Archive News
It is coitus interruptus that stops us going all the way
Date Published: {J}
We have a recurring tendency in this country to fall that little bit short, to just miss the mark. Who, watching the national soccer or rugby team, hasn’t felt that the real opponent was their own psychology, that at times they seemed almost afraid to win? It’s been put down variously to an inferiority complex, to a lack of vision, even to bad players.
But I have a new theory. This is the inevitable consequence of years and years in which the only available form of birth control was coitus interruptus. The entire culture is now imprinted with the idea that the moment you’re about to cross the finish line is the time to stamp on the brakes.
In the last week alone we’ve seen two pieces of legislation that didn’t go all the way. The new Defence and Dwelling Bill has perfectly failed to do what it set out to: clarify when it’s OK to kill people. (Full disclosure: I must reveal that I hold a patent on a novel design for anti-personnel doormats.) All it really does is make explicit what was implicit heretofore – that you can use justifiable force in self defence. But what is "justifiable force"? Why, force . . . justified by . . . the circumstances. Which will be different every single time.
Did the intruder really represent a threat? Even if they didn’t, did the defender have reasonable grounds to think they did? Or did he just have a new gun? Was it really justifiable to kill them when merely maiming them would have done the trick? Was it prejudicial to ask the ‘Punk’ if he was "feeling lucky"? These obscenely difficult issues will be down to judge and jury to tease out – as they always were. (Pro tip: Just give your intruder one barrel. That way you show willing.) So really defenders of the home are on no surer ground than they ever were. How can they be? Until it plainly says you have an inalienable right to kill people who enter your home, the law will always leave you at the mercy of the jury selectors.
And it would have the added advantage of sending a clear message to houseguests who outstay their welcome.
The other law that came oh so achingly close is of course the new Civil Partnership Bill. In many ways this is a highly enlightened piece of legislation, conveying on gay couples almost all the rights and responsibilities that are enjoyed and, I suppose, suffered by married partners. (Actually I think I heard the Minister say it gave them to all GLBT – Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transsexual – couples, but I don’t think you can really have a bisexual couple. It pretty much has to be a bisexual triple.)
The shortfall though is right there in the title. Why do they so studiously avoid calling it marriage? It’s a let-out of course, a sop to conservatives who want to keep marriage holy or special or for Sundays or whatever it is they’re keeping it for.
It may have helped get the law speedily through the Dáil, but somehow this little bit of mean-mindedness spoils everything. It makes it equality in outward appearance alone. Without the spirit, the form of equality means little.
People’s living conditions less than 100 years ago were frightening. We have come a long way. We talk about water charges today, but back then the local District Councils were erecting pumps for local communities and the lovely town of Mountbellew, according to Council minutes, had open sewers,” says Galway County Council archivist Patria McWalter.
Patria believes we “need to take pride in our history, and we should take the same pride in our historical records as we do in our built heritage”. When you see the wealth of material in her care, this belief makes sense.
She is in charge of caring for the rich collection of administrative records owned by Galway County Council and says “these records are as much part of our history as the Rock of Cashel is. They document our lives and our ancestors’ lives. And nobody can plan for the future unless you learn from the past, what worked and what didn’t”.
Archivists and librarians are often unfairly regarded as being dry, academic types, but that’s certainly not true of Patria. Her enthusiasm is infectious as she turns the pages of several minute books from Galway’s Rural District Councils, all of them at least 100 years old.
Part of her role involved cataloguing all the records of the Councils – Ballinasloe, Clifden, Galway, Gort, Loughrea, Mountbellew, Portumna and Tuam. These records mostly consisted of minutes of various meetings.
When she was cataloguing them she realised their worth to local historians and researchers, so she decided to compile a guide to their content. The result is For the Record: The Archives of Galway’s Rural District Councils, which will be a valuable asset to anybody with an interest in history.
Many representatives on these Councils were local personalities and several were arrested during the political upheaval of the era, she explains.
And, ushering in a new era in history, women were allowed to sit on these Rural District Councils – at the time they were not allowed to sit on County Councils.
All of this information is included in Patria’s introductory essay to the attractively produced A4 size guide, which gives a glimpse into how these Rural Councils operated and the way political thinking changed in Ireland during a short 26-year period. In the early 1900s, these Councils supported Home Rule, but by 1920, they were calling for full independence and refusing to recognise the British administration.
“I love the tone,” says Patria of the minutes from meetings. “The language was very emotive.”
That was certainly true of the Gort Rural District Council. At a meeting in 1907, following riots in Dublin at the premiere of JM Synge’s play, The Playboy of the Western World the councillors’ response was vehement. They recorded their decision to “protest most emphatically against the libellous comedy, The Playboy of the Western World, that was belched forth during the past week in the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, under the fostering care of Lady Gregory and Mr Yeats. We congratulate the good people of Dublin in howling down the gross buffoonery and immoral suggestions that are scattered throughout this scandalous performance.
For more from the archives see this week’s Tribunes here
Date Published: 23-Jan-2013
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Date Published: 29-Jan-2013
Athenry FC 1
Kilbarrack United 2
(After extra time)
For the second year in succession Athenry were done in extra time in the FAI Junior Cup as last season’s beaten finalist’s came from behind to snatch an excellent game in Moanbawn on Sunday afternoon.
On a heavy pitch that was only playable following extensive groundwork by club officials all morning, the home side were by far the better side in the opening half, but failed to take advantage of a number of opportunities that came their way.
An Alan O’Donovan penalty gave them a merited advantage just after the restart, but thereafter were on the back foot as Kilbarrack took over, but for all their pressing, the home rearguard were dealing comfortably with their forays.
However they were struck a body blow just six minutes from time, as big striker Keith Kirwan was left all alone at the far post to head the equaliser and from that point on the Dubliners were the better side.
They started off the extra time in the ascendancy and enjoying all the momentum before striking for a good winning goal on 104 minutes. A strong bench allowed them to make some necessary changes and it was not a facility that was available to Athenry manager Gabriel Glavin.
With Gary Forde and Gary Delaney out through suspension following their sending off against OLBC in the previous round, and Seamie Crowe injured, it left their bench rather threadbare with just a number of young squad players available.
Playing with the aid of the slight incline and any wind advantage going, the home side had a Connor Cannon effort on target in the opening minute, while John Meleady was just over with a flick at the other end.
Meleady then tested Andrew Walsh who saved comfortably, before the goalkeeper pulled off a brilliant double save on 14 minutes.
Firstly he went full length to push away a Meleady shot and was then back on his feet to parry David Jackson’s close-range rebound.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Sentinel.
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