Tom Gilmartin Laid to Rest

Tom Gilmartin the main witness at the Mahon Tribunal died at the weekend and has been buried in Donegal.

Thomas Gilmartin jnr last year told the Irish Times said that only for his father 'Ireland would never have found out about the corrupt activities of people like Frank Dunlop, nor the existence of a corruption ring at the heart of planning in Ireland.'

The investigations into planning corruption resulting in the Mahon Tribunal effectively brought down the curtain on the political career of leading politicians including Taoiseach Bertie Ahern. 

The Great and the not so good getting the seal of office from President Hillery in 1987





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Call for Line to be Drawn Under North's Past

The North's Attorney General, John Larkin,  in a hugely significant but controversial statement, has called for an end to prosecutions in respect of all 'Troubles' related offences.

The 'Troubles' would be defined as the era prior to the Good Friday Agreement of 1998 and resulted in thousands of deaths.

Apart from strenuous opposition mounted by victims' groups an additional problem is how any proposed policy change might effect the Republic. The biggest single 'spillover' atrocity from the Northern political violence was the Dublin Monaghan bombings of May 1974 when more than thirty civilians lost their lives. 





Nobody had yet been made amenable and there are strong suspicions that British state security forces had some involvement in the attacks.

One scene from the 1974 Dublin and Monaghan bomb attacks

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Remembering the life and legacy of President John F. Kennedy

On the 50^th Anniversary of JFK’s assassination, the world remembers President John F. Kennedy and the legacy he left behind. To honour a great leader, the Archive have selected this touching photograph of the President during his Homecoming tour of Ireland in 1963.  

@ Irish Photo Archive

From the Whitehouse to Wexford: JFK’s visit to Ireland in 1963.

On the 27^th June, 1963, JFK visited his ancestral hometown of Co. Wexford. This was a proud moment for Ireland and one that was much anticipated, particularly for the townspeople and JKF’s Irish relatives who were there to greet him.  In this photograph, Mrs Mary Ryan (neé J F. Kennedy) embraces President Kennedy and plants a kiss on his cheek, uttering the words, “Welcome home, Jack”.

JFK’s cavalcade through the streets of Dublin...

On the 27^th June 1963, John F. Kennedy made his way though the city streets of Dublin riding atop an open cavalcade. As he smiles and waves to the huge crowd who had gathered to meet him, JFK is showered with confetti as the onlookers welcome the president on his first visit to Ireland.

The Irish Photo Archive pays tribute to John F. Kennedy ahead of 50th Anniversary...

To mark the 50^th Anniversary of John F. Kennedy’s tragic passing, the Irish Photo Archive have put together a series of remembrance prints that look back on his legendary visit to Ireland in 1963. Below is an especially framed photographic print from the collection, which captures the arrival ceremony at Dublin airport in June 1963. Here, JFK stands respectfully to attention as the flag is raised to meet him at the airport.

Bye Bye Troika ... Hello Sovereignty ... But ...

The Irish government has decided to no longer avail of the Troika bailout. In a sign of its fiscal confidence after a grueling era of austerity Ireland has opted to shun a credit line back up facility giving rise to fears in some circles that it might have no safety net to fall into in the event of the economic situation going belly up.

In spite of the government's decision at least one prominent media commentator is predicting that Ireland’s sovereignty will stay lost for some time to come. According to Vincent Browne writing in the Irish Times, despite Taoiseach Enda Kenny's upbeat forecast:

the Lisbon Treaty, for which Enda Kenny campaigned, copperfastens Ireland’s surrender of sovereignty to the EU forever, a surrender we sleepwalked into in 1992 in ratifying the Maastricht Treaty.

Finance Minister Michael Noonan, however, persisted in his belief that the country would now secure its economic freedom.

Michael Noonan at the 1986 Ard Fheis

Hunger

Fifty years ago this very day Irish housewives were to be found protesting about the introduction of a new sales tax, known as the 'turnover tax'. Half a century on and in spite of the much vaunted progress that Irish society has supposedly made many Irish mothers are still not getting what they consider a fair deal. And it is because of a growing food poverty problem.

In June the Irish Times reported on the problem, claiming that one single mother took only sugared water for breakfast and lunch so that her child would not go without adequate nourishment.

Today the Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin claimed that he was not exaggerating to say 'the demand of people for simple wholesome food for themselves and their children is not being met. He said he was speaking about "large numbers of people”.

It is a problem that appears not to be easing and needs some serious intent on the part of the government if an end is to be put to the disgusting phenomenon of hungry children in Ireland. Otherwise hungry housewives may find it necessary to take to the streets.

Housewives protest in November 1963.

Purchase framed photographs and prints @ Irish Photo Archive

Beatles Sunday

SUNDAY 10 NOV

Beatles Anniversary Windows 

A stunning display of the suits worn by The Beatles during their promo tour for A Hard Day’s Night, instruments and other original Beatles memorabilia.

All day | Arnotts, Henry Street & Middle Abbey Street | Free

Music, CD & Record Fair

Vinyl, CD, DVD and Memorabilia Fair –browse, buy, sell and exchange. Free valuations with Beatles Days. With ‘pop-up’ live music performances. In association with Irish Records Fairs.

10.30am-6.00pm | Filmbase, Temple Bar | Free to Dublin Beatles Festival ticket holders/€2 (or free Sunday pass here)

The Beatle Plays | Lennon V McCartney and John Lennon’s Last Day by Stephen Kennedy

Lennon v McCartney: Take your side. Who is greater – John Lennon or Paul McCartney? This short play definitively sorts out the old argument once and for all. Well …  sort of.  Performed by James Murphy and Jonathan Judge.

John Lennon’s Last Day: A powerful docu-theatre piece featuring Seamus Brennan as the Narrator with projections and rare audio clips for an immersive journey through the strange and tragic events of John Lennon’s last day.

12.30pm-1.30pm | Twisted Pepper, Middle Abbey Street | €10 |www.entertainment.ie/dublinbeatlesfestival

The Ultimate Beatles Quiz

Funny, entertaining and baffling questions compiled by our resident Beatlemaniac, devised to appeal to Beatle beginners, radio-sing-alongers, and dedicated diehards for perfect Sunday afternoon entertainment.

2.15pm-5.00pm | The Workman’s Club, Wellington Quay | €40 for team of 4 | www.entertainment.ie/dublinbeatlesfestival

Get Back: The Story of The Beatles

Charting the most important moments in the Beatles’ career to show how their music often followed the personal journey of the band, Get Back: The Story of The Beatles sets out to put you in the crucial moments in the Beatles’ musical journey. In association with the Dublin Beatles Festival.

7.30pm | Olympia Theatre, Dame Street | €25 | www.getbackshow.com

Strawberry Sunday

Featuring international festival favourites Revolver (Scotland) and Johnny and the Moondogs (England), don’t miss this rousing Festival finale!

8.00pm-11.30pm | The Workman’s Club, Wellington Quay | €12 | www.entertainment.ie/dublinbeatlesfestival



All the above information can be sourced here. 

Beatles at Dublin Airport

Purchase framed photographs and prints @ Irish Photo Archive