Minister was a link to musical heritage

(A slightly edited version of this was published in the Irish Times March 4th 2017)

Rev Bill Clarke – born October 18^th 1924, died February 12^th 2017

The Reverend Bill Clarke, who has died in his 94^th year, was a Presbyterian minister noted for pastoral care, empathy for the disadvantaged and sick, and commitment to education. During his long ministry, he served in Dundalk and then Omagh. He was noted for his healing ministry, which attracted people from a variety of backgrounds.

As an educationalist, he served as a governor of several schools in Tyrone and Louth, and as chair of the Western Education and Library Board.

Home wine-making was one of his hobbies. Visitors to his home greatly admired his vintages.

He was also a link to the small group who kept uileann pipe playing alive in the first half of the last century. His father William Clarke made one of the first commercial recordings of uileann pipe playing, in 1928. His son was proud to live to see a plaque in his honour unveiled in their native Ballybay, Co Monaghan.

Robert William Wylie Clarke was born just outside Ballybay, Co Monaghan, in October 1924, youngest of three children, two boys and a girl, to Robert William Clarke, a clock-maker and jeweller, and his wife Margaret (née Johnson).

The young Bill Clarke grew up in a house full of music. As well as being an uileann piper, Robert William Clarke played the bagpipes in a local pipe band. As a child, Bill Clarke used often listen to groups of musicians play at night in the house which was a meeting place for musicians, uileann pipers in particula. These were an eclectic bunch, including James Ennis of Dublin, father of piper and folklorist Seamus Ennis, and Brother Gildas, an uileann-piping De la Salle Brother from Kerry. Tragically, William Clarke died of tuberculosis when his younger son was nine, and the music was stilled.

The Rev Clarke was educated at Hall St National School, Ballybay: the Masonic School, Dublin: and Trinity College Dublin, where he studied English and French. After Trinity, he studied for the ministry, first at Edinburgh University, then at Assembly’s College, Belfast.  

Prior to ordination he was a Student Assistant Minister in an Edinburgh church. During that time, he spent the summer supplying the pulpit in parts of the Orkney Islands. After ordination, he was Assistant Minister in McQuiston Memorial Church in Belfast. For over 20 years he ministered to the congregations of Dundalk, Carlingford and Castlebellingham. In 1971 he moved to Tyrone, as Minister of Trinity Church, Omagh, and Gillygooley. Afterwards, he was fortunate to enjoy over quarter of a century of retirement. During much of it, he supplied the pulpit in churches in the Derry and Donegal Presbytery. However, he faced personal tragedy later in life, with the deaths of his wife and only son.

He is survived by his daughter-in-law Kathryn; grandchildren Alice, Adam and Daniel; and sister-in-law Martha. He was predeceased by his wife, Alice, and son Liam.

Irish-language version of great Portugese poet

(An edited version of this was published in 'An tUltach' February 2017)

Tá sé amuigh ar Fernando Pessoa gurb eisean file mór na Portaingéile. Tá sé soiléar go bhfuil sin fíor ó na leaganacha Gaeilge seo ar chuid dá dhánta ‘As Trunc Fernando Pessoa’, leaganacha a rinne Deirdre Brennan. Tá comhghairdeas ag dul chuici, agus chuig Coiscéim, an foilsitheoir, as seo. Tá siad ag cur saothar Eorpach ar fáil, in am mar a bhfuil saol an Bhéarla ag tabhairt droim láimhe do theangacha eile, agus ag cúlú isteach san aonteangachas.

Saol gearr a bhí ag Pessoa féin. Bhí sé ró-thugtha don ól. B’shin a thug bás dó i 1935, gan aige ach 47 bliain.

Níor foilsíodh tromlach a chuid dánta go dtí i nidiaidh a bháis. Scríobh sé go leoir dánta i bpearsanraí eile, gur chum beathaisnéisí na bhfilí sin.

Mar fhile, tá a léargas féin aige ar an saol. Tá sin le feiceáil i ‘Páiste anaithnid salach ag súgradh lasmuigh dem’ dhoras’: “Ní cheistím an mbeireann tú teachtaireacht shiombalach chugam./ Bainim sport asat toisc nár leagas súil ort cheana/ is dá mbeifeá glan ba pháiste eile thú gan amhras.” Cinnte, is fiú an file seo a léamh.

‘As Trunc Fernando Pessoa’, rogha dánta ó Fernando Pessoa. Aistrithe ag Deirdre Brennan. Coiscéim €7.50.

Campaighers accuse Council of secret deals

(An edited version of this piece was published in the Sunday World February 26th 2017)

Campaigners are accusing Fermanagh and Omagh District Council of privatising a major public facility in secret, with implications for everybody in Northern Ireland. Press and public have been excluded from Council meetings that discussed leasing out the 230 acre Necarne Estate near Irvinestown, Co Fermanagh, to a private operator.

Diane Little of the ‘Saving Necarne’ campaign, said Fermanagh and Omagh Council is setting a precedent for all Councils to sell off public assets, which were funded by ratepayers for community benefit, without consultation, or without even allowing councillors to listen to public concerns. “Why is this process not open and transparent?” Little asked. “Why did the Council choose this process and apply commercial criteria to a site which is the local area community recreation space and community heritage?  The Council made a choice in the process they chose. They could have chosen to follow their policies and be open and transparent, inclusive and empowering.” Her group has protested outside Council meetings.

The Council has refused to meet the ‘Saving Necarne’ group. Chief Executive Brendan Hegarty has told a Council meeting he will not meet ‘Saving Necarne’ until the tendering process is completed. Councillors have been instructed not to meet Saving Necarne.

The Council has refused to answer Freedom of Information requests about the leasing out. When ‘Saving Necarne’ requested the ‘Expressions of Interest’ received by the Council, it refused.

The Council proposes to charge £20,000 rent per year for Necarne. However, ‘Saving Necarne’ has estimated the Council could receive £27,000 per year in agricultural subsidies for the estate by operating it itself.

‘Saving Necarne’ is concerned by the scoring system in the Council’s Expression of Interest document to choose bidders. The highest score is 25% for amount of Rent Paid to council. There is no mention at all of community needs.

The Necarne Equestrian Centre opened on the estate in 1994, as a centre of excellence. It was designed to be particularly used by young people and those suffering disability. Fermanagh Council has spent £5million on it. A report calls it “the best facility of its kind on the island of Ireland.”  

A Council spokesperson said the Council will not meet ‘Saving Necarne’ because “as the ‘Expressions of Interests’ have been properly submitted the Council has no discretion and cannot now decide to give any consideration to any other proposals as this would clearly leave the Council at risk of potential litigation.”

It is understood that the Council is now considering one offer. This is from Dromore-based Gardrum Properties. That company’s directors are Derek Irwin Keys and Paddi Georgina Keys, both with addresses at Omagh Road, Dromore, Co Tyrone.

Little said she wished to make clear she has no personal issue with Keys. However, she said this is a wide issue about how Northern Ireland is run: “We are not just fighting about Necarne anymore we are fighting to restore appropriate process, openness, transparency and democracy.”