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.

Fine Article by Ciaran Conlon

Ciaran Conlon's article in last Thursday's Irish Independent caught my attention. Published under the headline Despite it's Trump tactics, SF is likely to be big loser after Budget 2017, I will quote hereon some of the more pertinent passages:

Donal Trump has played on voters fears, insecurities and disaffections with government generally to run one of the most toxic, dishonest and dangerous political campaigns in history to bring himself and his moronic nonsense to the brink of the US presidency.

 In comparing Trump's campaign style with SF, Conlon writes

Both Trump and SF:

• Insist that everything is going to hell, no progress is being made on anything — even though simple factual sources can disprove the thesis — and only a vote for them can save the country or fix your problems; 

• Don't like their history being scrutinised, but still trade on a version of that history to play to target voters; 

• Declare themselves to be passionate defenders of the 'ordinary voter' even though one was born into wealth and privilege and the others are apologists for terrorists who murdered 'ordinary' people and destroyed the communities of 'ordinary' workers; 

• Have no interest in detailed plans or policies that can be implemented but prefer to campaign in broad brush strokes that play to existing fears and frustrations without ever thinking about the impact of their pronouncements; 

• Would have a devastating impact on their countries if they got into government.

This is the most important aspect of the Trump/Sinn Fein approach to politics. It's combined 'bullying and bulls*****ing' style might win coverage, hoodwink a certain number of voters and put them close to real-life decision making in government. But we know it works out badly for the very voters that have been hoodwinked...

That's why the centre has to hold in Irish politics. And in a potentially good sign for those who want the centre to hold, Sinn Fein could be the big losers out of Budget 2017... 

Both larger centre parties now have an incentive to talk up — at least not to talk down — the successes of the Irish people and that means less air time and profile for Sinn Fein's constant rejection of any progress made by the Irish people...

The next election may take place in a very different environment to the last one. A degree of stability and incremental progress versus uncertainty and more Trump-style campaigning from Sinn Fein...

If the centre can hold over the coming period, an inelegant and hopefully temporary political solution may just do the country some service.

The Surrender

The following is taken from the Evening Herald dated April 26 to May 4 1916, and reproduced in The Evening Herald of Tuesday April 12, 1966:

To Avoid Further Slaughter

We are asked officially to give the utmost publicity to the following document, signed by P.H. Pearse, who was described as being "The leader of the rebels"and bearing date 29th:- 

 "In order to prevent further slaughter of unarmed people, and in the hope of saving the lives of our followers, now surrounded and hopelessly outnumbered, members of the Provisional Government present at Headquarters have agreed to an unconditional surrender, and the commander of all units of the Republican Force will order their followers to lay down their arms." 

The Co. Inspector also published on April 30th an announcement that "James Connolly and other Sinn Fein leaders have unconditionally surrendered to the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief in Ireland" 

Germany's "Assistance"

In a communication posted at Ballymun R.I.C. station on the evening of the 29th.April intimating, on behalf of the Irish command, the progress of military operations in the city, it was stated that "Roger Casement has declared that Germany has sent all the assistance she is going to send, which assistance is now at the bottom of the sea".

Doomed Leader's Wedding

The following news item is taken from the Nationalist Newspaper, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, published on 10th May 1916 (Easter Week) and reproduced in the 'Nationalist' dated March 31st 2016:

 

A pathetic incident has to be recorded in connection with the execution of Mr. Joseph Plunkett, one of the insurgent leaders, who was shot Thursday morning in accordance with the sentence of the Court Martial. 

On Wednesday evening an attractive looking young lady entered Mr. Stoker's jewellery establishment, 22 Grafton Street, and said she wished to purchase a wedding ring. Mr. Stoker, observing that she seemed to be labouring under strong emotion, expressed the hope that she was not in any trouble. The young lady, who made a gallant attempt to preserve her composure, replied that she was the fiancée of Mr. Plunkett, who was to be shot the following morning, and her marriage to him was to take place the day before his death. 

Mr. Stoker, who was thunderstruck by such a startling statement, expressed his deep sympathy, and the young lady, having quietly thanked him, selected a ring and departed. 

The 'Irish Times' of Thursday contained the following announcement:
PLUNKETT and GIFFORD — May 3rd.,1916, at Dublin, Joseph Plunkett to Grace Gifford.

Redmond View of 1916 Rising

The following is taken from The Evening Herald Newspaper of Tuesday, April 12, 1966 in recasting the events surrounding Easter Week, 1916, in particular the views of John Redmond M.P., leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party and champion of Home Rule:

WICKED AND INSANE

Mr. Redmond on Revolt 

John Redmond (1856 — 1918)

In a statement with regard to the Dublin events, Mr. J. Redmond M.P. says his first feeling on hearing of the insane movement was one of horror, discouragement, and almost despair. He asked himself was the insanity of a small section once again to turn all of Ireland's recent marvellous victories into irreparable defeat, sending her back into another long night of slavery, suffering, and struggle.

After a reference to Ireland's choice when the war came, and the sufferings of small nationalities at the hands of Germany, he asked: "is there a sane man in Ireland who does not see this (hostility to the cause of the Allies) meant the drowning of the newly-won liberties of Ireland in Irish blood? Be these views right or wrong, this was the view of the overwhelming majority of the Irish people; it was the opinion which thousands of Irish soldiers have sealed with their blood by dying in the cause of the liberty of Ireland and of the world.

"Surely I need not argue the principle, especially with anybody who professes himself to be a Home Ruler, that the policy of Ireland must be decided by Ireland herself. That doctrine has been contested only by the very same men who today have tried to make Ireland the cat's paw of Germany. In all our long and successful struggle to obtain Home Rule we have been thwarted and opposed by the same section. We have won Home Rule not through them, but in spite of them. This wicked move of theirs was their last blow at Home Rule".

He says that this blow was plotted, organised, and paid for by Germany, and was a German invasion of Ireland as brutal and cynical as that of Belgium. Misguided and insane young Irishmen rushed and lost their lives, while those who sent them into that insane anti-patriotic movement remained safely in America.

News Extracts: November 1945

The following are extracts from the Sunday Independent on November 11,1945:

• There seems to be confusion in regard to the way in which motorists may pass out trams. The rule is that when a tram stops to take up or set down passengers, motorists must stop until the tram moves off again. It is a rule which is broken more often than it is obeyed. A vehicle may pass a tram in motion on either side.

• An AP dispatch from Garmisch, Partenkirken, states that according to her sister, Frau Margaret Fegelein, Evan Braun wrote a farewell letter dated April 23, in which she said that she and Hitler had decided that neither would be captured alive. Frau Fegelein said she doubted their last-minute marriage, saying Eva never even discussed the possibility.

• Jerome Kern, famous composer of light music, died in New York after a heart attack. Kern, who was 60, composed such famous songs as Old Man River, Smoke gets in your Eyes, The Last Time I Saw Paris and other popular numbers.

News Extracts: October 1945

The following are extracts from Irish Independent newspapers during the month of October, 1945:

Irish Independent, October 16,1945

• When the great doors of St.Patrick's Cathedral Armagh, where the remains of Cardinal MacRory lie in state, opened, hundreds of people were already waiting to take their last look at this great churchman. All day yesterday, until the cathedral closed at 2.30 a.m.,thousands had filed past the bier.

• Pierre Laval, the butcher's son who became premier of France, was executed by firing squad at Fresnes Prison, after he had attempted to end his life by taking poison. He refused to have his eyes bandaged, and his request that he might give the order "fire"was refused.

• The death occurred at his Dublin residence of Professor Eoin MacNeill, the eminent Irish scholar and historian. He took steps to prevent the Easter Rising when he issued the famous countermanding order of Easter Sunday,1916. Afterwards he was arrested by the British and sentenced to penal servitude for life.

• Hitler promised the Japanese if they provided a safe refuge for himself and Eva Braun, he would give them plans which guaranteed victory in the Pacific, said a former staff officer of the Japanese Navy.

Sunday Independent, October 21, 1945

• Alois Hitler, the 64-year-old step-brother of Adolf and one-time Dublin hotel worker, wants to change his name to "Hiller". Since 1905, when he left his home in Linz, Austria, at the age of 22, Alois only saw his step-brother on ceremonial parades. He first worked in London, in Dublin (1907), in Liverpool (1910) and finally as a waiter in the Criterion Restaurant in London, after which he opened his own restaurant in Berlin.

• The Gaelic's League's much discussed ban on foreign dances and games will henceforth be relaxed as a result of a two hour-hour debate at the annual Comhdháil in the Mansion House, Dublin, yesterday. As a result each member will have complete freedom regarding personal activities outside of the League. 

Irish Independent, October 23, 1945

• Sgt. Michael Gleeson,"F" District DMG, who is retiring was constable at Green Street Station during the gun-running at Howth in 1914, and was dismissed from the force for refusing to disarm gun-runners. He was re-instated after a public outcry, but resigned in 1921 and was associated with the IRA in Tipperary.

News Extracts: July 1945

Irish Independent, 21st July, 1945

The newly-elected Northern Parliament's first sitting was marked by scenes inside and outside the House. While heated exchanges were going on between Mr. Midgley, ex Minister of Labour, and Mr Beattie, 10,000 aircraft workers were demonstrating at the main gate of Stormont against the growing threat of unemployment.

Irish Independent, 25th July, 1945

"Éire had not come into the war in 1940 because a United Ireland apparently took second place to neutrality, and in any case the people of the south felt that the "British Chicken" was about to have its neck wrung", said Sir Basil Brooke in the Northern Commons.

Mr. H. Diamond (Republican-Socialist) said Northern Nationalists and Republicans had submitted a defence plan for the whole of Ireland which had been ignored by the British and Northern governments. The attitude of the Unionist Party was an invitation to any foreign power to attack Ireland, North or South.

Irish Independent, 27th July, 1945

Following one of the most sensational elections in British history, Mr. Churchill last night resigned office and King George asked Mr. Attlee, leader of the Labour Party which swept the country, to form a government. The Conservative Party suffered one of its biggest defeats and Labour, in office for the third time, had an overall majority. A large number of Mr.Churchill's Ministers were defeated, and he himself was elected in a new constituency.

The death has occurred in Dublin of Mrs. Kitty Cronin wife of Major-General Felix Cronin and formerly Miss Kitty Kiernan of Granard. She was the fiancee of General Michael Collins at the time of his death. She leaves two sons, Felix and Michael Cronin.

News Extracts: 1916

Taken from the Evening Herald for the week of 26th April to 4th May 1916:

THE SURRENDER 

To avoid further slaughter 

We are asked officially to give the utmost publicity to the following document, signed by P.H. Pearse, who was described as being "The leader of the rebels" and bearing date 29th:- 

"In order to prevent further slaughter of unarmed people, and in the hope of saving the lives of our followers, now surrounded and hopelessly outnumbered, members of the Provisional Government present at headquarters have agreed to an unconditional surrender, and the commander of all units of the Republican Force will order their followers to lay down their arms". 

The Co-Inspector also published on April 30th an announcement that "James Connolly and other Sinn Fein leaders have unconditionally surrendered to the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief in Ireland". 

Germany's "assistance" 

In a communication posted at Ballymun R.I.C. station on the evening of 29th April intimating, on behalf of the Irish command, the progress of military operations in the city, it was stated that "Roger Casement has declared that Germany has sent all the assistance she is going to send which assistance is now at the bottom of the sea".

Hitler Killed in Action

Taken from the Irish Independent, May 2nd, 1945:

• The story under this banner headline on the main news page: Adolf Hitler is dead, killed yesterday, according to German radio — at his command post in the Reich Chancellery in Berlin. The announcement of the Fuehrer's death was made on radio at 9.25 (Irish time) last night and read as follows: "It is reported from the Fuehrer's HQ that Adolf Hitler has fallen this afternoon at his command post in the Chancellery, fighting to the last breath against Bolshevism and for Germany. On April 30 the Fuehrer appointed Grand Admiral Doenitz as his successor. He has now taken over and says "the fight will go on".

• Count Folke Benadotte, who returned to Stockholm from Copenhagen yesterday, said:"I have not seen Himmler during my last visit to Germany and Denmark. I have not forwarded any message from Himmler or other authorative German to the Allies".

News Extracts: April 1945

The following are extracts from The Sunday Independent of 15th April 1945:

• Dispatches from Stockholm reported that American armoured reconnaissance patrols had reached the western suburbs of Berlin, and had been compelled to turn back after meeting with resistance. Other American units had reached the suburbs of Dresden. Earlier the Allies announced that Canadian units had reached the Dutch North Sea coast, and that British units were within 15 miles of Hamburg.

• The big Austrian rail and road centre, St. Poelten, 25 miles west of Vienna, on the highway of Linz and Munich, had been captured by the Russians, as well as an industrial suburb of Vienna and Korneuburg, six miles north of the city.

• A farewell message from it's supreme commander has just disclosed that all through the war a secret British civilian underground force, a highly organised "Marquis", existed in England, completely unknown, save to the very highly placed few. Threat of invasion would have brought the whole movement into instant operation.

• In Italy, 8th Army troops were meeting heavy opposition against their bridgehead across the Sillaro River. To the left they had captured the German stronghold of Imola and advanced three miles beyond it.

Andy McGovern—Inspirational Man

RTE One's Nationwide programme, presented by Mary Kennedy on 12 Feb 2014, focused on examples where positive thinking and practice greatly benefit physical and mental health.

The first example was Brefnie Early who had got into a trough of deep depression due to his excessive weight and consequent disappointing social life. When he reached the nadir of his depressed state, and the dark thoughts that went with it, he was jolted into action. He engaged in a program of physical activity—mainly cycling—but also work in the gym. He got into good physical condition and his confidence was restored. He is now preparing to take part in a world cycle challenge for charity.

In Mayo, school children are being taught "Mindfulness". It is done by relaxing mind and body as a counter to stress and anxiety. The practice is highly praised by teachers and pupils alike.

I considered that the most inspirational story was that of Andy McGovern of Mohill, Co. Leitrim. He was visited in his home by RTE's North-West correspondent Eileen Magnier. Andy is now 81 years of age. At the age of 43 he was diagnosed as having motor neurone disease, and he having a business, a wife and six young children. The life span predicted for anyone with this ailment is 2-5 years. He felt very angry and a trip to Lourdes did not sooth his anger—but only made him more so. A second trip to Lourdes some years later completely changed his thinking. As he described it himself, he got "the gift of acceptance". He began to think positively. Even though he has now lost the use of his arms, he looks very happy and engages in social activities for senior citizens around his home area. He is an inspiration to anyone who is diagnosed with serious illness. He uses the the words of the poem If by Rudyard Kipling as his mantra:

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise: 

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools: 

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’ 

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!

Irresponsible Behaviour

With Ireland showing many signs of slowly recovering from the disastrous economic situation which came to a head five years ago, the anarchistic types are becoming more vocal in their urging of people to agitate and engage in protest. This carrot is being dangled mainly by the media who, like the predator in the animal world, thrive on other people's trouble. Bad news gets more listeners, viewers and readers. They facilitate, without question, the rubbish being spouted that the present government is just as culpable as the previous one because they continued the austerity programme. These individuals are never asked how they would deal with the situation.

At the present time the ESB trade unions have served strike notice on their management to come into force on 16th December next. They are doing this without any justification. This is the curse of having a single company monopoly controlling an essential service—especially a state-owned company with a pro-communist trade union. The leaders of the ATGWU have paid visits to the communist government of Cuba. It is a bizarre situation when one considers that free trade unions are not allowed under communist regimes, merely government puppet unions.

Lowering the Bar of Irish Society

Societal Ireland is continuing to drift further into the mire. Certain elements—and they are increasing in number—are so perverted and blind as to be devoid of any remnants of humanity and are being facilitated by prominent sections of the media who find it most profitable to be the public voice of the corner-boy cut-throats.

There were many examples of what I am on about at the Joint Oireachtas Hearings on abortion which took place during the past week. I will mention the comments of two contributors which I happened to see in the press. When people who represented the-right-to-life of the unborn were making submissions, they were described as being 'anti-woman' and being guilty of 'misogyny' by one female member of the Oireachtas. Another heavily-pregnant lady made the cold remark that 'what is inside me is a foetus, not a baby'.

The pro-abortion agenda is being driven by an interpretation of Article 40.3.3 of the Irish Constitution made by The Supreme Court in 1992 to the effect that the probability of a pregnant woman being suicidal was a legal basis for an abortion to be carried out. The judgement is so flawed that it defies all logic.

Shane McEntee TD RIP

The tragic and untimely passing of Shane McEntee T.D.—a man of the highest integrity—was made so much more sad by the fact that he became so affected by the bile being spewed out by faceless cowards through Twitter and other means. They should be treated with the contempt of silence: "click delete".

They mainly consist of terrorist and communist lackeys who are facilitated by certain sections of the media. Their efforts to cause anarchy in the past failed. They are now trying more insidious methods to cause chaos. They will fail again as long as the decent people stay united and focused.

As sad as it was to witness Shane's funeral, I felt great pride to see this noble Irish man's coffin draped with the national flag. The flag has been abused and demeaned for many years by evil terrorists.

The Sindo and Dennis O'Brien

There is a lot of rubbish in the Sunday Independent about ministers having meetings with T.D. Michael Lowry and successful business man Dennis O' Brien because a judge forms an opinion after fifteen years of deliberation in an outrageously costly tribunal. Of course this is all based on the internal politics of Independent Newspapers. In the opinion of certain individuals who are trying to fill space in newspapers, the aforementioned are persona non grata yet some of those who had close contact with the representatives of communist and terrorist regimes are above board.