Gerry Adams of Sinn Fein a 48 hour visa to the US.

By this time the US National Security Council had become invlolved inthe Irish/American affair for some reason still classified.

London was not happy at this offer.

Adams however was viewed as dependant to the crutial inclusion of Sinn Fein and the IRA to the Peace process, was allowed the visit in mid winter, January 1994.

During the Washinton summit attended by Clinton, his National Security Council Kennedy, Senator for Massachutes.
He was advised of the importance of convincing the Republicans to abandon political violence.
This arm twisting did however produce an IRA ceasefire at midnight 31 August 1994, eight months after the Adams visit.

On October 13 1994 the Combined Loyalist Military Command consisting of the UDA ,UFF, UVF,the Red Hand Commandos called a cease fie.
Out of the cease fire both Briish and Irish governments were able to enter direct talks with Sinn Fein, UDP and PUP ,all 3 having para military links.

The Republic set up a Forum for peace and reconsiliation which held a meeting at Dublin Castle on 28 October 1994.
The unionist boycotted these meetings but the rest of the political parties on the island attended helping the dialog of all.

In September '94 Gerry Adams was issued a permanent US visa allowing him free travl in the US. His central message to the American cousins was to opt for a peaceful solution to the Irish Question.

In the meanwhile in the midst of the unbelievable good times in the economic south the nation was beset by a Church sex scandal.

Eamon Casey ,Bishop of Galway, suddenly resigned his prestigious and comfortable position and fled the country when it became known that he had had an affair with an American woman, Annie Murphy, who had borne him a son and she, as she had not been paid child support, was interviewd on national Irish television in 1992.

A more shocking scandal ensued when Fr Brendan Smyth was interviewed by Belfst police when he was charged with sexual abuse of minors.
Fr, released on bail promptly fled to his Abby in County Cavan in the Republic where he avoided the efforts of north Irish police to extradite him back across the border for 3 years.
In January of '94 Fr Brendan surrendered to northern justice and in June pleaded guilty to 17 counts going back to 1960.

He was given a northern jail sentence and when he compleated this was sent to Dublin for further trial in the Republic where he was also convicted and jailed.
However Fr Smyth died of heart attack in 1997 after one month of this incarceration.

Counterpoint a UTV program kept the case in public view also clarifying the lenth of time RUC extradition warrents hasd taken to be acted upon by Dublin.
This delay of 7 months was brought up when Taoisech Albert Reynolds went to appoint his Attorney General Harry Whelehan [ ofthe X Case] to President of the High Court.

Labour was intent on having Whelehan explain the handling of the Smyth matter.
When Reynolds supported Whelehan anyway without the concurrance of the Labour Ministers and his Taniste Dick Spring they left the coalition cabinate.

In November Spring and his Ministers resigned the government.
No longer having a parliamentary majority Reyonlds resigned as Taoisech and leader of the FF.
Labour entered a new coalition with Fine Gael getting enough Dial votes to elect John Bruton in 1994 known as the Rainbow coaltion.
No general election was held.

Under the rule of FG Bruton regime Ireland continued to enjoy economic prosperity and a high export rate.
It also sustained an assortment of Dial tribunals set up to investigate various corrupt practices.
There was a Beef Tribunal to investigate fraud and illegal acivies in this industry.
The McCracan Tribunal to invesstigate payouts by supermarket millionare Ben Dunne to Charles Haughey.
The Moriaraty Tribunal investigated payments to Charles Haughey and Michael Lowry and off shore Ansbacke dispensations again involving Charles Haughey.
This report however was not made public till July 2002.

Foreigners making a million pound investment in the Rebublic were entitled to apply for an Irish passaport.
Holders of an Irish passport are also citizens of EU which includes them with residenecy rights in any EU country.

Kickback schemes invloving a Minister fromthe Planning Commission were revealed.
Minister Burke resigned as the Flood Tribunal was being established.

tiger pg 3



A committment to human rights was made and a pledge to submit talk results to a referendum both north and south.
Sinn Fein's Adams was again invited to Washington and allowed a fund raising drive in the US.
Clinton invited him to the White House St Patricks Day in 1995.

Out of these friendly visitations Great Britain announced an exploritory dialogue with Sinn Fein.
John Major visited Washington in April and was praised by Clinton for inniciating dialogue with SF.
Clinton also reaffirmed Anglo/American relations.

The British insisted the IRA would need to decomission their weopons to allow Sinn Fein into all party talks.
In May a North Ireland Investment Conference was held in Washington which was attended by most of the N Irish parties.
Both UK and Republic officals as well as 100 buisness people attended.
It was a first high level meeting between Britain and IRA leaders in 75 years.

In November 95 Clinton himself visited Belfast. The first US President to ever do so.
He was warmly welcomed by a crowd of over 100.000 at Belfast City Hall.
A reception for all sides was held at Queens University where everyone came together.
There were no armed soldiers in the streets, Roadblocks were gone along with the barbed wire baracades.

In that same year in the spate of good will Prince Charles, Crown Prince of Great Britain made an official visit to the Republic. The first royal visit since 1922.
David Trimble Unionist Party leader went to Dublin, the first Unionist leader to visit Dublin since 1922.

During the summer of 95 the Orange Order marching season had been menacing.
Portadown in County Armagh became a focal point as Orange marchers confronted catholics residents on the Garvey Road which ran through their housing estate over a traditional prodistant march through that estate.

The Reverand Ian
Paisley and David Trimble marched together with mutual followers down the tense road.

When Goerge Mitchell, US envoy of President Clinton and the Secreatary of State arrived in Belfast he was struck by the 30 ft 'peace line' wall topped with barbed razor wire separating the catholic Falls Road from the prodistant Shankill and remarked that it was one of the most depressing structures he had ever seen.

In 1995 Seamus Heaney Poet won the Nobel Prize for Literature.

George Mitchell was to chair a new Presidential initative Body on Arms.
The British who were nervous of this creation nominated to this body General John de Chastelain of Canada.
The Republic nominated a retired Prime Minister of Finnland Harri Hokeri.
This Body drew up 6 principles called the Mitchell Principles which included the total and verifiable decominssioning of all paramilitary weopons.

At 7:00 PM 9 February 1996 the IRA ended its ceasefire with the Canary Wharf bomb on the loading dock. 100 were injured 2 died.
Great financial damage was inflicted.
The IRA demanded an inclusion in negociation settlements accusing the British of Bad Faith and the Unionist of squandering the unpresidented opportunity to resolve the conflict.

On June 15 1996 a tonand 1/2 bomb distroyed the city center of Manchester ,England.

Garvey Road became a flash point of violence.

In October '96 IRA exploded 2 bombs in a British Army Barracks in N Ireland.

As the Westminster government depended on Unionist votes to hold its majority in the House of Commons the Conservative government procrastinated on North Ireland.

The Mitchell talks continued but no progress was made as Sinn Fein was still excluded.

In May 1997 Labor won the British general election with Tony Blair at its head.
Unionist MP's no longer held the balance of power in Commons.
Mo Mowlan became N Ireland Secretary and laid less stress on decomissioning than did the Conservative government.

In June 1997 the IRA killed two policemen in Lurgan, Armagh.
In 1997 Loyalists killed 13.*
Although no official ending of either sides cease fire had been discaded.

The GarveyRoad parade again became a flash point as N Irish police and the British Army forced Orange marchers threw the hostile resisting catholic native residents.

On July 20 1997 the IRA announced a resumtion of its cease fire.
Sinn Fein was admitted to the peace talks on 9 Sept 1997.

Tony Blair went to Belfast and antagonised much of Unionists mainstream by shaking hands with the resolute Gerry Adams.

In January 1998 the Governments of Dublin and Great Britain, and Belfast and Dublin, and Dublin and London ,and between all parties ,and between Bertie Ahern now Taoisech as of 1997, as part of the Irish negociating team came together with Tony Blair British PM and were able to complete an agreement.

George Mitchell ,The Chair had set a deadline of 9 April 1998 to complete the Agreement.
Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern all the N Ireland Parties and President Clinton were involved.

Seventeen hours after the midnight deadline on April 10, Good Friday, 1998 the parties all agreed to end the 30 years of violence in the north.
The Agreement officially known as the Belfast Agreement was signed.

A referena was held on 22 May 1998 both north and south endorsing the Agreement.
All the island people voted together to decide their future.

The first all Ireland vote since 1918.

* very little figures and records of unionist killing are available nor have their malitia organizations been scrutinized and studies like th IRA has been.

tiger pg 4



In the Republic the voters also voted to amend Articles 2 and 3 of the 1937 de Valera Constitution giving up the Republics natural political right to the north 6 counties.

In the Republic with the fall of John Bruton in the 1997 general election FF came back to power with 77 seats over FG 59.
Forming a governemtn with the Progressive Democratic Party founded by O Malley as an offshot of FF with Mary Harney as TAniste.

Dick Spring resiged the leadership of the Labour Party.
Under the new leader Ruari Quinn the weakened Labour Party merged with theDemocratic Left.

Mary Robinson the popular President of Ireland resigned before her term ended to take a post of UN High Commissioner for Human Rightes on 12 September 1997.

Bertie Ahern persuaded Professor Mary MC Aleese to stand for election for FF.
She won the Presidency and did not overshadow her predicessor.
Mary quickly established her own style.
Mary McAleese being a north Irish girl worked in her first term to build bridges between the 2 communities.
She was reelected to a second term in 2004.

The continuing transformation of the Republic economy from a low producer, high inflation and fiscal irresponsible in the preceeding decades developed rapidly with a polcy of Central Bank reduction of interest rates, an influx of some 7 billion pounds from Brussels EU ,negociated by Albert Reynolds and a favorable investment policy for international investment, bringing in such high employers as Intel, IBM, Dell Computers, Microsoft, Glaxo- Smithkline, Bristol Myers Squibb, call centers and service centers for American and European companies.

Ireland also had developed in the 90's a good trade economy exporting much of its agricultural and manufacture produce giving it a competative status in a global free trade economy.

Some native start up companies such as Ryan Air held their own against larger corporate structues and stae owned companies.

A status symobl of automible ownership among the populous rose steadily during the 90's with puurchase of elite Eurupean neuve riche vehicles such as BMW and Mercedes Benz and such status symbols as 4 wheel drive and jeep appearing in urban streets.

An unprecidented number of jobs became available in Ireland necessitating at a later date govenment issuance of foreign work permits which has caused hostile reaction to Ireland Celtic purity.

The governments exchecker funds grew alowing the Republic to have a budget surplus.
These excess funds were not evenly distributed ,the nations hospitals and health services being one of the major sufferers.

Socially the Irish Republic made great strides in housing.
The traditional white limed thatched cottge disapearing from the landscape in favor of modern ranch style bungaloes with large windows, state of the art kitchens, heavy window drapery replacing the ubiquitous famous lace curtain and modern up to date cars graced the door yard.

Dublin expidited a moderazation program with many of the old slum riden Georgian mansions of the 18th century giving way to new suburban estates north and south of the city.

On November 24 1995 a new referenda on divorce removed the constitutional ban.
The new legislation provided for divorce if the parties had lived appart for 4 years of the previous 5.

Throughout the 90's cultural developments accured such as the Field Day Theater Company project in Derry.
Productions to remaking of the Irish past such as Dancing at Lugnasa.
The Mai and the Stewart of Christendom were produced on stage.

Frank McCourt's Angelas Ashes recalling the stuggles of 1940 Limerick, was written and later made into a dvd.
Samus Deane contunied his critique of Irish life in such books as Reading in the Dark and his Field Day Anthology of Irish Writing exploredthe relationship of modern Independant Irish writers to the colonial past.

tiger pg 5


The Irish Arts Council established the Irish Museum of Modern Art and several Art Centers around the country at regional and county levels.

The Lane Collection at Dublin was enlarged and in 1995 Kathy Prendergast a Dublin girl, won the Premio Demila award at Venice Bienale where Ireland had not exibited for 30 years.

The cooperative efforts of the Art Council of Northern Ireland to bring arts to the Ireland schools throughout the island gave writers and artists opportunity to visit schools to read or show their works and discuss these with the students.
The National College of Art and Design functioned to assist these activities during the 90's

With the revival of the National Film Board with support from the European Script Fund financial assistance, such films as The Last of the High Kings, and Words upon the Window Pane, a Mary McGuckian work among other new women entrants into directing annd writing films were produced.
The most famous film producued was Jordons Michael Collins which recieved accolades in Ireland as well as in the overseas market as did In the Name of the Father.
Most of the Sheridan Hells Kitchen films have been sucessful and the Irish Film Bord continues to produce home grown films and dvds for the general market.


As the university system improved and updated its facalty and curiculum Ireland experienced a new crop of well educated technically proficient workers who could handle the complicated ideas and processes of the marketplace and the word of comuters.
Ireland still lags behind other nations in scientific research and development graduates which leaves it left out of the future participation in these global areas.


Ireland experienced a tourist boom with tourists proceeding into the troubled north as well.
Over 5 million mostly American cousins looking for lost roots within the Republic in an average year with 1 million venturing into the troubled northern 6 counties.

The Good Friday Agreeemnt laid out principles of consent and self determination for the people of the north
as set down in the Downing Street Declaration of 1993.
It provided for a new Assembly ,a north south council and a British Irish Council.
It provided for equality of opportunity and rights and a committment of all parties to work in good faith and influnece to achieve decommissioning of weapons within 2 years.
It provided for normalization of security arrangments, a program to release prisoners and a reveiw provision was provided.

On 28 June 1998 elections for the new Northen Ireland Assembly took place.
The Body met on July 1 .David Trimble was elected 1st Minister with Seamus Mallon of SDLP designate 2nd Minister.

During this year violence contunued.
Loyalist petrol bombed a private home in Balymoney,County Antrim killing 3 children age 8,9,10.
28 were killed in Omagh County Tyrone on a catholic holiday, August 15 ,Assension Day.
The bomb ,a 500 pound was placed by a splinter group called the Real IRA.
Known as the Omagh bombing a later video film was made.

The Assembly was suspended several times during the ensuing years when Unionists could not tolerate Sinn Fein inability to deliver IRA decomissioning.

The Assembly was suspended again on October 14 2002 by the then Secreary for N Ireland John Reid, perhaps prematurly, when Unionist refused to share power with Sinn Fein followig a N Ireland police raid on SF offices at Stormont alledging a spy ring.

DUP and SF the biggest electoral parties inthe north continued to wrangle over IRA decomissining through 2004.

Ahern won the 2002 general election forming a coalition government with Progressive Democrats with Mary Harney as Taniste.

tiger pg 6


Struggles between the forces at hand in the north continued with such incidents as the 2005 Great Northern Bank robbery neting 26 million pounds attributed to the IRA and the explosive McCartney murder in 2005 leading to expultion of SF Gerry Adams from the American White House acceptability by George W Bush and a congressional condemnation of the murder by US Sentors Hilary Clinton, Ted Kennedy and John McCain.

FF Bertie Ahern aslo participated in these shallow elitist internal attacks on these two sensational condemnations of the IRA and Sinn Fein leadership.
No evidence was ever produced to charge either nationalist organizations in each of these much touted accusations.

In the south further Dial Tribunal Inquirys continued now including the HIV Hepatatis C Inquiry of 1999
The Clerical Sexual abuse Lafferty Commission
the DIRT Parliamentary Inquiry of 2000 and 2001
The Donegal Garda corruption scandal Morris Tribunal 2002
The 2002 Barr inquiry into the fatal shooting of John Carthy of Abbylara
The National Irish Bank Financial Services Ltd investigation.
The Ansbacker Cayman Island Affair

In 2004 Ireland took the Presidency of the EU and advanced the adoption of European integration and the European Constitution suceeding in getting the 25 member nation states to prepare a draft Constitution.

Much of the success accredited to the negociating and interpersonal skills of the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.

This Constitution however fell to rejection when France and the Netherlands voted to maintain their national soverenty over a united European State in 2005.

George Bush attack with US forces of the country of Iraq in the middle of March 2003 hightened tension between the EU and Washington/London

The war was begun by the Admininstration with out UN Security Council Resolution and without a Declaration of WAr by the US Congress as required by the US Constitution of 1776.

The Congress had only issued a Resolution for the Admininstration to persue intervention in Iraq and Afganistan to defeat what the Admininstration termed a 'terrorist network' responsible for the distruction of the NY City based World Trade Center Buildings in 2001 which resulted in great loss of life as the buildings were struck on a week day when workers where present.

This split the EU between British, Italy and Spain supporting the US , with Gernamy and France leading the inclusive oppostion.

Ireland sought to maintain her neutrality status as had deValera during WW2 but allowed the US airspace and Shannon Airport as a refuling stop.
The Irish people objected to this concession to the US and generally opposed the war.

The FF admininstration made unpopular cut backs in public service funds which cost them the 2004 local elections when FF lost badly.

Fine Gael achieved 5 seats in the European Parliament and FF lost 2 seats.

A referendum was passed in this election removing the automatic right of citizenship to the children born in Ireland of non Irish parentage.
The new provision restricted citizenship to one Irish parent being an Irish citizen or entitled to be an Irish citizen ,but maintained an ex post facto provision for those born before the new provisions were made in 2004.

In 2004 a general election was held in May returning B Ahern to the Taoisech with 81 seats. The coaltion government with Progressive Democrats continued with Mary Harney retaining her position as Taniste.

A referndum in October 2004 reversed a previous rejection of the EU Nice Treaty and revising Irelands position to accept European Unity of EU's now 27 members as against soverenty and self determination.


At Easter 2006 a commemoration of the 1916 Rebellion was held in dublin 2,500 Irish soldiers marched down O Connell St.

In 2006 Charles Haughey died and was given a state funeral.

In Setember Mary Harney fell as the leader of her party and Michael McDowell replaced her as Taniste.

On October 13 2006 the St Andrews Agreement was reched by Tony Blair, Bertie Ahern, DUP ,Ian Paisley and SF Adams to restore the suspended 2002 Assembly .
SF agreed to accept the police service
DUP committed to power sharing
Devolution of police and justice powers are to occur in 2 years of Assembly reactivation
Royal Assent was given on 22 November 2006
Great pomp and cerimoney attended British Parliament and press and American grandstanding for this occation.

tiger pg 7


In the 2007 election FF again won at the polls capturing 78 seats and forming a coaltion government with the new Green Party espousing environmental issues and expecting the enactment of a carbon tax and climate change legislation.
The Green Party is also opposed to Irelands membership in the EU.

Ahern is the first FF polititian since De Valera to survive sucessive elections beginning his 3rd term presently.

Ireland in 2007 sustains a 4.3 unemployment rate. Has a 12.5 corporate tax benefit and a 33% GDP rate.
Its people maintain a prosperous full modern life style that can include travel, savings accounts, full use of modern science and technological development and the benefit of planned families with no fear of excomunication.
Golf has become one of its major sports along with Irish football and revival of the old hurling games.

It still grapples with high inflation ,overly inflated property and land values, lack of natural fuel resourses, the problem of reuniting the island into one nation and its soverignty within the EU state ecomomic complex.

The north must still format its reestablished Assemby into a non secular working Body dedicated to the building of its internal government and peoples.

Dissident forces are still quick to condemn each other for imagined or real differences and to act out old traditional force over reason.
The newly constructed PSNI[ Police Service North Ireland] has an extensive job defining sectarian happenings from ordinary criminal acts as does the Republic Gardai.

The North today is beset with unrest and dispondency among its young people having a high suicide rate, a high drinking rate, and a high disregard for sexual norms among its young people.

Both north and South face shootings , murders and other acts of violence within its communitys which cannot be solved by police action.

The society as a whole has rejected politics for sports and soap operas taking great pride in its teams and team players, stars and financial success over its future state in the world or the political scene.

Tourists flock to the island each year both north and south helping the general economic security and inhancing the return of roots and history as values the Irish and the Diaspora desire.

The internet is full of family history and family roots and family names changed back to Irish spelling from the English phonetc renaming of the Country.

The language suffers throughout the country and raises emotional hackles with the northern prodistants.

All Ireland programs are being tackled in both political jurisdictions regarding areas where the people are benfited.

Several all Ireland useges such as transportation, electrical usage, fishery resourses, water useage, sports events ,goods exchange and protection of the islands cattle and sheep from deseases coming from abroad such as hoof and mouth are in place.

The de population of the west must be addressed in future where the small farm has disapeared and the general economy has been built around Cork, Dublin ,Limerick,Derry and Belfast with a pooosible inclusion of Galway on the Atlantic.

There are still issues in health care and elderly care in both jurisdictions.

The north still tends to its secrtarian stereotypes which will probably not go away until a generation die of old age and a new generation in raised in the spirit of tolerance.

The same clique exists in the Repulblic with viewpoints formulated from 100 years ago separating the unity of the people of the island.

As Ireland grapples with its hard won soverenty under the protective hand of EU surzanity and the 6 Counties grapple with devolved government under the hand of Buckingham Palace and the still present barracked 5000 strong British Army and its still extant umbrella of loyalist malitias, the future sometimes seems repressive and sometimes frustrationally slow.

Its economy is still dependent both north and south on global fortunes and as it goes forward to the year 2016, 100 years since the Rising it slowly faces and emotionaly adresses the problems before it, above and below it, around it, under it in the tradition of St Patrick an island surrounded with its own self intent and a sea of greater more overpowering interests.

The Ahern govenment is considering a Committee for Nothern Ireland parties to send representatives to the Dail.

A joint committe on implimentation of a Parliamentary committe being established which will allow Westminter MPs elected from north Ireland to debate motions in the Dial and sit in on proceedings without a vote or making motions or amendments.
At present the implimentation does not include northern Assemby MLA's.

Currently the north Irish Assembly is considering implimentation of a joint Ministry of Justice to restore confidence in the provincal government to render justice.

The future of Ireland may or may not provide the long term stability it seeks as it had in the days of pagan kings.

It may or may not adhere more and more to the militarizm of the world around it or revert to the ideas of chieftanship with common lands and tribal values
It strives to keep in its memory.
Keeping the name on the land and discarding the English system of fee simple and landlords it so tenaciously fought in the 19 century.

Its future will depend on its young and their capacity to continue the new with the old DeValeras 'keep the sheep' in line with the advantages of space technology and applied science, economic soundness and hopeful and respectful consern for each other and the tiny singular green island tethered to the waves of the North Sea.


Judi Donnelly

Copyright 23 October 2007


CRIOCHNAIGH
[TheEnd]


Coming next month:

http://poetryoririshkings.blogspot.com


sourses: Twentieth Century Ireland,DermotKeogh with Andrew McCarthy, Gill & McMillan Ltd., 2005
Ireland a Social and Cultural History, Terrence Brown,Harper Perennial,2004
Writing in the Irish Republic, edited Ray Ryan,McMillan Press Ltd,2000