DAOINE
Bróna, Orla, Eileen agus Diarmuid were the foireann (team) on Saturday.
Some of the regular new market food stalls were missing on the day, including the Irish one for pizza, the Polish waffles stall, Middle Eastern and African food stalls also. Perhaps they were expecting a repeat of the heavy rain of the night before and thought business would be bad.
On the contrary, the street was busy with shoppers and tourists. Many stopped to sign the petition and discuss matters; many brought their children and encouraged them to sign which particularly pleases us – they are, after all, our future.
Ian Brady told us about his great-aunt Maureen Talbot who had a fruit and vegetables stall, second from last at the Henry Street end. Ian signed the petition and posed for a solidarity portrait photo.
Diarmuid was telling Ian about another Brady, one of the Invincibles who assassinated Lord Lieutenant Cavendish and Permanent Under-Secretary Burk in Phoenix Park in 1882. Joe Brady was betrayed by one of the group, James Carey and hanged in Kilmainham Jail.
Carey was paid with English money to start a new life in South Africa but was executed on board ship by Patrick O’Donnell from Gweedore in Co. Donegal, a native Irish speaker and, remarkably, cousin of some of the Molly Maguires miners’ resistance organisation in the USA.
O’Donnell was hanged in London on 21 December 1883:
“Good Christians all, both great and small,
Kind Christians for me pray;
‘Tis true I am an Irishman,
This is my dying day.
My grave is lying open,
I’m ready now to die:
Say a prayer for soul of O’Donnell
When in his grave he lies.”
Our stall also had relatives of 1916 fighters talking to us – often this connection was discovered late in the fighter’s life by descendants and relations but sometimes the stories had been shared; both kinds of descendants come to sign our petition and tell us something of that family history.
Many people came through the street wearing Palestinian colours or carrying placards and rolled-up flags; some who noticed our stall stopped to sign the petition. A national Palestine solidarity march was scheduled for 1pm from the nearby Garden of Remembrance.
Among those who signed were fluent Irish-speakers from Belfast (Béal Feirste) and Fermanagh (Fear Manach); all on our stall have some Irish and some are fluent.
AIMSIR
Bhí sé breá bog and it wasn’t raining, which was grand for us, the stalls and the shoppers.
UASDHÁTÚ
We are unaware of any further changes in the status of the of the planning application save that Hammerson want their permission extended to an 11-year building program.
On the other hand, their High Court challenge to buildings being designated of historical protection status by DCC councillors is scheduled for 12th December.
