Letters.

Don’t Do Dean

I HAVE a few comments I would like to make on Niall O’Dowd’s “Periscope” column about 2006 predictions in last week’s Irish Voice.

I realize Mr. O’Dowd keeps a very busy schedule as publisher of the Voice. Sadly though, it appears he has forgot to put aside some extra time in order to think for himself.

His comments on U.S. domestic political issues in the article sounds like a dispatch from Howard Dean, the chairman of the Democratic National Committee. O’Dowd’s repetition of Dean’s talking points — Democrats will take over the Senate due to Republican corruption, Bush will be impeached when that happens, and the evil Dick Cheney will be forced to go — are worn thin from use.

I would remind O’Dowd that among the Voice’s readership there exists such phenomena as Irish Republicans, Irish conservatives and Irish independents. It is far from fair or balanced not to offer some crumbs from the table of the publisher to these readers.

Therefore, my hope for 2006 is that the publisher doesn’t unwittingly allow the Irish Voice to become the voice of Howard Dean.

John Rogers
Voorhees, New Jersey

No to Kennedy/McCain

IT is true that the James Sensenbrenner/Peter King immigration bill is horrific in its attempt to criminalize and even jail the undocumented. In addition, the Sensenbrenner/King bill offers no hope for citizenship and is probably one of the most repressive immigration bills in decades.

The Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform (ILIR), however, errs to endorse the Edward Kennedy/John McCain bill. The guest worker program it contains offers nothing but depressed wages for both the documented and the undocumented. Rather, such a program aids the anti-unionization efforts of agribusiness and those who control the construction industry.

The endorsement of the Irish Dail (Parliament), the SDLP and Fine Gael should be evidence enough that Kennedy/McCain is not the way to go.

Comprehensive immigration reform is necessary for all the undocumented whether they live in the Northeast, the Midwest or the Southwest.

It is essential that any proposed bill will guarantee the road to citizenship, the absence of criminalization, due process rights and the rights of workers to organize and unionize workers.

Nancy Gallen
Tucson, Arizona

Sensenbrenner’s State

I WISH that Congressman James Sensenbrenner really did represent the state of Wyoming.

Unfortunately he shares both the residence and the political tactics of that other Wisconsin luminary, the late, great, Joseph McCarthy, with the immigrant community now filling in for the Communist menace when it comes to who we are supposed to fear.

Dennis Mangless
Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin

More Than Dublin

I ASSUME John Spain won’t be working for the Irish Tourist Board or CIE Tours anytime soon, judging by his column “Excess Ireland” in the December 7-13 issue.

The condition of Dublin, upon which he reports, is a sad but not uncommon state for most major cities in today’s secular world.

For relief, I suggest Spain gets out more and visits other parts of Ireland, maybe even with fellow Irish Voice columnist Cormac MacConnell, and learn there is so more to the Emerald Isle than just “new” Dublin.

Ken Rooney
Lake Orion, Michigan

Misinformed on Republicans

IT would be a miracle if Niall O’Dowd could get the facts right (make it your New Year’s resolution!)

I address false statements in his article “The Soldier, the Spy, the U.S. Connection” in the December 21-January 3 issue.

Untruth number one — “In 1986 ... a Republican Sinn Fein support group, Friends of Irish Freedom (FOIF), had been set up with the specific task of bringing Irish Americans over to their point of view.”

Fact: Cumann na Saoirse was “set up” in 1986 by M. Flannery, G. Harrison and J. Stynes for that “task,” not FOIF!

FOIF, founded in 1916, was revived in 1989 when a large number of top Irish Northern Aid (INA) people quit after expressing concerns to top Provos. The INA members opposed paying for salaries, apartments, etc. for the likes of Brian McDonald or Denis Donaldson.

Some longtime members got calls from Ireland from top Provos pleading with them not to quit.

It was too late. The staunch U.S.-based Republicans had been threatened, even assaulted. FOIF members wanted to help Republican prisoners and their families. Republican Sinn Fein had no involvement at all!

Untruth number two — “It was a time when FOIF had attempted to develop fundraising on behalf of IRA prisoners and to proclaim that they were the true inheritors of the Republican standard.”

Fact: FOIF did fundraise the same as they had for INA. FOIF’s efforts benefit Irish Republican prisoners and their families, as well as Irish Republicans in special circumstances, such as the McAllister family.

FOIF is the only U.S. organization that worked directly with Sister Sarah Clarke. Never did FOIF “proclaim that they were the true inheritors of the Republican standard.”

Untruth number three — “By the time he returned to Belfast, Donaldson ... helped dispatch the FOIF to history’s dustbin. It was a job well done.” Facts — “History’s dustbin?” I hardly think so!

FOIF is alive and well. FOIF runs the largest, most dignified Easter Mass and commemoration in the U.S. even the Irish Voice has covered it!

The last of the “old” IRA/Cumann na mBan/Sean Olgaigh na hEireann veterans only attended the FOIF Easter event –- not INA’s/CnG’s/PSF’s. FOIF supports Irish Republican prisoners and always will.

Apparently, FOIF was enough of a threat to Provisional Sinn Fein that they felt compelled to attack us, but no threats, no informers, no lies could ever “dispatch” honest, decent Irish Republicans who are respected on both sides of the ocean to “history’s dustbin.”

God save Ireland — from people like Mr. Donaldson and Mr. O’Dowd!

Cathleen McLoughlin O’Brien
(The writer is a FOIF trustee and former INA member for 19 years.)

Niall O’Dowd responds:

1. The fact that FOIF run a yearly Mass for 1916 commemorations in the Bronx is hardly proof that FOIF has not been consigned to history’s dustbin. Getting a few handfuls of people to Mass on Easter Sunday is hardly a tough task.

2. O’Brien writes, “Never did FOIF proclaim that they were the true inheritors of the Republican standard,” which is patently false. They did so all the time.

3. Yes, Cumann Na Saoirse did predate FOIF, but Cumann Na Saoirse was essentially defunct as a group soon after, with members all switching to FOIF, a fact that is obvious from the letter.

4. O’Brien claims, “The staunch U.S.- based Republicans had been threatened — even assaulted” by Sinn Fein. I do not remember such attacks ever being made. Perhaps she could elaborate.

Right On!

I THOUGHT Mike Farragher’s list of his top albums of 2005 was right on. I especially liked his inclusion of Ronan Tynan and his brilliant record Ronan.

I feel Ronan Tynan is one of Ireland’s greatest ambassadors, and a true example of how one can not only overcome adversity, but also become a world famous, brilliant entertainer.

I would like to read more about Ronan in the Irish Voice, and please keep us up to date about a hopefully new album in 2006.

Caroline Larkin
New Paltz, New York