Charlie Hebdo

Today, one week after twelve people were killed in an attack on its offices in Paris, the French satirical magazine, Charlie Hebdo, was back on the streets.

Around 5 million copies of the magazine hit the streets in 16 different languages. In Paris would be buyers were queuing for hours to get a copy which is likely to become a collector's item.

General Charles de Gaulle with President Eamon De Valera at Áras an Uachtarain. in January 1969

 

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Charlie

The first in a three part drama series on the ascension to power of the "Black Prince " of Irish politics, Charles Haughey, aired on RTE Last Night. Starring Aidan Gillen as "Charlie" the drama was said to be unmissable.

Although Haughey's surviving family were said to be dreading the drama Aiden Gillen told Newstalk's Pat Kenny that "it's not a hack job, it's not a tabloid hack job. Colin (Teevan) is a proper playwright and screenwriter."




Minister for Finance, Charles Haughey, prepares to administer some belt-tightening measures on Budget Day 23 April 1968

 

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Sinn Fein Tapping into Water Discontent

Despite being enveloped by the Mairia Cahill abuse scandal, Sinn Fein has emerged as the most popular party in Ireland according to recent opinion polls.

Popular anger at government proposals to introduce water charges has fed into large scale street protests across the country.

Sinn Fein leaders Gerry Adams and Mary Lou McDonald have stated that they no longer intend to pay their water charges.



18th February 1978.

Peace People protest march to the headquarters of Provisional Sinn Fein at Kevin Street in Dublin.

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Trying Times

Sinn Fein continues to face tough media grilling over the issue of sex abuse and the inadequate measures that the party has employed to deal with the matter.

The party has been under continuous pressure since Mairia Cahill first came forward with her allegations on a BBC Spotlight documentary.

18th January 1988..Today saw the Funeral of Seán McBride.Seán MacBride was an Irish government minister, a prominent international politician and a former Chief of Staff of the IRA. His funeral took place from the Pro-Cathedral in Dublin to the family plot in Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin.The Chief mourners were Tiernan McBride,son, Anna White,daughter and Declan White, son in law...Gerry Adams of Sinn Fein is pictured at the funeral of Sean McBride
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Sinn Fein continues to face tough media grilling over the issue of sex abuse and the inadequate measures that the party has employed to deal with the matter.

The party has been under continuous pressure since Mairia Cahill first came forward with her allegations on a BBC Spotlight documentary.



18th January 1988
Gerry Adams of Sinn Fein is pictured at the funeral of Sean McBride

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Budget 2015

Budget 2015 is being revealed in Dail Ereann this afternoon. Budgets over the austerity period have hit society hard, most particularly those least able to withstand the squeeze.

In Budget 2015 the area of social protection will be closely watched in the media. It is there that the coalition government in particular the Labour Party took a roasting at the most recent European and local government elections.

Minister for Finance, Charles Haughey, prepares to administer some belt-tightening measures on Budget Day 23 April 1968

 

 

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Death of Ian Paisley

Ian Paisley's death at the age of 88 has for many observers brought to a close a chapter of the North's deeply troubled society.

It would be no exaggeration to claim that Paisley was the alpha and the omega of the North's violent political conflict. He was central to the street disturbances in the 1960s which wound up the clock. However, one of the main criticisms levelled at him throughout his political journey was that he was never actually there when the clock eventually struck.

He incurred much international opprobrium after protesting against the pope in Strasbourg shortly after his election to the European Parliament.

In 2007 Ian Paisley after a long turbulent career became First Minister of the North with Martin McGuinness serving as his deputy. 

Dr Ian Paisley in the Supper Room of the Mansion House, Dublin during his prayer meeting. 24th September, 1978

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A Chieftain Laid to Rest in Dublin

Former Taoiseach Albert Reynolds was laid to rest yesterday after a funeral ceremony in Dublin that included full military honours.

Mr Reynolds was interred in Shanganagh Cemetery in Shankill, Co Dublin after mass in the Church of the Sacred Heart, Donnybrook, Dublin. Many dignitaries and politicians from across Ireland attended the funeral.

1st April 1981. The Minister for Posts and Telegraphs,Mr Albert Reynolds TD,held a reception in the State Apartments, Dublin Castle on the occasion of the Grand Prix of the Eurovision Song Contest 1981.

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Death of a Chieftain

Former Taoiseach Albert Reynolds died this morning aged 81. He had served as Taoiseach for just under three years and is fondly remembered for his role in events leading up to the 1994 Provisional IRA ceasefire of twenty years ago this month.

A successful businessman he was first elected to Dail Eireann in 1977 when the party was still led by Jack Lynch. He would later mount an unsuccessful leadership challenge against Charles Haughey for which he was expelled form the cabinet.

 

Widely reputed to be man unafraid to take a risk, one snippet from a conversation he had with Sean Duignan revealed something of the Reynolds character. He told Duignan: 

The main thing to remember about being in this job is that you’re here to make decisions, and that involves taking risks … You cannot get all the decisions right, but you’ll have no hope at all if you try to play it safe, and duck taking them … You’ve got to be prepared to take the responsibility and also, if you get it wrong, to take the consequences.

He earned the moniker "the Longford Slasher" after he purged the cabinet of senior and junior ministers in one of the biggest cabinet shake ups in the history of the state.

25th January 1989: the presentation of the Budget of Albert Reynolds,TD, Minister for Finance

 

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Bombing by Presidential Decree

President Barack Obama has approved US shelling of ISIS rebels in Iraq. The go ahead for airborne operations was given after the White House claimed that people from the Yazidi religious minority stranded on mountains were facing genocide.

Obama's decision to approve this type of 'humanitarian military intervention' will anger many who view it as inconsistent with his policy of arming Israel while it waged war on Gaza.

Former US presidents were embroiled in much international controversy as a result of bombing raids. Richard Nixon faced strong criticism over US bombing of Cambodia.

President Eamon de Valera receives President Nixon on 5 October 1970

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In Duiblin's Fair City, Expenses are Pretty

Ivor Callely was today jailed for 5 months over expenses fraud. He had earlier pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining €4207.45.

 

Callely was a Fianna Fáil junior minister who served as Minister of State in the Health and Transport departments between 2002 and 2005.

20th December 1988. Councillor Ivor Callely, Lord Mayor, Ben Briscoe and City Manager, Frank Feely 'helping' Molly with her cart."

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MH17

The shooting down of a Malaysian passenger plane over Ukraine has led to an increase in international tension. The US administration is blaming Russian backed separatists for shooting the aircraft out of the sky, resulting in the loss of 298 passengers and crew.

The UK is reported to be advocating banking oil and gas sanctions against the Russians. The decrease in tension between Moscow and Washington that characterised the era of Gorbachev seems to have been put into reverse. Russian president Putin's relationship with the West has been much more volatile than Gorbachev's. 

2nd April 1989. As part of a European tour Russian President, Mikhail Gorbachev visited Ireland. As the architect of 'Glasnost' he was warmly welcomed on his arrival at Shannon Airport. Image shows Mikhail Gorbachev beginning his speech on the tarmac at Shannon Airport.

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Jumped or pushed?

Ruairi Quinn caught the entire nation off-guard yesterday when he announced his resignation as Minister for Education. He also said he will retire from politics completely at the next general election.

It appears that the shockwaves from the local election results are still shaking the Labour Party to the top. No leader has officially been named as yet following Eamon Gilmore’s resignation last month, but you won’t find great odds if you try to bet against Joan Burton securing the post.

However, it seems that Quinn was fairly certain that Burton would not reappoint him to the post when she does collect the Labour crown. So he decided to jump before he was pushed and preserve his legacy of being a three-time Cabinet Minister, a Senator and a former Leader of the party.

The incoming 1973 Fine Gael/Labour cabinet.

There have been rumours of a split within the Labour Party for quite some time now, but it is becoming obvious who was on the winning side. Hopefully, once the power struggle is over, the Labour Party will be able to focus all their attention on working for their constituents and remembering what the party stands for.

Election 2014: Team Sinn Fein

Sinn Fein has been credited as the party to have made the biggest impact on the European and local government elections. In each of the three European constituencies as well as in the North the Party saw its candidates elected to the European parliament.

Today there has been speculation that the strength of the Sinn Fein vote could allow it to become a junior partner in a future coalition government with Fianna Fail.

Sinn Fein Ard feis at the Mansion
House, Dawson Street, 7th October 1976..

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Election 2014: Team Fianna Fail

The Lazarus of Irish politics, Fianna Fail, continues to make its way back from the grave. The party 'set to be the biggest party in local government – a remarkable turnaround'

The party despite some earlier opinions polls putting it precariously close to Sinn Fein for its own comfort has ridden the storm.

The electorate seems inclined to punish a party for continuing with austerity rather than those it feels caused it. The re-emergence of the Green Party would lend itself to such an interpretation.

The proclaimation to dissolve the Dail was
signed by President Eamon de Valera and An Taoiseach Sean Lemass at a
short formal ceremony at Aras an Uachtarain. 18.03.1965

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Election 2001 Team Labour

Eamonn Gilmore has resigned as the leader of he Labour Party in the wake of his party's crushing humiliation in the recent elections.





The departure has been on the cards. Under Gilmore's leadership Labour quickly became an austerity party and were ultimately held responsible for savaging the most vulnerable sections of society. One blogger summed up Labour under Gilmore's leadership:

Perhaps, or perhaps they were a generation of politicians just too wedded to getting into government at pretty much any cost, too wedded to staying there, not wedded at all to questioning why they were, what they were seeking to achieve, what they wanted at the end of the process, and suggesting that ‘responsibility’ (very evident in a very shook Gilmore’s non-apologia) was enough was to completely misunderstand the nature of political activity. 

It has been suggested that one way a party can self-destruct is to go into government.

Labour have confirmed that much.

Workers Party Commemoration Of James
Larkin.7th February 1987 attended by Eamonn Gilmore.

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Election 2014: Team Fine Gael

With counting from most poll centres almost complete the Irish electorate will now reflect on the new political landscape that that is unfolding before its eyes.

It was quickly becoming clear that the main Coalition party, Fine Gael:

had a very poor election. Its vote share has dropped by more than 12 percentage points since the general election and, despite the overall increase in the number of council seats, the party is still going to lose more than 100 from its total of 335.

Its losses seemed particularly pronounced in Dublin City Council.

Nevertheless, the future of party leader and Taoiseach Enda Kenny looks secure.

Gerald Sweetman welcoming new Fine Gael TDs to Dail Eireann, 1958. 

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Shatter

Political pressure continues to mount on under fire Justice Minister Alan Shatter as a result of allegations that he failed to act on a file sent to him by a Garda whistleblower two years ago.

According to one writer:

Mr Shatter stands accused of protecting a powerful institution, in this case An Garda Siochana and its occasionally fractious Commissioner Martin Callinan.

Alan Shatter at the Family Law Symposium in October 1987.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny is now considering documentation handed to him by Fianna Fail leader, Micheal Martin which may yet prove fatal for the career of Alan Shatter.


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Paisley Attacks Former Colleagues

The former First Minister of the North, Ian Paisley, has launched a broadside against his former colleagues in the DUP. In a BBC documentary the Unionist firebrand pulled few punches.

Those in the DUP on the receiving end of his ire have refuted his allegations. The current DUP leader and the North's First Minister, Peter Robinson dismissed his former leader:   This is not the Ian Paisley we knew ... As someone who faithfully served Dr Paisley for many decades I will make one final sacrifice by not responding and causing any further damage to his legacy beyond that which he has done himself. Rather than return insult for insult, let me bless him with the mercy of my silence and wish him well.

 Dr Ian Paisley's prayer meeting. Mansion House, Dublin, 24th September, 1978.

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Budget Fall Out

Last week's budget has seen the coalition government come in for a lot criticism, particularly in the area of health where cuts were considered particularly stringent.

One national newspaper reported that government ministers were 'fightling like cat and dog' in the wake of the budget with Health Minister James Reilly being particularly isolated.

Meanwhile, Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams called on Taoiseach Enda Kenny to resign.

Finance Minister Ray McSharry on Budget Day 1988

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Wallop

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has described the referendum outcome as disappointing, stating that 'sometimes in politics you get a wallop in the electoral process.'

According to the Irish Independent the result has 'led to blame and recrimination within the Coalition, including ministers, who demanded answers as to why the vote was lost. '

The decision to retain the Seanad against the wishes of the government while based on a slender margin, was nowhere more felt in the capital, Dublin, where all 12 constituencies cast their vote against 

abolition.

Enda Kenny celebrating his election to Dail Eireann in 1975

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