Conference tallis::celt

			THE  HIBERNIAN  OBSERVER

                    (Incorporating The Rural Listener)




Founded: March '86					Editor: Tod Riley
                            Circulation: 4



	Dominic McGlinchy


			Was sentenced to 10 years for his part in a shootout
with Gardai. His wife, who was present, herself immediately afterwards was
before the court for alleged involvement in the 1983 kidnapping of the step-
father of INLA super grass Harry Kirkpatrick. She was aquitted.


	Maze Escapers


			A court in Holland this week will decide on Britain's
request for extradition of two of the 38 IRA men who escaped in 1983. They were
found with a large quantity of arms destined for the North.
			Sean McBride, winner of a Nobel and Lenin peace prize,
testified for the defence.


	ESB


			Are to reduce their prices by 5%. This is a direct
result of falling oil prices. Industrial consumers will benifit from April but
domestic users will have to wait untill September.


	Armed Robberies


			The leader of the Garda Representaive Body has called
for much stiffer sentences for possesion of firearms to commit robberies. He 
has also called for a minimum of a 40 year sentence for people actually using
them. On the last two Fridays alone, there have been a total of 14 around
the country.


	Aer Lingus


			Celebrates 50 years in operation. Their first flight,
in April 1926, was in a twin engined DeHaviland Dragon. The destination was
Bristol.


	Dublin Fire


			As reported last week, the fire in a Council flat which
claimed the life of a Dublin father, has now added a further victim. The young
child has died. The mother remains on the critical list.


	Garrett


			Was in the US for St. Patrick's day. He featured on
all the major morning news shows. He presented Reagan with a Waterford crystal
replica of Statue of Liberty.


	US Aid


			A bill has passed the House granting $250M in aid to
the North and the border counties of the South over 5 years. This is a direct
result of the Accord.


	One man buses


			After twenty years of talks, one man double-decker
buses started operating in Dublin this week. News reports went to some lengths
to point out that the driver was a Karate black-belt.


	Sport


			Ireland got the Wooden Spoon. Half time score: Ireland 
9, Scotland 0. Full time score: Ireland 9, Scotland 10. This is the second
time they have been trounced after a commanding half-time lead. Ireland is
resting between Trible Crowns.


				QUIZ
				****


			To keep you all on your toes, I am initiating a quiz.
Answers will be published next week. It will have a distinctly Irish flavour.


	A. What year did the French first try to land an invasion force in
	   Ireland?

	B. What year was the Act of Union?

	C. Who was the first President of Ireland?


	Heard in the Pub


			The following is an extract from the Aer Lingus ad.
celebrating 50 years of operation. "Your Airline carried almost 2 million
scheduled passengers last year. And for every two people it flew out of the 
country, it flew three in."
 Not only are they flying in bleedin' wetbacks to
take our jobs, they're bleedin' braggin' about it.


			Supplies of "No more tears" shampoo failed to reach the
Irish dressing-room at half time in the Rugby game. The team sulked for the
second half. 

			THE  HIBERNIAN  OBSERVER

                    (Incorporating The Rural Listener)




Founded: March '86					Editor: Tod Riley
			     Circulation:   4



	Selafield Nuclear Plants


			In the UK, an all party commision has found that
Selafield (formerly known as Windscale) has been discharging nuclear waste
into the Irish sea, making it the most radioactive sea in the world.
			There have been 5 accidents at the plants so far this
year, three of them serious. All resulted in discharges into the atmosphere.
Garrett has voiced his concern to Maggie Thatcher and there have been calls
both in Ireland and the UK for it's closure.
			This will be a tough decision for the UK govn. as the
plant has a strategic role processing plutonium for the bomb.


	Bagwan Shree Rajneesh


			Ended an 11 day stay in Ireland on Weds. He paid his
IR#5,000 bill at Jury's Hotel, in Limerick, in hard cash. He is on his way to
Uruguay. 


	UK Budget


			Basic rate of tax down 1P to 29P. Petrol up 7.5P/gal.
Cigarettes up 11P for 20. Booze untouched. Corporation tax cut to 35% from 40%.
			Queen to get a pay raise of UK#160,000, bringing her
salary up to UK#4,136,800.


	Bomb in Castlwellan


			Killed a British soldier and injured another. The dead
man had only been in the North for 4 days.


	Fishing deaths


			Two men were drowned on Lough Rea, Co. Galway, on St.
Patrick's day when their boat capsized.


	Tip O'Neill


			Has been granted Irish Citizenship by Garrett. This
honour has only been bestowed on 5 others in the history of the State.


	Inflation


			Is at lowest level in 18 years. Annual rate now 4.6%.
This prompted the Association of Higher Civil Servants to accept Govn. offer
of 7% cost of living increase over 18 months.


	Mining


			large find of lead and zinc on the Kilkenny/Laois
border.


	Evelyn Glenholmes


			Is facing extradition proceedings in Dublin on foot
of six warrants issued by Scotland Yard. She is said to have taken part in a 
bombing campaign in Britain. She was arrested in Tallagh, Dublin. On Sat.(22nd)
there were extrodinary scenes in Dublin. She was released when the warrants were
found to be faulty. She was prevented from leaving the Court by Gardai in
anticipation of a further set of warrents arriving from England (this was 
illegal). She was spirited out through the Judge's chambers by members of Sinn
Fein. There then followed a car chase through the City. They abondoned their
car and intended to address a rally outside GPO. Meanwhile, a new warrant had
been drawn up. Scuffles broke out between Gardai and Sinn Fein outside British
Home Stores and she was rushed inside by her Sinn Fein protectors. A detec-
tive outside then fired three shots over the heads of Sinn Fein/Journalists/
onlookers. Glenholmes was then served with the new warrant in the Store and
re-arrested. She was brought back to Court but released again. New warrants
will be issued, but meanwhile she has dropped out of sight. 
			She is wanted in connection with several murders and
bombings in the UK. If these allegations are correct, she deserves to go to
prison for a long time but the due process of Law must be observed and these
warrants should have been examined by a senior officer in the UK to ensure
all Ts were crossed.


	Weather

     
            A storm on Thurs. left two dead. Winds reached 103 MPH and
a circus big top was blown down in Dublin resulting in the escape of 5
elephants, a kangaroo and several horses. 50 Circus employees rounded them
up. The weather for most of the week was Spring, clear skies and quite warm.
This morning (Mon 24), it is snowing hard.


	Armed robberies


			Tues: IR#5,000 taken in a Dublin pub. Barman shot
in the leg.
			Weds: IR#1,000,000 worth of paintings and silver
taken from a house at Fethard, Co. Tipperary. The thieves tied up the owners
and later made tea for them. The house had no security system.
			Thurs: no robberies.
			Fri: Two pubs robbed.


	Third level education


			30,000 have applied for 10,000 places. Jobs famine
is given as the main reason for rise in number of applicants.


				QUIZ
				****

Answers: French first attempted to invade Ireland in 1796. They set off with
a force of 14,000 but were forced to abondon their efforts to land at Bantry
by bad weather.
	The Act of Union was passed in 1801.
	The first President of Ireland was Douglas-Hyde.


Questions: What are the Jovian planets?
	   What year did Robert Emmet die?
	   What counties are called Queen's county and King's county?

	First correct answer published in next weeks issue.


	Heard in the Pub


			Reagan plans to deport Tip O'Neill for not having a
Work Permit in his Irish Passport.



				LETTERS
				*******



From Matt Tynan in Puerto Rico.

			   Ireland
			North versus South
Some thoughts for your weekend.

	Ireland as a nation lived as part of the British empire for more 
than 800 years. During this period, there existed a continuous war between 
an under-armed and amatuer Irish Rebellion movement, with different names in 
each century but with a consistant aim, to achieve independance from 
Britian, and the British armed forces. Neither side could decisively win 
this war, it was costly to both the Irish and the British with little if 
any benefit to either side.
	Things came to a head following World War 1 when a british 
government,suffering the cost of winning and in an unstable economic world 
agreed to a peace treaty with the representatives of Ireland. This peace 
treaty effectively partitioned Ireland into two separate states, the 
South,conisting of 26 counties which would be ruled by an Irish government 
situated in Dublin and the north which would remain under British rule and 
be governed from both London and Belfast. Its interesting to note that the 
choice of counties in either state was not those chosen by the people of 
these counties, Derry which became part of the northern state would have 
preferred to be part of the south, while Dublin which became part of the 
south would have preferred to remain in the north.       The Irish 
representation cosisted of members of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) who 
had been actively fighting the British forces since 1916. The agreement 
which was reached between the Irish contingent and the British government 
was not accepted by the total Irish population. This disagreement gave rise 
to a split in the IRA, creating what is known today as the provisional IRA.
	A bloody civil war followed in the south, between the two factions,
this situation might have continued indefinitely, but for a lack of funds 
on the part of the rebels and a lack of support for the continuation of a 
war which, once again, neither side could decisively win.

	In the north during this period,the government,seeking to ensure 
that there would never be a Catholic supremacy, with the consequent 
possibility of re-alignment with the south, indulged in some extreme forms 
of suppression of civil liberties,i.e. one had to be a householder to be 
able to vote, but catholics were inhibited from buying houses because of 
their economic situation, most jobs went to non-catholics. Obviously these 
abuses did not endear the ruling government to the catholic minority.


	In the south in 1926, a new constiution was created by the then 
Prime Minister (Taoiseach) Eamon Devalera. In order to get the support of 
the Catholic church Hierarchy, they were given a special position in the 
ruling of the country. What was originally intended is unclear, what 
happened is that a lot of civil rights were lost to the people of the south
and the catholic clergy became an important factor in how the country was 
run. This can be better understood if it is realised that all primary and 
secondary schools were controlled by the catholic church and run by their 
various orders. Some small private schools existed for the education of 
non-catholics but were few and widely separated. Each school curriculum was 
designed by the church. 
	Again, this situation only guaranteed the continuation of the 
situation in the North.
	Following World War 2, and the election of a labour government in 
Britian, conditions for the people of Britian and the north of Ireland 
improved substantially, with the advent of free education and free medical 
service for everyone. Divorce and contraception became easier to obtain.
These facilities also became available to the people in the north.

	Conditions in the South, remained largely unchanged during this 
period. Education was still the responsibilty of the church, divorce and 
contraception were illegal. The people of the north, those in the majority 
who were primarily non-catholic, had less and less reason to become part of 
a united Ireland. This paranoaia, gave rise to even more extreme steps 
in the subjucation of the catholic population. In turn this made the 
catholic population, more commited to wanting to get out from under this 
rule.
	Things came to a head in 1969, when civil war broke out between the 
government in the north and the IRA, the IRA  being the only active
revolutionary movement still committed to a united Ireland.
	This situaton has continued almost to the present, except that the 
government in the north was replaced by government from London. Conditions 
in the south have been slowly moving forward, education is now the 
responsibility of the central government, although the schools are 
physically located where they always were, as part of the monastery or 
convent of one of the religious orders. Divorce is still illegal. 
Contracption is now legal,but with so many constraints that it is still 
virtually illegal. Education at the university level is not free although 
grants are available for certain categories.

	I believe that if conditions in the north and south were 
indistinguishable, there would be very little need for todays civil war.
It is to the advantage of both sides to terminate it. the country as a 
whole would benefit from a single government, made up of representaives 
from both sides.

			THE  HIBERNIAN  OBSERVER

                    (Incorporating The Rural Listener)




Founded: March '86					Editor: Tod Riley
			     Circulation:   33

Issue:		3					W/E: 30-MAR-86




	Evelyn Glenholmes


			British Home Sec. admitted in Commons that warrants
for her arrest were faulty. A new set have arrived and are being examined.
Meanwhile, she has dropped out of sight and there is speculation she may have
left the country.
			The Loyalist politicians in the North are maintaining
that release of Glenholmes is proof of unwillingness of Southern Govt. to
abide by Anglo-Irish agreement and again have called for it to be scrapped.
			An inquiry has started in Britain to find out how this
happened and another one in Ireland to probe the actions of the Gardai outside
the Court and the firing of three shots by a Garda-Detective.
			The Detective who fired the shots was wounded in the
shoulder during the shoot-out with McGlinchy in 1984. He received in excess
of #30,000 compensation last December. 
			Gardai, as a general rule, are unarmed, Special Branch
being one exception. There are complaints from the Gardai that rules for the
use of firearms are unclear.


	Cost of Living


			The rise in the cost of living lagged behind Britain
and the North of Ireland for the first time in several years last year.

		Republic	N. Ireland	Britain
Houses          -1%		5.6%		10.3%
Groceries        2%		4.1%		 5%
Overall		-2.7%		4.4%		 7.8%


	Shorts


			The Belfast firm have landed a deal with Boeing to
produce some structural parts for the 7J7, due to be available in 1987. It's
reputed to be worth $200M.


	Garrett


			Is holding talks with all the various Churches to sound
out their thinking on divorce. This is a prelude to a Referendum on the subject
expected this year.


	Maze Escapers in Holland


			The court in Holland has decided that the offence for
which Gerard Kelly was convicted, the Old Baily bombing, was political in
character, but the pub-bomb murders for which Brendan McFarlane was serving
life were not.
			In Dutch law, the court only decides if extradition
is legally permissible. The decision whether or not to extradite McFarlane
to Britain rests with the Minister for Justice.


	Eddie McAteer


			The former leader of the Nationalist Party died in
hospital in Derry on Tues.


	Sellafield


			The Greenpeace ship, Sirius, left Dublin Tues. en route
to the waters off the Sellafield Plant to launch some form of protest against
discharges into the Irish Sea. They are under a British High court injunction
not to interfere with the pipeline from the Plant to the sea.


	South Africa


			Govt. has decided to phase out importation of fruit
and vegetables from South Africa over the next 9 months. From Jan. 1st, 1987,
any would-be importer will have to prove that prison labour is no longer used
on the farms in South Africa.


	UDR killing


			A part-time member of the UDR was shot dead near Omagh
on Weds. afternoon, while off duty. His brother, who was also in the UDR, was
murdered by the IRA in 1979.


	Supermarket takeover


			Tesco, the British based chain, has sold all of it's 23
stores in Ireland to H. Williams. Williams operates 15 stores in the Dublin
area, while 14 of the Tesco group are based outside the Capital. The sale is worth #17M.


	Barry McGuigan


			Will stage a voluntary defence of his world feather-
weight title in Las Vegas on June 23rd. He will fight Fernando Sosa from 
Argentina.


	Circuit of Ireland


			Is on again. There was a bad accident in the North at
the weekend when a 14 year old boy strayed into the path of one of the cars
on a closed section. He is in serious condition in the Royal Vic.
			Rally being led by a Welsh competitor called Llewellen.
Reports this morning suggest that Billy Coleman - who was lying fourth - is out
after crashing last (Mon 31st) night.


	Apprentice Boys


			There has been violence outside Portadown after the
N.Ireland Sec., Tom King, banned a parade.


	Armed Robberies


			Weds.: Cash and cheques worth #50,000 stolen from a
bakery in Dublin.( A lot of bread - Aaagh!!)


	Progressive Democrats


			Dessie O'Malley's new party was formally recognised
in the Dail on Tues. He announced a fund raising drive, target #500,000, to
contest the next election in all 41 constituencies.


	Easter Rising


			Sunday 30th was the 70th aniv.


	Easter Sunday


			For those of you who have always wondered, it falls
on the first Sunday after the first full moon after 21st. March (Spring
Equinox).


	Myles na Gopaleen - 20th Aniv.


			Alias Flann O'Brien - really Brian O'Nolan, died on
1st April 1966.


	Oil


			Chevron has pulled out of off-shore exploration in
Ireland. Reasons given - financial problems in US and terms levied by Govt.
here.
			This, predicably, has led to a political row. Dick
Spring, Labour Tanaiste and Energy Minister, has been blamed. He defended his
position as trying to get the best deal possible for the Irish people.
			He laid counter - charges that some of his coalition
TDs in Fine Gael owned shares in Atlantic Resources ( the Irish partner of
Chevron) while trying to pressure Garret to obtain better terms for the Oil
companies.
			He also critized the Irish Independent for leading
the attacks upon himself.
			Dr. Tony O'Reilly, chairman of Heinz, also has a large
interest in both Atlantic Resources and the Irish Independent.


	Cork Corporation


			Has failed to strike a new rate. Possibility exists
that the body will be dissolved and a commissioner appointed.


	Summer Time


			Clocks went forward one hour on Sunday.


	Weather


			Rain, wind, calm, overcast, hailstones, blue skies,
warm. A normal March week.


			Heard in the Pub


			An extract from Cruiskeen Lawn, by Miles na Gopaleen,
published in the Irish Times many years ago.
			"Keats and Chapman once called to see a titled friend
and after the host had hospitably produced a bottle of whisky, the two visitors
were called into consultation regarding the son of the house, who had been
exibiting a disquieting redness of the face and boisterousness of manner at
the age of twelve. The father was worried, suspecting some dread disease. The
youngster was produced but the two visitors, glass in hand, declined to make any
diagnosis. When leaving the big house, Chapman rubbed his hands briskly and
remarked on the cold.
			"I think it must be freezing and I'm glad of that
drink" he said. "By the way, did you think what I thought about that
youngster?"
			"There's a nip in the Heir," Keats said."


	Aids


			Fear of this has depressed trade in the vertical (short
time) and horizontal (longer time) trade along the Quays and Canals in Dublin.


*******************************************************************************


		

			THE  HIBERNIAN  OBSERVER

                    (Incorporating The Rural Listener)




Founded: March '86					Editor: Tod Riley
			     Circulation:   37

Issue:4							W/E: 6-Apr-86




	Teachers strike


			The Teachers unions will be holding ballots in the
coming weeks to decide on further strike action in their pay dispute with the
Govt. They will also vote on whether to boycott supervising and correcting
the Group, Inter and Leaving Cert. exams this June.
			In response to this, the Minister for Education has
warned that members of the public will be hired to supervise and correct the
exams.
			The teachers warned that they will flood the Dept.
of Education with bogus applications for these posts.


	Body in the Phoenix park


			A body has been discovered hanging in the Phoenix.
Some reports suggest that it has been there for as long as twelve months. It
was in a grove of evergreens and Gardai don't suspect foul play. 


	RUC


			There have been at least 11 attacks on homes of RUC men
in the North by Loyalists venting their anger against the Anglo-Irish agreement.
This follows the confrontation at the weekend between the Police and Loyalist
mobs at Portadown after the banning of the Apprentice boys march there.
			A similar parade in Larne went off without any trouble.
			One RUC man was shot in the back through the front door
of his own home and other police homes were petrol-bombed. A cache of arms was
discovered in the Cregagh Community centre, in a Loyalist area of East Belfast.


	Sport

			I have been requested to include Soccer results in the
League of Ireland. I will do so if I can find them in a form which lends itself
to easy transcription or if I can find some fanatic here willing to do the job
for me. Bear with me.....


	Aintree Grand National


			Was won on Saturday by West Tip at 15/2.


	Circuit of Ireland


			Was won by David Llewellan from Wales.


	Lebanon


			Some FN rifles have vanished from a consignement en
route to Irish UNIFIL forces in Lebanon. They were shipped by sea and the ship
made other stops around the Med.


	Knock Airport


			Flights to Britain begin from May.(Monsignor Horan has
the determination and willpower to make a great Pope - or Taoiseach).


	Armed Robberies


			Fri: #12,000 taken from Northern Bank, College Green.
#2,500 taken from AIB in Lower Baggot St.


	Sellafield


			Greenpeace ship, Sirius, has been monitoring levels
of radiation in the Irish Sea off the plant. Two groups from the ship, in 
rubber dingys, attempted to spray-paint radiation sysbols on the sides of
two ships delivering spent fuel for reprosessing at the plant. They were
driven off with high pressure hoses.
			The protest is low-key by Greenpeace standards as they
are under a British High Court injunction not to interfere with the plant or
the controversial pipeline which discharges into the Irish Sea.
			The Taniste, Dick Spring, has called for an independent
European inspection of safety measures at the plant.
			A row has broken out between the Irish Nuclear Energy
Board, who claimed that plutonium-contaminated fish caught in the Irish Sea
are not a health risk, and the Irish Medical Campaign for the Prevention of
Nuclear War who claim there is no known safety level for plutonium. Dr. Coll,
of the latter organisation, stated that the permitted levels of radiation in
Britain are 20 higher than those allowed in the US. He added that the already
high levels of background radiation here cause between 30 and 50 cases of
cancer each year and any addition to these levels can only increase this risk. 


	FCA


			For those of you who are ex-members of the National
Guard here. The .303 Lee-Enfield is to be replaced. The Army is looking at
calibres of 5.56mm (.222), equivalent to the US Army M16.


	Petrol


			Has dropped again in price 4p per litre. It is now a 
mere snippet at 58.7p/litre.


	Arrest Code


			The Minister for Justice, Mr. Dukes, published a draft
of the arrest code which will govern the treatment of people in custody by
Gardai.


	Beef Trade


			The Irish Meat Industries Association are stepping up
their campaign against the Canadian import ban on Ireland's #20M beef trade.
Last week, the Canadians applied an import levy of 47p/LB. on all Irish beef
entering Canada.


	EMS


			A meeting of EEC Finance Ministers at the weekend left
the Punt unchanged. This should mean a fall in interest rates here in the 
coming months. The Punt should be unchanged against the Dollar and also against
Sterling. A fall in the Punt against Sterling was expected in some quarters and
there was a flow of money out of the Country in anticipation of it.
			Britain is not part of the EMS (European Monetary Sys-
tem) and oil prices would have to stabilise before they could consider joining.


	Weather


			Mainly dry, some days warm enough to begin a cautious
peeling-off of the first layer of overcoats. This (Mon 7) morning there is snow
on the ground and a wind which would skin you.


				Heard in the Pub


			In North Co. Dublin, a distraught man came rushing into
a local pub and beseeched the Chemist, who was having a pint with a friend, to
fill a prescription "for the wife who's very sick".
			After some complaining, the Chemist obliged and sent 
the man on his way, brown paper bag full of medication sticking out of his
pocket.
			The Chemist returned to the pub and resumed imbibing.
The two stayed later than intended and at closing time were making their way
unsteadily down the street.
			 In front of them, making a similarly unsteady exit
from a different pub, appeared a figure,  brown paper bag full of medicat-
ion sticking out of his pocket..........



			All the uncertainty during the week about the EMS has
generated the usual rash of financial jokes: Why is the unit of Irish currency
called the Punt?	Because it rhymes with Bank Manager......


*******************************************************************************
 

			THE  HIBERNIAN  OBSERVER

                    (Incorporating The Rural Listener)




Founded: March '86					Editor: Tod Riley
			     Circulation:   38

Issue:  5							W/E: 13-Apr-86





	RUC


			Loyalist attacks continue on the homes of RUC men all
across the North. Police homes have been petrol-bombed and a sniper fired on
a police land-rover.
			The RUC Chief Constable, Sir John Hermon, declared "I
am satisfied that there is a very sinister hand behind it all. I am satisfied
it is being orchestrated."
			Bus drivers in Belfast have refused to work in the
evenings and on Saturdays after attacks on their vehicles.



	Guinness kidnapping


			Mrs. Jennifer Guinness was kidnapped from her Howth
home on Tues. A news blackout was imposed by Gardai and the story did not
break untill Thurs. It is not known yet if the gang involved are paramilitary
or criminal. They have demanded that a #2M ransom be paid.
			Gardai made 60 raids on the homes of major figures
in the criminal and drugs scene around Dublin at the weekend. One man is being
questioned but is thought not to be a major suspect.
			There are also reports that a number of kidnappings,
in which large ransoms were paid, went unreported to the Gardai and undetected
by the media in 1984 and 1985.
			The Guinness family have employed a firm of British
consultants, with extensive experience in kidnap situations, to advise them.
			Her husband, John Guinness, comes from the Banking, as
distinct from the Brewing, branch of the family. He is chairman of the Guinness-
Mahon bank.
			As of Mon. 14th, there has been no contact between
kidnappers and the family that the media is aware of.


	Progressive Democrats


			Have had their first defector from Fine Gael. He is
Michael Keating, TD for Dublin Central.


	TB


			There has been an outbreak in Carndonogh comprehensive
school in Co. Donegal. Three students were hospitalised.


	Beiruit


			Brian Keenan, of Belfast, failed to arrive at the
American University after leaving home on Fri.


	Worker's Party


			Ard-Fheis was held this week. Opening session dominated
by discussion on need for tax reform and job creation.


	Gay Byrne


			Has issued two High Court writs in an effort to recoup
major financial losses which emerged after the death of his accountant Russell
Murphy.
			The writer and playwright, Hugh Leonard, also suffered
major losses. Figures of a total of #1.5M are rumoured.


	Divorce


			The Taoiseach has concluded his talks with all the
various Churches and proposals for a divorce referendum could be put to the
cabinet within weeks.
			75% here are in favour of removal of the constitut-
ional divorce ban - under certain circumstances. 52% want outright removal
while 42% want it retained. These figures are from a recent opinion poll.


	Teachers strike


			Thousands of applications have been received for the
posts of superintendents and examiners for this year's Group, Inter and Leaving
The Dept. of Education has expressed satisfaction with the authenticity of
those who have applied.


	Weather


			Gale force winds on Monday (7th) night. Weds. and
Thurs. very cold. Weather for the week unseasonably cold.


	Car cost


			Figures released by the Automobile Association show
that the cost of operating the cheapest Mini is now #63.50 per week. A 1.3
litre family saloon is running at #77/week while executive style 3 litre cars
work out at #145/week.


	EEC liability laws


			American - style liability laws are due to be intro-
duced into the EEC within the next two years. They will put the onus on the
producer of the goods to prove it was not defective or that he was not negli-
gent.
			The upper ceiling on liability per item will likely be
#50M. This will likely lead to a big raise in insurance rates and a bonanza for
the Legal profession.


	Evelyn Glenholmes


			The Minister of Justice, Alan Dukes, has defended the
actions of Gardai on the day Glenholmes was released. He also explained that
the detective who fired three warning shots in the air did so because he afraid
of being disarmed by a hostile mob.
			The Fianna Fail spokesman on Justice, Dr. Woods,
described Mr. Dukes report as "a whitewash and a Pontius Pilate act"
			Evelyn Glenholmes is still being sought by the Police
here, in Britain and in the North.


	Armed Robberies


			In a written reply in the dail, Mr Dukes said there had
been 195 armed robberies in the first three months of this year. He added that
15 suspects had been detained in respect to these.
			#12,000 taken on Friday in 4 raids. On Sunday, cust-
omers in a Dublin pub tackled a raider who had shot the owner and threw him
through a glass door. A second gang held up an undertakers in Fairview and,
while escaping, one of their number shot himself in the head.


	Punt


			One Punt is worth $1.29 or Sterling 87.9 or
 Canadian 1.82. (If anyone is interested in exchange rates for other
 currencies, let me know)

*******************************************************************************

			THE  HIBERNIAN  OBSERVER

                    (Incorporating The Rural Listener)




Founded: March '86					Editor: Tod Riley
			     Circulation:   38

Issue:  6							W/E: 20-Apr-86



	Loyalist protest


			There were violent protests in Ballymena on Monday 
night following the death of Keith White (20) who had been on a life support
machine since he was struck on the head with a plastic bullet at the Loyalist
protest at Portadown on Easter Monday, March 3. He was the first Protestant
killed by a plastic bullet in the North.
			Friday night saw some of the worst rioting since the
signing of the Anglo-Irish agreement. There was rioting on the Shankhill,
Catholic homes in Lisburn were burned and there were arson attacks on a catholic
school and Balmoral Golf Club. Several hundred thousand pounds worth of damage
resulted. There was an arms find in the protestant Mount Vernon area and a bomb-
making factory was discovered off the Shankhill.


	Guinness kidnapping


			Gardai raided a house in Rathfarnam late on Tues. night
and arrested a man. Mrs. Guinness had been held there for five days but had 
been moved before the raid.
			At about 1a.m. on Weds., they surronded a second house
in Ballsbridge and shots were fired. A siege then developed which culminated in
the release of Mrs. Guinness at about 6.30 a.m. A total of three men were arres-
ted. Members of the Army Rangers anti-terrorist squad were also deployed.
			It is reported that they are members of a major crime
gang in Dublin and that one of those arrested is also wanted by Police in the
U.K. in connection with the shooting of a detective in Yorkshire last year.
			Three more people were arrested on Weds. - including
a Dublin woman - as detectives launched a citywide round-up for the remainder
of the gang. 
			On Thurs., the three who were in the house made a court
appearance. Each was charged with two counts of fasely imprisioning Mrs.
Guinness and having a firearm with intent to endanger life. They were remanded
in custody for a week. They are Anthony Kelly, of Tallagh, and brothers John
and Michael Cunningham, also of Tallagh. 
			On Fri., a fourth man was charged. He is Brian McNicholl
of Waterloo Rd. 


	Teachers' pay dispute


			Taoiseach Dr. Fitzgerald went on television Tuesday
in a special broadcast and took a strong line on the teachers' pay demand. He
ruled out any mediation on the issue of back pay and said that the Govt. were
committed to carry through the summer exams.
			However, later in the week, the Minister for Education
proposed talks and the teachers agreed to hold them under the auspices of the
Employer Labour Conference.


	Sellafield


			A study into possible links between the incidences of
leukemia here and emmisions from the Sellafield plant will be completed this 
year by the Dept. of Health. Possible links between the emmisions and Downs
Syndrome births are also being studied.
			A report released by Irish Nuclear Energy Board says
that doses of radioactivity received by the average fish consumer are "very
small" and such doses "do not represent a significant health hazard" because
they are so small. "But it is considered that that these are unnecessary,
undesirable and should be reduced or eliminated" This report was the result
of a major study of levels between '82 and '84.


	US air strike on Libya


			On Tues., Foreign Affairs Minister Peter Barry refused 
to condemn the air attack, but said he deplored the terrorist actions which
made the U.S. believe that their retaliation was necessary. He was replying to
a special notice question from Mr. Haughey.
			The bombing was the main news item on Tues. to the
extent that nothing else - not even the Guinness kidnapping - was covered on
RTE's 6p.m. newscast.
			On Thurs., a pregnant 22 year old Irish girl was duped
by her Arab boyfriend into taking a holdall containing a bomb onto an El Al
flight bound for Israel from Heathrow. The device was found by El Al security
men after she had passed through the normal airport x-ray. The bomb, ten pounds,
was rigged to go off over London.
			In the House of Commons, Mrs. Thacher offered, as one
of a series of proofs that Ghadaffi sponsored terrorists, the fact that guns
were found in Ireland in crates marked Libyan People's Army. ( This is a fact.
What was never explained at the time was why the markings were in English.)


	Percy French


			29 paintings by the artist and songwriter were stolen
at Bangor, Co. Down, on Weds.


	Murder


			Sean Hagan (53) was found strangled at Kells, Co. Meath.
Gardai are baffled by the apparent lack of motive.


	Bula mines


			Founder Mr. Michael Wymes has put his Co. Meath mansion
and estate on the market. Bula has gone into receivership in the last six months
with debts. of #12M.


	Cork Corpo.


			Agreed to accept service charges and as a result stayed
in office.


	Fianna Fail Ard Fheis


			In the keynote address on saturday night Charlie:-

	* Demanded that the Teachers' pay dispute be brought to an end.
	* Promised that 2/3 of the 860,000 in the PAYE net would go on to 35%.
	* Committed FF to restoring Ireland's dignity and independence.
	* Calculated that the increasing return from economic activity
          generated in FF's programme for recorvery would more than make good
          the cost of tax changes.
			Two motions on FF's rejection of the Anglo-Irish
agreement were carried unanimously.


	Jack Lynch


			Was refused entry to Brazil at Rio de Janerio airport.
He was put back, with his wife, on a flight to Madrid where he promptly lodged
a complaint with the Irish Embassy. The Brazillians later apologised for 
wrongly insisting that the former Taoiseach needed a visa in his Diplomatic
Passport.


	Death in Saudi


			An Irish nurse was found dead in her apartment in Tiaf,
near Jeddah. She was Helen Feeney (48) from Charlestown, Co. Mayo. She had 
severe head injuries and three men are being questioned about her death. The
men are reported to be orderlies at the hospital at which she worked and were
due to face disciplinary action by her.


	Progressive Democrats


			Have gained a recruit from Labour. He is Senator
Timmy Conway from Kildare.


	Weather


			Wet, cold, windy and still unseasonable.


	One Punt equals


			Dollar		1.34
			Sterling	.8945
			Fr. Franc	9.69
			Can. Dlr.	1.87


			Heard in the Pub


			The Gardai pulled a new stroke in the town where I
reside last Sunday. Not content with raiding premises after 11p.m. at night
and between 2p.m. and 4p.m. on Sunday afternoon, they went around checking
pubs at 11.30a.m. on Sunday morning to ensure nobody had jumped the official
start time of 12.30p.m.
			 The Country is in a far worse state than I suspected...


********************************************************************************

			THE  HIBERNIAN  OBSERVER

                    (Incorporating The Rural Listener)




Founded: March '86					Editor: Tod Riley
			     Circulation:   41

Issue:   7							W/E: 27-Apr-86



				CIRCULATION: If you are receiving the Observer
and passing it on to friends, let me know so I can ammend the circulation 
figures. Letters are also welcome. - Tod.


	Trade surplus


			Ireland had a trade surplus of #151M for the month of
March.


	Divorce Referendum


			On Weds. the Govt. published a Bill to hold a referendum
on the constitutional ban on divorce. They aim to replace the controversial
clause in the Constitution with another which will allow divorce after a break-
down of the marriage has lasted five years. The referendum will be held before
the Summer recess, probably in June.
			Fianna Fail have adopted a neutral stance towards the
issue and FF deputies are free to canvass either way.
			The Catholic Hierarchy have come out strongly against
the Bill saying it is "the basis for the most advanced and unrestrictive form
of divorce in the world today".


	IRA man killed


			Seamus McElwaine was shot dead by members of the SAS
in Co. Fermanagh on Friday. Explosives and weapons were recovered from the 
scene. He was one of 38 escapees from the Maze in 1983 where he was serving
a double life sentence for murder.

	Life Sentence


			An 18 year old Wicklow youth, Brian Fortune, received a 
mandatory life sentence after pleading guilty to the murder of an 81 year old
woman. A trial for a second count of murder on the woman's daughter was put back
to May.




	Libyan Sanctions


			EEC Foreign Ministers on Monday agreed:

	* Drastic reduction of all Libyan representation in EEC countries,
	  including diplomats.
	* Restriction of the movements of Libyan embassy or consular staff to
	  the city in which they are based.
	* An entry ban by all EEC countries to any Libyan expelled from a member
	  state.
	* Close monitoring of all Libyans working in the EEC, including students
	  teachers and journalists.
			Meanwhile, Purcell Exports, an Irish firm, shipped 1,500
cattle to Libya and another 1,500 will ship on Weds. The deal also included 700
tonnes of beef which was bought in Scotland. 


	Limerick vandals


			Headstones, memorials and Celtic crosses were vandalised
over the weekend at Mount St.Laurence cemetery in Limerick. Damage is estimated
at #100,000. The Bishop of Limerick said " The wrath of God will certainly come
down upon those who perpetrated this outrage, and a curse will follow them to 
the end of their days."


	Fire in Letterkenny


			Five people died in a fire in Letterkenney, Co. Donegal,
on Saturday. The dead were four members of the O'Donnell family aged between 18
months and 14 years and a family friend, Miss Noreen O'Donnell, who was baby-
sitting.


	Hostage Drama


			On Thurs., a man armed with a sawn-off shotgun broke
into a house in Blackrock in the afternoon while the family were sunbathing in
the backgarden. He ransacked the house for valuables and, when armed gardai
surrounded the house, took a girl hostage. He demanded, and was eventually
given, a Garda car, and a high-speed chase then ensued which ended 60 miles
away in Co. Meath where the gunman went to see his mother. The hostage was
then released unharmed and the man surrendered.


	Dublin Gas


			Is to be nationalised by the Govt. This has led to the
resignation of the company's directors who see it as a sign of lack of confid-
ence. This follows the appointment of a receiver on April 11 after large
financial difficulties encountered during the conversion to natural gas. The
inevitable political row between the Minister for Energy, Dick Spring, and his
Fianna Fail counterpart, Albert Reynolds, ensued.


	RUC murder


			An off-duty RUC Inspector was shot dead on Monday
night. The IRA claimed responsibility. The man had received the British Empire
Medal for bravery in the early seventies for getting people away from a car-
bomb in Belfast.


		

	Air Fares


			As a new carrier, Ryanair, prepares to operate on the
London - Dublin route, the other three carriers - Air Lingus, Danair and British
Airways - are cutting the return fare from #159 to #133.


	Summertime


			The pubs stay open untill 11.30p.m. from Monday 21st.


	One Punt is worth


			Sterling	.91
			U.S. Dollar	1.37
			Can. Dollar	1.90
			French F	9.68


	El Al


			Nezar Hindawi has been charged with attempting to
blow up the aircraft last week at Heathrow. He has also been charged with
the attempted murder of, among others, his pregnant Irish girlfriend who
unwittingly tried to carry the bomb aboard. The girl, Anne Marie Murphy, is
now back in Ireland and is being hounded by the British tabloids who are
reported to be offering up to #100,000 for her exclusive life story.


	Weather


			Wet at the start of the week but Thurs. was the first
real Spring day - mild, blue skies and warm. I spotted a Garda on Friday going
about his business in a shirt.


			Heard in the Pub


			The band entertaining the patrons in a pub were playing
a selection of slow and sentimental numbers and almost had the clientele weeping
into their pints. The owner pointed out to the band that the music was depress-
ing and was told the reason they were playing it was because they were depressed
themselves.
********************************************************************************

			THE  HIBERNIAN  OBSERVER

                    (Incorporating The Rural Listener)




Founded: March '86					Editor: Tod Riley
			     Circulation:   42

Issue:   8							W/E: 4-May-86



	FAI Cup


			I neglected to report that Shamrock Rovers won the
FAI cup last week, defeating Waterford 2-0. They are the first team to win the
Cup and League in successive years.


	Cheetah escapes


			A fully grown cheetah chewed his way out of his 
container on board a flight from Johannesburg and frightened the life out of
two baggage handlers at Heathrow. They slammed the cargo door and a vet was
summoned who shot the animal with a tranquiliser dart. He was en-route to
Fota wildlife park in Cork.


	Loyalist intimidation


			In the current spate of Loyalist violence, 57 RUC
officers have been forced to leave their homes and a further 300 threatened.
Catholic owned properties have also been targeted and a number of families
forced to move out.


	Car chase gunman


			The man who last week took a hostage and led gardai
on a 60 mile chase has been charged with possesion of a shotgun with intent to
endanger life and falsely imprisioning Michelle O'Hanlon. He is Patrick Higgins
(38) of Ballybrack, Co. Dublin. He is currently undergoing evaluation and treat-
ment at the Central Mental Hospital, Dundrum.


	Bomb derails train


			On Monday, a bomb derailed a goods train travelling
from Dublin to Belfast near Kilnasagart bridge on the Northern side of the
Border. The bomb is believed to have been detonated from the southern side.


	IRA man buried


			Seamus Mcelwaine, who was shot dead by the British Army
on Saturday, was buried Monday. The presence of 150 Gardai, some in riot gear,
did not stop a party of three men dressed in paramilitary uniforms from firing
a volley of three shots over the coffin outside the family home at Scotstown, 
Co. Monaghan.


	Teachers' pay dispute


			Talks began on Tues., under the chairmanship of the
Employer Labour Conference to try to resolve the dispute which is threatening
to disrupt the summer exams. The Govt. came up with a new #35M offer on Weds.
night, a considerable advance on their previous offer of #5M. They are still
ruling out restrospective payments.
			The Teachers finally rejected the offer on Friday and
are planning a boycott of exams from Mon., when the first Leaving Cert. pratical
exams get under way.


	Unemployed


			Total registered as unemployed down 5,000 on March. The
total number unemployed is 232,000, or 17.3% of the workforce. In contrast, the
number of people under 25 who are unemployed has been rising every month this
year and now stands at 31% of all those out of work.


	US Nuclear Sub.


			It was disclosed in Friday*s Washington Post that a US
Nuclear Sub. ran aground in the Irish Sea on March 13th. Damage is reported to
be severe.


	Fares reduction


			Aer Lingus has announced reductions in it's 14 day
advance purchase Apex fares to Europe:

	Dublin to		From	To
	Paris			#236	#179
	Amsterdam		#230	#179
	Brussels		#214	#179
	Copenhagen		#272	#245
	Rome			#295	#277
	Milan			#316	#260
	Zurich			#259	#213
			Even cheaper fares may be likely following a European
Court of Justice ruling on Weds. which stipulates that EEC competition rules
must apply to air transport. This may mean an end to minimum price fixing by
European Govts. or, at the least, a liberalising of air fares and route-sharing
with reasonable safeguards attached.


	One Punt is worth


			US Dollar	1.39
			Sterling	 .90
			FFranc		9.69
			Can. Dollar	1.92


	Eurovision Song Contest


			Was won by a 14 year old Belgium girl. I don^t know
second and third places but was told Ireland placed fourth.


	Weather


			Wet at the start of the week but warm mid-week. Has
Spring finally sprung? Spoke too soon, end-of-week was wet and cold. Either we
have reverted to Winter or God has decided to entirely dispense with Summer
and plunged us straight into Autumn.


	Russian nuclear disaster


			Has made most news this week. It prompted Fianna Fail
deputies to draw parallels with the dangers they say are ever present at
Sellafield. Small levels of radiation were detected at the weekend as
the nuclear cloud from the Russian reactor reached the UK - and presumably
Ireland also.


				Heard in the Pub


			What steps should be taken in the event of a radioactive
cloud approaching Ireland?
			Bloody great big ones.


********************************************************************************

			THE  HIBERNIAN  OBSERVER

                    (Incorporating The Rural Listener)




Founded: March '86					Editor: Tod Riley
			     

Issue:  9							W/E: 11-May-86



	Chernobyl Disaster


			The Nuclear Energy Board are sampling milk across the
entire country to check radiation levels. Screening of foodstuffs at ports of
entry has also been initiated. The levels of radioactivity detected between
Friday, May 2nd, and Sunday, May 4th, has been about one tenth of those reported
in Britain but still rose from the norm of.01 becequerels per cubic metre to a
high of. 236 on Sunday. However, the concentrations found in milk are much
higher, as this is processed through the particles in the grass eaten by the cow
and one milk sample found last weekend showed 240 becequerels per litre. The
becquerel is a unit which indicates the rate at which a nuclide decays per
second. The radiation cloud contained Iodine 131 and Caesium 134/137. Both
are Beta and Gamma emitters, Iodine having a half life of 8 days, Caesium of
30 years. The  Tanaiste and Minister for Energy, Dick Spring, said the sampling
was purely precautionary.
			In a related move, the Saudi Govt. has banned imports of
all foodstuffs from EEC countries. The Saudis refused to take delivery of a
consignment of butter on Weds. Ireland exports 4,000 tonnes of high quality beef
annually to them.

	Teachers' dispute


			Peace talks resumed on Monday night following a confused
first day of pratical exams. At least one third of scheduled exams did not go
ahead as supervisors - who are not teachers - either did not turn up or arrived
and after talking with teachers went away again. The Minister for Education has
promised that all these exams will be rescheduled.
			A statement by some inspectors claiming that the val-
-idity and reliability of the marking of the Leaving Cert. could not be guar-
-enteed this year was rejected by the Minister who expressed complete confidence
in the alternative examiners recruited by the Dept. of Education.

	Opinion poll


			A new Irish Times poll has revealed that 48% of those
interviewed would vote FF. FG have risen to 26% from 23% and the PDs' have
slipped to 17% from 23%. Labour is up one point to 5%.


	National Hurling League final


			Kilkenny beat Galway 2-10 to 2-6 in Thurles on Sunday.


	Sailing record


			A new record time of 76 hrs., 5 mins. was set on Weds.
for a round-Ireland sail by the catamaran British Airways 1. The craft was
skippered by Robin Knox-Johnston and included Jennifer Guinness, who was victim
of a recent kidnapping, among the crew.


	Sectarian killing


			Gunmen broke into the home of Mrs. Margaret Caulfield
at 2 a.m. on Weds. morning and shot her dead in her bedroom. Her husband was
seriously wounded. The motive for this despicable act was that Mrs. Caulfield
was Protestant while her husband was Catholic. Police believe that the UVF were
responsible. The couple had only been married three weeks.


	Dutch appeal


			An appeal has started in the Dutch Supreme Court against
extradition by the Maze escaper, Brendan McFarlane. His lawyers are claiming
that the bar bombing, of which he was convicted in 1976, was political.
			They also unsuccessfully appealed conditions under which
they are imprisioned, complaining chiefly that visits are restricted to one half
hour per week and that conversations during these visits are tape-recorded.


	New drink-driving proposal


			The Minister for the Environment, Mr. Boland, told the
Dail Friday that he would be bringing in a new Road Traffic Act later this year.
			The new bill will reduce the present limit of 100 mili-
grammes to 80, bringing Ireland into line with trends in the rest of Europe. The
new bill will also make compulsory the fitting and wearing of rear seatbelts in
new cars.


	Guinness Kidnapping


			Brian McNicholl, who is charged with falsely imprision-
ing Jennifer Guinness at 61 Waterloo Rd. (where he resides) was refused bail in
the High Court on Friday.
			Miss Justice Carroll said she was satisfied he might
interfere with witnesses or abscond if released from custody.


	Anglo-Irish Accord


			British and Irish Ministers met in London this week
for an Inter-Governmental Conference.
			This meeting is the 5th since the Accord was signed
and topics included tourism, Diplock courts, Sellafield, Divis flats and
economic cooperation.


	Facelift for statues


			The statues of Justice and Fortitude, which have stood
above the gates of Dublin Castle for more than 200 years were taken down on
Thurs. prior to being shipped to England for a facelift. Justice broke in two,
at the waist, during the operation.


	Spring Show


			Began in the RDS on Sunday, May 4th.


	Weather


			Temps. still below the seasonal norm, mainly dry. A
letter to the Irish Times this week claimed the first cuckoo was heard on the
8th of May in Co. Wicklow.

	One Punt is worth


			US dollar	1.37
			Sterling	 .89
			FFranc		9.71
			Can. dollar	1.89


			Heard in the Pub

	From Matt Tynan in PR.

	I FINALLY FIGURED IT OUT, WHY ALL THE OIL IS IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
I BELIEVE IT WAS EVENLY DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, PRIOR TO CHRIST
RAISING HIMSELF FROM THE DEAD. IF HE WERE STILL INTERRED, IMAGINE THE 
AMOUNT OF ENERGY THAT WOULD BE CREATED AS HE TURNED IN HIS GRAVE AT THE 
SPANISH INQUISITION OR THE CAPERS OF CARDINAL RICHELEAU, OR INDEED THE
EXISTENCE OF THREE POPES SIMULTANEOUSLY. OR WHAT ABOUT THE AGREEMENT 
BETWEEN PIUS 12TH AND HITLER OR THE LATEST ANTICS OF THE POLISH POPE.
	WHEN HE REALISED HE WOULD NOT BE INTERRED FOR THESE GREAT FUTURE 
EVENTS, ALL THE OIL IMMEDIATELY APPEARED IN THE MIDDLE EAST TO GIVE THEM AN
ALTERNATIVE SOURCE AS HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE.
	I BELIEVE HE ONLY RAISED HIMSELF WHEN HE WAS TOLD THAT HE STILL HAD
2^14 WORLDS LEFT TO VISIT. 
	BY THE WAY, THINK WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED HAD CHRIST NOT BEEN VERY
SPECIFIC, WHEN CALLING LAZARUS FROM THE DEAD, OR IF HE HAD MOMENTARILY 
FORGOTTEN HIS NAME, AND CALLED " THE RED-HEADED GUY, RAISE UP THY BED AND
WALK." TO ALL THE ADJACENT ARABS, WHO WOULD NOW BE SURROUNDED BY MILLIONS OF
RED-HEADED, NEWLY AROUSED DEAD MEN, IT WOULD BE DISCRIMINATION OF THE WORST
KIND.
********************************************************************************

			THE  HIBERNIAN  OBSERVER

                    (Incorporating The Rural Listener)




Founded: March '86					Editor: Tod Riley
			     

Issue: 10						W/E: 18-May-86




	Chernobyl Disaster


			Traces of plutonium, one of the most toxic and longest
lasting radioactive elements, have been found off the east coast of Sweden. 
Levels are up 20% on normal. In Ireland, test on vegetables showed traces of
contamination but all were within international safety limits.
			Mr. Gorbachev went on TV in the USSR on Weds. with an
appeal for a new early-warning system for nuclear accidents. He denied accusa-
tions that the Soviet Union had been late in reporting the disaster.
			In Britain, a report was released on Weds. which reveals
that 8 tonnes of radioactive gas leaked from the Hinkley nuclear power station
in Somerset last November. Workers there were given potassium iodine tablets -
the first time in the UK - but no radiation escaped from the plant. This comes 
after reassurances by Energy Secretary, Peter Walker, last week that Britain's
safety standards made a Chernobyl-type accident impossible.


	Bishops attack divorce


			The decision of the Govt. to hold the Divorce referendum
, probably on June 26, has decided the Catholic bishops to publish and distrib-
ute nationwide one million copies of a pastoral letter against divorce.
			On Weds. the Dail debate began on the divorce referendum
(the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution Bill). Fianna Fail are now apparently
supporting the Bishops in their stance but in the continuing debate on Thurs.,
Brian Lenihan denied this.
			On Friday, Dr. McNamara, the Archbishop of Dublin,
instructed priests in the Archdiocese to begin preaching from the pulpit on
the indissolubility of marriage each Sunday untill the referendum.


	Guinness kidnapping


			The president of the High Court, Mr. Justice Hamilton,
made an order on Friday enabling John and Michael Cunningham, who are charged
with falsely imprisioning Jennifer Guinness, to attend the funeral of their
father who died suddenly. They were escorted by a large force of Gardai.


	Teachers pay dispute


			The three teachers' unions have voted in favour of
accepting the #35M package offered by the Govt. This means that exams can now
proceed as normal. However, leaders of the unions involved have stated that they
intend to resume their campaign for the full restrospective award when school
resumes in the Autumn.


	IRA murders


			Mr. Herbert McConville (51), who retired from the UDR
five years ago, was shot dead while delivering meat in Newry. His two assailants
escapes on a motorcycle.
			On Saturday, Mr. David Wilson (39) was shot dead in
Dungannon. The IRA claimed that he was a high-ranking member of the UDR. The
security forces in the North denied this and there is speculation that the shoot
ing was a case of mistaken identity.


	Self Aid


			A concert to promote and fund jobs in Ireland was held
on Saturday in the RDS. It began at 12 noon and ended Sunday morning at 2A.M. 
The list of performers read like an Irish musical Who's Who and included Bob
Geldof and the Boomtown Rats, the Chieftains, De Daanan, Rory Gallagher, the
Pogues, U2, Elvis Costello and many more. More than #500,000 was plegded and
there are promises of around 1,000 jobs. The concert was broadcast by RTE 2.
More than 30,000 people attended at the RDS.


	Loyalist protest


			Loyalist marked the six-month anniversary of the Anglo-
Irish accord by a peaceful protest march at Hillborough, a short stoppage by
power workers at Ballylumford and a takeover of the Stormont telephone exchange
by members of the DUP.


	Unemployment in the North


			Last month rose to 126,189 or nearly 22% of the work-
force.


	Euro MPs in protest


			Irish MEPs in Strasbourg walked out of the Euro parliam
ent in protest over defence and security matters being debated. Mr. Paddy
Lawlor of FF said Ireland had joined an economic community in 1972 and not a
military alliance.

	Advertising ban


			In new regulations introduced by the Minister for Health
from next December it will be illegal to advertise cigarettes on shopfronts. 
This will include fascia signs and window advertisements. Existing signs will
have to be removed.
			New and uncompromising health warnings will also appear
on packets. On the front will be, "Smoking is a health hazard" while on the
back one of the following will be printed in rotation: "Smoking kills", "Smokers
die younger", "Smoking causes cancer" or "Smoking causes heart disease".


	Peadar O'Donnell dies


			The novelist and revolutionary died on Tues. aged 93.
During the War of Independence, he was O/C of the Donegal Brigade and was a 
member of the anti-treaty executive in the Four Courts at the outbreak of the
Civil War. He was elected a Sinn Fein TD and narrowely escaped execution with
Liam Mellows in 1922.
			Among his best known works are "Islanders" and 
"Ardigoole".


	New Bill on illegitimacy


			The Minister of State for Women's Affairs, Nuala
Fennell, published a new bill to remove legal discrimination against child-
ren born out of wedlock. It will amend the law relating to maintenance, property
rights and registration of births.


	One Punt is worth


			Sterling	.90
			US		1.38
			FFranc		9.69
			CanDlr		1.90 


	Weather


			Wet mostly. Gale force gust on Saturday signalled the
reappearance of jumpers and overcoats but did not dampen the enthusiasm of the
concert audience at the RDS.


				Heard in the Pub


			On Saturday, a young girl being interviewed was ernestly
maintaining that jobs WERE available and it was only a matter of going out and
finding them. Her credibility was somewhat dented when it transpired that she
was unemployed.
			A young man interviewed at the RDS was asked if he 
thought that the concert would improve his chances of getting a job. His reply:
"Divil the bit".

********************************************************************************

			THE  HIBERNIAN  OBSERVER

                    (Incorporating The Rural Listener)




Founded: March '86					Editor: Tod Riley
			     

Issue:  11						W/E: 25-May-86



	Central Bank report


			In it's annual report published on Tues., the Central
Bank says the Govt. should cut back it's spending allocations in line with the
reduction in inflation. It says that the country's economic outlook is now
"distinctly encouraging" and warns that the opportunity offered should be taken
advantage of to reduce the Govt.'s "chronic imbalance" in the public finances. 
			It also cautions that" the present favourable external
climate should not lead to a resurgence of exaggerated expectations regarding
living standards in the near future; rather it should be used to make a quantum
improvement in the public finances."
			On Weds., Ireland's two biggest banks, AIB and Bank of
Ireland, announced cuts of up to 1.25% in interest charges. Falls in mortgage
rates are likely to follow.
			Also published this week is the quarterly review of
the Economist Intelligence Unit which forecasts economic growth of 3.5%, taking
Ireland ahead of the average of the 24 OECD countries. It also says inflation
will be below 3%. It adds that next year may see the first small drop in the
numbers out of work but admits that this would be partly due to high emigration
which may well be running ahead of the official estimate of 14,000 per annum.


	Major art theft


			On Weds., paintings worth in the region of #30M were
stolen from the home of Sir Alfred Beit in Co. Wicklow. One of the paintings
alone, Vermeer's "Woman writing a letter", is valued in the region of #5M. The
raiders later discarded seven of the lesser works, leaving them exposed to the
rain, and some damage was sustained. The ability of the thieves to circumvent
the sophisticated alarm system and their apparent knowlege of art would seem
to indicate professional art thieves. However, Gardai are not ruling out para-
military involvement.
			At least five of the paintings were stolen before in
1974. Dr. Rose Dugdale was jailed on charges relating to that raid. 


	Sport Aid


			Omar Khalifa brought the flame of an Ethiopian camp-
fire to Dublin Friday night. On Saturday he met President Hillary before
completing a 10K run through the Capital. On Sunday large crowds turned out
for a variety of sponsored events all over the country.


	Divorce debate


			Mr. Haughey, the leader of FF, has made clear his 
personal reservations against divorce but stresses that FF are maintaining a
neutral stance and that the decision on the issue should be left to the people
to decide.
			On the other hand, the chairman of the Labour Party,
Senator Michael D. Higgins, said that the party will not tolerate any member
taking part in any campaign against divorce.
			On Weds., the debate passed all stages in the Dail
and went to the Senate where the debate began on Thurs. The Bill passed all
stages here after a seven hour debate - unusually - on Saturday.


	IRA murders


			Mr. Colm McKevitt (30) was abducted from his home near
Kileen on Tues. and killed by a shotgun blast to the head. The body was dis-
covered 300 yds. away. The killing is believed locally to be the work of a 
punishment squad as the murder follows threats by the IRA and INLA that they
would kill people they suspected of involvement in crime in the area.
			Two RUC constables and a British Army major were
killed in a landmine explosion near Crossmaglen on Thurs. This is the worst
single attack since the Anglo-Irish agreement was signed last November. One
of the dead policemen was a Catholic and willed all his possesions to Mother
Teresa.


	Progressive Democrats


			Held their first national conference at the weekend.
Mr. O'Malley pledged to reduce basic rate of tax to 25%, impose a standard
rate of VAT at 15% which would also apply to food, totally abolish PRSI and
welfare benefits paid only to those in genuine need. he also promised to
support a change in Articles 2 and 3 of the Constitution which asserts
sovereignty over the North and announced that he would publish a Dail bill
this week aimed at ending the payment of pensions to former ministers who are
still members of the Oireachtas.
			The PD's poll rating has dropped from a high of 25%
early this year to 17% this month.


	Dublin murder


			Mr James Wall (47) was beaten to death with his own
golf club after pursuing an intruder who broke into his home in the early
hours of Thurs. morning. A man was arrested Thurs. afternoon in connection 
with it.


	Limerick stabbing


			Mr. W Malone was found fatally stabbed at Garryowen
after a row at a nearby house. An early arrest is expected.

	Sellafield


			Two workers were contaminated on Tues. by plutonium
oxide while working on a valve.


	US arms


			Eight people, including four Irish, were arrested
in Boston by FBI agents while trying to buy arms for the IRA.


	Smoke pollution


			A seminar of the Irish Clean Air Group was told by Dr.
Paul Dowding, director of enviromental sciences at Trinity, that smoke pollution
in Dublin was seriously underestimated. He claimed that the technology used in 
the monitoring equipment was twenty years old, more than half the filters were
too large or too small and while these were changed daily, samples were only
taken on a weekly basis. He added that the results were not published for up to
four months after the samples were taken. "The public, therefore, have no idea
what the published results mean in relation to their own experience of poor
visibility, bad smells or their own behaviour in burning smokey coal."


	"Lugs" Brannigan


			The death has taken place of Sergeant Jim "Lugs"
Brannigan at the age of 76. He was one of the best known members of the Gardai
and had completed 41 years service before retiring in 1973. His reputation was
as a policeman who used direct and forceful methods to sort out fights and
other late night disurbances in Dublin. 


	Balmoral Show


			Opened in Belfast on Tues. The agricultural show had
both a record number of entries and record prize money of Sterling 40,000.


	Liffey salmon


			About 12,000 one and two year old salmon were released
into the Liffey by the Eastern Regional Fisheries Board as part of an on-going
effort to restock the river.


	One Punt is worth


			US		1.36
			Sterling	 .89
			FFranc		9.69
			CanDlr		1.87


	Weather


			Wet, windy, blustery and generally miserable.


			Heard in the Pub


		Nothing this week. If you have any amusing stories, send them
to DUB01::RILEY.


********************************************************************************

    

			THE  HIBERNIAN  OBSERVER

                    (Incorporating The Rural Listener)




Founded: March '86					Editor: Tod Riley
			     

Issue:  12						W/E: 1-Jun-86



	Dublin Fire


			A fire broke out in a convent school in the early
hours of Monday morning. Six elderly nuns lost their lives and gardai and
fire chiefs have began an investigation to determine the cause. The Loretto
on the Green, as the building on St. Stephen's Green was known, was a Dublin
landmark. The building was completed in 1908 but rewired and refurbished
nine years ago.

	Mortgage rate cut


			As forecast in last week's Observer, mortgage rates
have been cut by the four largest building societies 1.45% to 10.25%. 
Deposit rates were also cut by 2.02% to 8.75%. On an average #30,000 loan,
repayments will drop from #328.5 to #298.80 per month (before tax relief on
interest).


	Dublin Corporation strike


			4,000 workers began a strike on Monday. Refuse
collection, street cleaning, water and sewage services and roads and housing
maintenance will be affected. Troops began manning water and sewage pumping
stations to prevent a breakdown of essential services.


	Agricultural Inspectors strike


			50 Inspectors working in plants around the country
joined 100 colleagues already on strike in the dairy sector. Their action
will halt the buying of meat for EEC intervention purposes and the 
classification of beef for export to Bratain.
			On Tues., the Army were called into the creameries
to ensure continued production. Their aim is to see that the great bulk of
produce can be moved to cold storage facilities.
			The strike is the result of a breakdown of talks
between the Union of Professional and Technical Civil Servants and the Minister
for Labour, Ruairi Quinn.
			In a gesture of goodwill on Weds. night, the inspectors
said they would continue to inspect lamb for export for the next week.


	IRA murder


			A UDR dog-handler, and his dog, were killed in a bomb
explosion in Kilkeel, Co. Down on Weds. night.


	Review of 1974 bomb verdict


			The six Irishmen serving life sentences for the 
Birmingham bombings, which killed 21 people, are having their cases reviewed
by the Home Office. New evidence submitted by the Conservative MP, Sir John
Farr is being examined. This was a result of a "World in Action" documentary
last October.


	Aniversary flight


			A planned flight to mark the 50th aniversary of the
first Air Lingus flight from Dublin to Bristol was cancelled on Tues. because
the DeHaviland Dragon could not take off due to gale force winds.


	Knock Airport


			The first official flight took off on Tues. -
destination Lourdes [This seems to me like coals to Newcastle].
			The airport was officially opened on Friday by Charles
Haughey, leader of FF. The weather was bad and two of the three planned British
air Ferries flights from England were diverted to Shannon and no flights by
large aircraft could take off at all because of low-lying cloud.
			Mr. Haughey, rather than a member of Govt., was
invited to officially open the airport because it was his administration which
granted funds to allow development of the airport to continue.


	CIE robbery


			#60,000 was stolen in an armed holdup of the payroll
office at CIE's Phibsboro garage on Thurs.


	Metal detectors


			A bill is being circulated which would ban these from
archaeological or historic sites.


	Military incursion


			Units of the Israeli Defence Forces - estimated at
brigade strength - made border crossings at several points as far apart as
Lettterkenny and Monaghan. They were repulsed after some brisk skirmishes
by members of the 27th Batt. of the FCA. Casualty figures have not yet been
released. The Israeli ministry of Defence would not comment on the incident
but some observers believe it is linked to the forthcoming divorce referendum.


	Weather


			Gale force winds at the start of the week. The first
really warm spell was on Monday afternoon and lasted three hours. There are
growing fears that this represented the sum total of Summer and we can now
get on with the business of Autumn.


	One Punt is worth


			US		1.33
			Sterling	 .88
			FFranc		9.68
			CanDlr		1.84
	

    Re .13 -Military incursion: Did I read correctly?
    Is Israel at war with Eire and do they have a common border? ;^)
    				Denis.

    Now I know why it takes me forever to get through security in Tel
    Aviv. :-)
    
    MFG

    What's happened to the HIBERNIAN OBSERVER? Has Garrett slapped on
    a news blackout?

    
    
    	I sent a mail message to the author to see what the status
    	of the Hibernian Observer is .....
    
    
    	No answer yet.
    
    
     	keVin
    

    	Still no reply from Tod ....
    
    	Maybe there is no Observer anymore  ??
    
    
    
    
    	keVin
    

    re: -1	Maybe the Clare result on sunday would be too hard to
    		take in cold print:-)
    
    

    
    
    		Go ahead, have your fun.   :-)
    
    		What's even worse, Galway may be involved in both Finals,
    		which in turn, will have a devastating effect on the
    		Snakes equilibrium.
    
    
    					Come on the Maroon  !!!
    
    
    	keVin
    

    Snake's probably orf to good ol' London town to see that **** Wedding,
    knowing how keen he is on the" good ol' Brits Royalty" He 'll
    probably have a very favourable report to enter into the notes file
    when he returns.
    
    Drew :-)
    

	KEVIN,



	Last issue carried a story about the Israelies invading Monaghan.
This piece of nonsense drew a zero response and confirmed my growing
suspicions that nobody was really reading it.
	I have discontinued it for the moment but may restart it at a later
date.


	TOD.

    
    
    	Might I sugguest that you send mail to DUB01::RILEY, if in fact
    you would like to see the newsletter continued.
    
    
    	If its comments he wants.. then it comments i'll give ...
    
    
    
    	Kevin

    re: .23    I sent the Jewish story to my Jewish ex-boss and 
               got a few choice comments.  Guess I should have
               forwarded them. :-)
    
               Dick

    You wanted comments, heck, I thought it was just an Irish joke,
    you know, like , An Englishman, Irishman and Scotsman, etc,etc.
    
    Drew

    Kevin,
    Maybe you could tell Tod to look in this file for reactions and
    comments. As for myself, I enjoy it so much that I've taken home
    hardcopies of every single issue.
    			Denis.

    
    
    	Hi Denis: I have already asked Tod to look at these comments.
    		  I send him more mail this morning, offering to explain
    		  how to gain access to this file.
    
    
    
    	keVin
    

Just saw this on the net.
Liam works for Digital, his e-mail address (according to ELF) is 
MACNAS::FERRIE

	Craig

Article 715 of soc.culture.celtic:
From: [email protected] (Pat Stephenson)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.celtic
Subject: Weekly Newsletter from Ireland
Reply-To: [email protected]

As some of you know, Liam Ferrie of Galway distributes an electronic
newsletter with news from Ireland every week.  It is condensed from
various TV, radio, and newspaper reports and is a fairly detailed
summary of what went on at home during the week - politics, business,
sport ...

If you would like to get "The Irish Emigrant" every week, drop a note
to:

[email protected].

Back issues are available for anonymous ftp from svax.cs.cornell.edu,
in directory pub/irish-emigrant.

Try it.  You'll like it!

Pat Stephenson
[email protected]

Info on an Irish dictionary and an Irish quarterly newsletter

Article 1085 of soc.culture.celtic:
Newsgroups: soc.culture.celtic
From: [email protected] (Jon Whalen)
Subject: Re: Irish Gaelic

In article <[email protected]> [email protected] (Eamonn McManus) writes:
>This isn't directly relevant to the poster, but I'd like to put in a plug
>for the Focloir Poca (pocket dictionary) published by An Gum.  It's small
>                   ,
>The address of An Gum is:
>     ,    ,
>44 Sraid Ui Chonaill Uacht		44 Upper O'Connell Street
>      ,
>Baile Atha Cliatha 1			Dublin 1
>,
>Eire					Ireland

Focloir Poca can also be had from Keshkarrigan Bookshop in Manhattan.
The address is:

Keshkarrigan Bookshop
90 West Broadway,
New York, NY 10007
Tel. (212) 962-4237

The proprietress of the shop is a dear sweet lady, who, operating under the
pseudonym U'll Mo'r (Big Apple :-) publishes a quarterly Irish Gaelic
magazine called "An Droichead" (The Bridge).

The shop has just tons and tons of neat/out-of-the-way/hard-to-find Irish
.... things (I can't think of a better word)... just lots of stuff! Books
most especially (of course).

--jon (Jon Whalen)

P.S. I have no relationship with Keshkarrigan's other than as a satisfied
customer.