Catalonia - strong movement for independence  

(An edited version of this piece was published in An tUltach, November 2014)

Tá neamhslpéachas ar na bacáin sa Chatalóin. Tá bratach na Catalóine ar foluain ó blocanna árasán chuile áit ar fud fad Barcelona, an príomh-cathair. Bhí suas le dhá mhilliún ar léirsiú, rud beag níos mó ná an ceathrú cuid de dhaonra na tire. Bhí reifreann comhairleach le bheith Mí na Samhna. Chuir Cúirt Bunreachtúil na Spáinne cosc air, beart a chothaigh fearg.

Tá féinriail ag dúiche na Catalóine ar thaobh na Spáinne den teorainn. Is é an Generalitat de Catalunya an rialtas réigiúnda, mar gurb é Convergència i Unió an páirtí is mó. Tá sin ina shaghas Fianna Fáil na Catalóine. Is leis an rialtas, rialtas a fhaigheann tacaíocht ón  Esquerra Repu blicana de Catalunya, páirtí daonlathach-sóisialach agus náisiúnach.

Tá Ariadna Jou ina h-urlabhraí idirnáisiúnta ag na Joventuts d’Esquerra Republicana (JERC), an ghluaiseacht óige. Is macléinn iar-céime i in Ollscoil Pompe Fabreu i mBarcelona. Bhuail mé léi i mbialann na hollcoile thart ar am tae, gan ach dornán macléinn fágtha ann. Bhí sí ag teacht ó léacht, ar a bealach chun na leabharlainne le píosa oibre a chríochnú – ach gan í ag brostú an agallaimh.

Tugann páirtí s’aici lán-tacaíocht don neamhspléachas.“An rud atá rialtas na Catalóine ag déanamh anois – agus is de bharr brú ón Esquerra Republicana agus páirtithe eile a thugann tacaíocht don neamhspléachas atá siad dá dhéanamh – is ag déanamh réidh don fheachtas don Reifreann Comhairleach atá siad,” ar sise. Tá siad tabhairt dúshlán Rialtais na Spáinne.

Rialaigh rialtas na Spáinne nach mbeadh cead ag oibrithe sa tseirbhís poiblí obair a dhéanamh leis an Reifreann Comhairleach a ullmhú. “Bhí ansin díomá ar rialtas na Catalóine, ní as an rud a bhainfeadh dóibhsean, ach an rud a bhainfeadh dóibh siúd a bhí ag obair san earnáil phoiblí,” ar sise. Ainneoin sin ar fad, tá sí dóchasach. “Tá an rialtas leis an rud a dhéanamh agus a mhól páirtí s’againne, agus an feachtas a thabhairt go cionn spríce ar achan rud, le gur féidir an Reifreann Comhairleach a ghairm,” ar sise.   Tá a bhfeachtais féin ag na páirtithe difriúla, agus ag Rialtas na Catalóine.

Tá níos mó ná páirtithe ann. “Ar an lámh eile, tá an tArdán Náisiúnta Catalóineach, mar a bhfuil an uile duine – múinteoirí, micléinn,” ar sise. “Tig leat bheith ag obair i siopa (mar shampla, agus clárú ann). Tá an-chuid imeachtaí ar siúil acu, a rá leis an rialtas ‘Bígí cróga, gabhaigí ar son an Chomhairliúcháin.’”

Bhí na páirtithe ar son an Reifrinn Comhairligh ag buaileadh lena gcéile chuile lá, agus mé ag labhairt le hAriadna i lár Mhí Deireadh Fómhair. “Sílim gur mhaith leis an rialtas (sa Spáinn) céim a dhéanamh ar gcúr,” ar sise. “Mar, rialtas Convergència i Unió, ní ar a leas a bheadh sé gan dul ar aghaidh leis an Reifreann Comhairleach.

“Seachtain ó shoin, bhí áthas orainn uilig, nó dhealraigh sé go mbeadh a leithéidí agus Reifreann Comhairleach. An seachtain seo, tá éiginnteacht ann, nó tá cruinniú ann agus níl fhios againn cad é tá ar shiúil acu. Níl siad chun rud ar bith a rá go poiblí go dtí an deireadh. Tá súil againn go mbeidh moladh againn.”

Tá fadhb ann leis an chlár toghthóirí, nó tá sé cúig bliain ó bhí an daonáireamh ag stát na Spáinne. “Tá daonáireamh eile de dhíth orainn, le go mbeidh liosta vótóirí againn roimh an Reifrinn,” ar sise.

Tá Ariadna anois iontach gafa anois leis an fheachtas. “Is é an sprioc mór atá romhainn ná reifreann bheith againn, agus vóta a chaitheamh. Tá dóchas orm, agus creidim go dtarlóidh an Reifreann Comhairleach. Sílim go dtarlóidh, fiú má tá orainn ár gclár toghthóirí féin a dhéanamh.

“Nuair atá dhá mhilliún duine ar an sráid ar Fhéile Náisiúnta na Catalóine, nuair atá Tionól Náisiúnta na Catalóine ann, beidh linn.”

Bíonn imeachtaí d’achan saghas ann. Is sampla beag ná go gcuirtear dath buí ar an uile rud sna bailte móra, sin dath bratach na Catalóine. “Tá sé anois ina ghluaiseacht chomh mór sin gur dóigh liomsa nach féidir stop a chur leis,” arsa Ariadna. “Sílim go mbeimid ábalta an Reifreann Comhairleach a dhéanamh, agus muna mbeimid ábalta é a dhéanamh, níl sé mar a bheadh deireadh ann, nó leanfaimid orainn ag obair, agus beidh toghchan againn.” San am céanna, ní bheadh Ariadna iomlán sásta le sin, nó “tá mé den bharúil go bhfuil an reifreann ar an rud daonlathach is fearr go dtig linn a dhéanamh. Ach tá dóigheanna malartacha againn, dóigheanna le táispeáint don chuid eile den saol, gur mhaith le pobal na Catalóine smacht bheith acu ar a dtodhchaí féin, bheith neamhspléach.”

Agus í ag súil le Reifreann “níl fhios agam an freagra deireannach a bheidh ón Spáinn. Má dheanfaimid é, níl fhios againn an rud atá siadsan ag dul a dhéanamh.” Ar ndóigh, cibé freagra a thiocfaidh ó rialtas Mhadrid tá an Reifreann Comhairleach ar an bhealach is fearr.

Mar dhuine óg, baineann Ariadna leis an ghlúin atá níos láidre ar son an eamhspléachais ná an mhuintir níos aosta – díreach mar atá ag tarlú in Albain. Dála na hAlban chomh maith, tá géarchéim ann sa ghéilleagar. Thosaigh sin sa Spáinn i 2007. “D’fhásamar suas chomh maith agus rialtas s’againn ag glacadh páirte i gcogaidh thar lear,” ar sise. Dar leis an ghlúin óg is tír faoi leith an Chatalóin. “Mhair an dream níos aosta níos faide faoi réimeas na Spáinne, agus b’fhéidir mar sin go bhfuil níos mó táithí acu ar sin,” ar sise. Ainneoin sin, tá céadatán súntasach den dream is sine i bhfabhar an neamshpléachais. “Bíonn siad ag déanamh comhghairdeas linn as obair s’againn,” ar sise.

D’fhulaing an ghlúin sin faoi dheachtóireacht Franco idir 1938 agus 1975. Ní raibh cead Catalóinís a labhairt le linn go leoir de na blianta sin, an cultúr na Catalónach i gcoitinne faoi chois. “Bíonn daoine óga níos cróga, nó ní dheacamar tri seo,” arsa Ariadna. “Tá níos mó ídéalachais ionainn.”

Bhí an Chatalóinis ina shiombal réabhlóide faoin deachtóireacht. “Nuair a bhím ag labhairt le mo mhuintir, deir siad liom go raibh cosc ar an Chatalóinís,” ar sise. “Mar shampla ní thiocfadh leo Catalóinís a labhairt ar an sráid, nó ní thiocfadh leo Catalóinís a fhoghlaim ar scoil. Bhí ranganna mídhleathacha ann. Sa bhaile agus le do chairde, labhairt tú Catalóinis. Nuair a thagadh duine éigean ó na húdaráis, bheadh orthu an teanga a bhí dá labhairt a mhalartú.”

Baineann Ariadna le glúin a rugadh ina dhiaidh sin. Chláraigh sí le JERC i 2008, í 16 agus ar an mheánscoil. Faoin am sin, bhí neart táithí aici ar bheith gníomhach ó bhí sí ina cailín óg. “Chonaic mé gur JERC an ghluaiseacht óige ba mhó a bhí ar aon dul le mo chuid smaointí,” ar sise. “Chláraigh mé mar gnáth-ball, gan cúraimí faoi leith agam.”

Tá sí préamhaithe sa Chatalóin, nó is as Girona di, cathair soir ó thuaidh ó Barcelona. B’í an Chatalóinis teanga an tí. Is de bhunadh na Catalóine í, díomaite de sheanmháthair amháin a rugadh san Ostair – ach gurb as Andalucia i ndeisceart na Spáinne dá tuismitheoirí siúd. Buntáiste atá le Girona, dar léi, ná nuair a aistríonn stráinséirí isteach ann, go mbíonn deiseanna acu le Catalóinís a fhoghlaim “le go mbeadh an uile duine ar an bhonn céanna.” Is sin an saghas tire neamhspléaigh atá de dhíth uirthi.

Kolkata woman who became part of Fermanagh

(a slightly edited version of this obituary was published in the Irish Times Saturday November 22nd 2014)

Anita Mukherjee – born January 27^th 1957, died October 23^rd 2014

Anita Mukherjee, who has died in a Belfast hospital, was a native of Kolkata, India, who became part of life in her adopted home of Enniskillen. “Somehow I feel in tune with Fermanagh,” she said. She was a charismatic community worker there for a decade and a half. At meetings, she was the person people wanted to sit beside because she was fun.

Probably her biggest achievement was establishing Women of the World in Fermanagh. It fulfils a number of roles. Social events are organised to counteract the isolation of immigrant women. These are a lifeline for those from small immigrant groups.

Fermanagh Women of the World develops understanding of immigrant cultures among the host community. Ms Mukherjee saw that work as countering racism by breaking down barriers and getting rid of preconceptions.

She energetically promoted her Bengali culture, teaching its dance and cookery. She swept into classes in a whirlwind of cheerfulness, with bangles and sari. She took those classes into schools and youth clubs. As well as being a promoter of Bengali food, she was an equally energetic promoter of healthy eating. Her workshops on equality and diversity always deepened participants’ understanding.

As well as Women of the World, she was a member of Fermanagh Women’s Network, the Northern Ireland Rural Women’s Network, Fermanagh Policing and Community Safety Partnership (PCSP), and the Soroptimists. In the PCPS she strongly advocated proper links with the community: and, being an immigrant, contributed vital insights.

She was born Anita Chatterji in January 1957 in Kolkata, India’s third-largest city, the eldest of four children, three girls and a boy. He father was an engineer, her mother a poet. The family was educated rather than rich. She received secondary education at the Loreto House in Kolkata, one of India’s most prestigious schools, run by Irish nuns from the Loreto Order. At the school she remembered encountering Mother Teresa. She continued her education with a degree in English from the University of Calcutta. At the turn of the century she left India when her husband became general manager of an engineering firm in Fermanagh. The county quickly became home, and she contributed greatly to its life.

She is survived by her husband Tapan, son Rohan, sisters Indrani and Debjani, and brother Rinku.

Austin Lynch - a link with the past

(a slightly edited version was first published in the Irish Times Saturday, November 1st)

Austin Lynch – born September 6^th 1937, died October 14^th 2014

Austin Lynch, who has died after a period of ill-health, was chairman of Ireland’s largest remaining family-owned newspaper group, the Omagh-based North West of Ireland Printing and Publishing Company, which publishes papers in Tyrone, Donegal and Fermanagh. As first Managing Director and then Chairman for many years, he oversaw the development of three new titles, new headquarters, and the transition to new technology. Under his stewardship, the Company kept and developed its own printing press.

Lynch was an old-style employer, with a concern for the welfare of staff and a belief in treating them fairly. He was an old-style newspaperman too. For many years, he wrote editorials. He believed journalists had to learn on the job. One journalist remembers doing her job interview in the morning, then being sent to cover Strabane District Council that evening.

Lynch’s life was more than newspapers and business. He was a talented musician. The piano was his love, and he enjoyed playing jazz and classical music. He also played trumpet, trombone and clarinet. For some years he was a member of a brass band. He lent his musical expertise to amateur dramatic productions. He had a love of literature and the arts. Beyond that, he had a great curiosity about the world round him. That meant he kept in touch with what was happening in his community.

What shaped him was that the Lynch Family was steeped in the newspaper business. Early in the last century, his grandfather had established the Company’s first title, the Ulster Herald newspaper in Omagh.

Lynch was born in that town in 1937, eldest of four children to Louis D Lynch and his wife Ita (née Mullan), both natives of Omagh. Louis D Lynch, as well as being managing director of the Company, was a playwright and for a time a Nationalist member of the Northern Ireland Senate.

Lynch was educated at the Christian Brothers Primary and Grammar Schools in Omagh, then obtained an honours degree in English from UCD. He taught briefly before entering the family business. As a young man he suffered from a serious speech impediment, but showed determination in overcoming it and making his mark on the provincial press.

Austin Lynch is survived by his daughter Veranne, son Austin, sisters Anita (Currie) and Norrie (Egan), brother Gerard, and grandchildren. He was predeceased by his wife Veronica.

Outstanding footballer whose career was blighted

(A slightly edited version was first published in the Irish Times October 18th 2014)

Hugh ‘Dick’ Doherty – born May 5^th 1921, died September 29^th 2014

Hugh ‘Dick’ Doherty, who has died in his home town of Buncrana, Co Donegal, was believed to be oldest surviving former Glasgow Celtic player. He also played with Blackpool at the time when they were one of the strong sides in the old English First Division. His career never flowered as it should due to World War Two, bad luck, and injury.

In the summer of 1939, Celtic’s chief scout was on holidays in Ireland. He saw the teenage Doherty, then with junior club Buncrana Celtic. The scout never spoke to Doherty: but, a few weeks later, Celtic wrote offering a trial in Glasgow.

He went over at the start of September 1939. The trial went well: then, on the day he was to sign terms, Britain entered World War Two. For safety, Doherty returned to Buncrana to work with his father. During the war, he played for Derry City, Derry Rangers, and Dundalk.

Then, after the War, he got another opportunity. Several Celtic players were on holidays in Donegal. He played with them in an exhibition match. As a result of his performances, Celtic signed him for the 1946-7 season. He played three games in the old Scottish First Division, and one in the Scottish cup.

Celtic let him go at the end of the season. Blackpool snapped him up. Doherty played outside right. However, Stanley Matthews, then the world’s best footballer, was Blackpool’s regular outside right. Doherty usually only played when Matthews was unavailable.

During one of those games, he injured his knee. Blackpool let him go. After a period of recovery, he signed with Raith Rovers in the Scottish League. In his first game, the knee gave up. That forced return to Buncrana.

Doherty was born in Buncrana in 1921, elder of two sons to John Doherty, a butcher, farmer, and greyhound-trainer, and his wife Madge (née McLaughlin). The family were nicknamed ‘Dick’ Dohertys. He received his education in the town’s National School, then St Columb’s College, Derry, before going to work with his father.

After leaving Raith Rovers, he resumed working for his father - and developing football in Inishowen. When he died, he was assistant treasurer of the Inishowen Football League.

Hugh ‘Dick’ Doherty is survived by his daughter, Deirdre, and sons Denis and Eamonn. He was predeceased by his wife, Eithne, daughter Ann-Marie, and son Anthony.

(An edited version of this piece was published in the Sunday World September 14th 2014)

Pizza box and vomit attracted police

A medical student who had planned to sleep in his car and catch an early-morning bus to Dublin has pleaded guilty at Omagh Magistrates Court to being drunk in charge.

A prosecution lawyer told the court the attention of police was drawn to a car in an Omagh car park when they saw a pizza box on the roof, and a mat covered in vomit at the driver’s door. They found Fearghal James O’Neill asleep in the driver’s seat. He smelled strongly of alcohol and, when tested, was over twice the drunk-drive limit.

A defence lawyer told the court that O’Neill had planned to catch an early-morning bus to Dublin in order to collect a passport. He said O’Neill was a first-year medical student in Dublin. Judge Bernie Kelly imposed a three-month driving ban on 19 year old O’Neill, of Lettergash Road, Dromore, and fined him £250.

(An edited version of this piece was published in the Sunday World September 28th 2014)

Man invented mugging to get benefit

An Omagh man who injured himself falling off a fence when drunk has pleaded guilty at Omagh Magistrates’ Court to wasting police time after he reported he had been robbed by two men. A prosecution lawyer told the court James Duffy later told police he was unemployed. “He thought that if he made up the story he’d get a crisis loan for Christmas,” the lawyer told the court.

The Court heard Duffy had arrived at Omagh Police station in the early hours of December 22^nd last. He was very drunk, bleeding from facial injuries, and bare-chested under a jacket. Duffy claimed two men on bicycles, one with a knife, had robbed him of his wallet on his way home from a pub. Police noted his account kept changing. Despite alleging he had been knocked to the ground, his clothes were neither dirty nor wet. However, the following morning he took a police photographer to the alleged crime scene.

Police later interviewed the manager of the bar where Duffy had been drinking. The manager said he had seen another man try to lift Durry over a high fence round the smoking area. Both men were very drunk, and the other man pushed Duffy too hard.  Duffy fell off the fence and suffer was injured by landing face-first on a hard surface. Duffy had left his clothes on the ground, and the manager gathered them up.

Within 24 hours of reporting the mugging, Duffy apologised to police for concocting the story. A defence lawyer said Duffy should be given credit for his early plea of guilty. “At the time, he was impecunious and on benefit,” the lawyer said.

Twenty-eight year old Duffy, of Clonmore Gardens, Omagh, was given a two-month suspended sentence. Deputy District Judge Peter Prenter ordered him to pay £1,034.17 costs incurred by police in the investigation.

Planners refuse wind farm because of noise pollution

(A slighly edited version of this article was published in the 'Sunday World' of August 31st 2014)

by Anton McCabe

For the first time, planners have turned down a proposed wind farm because of noise, The planned wind farm was at Drumadarragh Hill, north of Ballyclare, on the edge of an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. First Planning Service, then the Planning Appeals Commission, refused permission.

The Planning Appeals Commission’s ruling said the proposal “would have an unacceptable noise impact on sensitive receptors.” In May a Commissioner visited the area to investigate noise from two existing wind farms. When a north-westerly wind was blowing “there was a constant hum audible, accompanied by a rhythmic swish.” When the wind dropped, turbine noise increased markedly. “The turbine noise was a distinct and constant artificial presence,” he said. At one house he could hear a loud “thump” from the downbeat of turbines.

The Commissioner found local resident Dorothy Kane a “candid witness,” whose experience was documented by Dr Hanning, a Sleep Medium Consultant. “… I am satisfied that Mrs Kane had no pattern of headaches or sleepless nights until after Wolf Bog (wind farm) was erected and the she could not think of other factors to have caused the change in sleep patterns,” he said. “I also have no reason to dispute that she sleeps better away from home.” He had “concerns” at “the general increase in noise exposure that would be experienced at sensitive properties.”

The refused application was from Drumadarragh Wind Farm. The application began in 2005 for 10 turbines, at a maximum height of 107 metres (351 feet). This was amended over the next three years, finally becoming four turbines 77 metres (252 feet) high. Last year Planning Service rejected it because of noise: the Planning Appeals Commission upheld that rejection.

The company which proposed the development, Drumadarragh Wind Farm, is controlled by wind farm entrepreneur Doreen Walker. She is a director of 10 other wind energy companies in Northern Ireland. She did not reply to an e mail from the Sunday World.

Dan Kane was one of the opponents of Drumadarragh. He said residents decided to object after two wind farms were build in the area. There were no problems with the first. Then the second was built. “The first thing that hit us was the size of it and the noise was quite exceptional, especially at night,” he said.

The noise was critical to objections. “People differ on visual impact,” he said. “That is subjective. Noise is objective – either you experience it or you don’t.” When going round the area, campaigners found many neighbours suffered headaches due to existing turbines. They brought in a noise expert from Britain, who showed the quality of locals’ sleep was being damaged. Local MP, Reverend William McCrea, supported them, arranging a meeting with then Environment Minister, Edwin Poots.  “It was never an emotional call with us – it was argued out,” Kane said.

Dr Alan Evans, Emeritus Professor of Public Health at Queen’s University, welcomed the planners’ decision. “One day we’ll have to fight noise as strongly as cholera and plague,” he said. Noise from wind turbines is dangerous. “There is a syndrome called wind farm syndrome, which causes deprivation of sleep,” he said. The Government knows there is a problem. “There are reports which prove that there is a problem with low frequency noise,” he said. “It seems the Government is prepared to write off rural communities, and accept the collateral damage to health.”

Campaigners against wind farms welcomed the decision. Owen McMullan, of West Tyrone against Wind Turbines, said planners had not applied the same principles to his area. One third of all wind farms given planning permission in Northern Ireland are in West Tyrone. “They’re not taking into account the cumulative impact of these,” he said. “People are now finding out the hard way because of the number of wind farms across the Province.”

It seems the numbers of wind farms will keep on increasing. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment wants 40% of electricity to come from renewables by 2020. So far, 88% of planning applications for wind farms have been approved.

The Commissioner’s report on Drumadarragh points to future problems. “As the informatives (regarding noise from two existing wind farms in the area) are unenforceable there is nothing to prevent the existing wind farms making as much noise as they like, and the Department (of the Environment) would have no locus to investigate the issue never mind consider enforcement action,” he said. “This leaves statutory nuisance legislation as the only way to address noise issues emanating from these turbines… It also needs to be borne in mind that as they age turbine mechanics have the potential to become noisier.”

The same report said there would have been no significant number of jobs from Drumadarragh. There would have been “infrequent though regular maintenance visits. Occasional technical problems will require maintenance visits from technical staff and a full time specialist may be required to carry out further operational controls from the control building.”

However, it remains to be seen whether the rulings on Drumadarragh mark a harder line by planners on the spread of wind farms. They will certainly encourage the growing numbers of objectors.