Conference tallis::celt

1173.0. "Thanks, Neil Diamond!!!" by WREATH::DROTTER () Fri Jan 22 1993 11:30

     I thought I'd share this with the other CELT noters.

     A little ray of sunshine in the otherwise dismal hell-hole created by
the British government known as "northern" Ireland.

    It's fairly self explanatory. Basically, I sent a request to Neil
Diamond's publicist requesting an autographed picture of ND for a woman I know
who lives in Derry, IRELAND. She and her husband housed and fed me and a
friend back in 1972 for several weeks while we stayed in Derry. That was a
week after the British Army murdered 14 civil rights workers in cold blood -
now known as Bloody Sunday.

    She has since suffered a nervous breakdown because of the constant house
raids, violence, general living conditions of living in a war zone, and the
constant harrassment at the hands of the British Army.

    She has not been out of her house in 12 years.

    When I went back in August of last year, Neil Diamond had sent a personally
autographed picture of himself, and a very lovely note wishing this woman,
(her name is Doreen) well. I woudn't say the arrival of the picture cured her,
but it certainly made her day.  Thanks, Neil Diamond!!


                                                            xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
                                                            xxxxxxxxx, xx xxxx
                                                            March 20, 1992
Ms Maura Collins
Solters, Roskin, & Friedman
5455 Wilshire Blvd.
Suite 2200
Los Angeles, Calif. 90036


  Dear Maura,


      Per our phone conversation of last week and your instructions,
I am writing this letter to request a favor of Mr. Neil Diamond.
It is a simple request, and I'll try to describe it as briefly as possible.

      I would like him to send an autographed photo, and perhaps just
a few words of encouragement on the back, to one of his fans who lives
in Derry, Northern Ireland. As you may know, NI has been a war zone
for the past 23 years. Besides 3,000 dead, the stress and strain have
also taken their toll on the people living there.

      Briefly, in 1972 I was an American student in the Republic of Ireland,
which is not part of this war zone. I went to Derry shortly after an
event called "Bloody Sunday" took place - 14 peaceful, unarmed, civil
rights marchers were shot and killed by the British Army. I went to
Derry to see for myself, firsthand, what exactly was going on there.

      When I arrived there, I met a young couple who had several small
children that lived in the heart of this war zone, (the Bogside, and
Creggan housing estate). They generously opened their home to me, knowing
I was a stranger without a place to stay. People in Derry are an extremely
generous people and their hospitality knows no bounds. I stayed with this
family for a few weeks, living through the nightmare of being in an urban
war zone. It is an experience I shall never forget. That was 20 years ago.

     I went back to Derry last month, to partake in the 20th anniversary
commemoration of "Bloody Sunday" and the 14 civil rights marchers who
were slain. I also wanted to see what progress, if any, has been made
toward resolving this conflict. It was a very sad reunion indeed. 

     I looked up the people I had stayed with back in 1972. Most of
their children are all grown and moved away, out of the war zone.
Sadly though, the wife of the couple I stayed with has had a nervous
breakdown from the daily stress of living in this Hell for the past
20-odd years. Words cannot convey the sadness and tragedy of seeing
someone who was once young, vibrant, and had a zest for life, now
reduced to a shell of a human being, as this woman has been.
After 20 years in a war zone, she has become a casualty of war.

     When talking with this woman at length about different things, she
did indicate that she really liked listening to Neil Diamond. Doreen,
which is her name, also told me how she wished she could have gone to
see Mr. Diamond in concert, when he was last in Dublin. However,
she said the tickets cost L30 (about $55). I know very well she couldn't
have afforded it, not to mention the additional cost and logisitics of
getting to Dublin from Derry: 5 hour bus ride, plus arrange for a motel,
etc. Despite years of intense poverty caused by discrimination against
Irish nationalists ("Catholics" as the American press mistakenly calls
them) in jobs, education, and even housing, these people have very little,
but they do have their honor, and their dignity. All things considered,
I guess music is about the only thing this particular family has left.
And, talking with her about Neil's music was definitely one of the few
things that really seemed to make her happy.


                                     (2)



    Since returning to the States, I went out and purchased Neil Diamond's
latest casette, "Lovescape" and mailed it over to her. After doing so,
I started to think, perhaps an autographed picture from Neil, and a
few words of encouragement, might also go a long way toward helping her. 
Currently, I am also working the issue with a medical doctor in Derry to
see what kind of counselling and/or treatment can be provided for her,
and if there is anything else I might be able to do for her.

    Maura, if you could have Mr. Diamond send her a photo, with something
on the back like, "Sorry I missed you in Dublin," or "Hang in there,"
or "Heard you're one of my biggest fans in Derry," or something simple but
from the heart, I really think it may go a long way toward helping her get
her life back together.

    The name and address of this woman is:

                         Doreen xxxxxxxx 
                         xxxxxxxxxxxx
                         Creggan 
                         Derry
                         northern Ireland


     If you need any further information from me, or clarification about
anything I've written in this note, please feel free to contact me at the
following number:

                            xxx xxx-xxxx

     Or, at my home address:

                            xxxxxxxxxxxx

      Thank you for your help and assistance. I hope this helps her!




                                                   Sincerely yours,


                                                     Joe Drotter
ps

Enclosed is a pamphlet entitled "Without Consent" from an organization called
the Troops Out Movement. It is a British-based organization made up of former
British soldiers who have served in NI. It should give a good idea of how bad
it really is in NI.