Shamrock, Shame and Shannon

Afri

A protest at Shannon Airport took place on March 15th to mark the 12th Anniversary of the 2nd US-led war on Iraq and the Taoiseach’s annual cap-doffing, forelock-tugging exercise before the Commander-in-Chief of continuing wars in Afghanistan and around the world, wars in which Shannon plays a crucial role. It was preceded by a ‘cycle of nonviolence’ from Dirty Nellies at Bunratty Castle to Shannon Airport. Organised by Afri and supported by PANA.

 

Film produced & edited by Dave Donnellan, also including filming by Muireann De Barra

 
“I feel it is my duty as an Irish artist to follow the example of Margaretta D’Arcy and make a stand against the shocking situation of Shannon’s continuing use as an instrument of war.

As St. Patrick’s Day looms I want to help focus attention on the fact that the shamrock is stained with the blood of hundreds of thousands of lives taken by the U.S military campaign, of which Shannon is an essential component. Is this the kind of Ireland we want to celebrate?

The sight of Irish politicians celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in the U.S is grotesque while human rights abuses and death continue to be facilitated by the Irish government’s gift of Shannon airport to the U.S war machine. I hope my actions can in some way draw attention to the shameful complicity of the Irish government in mass murder”.

– Dylan Tighe​, musician, writer and actor

“At this time of year when a bowl of shamrock is handed over in the White House as a symbol of the gombeen attitude of our leaders, it’s vital to challenge the hypocrisy of the neutral Irish state letting its second airport be used as a warport by the US. How many rendition kidnap flights flew through Shannon with prisoners now in Guantanamo for more than a decade without trial, many force-fed for months? We’ll never know because military flights were not and are not inspected.

I feel compelled to use whatever artistic skills I might have to challenge glib acceptance of the use of Shannon by the US army, as a gesture of solidarity with those far-off communities suffering attack by US armed forces with the complicit aid of Shannon Airport. Not in my name, not with my compliance”.

– Donal O’Kelly, writer, actor and director.

Manning Truthfest in Wales

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Manning Truthfest
The Manning Truthfest gang in Wales

Report by Genny Bove

 The Craic Will be 90

It wasn’t the greatest start to a weekend. First there was a text about RoJ getting a flat tyre on the way to the ferry and then, when we were on the road heading south from Wrexham, a crisis call. I pulled over into the old station at Welshpool to take it. Joe Murray was on the ferry from Rosslare as planned with Nuala Kelly and Andy Cummins, but all four musicians in the party had been left behind on the quay (thanks to some misinformation given out by Irish Ferries staff who had promised there was plenty of time before the gates closed when there wasn’t) and the next sailing wasn’t due in til after midnight, too late for the Shamrock Bar gig planned for that evening. There was nothing to be done except put out some calls for local musicians to step in and hope that Joe could at least persuade the stranded ones to rebook on the ferry and arrive in time for Saturday night. The atmosphere in the car was subdued as we continued on our way, wondering how things were going to work out and whether the musicians might have just given up and gone home. We needn’t have worried. After about an hour, a text came through from RoJ: they were on their way back to Dublin, would catch the afternoon ferry to Holyhead, drive down to Fishguard from there – a five hour journey – and would be with us by 11pm. Cryptically, he added: “The craic will be 90.”
“What’s that about?” asked Eimear.
“No idea. Bet it’s a song lyric.”
Eimear looked it up and we began to worry that they might be tempted to catch the Isle of Man Steam Packet instead and all end up in Douglas. Continue reading “Manning Truthfest in Wales” →

Global Call For Artists To Sow Seeds Of Hope For Planet Earth

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Irish peace organisation Afri has joined with the Choctaw people – renowned for their respect and reverence for the planet – to call on artists everywhere to raise awareness and inspire urgent action on global warming ahead of the December climate change conference in Paris.

'Fields of Athenry' composer Pete St. John supports Afri call for action on global warming
‘Fields of Athenry’ composer Pete St. John supports Afri call for action on global warming

 The effects of global warming are increasingly clear: ecosystems are being lost at an alarming rate; species extinction is occurring on an unprecedented scale and communities, especially those who are already suffering, face decimation and displacement. Unless we make radical changes, things are going to get a lot worse.

But resistance is also on the rise.  In 2014, a coalition of native Alaskan tribes, backed by green campaigners, won a court victory against Shell’s drilling for oil in the Arctic.  Indigenous groups in the Amazon have been holding back plans to cut down more forests to facilitate oil exploration.

Damien Dempsey sings 'Choctaw Nation' at the 2010 Afri Famine Walk in Mayo. Photo by Derek Speirs
Damien Dempsey sings ‘Choctaw Nation’ at the 2010 Afri Famine Walk in Mayo. Photo by Derek Speirs

 

These artists have already pledged to act. Will you? Damien Dempsey, Liam Ó’Maonlaí, Steve Wall (The Walls/The Stunning), Colm Mac Con Iomaire (The Frames), Dónal O’Kelly, Noirín Ní Riain, Theo Dorgan, Paula Meehan and more. Full list below and more to be announced soon. Are you an artist? Add your name to the list of supporters here.

 

Earth Photo

Join Neil Young, Pharrell Williams and others

Artists are helping lead the change.  Neil Young launched a Canadian tour in 2014 under the title ‘Honour the Treaties’, backing the struggle of Canada’s indigenous nations against environmentally destructive tar sands extraction. Pharrell Williams recently announced a series of Live Earth Concerts around the globe on June 18th of this year.

In Ireland, renowned violinist Colm Mac Con Iomaire of The Frames (and ex Swell Season and Kila) will soon launch his new solo album ‘and now the weather’ which takes in the theme of our relationship with the planet. What we need now is a constant, continuous and multi-dimensional effort from now until the Paris Summit in December 2015 and beyond. 

We are calling on artists, musicians, poets, painters, writers, crafts people, designers, dancers and all creative souls everywhere to use their creative genius to awaken the super-power of world opinion.  Imagine the impact, if artists and those who love art, those who love Earth were to rise up and make their voices heard with one clear message: Stop killing our planet… save our world.

Please join our call by creating art that helps awaken, activate and inspire. Share your creations with your friends, fans and followers and be part of a movement of movements that is determined to forge a new world for our children and grandchildren.

Joe Murray, Afri – Action From Ireland (Patron, Archbishop Desmond Tutu)

Gary White Deer, Choctaw artist

 

garyw

The teachings of all First Nations tell us that all people share a common Mother Earth,
who takes care of us and we are born knowing this. In this Spirit, let us then take care
of Mother Earth as well as each other.
– Gary White Deer, Choctaw Nation

 

This call is supported by:

Liam Ó’Maonlaí, Damien Dempsey, Steve Wall (The Walls/The Stunning), Colm Mac Con Iomaire (The Frames), Q A.K.A Colm Quearney,   Dónal O’Kelly (actor and playwright), Gary White Deer (Choctaw artist), Sarah Clancy, Colm Keegan, Enda Reilly, Queen Elvis,  Veronika Stalder, Valentina Gaia Lops, Iain Dowling, Blue Drum,  Gary Dunne (music), Caroline K Stanley (music), Ciara Ryan-Gerhardt (creative writing, singing), Little John Nee (writer/performer/story maker), Dave Lordan (poet), Róisín Coyle (Visual artist), Maria McManus (writer), Bibly Mosa (poetry), Denise Keenaghan (poetry), Kate O’Shea (poetry), Homeira (Printmaker), Angela T. Carr (poetry), Rosie McGurran (visual arts), Shelley Tracey (poetry), Luke Concannon (singer-songwriter), Connor McDermott (music/writing), Michelle McCarron (photography, film, writing), Ailbhe Darcy (writing), Sorcha Fox (poetry and performance),  Rosemarie Rowley (poetry),  William Wall (writer), Mary Madec (poetry), Tara Baoth Mooney (musician and artist), Theo Dorgan (poet), Paula Meehan (poetry),  Eleanor Hooker (poet), Elise Brown/Hands on Crreation (craft, photography, poetry, dance), Celeste Auge (writing), Nessa O’Mahony (poetry), Sheila Mannix (writing), Béibhinn O’Connor (music), Jenni Ledwell (actress), Lavelle (music),  Eabhan Ni Shuileabhain (poetry),  Sue Hassstt (writing, research, music, activism, participatory arts),  Brian Fleming (music/ theatre),  Lou McMahon (singer-songwriter),  Shevaun Doherty (botanical artist), Lucia Comnes (songwriter/singer/fiddler),  Édaín Ní Dhomhnaill (art),  Martina Flaherty (singer/songwriter), Lauren Guillery (musician – Dublin), Lucy Vigne Welsh (acting, painting, writing – Wicklow), Giselle Harvey (art/craft – Clare),  Bee Smith (writing/poetry – Cavan),  Danny Groenland (soul music – Dublin), Beverly Farley (painting – Quebec, Canada), Wendy Jack (singer songwriter – Ireland), Terry Corcoran (painter – Missouri, U.S.A.), Ceara Conway (visual art/singing – Galway), David Carroll (music – Bordeaux, France),  Michelle Culligan (craft/ writing / mosaic),  Nóirín Ní Riain PhD (music/theology),  Barbara O’Meara (visual artist – Dublin), Martin Sharry (writing – Dublin), Breda Larkin (comedian – Cork), Helena Tobin (artist – Dublin), Kathleen O’Hara Farren (mixed media – Donegal), Sharon Corcoran (poetry & writing – Missouri, U.S.A.), Deborah J. Stockdale (textile artist – Donegal), Caroline Kuyper (yarn craftivism – Donegal), Jules Bitter (music – Netherlands), Ciara Delaney (music – Belfast), Saffron Thomas (sculpture – Sligo), Kathleen McCreery (theatre and writing – Donegal), Bernadette Hopkins (visual artist – Donegal), Kate Thompson (writer – Galway), Aodán McCardle (artist/poet – Donegal), Ciaran Keogh (actor/singer and film maker – Donegal), Kevin Ovita Teddy (event organizing – Kenya), Paul Byrne (music – Dublin), Kate O’Callaghan (music – Donegal),  Róisín Ní Ghallóglaigh (music – Limerick),  Mary Lynch (art/ drawing – Belfast), Ruth Brewer (poetry –Dublin),  Laura Dicus (watercolor painting-Washington, U.S.A.), Aislinn Adams (botanical and nature artist – Oregon, U.S.A.), Stephen Murray (poetry –Dublin), Ger Killeen (poetry – Oregon, U.S.A.),  Cynthia Domenico (videodance – São Paulo,  Brazil),  Pete Mullineaux (music/poetry/drama/fiction – Galway),  Oisin McGann (writing and illustration – Meath), Debbie Chapman (visual artist – Dublin), Lisa Fingleton (artist & filmmaker – Kerry),  Sam (art & poetry – Ireland), Conor Bowman (writing – Meath), Stephen James Smith (poet – Dublin),  Marigold Fairweather (visual art – Victoria, Australia),  Freya Watson (writing – Kildare), Dolores Whelan (writer /teacher in spirituality –Louth), Fintan Vallely (music – Dublin), Diana Oleartchik  (Writer – Tel Aviv, Israel).

 

Are you an artist? Add your name to the list of supporters here.

Impressions from the 2014 Hedge School

Afri
Cathyrn O'Reilly (standing) and Vonnie Munroe of the Dunnes Stores Anti-apartheid strikers speaking at the Afri Hedge School in ITB.
Cathyrn O’Reilly (standing) and Vonnie Munroe of the Dunnes Stores Anti-apartheid strikers speaking at the Afri Hedge School in ITB.

By coincidence, the Afri Hedge School 2014 took place on the 96th anniversary of the official ending of World War 1.  I say ‘official’ ending as of course a monstrous machine of that size and ferocity doesn’t suddenly come to a halt all at once. Active battling in which several human beings lost their lives continued well after that iconic moment of the 11th hour, on the 11th day of the 11th month on which the leaders cried ‘stop!”. And signatures were made on a piece of paper.  I say ‘official’ as the fallout, the ramifications of that horrific war, ironically titled in the recruitment propaganda as ‘the war to end all wars’, is still to this very day having its devastating impact. The battles continue long after Armistice. The trauma has traversed generations in the many insidious ways that trauma can. Palestine is just one of many, many ongoing casualties that continues to bleed and die.

The lives of those men who had chosen to become or had been forced to become soldiers and were sacrificed in that war are traditionally remembered by silence and ceremony on this iconic day.

The Afri Hedge School chose not to hold the silence, but rather to facilitate the raising of voices. It invited the testimony of witnesses and casualties beyond those in active combat. It welcomed the awkward questions. And it framed all of this within the matrix of conscience. Continue reading “Impressions from the 2014 Hedge School” →

Remembering Gerry Conlon, Supporting Chelsea Manning

Afri

Report by Genny Bove

The Irish greeting Céad míle fáilte (a hundred thousand welcomes) is no exaggeration. Over in Dublin from Wales again for a few days, this time with Chelsea Manning’s Mum Susan, we are once again experiencing the extraordinary hospitality, warmth and staunch solidarity of our friends here, and it’s wonderful.

Thursday night we gathered at the Teachers’ Club in central Dublin for an evening gathering Resisting Injustice organised by Afri to remember the late, great Gerry Conlon who met and offered his support to Chelsea’s family and who spoke so eloquently against injustice and for Chelsea Manning last November, just a few months before his untimely death from cancer this June.

Donal O’Kelly, the creative force behind January’s Manning Truthfest, was MC for the night. Donal has helped keep the cause in the public eye in myriad ways, most recently dedicating the World’s Best Radio Show award for his play Francisco to Chelsea Manning.

Nuala Kelly
Human rights campaigner, Nuala Kelly, speaking about Gerry Conlon at Resisting Injustice. Photo: Dave Donnellan

The first speaker was Nuala Kelly, whose talk drew on her extensive experience of supporting Irish prisoners in overseas jails. She recounted how she had at first been more aware of Giuseppe Conlon’s arrest back in 1975 than that of his son Gerry but how later, in her work with the Irish Council for Prisoners Overseas, she became involved in supporting Gerry and his family in their quest for justice. Nuala emphasised the impact on families when a person is imprisoned and the importance of offering support and working alongside families. She described how the campaign to free the Guildford Four, Maguire Seven and Birmingham Six started to gain momentum, with local groups little by little getting involved and taking their own solidarity initiatives, such as a women’s group organising street stalls in central Dublin. If we are going to build an effective campaign to free Chelsea, we need to find ways to engage as many people as possible as well as being mindful of the perspectives of both the prisoner and her family. Continue reading “Remembering Gerry Conlon, Supporting Chelsea Manning” →

Resisting Injustice

Afri

gerry conlon evening poster smallerA Memorial evening for Gerry Conlon in solidarity with Chelsea Manning, Thursday 11th September, 7pm in the Teachers’  Club, Dublin 1

Entrance on a donation basis – To book tickets: click here

Gerry Conlon of the Guilford Four, a victim of the one of the most serious miscarriages of justice in recent history, devoted much of his life on his release from prison, to campaigning on behalf of other prisoners and highlighting human rights abuses worldwide.

In November 2013, Gerry spoke at an event in Trinity College in solidarity with whistleblower Chelsea Manning who was sentenced to 35 years in prison for revealing the truth about the war in Iraq. The meeting in November was attended by hundreds of people including the family of Chelsea Manning. Gerry Conlon spoke movingly about his own experiences, the courage of Chelsea Manning and the importance of whistleblowers in revealing miscarriages of justice. This address will feature as part of the Memorial evening, and will include a reflection on Gerry Conlon by human rights campaigner Nuala Kelly.  It will also include contributions from leading musicians and actors such as Joe Black, Simon Meyler, Sorcha Fox, RoJ Whelan, Donal O’Kelly  and more!

Entrance by donation. Donations from the event will go to the Manning Family Fund.

To book tickets: click here

See also our facebook event page 

Call for Independent Enquiry into Policing of Corrib Gas Project

Afri
Afri International Patron, Desmond Tutu. Photo: Derek Speirs
Afri International Patron, Desmond Tutu. Photo: Derek Speirs

In light of ongoing controversies concerning lack of accountability of the Gardaí, and serious shortcomings on the part of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC), Afri, supported by the undersigned, wishes to draw renewed attention to serious concerns around the policing of the Corrib Gas Project. Local residents have exhausted all available means of redress – including reports to GSOC, the Minster for Justice and the Garda Commissioner – without receiving satisfactory responses. Therefore, we now call for an independent and comprehensive enquiry into all aspects of the policing of the Corrib Gas Project to seek redress and accountability in relation to abuses which are, sadly, ongoing.

These concerns include, for example, the verbal and physical abuse of Willie Corduff by Gardaí as he took part in a peaceful protest in Glengad on April 22nd and 23rd 2009.This was followed by an attack by a group of men in dark clothes with their faces covered. During this attack Mr. Corduff was struck on the head by a blunt leather-covered object and then beaten until he lost consciousness. Mr. Corduff was removed to hospital and suffered serious pain and distress for many weeks afterwards. This attack occurred while Gardaí were in close proximity and no satisfactory investigation into the attack has ever taken place.

There are concerns also about the sinking of Pat O’Donnell’s boat the Iona Isle, which was boarded by masked men in June 2009. Pat O’Donnell, recipient of a state bravery award in 2013, and his crewman Martin O’Donnell were attacked and held down while the Iona Isle was holed and sunk under cover of darkness. Some hours later men fitting the description of those who boarded the boat were reported to have been picked up in Killala harbour by a transport vehicle used by the Shell Corrib Gas project. Both Mr. O’Donnell and his crewman were later admitted to Castlebar General hospital. Continue reading “Call for Independent Enquiry into Policing of Corrib Gas Project” →

Airing Erris: Journalism has been “infected” by “corporate public relations”

Afri
At “Airing Erris 2” from left to right: Award winning journalist Ed Vulliamy, Joe Murray (Afri Co-ordinator), and Donal O’Kelly (actor and playwright).

The distinguished Guardian and Observer journalist, Ed Vulliamy, paid warm tribute to the community in Erris who have been resisting the imposition of the Gas Corrib project on their community since 2000, when he spoke at Airing Erris 2 in Ceathrú Thaidhg on Sunday, March 16th. Mr. Vulliamy, the journalist who broke the story of Shell’s supplying large quantities of alcohol to Gardaí in Belmullet, said he was inspired by the courage and commitment of the community and the way in which they have ‘ joined the dots’ in terms of the project and its wider implications. He also described the alcohol to Gardaí in Belmullet story as an interesting bagatelle in context of UN Rapporteur’s claim of excessive use of force by Gardaí against peaceful protesters.

Journalist William Hederman outlined examples of media distortion in relation to the project. For example, the ‘rape tapes’ issue was shamefully mishandled by Gardaí and GSOC and those against whom rape was ‘jokingly’ threatened were utterly failed, let down and undermined by elements of the media.

Richie O’Donnell, whose company Atlantic Stream broadcast the event on line, spoke about plans to ‘be our own media’ of which ‘Airing Erris’ is a very good example.

Airing Erris was hosted by Afri is collaboration with Atlantic Stream. You can watch this event online here. Lorna Siggins wrote a piece about this event in the Irish Times, which can be read here.

Airing Erris: The Media and Shell Corrib

Afri
From Left to Right: Betty Purcell (former Editor of Features and Current Affairs RTE), Harry Browne (Journalist and lecturer in Media Studies DIT), Joe Murray (Afri Co-ordinator), Lelia Doolan (documentary-maker and former CEO of the Irish Film Board), and Liamy McNally (Mayo-based freelance journalist) at Airing Erris in Co. Mayo on Saturday 18th January.
From Left to Right: Betty Purcell (former Editor of Features and Current Affairs RTE), Harry Browne (Journalist and lecturer in Media Studies DIT), Joe Murray (Afri Co-ordinator), Lelia Doolan (documentary-maker and former CEO of the Irish Film Board), and Liamy McNally (Mayo-based freelance journalist) at Airing Erris in Co. Mayo on Saturday 18th January.  Photo: Dave Donnellan

By Harry Browne

By honoured tradition, we journalists still half-jokingly call public-relations (PR) professionals “the enemy”. But we know they have a job to do, we know they often help us do their job – and we know that if we’re really at war with them, we’re losing.

The basic reason is pretty simple: they’ve got more and more resources (money, time, people) to push the corporate or government line, and we’ve got fewer and fewer with which to filter out the truth from the propaganda.

And when PR people are good and do their job really well, they get the ears of our bosses and make our jobs even harder. Continue reading “Airing Erris: The Media and Shell Corrib” →