Haiku-Ireland's Knife Edge.

Country on the edge
Violence escalating
Support there is none
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Solidarity
Strength, united with one voice
Together as one
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Unwanted heartache
Retrospective memories
Dark shadows cast visible
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Anguish like stage show
Faces wince in defiance
A collective show of love
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Pikey

Could The Leaders Of Sinn Fein Be Doing More?-Soothing Words Are Not Always Enough

With senior leader of Sinn Fein condemning the recent murders in Northern Ireland and the insistence that the Republican movement pass on any information regarding the same, people have heralded halcyon times in Republican openness.

Is this really the case, or are certain factors not being revealed?

The likelihood of Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness knowing about the timing of these killings is very doubtful, but there is little doubt that the senior figures in Sinn Fein must know who the perpetrators are.

These murders where carried out in a professional, militaristic fashion, leaving little evidence or trace of identification, and is therefore unlikely to be the work of a fanatical teenager.

Those responsible fired at the victims from a distance and then finished them off from point blank range as they lay dying. This levelheadedness, in the face of such a crime points towards a more mature killer, perhaps one with many years experience.

Thus, with many members of the PIRA leaving after the ceasefire, disgusted by the democratic path taken by SinnFein, it is possible that these disaffected individuals were involved in the recent murders.

It stands beyond reasonable doubt that Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness know who jumped off the ship ten years ago, and the names of these individuals should be presented to the authorities.

Northern Ireland is such a small place and the numbers involved in terrorist activities are so low, therefore individuals who left the organisation have to be compiled, profiled and handed over to the police.

If this was carried out, we really would be witnessing a new age of transparent Republicanism.

Pikey

Dangerous Times

Eve Merriam said, "I dream of giving birth to a child who will ask, "Mother, what was war?"

These sentiments are difficult to read after the events of the last few days in Northern Ireland. In the last decade the majority have tossed aside the bondage of conflict, adapting to life in a peaceful land, albeit with tentative steps. Few wish to turn back their clocks to the bygone days of retribution, division and political paranoia, but three killings in as many days shows deepening cracks in the countries socio-political landscape.

At this point no group has taken responsibility for the killings, but 'The Real IRA' are strongly suspected of involvement. Republican leaders such as Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness have called for Nationalist/Republicans to pass on information to the police, an act traditionally held in disdain during 'The troubles,' and seen by many as acquiescing to British occupation. This eventuality seemed unthinkable a few years ago, and stands in testament to how far the political process has come, but is the house of cards going to stand up to the current storm?

These atrocities have a real danger of stoking old flames and hatreds that need little encouraging to ignite into something perilous for the future of the country. Loyalist paramilitary leaders called for calm in communities as graffiti calling for revenge was seen in various parts of the province.

What the future holds remains to be seen. The stability of the province stands on a precarious knife edge, one that people over the age of twenty will remember all too well, for they were the dark days of the countries history.

People now squint at the news in disbelief at the current situation, hoping and praying that history does not repeat itself.

Only time will tell.

Pikey

Words to live by

Ancient Monastery on Mt. East

Artist: Chen Jun

"The ancients wishing to exhibit goodness throughout the kingdom, first ordered well their own states. To order well their own states, they first brought order into their families. To bring order into their families, they first cultivated their persons. Wishing to cultivate their persons, they first rectified their hearts. To rectify their hearts, they first sought to be sincere in their thoughts. Wishing to be sincere in their thoughts, they first extended to the utmost their knowledge. Such extension of knowledge lay in the investigation of things."

"The investigation of things rounded out knowledge. Their knowledge being rounded out, their thoughts were sincere. Their thoughts being sincere, their hearts were then rectified. Their hearts being rectified, their persons were cultivated. Their persons being cultivated, order was brought into their families. Their families being in order, their states were rightly governed. Their states being rightly governed, the whole kingdom was made tranquil and happy."

From The Great Learning:
Confucius (551 BCE to 479 BCE)

Its as easy as that.

Pikey

The Hunt in the Forest

The Hunt in the Forest (c1465-70) by Paolo Uccello in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford





A crowd of hunters gather in secluded part of an unknown forest, mounted on horseback, dressed in red and black. Dogs scurry into the distance with reckless abandon, continuing their frantic search for the kill. Above the beautiful and almost ornate canopy, the sky in deep blue, possibly that of daybreak. The unevenness and manic randomness of the animals and hunters, gives one the impression of a frenzied chase within the darkest depths of the forest.

Perhaps they have been chased by an unknown quantity until the break of dawn and are attempting to avoid disorientation by following the river on the right of the picture. Another possibility is that the group lost their way and naturally panic has descended into rabid madness. Perhaps they have been trapped within the bleakness for days, who knows?

As the dogs rush into the darkness, some of the men appear to hold back, as if a moment of clarity has been reached, momentarily calming their frenetic charge into the abyss. One of the hunters in bright red leans over backwards to rein in his horse, another in black raises his hand to stop the pursuit.

What have these individuals seen?

Could it be that a way out of the forest has been found, freeing them from the perplexity of their surroundings moments before dawn gives way to daybreak?

For definite, the hunters have seen something that has stopped them in their tracks, and soon all the rest of the group will see what they have seen, for good or ill. Their pause in the forests depths leaves one with an empty feeling.

There is an emptiness in the painting, a dark an unknown reality is about to be revealed and what it is, we can only speculate. The forest could represent the dark void of the mind in distressing times, and the hunters/dogs movements the way we manically live in our own heads in times of distress. The hunter pulling up the horse and the other holding up his hands, has noticed something and perhaps this is a way out from the madness that they have been actively engaged in.

The hunters have walked through a dark and sinful place, just like we all have felt at points in our lives. They may have found a way out from the void, and into a place of light and sanity.

There are lesson to be learned from this great painting.

Pikey

Good Old New Labour

As the march towards Labour's police states continues to pick up pace in Britain, the public are left in a state of paralysis by what is happening on their fair shores. Lord Haysham called it an 'electoral dictatorship' others have more caustic words echoing around in their psyche.

Almost 60 new powers contained in more than 25 Acts of Parliament have whittled away at freedoms and broken pledges set out in the Human Rights Act and Magna Carta, as a result of laws introduced by Labour since they came to power in 1997.

The Convention on Modern Liberty recent dossier, rightfully criticises draconian police powers to detain terror suspects for 28 days without charge, new stop-and-search powers handed to police (allowing them to stop people without reason at airports and other designated areas), and restrictions on the right of peaceful protest.


When the fevered rhetoric dies down and the dust begins to settle on the pages of the 'objective' broadsheets, we can take time to breath and reassess what has become of Britain, and more frighteningly, where it is headed.

It is the first time such a picture of the erosion of rights under Labour has been published, exercising their right to free speech and providing the government with a clear and comprehensive depiction of how Britain is being run.

Liberty's voice is not alone in the wilderness, it is one shared by many disenfranchised and disillusioned people throughout the land, and surely can't be ignored. A solid platform for dissent and oganisation has been built and with grotesque despoliation a daily occurrence, the growth should be rapid.

With the proliferation of surveillance technology, new laws allowing individuals to be electronically tagged, the legal interception of letters, emails and phone calls, one could be forgiven for mistaking our 'free' society for that of North Korea or China. But no, these latest pearls of wisdom come from Whitehall, an institution rapidly losing face and credibility.

The question many are asking is, 'Where is it all going to end?' Huxleyian and Orwellian images and language resonate in one's mind, and present a very real and present danger for society.

A more pressing question for one to forward could be, 'What can be done to stop it?'

Direct action with violence would provide an opportunity for the government and would see the police state close in further, using fear through the media to validate their means.

It has taken economic quandary to waken people from their docu-soap slumber, and now is the time for free thinking and well informed citizens to educate themselves in the hypocrisy, and organise.

The battle of state vs people has been set in motion, for who will win the war, the jury is out. The power lies with the people and the time is right for action

Pikey

Corsas and Corpses

Corsas & Corpses

I am writing in response to the recent article in the Mourne Observer “Newcastle park venue for major music festival.”

http://www.mourneobserver.com/160408news06.html

In recent weeks councilors have been tossing this issue about like excitable children playing pass the parcel. Some of their language and views expressed in the article shows at best, severe naivety, and at worse, blinkered vision on behalf of the councilors involved.

Let’s get a few things straight.

This is not a “Cultural” event.

The adjective “Cultural” as outlined in www.dictionary.com is, ‘of or pertaining to culture or cultivation.’

Having attended similar events myself, I know at first hand that there is nothing enriching or nourishing that goes on at such parties. This is not to say that they are not a knee knockingly good fun, they are, but attempting to cast up sugar coated images in order to gain the publics' acquiescence is not fair game.

We have all been teenagers, and we can all remember attempting to feel our way into a world full of apprehension and giddy childishness. Cllr Jim Wells stated:

”There are fringe events that go on at these raves and these are the things we have to think about. There are all sorts of extra curricular activities and I don’t know if we should be encouraging this in Newcastle.”

Euphemistic statements like these say everything and nothing all at once. Statements do not need to be coded to protect us from harsh reality, unless there are ulterior motives by those with decision making power. We can say it out loud that “Fringe events” such as vandalism, violence and drug abuse would occur on a large scale. Not very curricular I think you will agree.

Let’s not collectively paper over the real issues, blinded by corporate benefits. It is an insult to our intelligence as a people,

For those who have not danced until sunrise in a field before, let me let you into a few home truths.

1. The only thing pertaining to Irish culture surrounding this event is the fact that it would be hosted in Newcastle, which in turn, happens to be in Ireland.

This is the only cultural connection I can find.

This corporate event would be nothing more, nothing less. Let’s not kid ourselves.

2. Drug taking on a massive scale WILL take place. I am not saying if this is right or wrong, only that its presence is not beneficial to Newcastle’s tourist industry, nor is it an opportunity for cultural celebration. We all (some more than others) know how drug (including alcohol) use in Newcastle has exploded in the last ten years, with participants getting ridiculously younger.

Does Newcastle really need a celebration of cheap chemicals and even cheaper booze on its golden shores?

Cllr Willie Clarke stated, “Unsavory events take place in Newcastle already, and therefore this aspect could not be held against the festival.”

Which unsavory events is Cllr Clarke referring to exactly?

Double parking?

Doing 36 mph, inside the 30 limit?

I find this statement very confusing. It’s like saying, “For sure there are pedophiles in our community, but its fine to have the National Pedophile Convention in the Slieve Donard Hotel.

Cllr Clarke also went on to say that the event would be a “Good economic opportunity” for the town as “hotels and guest houses would be booked for miles around.” As I said before, I have attended events like this and a very small percentage of protagonists stay in rented accommodation. Most people dance, drink, take drugs then sleep in their cars, or drive home.

Now, I am only surmising here, obviously there are exceptions, albeit a handful.

On this basis local hotels and guest houses will not fair so well, although off licenses and drug dealers will have a cash bonanza. Not quite the “good economic opportunity” talked about by Cllr Clarke.

The words of Cllr Eamonn O’Neil provided particular pertinence in shaping my attitude to the matter in hand. He stated “Tourism is what Newcastle is all about. We should be seen to be attracting events to the town.”

There is nothing wrong with what he said per se, indeed, Newcastle does need to attract tourism, but what price?

Public funded parks taken over by big business?

Erosion of loyal rate payers rights to peace and quiet in the face of private enterprise?

I understand the need for councilors to try and drum up support for business in the town and also how economically attractive such an event must look with its flashy PR and corporate backing, but is this really a worthwhile concession to make in the face of public distaste?

I fear not.

Newcastle, with its new promenade now looks like a tourist destination to be reckoned with. Whether you call It the ‘pearl of Down’, ‘the diamond on the Mournes’, or simply ‘home,’ there is no doubt, its special.

Is the council really going to tacitly consent to mass illegal drug use, whilst hiding behind a flag of cultural modernity?

I suppose only they can answer the question.

Pikey (Newcastle resident of sorts)