RIP to a Priest, Pastor, Patriot – Although Bishop Edward Daly, who died last month at 82, was best known beyond Derry’s walls for the iconic image of him bravely waving a blood-stained hanky while giving cover on Bloody Sunday, he was best known in this Northern Irish town as a humble parish priest, the Minister of Faith. “Ned” or “Eddie” to intimates, he served for 20 years as the Catholic bishop of Derry.

If anyone believed that his appointment as bishop following Bloody Sunday would change their neighborhood  priest, it never happened. He could still understand the frustration and anger of his Irish nationalist parishioners, and he could, and did, forge links with Protestant church leaders. He was a man of the people, a man of peace, a quiet reformer who never as bishop pulled rank. Nor did he seem to know how to “act the bishop.”

At Bishop Daly’s funeral Mass in St. Eugene’s Cathedral, the celebrant, Bishop Donal McKeown, memorialized him eloquently: “Bishop Daly served, without any concern for himself, throughout the traumatic years of the Troubles, finding his ministry shaped by the experience of witnessing violence and its effects; through this dreadful period, he always strove to preach the Gospel of the peace of Christ. ... His ministry was characterized by his deep love for the people of this diocese, his dedicated visitation of parishes, and his constant availability to others. The bishops, priests and people of the diocese were blessed to have such a dedicated and faithful priest among them.”

And blessed they were, for Bishop Daly’s apostolic and very human presence made all the difference during those tortured years. He was truly the people’s bishop!

Four NI Parties Seek To Challenge Brexit – Their future viability and their possibilities uncertain, a firm of solicitors has been engaged to represent four Northern Ireland political parties who are attempting to challenge the legality of the UK’s exit from the European Union. The four parties, Alliance, Green Party, SDLP, and Sinn Fein, lodged papers on Aug. 19 in High Court in Belfast seeking to apply for a judicial review centered on activating Article 50, the rule that would allow the United Kingdom to officially leave the EU.

The review, if granted, would look at the legality of  Article 50 and determine if it could be legally applied in the Brexit challenge case. The law firm challenging Brexit, Jones Cassidy Brett, said that while there are other challenges now being taken up in London, these likely “do not deal with the unique requirements of Northern Ireland,” in particular, the statutory recognition of the Good Friday Agreement.

Article 50 comprises five paragraphs in the Lisbon Treaty, dictating how the members of the EU might voluntarily leave the Union. The treaty language in the article has been described as “obscure” and the wording “vague.” No member country of the EUhas invoked it to date.

Update on the Bobby Sands Film, ‘66 Days’ – The Bobby Sands documentary that opened in 25 locations in the Republic and the North enjoyed the highest ever opening weekend sales for an Irish-made documentary. It is widely described as “controversial” and contains (some viewers say) graphic scenes leading to the ultimate death of the IRA volunteer in the Maze Prison. The Sands movie overtook the previous highest grossing Irish film opening, “The Queen of Ireland,” in opening weekend box office receipts.” Among non-Irish international documentaries that were screened in Ireland, the Sands film opening box office take is second only to Michael Moore’s “Fahrenheit 9/11.”

The Peacemaker
On the subject of documentary films it should be noted that Padraig O’Malley, subject of the widely praised doc “Peacemaker,” and James Demo, the producer and director of the O’Malley story on film, were back in Dublin and Kells for an inaugural screening last month. The film, which was well received at Guth Gafa (“captive voice”), Ireland’s only independent documentary film festival, made a return to O’Malley’s home port, Dublin, across the water from his Cambridge home and his position as a distinguished  fellow at the University of Massachusetts in Boston.

Anniversary of 2013 Death of Seamus Heaney – A few days ago, on August 30, marked Year Three since the Nobelist Seamus left us,  but we have his memories, his words, and that generous spirit and gracious genius he left behind. There are hundreds of stories about the celebrated warmth and kindness of the Master. A short tale:

Some years ago, while Seamus was the Boylston Professor at Harvard and I was trying to help raise some money for Boston Irish Ventures (BIV), I took a flyer and asked Seamus at a book signing if he might be able to clear his schedule to spend an evening (I think I said “an hour or two”) at a BIV fundraiser in support of the Derry, Boston, Galway charity. Maybe it was the mention of Derry, Seamus’s home county, that got him, and he (wow!) consented to come to former Mass. Attorney General Bob Quinn’s home in Milton to talk about anything he wanted, or to do a reading or two, sign a few books, or whatever. Then I would get him out of there in quick fashion.

To cut to the chase, Seamus was a fundraiser’s treasure. He beat no quick exit home. Instead, he was part host, part Derry son, and he stayed until the evening got late, had a glass or two along the way while he smiled and chatted and charmed a bulging roomful of fans. It was a memorable night that all of us would remember. God Bless the mark!

Orange Halls Target Of Un-Christian Attacks – There is a shameful scourge taking place today in Northern Ireland, and in some border counties. Shaming us all and registering high up on the despicable list of hate crimes, it involves renegades who think (if they ever do such a thing) that Orange Order halls are fair game for real or imagined acts of violence or other insults by members of a different “Christian church.” The arson and similar malevolent destructive acts sadly constitute some ageless payback for insults or slights of the distant past.

What a desolate, mindless, vacuous, violent shout-out to differences among those who would torch the halls where other humans, sometimes their neighbors, congregate. The animus has dislodged reason and hate and contempt have replaced human values and a gross miscalculation of what life is all about.

All of which brings me to the increased reports in the Irish media that spell out in horrific reality that attacks have grown in number and intensity. The latest (and sadly growing) tally is 21 attacks in less than seven months, mostly in the North. The targets have run the  gamut from Derry to Antrim, Ballymena to Magherafelt,  Belfast to Banbridge. Most of the targets are Orange Halls, unattended buses, or paint attacks or graffiti on unguarded buildings associated with nationalists. Targets all. The assailants’ aim is not only to destroy, but also to intimidate or assert tribal superiority.

However, there are community leaders, clergy. and others who resist that mindless route. Rev. Peter Donnelly, a Catholic parish priest in Ballinderry, was outraged at the arson attack on a century-old Orange Hall in Salterstown. He is one of a growing number who are speaking out against what appears to be Catholic violence against Protestant property, although there’s no solid proof of that yet.

Grace Notes & Outreach For The Homeless – There is a warm-hearted, generous movement that is gaining at least a temporary toehold on bringing respect and help to the homeless in the North. In short, a move is on by a Belfast barber to treat the homeless to free haircuts. Armed with the tools of his trade, Joshua Fuller hits the bricks and offers the homeless and other down-and-out street people whatever style haircut they want. There is never any charge and Joshua enjoys his street travels and the change of clients.

The 21-year-old barber, originally from London, moved to Northern Ireland nine years ago. He is a qualified barber and hairdresser with a salon van who sets up his mobile shop, often near a Salvation Army post or similar venue where he spends a few hours giving his free haircuts.

“I like helping people,” he says, adding that since he began cutting the hair of the homeless, his “eyes have been opened to the harsh reality of a street life. We don’t get too personal with the clients, but we listen and it makes you realize how privileged you are.”

The Irish media have stories of other barbers offering free haircut to street people or the homeless. Maybe it’s a sign of the times; it’s certainly a welcome addition to the Random Kindness ledger.

Update: Berkeley Survivors Recount A Hard Year – It was a year of painful struggle and Aoife Beary, 21, had a difficult time trying to keep her emotions in control as she testified recently before the California State Senate hearing on the lethal
collapse of an attached balcony in Berkeley in June 2015.  Five Irish students, in the US on J-1 visas, were killed in the collapse, and seven others were seriously hurt.

For Beary, who was celebrating with other students on the porch the night when it collapsed, was in the Senate chamber urging lawmakers to pass legislation stiffening construction rules and increasing safety guidelines. She detailed the consequences of the collapse that took such a horrific toll. Critically injured in the fall, Beary suffered a traumatic brain injury, broken arms, hands, pelvis, and has had open-heart surgery. “None of this needed to happen,” she told the senators. “Some of my injuries will be with me for the rest of my life. I have lost a lot of my independence.”

In her testimony, Aoife summed up her injuries and her future and stressed the need to improve safety on California’s balconies and porches. “I cannot believe that you are even debating this bill. People died. You should make sure that balconies are scrutinized in this state to prevent this happening again. Thank you for listening to me,” she said.

The civil case that the survivors and families have brought against the apartment owners with be a months-long process. Meanwhile, all those impacted by the collapse have lives to live and health to be repaired.

O’Donovan Brothers Row to Silver In Rio – The O’Donovan brothers, Gary and Paul, from the Skibbereen Rowing Club, went to the Rio Olympics and came home with Silver medals. From watching a glimpse on TV of the Irish rowing duo from County Cork, it seems to me that they are good kids, smiling away as their grandmother, Mary Doab, says there was nothing special about her brown bread and soup. It was the weeks of training and hard work —and putting the money away for the airfare. Congratulations to the O’Donovans, Gary and Paul, on their success in Rio. And as the lads’ grandmother put it. “Time to start saving for the Tokyo Olympics.”

Alex Beam, Once Again ‘Out To Lunch’ – Let me say up front that I have often been entertained by the Boston Globe’s Alex Beam. On rare reading moments, I have even been informed by Mr. Beam. But his facile denunciation of John Kerry in an August column headlined “Voter Indecision in a Deep-Blue Ocean” was nothing but a pathetic mish-mash of items in search of a column. This rant on Kerry is a top contender for Mr. Beam’s worst column ever. And that’s saying something. Now, we have all had a few good laughs at Kerry’s career bumps, his photo-ops, his good fortune in marriage, but calling him a ponce after you confessed to voting for Ralph Nader – twice – is, even for Beam’s stylish walkabout, a bit much.

John Kerry had a lengthy, productive, and honorable career in the US Senate, working quietly with at least two presidents in numerous foreign treaty meetings and negotiations. He was just enough of a ponce to pull off the Iran deal, which took that thorny situation off the table and out of our nightmares.

Kerry’s lasting blunder was losing the 2004 election to the worst American president since Millard What’s His Name and not defending himself when the Swift Boat assassins went after him with a basket full of slanderous lies by fat cat market manipulators trying to pass themselves off as patriots. Why did you, Mr. Beam, in your search for truth, not demand that the swift boaters go public with their service records. Oh, I forgot. You were delving into the Nader files. Good call, Alex.

But you’re not done yet. There remains the unfinished business of your desire to vote Bill Weld into political obscurity. Now, Alex, that’s a day’s work. Are you up for the heavy lifting?

Redemption. How Sweet It Is For Donegal TD – There was laughter and brickbats aplenty when Donegal Dail member Joe McHugh was appointed Ireland’s government Minister for the Gaeltacht and the diaspora two years ago. The cause of the derision was that McHugh had one seemingly fatal flaw on his resume:

He didn’t speak Gaelic, or “Irish,” as the natives call it, and the job called for an Irish speaker.

There were demands for his resignation but McHugh hung in there, promising to learn and use the language. Few believed he could keep his promise. A quick jump ahead: He took to his Gaelic classes and today Minister McHugh has not only become virtually fluent but he has also vowed to continue his study of the language.

He has become so good at the Gaelic that when he was in Glencolmcille representing the government, he was upgraded to the Ard Rang, the highest class. Many doubters now call McHugh an inspiration. Says he: “I didn’t know it at the time but An Taoiseach gave me an enormous gift.”

RANDOM CLIPPINGS
Young and apparently still callow, Ian Paisley’s son and namesake is out to scrap Radio Foyle and merge the well-respected nationalist radio station with Radio Ulster. SDLP Assembly member Mark Durkan termed Paisley’s  action  “reckless and irresponsible.” … Still no resolution of the continuing clashes over the preservation of the historic 1916 Moore St. site. … Irish President Michael D. Higgins addressed the Michael Collins commemoration, becoming the first sitting Irish head of state to deliver the oration. (I believe he wants and deserves a second term out in the Park). … Looking to become Ireland’s version of Starbucks, Caffe Nero is expanding with three new shops in Belfast and others are opening across the North. … Banks in Italy, Ireland, Spain, Austria fared worst in the latest round of Euro bank stress tests. … There’s strong resistance by US phone companies against cracking down on robocalls, which is no huge surprise to consumers who know phone firms are interested only in their bottom line. … Anyone who saw or read former CIA official Michael Morell’s scathing opinion of the NY real estate mogul who wants to be our president and still plans to vote him isn’t playing with a full deck. … We already knew it but Galway and Dublin are Conde Nast picks as among the “friendliest” cities in the world.

This sounds about right: Ireland spends less on its military than Luxembourg. … Some 73 percent of Irish respondents believe it’s time for a United Ireland poll. … Britain, post the Brexit vote, has cut interest rates to a record low. … Back in Chunnel time, Irish engineers were poached to work in the UK; today, after Brexit, Ireland is reaching into Britain scooping up their talented university types. … It’s still developing but Dublin Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, unhappy with a “gay climate” at Maynooth seminary, is sending some students there to Rome for their studies. … Irish passport applications are still surging, with latest numbers up  21 percent. … Michael Bloomberg, politician & billionaire, has described the NY real estate mogul as “risky, reckless, and radical.” … Three top execs at Mr. Drumm’s former bank, Anglo-Irish, were convicted of participating in an $8 billion conspiracy. … Comeback Irish Political Party of the Year: Fianna Fail, leading the pack at 29 percent, 3 points ahead of Fine Gael.