Monday 30 January 2017

The Wintry Night



Around the fire, one wintry night,
The farmer's rosy children sat,
The faggot lent its cheerful light,
And jokes went round, and harmless chat.

When hark! a gentle hand they hear
Low tapping at the bolted door;
And, thus to gain their willing ear,
A feeble voice was heard implore.

'Cold blows the blast across the moor,
The sleet drives hissing in the wind;
Yon toilsome mountain lies before,
A dreary, treeless waste behind.

'My eyes are weak and dim with age,
No road, no path, can I decry;
And these poor rags ill stand the rage
Of such a keen, inclement sky.

'So faint am I, these tottering feet
No more my palsied frame can bear,
My freezing heart forgets to beat,
And drifting snows my tomb prepare.

'Open your hospitable door,
And shield me from the biting blast;
Cold, cold it blows across the moor,
The weary moor that I have passed!.

With hasty steps the farmer ran,
And close before the fire they place
The poor have- frozen beggar man,
With shaking limbs and pallid face.

The little children flocking came,
And warmed his stiffened hands in theirs
And busily the kindly dame
A comfortable meal prepares.

Their welcome cheered his drooping soul;
And slowly down his wrinkled cheek,
The round tear was seen to roll,
That told the thanks he could not speak.

The children, too, began to sigh,
And all their merry chat was o'er;
And yet they felt — they knew not why —
More glad than they had been before.

— Anonymous

Saturday 14 January 2017

Martin Luther King

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was born in Atlanta, Georgia, USA on this day, January 15th, 1929. A Baptist Minister and activist, he became the most famous Civil Rights leader in history. Originally named Michael King, his father changed his name in honour of German Protestant leader, Martin Luther. Martin Luther King Jr. was a man of great intellect who sailed through college and university exams, completing his PhD dissertation and degree in 1955. He believed in non-violent protest making the famous quote: "Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that; hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that". Other famous quotes from his speeches were: "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in the moment of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy"; also "Faith is taking the first step when you don't see the whole staircase". King was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee, USA on April 4th, 1968.

Tuesday 10 January 2017

Dr. T. K. Whitaker

Dr. T. K. Whitaker (1916 - 2017)
I was sad to learn of the death of Dr. T. K. Whitaker, just a month after celebrating his 100th birthday. Dr. Whitaker made a huge contribution to the economic, social and cultural well-being of this country.

Fianna Fáil's defeat in the 1954 General Election ushered in a second Inter-Party Government when Gerard Sweetman of Fine Gael became Minister of Finance. Sweetman — sadly killed in a car crash near Monasterevin in 1970 — produced a masterstroke on May 30th 1956 by appointing the 39 year-old Ken Whitaker as Secretary General of the Department of Finance, having read his pioneering paper on Economic Expansion.

Fianna Fáil opposed the ideals of economic expansion having pursued Éamon de Valera's reactionary economic policies throughout their domination of government since 1932. This resulted in mass emigration and unemployment which had risen to 421,000 by the time Fianna Fáil lost power in 1954. In Dáil Eireann, Fianna Fáil had voted against the major economic initiatives of Fine Gael-led colations, including the establishment of the Industrial Development Authority (IDA), Córas Tractála (Export Board) and the Agricultural Credit Corporation (ACC) while also opposing tax incentives for foreign manufacturers and the Land Reclamation Programme. However, when Fianna Fail returned to power in 1957, their Minister for Finance, Dr. Jim Ryan, worked with Ken Whitaker in producing the First Programme for Economic Expansion which was finally published in 1958. Crucially, this was also supported by Sean Lemass who became Taoiseach in 1959 following de Valera's retirement.

The First Programme for Economic Expansion paved the way for an upsurge in economic activity during the 1960's which cemented Fianna Fáil's hold on power until the early 1970's when faulty Government policies increased the National Debt to dangerous levels while also producing an adverse Balance of Payments and growing unemployment. This was the situation facing the coalition government of Fine Gael and Labour when they came to power in April 1973.

Ken Whitaker was a man of honour and integrity  — character traits which are gradually being eroded from Irish society. As the country emerges from a global economic crisis, a "low-standard" agenda of victimhood and entitlement is being successfully pushed by "anti-establishment" types facilitated by a sufficient number of the electorate who are being blinded by a false flag of modernity.

Friday 6 January 2017

Feast of the Epiphany

Today, 6th January, is the Feast of the Epiphany which commemorates the visit of the Wise Men to worship the baby, Jesus. Tradition tells us that their names were Caspar, Melchior and Balthassar. These men were astrologers who were looking for the star that would lead them to the promised Messiah. This was prophesied in the Book of Micah. According to the Gospels, they brought expensive and meaningful gifts: gold to signify the importance of Jesus; Frankincense to indicate that He should be worshipped; Myrrh, which is used to anoint the bodies of the dead, indicating that the wise men foretold that He would suffer and die.

In Ireland, this day is also known as Little Christmas or Nollaig na mBan (Women's Christmas) when Catholics are obliged to attend Mass.