Man charged with cannabis factories find

Man charged with cannabis factories find

A Belfast man was charged at a special court in Omagh on Saturday in connection with the discovery of two cannabis growhouses near Pomeroy, Co Tyrone.

Moaaz Hassan was charged with cultivation and possession of cannabis, and illegally using electricty. A police witness told the court police had found 177 plants in two houses at Sperrin Cottages, Tremoge Rd. Pomeroy, on Tuesday last. Hassan had rented both houses.

“He claimed he had only subletted one of the cottages to a Polish man,” the witness said. Hassan claimed the paperwork regarding this was in offices in Dublin. A friend was responsible for collecting the rent.

The witness said Hassan had previous drugs convictions. “Our belief it that the defendant is involved in the cultivation and supply of cannabis,” he said.

Making a bail application, defence solicitor Dennis Boyd said police had been willing to release Hassan on police bail, on condition he surrender his passport. However, this cannot be found. Hassan could have fled the jurisdiction after the raid. “Would he have needed a passport to go to the Republic of Ireland?” he asked the police witness.

“Not yet,” the witness replied.

He said Hassan was an Irish citizen, born in Saudi Arabia. His family moved to the Republic when he was six months old, then moved North in 2009.

There were difficulties with establishing that Hassan had rented the houses. “The owner of the premises in travelling at the moment,” Boyd said. A girl in the offices of a property management company in Dublin said the signed copy of the lease is “in storage further south.” Locating it will take some time.

The police witness said Hassan had access to his passport recently, as he had travelled to both Egypt and Turkey. Hassan said he had it in his pocket when travelling, but now couldn't find it. He had not yet reported it as missing. “I'm still looking for it,” he said.

Objecting to bail, the police witness said police had visited the proposed bail address, his parents' home. “There was no sign of his clothes or his personal belongings in the room shown to us,” the witness said.

Judge Eamonn King granted bail to 28 year old Hassan, of Cliftonpark Ave, Belfast. There was to be a £10,000 cash lodgement, an electronic tag, and a curfew. Hassan is to appear at Dungannon Magistrates Court on June 26^th.

Note: an edited version of this piece was published in the 'Tyrone Herald' of June 17th 2019

Trafficked Vietnamese fount not guilty

Trafficked Vietnamese found not guilty

A judge has complimented a jury for finding a Vietnamese man not guilty of cultivating cannabis on the basis he was a victim of human trafficking. “I don't normally express views on a jury decision, but I wholeheartedly agree,” Judge Neil Rafferty told the jury in Omagh Crown Court. “It is a tribute to the way you have behaved as a jury. Northern Ireland for the past decade has been one of the prime routes for human trafficking into the united Kingdom.” Defendant Nguyen Hung Van (43) of The Mills, Coalisland, had been arrested in a police raid on a cannabis growhouse in Coalisland in 2017. When questioned, he told police: “I was there as a restult of being a slave.”

Former Director of Anti-Slavery International Dr Aidan McQuade gave expert evidence on behalf of Van. McQuade told the court there were six or seven indicators of forced labour in Van's account. “Slavery or forced labout tends to be a constellation of offences,” McQuade told the Court. While cannabis factories tend to be staffed by young Vietnamese men and boys “The pattern of exploitation he describes prior to being arrested is typical of older men.

A police witness told the court Van's arrest was part of an operation into South-East Asian crime gangs operating cannabis plantations in Northern Ireland.

Van told the Court he came from a poor and mountainous part of Vietnam. His mother had paid €35,000 to traffickers to take him to France. A woman accompanied him and several other trafficked migrants on a flight to Paris. She kept the passports. He was only given it to get through immigration contol. “I had a look at the passport,” he said. “My photo, not my name, my age.” The passport was never returned to him. He was subsequently moved to London. There he worked in take-aways, nail-shops and Asian vegetable shops, working 12-hour days for £15 per day.

A Vietnamese gangmaster called Baô paid him.

Then he was taken to Dublin in a car with two others: a man who drove, and a woman associate of Baô. In Dublin he worked cooking in takeaways for €25 per day for 13 hour shifts. He lived with about 10 others in a flat above a Chinese takeaway.

For a while, he was able to get a job independently. “Under pressure from the gangsters, they had to let me leave,” Van said. In the Vietnamese community “Baô and his associated controlled everything.” When he returned to their contol, the traffickers beat him on the legs. “You are very well behaved, but your legs are naughty,” they told him. Members of the same gang in Vietnam broke his mother's arm.

A European person then drove him to Northern Ireland. He was unsure whether the man was Irish, or some other nationality. He was supposedly to work in a restaurant. However, he was taken to the house in Coalisland and left there with a bag of groceries to tend the cannabis plants. “If I left that house, they would find my mother and punish her,” he said.

Prosecution barrister Michael McAleer pointed out there was a key in the back door of the house. He said this meant Van could leave if he wished. Defence barrister asked where was Van going to go as a “Vietnamese in Coalisland with no money.” When arrested Van could not speak English. He has learned some while on remand in prison over the past two years.

Other evidence given during the trial indicated that the Vietnamese gangsters had local links. A police witness said that the house had initially been rented by a man who called himself George Hamilton. The owner told police 'Hamilton' had a local accent. He paid £4,700 in cash in rent for the house. On one occasion when 'Hamilton' met the owner, he was accompanied by an Asian woman and a young Asian man. 'Hamilton' said these were his wife and her son.

Van was not released after the verdict, as he is currently in Maghaberry prison subject to a deportation order. Defence barrister Ward said Van's solicitor Seamus Duffy intends to fight that order.

Note: Edited versions of this piece were published in the 'Sunday World' of June 16th 2019 and the 'Tyrone Herald' of June 17th.

Lessons for the Sperrins in Romanian goldmine disaster

(an edited version of this was published in the Sunday World October 21st 2018)

A Romanian woman who left her home area after an environmental disaster when there was a massive cyanide leak from a gold mine says people here should learn from what happened and oppose proposed gold mining in the Sperrins. Erika Szasz said companies similar promises of jobs and community benefits were made in Romania as are being made here. “When the catastrophe happened, the owners ran away,” she said. Her home area is a gold mining area, but the people are poor.

The Baia Mare disaster happened after a mining company said it could safely clean up toxic tailings left from gold mining. It moved all the toxic tailings to a reservoir. The dam burst in 2000 and spilled 3.5million cubic feet of cyanide-contaminated water into rivers, hitting Romania, Hungary, Serbia and Bulgaria.

Erika even before that mining was causing pollution. This has hit Erika's family.

“My mum became sick very young, at the age of thirty-nine, and she passed away at the age of forty-six,” Erika said. “She was ill for over six years. My grandmother, when she was sixty-six, she had buried three of her four children.” All died of cancer.

Before Erika's mother died, she began researching what caused her illness. She started looking at her family and work colleagues. “Most of them, they had cancer or they had passed away, killed with cancer,” Erika said. “And most of them at young ages.”

Unlike previous incidents, Baia Mare was too big to hide. But Erika warns companies will use their wealth to frustrate justice. “Hungary is prosecuting the owner of the mine,” she said. “Even after eighteen years, it is still not finished.”

The mine's Australian owner sold to a Canadian company, and went bankrupt. “So they all washed their hands of it,” Erika said.

While the owners left, the locals hadto live in the middle of the pollution. “There was no more fishing in the river,” Erika said. “Plants were dying. About twenty species of fish have disappeared from the local river.”

Like in the Sperrins, the mining companies made great promises. “When the owners took over the mine, they promised many jobs,” she said. “When the mine was opened, they promised so many things to the people, there would be charities, they were really helpful with the people, they were very nice. At the end of the day, when the catastrophe happened, they just ran away.”

Erika says that Romania proves that having mineral wealth mined in your country doesn't make it rich.

“It's really sad, most people know Romania as a poor country. Excuse me, the poorest areas, they are full of gold, full of minerals. Where is the profit? The companies take out the profit.

“That is more than a warning for people here. The people here, they should go over themselves to see what the mining companies left behind. It's very sad to see families where there is only half a family because the others have passed away due to cancer. It's unbelievable.

“Everybody is asking me why I came to Northern Ireland. I am happy to tell you. Because here everything is green. Here there is always fresh air, we can drink the water from the tap, and I think we are so, so blessed here. They shouldn't throw that out.”

Another result of the Baia Mare disaster is that young people have left. “There are no more jobs there,” Erika said. “Nobody wants to stay there who doesn't have to. Nobody. Listen, I have two kids myself. I never, ever, think of moving back.

“It's not for the good of an area, a gold mine, definitely. If you write this down, I hope the people think about it.”

end

Polish defendant accused of racism

A judge has accused a Polish defendant of racism against Irish people. Judge Bernie Kelly made the accusation in Omagh Magistrates Court when sentencing Wieslaw Muszelik for driving while disqualified, and with no insurance.

Judge Kelly said she was fed up with people “who assume that we, as a race of people, are stupid. Now, I can't stand racism in any form. And, contrary to public opinion, it is possible to be racist against us. That's the only conclusion I can draw.”

Muszelik pleaded guilty to the charges through an interpreter. Police had stopped him while driving, three months after Judge Kelly had disqualified him at Omagh Magistrates Court. She sentenced 53 year old Muszelik of Killybrack Close, Omagh, to two months imprisonment, and invoked an earlier two-month suspended sentence. The sentences are to run consecutively. She released Muszelik on bail, pending appear.

(An edited version of this piece was published in the Irish Daily Star of September 12th)

Foster lobbied for illegal dumper

(an edited version of this piece was published in Village magazine July 2018)

Former First Minister Arlene Foster lobbied on behalf of one of Northern Ireland's biggest illegal dumpers. In her statement to the Renewable Heat Incentive Inquiry, she said she made representations on behalf of Stephen Harron.

Harron has been convicted of dumping 20,000 tons of waste on his land at Arney, Co Fermanagh. The court heard he made £2million by his crime. He received a 12 month suspended sentence.

Harron was convicted in September 2016, 10 months after lobbying Foster.

However, in March 2013, there was widespread media coverage when one of Northern Ireland's biggest operations against illegal dumping took place on Harron's land, involving Environment Agency officials and police. The Environment Agency said at the time it had uncovered a large amount of household rubbish.

Harron approached Foster two and a half years later. In her statement, she said: “Following a telephone conversation on 13th November 2015,with a constituent, Stephen Harron, I telephoned Timothy Cairns and enquired about the possibility of moving back by a week or so the introduction of the tiered tariffs. However, on being briefed on costing dimensions around such a possibility I accepted matters should proceed as planned.”

Foster was clear that she knew who Harron was. “Stephen Harron was a constituent and former client of mine when I was a solicitor in Cooper Wilkinson,” she wrote. “I ... know other members of the Harron family as they are from Fermanagh.”

She gave evidence that she spent some time helping him: “(Harron) told me that he was now working fitting boilers and that he had clients who had ordered boilers that hadn’t yet arrived. He explained that he would not be able to get these boilers fitted before the Scheme changed and asked me when the Scheme was changing and if anything could be done... I undertook to enquire on his behalf.”

Rather than raising Harron's representations with Jonathan Bell, then Enterprise, Trade and Investment Minister, she went to his Special Advisor, Timothy Cairns. She “didn't want to bother the Minister with a constituency enquiry.” Cairns refused Harron's request.

The origin of the waste has not been publicly disclosed. However, Harron was contracted to collect waste from security force bases across the North. He also held the contract to dispose of rubble from demolished bases.

During Harron's trial, the prosecution alleged dumping on his land had been going on since 1996.

Journalist publishes work on the forgotten Irish language of Co Down

(a slightly edited version was published in An tUltach November 2017)

Bhí aithne i dtús báire ag lucht na Gaeilge ar Chiarán Dunbar mar iriseoir, ag scríobh do Lá Nua, ansin ina eagarthóir ar an nuachtán seachtainiúil Ghaelscéal a bhí lonnaithe i gConamara – beart a fhágann corr-macalla as Conamara le cluinstin ina chuid Gaeilge. Ina dhiaidh sin, chuir lucht an Bhéarla aithne air mar iriseoir le BBC Tuaisceart Éireann. Bhí sé ag teacht ó seal na maidine ansin nuair a bhuaileamar le céile Caifé Nero i Mór-Shráid Victoria i mBéal Feirste.

Ní amháin go raibh cíocras bia air, bhí cíocras Gaeilge an Dúin ar an fhear seo as Paróiste Chluain Dáimh ar an taobh ó thuaidh de na Beanna Boirche. Níl taifead fuaime de Ghaeilge an Dúin ann, ach b'ann don chanúint beagnach le cuimhne na ndaoine. Tá sé le léamh sa leabhar ó Ciarán 'Cnuasach Focail as an Dún'.

Go fiú i measc Gaeilgeoirí, ní luaitear Gaeilge dúchasach leis an Dún. “Muintir an Dúin Theas, ní thuigeann siad aon bhaint bheith ag an Ghaeilge le ceantar s'acu,” arsa Ciarán. “Chuala mé scéalta maidir le duine a bhí ag teagasc Gaeilge i Ros Treabhair agus bhí daoine ag caint faoi na logainmneacha, agus an bunús Gaeilge a bhí leofa, agus ghlac muintir na háite leis go raibh Gaeilge ar bheagnach gach logainm i Ros Treabhair ar an ábhar go dtáinig daoine as Deisceart Ard Mhacha agus as Óméith, agus gur bhaistigh siad an ceantar. Bhí na daoine seo ag foghlaim na Gaeilge, ach cha raibh siad ábalta a thuigbheáil go raibh an Ghaeilge ann, go háirithe ins na Gleanntaí ós comhar Ros Treabhair.” B'shin ag dul isteach sna Beanna Boirche. Tá leagan amach Gaelach ar fhothracha na mbailtí tréigthe thuas ansin.

“Fiú staraithe áitiúla, níl siad ábalta a ghlacadh cé chomh fada agus a mhair an Ghaeilge sa cheantar sin, fiú nuair a chuireann tú an t-eolas amach níl siad ábalta glacadh leis.” Tugann sé 'change deniers' orthu, go ndeachaigh galldú go mór i bhfeidhm orthu.

Mar sin, is laoch mór aige an Dr Ciarán Ó Doibhín, as an Iúr ó dhúchas, a scríobh 'The Irish Language in County Down'. Rinne an Doibhíneach an-chuid bun-oibre. “Sin ceann de na bun-fhoinsí a bhí agam don leabhrán seo,” ar seisean. “Agus sílim go ndearna sé éacht. Sílim gurb iontach an deis agat, más Gael thú, buaileadh le do laochra, agus caithfidh mise a rá go bhfuil mise iontach sásta gur chaith mé tamall le duine cosúil le Ciarán Ó Doibhín,” ar seisean.

Laoch eile aige ná Séamas Mac Seáin agus ceannródaithe eile Bhóthair Seoighe. “Ní aontódh achan duine le hAodán Mac Póilin, ach b'é a chuir ar bhóthar Gaeilge Oirthir Uladh mé, mar go dtí gur bhuail mé leis cha raibh fhios agam go raibh taifeadán ann, go raibh stair ann, “Maidir le Contae an Dúin, ní amháin gur mhair an Ghaeilge suas go lár an Fichiú Aois, na sean-daoine deireannacha mar a deirfeá, ach tamaillín roimhe sin bhíodh traidisiún iontach láidir ann, bhí na lámhscríbhinní ann, bhí Gaeltacht agus mar sin dhe. Bhí paróistí ann, agus mheas John O'Donovan gurbh Gaeltachtaí iad in ocht gcéad tríocha a h-ocht nuair a bhí seisean ann. Protastúnaigh bunús na ndaoine a bhí agus atá ina gcónaí ansin. Agus labhair sé le daoine, Protastúnaigh, gur Gaeilge a bhí acu. Léiríonn sin an láidreacht a bhí ag an Ghaeilge.

“Ach tháinig an tost. Tháinig an deireadh. Agus, faraor, cé gur mhair an Ghaeilge i gContae an Dúin go dtí gur tháinig taifeadóirí, níl focal dhe ar thaifead agus níl aon dhe scríofa síos. Mar sin, is cinéal de seandálaíochta teangeolaíochta atá ar shiúil againne chun níos mó a fháil amach faoi Chontae an Dúin. Ach is féidir pictiúr an-bheacht a chur lena chéile as an eolas atá ar fáil as an eolas. Chomh maith leis an Dochtúr Ó Doibhín, bunaíodh cuid mhaith de mo leabhrán ar shaothar Mhichíl Uí Mháinín agus a chomhghleacaithe insan an Tionscadal Logainmneacha, mar tig cuid mhór den eolas ó na logainmneacha, ach tar rud ar bith, is éan leabhar seo mar chuid de iarracht le rá daoine go raibh an Ghaeilge dá labhairt ag daoine i gContae an Dúin ar na mallaibh.”

Ba idir paróistí Chluain Dáimh agus Chill Cua a bhí tromlach na gcainteoirí deireannacha. Luaitear gur i naoin gcéad déag daichead's a cúig a fuair an cainteoir deireannach bás. Dar le Ciarán nárbh cainteoirí líofa an dream deireannach.

“Bhí an t-ádh orainn go raibh fear againn (i bParóiste Chluain Dáimh – A MacC) darbh ainm an Dochtúr Mac Poilin, a mhaireann fós mar thaibhse sa cheantar,” arsa Ciarán. “Chuir seisean suim sa bhéaloideas agus sa Ghaeilge sna daichidí agus chuaigh seisean thart agus labhair sé le daoine, agus bhí daoine ag rá 'Bh Gaeilge ag m'athair mar ní raibh ach Gaeilge ag mo sheanmháthair', agus ní raibh Gaeilge ag an duine seo. Feiceann tú an briseadh cultúrtha, sóisialta, sin nach raibh garmhac ábalta labhairt leis na sean-tuismitheoirí. Agus daoine ag rá 'Ó bhí m'athair ag labhairt leis an sagart sna naoi gcéad déag fichidí i nGaeilge. Is léir go raibh cainteoirí líofa ann an t-am sin. Agus cúig bliana fichead ina dhiaidh sin, cha raibh ann ach daoine go raibh cúpla focal acu. Sin na riantaí deireannacha.”

Níl daoine ar an eolas faoi seo “agus bheadh an-obair leis an mheoin sin a athrú. Tá sé cosúil le ceantaracha i nGaeltacht na hAlban, mar ar mhair an Ghaeilge go fiche bliain ó shoin, agus rinne daoine dearmad go raibh an Ghaeilge ann.” Séanann daoine go raibh a leitheidí sa cheantar.

Feiceann Ciarán cosúlacht idir ceantar dúchas s'aige agus Inis Bó Finne na Gaillimhe. “Fuair mé léarscáil den áit, agus bunús na logainmneacha, bhí siad i nGaeilge, agus sa Ghaeilge amháin,” ar seisean. Chuir sé ceist ar dhaoine san áit cén t-am go bhfuair an Ghaeilge bás. “Ó, ceithre céad bliain ó shoin,” an freagra a fuair sé. Tá fhios aici a leithéidí i dTír Eoin – bean a chuala a sin-seanathair ag labhairt Gaeilge, ach nár admhaigh an teaghlach gurb amhlaidh a bhí.

Rugadh agus tógadh Ciarán féin fá Bhaile Hill, gan fhios aige Gaeilge bheith sa cheantar cúpla glúin roimhe féin. Dar leis go raibh siad ann agus a sheanmháthair beo, ach gan cuimhne aici orthu.

Ach amháin an Dr Mac Poilin bheith ina ardmháistir scoile, meas ag daoine sa cheantar air, iad sásat labhairt leis, ní bheadh a bhfuil de scéal na Gaeilge sa cheantar againn. Eisean féin, bhí fhios aige go raibh, faraoe, náire ar dhaoine as an Ghaeilge agus na sean-scéalta a bhí acu.

Cnuasach Focal as an Dún Agus nótaí eile. Ciarán Dunbar. Coiscéim €7.50.

Belfast native campaigns for his Donegal Gaeltacht home

(A slightly edited version of this was published in An tUltach, October 2017) 

Tá Danny Brown tógtha faoi bhánú na tuaithe, agus na Gaeltachta ach go háirithe. Tá an fadhb thart air chuile lá i Rann na Feirste. B'fhuarasta dallamullóg a chur ort féin agus tú ag amharc ar an áit. Tá go leoir tithe nua ann. Is tithe saoire cuid mhór acu. Tá roinnt daoine óga ag siúil an bhóthair. Is scoláirí ón gColáiste Samhraidh iad.

Is as Béal Feirste do Danny, ach é anois préamhaithe sa cheantar. Bhuaileamar lena gcéile tí s'aige, sean-teach go bhfuil dóigh maith curtha air.

Chuaigh sé leis an línitheoireacht nuair a d'fhág sé Coláiste Naomh Maolmhaodhóg i mBéal Feirste. “Dfhág mé Béal Feirste i naoi gcéad déag seachtó is a hocht,” ar seisean. D'aistrigh sé go Doire, Leitir Ceanainn, Baile Átha Cliath,Oileán Manainn, agus arais go Baile Átha Cliath. “I dtrátha an ama sin, thit an tóin as an cheird a bhí agam, mar tugadh ríomhairí isteach, agus bhí deireadh nach mór leis an cheird,” ar seisean.

D'athraigh sé a cheird. “Thosaigh mé ag scríobh do Lá agus corr-rud thall is abhus,” ar seisean. “Nuair a thosaigh Fiosrúchán Domhnach na Fola, bhí mé ag freastal ar sin beagnach chuile lá. Bhí mé ag tuairisceoireacht do Raidió na Gaeltachta. Ag an tús, ní raibh ann ach Fiosrúchán Domhnach na Fola ach de réir a chéile thosaigh siad ag glaoch orm faoin rudaí eile a bhí ag titim amach i nDoire.” Chomh maith “bhí sé i gcónaí mar chaitheamh aimsire agam scéalta beaga a scríobh.”

Ansin, tháinig cor eile ina shaol. “Chonaic mé go raibh obair ag dul i nGaoth Dobhair, obair a mhairfeadh sé mhí, ag scríobh scripte fá choinne clár teilifíse,” ar seisean. “Chuir mé sin isteach, agus bhí agallamh agam, agus fuair mé an post. Bhí foireann againn ann ag déanamh an sraith seo.” Chaith sé sé mhí i nGaoth Dobhair. “Ansin, in áit dul arais go Doire, rinne mé cinneadh fanacht,” ar seisean.

Bhí cairde sa cheantar aige. Leis “thosaig mé ag dul amach le mo bhean. Bhí aithne agam uirthi roimhe seo i nDoire. Bhí sise ag bogadh chuig an cheantair seo ar mhaithe lena cuid oibre, agus táimid le céile ó shoin. Bhí an teach seo ceannaithe aici, agus bhog mise isteach sa teach, agus sin an fáth go bhfuil mé mi Rann na Feirste.”

Ba i bhfad roimhe sin, ina óige, a thosaigh a shuim sa Ghaeilge.

“Bhí mo dheirfiúr dhá bhliain níos sine ná mé,” ar seisean. “Thosaigh sise ar Scoil Doiminic ar Bhóthar na bhFál.” Mar sin, bhí leabhair Gaeilge aici – gan fhios ag Danny cad ba Gaeilge ann. “Thosaigh mé ag crá mo dheirfiúr, ag iarraidh uirthi na focail a bhí ar an leabhar seo a fhuaimniú,” ar seisean. “Agus bhí sise díreach ag tosnú ag foghlaim Gaeilge.”

Chuala sé go raibh ranganna i gCumann Cluain Ard, thart an coirnéal uaidh, agus thosaigh ag freastal orthu. Muna raibh sé iontach díograiseach, bhí bunshraith Gaeilge aige nuair a thosaigh sé ar an mhéanscoil. Ba Muiris Ó Droighneán an múinteoir a bhí ansin aige. “Bhí seisean iontach maith mar mhúinteoir, níl mise ag rá go raibh muidne iontach maith mar dáltaí,” arsa Danny.

Mhéadaigh a shuim, cé gur thit Cumann Cluain Ard i leataobh. “Ansin, nuair a bhí mé ceithre bhliain déag d'aois, thosaigh na Trioblóidí,” arsa Danny. “Mhúscail na Trioblóidí rud éigean ionam, go raibh tábhacht leis an rud a bhí ag dul ar aghaidh i gCumann Cluain Ard.” D'fhill sé ar an Chumann agus “fuair mé amach go raibh saol eile, rúnda, in Iarthar Bhéil Feirste.Sampla de sin go raibh siopa ar Bhóthar Kashmir, ag coirnéal Sráid Clonard, bhí sé céad slat ón teach s'againne – Houstons. An t-aon eolas a bhí agam ná gur cuireadh chuig Houstons mé fá choinne prátaí (agus eile) – greengrocers a bhí ann.”

Ansin, lá, bhuail sé isteach chuig Houstons. “Thosaigh Mrs Houston ag labhairt liom, agus níor thuig mé focal,” arsa Danny. “Ansin, dúirt sí 'práta' 'prátaí' – ah! Gaeilge! B'as Baile na Finne í. As sin, dhiúltaigh sí Béarla a labhairt liom.”

Leis, b'iad a dream a thóg Gaeltacht Bhóthair Seoighe a rinne Sráid Bombay in aice leis a ath-tógáil i ndiaidh gur dódh Mí Lúnasa 1969 é. “Bhí siad sin ag caint i nGaeilge eatarthu féin,” ar seisean. “Go tobann, bhí an saol sin a bhí i bhfolach amuigh ansin go foscailte.”

Bhí sé ag tarraingt ar an Chluain Ard go dtí gur aistrigh sé go Doire. Mhair an suim, gan bheith, b'fhéidir, in amannaí chomh láidir agus a bhí. Agus é ar Oileán Mhanainn “bhí mé amuigh sa phub oíche amháin agus bhí fear b'fhéidir caoga bliain d'aois le fear óg agus bhí sé just ag cur síos ar rudaí. Shíl mé gur droch-Gaeilge a bhí ann. Agus chuir mé ceist air – an é sin Gaeilge? Agus dúirt sé – Mannanais – agus bhí cúpla oíche agam leofa siúd.”

Chomh maith lena shuim sa Ghaeilge, is sóisialach é Danny. Ba cheardchumannach a athair, chuala sé caint ar an sóisialachas óna óige. “Ní raibh leisc ar mo thuismitheoirí labhairt faoi na rudaí a bhí ag tarlú sa domhain,” ar seisean. “Mar shampla, an leas-ainm a bhí ag mo mháthair orm nuair a bhí mé thart fá ocht déag ach 'Fiddle' – ní raibh baint aige le h-uirlisí ceoil ach le Fidel Castro.

“An míniú atá agamsa ar an rud atá ag tarlú sa Ghaeltacht, tagann sé ón gcúlra sin,” ar seisean. “Tá fhios agam go bhfuil an córas go bhfuilimid beo ann, go bhfuil sé ann ar leas dream ar leith daoine, agus go bhfuil an chuid eile againn ann le déanamh cinnte go bhfuil stíl beatha acusan, go leanfaidh sé, go gcoinneoidh siad gréim ar cibé buntáistí atá acu.” Bhíodh pobal bríomhara faoin dtuath, ach tá rudaí dá lárnú isteach sna bailtí móra, gan troid ina éadán. “Tá rud ar leith ag tarlú sna pobail Gaeltachta, mar, chomh maith le bánú na tuaithe, táimid ag cailleadh oidhreacht atá ag dul siar cúpla míle bliain,” ar seisean. “Níl freagra ar bith ag an chóras, ag an stát, ar sin.”

Tá 'perfect storm' anois ann. Sna 70idi, nuair a bhí géarchéim i nGaeltacht Chonamara, chuir dream óg Gluaiseacht Cearta Sibhialta na Gaeltachta ar bun, throid siad, bhain siad rudaí amach, ach “níl na daoine óga ann leis an troid a dhéanamh. Beidh deireadh leis an Ghaeltacht muna ndéanfear athruithe bunúsacha. Caithfidh seo tarlú iontach, iontach, gasta. Níl fostaíocht ar bith ann. Fiú nuair a chruthaíonn siad fostaíocht, cuireann siad sin ar fáil ar an Chlochán Liath, ní ins an Ghaeltacht cheart ach ceann de na ceantaracha is laige Gaeilge i limistéar na Gaeltachta oifigiúla. In ionad buntáiste a thabhairt do na ceantaracha is láidre Gaeilge, bunaíonn siad monarchana i gceann de na ceantaracha is laige Gaeilge.”

Leis, is comhlachtaí eachtrannacha a mealltear isteach, agus Béarla an teanga cumarsáide. Tá impleachtaí leis seo. “Má tá tú ag éirí dul ar aghaidh sa tsaol, caithfidh tú do theanga, do chultúr, a fhágáil ag an doras,” ar seisean.

Molann Danny comharchumainn áitiúla, a bheadh fóirsteanach don líon oibrí agus na scileanna sna ceantaracha. “Tchítear domsa gur sin an t-aon bealach go dtig leis an Ghaeltacht teacht slán as seo,” ar seisean.