No Pride for Paddy

 Orna takes a deep breath and looks back into the far distance of the rolling green landscape. Two more steps and she is there. At 1085 meters Orna Mulhern reaches the peak of the Snowdon mountain in Wales. Today is St. Patrick’s Day but the young Irish woman doesn’t care about that.

Orna on the hike, Photo: Orna Mulhern

This is the first time Orna has missed Ireland’s most important annual celebration. A three hour ride on the ferry brought her away from the island and now she is in the middle of Snowdonia National Park in Wales on a hiking trip with the mountaineering club of the National University in Galway. The Dubliner remembers the times in her childhood when she used to be excited about the parades in her hometown. Nowadays, St. Patrick’s Day has lost the importance to her and she believes visitors are more thrilled about the event than Irish people.

“The thing I don’t like about Paddy’s Day is the expectation that you have to get drunk or that it is promoted in that way,” says the 24 year old. “All the St. Paddy’s Day things are so gaudy, I don’t think that represents Ireland; it’s just a day off,” adds the girl with the shoulder length brown hair. Orna pulls up the zipper of her white waterproof jacket and smiles as she starts walking downhill.

Ireland’s national day has been successfully exported to the rest of the world. Each year the same pictures of green hats, green sunglasses, green wigs and all kinds of shamrock variations appear in papers of major cities from Dubai to South Africa or London. The biggest parade is not in Dublin but in New York and even the Berliner Fernsehturm is illuminated in green.

The American President Barack Obama cheers with a dark foamy Guinness to celebrate March 17 and many emigrants from the Island join him today. Taoiseach Enda Kenny is also touring in the United States during the celebrations. The day is a winner for the suffering Irish national budget. About 120,000 tourists are expected to arrive in Dublin for the wild and lively parade and they are estimated to donate over €40 million to the Irish economy.

Snowdonia National Park, Photo: Donn Morrision

“I think it is great that it is a tourist attraction and I hope they have a great time but a lot of what they see is teenagers getting drunk and I think that is embarrassing really,” explains Orna showing her dislike of the one day madness.

So, what is St. Patrick’s Day about? Is it to create the biggest touristic event of the year, to keep stereotypical images of the evergreen happy Irish way of living alive or to have an excuse for drinking more Guinness than usual?

According to the tradition the patron St. Patrick brought Christianity to the island. Since 1903 Saint Patrick's Day has become an official public holiday and the first parade was held in Dublin in 1931. The institutional St. Patrick’s Festival group set up with the aim to promote Irish culture in the world and to provide celebrations for people with an Irish heritage. In 2009 close to 1 million visitors took part in the five day festival and that is what the government would like to reach each year.

Back at the youth hostel, in the valley near the village of Beddgelert, Orna changes into a white dress adorned with flying birds and places herself on a brown leather couch. The cheeks of the young woman are slightly red and the look in her eyes is tired but confident. 

“I didn’t make a note of leaving. Even though I think a lot of Irish people are happy to leave Ireland for the day,” says Orna. She joined the mountaineering club half a year ago and frequently attends their regular Sunday hike. “You feel alive when you are hiking,” she comments. Orna moved to Galway to do her degree in teaching of the Irish language. Her final semester in college is going to end very soon.

It is easy to find Orna anywhere in the hostel. Her laugh is remarkable in tone and duration. She giggles all day long and the people around her can’t help but join her. Orna believes St. Patrick’s Day should be a day when everyone is doing something special that he or she wouldn’t normally do. “I way prefer to spend my day at a mountain than at Eyre Square with a can in my hand,” she says.

Orna isn’t the only person who criticises the celebration of this day. “I'm not a big fan of St. Patrick's Day,” says Aengus Finnegan, the captain of the club. “It seems to me to be a celebration of the most banal aspects of Irish identity, with a focus on aspects of Irish culture which would only appeal to a person who engages with the country at a very shallow level, “ he continues but adds that he likes the community organised parades in small villages and towns.

The 27 year old is originally from Glassan in County Westmeath and is doing his Phd in Galway.
“I don't like the anti-social behaviour, and the fact that many people see the day as an excuse to misbehave,” he criticises. 

The Christian church frequently questions the secularisation of St Patrick's Day. As much as the festival tries to put the focus on marching bands, theatre performances and dance groups, excessive drinking in pubs remains to be the main attraction of the day.

Orna walking downhill, Photo: Tanja Goldbecher

When the sunset reddens the stony top of the surrounding mountains most of the club members are gathering in the cozy common room of the hostel. Open beer and wine bottles lighten the atmosphere. A tall woman walks in donning a green white and orange hat whilst swirling around a green glitter kilt; a female St. Patrick parading in Wales. A fiddle and a flute player are supporting the image with the traditional Irish tune “Inis Oirr”.   

“It’s accepted that people spend the day in the pub,” says Orna while lifting her delicate eyebrows. She would like more local events and community based things to dominate the festivity. In her opinion St. Patrick’s Day just turned into a drinking event and nothing of the celebration represents anything that actually is Irish. “There is a difference between going out for a drink or going out to get really drunk,” she states. On this night in Wales no one is 'really' drunk but nearly everyone is drinking. Happy St. Patrick’s Day.

Hello and Goodbye Ireland

Adam Guinane was only 17 when he left Ireland for the fist time. He sips from his Coke and leans back into the leather seat of the pub when he narrates the story of his life. He has short hair, a precisely shaved beard, is of lean muscular build and wears a grey hoody over his black t-shirt.

Adam before he went to Germany, Photo: Adam Guinane

Sean Cannuy (name has been changed) was 23 when he first emigrated from Ireland. Sean has curly brown hair, a wildly grown red beard, is tall and wears a dark shirt paired with blue jeans. He stirs his cup of tea and settles himself in the living room of his house to tell his story.    

Adam and Sean have more than one thing in common. Both were born in Ireland, one in 1969 and the other in 1970, studied in Galway, and then worked abroad for several years. Both have lived in more than one foreign country, they have said ‘Goodbye’ to Ireland and eventually ‘Hello again,’ although the two are sure they will leave the country once more one day. On the surface at least, their stories are very similar. They have never met.    

"It was a tradition to go to Australia, America or London," Adam explains. He decided to choose London and started working therein 1986. The late 80s blew his mind in the English capital. Adam explains his experiences in London were the first step in becoming a more open and tolerant person.

Sean finished his studies in mechanical engineering before he also left for England. “I wanted to save the world,” he says. Sean worked on a nuclear fusion research project in Oxford to develop cheaper and safer energy. After four years he left the United Kingdom. “I wasn’t happy with my career direction,” Sean explains; “I wanted to do something more meaningful. I wanted to answer meaning-of-life questions.” The look in his eyes appears lost in his own history: “In England it was the hardest to make English friends,” he remembers, even though there was no language barrier.

Sean wants to remain anonymous, Photo: Tanja Goldbecher

After their first experiences abroad in London, both Adam and Sean returned to Ireland for the first time. Adam was homesick and went back to Limerick for a short while before moving to Dingle and then to Galway. The small Irish community  brought him back into the traditional Irish music scene. Sean stopped only briefly in Galway. In addition to England, he had already also been to Germany for three month and then to Spain to teach English for four months.

In 1991, 21-year-old Adam met a German girl who was on holidays in Galway. They fell in love instantly and Adam decided to go to Essen, Germany instead of India, which he had been thinking about for his next overseas destination. Ireland was in recession and this made it easy for him to leave. "Because I didn't speak any German I couldn't get a job," says Adam. He decided to busk on the streets instead, beating his drum the best he could. About 500,000 people live in Essen. The city is in the West of Germany and known for its industrial appearance.

While love took Adam to Germany, love lead Sean to leave Galway for the United Stated to study psychology. Chicago offered the greatest number of opportunities for him and, with a scholarship, Sean finished his Master’s degree overseas. “In some ways America feels a bit more like a jungle, less secure. I noticed inequalities more in the States than in other counties,” says Sean. 

"No one spoke English, only body language. It was really tough," recalls Adam of the time he spent working on a German farm. Adam stayed with his girlfriend though and very soon they became parents to their first daughter. "I asked my father for money then. He said, 'Are you coming home, are you getting married? No? Then you don't get any money.' That was the best thing he has ever done for me. I had to survive by myself without relying on anyone else," says Adam.

Adam today, Photo: Tanja Goldbecher

Adam found other Irish musicians trying to make a living in the central European country he had made home for the time. Together they brought Irish tunes into German society in Essen. They played in bars until they started working in Essens' first Irish pub. Adam managed the pub for four years. "You end up living on an Irish Island," comments Adam. He found it impossible to learn German with his Irish friends around him and the Germans very enthusiastic about speaking English when they came into the pub. "We were selling Irish culture," explains Adam. It worked. The pub was successful and Adam felt like everyone in Germany loved the Irish people.

"After a couple of years I got sick of it," he states. At this point, the Irish man enrolled in a German language school. He thought he was very fortunate when he started playing music with other Germans. He had to use his language skills, no matter how broken they were at the time. "I stopped using English at all and practiced German. In the end I got it," says Adam proudly. His band released an album too and he started to work with the sound system Geistesblitz. Adam found his way into electronic and funk music and began to dj in German clubs. He organized illegal parties at a disused helicopter base in Essen. Adam's eyes glimmer when he talks about these memories. "That is one thing I liked about Germans: they are well organized," Adam remarks, even when we were only putting on illegal parties.

Meanwhile, after eight years in Chicago, Sean returned to Ireland for the second time. He wasn’t able to finish the PhD in psychology which he had started there, and considered this his greatest life failure. Sean was disappointed he didn’t have more academic success in the United States and believes he changed personally after this: “I became more cynical because I wasn’t having as successful a life as I thought I would have.” The desire to have a clear purpose in life has stayed with him until now.

Adam playing the drums, Photo: Adam Guinane

After Adam’s second arrival back in Galway, he explains, “I couldn't speak English properly anymore.” He had adapted the German language structure and formed sentences like, “Can you please the salt pass to me?" He loved to be back in Ireland though: "You must first go away before you realize the beauty you have left." Adam had missed Irish people and their friendliness. Still, Ireland could not hold him for more than one year. The desire to see his daughter growing up was stronger and drew him back to Germany. After returning he noticed very quickly that he didn’t want to work in pubs anymore. Adam became an English teacher instead: “I became pretty good at it because I also studied psychology.” He taught in the Aldi and Hoch Tief headquarters and made friends all over the country. “I understand the cultural differences between Ireland and Germany. The German language is very functional. They are not unfriendly people, but different,” comments Adam. Still, he never intended to spend his life in Germany.

Sean, on the other hand, has stayed in Ireland since 2007. He has worked at the university in Galway in health departments. He knows what really interests him now: “I want to understand spirituality scientifically.” He has recently focused on this interest and started to work on writing papers in the area. “I suspect my career will take me to away to the UK or America again,” says Sean.

In 2008 Adam returned to Ireland for the third time. “I bought myself a van and drove home.” He became a mature student at the NUI Galway. Like Sean, Adam had a great interest in psychology. His life changed upon starting his studies. He found himself among young students still playing Irish tunes. Now he is doing his TOEFL degree, the certification for teaching abroad. Adam wants to leave Ireland again and this time to start a new life in Hong Kong, South Korea or Japan. “I’m always torn: I want to experience Asia, I love Ireland and I miss my daughter in Germany.” 

The similarities between Adam’s and Sean’s life trajectories are quite apparent. Both men have seen the rise and fall of the Irish welfare system. Both have studied psychology, spent more than 10 years outside of Ireland, taught English in a foreign country and returned to Ireland several times. Both Sean and Adam went to England, the United States and Germany and can imagine leaving Ireland again. Neither of them is in a relationship at the moment and both have friends from all over the world.

Sean balancing, Photo: Tanja Goldbecher

Despite all these similarities, each of them has come to his own conclusions on living abroad. Adam believes that the experience has made him truly independent and that he can make a living wherever he goes. “I suppose you lose the fear of talking to people,” says Adam reflecting back on his travels. For Sean, living abroad has helped him refine his academic and personal interests; he knows what he wants to spend his time on now, although he hasn’t yet found his way into his preferred career. “The thing about living abroad is you are forced to meet new people. It is not necessarily that living abroad makes you more open but it gives you the opportunity to be more open,” he concludes.

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Unsolved murder on the island

His eyes are blank and directed towards the ground. His dark brown hair reaches down to his neck and touches the cheekbones on each side of his face. He wears a green jumper over his white shirt. This was Ian Bailey in 1996 after the first time he had been questioned in the murder case of Sophie Toscan du Plantier. Fifteen years later his hair has turned grey but the expression on his face remains as empty as before. This time Bailey wears a black suit over his blue shirt after his hearing in the Supreme Court in Dublin.

"You wouldn't be able to believe the hell that we have been put through by this awfulness," said Bailey when leaving the court with his lawyer Frank Buttimer and partner Jules Thomas. The British journalist holds on to his belief that he is the victim of a defamation campaign.  

The murder of the French film producer has never been solved. Two days before Christmas in 1996 Sophie Toscan du Plantier was discovered dead in an isolated lane 200 yards from her holiday home in West Cork. The victim was the third wife of Daniel Toscan du Plantier, a leading French film director who has since died. The local community on the remote Mizen peninsula was outraged by this event; it was the only murder in living memory.

Ian Bailey, who used to work as a journalist, was one of the first reporters to arrive at the murder scene. He was subsequently three times arrested and questioned by the Irish Gardaí in connection with the murder. Bailey was released without charge on all occasions and so far nobody has ever been charged with the murder.

Ian Bailey 1996, Photo: socialregister.co.uk

It is hard to believe that evidence that could lead to a conviction. The French authorities seem to have agreed with that statement and appealed to the Irish Court for an extradition of Bailey to question him in France. The French paper Le Monde reported that the High Court in Dublin agreed on the principle of an extradition and du Plantier’s family were very optimistic getting the case transferred to France. Bailey appealed to the Supreme Court and brought new evidence in the hearing claiming prejudiced Gardaí investigations. Eventually, the Supreme Court decided against the extradition and overruled the High Court. Furthermore, the French paper wrote in the article that mistakes in the inquiry and false approximations have been made. The article claims that suspects were not put under investigation right away and that medical examiners arrived too late at the crime scene.

The evidence that points to Bailey as the chief suspect is strong. Twenty neighbours and acquaintances testified against him in court. Bill Fuller, who employed Bailey for a time, told the court how Bailey gave him a graphic description of the murder - speaking of himself in the second person. “You chased her and it stirred something in the back of your head. You went a lot further than you should have,” quoted Fuller.

Richard and Rosie Shelly claimed that Ian Bailey told them on New Year’s Eve 1998; “I did it. I did it. I went too far.” Malachi Reid said in the court hearing that Bailey said to him; “I went up there with a rock and bashed her f***ing brains out.”

There are more people who allege Bailey have confessed to the murder in front of them.

Extracts from Bailey’s diary which had been confiscated during the process show his violent behaviour towards his partner Jules. “I attacked and severely beat Jules to such an extent she sought hospital treatment….I actually tried to kill her. Two nights on she is badly hurt and walking wounded, with bruises on her face, lips and body,” wrote Bailey in his diary.

Sophie Toscan du Plantier, Photo: rte.ie

Other locals told of how Ian Bailey and Jules Thomas both spoke of the murder before it was reported and of how Bailey went straight to the crime scene without seeking detailed directions within an hour of learning officially of the killing. Finally, Ms du Plantier’s neighbour, Alfie Lyons, expressed in court that he was “90% certain” that he introduced Bailey to the murder victim. Still, all of that doesn’t prove guilt.

Bailey has always denied meeting the French woman and disputed any involvement in her murder. Recently, he claimed the Gardaí investigations of the killing of Ms du Plantier have been prejudiced. He also alleged Gardaí tried to pressure the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to charge him, despite the DPP already having ruled there was insufficient evidence for a charge.

Those claims are supported by a report compiled by the former DPP Eamon Barnes that had been introduced into the proceedings of the Supreme Court. The new evidence is critical of the Gardaí and outlined all of the serious concerns that now form the basis of Bailey’s complaint. Justice Adrian Hardiman said the material included an alleged attempt by an unnamed senior Gardaí to procure the State Solicitor for WestCork to bring political pressure on the DPP for the prosecution of Ian Bailey. The report also consists of copies of emails written by then DPP Eamon Barnes and by State Solicitor for West Cork Malachy Boohig, as well as a memo about the case written by an official in the DPP's office.

"I believe that it is clearly desirable that these matters be investigated in the public interest and that the Ombudsman Commission is the appropriate body to do so,” said the Minister for Justice Alan Shatter. The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC), which was established to investigate complaints against Gardaí, has begun the inquiry into the complaint from Ian Bailey. The complaint is likely to put the case into a different perspective and lead to a complex examination over the Gardaí handling the murder case.

Ian Bailey 2012, Photo: belfasttelegraph.co.uk

"This has obviously been a very trying time. I am obviously relieved that this particular part of the proceedings is over. There are many stages and matters still to be dealt with,” said Bailey in an interview on his way out of court. Standing next to his partner Jules who recorded the interview as well as other journalists Bailey said the last 15 years had been very, very hard. . On the other hand, Alain Spilliaert who is the lawyer representing the parents of Ms Toscan du Plantier described the judges' decision as a disappointment and a shock. However, he was confident that the French investigation into the murder case would continue.

Bailey presents himself like the victim of a false accusation of murder. He has sued eight newspapers for defamation during the proceedings of the case. “I have become the subject of perfidious and pernicious lies in an attempt to assassinate the name and character of myself and my partner,” said Bailey in an interview with the Sunday Independent. Each of the newspapers denied that the published articles suggested Bailey was the murderer. Instead they maintained the articles meant that he was the chief suspect and that he was a violent man. Even Judge Peter Moran accepted that Bailey was a violent man and guilty of “exceptional” acts of violence. “I personally have no hesitation in describing Mr. Bailey as a violent man and the newspapers were justified in describing him as being violent towards women,” stated the judge.

Sophie Toscan du Plantier’s murder appears to be lost in the long term discussions of Ian Bailey’s violent personality. The Irish nation has branded Bailey as guilty 15 years ago and his reputation is damaged anyway. Therefore, it might be a good time to hand over the investigations and all the remaining evidence to a third party (who can provide a more objective perspective on the case than police in Ireland or France.

Green Drinks

GAWAY’S environmental issues and local community have been discussed at the last Green Drinks meeting  on Thursday evening at Kelly's bar.

“I go to the countryside every day and every day I see dead animals,” said Brendan Smith, Community Outreach Officer at the Digital Enterprise Research Institute (DERI) in Galway.

 “We have killed something we were proud of in Ireland,” added Smith. He showed pictures of the pollution on the Galway coast and in the surrounding woods in his presentation. Smith said the nationwide recycling programme needs to be improved to reduce the amount of bottles and cans that are thrown into nature.

Once a month Smith mobilises for cleaning up parks and gets the local schools involved in the project. “To me it is important that there is a sense of local community,” added Smith. Furthermore, the environmentalist offers guided cycling tours through Galway to show the participants the “beautiful countryside within the city boundaries”. 

Photo: bostongreenblog.blogspot.com

Smith believes we should concentrate on getting young people involved in technology science for a sustainable future.  “To me technology has damaged the planet so much but also technology is going to be what can save it,” stated the researcher during his presentation.

According to Smith the City Council has recently agreed to reactivate the Terryland Forest Park. He said there are always opportunities for people with various interests to get involved in one of the projects. Smith wants to combine technology and environmental issues with the local community and Ireland’s cultural heritage.  

The community activist went back into Galway’s history and talked about the Hippie culture in the 60s and the anti-war movement he took part in. “I have seen Galway grown from a very small town to what it is now,” said Brendan Smith. The community activist was accused of promoting the use of condoms in the 80s. He thinks the town has changed a lot since he started studying in collage and said it is more difficult nowadays to develop strong community bonds outside of school.  

When asked where he takes his motivation from for keeping up with all of his activities over so many years Smith answered; “I try to make it a better place before I leave.”  

Green Drinks is a monthly event in about 450 cities around the world and organised by Transition Galway. People who are interested in environmental issues get together for drinks, discussions and socializing. The organisation wants to make aware of the diminishing oil and gas supplies, climate change and the importance of community based activities.

Besides Green Drinks the initiative organises film screenings and workshops in Galway. The main project is a community garden in the city centre which has been created in cooperation with the Spirit Centre in Galway.

Occupy Stories

A small candle lights up the damp inside of the blue tent. Both cabins are open and four people sitting on air mattresses are facing each other. The wind is pushing tiny raindrops against the side of the zipped up entrance. The little fire candle and the perpetual breathing heats up the cold air from outside. It is midnight and passersby are shouting joyfully in the square while heading to the next pub.

Galway Occupy Camp, Photo: Donn Morrison

The four exchange smiles when they are talking about camp life. The bearded Chris is holding his blue guitar and pulling one string after another. The conversation is concentrated on the plans for tomorrow and the upcoming march against the household charge.

Over four months have passed since the first tents were set up on the stony ground in Eyre Square, Galway. Although some people have left and others have joined, the core group of 20 who started the protest is still around.

"The novelty is gone. Everyone has gotten used to it now,” comments Chris Duignan who was one the first to support the local protest. After his first year in archaeology the 26 year old had to drop out of collage because he couldn’t afford to pay the fees and didn’t get a grant from the government. 

“You can see so many things are wrong and nobody is going to fix them,” says Chris about his reason for joining the Occupy movement.  “If it’s not going to work out at least you have tried,” he adds. Nevertheless, there are times he finds it hard to keep going.

“It’s hard to sleep because of the noise and the traffic,” he says; “You get worn out after a few days. Then you go home and relax for a while and remember why you came down in the first place.” Chris remembers Rag week as the hardest nights they have had on Eyre Square. “Wednesday night. It was just crazy. I was just looking at what is the point, what am I doing to me, why I’m getting abused and shouted at?,” are some of the thoughts Chris recalls going through his mind on the night hundreds of students raged drunkenly through the streets.

Chris Duignan, Photo: Tanja Goldbecher

"If you were living here and all you can see is night time you would think every single person in Galway is in an alcoholic,” says Chris. One person jumped over the fence and fell on one of the tents where a girl was sleeping. “People shout at us every single night,” he utters with a tired glare in his eyes and adds that often bottles are thrown at the camp. Chris talks about Halloween when a traffic sign was thrown on his tent but he makes clear that there never have been any problems during the day.

Chris is the informal event manager of Occupy Galway. An open mic, where everyone can express his or her opinion in public, is set up for a few days to discuss changes that could be made to constitution. In the past, the camp has organised various charity events and has given money to the St Vincent de Paul Society, COPE Ireland, the Samaritans and the Simon Communities. The next charity event is planned for March 2^nd in Áras na nGael but everyday smaller activities like invited guest speakers or gardening are written on the white board at the entrance of the main tent.

A woman in her 40s stops at the entrance of the fence. “How is the protest going?” she asks the activist who just came out of his tent. “I would protest here myself if I could, but I have to work” says the woman.

The main tent is big enough to stand up in. A chain of lights hangs across the marquise and a tiny bit of orange light from the street lamps falls into the open entry. The dark carpet and leather couch next to a low table simulate a cosy living room atmosphere. The sides of the tent are reinforced with timber from pallets. The roof is stable and a green plastic cover tied to it keeps the wetness out. In one corner the kitchen area is set up. Cups, plates and cooking pots are placed on the kitchen board next to the gas cooker and kettle.

Camp Poster, Photo: imgfave.com

"All of the things are donated and Stephen the carpenter puts them together," says Chris. He leads the way through the back door into the sleeping area where each tent is fixed on separate pallets. He points at the solar panel that is delivering parts of the camp's energy supply. A small office has been created in the back and another shed for the kitchen still requires more timber to complete its construction. A grey metal sink is already leaning against the side.

Chris believes the City Council is against the Occupy Camp. “They want to take legal action against the camp,” he says. So far, the camp is going to stay where it is. "Eventually, there won't be the need for the camp to be here because people will just come and talk,” comments Chris; "The camp is here to be used by anyone. We are not here to tell people what to think; they should come and tell us their opinion.”
At three o’clock in the morning, when the last pub is closed and the crowds make their way home, the area around the square quietens down. The camp will be asleep until the street cleaning starts at half five. A few people are going to stay up all night. The temperatures are not low, but the dampness creeps into the body anyway. A hot shower is not available for warm feet in the sleeping bag. This is a typical night at Occupy Galway.