Liam Cosgrave R.I.P.

Today, I learned with sadness of the passing of former Taoiseach Liam Cosgrave at the ripe old age of ninety-seven.

The Cosgrave Dynasty has deep roots in Irish public life. One famous ancestor was killed at The Battle of Vinegar Hill during the 1798 uprising by The United Irishmen. Liam's father, W.T. Cosgrave, took part in the 1916 Rising as 2nd Lieutenant in the 4th Battalion of the Irish Volunteers. W.T.'s step-brother, Goban Burke,was killed early in the rising. This caused W.T. great anguish as it was he who encouraged his step-brother to join the Volunteers. W.T. Cosgrave became President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State following the death of Arthur Griffith, and the assassination of Michael Collins. He led the country ably during it's formative years after a brutal and senseless Civil war and severe economic deprivation.

Liam Cosgrave was Minister for External Affairs in the Inter-Party government of 1954-57. He became Taoiseach in the coalition government of Fine Gael and Labour between 1973-77. Like his father before him, Liam always put the interests of the country ahead of himself and his party — a practice that is seldom, if ever, rewarded in this country. The Cosgrave legacy of sacrifice, honesty, integrity, truth and great service to this country will live on.

May they all rest in peace.

Reports from September 1945

The following reports are taken from the Irish Independent between September 20th and 25th, 1945:

William Joyce — Lord Haw-Haw of German Radio — was found guilty of treason at the Old Bailey, London, and sentenced to death. Joyce showed no signs of emotion, bowed to the judge, smiled to his brother Quentin, and raised his right hand in what appeared to be a fascist salute.

Two Irish children, Michael Shannon, six, and Oliver Shannon, eight, brothers, who were recently released from a Japanese internment camp in the Philippines, were on the liner Queen Mary when she docked at Southampton from New York. Their parents were also captured by the Japanese, but no trace has yet been found of them. The boys are coming to Dublin to stay with their grandmother who lives in Blackrock.

A crowd of 67,329 thronged Croke Park to watch Cork win the All-Ireland Football Final from Cavan in a thrilling and hard-fought game. When the Last whistle sounded, Cork had 2 goals and 5 points against Cavan's 7 points. Cork supporters surged across the pitch and carried the winning team shoulder-high around the field.

Deadly Atomic Explosion

With the current war-mongering rhetoric between U.S. President, Donald Trump, and the leader of the North Korean regime, Kim Jon Um, it is well to reflect on a report that appeared in the Irish Independent on August 9th, 1945. This followed the dropping of an atomic bomb by the U.S. Air Force on the Japanese city of Hiroshima at 8 am on August 6th, 1945.

 

"All living things, human and animal, were literally seared to death...the dead are simply uncountable". In these graphic words Tokyo reports told for the first time of the cataclysmic damage caused by the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. The major part of Hiroshima was destroyed. "The destructive force of the new weapon is indescribable, as is the terrible devastation it has caused" said the report.

The bomb was described as more powerful than 20,000 tons of TNT and with more than 2,000 times the blast force of the British ten-ton bomb, hitherto the largest bomb used in warfare. Bombs many times more powerful are available in the arsenal of the U.S. at the present time.

Another atomic bomb was dropped by U.S. on the Japanese seaport of Nagasaki on August 9th, 1945.

Reports from July 1945

The following extracts are taken from the Irish Independent in July, 1945:

July 13, 1945:

The first Orange demo held in Derry since 1939 was unique by virtue of the fact that it was held in a Gaelic sports ground. The organisers, unable to find another ground in the Waterside area, were granted the use of a 10-acre field in Irish Street rented by St. Patrick's Gaelic football club.

July 20, 1945:

Dealing with his visit to the German Minister on the occasion of Herr Hitler's death, Mr De Valera said that he knew his action would be open to misrepresentation. What he had done was his duty. The envoy came here as a representative of his people, not of a particular government.

King George and Queen Elizabeth, accompanied by Princess Elizabeth, arrived on a visit to the North of Ireland yesterday. They flew from Lisburn to Lisahally, and after boarding the patrol yacht, Hiniesta, sailed up the Foyle to Derry.

The death has occured of Ald. Richard Corish T.D., Mayor of Wexford. He was a leading member of the Labour Party, and had an unbroken record as mayor of his native town since 1920.

Kevin O'Higgins Assassination

Ninety years ago today the then Minister for Justice, Kevin O'Higgins, was assassinated while walking to mass near his home at Booterstown, Co. Dublin. This was in revenge for the execution of four leaders of the irregulars on December 8, 1922 after their group had shot two deputies on their way to the Dail the previous day.

O'Higgins had told the Dail that it was the only way "representative government and democratic institutions" could be maintained.

As Kevin O'Higgins lay dying he referred to Eamon de Valera: "Tell my colleagues that they must beware of him; in future life he will play down to the weakness of the people".

The culture of violence in those years has been glorified in song and story in which we were all participants until some of us saw the light. It spawned thousands of needless deaths and injuries in this country and outside. The most glaring and tragic was in recent years, when a group calling itself the "Provisional IRA", and other equally sinister elements, engaged in a killing campaign for more than 30 years.

Unfortunately there is still an attitude prevalent in this country that their political outlook should be accepted by others who differ and the latter should be pressurised to do so. Though the number who believe that force is acceptable to achieve their aims is diminishing, it is still there.

Departure of Enda and Michael

Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Michael Noonan

The Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, announced last evening that he was stepping down as leader of Fine Gael from midnight. It is his desire that a new party leader will be in place by June 2nd. In the meantime, he will continue to lead the country until a new Taoiseach is elected.

Enda Kenny has given tremendous service to the people of Mayo and Ireland since he was first elected to the Dáil in the Autumn of 1975. This followed a by-election in the Mayo constituency triggered by the untimely passing of his father, Henry Kenny TD. Henry Kenny was also a famed mid-fielder in Mayo's first All-Ireland winning team which beat Laois in the football final of 1936.

Enda Kenny became Taoiseach in 2011 when the country was in dire financial straits and in bondage to the International Money Markets. His government led us out of the crisis to the point where the IMF is currently predicting that Ireland will have the second fastest growth rate in the Euro Zone. This is also reflected in the unemployment rate which has dropped below 6% from a high of 15.3% when Kenny came to power. He is wished well in his retirement.

Minister for Finance, Michael Noonan, has also announced his retirement from politics, stating that he will not accept a cabinet post in the new Government and will not be contesting the next General Election. Noonan can stand proudly with the great Fine Gael and Cumann na nGaedheal Finance Ministers of the past. Richie Ryan, Gerard Sweetman and Patrick J. McGilligan all assumed office when the finances of the country were in bad shape, but not as dire as when Michael Noonan became Finance Minister in 2011. I wish him many more happy years on the banks of the Shannon.

Vera Lynn at 100

Vera Lynn celebrated her 100th birthday yesterday. Whenever I think of this special lady my mind goes back to my childhood when I first heard her rich melodious voice on Radio Eireann and various gramophone records. The songs I heard at the time included Hello Patsy Fagan, Patsy McCann and Sitting on the Bridge below the Town.

The voice of Vera Lynn has always remained special to me. Another special person I often think about is my cousin, Nellie Shorthall of Fethard, Co. Tipperary who passed away in November 2015 shortly after reaching her 101 birthday. Nellie was a great lady who loved music and was a big fan of Vera Lynn; I am sure she is looking down on Vera to-day.

Vera Lynn's greatest hits were: Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart, The White Cliffs of Dover, My Son My Son and We'll Meet Again. The other great female singers that followed were Rosemary Clooney, Teresa Brewer, Jo Stafford and, a little later, Connie Francis.

Eddie Dalton Honoured

Eddie Dalton of Golden, County Tipperary, is to be received into the Hall of Fame by the Tipperary Association in Dublin at the end of this month. It is a greatly deserved honour whose genesis lay in a tragic set of circumstances which occurred 76 years ago.

Here I will quote the opening lines from the book Murder at Marlhill written by Marcus Bourke in 1993:

At eight o'clock on the morning of 23 April, 1941, Harry Gleeson was hanged in Mountjoy Jail in Dublin for the murder of his neighbour, Mary McCarthy. Her body had been found in a remote spot on Gleeson's uncle's farm near New Inn, Co.Tipperary early on Thursday 21 November,1940...A six day preliminary hearing in Clonmel District Court on January 1941 was followed by a ten day jury trial in Green St. Court House, Dublin in February. A four-day hearing in the Court of Criminal Appeal a month later and a reprieve campaign both failed.

Harry Gleeson was born in Galbertstown, Holycross, County Tipperary, in 1902. Sixteen years before the tragic events, he moved to his uncle John Caesar's farm at Graigue, New Inn. Three years later, they moved to a 75 acre farm at Marlhill, New Inn. As the Caesars were childless, it was assumed that Harry would inherit the farm. A fellow worker on the farm was Harry's friend and cousin, Tommy Reid, who was in his early twenties at that time.

Marcus Bourke, the author of the book, was a barrister with Tipperary connections. He became convinced of Harry Gleeson's innocence after more than five years of painstaking research and interviews, prompted initially by a casual encounter with two people from the Cahir area. Sean McBride, who was a Junior Counsel at the time of the trial, was on the defence team and had a life-long belief in Harry Gleeson's innocence. Marcus Bourke spoke to McBride on many occasions, mostly on the telephone, but also at his home. In the book, Bourke quotes from an interview with McBride in 1974:

Gleeson not alone didn't commit the crime but couldn't have committed it as he was elsewhere at the time...two years earlier he had said "I was quite certain the man was innocent. I had no doubt about it...I did everything I could to prevent him being executed". 

Talking to Marcus Bourke in 1992, Tommy Reid recalled the fateful evening before Mary McCarthy's body was found. He and Harry Gleeson were cleaning themselves before entering Caesar's house for supper at about seven o'clock, When Reid heard two shots, he turned to Gleeson and said "By God, Harry, whoever fired those shots must have cats eyes". He said he didn't think Harry heard him as he was a bit deaf.

Mary McCarthy was a single mother with seven children which led to McBride writing in his papers: "Mary McCarthy was a victim of a perverted sense of morality bred by a civilisation which nominally based on Christianity lacks most of (its) essentials.

Although he was not yet born at the time of Harry Gleeson's execution, Eddie Dalton was inspired by his father, John, late of Cloughleigh, Golden, and others from the area around, who were convinced of Gleeson's innocence. Dalton worked arduously and painstakingly over many years to secure a Presidential Pardon for Gleeson. On January 2016, on the advice of the Attorney General, the Minister for Justice directed the President, under Article 13.6 of the Constitution, to grant a pardon to Harry Gleeson. This was justification for Eddie Dalton, and other good people involved in the campaign.

George Washington

Today is George Washington's birthday. He was born on 20 February, 1733 and died on 14 December, 1799. Washington was the first president of the USA having been American commander-in-chief during the War of Independence. Raised in Bridges Creek, Virginia, he was the son of a colonial planter whose family had emigrated from Northamptonshire in the 17th century. He gained a high reputation for leading a campaign against the French and defending against attacks by Indians. In 1775, he was given chief command at the outbreak of the War of Independence and, having been prevailed upon to accept the presidency, took the oath on 30 April, 1789. He was re-elected for a second term in 1793, but had to endure much violent criticism before retiring to Mount Vernon in 1797.

Tipperary International Peace Award

Down the years, the organisers of the Tipperary International Peace Award have been rightly commended for the calibre of the people they invited to Tipperary town to receive the accolade. The thought that Martin McGuinness is on the short list to receive the award for 2017 sends shock-waves through decent-minded people in this county and beyond. For McGuinness to receive the award would be a most retrograde step for this organisation and would undo all of their good work in the past. It would be a slap in the face to the relatives of the dead, and to all others who suffered from terrorist activities for 35 years.

Now is a time to cement a strong relationship between Unionists and Nationalists — something which should have started 95 years ago — instead of fomenting hostility by giving awards to someone so closely involved with the chief terrorist group during their campaign.

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.

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.

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.

Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus

An 1897 editorial by Francis P. Church in the New York Sun became one of the most popular ever written. It was written in response to a letter the paper received from an eight-year old girl seeking assurance that Santa Claus existed. The girl's name was Virginia O'Hanlon and I will show her letter hereunder:-

Dear Editor, 

I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says,"If you see it in The Sun, it's so". Please tell me the truth. Is there a Santa Claus? 

Virginia O'Hanlon.

I will quote some of Mr.Church's response:

...Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life it's highest beauty and joy. Alas! How dreary would be the world if there was no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginia's! There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished... 

....No Santa Claus! Thank God! He lives and lives for ever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay 10 times 10,000 years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood

Veteran editor, Mr.Church, had covered the Civil War for the New York Times and was then an anonymous editorial writer for the New York Sun having worked on that newspaper for the previous 20 years. His famous editorial was reprinted annually until 1949 when the paper went out of business.

Virginia O'Hanlon, with her masters degree in education, was a teacher for 47 years when she retired. Virginia O'Hanlon Douglas died on May 13th 1971, at the age of 81, in a nursing home in New York.

Collapse of the Soviet Union

With the death of one of the last Communist dictators — former Cuban leader, Fidel Castro — it might be a good time to relate part of an article from Rodney Castleden's book Events that changed the World viz-a-viz the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Communism destroyed more lives than any other organisation or event in the 20th century, mainly through the murders of citizens by the regimes that were forced upon them. The casualties were often the consequence of the conflicts in which Soviet Union became involved as they attempted to spread the communist system throughout the world. Civil and human rights were denied while the socialist system of central control over food and goods production impoverished many people who weren't part of the top elite of the Communist hierarchy:

The world watched in amazement, in December of 1991, as the Soviet Union disintegrated into 15 separate countries. To the West, its collapse was seen as a victory for freedom, a triumph for democracy and evidence that capitalism was superior to socialism. The United States rejoiced as it witnessed its formidable enemy dropping to its knees, thereby ending the long struggle that become known as the Cold War. In fact the break up of the Soviet Union was so momentous it led to the reform of political, economical and military alliances all over the world. 

There were warning signs before the collapse, and many people picked up on this several years before its actual demise. Some of the member states within the Soviet Union sensed that the centre was weakening. The Baltic states, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, started agitating for their independence. They were greatly heartened by Poland's success in gaining its independence. In January 1991, Soviet paratroopers were sent in following independence demonstrations; they stormed the television station in Vilnius, Lithuania, killing 13 independence demonstrators. A similar Russian raid on Riga in Latvia led to the killing of four demonstrators. In February, a referendum in Lithuania produced a majority in favour of independence from Russia. The following month referendums in Latvia and Estonia produced a similar result. 

The article goes on to relate how Soviet president, Gorbachev, tried to maintain the union by proposing a new federation giving member states greater autonomy. However, all countries of the former Soviet Union gradually broke free while adopting western standards of administration and democracy with free enterprise. Many became members of the EU and NATO.

Muhammad's Return to Mecca

With so much death and suffering going on in Muslim-dominated areas — and certain groups attempting to impose their understanding of Islam on the rest of us by tyrannical means — it might be an opportune time to reproduce the following article from a book called Events that changed the World by Rodney Castleden.

Muhammad claimed to be God's mouthpiece, but was extremely cautious in the way he asserted the claim. For three years his followers formed a secret society, and before that there was a revelation on Mount Hirah near Mecca. The earliest revelations took the form of solemn utterances which rhymed and were revealed only to his nearest relatives. He would speak in a trance and followers wrote down the utterances. The revelations would eventually make up the Qur'an. 

This early work was done in private within the family but, by the time Muhammad made his first appearance as a public preacher in Mecca in 616, he already had a united following. As he became more successful, some of his followers were persecuted and he found refuge for them in Axum. The Abyssinian king took the side of the refugees, apparently thinking that they were persecuted Christians — completely misunderstanding who and what they were. They were nevertheless being supported, and this diplomatic victory infuriated the Meccan leaders who blockaded Muhammad in one quarter of the city. 

Muhammad was glad, for his own safety, to have an invitation to go to Yathrib (later named Medina) as dictator; the citizens at Yathrib suffered from feuding and wanted an outsider to act as arbitrator. Accordingly he went into exile to Medina and 16 July 622 is taken as the start of the Muslim era.The Meccan authorities were alarmed at the prospect of a hostile regime in control at Medina, which lay on an important caravan route, and plans were laid to have Muhammad killed. The Prophet, as he came to be known, took temporary refuge in a cave, delaying his arrival at Medina until 20 September (the Jewish Day of Atonement) in 622. 

From this point on, Muhammad's power grew. He bound his followers to himself and then to one another by a range of ties, instituting brotherhoods. At first, Muhammad seems to have courted an alliance with the Jews, but found no possibility of compromise with them on religious questions. Islam began to evolve its distinct practices and customs to distinguish it clearly from other sects. The spread of Islam was swift and proof of conversion was reduced to a simple test, the expression of belief in Allah and Muhammad. 

He repelled an attempt by the Meccans to capture Medina. Mecca itself fell to Muhammad and his Islamic warriors in 629. It was an historic moment; the moment when Meccans had to recognise him as chief and prophet. Remarkably, within the year, Muhammad had control over the whole of Arabia. Islam was now firmly established as a religion of regional importance, and its future as one of the world's major religions was assured.

Labour Unrest

The present labour agitation at Dublin Bus is driven, to a large extent, by trade union leaders trying to justify their huge salaries and showing their claws.

Trade unions have no place amongst the major employers in this country where workers are well represented by committees. The weak position of the present government, due to the idiotic — and, in some cases, vindictive — voting patterns in the recent general election, has given extra leverage to the public sector trade unions.

I am old enough to remember the 1950's when employment in this country was provided, in the main, by inefficient state companies while young men and women were leaving in droves to work in the UK and further afield. The national debt rose rapidly to unsustainable levels and, despite the efforts of some governments in the intervening years, it has remained that way ever since.

In the 70's and 80's, trade unions caused much disruption in this country while taking their cue, to a large extent, from Militant Tendency in the UK. This anarchist group tried hard to destroy the British economy and would have succeeded except for the tough line taken by Margaret Thatcher and her government.

In this country, one trade union leader made the public comment that "company profits were unpaid wages!". This is a line drawn from the writings of German economist, Karl Marx, whose ideology sowed the seeds for a movement which wreaked death, terror and poverty on millions of people in Europe, Russia and beyond throughout most of the 20th century.

In the case of Dublin Bus, the government should heed the lessons of our thriving national bus network by gradually putting routes out to tender under fair and equitable conditions.

Great Day for Tipperary

All-Ireland SHC Final:

Tipperary 2-29; Kilkenny 2-20

All-Ireland MHC Final:

Tipperary 1-21; Limerick 0-17

Having suffered defeats at the hands of Kilkenny in recent years, this win was especially sweet for the Tipperary senior hurlers. Their attitude seemed to be 'now or never' and this hunger morphed into fierce determination and work-rate throughout the field. Allied to skilled forward play — especially from the lethal inside trio —  it made Tipperary an unstoppable force on the day. Tipperary had stars throughout the team but two players stood out for me, namely Seamus Callanan and John O'Dwyer.

In the minor final Tipperary started as strong favourites having inflicted a 17 points defeat on the same opponents in the Munster final. It was a heavy mantle for Tipperary to carry with Limerick determined to make amends for their humiliation on the last occasion. The first half was one of swaying fortunes with little between the teams at half-time. An early second-half goal gave Tipperary breathing space which enabled them to finish out the game with a reasonably comfortable margin of victory.

I found it hard to believe that this was the first time since 1949 that Tipperary achieved the senior and minor double. 1949 brings back fond childhood memories. It was the first year that I have a memory of the Tipperary GAA campaign. The late Pat Stakelum, from the Holycross-Ballycahill club, led the senior hurlers to a final victory over Laois by 3-11 to 0-3. Goalkeeper John O'Grady, from the Moycarkey-Borris club, captained the minor hurlers to victory over Kilkenny

Hurling Final Odds and Ends

• Longest Wait. First hurling champions, Tipperary, had to wait 25 years to collect their medals! In 1887 no provision had been made for expenditure on medals but, following the 1911 GAA convention, the Munster Council was instructed to devote £30 — a figure then owed to the Central Council — towards providing medals for the triumphant Tipp team who received them in December of the same year.

• Shortest and Longest Reigns. The shortest reign as champions was two weeks achieved by Kilkenny who beat Cork by 7-7 to 2-9 in Dungarvan in 1905. A fortnight later they went down 1-14 to 0-5 to Dublin in the 1906 Leinster championship. Kilkenny also had the longest reign from September 2005 to September 2010.

• Complete Set. Cork and Tipperary have won All-Ireland finals in 21-a-side competitions,17-a-side and 15-a-side. Hurling championships became 17-a-side in 1892 and changed to the present 15-a-side in 1913.

• Clare's First Appearance in an All-Ireland hurling final was at Inchicore on Sunday, November 3, 1889 when they lost to Dublin by 1-6 to 1-5. And no wonder! According to contemporary accounts of the game, Clare players did not wear boots or stockings and were "unable to adapt to the slippery ground conditions".

• Limerick's Bob McConkey was the first recipient of the Liam McCarthy Cup following his side's 8-5 to 3-2 win in the 1921 final. The "new" McCarthy Cup was presented to Liam Fennelly after Kilkenny's 3-10 to 1-12 win over Cork in 1992. This completed a unique double for Fennelly who captained his county to win the "old" trophy when beating Cork 2-14 to 2-12 in 1983.

Chernobyl

The World's Worst Nuclear Disaster

The worst disaster of the brutal Soviet Communist regime occurred in the early hours of April 26, 1986, when a botched test at the nuclear plant in then Soviet Ukraine triggered a meltdown that spewed deadly clouds of atomic material into the atmosphere, forcing tens of thousands of people from their homes.

Thirty-one plant workers and firemen died in the immediate aftermath of the accident, most from acute radiation sickness.

Over the past three decades, thousands more have succumbed to radiation-related illnesses such as cancer, although the total death toll and long-term health effects remain subject of intense debate.

The anniversary has garnered extra attention due to the imminent completion of a giant 1.5 billion Euro (1.7 billion Dollar) steel-clad arch that will enclose the stricken reactor site and prevent further leaks for the next 100 years. The project was funded with donations from more than 40 governments. Even with the new structure 1,000 square miles of forest and marshland, on the border of Ukraine and Belarus, will remain uninhabitable and closed to unsanctioned visitors.

The disaster, and the government's reaction to it, highlighted the flaws of the Soviet system with its unaccountable bureaucrats and entrenched culture of secrecy. For example, the evacuation order only came 36 hours after the accident.

Chernobyl Children's Project International was founded in Ireland in 1991 by Adi Roche in response to an appeal from Ukrainian an Belarusian doctors for aid. Roche, previously a volunteer in a nuclear disarmament group, received a fax in 1991 which read SOS Appeal. For God's sake, please help us get the children out. This inspired her to take action and that same year, she set up a small workspace in a spare bedroom in her home and began organising Rest and Recuperation for a few Chernobyl children, recruiting Irish families who would welcome and care for them, CCPI began in Ireland in 1991 and expanded into the United States in 2001. It changed its name to Chernobyl Children International in 2010. The organization has grown from strength to strength and is now the largest contributor to Belarus and the fallout from Chernobyl. It works closely with the Belarusian government, the United Nations and many thousand volunteers in Ireland, Belarus and worldwide to deliver a broad range of supports to the children and the wider community.

To date, Chernobyl Children's contributions exceed 91 million dollars in direct and indirect aid, and the Rest and Recuperation program has brought over 22,000 children to Ireland, returning an average of two years to each child's lifespan.