Celebration of a unique social movement

ON Saturday night I was privileged to attend the oíche mhór Ghlór na Móna in Belfast’s City Hall. The event was to celebrate twenty years of this amazing Irish language initiative made up mostly of and aimed at young people in the Upper Springfield area. It was a great night. Packed out with young Gaeilgeoirí. But there was also a good clatter of veteran campaigners. The pioneers who gave us the Shaws Road Gaeltacht, An Chultúrlann, Lá, Raidió Fáilte, An Meánscoil (now Coláiste Feirste), an Cheathrú Ghaeltachta and many other wonderful cultural and communal creations, including a thriving Irish medium education sector.Protest and book launchMoore St THE threat by English developer Hammerson to demolish much of the 1916 Moore Street Battlefield site in Dublin was given the green light by An Bord Pleanála several weeks ago. The Moore Street Preservation Trust, which is led by the relatives of the signatories to the 1916 Proclamation, is currently discussing the legal options available to it to challenge this decision.Roy remained unbowed and unbrokenRoy WalshROY Walsh was born on November 1, 1948. He died on October 16 after a long illness, which he faced with the same grit and humour that he had faced life.