Saturday, April 25, 2009

De Cork Boy's Perspective

St. Patrick’s Shenanigans - Are these guys really serious?

By Patrick Hurley

T-anam and diabhal! Just what the Irish American community needs, another left wing, U.S. - bashing website. Oe’r the St. Patrick’s season, left wing extremist Niall O’Dowd grandiosely unveiled his latest endeavor to arrest the death spiral of his Irish Voice publication. With its spoof, puffery and blatant propaganda long ago rejected by the vast majority of Irish Americans, the Voice is barely surviving on the critical, direct and indirect, life support of Dublin 4 Euros. Pass the newsstands in places like Woodside, Sunnyside, Woodlawn, and Yonkers on Mondays and Tuesdays and contemplate the enormity of that rejection. With copies of the publication strewn all over the stands in a loud implicit message, endorsed by the supplicant look from the news vendor to every pair of Irish eyes that passes, “ Please, please, please buy one. Please, please take them off my hands.” The Irish Voice, of course, is not an Irish American publication. It is a slavish Dublin 4 conduit that just happens to be published in New York. Notwithstanding the fact that Irish Americans have rejected the Voice , the big worry for O’Dowd should be that the empirical evidence is damning in highlighting that his mythical “50,000 Irish illegals” are not reading it either.

In fairness, it is not just its repugnant philosophy that has been responsible for the publication’s demise. Technology has long ago rendered it irrelevant. Monday nights, twenty years ago, we lined up outside the Potcheen Still in Queens, or the Tara Irish Gift shop on 207th St., Upper Manhattan, to obtain the weekend’s Sunday Independent, Sunday Press Sunday World and the provincial papers courtesy of Aer Lingus. Then, there was Wednesday for the Irish Echo and the Irish Voice and their interpretation of events in Ireland. However, because of the internet “all has changed, changed utterly”.

With a click of a mouse, one has instantaneous access through numerous portals to news as it happens on “the other side”. The international time difference means Irish Americans are actually accessing Irish papers on the web well before the morning rush hour crowds in Dublin and Cork reach their newsstands. Tonight at 9.p.m, click your mouse “over here” and you will read the Irish Times hours before Sean and Siobhan “over there” visit the kiosk on O’Connell or Patrick streets. And, for those who still like their hardcopy, there is always the Sunday Independent, which is simultaneously available on newsstands in the U.S. So with primary sources abundant, Irish Americans no longer need to rely on the Irish Voice’s regurgitation, or submit themselves to its contrived reality defying parallel universe.

For nearly two decades, the Irish Voice was O’Dowd’s unassailable bully pulpit as it, unchallenged, disparaged Irish American personalities and organizations in the most personal, mean spirited and vicious of ways. The list of targets was long. However, former St. Patrick’s Parade Chairman Frankie Beirne, RIP, current Chairman John Dunleavy, parade officers and other defenders of traditional Irish American values received special attention. Various units of the AOH, the New York GAA, NORAID, Friends of Irish Freedom and the county associations were also ridiculed. And, of course, O’Dowd the latter day champion of Irish illegals reserved special vindictiveness for the Irish Immigration Reform Movement (IIRM), which wanted no part of him. So for the visiting Irish politician that remarked on O’Dowd’s lack of presence on Fifth Avenue and from the general New York St. Patrick’s Day festivities: “I mean I thought he was ‘the man’ over here. He is always presenting himself as the voice of the Irish American community in the media back home.” Well, now you know! As they say, travel broadens the horizons!

However, the self appointed ethics policeman of the Irish American community also had his untouchables. For behind the feigned concern, “principle” and outrage, the almighty dollar ruled. Events and incidents within the community that by any objective standard were legitimate news inexplicably never made it onto the pages of the Irish Voice. It appeared that an advert here, or an advert there, ensured that a probing spotlight was never brought to bear. And, as for objective critical analysis of the Irish Government? Yeah, right! Reworked glowing Iveagh House press releases parroting the Dublin 4 line more like it.

The Irish Voice targeted those who did not have the access to the technical logistics or the financial resources to either directly or indirectly fire back. And so it continued until the advent of that great leveler, the internet. Now, websites and blogs abound and everybody with a laptop has the capability of getting their opinions out to a potential readership of millions. The playing field has been decidedly leveled in favor of John Doe or Sean Citizen. The word is that the Irish Voice and its associates, like spoiled, confused, irrational infants are lashing out. They are having difficulty coming to terms with this strange new egalitarian world of cyberspace.

Through the worst of it all, Iveagh House, pursuing its own agenda of bringing the volatile and upstart locals to heel, stood shoulder to shoulder with O’Dowd’s propaganda sheet. So what does that imply about the Foreign Affairs mandarins? Of course, many of us in Irish America have long ago confirmed our suspicions about An Roinn Gnothai Eachtracha. Just pick up a copy of Accidental Diplomat by former Irish diplomat, Eamonn Delaney. The manuscript is a must for every Irish American’s bookshelf. Guaranteed, you will never look at a Foreign Affairs official in the same light again. While with Iveagh House, Delaney had a sojourn in the New York consulate. Very interesting! The “accidental diplomat” is now the editor of the Irish political affairs magazine Magill. Although it probably was not his intention, he has performed the Irish American community a great service. The mandarins at Iveagh House are still livid at his expose of their mindset.


As per the Irish Independent, O’Dowd’s latest desperate attempt to maintain a semblance of relevancy involved the unveiling of the first “global Irish website”. This of course would have been earth shattering news to the folks at the Irish Times, Irish Examiner, Irish Independent, New York Irish Echo, New York Irish Examiner, Irish Echo Australia, London’s Irish Post and Irish World, Irish Abroad, and Notre Dame’s Irish Rover, etc., all of which maintain world wide websites, not to mention the plethora of other sites and blogs of Irish interest. We were under the impression that a missive once dispatched to the World Wide Web was going “global”, hence the “world” in World Wide Web. Perhaps we should all collaborate and demand our money back.


The editor of this revolutionary “global” dimension is apparently Ms. Kelly Fincham. Ms. Fincham was/is an Irish Voice “journalist” and simultaneously the “Executive Director” of the leftwing fringe group ILIR, a lobbying surrogate for Iveagh House. A woman of many hats, it seems! The principal of this newly discovered dimension is O’Dowd AKA chairman of ILIR, AKA publisher of the Irish Voice. Other members of the Irish Voice administrative & “journalistic staff” will also contribute; some of whom also hold prominent positions in the radical left wing polarizing group.

Indeed, the duplication between ILIR’s head honchos, the Irish Voice’s crème de la crème and the key actors in the new dimension is almost seamless. As the ubiquitous Kerryman from Glenflesk said to us recently, “Jaysus, they’re like identical triplets. Impossible to tell them apart. There must be a very large hat rack in the Irish Voice, to support all those different caps.” The Voice, of course, regularly reports and editorializes glowingly on ILIR. O’Dowd, Ms. Fincham and others, wearing their ILIR caps have been frequently extolled and quoted in the pages of their own paper. As my good Kerry friend concluded, “They must prop themselves in front of mirrors and interview their reflections!” Now we are no experts on the canons of journalistic ethics but we suspect something is amiss here! Of course, critics of ILIR’s radical agenda and modus operanda, as Congressman Pete King and ourselves could tell you, don’t “feel” that Irish Voice “love”.

Prima facia ILIR, as the recipient of thousands of Irish taxpayer Euros and hard earned immigrant dollars, appears to be yet another life support conduit for the Irish Voice. Over the years, as the self anointed corruption crusader of the Irish American community, the Irish Voice has high handedly demanded accountability and transparency from many community entities. The NYC St. Patrick’s Day Parade and the IIRM come readily to mind as having been so blistered. Some time ago, in the spirit of these laudable standards established by O’Dowd the ”journalist”, calls were made for ILIR, as a recipient of Irish tax payer money and public donations, to publish its audited accounts. To date, nothing! Can we now expect O’Dowd as “publisher of the Irish Voice” and “principal” of the new dimension to gaze into the looking glass and demand accountability and transparency from O’Dowd, “the chairman of ILIR”. Absent any accounting, empirical evidence suggests – all those full page adverts - that the Irish Voice has been the chief beneficiary of ILIR largesse. And, not a Green Card in sight!

However “life springs eternal” . . . yet another stay of execution for the propaganda sheet.
Apparently, the Voice will be supplying the editorial content for the “global” website. Hmmm ….. let me get out may scales here . . . Irish Times content vs. Irish Voice content . . . Hmmm . . . Irish Independent content vs. Irish Voice content . . . Hmmm . . . Irish Examiner content vs. Irish Voice content . . . Hmm . . . Nope . . . No brainer . . . Not even close! You can rework it, re - wrap it, re - package it, dress it up, but it will still only be juvenile, extremist left wing, anti -American claptrap.

What is really disconcerting is that in the midst of the economic crisis that grips the former Celtic Tiger, Taoiseach Brian Cowen and Foreign Minister Micheal O Martin should actually fly out to New York to attend the launch of this charade. Talk about being in denial! Even now, a blatant junket on the backs of the emasculated Irish taxpayer? A last mindless, desperate grasp by a flailing government. Underlining the absurdity and desperation, the following day na buachailli were in Washington to hand over the bowl of shamrock to the 3.6 % Irish Obama. Obama couldn’t find Ireland on a map, even if he cared to try. Jingle jangle . . . the “Old Triangle”? . . . or the keys to Moneygall being handed over? Brian actually had the Irish birth records in tow to substantiate the 3.6%. As a contributor to the Emerald Society of Federal Law Enforcement Agencies Forum (http://www.esflea.org/) implied, forget the Irish birth records, most Irish Americans would like to peruse Obama’s own birth certificate. In ”Skuse’s Place”, The Kinsale Tavern, while we lubricated internally following the march up Fifth Avenue, a Mayo man of long acquaintance opined that in the mind’s eye one had this pathetic image of Brian and Micheal frantically wandering the halls of the White House, desperately searching in the drawers for money. The “Big Fella” or the "Chief” they are not.

Hey, but they have offered to take our loveable and misunderstood Guantanamo terrorists. … er, sorry . . . enemy combatants . . . er, sorry . . . practitioners in the “Overseas Contingency” when Obama does the dangerous and naive thing and dun(s) an doras on the holding center. Na buachailli are hoping of course that Obama will take Ireland’s ever growing “huddled masses” as a quid pro quo. Hmm . . . I wonder has this resonated with the Irish people yet . . . From Guantanamo to Grenagh! All the way from Guantamo Bay to a crossroads near you! Irish Americans are duly noting how suddenly helpful Dublin is . . . I mean Brian and Micheal are practically falling over their feet . . . now that “O” is in the White House, of course . . . and Dubya has left town!

The intimations from inside the Obama White House is that an fear an teach has no interest in these St. Patrick’s Day shenanigans. Ireland is a part of the Anglo Western world, a world for which he has little regard. A Dail source related to us that after the nonchalant dismissal of the British prime minister by the Obamanites and considering other vibes that had been coming thar saile, there was considerable concern within Ireland’s Foggy Bottom on Stephen’s Green, as to whether the traditional St. Patrick’s interaction would occur at all, at all. Our source reported that the actual invite came very, very, very late. There was tangible relief when an fear an phoist eventually showed up with it in hand. Note to future GOP Administrations: Make the Iveagh House mandarins sweat for the coveted day out. They’ll respect you more in the end!


From what kind of an insecurity complex do we as a people suffer? We are forever rolling out the David Kelly genealogist character to vicariously associate with the success of others. None of the other ethnicities in the U.S melting pot suffer so much from said affliction. Of course, it is one thing when it is the genuine deal like a Crowley, Donnelly, King, Kennedy, Mack, Reagan, Sullivan, Walsh, etc. But, when we have to go scratching for Obama’s 3.6%, we come off as fairly desperate and pathetic.

"The Convention brought together a self-selected group of the European political elite, many of whom have their eyes on a career at a European level, which is dependent on more and more integration and who see national governments and parliaments as an obstacle. Not once in the sixteen months I spent on the Convention did representatives question whether deeper integration is what the people of Europe want, whether it serves their best interests or whether it provides the best basis for a sustainable structure for an expanding Union. The debates focused solely on where we could do more at European Union level. None of the existing policies were questioned."

~Gisela Stuart MP, The Making of Europe's Constitution, Fabian Society, London, 2003. ~


So is that it? The last frantic strategies of Brian and Micheal revealed? Grovel unashamedly at the feet of 3.6% Obama or dissolve what’s left of the sovereign Irish nation state into the European Superstate. Is that all they have left? The “Chief” and the “Big Fella” are spinning! So volatile is the political situation in Ireland that the punditocracy are predicting a General Election for as early as June 5. Electoral disaster looms for Fianna Fail. But a word to whomever forms the next government; enough with the buffoonery there is serious work to be done. The Irish people deserve better!

So excuse me a second while I press this here key and go “global”!


Patrick Hurley is a past president of the County Cork Association of New York. In 1987, Hurley was a co-founder of the Irish Immigration Reform Movement, which went on to secure thousands of Green Cards for Irish and other European immigrants to the United States. Active in GOP and Conservative Party politics, he is a former candidate for political office in NYC. Patrick Hurley is a 1985 graduate of University College Cork.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

How long did it take you to come up with this shite, you lost me when you made mention of Dublin 4 conduit.

Just because you can figure out blogger.com does not make you a media figure.

I am not a huge fan of Niall O'Dowd but he does provide a service, granted he is a long way from his roots, but who wants to live in a bog all their lives.

Anyway good luck..

Anonymous said...

Is it yourself? Feeling a bit threatened in the vocab area? Oh we all know O'Dowd provides a service. The question is who . . . Oh well you know what I mean!


Media figure??? Journalist??? What passes for "journalism" these days is garbage that is peristently being challenged and exposed by the blogger world!

Connecticut Tom said...

The old adage applies, if you do not like it then do not buy it....

You sound like the boys who used to sell An Poblacht outside the GPO. Where are they now? Gone thats where they are and long may they reside there.


Read twentymajor's blog out of Dublin He would put the likes of you and your Bushie supporter friends where you belong. In Texas playing Cowboys and Mexicans.

Anonymous said...

Conn Tom . . . I'm not going anywhere . . . the only people that will be going anywhere is the current Irish Government . . . oblivion at the next election . . . Crooked Chris Dodd at the next election . . . the House and the Senate back to the GOP at the next election . . . and four years time . . . well how long can a farce continue? As regards, your blogger friend I'll talk to him when he emigrates . . . shortly probably. These guys crack me up . . . they were so busy bashing America and Bush meanwhile Ireland was going down the tubes.

mikeyouknowwho said...

Thanks for warning us neophytes about O'Dowd's website. I'll sure as heck stay away from yet another "blame America first" webpage.

Anonymous said...

Pat

Another excellent piece! You pegged Mr. Niall O'Dowd. He is a disgrace to the Irish American community. His paper (it is hard to call it a newspaper because it hardly reports the news,,, certainly not real or truthful news!) is nothing but vehicle for him to pat himself on the back. It is really only good for lining birdcages or house-breaking puppies. It is a rag. I think, secretly, he is a self-loathing Irishman who really wishes he was a British subject.

Sincerely
Irish American acitivist, Bronx

Anonymous said...

"The Doc" loved the piece!


Office of a . . . ahem . . . very large Irish American institution