Pam Brighton - making the voices of the voiceless heard

(An edited version of this was published in the Irish Times March 7th 2015)

Pam Brighton born October 22^nd 1946; died February 22^nd 2015

Pam Brighton, who has died in her adopted home of Belfast, was a Yorkshire-born theatre director who was central to developing people’s theatre in West Belfast. She mentored almost a generation of the city’s playwrights and actors, and was a founder of the innovative DubbleJoint company.

Brighton’s theatre was about making the voices of the voiceless heard. She had little interest in directing classic texts, and preferred working outside the established theatre. Her commitment was to making theatre relevant and accessible to working class people, which flowed from her Marxist beliefs. In her later years she specialised in work which articulated the feelings of Catholic West Belfast.

Brighton was an excellent script editor, because she could spot the flaws in a script. Another gift was the ability to find nuances in a character which the playwright hadn’t identified.

Pamela Dallas Brighton was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, in October 1946, the only child to Norman Brighton and his wife Marjorie (née Peel). Norman Brighton worked in a garage, installing insulation in vehicles. He died of asbestosis when she was 15.

After secondary education at Bradford’s Grange Girls Grammar School, where she won the prize for Senior Scripture, she studied Politics at the London School of Economics.

After graduating, she worked at London’s Royal Court Theatre, in charge of its Young People’s Theatre Scheme. The language used in some productions provoked protests from the Inner London Education Authority, and questions in the British parliament. After leaving the Royal Court she worked at other theatres in London, Toronto, and Stratford (Canada), with some forays to Australia. She lived in Canada for a number of years. A couple of times, she seemed to be on the verge of mainstream success only to have it elude her. Her complex personality and honesty did not help. A Toronto newspaper interviewed her the day before one production opened. She said: “It’s very depressing to do a play that’s terribly flawed. But there’s no use pretending it’s good when it isn’t.” She was bankrupted by a High Court action against playwright and close friend Marie Jones over the authourship of hit play ‘Stones In Our Pockets’.

She came to Belfast by accident. She met playwright Martin Lynch at the Edinburgh Festival in the early 1980s. He needed a director for a play he had written for the Charabanc theatre company. She came over, found West Belfast was a home, and moved there permanently in the late 1980s. For a while she worked there with the BBC’s drama department. However, she was not a woman who fitted into such a structured organisation – particularly as she only wanted to do work she was interested in.

At one stage she abandoned theatre altogether, and qualified as a barrister in 1986, working for a while in the human rights field. The sirens of the theatre called her back, though, and she answered them.

Pam Brighton is survived by her son Ned Cohen, daughter-in-law Jeanette, and grandchildren Oisín and Dearbhla.

GAA Centre of Excellence in legal battle

Tyrone GAA’s £6million Centre of Excellence at Garvaghy is at the centre of a legal battle. A sub-contactor who claims he was not paid for work done during construction is taking legal action against the Tyrone County. Fintona-based Top Tools is seeking £26,879.40 from the County Board

A lawyer for the sub-contractor told a short hearing at Omagh County Court that the Board first main contractor hired to build the Centre had agreed a contract to supply items with Top Tools. This first main contractor then “went bust.” The lawyer said that a senior GAA official offered payment for work done. “Afterwards, the Tyrone County Board denied the existence of any contract,” the barrister said. However, the County Board subsequently settled one invoice for work carried out for the first contractor. This was done “when faced with the inevitability of legal action.”

A barrister for the Board told the Court that another main contractor took over construction at Garvaghy. As a result “Tyrone County Board circulated a letter that they would pay for works completed after (the first contractor went bust).” He accused Top Tools of seeking that “the Board should pay for work, which the Board had already paid for, but McCann Brothers (the contractors) did not pay the subcontractors for.”

The barrister for Top Tools denied this. He said that the County Board had authorised payments to subcontractors after the first main contractor had gone bust. He named a senior County Board official as having “paid for materials after McCann Brother went bust from his own credit card.”

Judge McReynolds said it was “a very Tyrone case.” She suggested both sides “spit on their hands” and shake on a deal, in the traditional way. After a short adjournment for discussion between the two sides, the case was adjourned for hearing on April 15^th.

Guide 'told and sold Derry's story like nobody else'

(An edited version of this piece was published in the Irish Times February 21st 2015

Martin McCrossan – born May 7^th 1962, died February 6^th 2015

Martin McCrossan, who has died after a short illness, was one of the main drivers in the tourism industry in Derry. Some 20 years ago he established City Tours, offering walking tours of Derry. It was a time when investing in Northern tourism was a gamble. He not only built a business, but became a spokesperson for tourism in Derry. Two years ago, he won the Northern Ireland Tourist Board’s ‘Tourism Hero’ award.

His importance is seen by the way his passing attracted tributes from across the political spectrum. Arlene Foster, the North’s Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, paid an unprompted tribute when asked an unrelated question during Question Time in the Assembly. She called McCrossan “one of tourism's great ambassadors in Northern Ireland …. Let me pass on my deepest sympathy to Martin's wife Sharon and his family. He was a great ambassador in the Member's city and brought many tours around the city's walls. We will miss him dreadfully from tourism in Northern Ireland.” Tributes also came from Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, and SDLP MP Mark Durkan. Durkan summed McCrossan up: “Martin McCrossan told and sold Derry’s story like nobody else.”

Part of that telling and selling was making his tours value for money. They impressed a travel writer from the London ‘Daily Telegraph’: “If there was an award for the best value for money on the planet, Martin McCrossan's walking tours of Londonderry would get my vote. Moreover, I don’t think I’ve ever learned as much as in the hour I spent walking with him around the walls of the city whose famous siege from 1688 to 1689 changed British and European politics forever, and around the Bogside – crucible of The Troubles and scene of the controversial Bloody Sunday shootings of 1972. Fascinating stories from a fascinating storyteller.”

Martin McCrossan was born in Derry May 1962, seventh of 14 children to Gerard McCrossan, one of the City’s most colourful bookmakers, and his wife Helen (née Irvine). After primary education, he attended St Joseph’s Secondary School.

Throughout McCrossan’s life he was a dynamo, who enjoyed business, including the cut and thrust of competition. From shortly after leaving school, he worked as a small shopkeeper.

His tour guiding developed from his newsagent’s and tobacconist’s shop on Carlisle Road in Derry City centre. Tourists frequently came in with queries. Having an interest in Derry’s history, he would answer them. This showed him an opening, and he established Derry City Tours. He returned to education, and qualified as a tour guide.

He will be missed from Derry City Centre, where his yellow coat was a part of the streetscape. The downpours that are a feature of Derry’s weather did not drive him into shelter: rather, he opened out his umbrella and rushed on round the City, whose beauty he saw before many others did.

Martin McCrossan is survived by his wife Sharon, daughters Christina and Charlene, and grandchildren Bain and Tate.

The Massacre at Charlie Hebdo

(first published in An tUltach, January 2015)

#JeSuisCharlie

Is guth beag atá againne leis ‘An tUltach’. Mar sin, tá sé tábhachtach go nglacfaimis seasamh ar an ár a rinneadh ar fhoireann ‘Charlie Hebdo’.

Ba bhuille do shaoirse na meán é, do shaoirse cainte, dúinn uilig atá ag éirí eolais a chur ar fáil – sea, agus don lucht léitheoireachta atá ag iarraidh eolais. Ní h-aon Charlie Hebdo é ‘An tUltach’. Mar sin féin, is iris é a thugann guth do mhionlach, Geaeilgeoirí Chúige Uladh.

Ba ghuth ag mionlach sa bhFrainc é Charlie Hebdo. Bhain sé le traidisiún áirithe francach den aor agus den mhagadh – tráidisiún nach bhfuil ar bhlas an uile duine, dála an scéil. Pillfimid ar sin ar ball.

Chuaigh ar tharla go mór i bhfeidhm ar mhuintir na Fraince, nó ba chuid de dhúchas s’acu é – dúchas a chuaigh siar go dtí na meánaoiseanna.

Dúirt James Overton, iriseoir atá ina Chathaoirleach, Craobh Phárais, Aontas na nIriseoirí, gur tháinig Páras ina lán-stad ag meán lae an 8ú Eanáir. “Bhí mé ag stáisiún metro an Place d’Italie nuair a d’fhógair bolscaire ar an chóras fógartha poiblí go mbeadh bomaite ciúnas ag meán lae,” ar seisean. “D’fhan na traenacha ag an ardán na doirse ar oscailt. Thuirling daoine, gur bhain díobh a gcuid hataí. Bhí foireann córas iompair na cathrach ina seasamh ar aire. Bhí bean meán-aosta amháin agus caoineadh. Agus, ós rud é gur seo metro Phárais, bhí paisinéar mire amháin ag scairteadh leis gan ciall ag bun carráiste amháin.”

Faraor, tharla macallaí an ruda a tharla sa bhFrainc anseo. Tá sé 14 bliain ó dúnmaraíodh an t-iriseoir Marty O’Hagan, cara agus comhghleacaí liom, ar an Lurgan. B’iad an LVF (Fórsa na nÓglach Dílseach) a dhúnmaraigh é.

Bhíodh Marty i gcónaí dá bhfíosrú. Bhí sé go háirithe ag fiosrú na nascanna a bhí idir an LVF agus daoine sna fórsaí slándála. Nuair a dúnmaraíodh é, bhí sé ag obair ar scéal a bhain le péas sinsearach áirithe. Níor cionntaíodh duine ar bith riamh as an dúnmharú, cé go luaitear ainmneacha go forleathan. Tá sé amuigh ar chúpla duine acu go raibh siad ina ngníomhairí ag na fórsaí slándála.

Is suntasach amharc ar an difear idir an dóigh gur láimhsíodh cás Marty agus cás Veronica Guerin. B’úafásach agus ba thragóideach é dúnmharú Guerin.

Cionntaíodh daoine as an dúnmharú. Ar ndóigh, bhí an dúnmharú sin oiriúnach don leagan oifigiúil. Ba lucht díolta drugaí a dhúnmharaigh ise.

Caithfear a rá lom amach: bhí bagáiste ag Marty. B’iar cime poblachtach é, a chaith seal faoi ghlas as bheith ina óglach san IRA Oifigiúil. Mar sin, bhí siad ann a sheachain cás s’aige. Leis, tá ceisteanna faoi lucht a mharuithe, agus an ceangal idir iad agus daoine sna fórsaí slándála.

Bhí dúnmharú Marty ar an sampla ba chríochnaithe ar an imeaglú ar iriseoirí sa Tuaisceart. Rinneadh bagairtí ar go leoir again: dílseoirí ba mhó, ach níl na grúpaí éagsúla poblachtacha gan locht. Tá an stát ag déanamh bagairtí chomh maith. Is é sin, tá siad ag iarraidh ar iriseoirí pictiúirí agus nótaí a chur ar fáil: beart a chuireann sinn i mbaol. Bíonn sé deacair go maith bheith ag plé le dreamanna áirithe anseo – gan iad bheith den bharúil go bhfuilimid ag obair ar son na bhfórsaí slándála.

Thug ár Phárais an t-imeaglú seo go croí-lár na hEorpa. Bhí seo ar an ár ba mheasa dá ndearnadh ar iriseoirí san Eoraip.

Níorbh é, faraor, an t-ár ba mheasa dá ndearnadh ar domhain. Rinneadh sin in ár Maguidanao ar Oileán Mindanao sna hOileáin Fhilipíneacha. Sé bhliain ó shoin, dúnmaraíodh 34 iriseoir, agus 24 eile. Bhí na h-iriseoirí ag tuairisciú ar pholaiteoir áitiúil, a bhí ag tabhairt dúshláin ghobharnóra an chúige. Rinne 100 fir armtha de lucht tacaíochta an ghobharnóra ionsaí orthu. Rinneadh éigniú ar ceathrar ban-iriseoir a dúnmaraíodh. Dála cás Mharty, luaitear ainmneacha na ndúnmharfóirí go forleathan: go dtí seo, níor cionntaíodh duine ar bith.

Anuraidh, rinneadh ár ar iriseoirí ar fud an domhain. Ba sa ‘Tríú Domhain’ a bhformhór. Maraíodh naonúr san Afganastáin: maraíodh seachtar san Iráic: níl aon ionadh go bhfuileamar chomh dall ar a bhfuil d’úafáis ag tarlú sa dá thír sin. Ní i dtíortha iargúlta amháin atá iriseoirí dá marú: maraíodh cúigear i Meicsiceo, tír atá forbartha ar go leoir dóigheanna agus ar thairseach na Stát Aontaithe. Tá an tír i mbaol titime as a chéile de bharr nirt gnó na ndrugaí, agus an nasc atá idir lucht drugaí, péas, agus polaiteoirí.

Faraor, ní tugtar aird ar úafáis sa ‘Tríú Domhain’, muna mbíonn daoine geala ina n-íobartaigh. Tá na meáin sna tíortha forbartha ag déanamh ciorruithe, go háirithe ar thuairisceoireacht idirnáisiúnta. An tuairisceoireacht a déantar, is saor-iriseoirí ar bheagán pá ó na tíortha bochta is mó a dhéanann – gur beag aird, faraor, a tugtar orthu. Mar a deir an sean-nath: “Anyone here been raped and speak English.”

Na buncreidmhigh a rinne an t-ionsaí ar Charlie Hebdo, bhain siad le dream atá ag déanamh áir ar iriseoirí sna tíortha Musulmacha le blianta. Dúnmaraíodh 58 iriseoir san Ailgéir ó 1992.

Tá sé i bhfad ró-shimplí a rá gurb iad tíortha an Iarthair a chruthaigh na fórsaí seo. Tá sé fíor a rá gur thug an t-Iarthar tacaíocht dóibh, mar gur fórsaí coiméadacha a bhí iontu. Ba san Afganastáin ach go háirithe a tháinig siad chun tosaigh, ag troid in éadán an Aontais Sóibhéidigh ó 1979 amach. Tugadh tacaíocht dóibh mar go raibh siad ag troid in éadán Sadaam Hussein san Iráic, Ghaddafi sa Libia, agus an Uachtaráin Assad sa tSír. Nár chuala rialtais an Iarthair riamh faoi Frankenstein?

Bhain an bheirt a dhúnmharaigh iriseoirí Charlie Hebdo le ‘Gréasán Buttes-Chaumont’, gréasán scéimhleoireachta atá bainte le Daesh (an Stát Ioslamach). Dhúnmharaigh an gréasán sin beirt den eite chlé sa Túinis dhá bhliain ó shoin. Rinneadh sin chun bac a chur ar t-iompú i dtreo an daonlathais.  

Ar ndóigh, bhí siad naimhdeach do sprid Charlie Hebdo. Cinnte, ní raibh Charlie Hebdo ar bhlas an uile duine. Ba mhinic gáirsiúil, maslach, Diamhaslach, ainsrianta é. Ba mhinic, dar le cuid mhór daoine, gan greannmhar é. Ach tá sé riachtanach go mbeadh saoirse cainte aige.

Tá an Front National agus dreamanna eile ón eite dheis ag éirí teacht i dtír ar an ionsaí. Dúirt Marine Le Pen, ceannaire an Front National, gur “íde-eolaíocht dúnmharfach” a bhí ciontach. Thugadh Charlie Hebdo fúithi go fíochmhar – níos fíochmhaire ná faoin Ioslamachas.

Cinnte, dhiúltódh na h-íobartaigh le tacaíocht óna leithéidí. Bhain siad uilig leis an eite chlé, le gluaiseachtaí frith- caipitlí, frith-ciníoch. Ba de bhunadh Musulmach beirt orthu siúd a dúnmaraíodh. Tá eite clé na Fraince, chomh scaipthe agus atá, ag déanamh a dhícheall le hoidhreacht s’acu a chosc uirthi. Faraor, tá an cuma ar chúrsaí gur ar a leas a bheidh an t-úafás a tharla.

Nó tá préamhacha doimhne ag an eite dheis sa bhFrainc. Luaitear ‘Ioslamach’ agus ‘scéimhleoireacht’ le céile anois. Ach níorbh Ioslamaigh a bhí ciontach as an t-eachtra scéimhleoireachta ba mheasa sa bhFrainc. Mharaigh scéimhleoirí an Organisation armée secrete (OAS – antoiscigh a sheas in éadán neamhspléachais na hAilgéire) 27 nuair a phléasc siad traen idir Strasbourg agus Páras Mí Meitheamh 1961.

Agus seo dá scríobh, trí lá i ndiaidh an eachtra, tá ionsaithe dá ndéanamh ar Mhusulmaigh sa bhFrainc. Bheadh íobartaigh Charlie Hebdo orthu siúd a dhéanfadh a gcomharsan Musulmacha a chosaint.

Piceanna: Patrick Kamenka + SDLP

Controversy over use of Irish in 'Super Council'

(December 2014)

Tá An Ghaeilge ina chnámh spáirne polaitiúil arís ó thuaidh. Dúirt comhairleoir ón DUP go raibh sé ‘frith-Briotanach’ agus ‘frith-Aontachtach’ nuair a vótáil Scáth-Comhairle Fear Manach agus na hÓmaí go mbeadh Béarla agus Gaeilge ar comharthaíocht agus páipéarachas an Chomhairle. Thug Sinn Féin agus an SDLP tacaíocht don mholadh. Diúltaíodh do mholadh ón DUP agus UUP (Páirtí Aontachtach Uladh) gur Béarla, Gaeilge agus Ultais a bheadh ann.

Dúirt an Comhairleoir Barry McNally ó Shinn Féin gurbh fearr le páirtí s’aige Gaeilge amháin, agus gur comhréiteach a bheadh sna comharthaí Béarla-Gaeilge. Sa daonáireamh is déanaí, dúirt suas le 20% de phobal cheantair na hÓmaí go raibh Gaeilge acu, agus 15% de phobal Fhear Manach.

Dúirt an Comhairleoir Errol Thompson ón DUP go raibh cuid mhór cinntí dá ndearna an comhairle ‘frith-Briotanach’ agus ‘frith-Aontachtach.’ “Níl tú ag tabhairt measa domsa nó do thraidisiún s’agam leis an rud ata sibh ag déanamh anseo anocht,” ar seisean.

Dúirt an Comhairleoir Chris Smyth (UUP – Páirtí Aontachtach Uladh) go raibh an comhairle ag déanamh “beag is fiú” 40% den phobal.

Dúirt Smyth le Tuairisc i ndiaidh an chruinniuithe gurbh fhearr le páirtí s’aige gur Béarla amháin a bheadh ann. Ba comhréiteach moladh s’acu. “Níl fadhb agam leis an Ghaeilge,” ar seisean. “Tá fadhb agam leis nuair a déantar arm cogaidh as.” Dar leis go raibh Sinn Féin ag baint úsáide as Gaeilge le teachtaireacht a thabhairt do dhaoine “níl fáilte romhat anseo. Chaitheamar vóta ar an bhonn – bíodh do chuid Gaeilge agat má fhaigheann muidne rud éigean anseo.”

B’ag droch-am, dar leis, a rinneadh an moladh. “Dúirt Adams an rud faoi Chapall Adhmaid na Traí,” arsa Smyth. “Agus an comhionnanas bheith mar arm.” Chuir sin deireadh le “hands across the divide.”

Toghadh an Scáth-Comhairle mar chuid d’athruithe ar comhairlí áitiúla ó thuaidh. Tugann sé ceantaracha comhairlí Fear Manach agus na hÓmaí lena gcéile.

Promoting Irish in Derry – Michaeline Donnelly

(first published in An tUltach, December 2014)

Is bean gnóthach í Michaeline Donnelly, Oifigeach Forbartha le Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin, Doire. Bhí orainn fanacht leis an agallamh a dhéanamh sa chaifé ag an Chultúrlann Uí Chanáin, nó í ag déanamh agallaimh ar Raidió na Gaeltachta – agus ansin ag eagrú seoladh ‘An Bhean Feasa’ le Alan Titley an oíche sin.

Tá an suim a chuireann sí i rudaí tógálach. Thug sí cóip de ‘An Bhean Feasa’ dom agus mé ag ól chaifé. Faoin am gur thosaigh an t-agallamh, bhí oiread sin den leabhar léite agam gur cheannaigh mé é.

Tugann an post spreagadh di. Dar léi gurb é a céad dualgas ná feiceálacht na Gaeilge sa chathair a ardú. Tá obair an-éagsúil ansin. “Comharthaí dá-theangach, turasóireacht cultúrtha a spreagadh, cuidiú leis na scoileanna, gnóthaí pobail, imeachtaí a reachtáil – is cineál obair pobail atá ann,” ar sise. Tá club óige atá ag dul “ó neart go neart.”

Déanann sin freastal ar dhéagóirí. Níl meánscoil Gaeilge ann “agus níl na scoileanna (Béarla) ag freastal ar na páistí a thagann amach as na bunscoileanna.” Níl an Ghaeilge mar ábhar ach i gcúpla ceann acu. “Tá cinéal bearna ann, agus feiceann mo dhuine go bhfuil sé orainn na bearnaí sin a líonadh,” ar sise.

Tá bród uirthi as an Chultúrlann, mar a bhfuil 400 ag freastal ar ranganna Gaeilge – ag achan léibhéal “ó lán-tosaitheoirí go léibhéal dioplóma,” chomh maith le ranganna ceoil, damhsa, sean-nós agus eile. Níl go leoir spáis ann anois. “Tá sean-eaglais agus mansa ceannaithe againn béal dorais,” ar sise. “Acadamh Ceoil Caoimhín Ó Dochartaigh a bhéas ann.”

Tá dul chun cinn maith déanta ó thaobh na Gaeilge i nDoire, ach “ní thiocfadh leat a rá go bhfuil sé chomh feiceálach agus atá in áiteann áirithe i mBéal Feirste…. Tá pobal dlúth anseo, iontach dlúth. Níl sé chomh scaipthe agus atá sé i mBéal Feirste. Tagann daoine anseo, sa Derby bíonn ciorcal comhrá againn, in Ostán na Cathrach ciorcal comhrá eile, sa Leabharlann, sa Grand Central, i gCnoc na Rós. Bíonn an-chuid imeachtaí ar siúil. Tá oifigeach forbartha thar barr againn sa Comhairle, Pól Friel.

Tá pleananna le go mbeidh a ‘Cheantar Gaeltachta’  féin ag Doire. “Tá dhá saghas sruth ann,” ar sise. “Sa ghearrthéarma, ceathrú cultúrtha, ceathrú turasóireachta, mar sin, thart ar an sráid seo (Sráid Mór Shéamais), thart ar Waterloo Street agus mar sin, mar a bhfuil an saol san oíche agus rudaí mar sin,” ar sise. “Tá go leoir ag tarlú sa cheantar sin, agus ansin tá sraith eile ann, cinéal tionscadal níos leithne tríd an cheantar ar fad – Tobar an Fhíoruisce, Taobh an Bhogaigh, an Creagán. Tá na daoine ins na ceantaracha sin iontach bródúil as an teanga, agus ba mhaith linn sin a chothú agus a chur chun cinn, agus go mbeadh a fhios ag daoine go bhfuil luach eacnamaíochta ag an teanga, agus í a úsáid i measc an phobail.”

Tá bród ar Mhichaeline mar “tagann daoine ó gach cuid den phobal anseo, ón dá phobal. Bíonn cruinniú leis an Londonderry Bands Forum b’fhéidir uair gach coicís nó mar sin.

Tá sin mar go bhfuil cuid mhór oibre trasphobail ar shiúil ó thaobh na Gaeilge. “Tá oifigeach trasphobal againn anseo, agus le linn Fleadh Ceoil na hÉireann, bhuel, b’shin nuair a chonaiceamar go raibh an-rachairt air,” ar sise. “Tháinig an Londonderry Bands Forum agus an Cultúrlann le céile, agus bhí na bannaí ceoil ag seinm le linn na Fleadha, bhí siad ag an Fhéile Pan-Ceilteach, agus bhí siad i Sligeach ag Fleadh Ceoil na hÉireann i mbliana fosta.” Tá súil tógáil ar an obair seo le féile pobail, agus Paráid Lá Fhéile Pádraig, nó an Cultúrlann ag amharc ar an dóigh “leis na teorainneacha sin a leathnú, agus leis an rud a bhrú amach.

“Tá na daoine sin iontach oscailte don Gaeilge. Bhuail mé le fear cúpla seachtain ó shoin agus é clúdaithe le tattoos. Tá seisean mar bhall den Fóram sin, agus ní thig leis fanacht go dtí go bhfuil sé ábalta Gaeilge a fhoghlaim. Tá daoine ag teacht ar an tuiscint gur leis an phobal ar fad, gur le achan duine, an Ghaeilge.

“Agus sin an fáth gur chuir muidne Pobal ar an Iúl ar an chraobh nua de Chonradh na Gaeilge ar an Ómaigh. Ba mhaith linne go bhfeicfeadh daoine gur le hachan pobal é, go mbaineann sé le hachan pobal. Ba mhaith linn an pobal ar fad a fheiceáil ag teacht le céile tríd an Gaeilge. ‘Pobal ar an Iúl’ – b’shin an sean-Gaeilge a bhí i dTír Eoghan ar phobal ag teacht le céile. Sin an príomh-aidhm atá againn. Tá na baill iontach tiomanta do rudaí Gaeilge agus iontach paiseanta.”

Tá pleananna acu. “Beimid ag iarraidh go mbeidh an Ghaeilge ag an tábla don champas nua ar an Ómaigh (mar a mbeidh na meánscoileanna uilig ag teacht le céile ar an aon suíomh amháin – A MacC),” ar sise.

Tá cleachtadh leathan ag Michaeline. Sula ndeachaigh sí go Doire, bhí sí ag obair le Pobal: ina haistritheoir ag CCEA: le tionscadal na logainmneacha in Ollscoil na Ríona: agus le Tobar Productions, comhlacht teilifíse.

Ba bhean í a bhí riamh sásta múnlaí a bhriseadh. Rinne sí rud a dhéanann fíor-bheagán Tuaisceartach, agus chuaigh ar an ollscoil i nGallimh. “Eispearas faoi leith a bhí i nGallimh, caithfidh mé a rá,” ar sise. “Chuaigh mé ann le mo chara is fearr, Sinéad, atá ina gníomhaí oll-mhór teanga. Tá mé iontach, iontach buíoch go raibh an seans agam dul go Gallimh. Tá aithne agam ar an mhéid sin Gaeilgeoirí ó cionn cionn na tire, mar gheall go raibh mé i nGallimh. D’athraigh sé go mór an cinéal peirspeictíochta a bhí agam. Tá dearcadh níos leithne againn i leith na Gaeilge ná dá mba rud é go ndeachaigh muid go Doire nó go Cuil Raithin… Bhí muid iontach bródúil gur Ultaigh sinn. Chuaigh muid chuig cúpla leachtóirí le rá nach raibh muid sásta, ceal ábhar Tuaisceartach. Bhí fhios acu cé muid – bhí muid ag seasamh an fhóid ar son na hUltaigh.”

Ainneoin Gallimh bheith ar thairseach Gaeltachta Chonamara “mhothaigh mé níos Gaelaí nuair a chuaigh mé go Béal Feirste ná mar a mhothaigh mé i nGallimh. B’fhéidir, bhí mé ar an ollscoil, agus nár mhothaigh mé mar chuid de phobal ar bith. Nuair a bhog mé go Béal Feirste, mhothaigh mé ar an toirt – seo daoine cosúil liomsa.”

Is as an Achadh Leathan, taobh amuigh den Ómaigh, di. “Nuair a bhí mé sa dara bliain (ar an mheánscoil), chuaigh mé chun na Gaeltachta i Machaire Rabhartaigh, agus thit mé i ngrá leis an áit agus leis na daoine agus leis an Ghaeilge,” ar sise. “Gael go smior mé anois, sílim. Bhí mo Mhámaí ag caint le duine cúpla lá ó shoin, agus dúirt sí mar gheall ormsa ‘She eats, sleeps and dreams Irish.’”

Bhí O-Léibhéal sa Ghaeilge ag a máthair. Bhí meirg air le blianta, ach tá sí ag déanamh dioplóma sa Ghaeilge anois – bród ar a h-iníon chomh díograiseach agus atá. Nó, ar ndóígh, baineann sliocht mháthair Michaeline le ceann de Gaeltachtaí dearmadta Chúige Uladh, Gaeltacht Shliabh Beatha. Tá cuid da muintirse, na ‘Art’ McElroys as an Chorr Liatháin i dTír Eoghan, i ndaonáireamh 1901 – agus Gaeilge ag an teaghlach ar fad.

Niall Vallely - Civil Rights leader

(first published 'Irish Times' January 3rd 2015)

Niall Vallely – born August 13^th 1942, died December 14^th 2014

Niall Vallely from Armagh City, who has died suddenly, was a significant figure in the early years of the North’s Civil Rights Movement. He was one of the most militant and uncompromising leaders of revolutionary socialist organisation People’s Democracy, the most militant and uncompromising wing of the movement. He was a fierce opponent both of the Unionist regime in Stormont and of the ‘Green Tories’ of the old Nationalist Party. In every speech, he made sure to attack them as well as Unionism.

He was part of historic events. As a leader of People’s Democracy, he was present at Burntollet Bridge in January 1969 when police failed to protect Civil Rights’ marchers from a fierce attack by Loyalists, leading to many injuries.

The first man shot dead in the ‘Troubles’ was killed after a meeting he addressed in Armagh City.  That was on August 15^th 1969. Shortly after the meeting members of the Protestant ‘B Special’ police reserve force shot dead John Gallagher, a Catholic civilian. Vallely had been on crutches at the meeting, having earlier been attacked by Loyalists.

Vallely led the Armagh Branch of People’s Democracy, the organisation’s most active, and which had support in the City. It regularly picketed meetings of the Unionist-controlled City Council. It was about economic as well as civil rights. Housing conditions in Armagh were appalling in the late 60s, with one street suffering regular typhoid outbreaks during the summer. A number of councillors were landlords: they opposed building social housing, because they wanted to keep rental income from their tenants.

Vallely was imprisoned twice in the early days of the Troubles. A reflection of his socialism was that one term was for picketing in support of strikers during the big Irish Cement strike of 1970.

Vallely avoided being caught in the internment swoop on August 9^th 1969. Minutes before soldiers arrived he was tipped off internment was underway, and fled.

People’s Democracy subsequently suffered division and decline, and Vallely moved to Newry and joined Sinn Féin. He was active at a local level. In more recent years, he helped write speeches for prominent party members. He also used his abilities to argue for policies, such as support for the police, which many Republican supporters doubted.

Vallely was involved in building links with the Protestant and Loyalist communities. His witty personality was a great advantage. As well as being a negotiator, he could take the edge out of a situation with a joke all could laugh at.

Niall Vallely was born in August 1942, second of five children to John Vallely, a primary teacher and native of Armagh: and his wife Mary (née Eaton), also a teacher and native of Ballyhaunis, Co Mayo. The family was steeped in all things Irish. John Vallely was manager of the Armagh Gaelic football team. Mary Vallely was an Irish speaker and musician.

He was educated at Blundell’s Grange Primary School; the Christian Brothers’ Grammar School in Armagh; then at Queen’s University, Belfast, where he graduated in Celtic Studies and Economics. After a brief stint in the Civil Service, he entered teaching, and taught in Banbridge till retirement.

Politics was only part of his life. He was an excellent bodhrán player, playing it in the traditional way, and a fine singer of traditional song with a love for the Gaelic poets of South Armagh.

Niall Vallely is survived by his daughter Eimear: sons Niall and Ruairí: grandchildren Saoirse, Maebh and Roisin: sisters Lorraine and Máire: and brothers Brian and Dara. He was predeceased by his wife Una.