Spitzer Guests At Irish Reception

NEW York Governor Eliot Spitzer made one of his first forays into Irish territory since becoming governor when he appeared as a guest at a reception hosted for him by the US-Ireland Alliance in New York last week. Also there was presidential contender Senator Joe Biden, as well as former Senator George Mitchell.

Spitzer took the occasion to speak about one of his political heroes, former New York Governor Al Smith, who was the first major Irish Catholic candidate to run for president in 1928.

Spitzer pointed out that Smith’s determination to help the less well off and his political idealism was a real inspiration to him when he first entered politics.

The reception took place at the offices of Quinlan Private, the Irish-based property group which is now making major waves in New York real estate as well. Founder Derek Quinlan, a major supporter of the US-Ireland Alliance, was there to host the evening.

The alliance, headed by former senior Kennedy staffer Trina Vargo, has created a very ambitious project called the Mitchell Scholarships named in honor of the former senator and Irish peacemaker.

It is based on the Rhodes scholars program, and annually sends 12 outstanding American college students to study in Ireland for a year. The alliance also hosts a successful pre-Oscars bash in Hollywood every year.

The Irish government recently pledged $20 million in matching funds if the alliance can match that total to endow the program into the future.

Sunshine Soldiers

THERE is a new phenomenon about the place in Northern Ireland apparently known as the stepping out of the sunshine soldiers, or those who played huge roles in the successful peace process its just that no one knew about them at the time.

Sinn Fein sources admit to some bemusement at the number of “players” who have suddenly stepped forward outlining their secret roles in the process so secret that no one knew quite what role they had played.

The phenomenon is nothing new, of course. Success has many fathers, but there is also a huge price tag attached to the current peace process with both governments expected to pump in billions to make the process seaworthy from the start.

Any number of claimants are seeking access to that money of course, in the form of construction projects or whatever. It’s not quite Iraq and Halliburton, but there is little doubt that Sinn Fein and Ian Paisley’s Democratic Unionist Party, unused as they are to wielding power, will find their doors being knocked down in the weeks and months ahead as people who previously shunned them seek to take advantage.

It’s enough to give Paisley and Sinn Fein’s Martin McGuinness a headache.

Sinn Fein Gain

THE most popular party leader in the Irish Republic is Gerry Adams, according to a Sunday Independent poll last weekend.

It marks an historic high water mark for the Sinn Fein president, who had seen his numbers go south in the south in recent times but has now obviously recovered.

Interesting that he tops even Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Bertie Ahern, for long the darling of the electorate. Ahern remains Fianna Fail’s ace in the hole in a tough election campaign, as he is by far their most popular figure.

Meanwhile, speculation in Dublin is that the election may well be called later this week, and that the date will be either May 17 or May 24.

Interesting to note that the rise in Sinn Fein support correlates pretty closely to Fianna Fail losing a few points. The message seems obvious that as the floating Republican vote swings back to Adams after the North settlement that Sinn Fein are the beneficiaries and Fianna Fail the losers.

Expect Ahern to be all over the media on May 8, the day the new Executive in Northern Ireland meets for the first time. Canny politician that he is, Ahern will make sure he and his party are claiming a large share of the credit for the historic event.

The North Face

IMAGINE your kid coming home from school and telling you that their coloring assignment today consisted of coloring a map of Ireland that only had 26 counties.

Ms. Bernadette Mearini and her second grade class at Garden School in Jackson Heights, Queens spotted the difference when they looked up a map of Ireland for a St. Patrick’s Day project at www.apples4theteacher.com. The map was missing the six counties of Northern Ireland.

Politically, Ireland is divided into the Republic of Ireland, occupying five-sixths of the island, and Northern Ireland, a part of the United Kingdom, occupying the north-eastern sixth of the island, and somehow www.apples4theteacher.com thought it wasn’t necessary to include the counties governed by the U.K.

The Irish Voice contacted the creator of the site, Judy Miller, and as soon as she discovered the mistake she immediately rectified it with a complete map of Ireland.

“I am thoroughly embarrassed and sincerely hope that people exposed to the first map will accept my heartfelt apology,” said Miller, explaining that she has added the six counties that should have been there from the start to the new map.

Well done to the sharp-eyed teacher and second graders at Garden School.