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borderroamerhttps://fisherbelfast.wordpress.comThe Northern Standard, Monaghan. Reporter.

FIRST MINISTER ARLENE FOSTER

11/01/2016 by borderroamer

Arlene Foster MLA with her predecessor as First Minister and DUP Leader Peter Robinson MLA at the Balmoral Show in May 2015 Photo: COPYRIGHT Michael Fisher

It was a chance encounter in May last year at the 2015 Balmoral Show at the Maze when I passed the DUP stand. I came across the then party leader and First Minister, Peter Robinson MLA and then Minister for Finance and Personnel Arlene Foster MLA, who had taken over the portfolio a few days earlier at the start of that week. I had not seen either for a while and both readily agreed to have their photograph taken, which I used in an article I wrote for the Northern Standard. The way Peter put his arm around Arlene’s shoulder was perhaps an indication that later in the year she would become his preference for a successor when he announced he was standing down. Both were in very good mood at the time and I was fortunate to get a picture of them in an informal setting, rather than an office or the Assembly chamber.

NI First Minister Peter Robinson MLA with Michael Fisher at Balmoral Show in May 2015

Arlene Foster then turned the tables and very kindly offered to take a photo of myself with the then First Minister, proving her media skills! During our brief encounter, I did not ask Mr Robinson whether he was thinking about Arlene as a successor at that stage. But ten days later he was admitted to hospital with a suspected heart attack and was fitted with a heart stent. I assure you the timing was coincidental!

Arlene Foster grew up in Roslea, County Fermanagh, just across the border from Scotstown in County Monaghan. Her father, a small farmer, was a full-time RUC member and was injured in an IRA gun attack at their home in 1979. As a teenager in 1988, she survived an IRA bomb in Lisnaskea, which exploded under her school bus while it was being driven by a part-time UDR soldier.

Arlene Foster MLA then Minister for Enterprise with DUP MEP Diane Dodds in Clogher Photo: Copyright Michael

A qualified solicitor and former member of the Ulster Unionist Party, Arlene Foster has always been very courteous in dealing with media requests for interviews. I wish her well in her new post, in which she will share responsibilty for government in Northern Ireland with Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness. She has written an article for today’s Belfast Telegraph in which she outlines some of her priorities. She says she wants to lead the North in the right direction and ensure that children grow up in a better Northern Ireland than she did.

DUBLIN PROTEST FOR BODNARIU FAMILY

10/01/2016 by borderroamer

Several hundred people, mostly Romanians, held a protest outside the Norwegian Embassy at Molesworth Street in Dublin at lunchttime on Friday. Gardaí had blocked off the street to allow the demonstration, which passed off without incident.

The banners, posters and placards called on Norway to return ‘the children’ to the Bodnariu family. Other slogans called on Norway to “stop child kidnapping”.

So I later checked out the background to the case. I found this article by Christian Ionescu (Bodnariu), a brother of Marius whose five children had been taken from him and his wife by the authorities in Norway last November.

“Bodnariu Marian Constantin (Marius), a Romanian citizen, his wife Ruth Johanne Bodnariu, a Norwegian citizen, and their 5 children (Eliana, Naomi Matthew, John and baby Ezekiel who is only three months old) with joint citizenship in Romania and Norway. Marius and Ruth, former members of Philadelphia Pentecostal Church in Bucharest, married in Romania, moved to / settled in Norway approximately 10 years ago to start, and raise, a family in Ruth’s hometown. This past Monday, November 16th (2015), Child Welfare Services (Barnevernet) “kidnapped” the two oldest children (Eliana and Naomi) from school without the knowledge of their parents. Barnevarnet, accompanied by police, then came to the Bodnariu home and forcibly took custody of the two older boys (Matthew and John); leaving a devastated Ruth at home with only three month old Ezekiel while Marius was at work. Marius promptly came home from work to understand what was taking place and, together with Ruth, visited the police station and Barnevernet to resolve the situation. Because Ruth was crying and devastated by the events, Barnevernet and four policemen showed up at their family home on Tuesday, November 17, without any court order or documentation, and also took 3 month old Ezekiel on the stated grounds that the mother posed a danger to her child.

On Wednesday, November 18, Barneverent notified Ruth that her kids were separated into two families and that the children already started integrating into their new lifestyle. The Barnevernet also told Ruth that “The kids don’t even miss you, what kind of parents are you?” On the other hand, the children are told that their parents abandoned them and that they do not care! These actions of the Barneverent terrifies any normal parent who loves their children!

What happens in Norway via the Barneverent, under the guise of “child welfare,” is outrageous and unfathomable! Children are considered property of the state; a premise utilized by the Barnevernet to abduct children and place them in foster family care for any unchecked/unregulated/unaudited reason as upheld by the Barnevernet. A quick search on the internet will yield results highlighting hundreds of cases of abuse and testimonies from affected families. The Barnevernet has a history of prevalently focusing their efforts on immigrant families or on families in which one of the parents is of a different nationality (as in my brother’s case, Romanian).

Documentation has evidenced that the Barnevernet has a long history of acting on unimaginable grounds including: the father putting the child to do certain chores in the home, the baby sleeping in the same bed as the parent or the child weighing one kilogram lighter than the national average for his/her age group. Norwegian children are taught in school to notify their teachers if a parent asks them to do their homework, or do something that a child in their childishness finds unappealing, so that teachers help the children get rid of such parents. Children are interrogated in great detail at school about their home life with what can be interpreted as malicious intent for identifying grounds on which the Barneverent can “interpret” seemingly fickle and unsubstantiated grievances. Furthermore, the Barnevernet is NOT objective in its actions and proceedings. Quite to the contrary, the Barneverent incentivizes and rewards its employees for “generating” leads that can create to case work for the organization.

I testify, and vehemently vouch, for Marius and Ruth having given birth to and raised a “normal” family with Christian values. These parents love their children and have taken every imaginable step in raising their children with loving caring in all aspects of their well-being. The tearing apart of their family by the Barnevernet is a living nightmare for Marius and Ruth. Their hope is founded, and rests, in God; He can change any situation and He is ALWAYS in control!”

The Dublin protest was one of a number of demonstrations by Romanians that were held at Norwegian embassies and consulates in various parts of the world, including London, where 1300 people took part.

JUDGE MORIARTY

09/01/2016 by borderroamer

Mr Justice Michael Moriarty of the High Court addressed the Association of European Journalists (Ireland) first lunch of 2016 in Dublin.

BT YOUNG SCIENTISTS

08/01/2016 by borderroamer

BT Young Scientist Winners 2016 with Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan TD

The winners of the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition 2016 are Maria Louise Fufezan and Diana Bura from Loreto secondary school Balbriggan, county Dublin. Their project was on enzymes and animal feed. It was about whether industrial additives to animal feed are effective at eradicating roundworm. The winners were congratulated by Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan T.D.

NI Education Minister John O’Dowd MLA at the exhibition at the RDS

The Stormont Education Minister John O’Dowd MLA also visited the exhibition at the RDS in Dublin to see some of the projects entered by schools from Northern Ireland.

Project on lead in water by two students from Colaiste Oiriall Monaghan

There were five entries from three secondary schools in County Monaghan. Two were from Patrician High School Carrickmacross and two from St Louis secondary school Monaghan. The third featured in the photo was from Colaiste Oiriall Monaghan. 2048 projects and 396 schools entered this year, the 52nd.

2015 REVIEW

07/01/2016 by borderroamer

How I reported the closure of the Bose factory in January in The Northern Standard Photo: © Michael Fisher

Northern Standard Thursday 7th January 2016

Michael Fisher looks back on some of the main stories of 2015:

BOSE CLOSURE

It was the first major story I wrote for the Northern Standard when I began covering the Carrickmacross area on a temporary basis a year ago. The news came out of the blue, creating shockwaves in Carrick that are still being felt.

In a statement of 290 words issued by a public relations company in Dublin, Bose Ltd. announced it was closing its County Monaghan facility with the loss of 140 jobs. It was probably just a coincidence that the news was released on a Thursday afternoon, the day on which this weekly newspaper is published. So the coverage had to wait until the following week. But this was a decision that had been taken some time beforehand at the company’s headquarters in the United States, where a plant in South Carolina was also being shut down.

Workers at the BOSE factory in Carrickmacross react to news of the plant’s closure Photo: Michael Fisher

What offended the workers most was the way the news was relayed to them. They were called into the canteen at 4pm that black Thursday (22^nd January 2015) and by video link were addressed by the company President. They thought it was going to be part of the usual quarterly update on company performance. Instead they were being told they would be made redundant in April.

After lobbying by union representatives and local politicians, the date for the shutdown was postponed until the end of May, in the hope that some workers might be able to find alternative employment. Some like Pat McNally had been with the company since it was established by Dr Amar Bose in July 1978. The plant provided final assembly for select home cinema systems and Wave radios for the European market, and some remanufacturing for the region.

Councillors pressed the IDA to find an alternative employer but so far no replacement has been found, although some clients have viewed the premises. In the aftermath of the closure it was discovered that the factory premises was now owned by a private group, following new arrangements regarding IDA leases.

The last day at Bose (May 29^th) was sad for all concerned. The workers came in small groups to collect their redundancy payments. The car park gates were locked and a few days later, the plant and machinery inside the building were put up for auction, bringing to an end a 37-year history of production at the site.

As they left the plant, the workers again pointed out that this had been a profitable operation for Bose, and their Irish base in Europe had never been affected by industrial disputes. They said they had always shown their loyalty to the company and had generally been treated well by their employer, until the founder of the company Dr Amar Bose had died two years ago.

In the words of the Carrickmacross-based Sinn Féin MEP Matt Carthy, the closure of the plant was devastating for the local economy and community who felt they had been let down by the government. It was the end of an era and a huge blow forthe whole of South Monaghan and beyond.

Minister for Arts, Heritage & Gaeltacht Heather Humphreys T.D. congratulates Frances Treanor on her winning self-portrait Photo: Michael Fisher

TEXACO ART WINNER

In April an art student from County Monaghan won the overall prize in the Texaco Children’s Art competition. A great achievement by my neighbour, Frances Treanor from Drumdart, Tydavnet. The 18 year-old was rewarded with a trip to Tokyo to represent Ireland in an international art exhibition, along with a cheque for €1500. Her self-portrait drawing done in black ballpoint pen was part of the 16^th International High School Arts Festival along with some other Texaco award winners. Back at her home in Tydavnet she told me about her experiences in Japan, a country she said she would return to if she got a chance.

Her five days there introduced her to Japanese food such as tempura (fish and rice) for which chopsticks were used. She was served dishes of sushi and sukiakki and also got time to do some sightseeing. This included areas such as Harajuku, the Meiji shrine and Takeshita-dori street. Frances also visited a rural area a few hours outside Tokyo and saw a red panda being fed in the zoo. She noticed that the streets were very clean, as well as being busy and hectic. Everyone was carrying an umbrella, Frances told me, and there were special holders at the entrance to the museum where visitors could leave them.

The winning self portrait was completed by her in two weeks and was described by the chair of the judging panel, Professor Declan McGonagle, as having been executed “with the skill and delicacy of a master”. The talented Frances had featured among the prizewinners in 2012 when she won second place in her age category for her work “Lighting Up the Imagination”. She is one of seven children and is studying art at the National College of Art and Design in Dublin, alongside her twin sister Maeve.

Frances was keen to thank her former art teachers at St Louis Secondary School in Monaghan, Teresa Mahony and Stephen Penders, who she said had always encouraged and developed her talent.

Electricity pylons beside SONI/NIE sub-station in Co. Antrim Photo: Michael Fisher

EIRGRID PLANS FOR INTERCONNECTOR

EirGrid has begun a fresh attempt to get permission for a second North/South electricity interconnector. It would involve the erection of over 400 pylons carrying a 400 kV high voltage cable across five counties from Meath to Tyrone, including Monaghan. There has been strong opposition to the plan, with over 900 submissions to An Bord Pleanála since the new planning application was submitted in June. The Board is expected to make a decision later this year on whether to hold another public enquiry into the plan. More details of the EirGrid response to the submissions and objections can be found on p.14 and the Northern Standard will continue to report on this controversial issue in the coming months.

IODINE TABLETS

06/01/2016 by borderroamer

IMG_20160108_001545 Having just spotted this article from 2002 by Science Editor Dick Ahlstrom republished in The Irish Times on Wednesday, I was surprised to find my unopened envelope containing the tablets posted out to homes in 2002….. IMG_20160108_001336

THE IRISH TIMES
What are the iodine tablets for and what should we do with them? DickAhlstrom, Science Editor, provides some of the answers
What are these tablets?
They contain iodine, an element which tends to accumulate in the thyroid gland in the neck.
Why was I given them?
They form part of the Government’s National Emergency Plan for Nuclear Accidents. You would take them if instructed to do so by notices on radio and television to protect against radioactive iodine, a substance which sometimes arises in nuclear accidents.
What should I do with them?
They will arrive in a specially marked envelope with six tablets in each envelope. Do not open them, just put them away in a cool, dry place out of the reach of children. They are no use for anything other than a nuclear emergency.
When should I take them?
Only take them in the event of a nuclear emergency and if instructed to do so by radio and television warnings. They only work against radioactive iodine, not other radioactive substances.
How do they work?
They work by “topping up” the thyroid gland with iodine. This blocks the absorption of radio- active iodine if there is any about in fallout after a nuclear accident.
Why don’t I just take few tablets a week?
This would keep thyroid iodine levels high but there is no benefit in doing this other than to protect against radioactive iodine. It is also possible to have too much iodine in the system.
How should I take them and will they make me feel sick?
Take the tablets with plenty of water. They won’t make you feel sick nor are there any side effects if taken at the recommended dosage as printed on the package. Prolonged usage can cause side effects but this is very rare and these packs only represent a single dose.
How much warning will I have and how quickly to they take effect?
News of a nuclear accident, say at Sellafield, would reach us very quickly. If radioactive iodine was released, then how much time we have to react depends on the weather. If the wind is from the west then it will all be blown across Britain, but an easterly wind would bring it to us within a few hours. The tablets would start working more quickly than this.
How long does the protection last?
One dose is expected to provide protection for up to 72 hours. The dose would have to be repeated for the protection to last longer than this.
Will they protect me from all radiation?
No, only from radioactive iodine, and not all accidents produce radioactive iodine. Fallout from a nuclear accident would release other dangerous substances such as radioactive caesium, which could get onto fresh food, into meat and milk and into water supplies. The Government’s emergency plan recommends sheltering indoors and avoiding consumption of contaminated foodstuffs.
Would they protect me from one of these dirty nuclear bombs being talked about on the news?
Iodine tablets would not protect against a dirty bomb unless it produced radioactive iodine and the protection would only be against the radioactive iodine.
How long do these tablets last when stored?
They are good for three years, up to March 2005. They will have to be replaced after that time with fresh tablets. IMG_20160108_001227

SO NOW YOU KNOW: the tablets are long past their effective date!!

LIAM CLARKE

05/01/2016 by borderroamer

The late Liam Clarke

Sudden death is always difficult for relatives to come to terms with. Liam Clarke had made known his illness (a rare form of stomach cancer) but it was nevertheless a shock to hear that he had passed away peacefully at his home in Ballymena in the early hours of Sunday 27th December just after Christmas. Condolences to his wife Kathryn, his three children and extended family members.

Liam was a practising Zen Buddhist and in June 2014 when he wrote in the Belfast Telegraph about being diagnosed with Pseudomyxoma Peritonei he said: “the beauty of life in the face of death is a very Zen concept. Every moment should be lived as if it was our last – as it could be. It isn’t a delay to be endured while waiting for something better, it is complete in itself.”

The funeral service took place in Roselawn Crematorium outside Belfast on Tuesday afternoon, as reported in the News Letter. Yesterday there was a simple Zen Buddhist service at his home, led by Ingen K. Breen.

Liam was one of the best-known journalists in Ireland. His most recent position was as political editor of the Belfast Telegraph, which he took up in 2011. He had previously worked for the Sunday Times as its Northern Ireland editor for twenty years before becoming a columnist for the paper. In 2014, he was named journalist of the year by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations.

The Irish Secretary of the National Union of Journalists, Seamus Dooley said: “I would like to extend sympathy to the family, colleagues and friends of Liam Clarke Political Editor, The Belfast Telegraph and a former officer of Belfast and district branch of the NUJ, who has died.”

“Liam was a fearless journalist. He was never afraid to challenge authority and was always prepared to stand up for the principle of media freedom. In the Sunday Times and, more recently in the Belfast Telegraph he covered some of the most significant events in the history of Northern Ireland.”

“As a columnist he was insightful, authoritative and, at times provocative. He commanded respect across the political divide and his death is a loss to journalism in Northern Ireland.”

The editor of the Belfast Telegraph, Gail Walker, said Mr Clarke had been the pre-eminent political journalist of his generation.

“Just a few days ago, Liam delivered what was to sadly prove his last big exclusive, a brilliant in-depth interview with first minister-in-waiting Arlene Foster. Liam told me how much he’d enjoyed the encounter and I know he got a great buzz from landing yet another scoop”, she said.

Arlene Foster, the DUP leader, said her thoughts and prayers were with Mr Clarke’s family.

“As a journalist Liam had an ability to cut through all the padding and get right to the core of a story. He will be missed by us as politicians, but of course our grief is overshadowed by that of his family whom he loved dearly and often spoke”, she said.

Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness, the deputy First Minister, said he was sorry to learn of Mr Clarke’s passing. Traditional Unionist Voice leader Jim Allister said Mr Clarke had been a household name for many.

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said Mr Clarke was a good journalist and a good man. “Liam Clarke is one of the most recognisable names in Irish journalism,” he said.

“That’s due not only to his distinguished career and remarkable work ethic, but to his warm character and his good nature. Never one to give any politician an easy ride, Liam’s enduring professional qualities were his straight-talking style and his dogged determination”, he said.

The Ulster Unionist Party leader Mike Nesbitt, a former broadcasting journalist, said he was “stunned and deeply saddened” by Mr Clarke’s death. He said Liam was hugely professional, always probing and persistent, yet also totally trustworthy.

“He was someone worth reading, listening to and following. News journalists do a job that some people do not always like, so the journalist’s ambition must be to earn respect, which is quite a challenge in a divided society like ours. Liam won that universal respect, deservedly so”, Mr Nesbitt said.

Rest in Peace.

The Monaghan Connection

William Clarke, Ballybay Piper

Liam explored his family history and wrote about his grandfather from County Monaghan, William Clarke, known as the Ballybay Piper because of his skills as a musician playing the uilleann pipes. Local historian the late Peadar Murnane wrote about William in an article published six years ago by the Ireland Newsletter:

==================================

WILLIAM CLARKE, THE BALLYBAY PIPER

by Peadar Murnane

===================================

The son of a third generation Scottish Presbyterian family who settled in Cornahoe, near Ballybay, County Monaghan where Robert William Clarke was born on 29th. October 1889. The family moved to thetownland of Carga and later to Dunmaurice where the family was reared. The probability is that they all attended the National School at Cornanure until they were old enough to walk to the town school in Hall Street. At this time Cornanure was an interdenominational school. Although the only son and the one best entitled to inherit and work the farm, young Willie opted for a less laborious and more interesting occupation.

On leaving school, he ‘went to serve his time’ to the Ballybay jeweller and watchmaker, Patrick Duffy. He finished his apprenticeship with Mercers of Enniskillen and returned to Ballybay to commence business in Main St. in premises formerly occupied by Marcella Brown. He married Margaret Johnston from Clontibret and they had a family of two boys, Thomas and William and a daughter, Nancy. Thomas (Tom) joined the RAF during World War Two and was killed in action. William (Willie) is a Minister of the Presbyterian Church, now retired in Eglinton, Co. Derry [Liam’s father]. Nancy is married and lives in England.

There was no musical tradition in the Dunmaurice Clarkes but when young Willie by chance met up with ‘The Piper Ward’ from Oghill, his latent talent soon surfaced. Ward introduced Clarke to the Uilleann pipes and Highland Bagpipes and gave him a sound grinding on the rudiments of both instruments and taught him the skills of reading and writing music. Pipe bands and fife and drum bands were a common feature of parish life in Co. Monaghan in the early 1900’s. The Orange Lodges, the Hibernians, the Foresters, Land Leaguers and Home Rulers sustained their faith and enthusiasm through their bands and banners. Willie Clarke was responsible for the formation of the Ballybay Pipe Band in 1919. He brought the recruits together, trained them and raised funds to procure instruments and uniforms. One of their first public appearances was at the Peace Celebrations held in Leslie Demesne (Ballybay) in August 1919. Their band room was in Church St., opposite the old National School which later became their headquarters. This was also the meeting place of the local Orange Lodge No. 211. It was inevitable that an amalgamation would take place. Not every member of the band was an Orangeman. Many like Fred Braden, were members of the band for the sheer love of pipe music. Fred was a Methodist.

It was very appropriate that when Willie Clarke died in 1934 the name of the band was changed to the “William Clarke Memorial Pipe Band”. During his short life, Willie soon attracted the company of such noted Uilleann and Warpipe players as the Carolans of Dopey Mills, near Newbliss; Michael Keenan of Glassleck, near Shercock; Philip Martin of Kilturk, near Newtownbutler who used to cycle to Ballybay for piping sessions with Clarke and the Moorheads from Doohamlet.

Robert William Clarke died in 1934 aged 45. His remains lie buried in the graveyard of Second Ballybay Presbyterian Church.

Peadar Murnane, local historian, Ballybay.

MONAGHAN LIONS CLUB 2016

04/01/2016 by borderroamer

Lions Clubs District Governor (Ireland) Marion Conneely attended Monaghan Lions Club Picture: Michael Fisher

This is an important year for Monaghan Lions Club, celebrating 25 years in existence. It was founded in 1991 and the first President Bill Goggins went on to become District Governor for district 105-I covering the island of Ireland. He is the current Treasurer of the Club and his daughter Lesley is the President for 2015/16.

Vice President John Smith, President Lesley Goggins of Monaghan Lions Club with District Governor 105-I Marion Conneely and Club Secretary Kim

At its first meeting of 2016 the Club was pleased to welcome tonight at the Westenra Arms hotel in Monaghan the current District Governor Marion Conneely from Swords.

Invitation to the Monaghan Lions Club Ball at Castle Leslie: the hottest ticket in town!

Preparations are now well underway for the 25th charter dinner at Castle Leslie on Saturday 30th January. There will be a big auction on the night and spot prizes

RINGING IN THE NEW

03/01/2016 by borderroamer

New Year 2016 was rung in with friends at Glenmalure Lodge in County Wicklow, where I met a former colleague from RTÉ who works there in a senior position. After a meal in the dining room, it was time to listen to the band in the Michael Dwyer Bar and take part in the festivities. When they played Van Morrison’s Brown Eyed Girl I felt I was back in Belfast!

A year ago my father Desmond Fisher died so the family was in mourning over the New Year period 2015.

New Year 2014 Walk from Holywood along North Down Coastal Path near Seapark Picture: Michael Fisher

New Year 2014 was spent in Belfast. The day itself was marked with a walk along part of the North Down Coastal Path starting in Holywood and going towards Cultra, finishing with a drink at the Dirty Duck.

Lagan Towpath Walk New Year 2010 Picture: Michael Fisher

A previous New Year 2010 was also spent in Belfast with the same group of friends. A walk along the Lagan towpath took us past the Lock Keeper’s Inn, before it became famous!

AUGHRIM

02/01/2016 by borderroamer

Former Forge in Aughrim Picture: Michael Fisher

I passed through the village of Aughrim in County Wicklow yesterday and stopped at the hotel beside the bridge for a coffee. It was pouring rain and not very scenic. But when I visited in August it looked really well with lovely floral displays. One of the buildings I noticed was an old forge: or did it possibly have a connection with a former railway line?

Irish National Foresters’ Hall in Aughrim Picture: Michael Fisher

There is also an Irish National Foresters’ Hall and a memorial to the pike men of the 1798 rebellion led by Michael Dwyer. The stone is surmounted by a ‘crown’ fashioned from bronze pikes. Kiltegan is not far from here, where St Patrick’s Missionary Society is located. All pictures from August.

‘Crown’ of Bronze Pikes on 1798 Memorial in Aughrim Picture: Michael Fisher