Na Mná Abú | Let's Welcome the World | Opening the Gates of Hell

Na Mná Abú.

I have been a life-long supporter of Antrim’s footballersand hurlers. And the Camógs as well. Colette played county back in the day.Back in another day I had a dream that I too might make the grade.  Butwee boy dreams faded into reality and alas it was not to be.  I sometimesreflect on how different my Gaelic sporting life might have been in a differentpolitical dispensation.  If only?  

So, I have followed our county’s fortunes and misfortunesfrom the side-lines for over seventy years now. That’s a long time.  I amone among many. Not all of us can be county stars. But we kept the faith ontough days out as well as on heady days in Casement and other county groundsand occasionally in Croke. 

In recent years the totally unacceptable delays on buildingthe New Casement has infuriated us all. I am thinking especially of ageneration of young Gaels who have been robbed of the opportunity to play inour county ground. Some of the stalwarts on our Senior county teams may neverget that chance. That’s really not fair.

So I wish our county players the very best of good luck nomatter how much the odds are against us at times. A big thanks to ourmanagement teams, our sponsors, all the committee members and the legions ofvolunteers at every level. And especially the players. 

I keep an eye on the efforts of our Camógs and this columnsupports the footballers ‘Corrigan Or Nowhere’ decision about the UlsterCouncil’s totally unacceptable and stupid decision not to give Antrim ourentitlement to home advantage. I also support Davy Fitzs’s and the CountyBoards efforts to continue the revitalisation of the hurlers in the time ahead.Sunday’s decisive victory against Laois was brilliant. Lovely hurling. 

But enough of the men.

Let’s shine a light on Antrim’s most successful athletes inrecent times. The Ladies Gaelic Football Team.  They are brilliant. Sofar, under the management of Glenavy’s Chris Scullion and Michael Devlin, theyhave had an unbroken run of wins in Division Four.  No mean feat. Verywell done to all involved.

I watched them recently in Davitt Park against Wicklow. Whata great afternoon of Gaelic sport.  Davitts GAC – a great club doingmighty work especially down the Falls – rose to the occasion of hosting asenior game with style. The stewarding was exemplary. The welcoming set up inthe Davitt Park is a credit to the club and all its volunteers.

I lapped up the medal presentations for, and theperformances of the underage girl’s teams who graced the pitch at half time. Iknow similar events with underage teams happen in clubs across the city, countyand country and I know hosting big fixtures, not least in Corrigan Park, is toa very high standard and a great credit to all involved but there was somethingspecial about seeing dozens of wee girls in their club colours playing theirhearts out. And watching their role models in their county colours winning withsuch confidence. 

That’s what lifted us all. The players. Their team work,football skills and cohesion as well as individual displays by some outstandingfootballers. It was a joy to watch. Wicklow are a good team but Antrimoverpowered them and outplayed them in every part of the field.  They didthe same against Derry on Sunday.

A short time ago women or girls didn’t play football in thisorganised way. The GAA was a male only playing zone. No women need apply. That is changing. There is a lot of progress yet to be made. Equality with themale players with support, logistics and resources on the basis of parity isessential. And publicity also.  The achievements of our Antrim footballingwomen Gaels need highlighting. Let’s give them and their mentors the credit andrecognition they deserve. Na mná abu!

 

Let’s welcome the World

It has been a very busy and eventful couple of weeks for allof those who speak and enjoy the Irish language and who have campaigned fordecades against government policies of institutionalised exclusion, inequalityand discrimination.

Two weeks ago, and after years of prevarication bysuccessive British governments, the British Secretary of State finallycommenced the legal process by which the last penal law – the Administrationof Justice (Language) Act (Ireland) 1737 - will finally be repealed.This is an important milestone in the long struggle to ensure equality oflanguage rights for gaeilgeoirí in the North. There is now an onus on theJustice Minister Naomi Long to bring forward effective guidelines in the courtsthat reflect the increasing numbers of citizens using Irish in their dailylives in our society.

Nationally we are also currently in the midst ofan extensive programme of events celebrating Seachtain na Gaeilge.The 17 days of Seachtain are full of events including music and dance,poetry and plays, sport and much more.  Belfast has made a realeffort to participate fully in this programme.

Adding to this atmosphere of positivity the First MinisterMichelle O’Neill and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly last weekannounced the launch of the appointments process for the Irish LanguageCommissioner and Ulster Scots Commissioner. This too is an historic, thoughlong overdue, step forward and is an integral part of establishing the newidentity and language bodies.

It was also revealed last week that Belfast will host Oireachtasna Samhna (The November Gathering), the oldest Irish language and artsfestival on the island of Ireland. The festival, which will run from 29 Octoberto 2 November, celebrates the Irish language, arts and traditions and eachyear is packed with events that include debates, films, workshops – all throughthe medium of the Irish language. Thousands of gaeilgeoirí from across theisland and beyond are expected to come to Belfast.

And finally, the icing on the cake was the formalannouncement last Saturday that the biggest celebration of traditional Irishmusic and culture in the world – An Fleadh Cheoil – is coming to Belfastbetween 2 August and 9 August 2026. Over the years I have had the great fortuneto attend the Fleadhs in towns and cities across the island. They areexuberant, hugely enjoyable sessions, with tens of thousands thronging pubs,hotels, community centres and streets to listen to wonderful music.

Next year will mark the Comhaltas’s 75th birthdayand plans are already well advanced for the hundreds of events rangingfrom major concerts to street performances, pop-up gigs and community céilís.There will be music, dance and singing competitions. In addition, Féile anPhobail will take place over the same period. So, Belfast will be alive withthe sound of music.

Well done to all of those who have played a part in thesedevelopments and in particular to the thousands of young people who through AnDream Dearg successfully put the issue of language rights on the public agenda.

John Finucane MP put it well when he welcomed the decisionby Comhaltas. He said: “This will be a game changer for our people andcommunities. Let’s get ready to welcome the world.”

And let’s have a great Saint Patricks Day. Lá Fhéile PadraigFaoi Mhaise Daoibhse.  

Opening the Gates of Hell

Late last week war criminal Benjamin Netanyahu announcedthat he was blocking humanitarian aid from entering the Gaza Strip. His FinanceMinister Bezalel Smotrich applauded this decision and called for the cutting off of electricity and water. Within hours this wasdone.  Smotrich went further and demanded the "openingthe gates of hell on Gaza with a powerful, deadly and quick attack.”

UN Human rights experts accused Israel of "weaponisedstarvation" after the decision to block humanitarian aid. They assertedthat Israel as the occupying power is obliged to ensure sufficient food,medical supplies and other relief services reached the people of Gaza and thewest Bank. They accused Israel of weaponising aid by deliberately cutting vitalsupplies.

None of this will come as a surprise to all of those whohave been appalled by Israel’s genocidal policies. But at a time when much ofthe world’s focus in on US foreign policy toward Ukraine there is a real dangerthat the plight of the people of Palestine will slip off the political agenda.We must not allow that to happen.