Thank you Chuck Feeney

For those of you who don’t know him or have never heard of him Chuck Feeney is an extraordinary human being whose kindness and vision has brought hope and joy to millions. Last week he signed the papers to finally bring an end to Atlantic Philanthropies – a humanitarian and charitable organisation he established in 1982. His purpose was to give away his 8 billion dollar fortune.I first met Chuck in 1993. Niall Ó Dowd brought the two of us together. We hit it off from that first crinniú. Later he was part of a delegation of Irish Americans who came to Ireland on a fact finding visit. As well as Chuck and Niall the group was led by former US Congress member Bruce Morrison and included Bill Flynn, Chair of National Committee on American Foreign Policy, and Trade Union activist Joe Jamison. Because our first meeting with the delegation took place in Connolly House, the Sinn Féin office in west Belfast, the delegation became known as the Connolly House group.The group played a hugely important role in creating the conditions for the 1994 IRA cessation. They were especially vital in encouraging and sustaining the involvement of the Clinton White House. Chuck has remained steadfast and committed to the Irish peace process ever since.Chuck also made an outstanding financial contribution to the establishment and running of the Sinn Féin office in Washington in 1995 and to its funding in advance of Friends of Sinn Féin being established.Chuck is one of the most remarkable people I have ever met. A very private man who shunned the spotlight and who was totally committed to our efforts to build a peace process. He always remained keenly interested in the latest developments within the peace process.Chuck travelled the world, quietly, anonymously, donating his money to education projects, cancer research, the arts, music, neuroscience, sport and human rights. Millions of people in the USA, Ireland, Australia, Vietnam, South Africa and in dozens of other countries have benefited from his determination to use his wealth to improve the human condition.Chuck’s philosophy is straightforward – if you give while living you get to see the results. So, thank you Chuck and Helga for your generosity and solidarity over many years. Be assured that your efforts have touched many millions and will continue to do so into the future. Go raibh maith agaibh chairde.  Britannia Waives The Rules .... Arís.The song ‘Rule Britannia’ with its infamous line “Britons never, never, never shall be slaves” was written in 1740 at a time when Britain was the leading slaving nation of that century, transporting and selling slaves in their tens of thousands. Britain’s wealth was largely built on this trade. Recent controversies around statues belonging to slave owners and traders in Britain and elsewhere and a growing awareness of ‘Black Lives Matter’ and of the appalling impact of British colonial policy, saw the BBC announce that the lyrics to Rule Britannia would not be sung in its ‘Last night at the Proms’ to be broadcast several weeks ago. The jingoistic and right wing outrage this sparked, including a condemnation from Boris Johnson, forced the BBC to u-turn. The words were sung to an empty Albert Hall.From the first landings by Norman knights in the 12th century, through centuries of exploitation, occupation, dispossession and land thefts, to the imposition of plantation, the promotion of sectarian divisions, famines, An Gorta Mór, partition and state collusion and murder, British government involvement in Ireland has been to our detriment. But I won’t go on about that. It has encouraged and sustained a ‘Little Englander’ mentality that is narcissistic, aggressive, and arrogant.  An attitude that ignores the inhumanity a