I'm certainly impressed at how high former members of An
Phoblacht staff have risen. Not only are ex-journalists sprinkled
liberally throughout the heights of commerce, law and the media,
not to mention Danny Morrison making waves in the literary world
but now we have one of the most powerful women in the state and a
TD.
The former is of course our former esteemed editor Rita O'Hare
who was named in the Sunday Tribune as one of the 60 most
powerful women in the state due to her role as Sinn Féin's
Director of Publicity.
The latter is Caoimhghín O Caoláin who brought his experience as
a bank official to his role as general manager of An Phoblacht in
the 1980s. And a good job he made of it - watch out Leinster
House Accounts Committee.
Caoimhghín also got a mention on UTV's Teletext which said that
``a mild-mannered former bank clerk will be the first member of
the IRA's political wing to take a seat in the Irish parliament''.
You can argue with that for a number of reasons but the thing I
can't get out of my head is that anyone would see Caoimhghín in
the mould of that most famous mild-mannered bank clerk: Private
Pike from Dad's Army.
As the Orange Order increases the pressure in this year's
marching season, it is interesting to see that the courts are
finally getting round to prosecuting brethren in cases arising
from last year's little jaunts.
One who gives the lie to the claim that only local Orangemen want
to march along their traditional routes is a loyalist who
appeared at North Antrim magistrates court last Thursday accused
of riotous behaviour during a rerouted march in Dunloy last year.
He is Billy Garrett, 32, of Silvio Street in the Shankill area of
Belfast who was also charged with attempting to take a vehicle
without the owner's consent.
Also finding themselves in court recently were DUP duo, Derry's
Gregory Campbell, described as their `security' spokesperson, and
newly elected DUP councillor David Tweed from Ballymoney.
38 year old Tweed is accused of assaulting a man in a bar the day
after the Twelfth last year. He is due to appear again on 3 July,
three days before this year's Drumcree march.
Obstructing traffic and ``hindering lawful activity'' at the Caw
roundabout in Derry's Waterside was the charges levelled against
Gregory Campbell. Two other party councillors Joseph Millar (a
former RUC member) and William Irwin have also been charged.
One little irony for Tony Blair as he sets out his plans for
decomissioning is contained in his policy for banning legally
held handguns. This policy emerged following the killing of
schoolchildren by a crazed gunman in Dunblane in Scotland. The
thing is that this policy is confined to Britain - it won't cover
the Six Counties. So we have the situation that as Blair looks
across at the main advocates of decommissioning - the Unionists -
he is looking at the only people who will remain armed if all his
policies work out as Trimble et al envisage. All the guns in
Britain will be handed in and - they wish - the only guns
remaining in the Six Counties will be those in the hands of the
Unionist population. Quite a neat move - if it ever came off...
No doubt there will be quite a few republicans tuning in to the
live coverage of Britain's handover of Hong Kong to China next
week, if for no other reason than to see another bit of Empire
going West (or East, in this case).
But they may find it a bit hard to stomach, particularly as the
Brits have decided to play I Vow To Thee, My Country and, of
course, Rule Britannia. But don't worry. The best bit will be
when they all scramble aboard the royal yacht and slip away
forever.
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