Building in Cork City collapsed

While Ireland's government is crumbling at the edges and the coalition is close to collapse (see my entry of August 25th), the country itself is already collapsing and falling to pieces bit by bit.

No, I am not referring to the banks this time. They are holed below the waterline and sinking slowly, but steadily. And no adult alive today who has a working brain and seen and experienced the absolute crazy, irresponsible and ruthless attitude and behaviour of our banks will ever trust them again. (Any old box or mattress is a much better and safer place for your money than the ugly temples of silly greed and certain doom...)

But as I said, I am not writing about the banks today. When I say that the country is falling to pieces, I mean it literally.

The latest episode in this new series of contemporary Irish 'entertainment' did happen in Cork, Ireland's second-largest city, where a complete multi-story city building has suddenly and unexpectedly collapsed yesterday (photo left).

The incident happened in Castle Street, right in the city, and it is a miracle that no one was killed or seriously injured when the house collapsed into the street without warning.

The only 'casualty' was a small silver-coloured car that was parked right in front of the house, which collapsed on top of it and made it a complete insurance write-off. (see photo right)

The building, which was in a row of houses and connected to two other buildings to the left and right, was undergoing renovation for some time.

Buildings and offices on Castle Street have been evacuated and traffic diversions are in place in the area.

Gardaí in Cork are puzzled by the incident, and a full investigation is expected to take place.

This is the second time within one week that a substantial construction in Ireland has collapsed suddenly and without any apparent reason.
Last Friday evening a 20-metre-long section of the railway viaduct across the Broadmeadow estuary near Malahide station in the North of Dublin also collapsed without warning. (see my entries of August 22nd, 23rd & 26th)

In contrast to many other countries, Ireland does not have a national Department for Buildings and Construction. This leads to the ridiculous situation that there are hundreds of different rules and regulations for different kinds of buildings and structures, often very different from one local authority to the next.
At the same time Ireland's planning law and planning process is among the most complicated and bureaucratic in the world.

If we want to see some progress eventually, this has to stop. We have to streamline planning and building regulations on a national level, with the same rules applying equally to everyone. And when it comes to buildings and other structures, the element of safety and solidity has to come above all other concerns.

Even though I am not much involved with the construction industry or property business, I have seen over the years too many houses and other buildings that I - as a layman - would regard as unsafe or at least critical. They are still in place, and unchanged, and perhaps other collapse cases waiting to happen.

There is no inspection of buildings in Ireland, but such takes place in most continental countries, where buildings do not suddenly collapse. Where and when people take care, things work well, are functioning and satisfactory for all.
But in ridiculous banana republics like Ireland no one seems to care any more, especially not for the common good. Most people are just looking after 'No. 1' (themselves), and an incompetent government, hand-in-glove with a sluggish and self-absorbed bureaucracy, has no interest in the common good either. As long as our ministers, TDs and civil servants receive their exorbitant salaries, 'allowances' and - eventually - pensions, they don't care for anything else.

One of the recommendations of 'An Bord Snip (Nua)' is the complete abolition of the Department of the Gaeltacht, Rural & Community Affairs, whose few responsibilities could easily be taken over by other existing government departments.
This is one of the few recommendations of Colm McCarthy's four-men commission I applaude and fully agree with.
It also means that we could fill a soon empty space in the cabinet with something new and more useful than the Gaeltacht. Why not create a new Department of Construction and Housing and give it responsibility for every house, building and structure in the country?
Many other countries have such a department, and it is more than time for Ireland to follow suit, unless we want to hear of ever more collapsing buildings on a regular basis.

The Emerald Islander

AIB has Egg on its Face

The Allied Irish Bank's regional office and main branch in Cork has egg on its face - literally.

Three days ago - on Tuesday, February 17th at about 11.30 am - a "well-dressed man", wearing a suit and tie, approached the AIB's main building on the South Mall in Ireland's second-largest city. He carried a medium-sized cardboard box, and at first it appeared as if he was just another customer, walking towards the bank.

But then he stopped in the street outside the impressive 19th century building (photo below), opened his box and began to throw eggs at the façade and windows. The bombardment lasted only a few minutes, but it brought traffic to a halt on the usually busy South Mall, one of Cork's major inner city streets.
Some of the motorists and various passers-by are reported to have given the unidentified man a spontaneous round of applause.

The AIB building at 97 South Mall, Cork is probably the most beautiful and impressive bank building in Ireland. Built in 1825 and reconstructed 1863-65, it was the first branch office of the Irish Provincial Bank Ltd., which later became part of the Allied Irish Bank Plc (AIB). Thus it is particularly iconic among Irish banks and a clear symbol of traditional banking and old-world capitalism.

After finishing what he had come for and using up all the 'ammunition' he had brought along, the man dropped the by now empty box and walked away from the scene as inconspicously as he had arrived.

The box, which had been filled with three dozen Irish farm eggs, was later identified as an item bought from a poultry merchant at the nearby 'English Market', Cork's very popular traditional grocery market.

However, the identity of the "well-dressed man" and the specific motives for his direct action remain so far unknown.

An AIB spokeswoman confirmed the incident and declared that the bank would not be making a complaint to the Garda (Ireland's police).
"The man did not enter our building," she said, "and we have no idea who he is, or why he has bombarded the bank with eggs."

While the identity of the 'Egg Man of Cork' might well remain a mystery, with regards to his motives one can think of many. The outrageous behaviour of Ireland's major banks, including AIB, whose reckless and irresponsible management has created the most serious economic and financial crisis in the history of the state, is causing widespread anger among Irish people.
Especially the fact that most of the over-paid fat cat bankers are unwilling to admit their mistakes, expect to remain in their posts and receive their salaries of several million Euros per annum as if nothing has happened, creates great resentment among many ordinary people, whose tax money is used by the Irish government to bail out the failed banks.

I suggest that we all pause for a moment and give three cheers to the 'Egg Man of Cork'...

The Emerald Islander

Historic Cork Brewery Beamish & Crawford will be closed in March by its new Owner Heineken

If you have waited for today's scandal from Ireland and wondered what it could be, you have to wait no longer. Here it is, with bad news from Cork.
It is not as large and significant as the scandals uncovered in previous days, but for an Irishman, and especially one who lives in the southern province of Munster, it is bad enough.

The giant international brewery group Heineken - originally a Dutch company - is to close the historic Beamish & Crawford brewery in Cork (photo above), which they recently acquired.

The closure is scheduled for next March and will also mean the loss of 120 local jobs in Ireland's second-largest city.
Production of the famous Beamish stout, which looks like Guinness but tastes better, will be transferred to one site at Heineken Ireland's brewery (formerly Murphy's Brewery) in Cork's Leitrim Street. Up to 40 employees from Beamish & Crawford will move to Heineken Ireland, while 120 others are losing their jobs.

In a statement Heineken Ireland has said today that it made the decision "following a review of both individual brewing operations with particular focus on capacity, expansion capability and future investment".

This is nonsense. The real reason is most likely the interest Heineken has in selling off the large Beamish & Crawford site in the city centre of Cork, which would be very lucrative for some new commercial development.

Heineken's Managing Director Gerrit van Loo said: "Retaining two breweries in Cork is not sustainable and the loss of so many jobs remains a sad but unavoidable outcome. We will do all we can to minimise the impact on people and the community. We have agreed comprehensive severance terms with the trade unions, we will provide outplacement support, including career counselling, job search training and pension advice to all departing staff."

This is a severe blow for Cork as a city, but even more so for the traditional culture and lifestyle in the south of Ireland.
While the other three provinces have long been dominated by the Dublin-brewed Guinness stout, Munster had always more diversity and choice in the beer market. Though Guinness is available here as well and has meanwhile a large share of the stout market, there were also the alternatives from Cork: Beamish and Murphy's. The latter has been taken over by Heineken years ago and became the core operation of Heineken Ireland. Ever since it has gradually lost its unique identity, character and special taste. Subsequently it also lost a lot of its market share and has become a real minority drink now, rarely to be found anywhere outside Cork city.

Until recently Beamish remained the only true alternative to the international beer giants, although it has been foreign-owned already since 1962.

The Beamish & Crawford brewery was founded in Cork city in 1792 by William Beamish and William Crawford. They purchased an existing brewery on a site in Cramer's Lane that had been producing beer at least since 1650, but probably began brewing already in the early 16th century. Which ever date one takes, it makes this brewery the oldest existing beer producer in Ireland, beating its arch rival Guinness by at least 109 years and perhaps even by 250.

The historic brewery is still situated on the same site in the heart of Cork's medieval city, close to the site of the city's South Gate. (The old Cramer's Lane is now South Main Street) .

Under Mssrs. Beamish and Crawford the brewery prospered, and by 1805 it had become the largest in Ireland and the third-largest in the United Kingdom as a whole, with an output of 100,000 barrels per annum, up from 12,000 barrels per annum in 1792.

In 1865 the brewery underwent a full modernisation programme. This cost the owners £ 100,000 (which was a huge fortune at a time when middle-class people could live comfortably on £ 100 a year).

Alfred Barnard, a renowned brewing and distilling historian, remarked in his book Noted Breweries of Great Britain & Ireland in 1889 that: "The business of Beamish & Crawford in Cork is a very old one, dating as far back as the seventeenth century, and it is said to be the most ancient porter brewery in Ireland".

The company went public in 1901 and issued a share capital of £ 480,000. Further expansion was aided by the acquisition of a number of smaller local breweries in the early 1900s.

Beamish & Crawford remained a strong and independent brewery and survived both world wars and two serious economic depressions without major problems.
It became famous in Ireland and beyond for its tasty stout (which is superior to Guinness and Murphy's, but was always sold a little cheaper in order to keep the old ties with the dockers and other working men intact) and also for 'Beamish Red', a lovely sweetish high quality ale that is lately only available in Cork. (It is a favourite drink with the Cricketers of Cork County CC and still on tap at their pavilion on the Mardyke.)

In 1962 Beamish & Crawford came under foreign ownership, when it was purchased by the Canadian brewing firm Carling-O'Keefe Ltd.
Even though the new owners embarked on a modernisation programme at the brewery, the take-over meant the end of a 170-year tradition and it started a slow but steady process of decline.
In 1987 the brewing group Elders IXL purchased Canadian Breweries (incorporating Carling-O'Keefe) and eight years later they sold the Cork brewery to Scottish & Newcastle, brewers of the famous 'Newcastle Brown Ale', the favourite drink of north-east England.
For them Beamish & Crawford was always only a side-show, and thus there was not much new investment in modern technology.
In addition to their own products, Beamish & Crawford now brew or distribute also a number of internationally known brands of foreign beer. They hold the Irish franchises for Carling, Fosters, Kronenberg 1664 and Miller.

Earlier this year Scottish & Newcastle, already a very large company, was taken over by an even larger rival, the Dutch brewing giant Heineken International. And with that move Beamish joined its local rival Murphy's as one of the many minority beers in the ever growing portfolio of Heineken International.

The planned closure of the Beamish & Crawford plant in the city centre might well make some commercial sense for the managers and share holders of Heineken, but for the people of Cork and many others in Ireland it is a severe blow. It comes - to make things worse - at a time of severe recession, when every job is vital for a recovery.
By closing the historic brewery on South Main Street, Heineken is committing an act of cultural vandalism that shows ignorance for our Irish traditions and contempt for the people of Cork.

I have no power to stop this, even though I wish I had. And I am not even a great drinker of beer. But now and then - in the right company - I might have a few pints like almost everyone else here in Ireland.
I will make sure that from now on not a drop of Heineken will ever again pass my lips, as a personal act of protest against the ruthless cultural vandalism of Heineken International.

You might think that such a personal protest is futile and makes no difference to a giant like Heineken. And you are probably right.
But I will still do it, in the same way that I have not used any airline in more than 18 years, not been to any fast food outlet for more than 40 years, never use any products from Nestle and Kellogg's, and not buy anything made in the USA since George W. Bush occupied the White House unelected in 2001.
I do have my principles, and one of them is not to give any money to people and companies who abuse their political or commercial power. Heineken has just joined this group, and it is a sad development. They used to be a decent Dutch brewery, but that seems now a very long time ago.

The Emerald Islander

25,000 protest in Cork against Education Cuts

Today about 25,000 Irish people have been marching through the streets of Cork city in protest against the government's cuts in the education budget.

The march was part of a series of protest demonstrations organised by the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO), which says that children should not be made to pay for the current difficulties in our economy.

It was the third time since mid-October that teachers, pupils and their parents have taken to Ireland's streets, protesting against education cutbacks.
INTO's General Secretary John Carr (right) declared that the marches will continue until the cuts are reversed.

Meanwhile the Minister for Education, Fianna Fáil's Batt O'Keeffe (left) who comes from Cork, said that he "simply does not have the funds" to reverse the cuts. This is his mantra ever since the major education debate in the Dáil on October 29th/30th. And unlike other ministers, who have been busy looking for extra money or alternative ways of saving on expenses, O'Keeffe has just remained stubborn, repetitive and inflexible like a stick in the mud.

Many in the education sector, who welcomed the appointment of the former teacher at first, think now that he is not really up to the job of heading the Department of Education.

The Emerald Islander

Irish Retailers face Sell-Out and Take-Over

Dunnes Stores, one of Ireland's major retail companies, have declined to comment on reports that they are convening senior managers for a significant announcement today.

On Tuesday the Mandate trade union, which represents about 5,000 of the 18,000 employees of Dunnes Stores, called on the company to clarify whether there are plans to sell the company.

Rumours keep spreading in business circles that the retailer, which accounts for around 25% of the Irish grocery market and also has significant clothing and home furnishing operations, might be sold to a foreign company.

Speculations have focused especially on the British chain ASDA as a potential purchaser, which itself is owned by the US giant Walmart.

On Tuesday ASDA dismissed the suggestion that they are planning to take over Dunnes Stores as "market speculation and rumour".

Some market observers have also greeted the reports with scepticism, saying they have seen such stories come and go before. However, others are not that easily put off their scent. There is a certain amount of internal information from Dunnes that was leaked into the communications circles of the Irish retail world, and they have been going around now for a while.

Dunnes Stores, which started their rise to nationwide success in 1944 in Cork, is not the only Irish retail company in the cross-hairs of foreign investors. Only two years ago the even older and more up-market chain Roches Stores - founded by William Roche in Cork in 1901 - was taken over by the British department store Debenham's, although Roches still own the buildings and sold only the retail elements of their business for a total of € 27 million. (If this was a wise move for the UK high street chain is uncertain. They not only took over Roches Stores, they also changed the character and goods range of the shops. Personally I find them now way too selective and way too expensive. The quality of their service has also dropped significantly, with most of the - almost completely female - staff being arrogant and unhelpful if customers are looking for something they used to buy from Roches, but can no longer find in Debenham's.)
The take-over of Irish grocery shops by foreign companies began in 1997, when Quinnsworth supermarkets were bought by the British retail giant TESCO.

The Irish supermarket chain Superquinn, founded in Drogheda, Co. Louth by Fergal Quinn and since his sell-out owned by a group with the meaningless name 'Select Retail Holdings', is also seeking a buyer on the Irish or international market. The Cork-based and Irish-owned grocery company Musgrave, which controls already the SuperValu and Centra chains, has shown an interest in taking over Superquinn for € 150 million.
However, their offer was withdrawn a month ago when it emerged that the current owners - represented by their London bankers Goldman Sachs - were expecting € 250 million for the up-market grocery chain.

There are also take-over rumours hanging over several smaller Irish retail companies, without any concrete information available to analysts yet.

The whole picture looks rather ominous, and one has to ask two questions: Why are suddenly so many of our own retailers, who filled their pocket during the past ten years of boom with plenty of our money, prepared to sell up and get out? And why are quite a few very large international companies interested to invest in Ireland at a time of economic recession and a drop in spending power?

One can of course never be certain about everyone's motives, but it appears that some of the Irish business owners feel that the best times for Ireland are over and it is time to sell up, take the money and run, probably to eastern Europe, where the next economic boom is expected in due course.
On the other hand, international giants like Walmart, who have so far not been represented in Ireland, see the current economic crisis as a welcome opportunity to extend their controlling influence in the retail sector. They are cash-rich and large enough to sit out a recession for a few years, confident that they can make even more profits when the Irish economy recovers again.

Ireland is already full of international chain stores, and their number is rising steadily, with or without take-overs of existing Irish businesses. At the same time more and more of traditional Irish shops are closing down, which is not only a loss for our economy, but also - and even more - a loss for our national identity and cultural diversity.

The Emerald Islander

Fianna Fáil TD guilty of Drink Driving

Fianna Fáil TD Christy O'Sullivan has been banned from driving for a year after pleading guilty to a charge of drink driving. The TD for Cork South West was also fined € 300 at Clonakilty District Court.

He was returning from a race meeting on the June Bank Holiday weekend when he was arrested in Clonakilty at a mandatory alcohol checkpoint being operated by the Garda Traffic Corps.

Judge James McNulty heard that an analysis of a blood sample which O'Sullivan gave showed a concentration of 88mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood.

Arson Attacks on Garda Stations

A Garda station in southern Connemara was extensively damaged in a suspected arson attack. The fire at Carna Garda station (photo left) in Co. Galway broke out at around 10 p.m. last night.
About two weeks ago windows of the same station had been smashed during the night, but no further damage was done at that time. There were also some other acts of vandalism reported in the area in recent weeks.

Only five days ago the Garda station of Blarney (photo right) in Co. Cork was also badly damaged by another fire.
Gardaí are now attempting to establish a motive for both attacks, but it is not suspected that they are connected.

Arson attacks on Garda stations are fortunately not occurring frequently in Ireland, but there has been a considerable number of such crimes in recent years.

Last year, on March 22nd, 2007, an arson attack was made on the Garda station at Bandon, in the west of Co. Cork. A man walked into the public office of the station at 11 p.m. with a petrol bomb. The spreading fire was quickly extinguished by Gardaí, but there was smoke damage to the floor and walls. A person who had been in the foyer during the attack was treated in hospital as a precaution.

Three years ago the Garda station in Littleton, Co. Tipperary was target of not one but two arson attcks within the short span of 13 weeks. The first took place on July 25th, 2005 and - just as the station had been repaired and refurbished again - a second occurred on November 2nd, 2005.

Six weeks before the first attack at Littleton, in the morning of June 14th, 2005, five petrol bombs were thrown at Blackrock Garda station in Cork city. Two Gardaí, who were in the station at the time, managed to extinguish the fires. There were no injuries and - apart fom burn marks on the outer walls (photo above) - no damage was done to the building.

On May 3rd, 2004 the Garda station at Carrigbyrne in Co. Wexford was extensively damaged by another serious act of arson.

In the night to Saturday, May 31st, 2003 a 19-year-old woman started at fire at Tallaght Garda station on the outskirts of Dublin.

On February 28th, 2002 a 28-year-old alcoholic from Finglas walked into Ballymun Garda station in Dublin, claiming his brother was missing. He then poured petrol, which he had with him, on the floor of the station's public area and set it alight. The Garda in charge on the night reacted quickly and put the fire out himself, so only € 1000 damage was done in this attack. The man was arrested and on June 19th, 2003 sentenced to three years imprisonment.

The most serious arson attack on Gardaí took place on Wednesday, July 21st, 1999 at Tallaght Garda station. A man entered the station at around a quarter to five in the morning, carrying petrol and some flares. He went into the public office, where the Sergeant and several other Gardaí were on duty, and set it on fire. Then he escaped in a white Ford Sierra car. Extensive damage was done to the station and tragically Sergeant Andrew Callanan, a 36-year-old married man and father of three small children, died from severe burns later in hospital. Several other Gardaí were injured in this outrageous attack.

On April 19th, 1999 another Garda station, this time in Edenderry, Co. Offaly, was set alight in the early hours of the morning. The Sergeant's office was completely gutted and some damage was done to the public office. A Garda patrol car, which was parked at the rear of the station, was burnt-out in the blaze (photo above right), while a second car, owned by a civilian, was also partially damaged.

One wonders why Garda stations around the country are not better protected against such attacks. But then again, many of the stations that suffered arson attacks are in rural areas and not manned around the clock. There is only a Garda present for several hours a day, but never at night. And some smaller rural stations are entirely unattended by now. All they provide for the public is an intercom connection to the next manned station, which is often many miles away.

As a historian I can only reflect on the lessons one can learn about this from history. Whenever the State withdraws its visible presence - which is usually the police - from a local community, it leads to two things: Alienation of people from the State and reduction of their respect for government and authorities; and an increase in crime, vandalism and unsavoury behaviour.

Maybe it is time for the Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern (photo above left) and Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy (photo right) to have a closer look at their general strategic policing principles and in particular at the deployment pattern of the Garda Síochána around the country.

The Emerald Islander

A Day on the T/S Gunilla

Today has been a very positive and uplifting day for me. The weather was fine, with a clear blue sky and sunshine well into the afternoon, which is not that common here in October. But it was a welcome compensation for the long and grey weeks of rain and storm we had during this year's 'summer'.

However, the good weather was only the backdrop for this positive day. I have just returned home from Cork, where I spent most of the day on board the Swedish sail training ship Gunilla, which arrived in Cork on Monday and will sail on to Spain on Sunday. Later, after a change of the trainee crew, the beautiful three-masted bark will sail across the Atlantic Ocean, heading for the northern coast of South America.

With 49 metres length the T/S Gunilla is Sweden's largest sail training vessel and a truly fine example of great ship design, initiative and proper seamanship. (for details of the vessel and its history, please see my entry from September 25th)

Like all other sail training ships, T/S Gunilla teaches young people to sail, to work in teams and to take responsibility for each other and for their vessel. But in contrast to other tall ships, this is not all the trainees learn. The Gunilla is home to a unique Swedish education model, which can best be translated as the 'sailing high school'. Besides all the sailing skills and comradeship at sea the students have also normal classes as they would have in any other school on land.

Having seen myself today how it works, and encountered 33 kind and enthusiastic students on board (among them many young women), I am impressed by the concept and convinced that it should be adopted by other training ships and vessels as well.
I also spent good time with the Master, his officers and teachers, and thus gained a good insight into the operation of the seagoing college.
What I found was a combination of professionalism and high quality, combined with a very humane and friendly attitude. All over the barque one meets people with bright eyes, great smiles and a relaxed but nevertheless orderly attitude.

Over the past 33 years I have been in many seagoing vessels, and among them a good number of tall ships. So I think that I have some experience and understanding of the matter and have to say that I rarely experienced such a happy ship - happy in every way - as the T/S Gunilla.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Captain Frederik Göthberg and Chief Officer Knut Svanholm for their kind invitation and hospitality, and the other officers, crew members and trainees for their great openness, interest and friendly reception. They all have given me a good insight into the great work they do, and it truly made my day.

May the Gunilla and all that sail in her always have a save voyage with good wind, high spirits and educational as well as maritime success. And on a personal note I hope that one day we will be honoured to welcome her also to the port of Waterford.

The Emerald Islander

Nearly 500 Jobs will be lost in Cork

Today the large international company Tyco Safety Products announced the closure of its factory in Cork with a loss of 320 jobs over the next twelve months.

The manufacturing division at its site in Bishopstown, an area in the western part of Cork city, will be moved to another country, where wages are lower than in Ireland.

The factory, which produces - amongst other things - fire detection devices and security tagging items for shops, was set up in the early 1980s under the name Sensormatic.

Before a meeting this morning, workers knew that the company planned a reduction of personnel, so job losses were expected. But they were not sure of how many. Only yesterday there had been talk of about 200 redundancies. So today's announcement came as a shock to many employees, who will find it difficult to get a similar job in Cork in the current economical recession.

Tyco says it will provide severance packages and outplacement services for all 320 workers being laid off. It will retain only a skeleton staff of 20 in its shared services centre, which will remain in Cork for the time being.

The company acknowledged that great efforts had been made by employees in Cork to lower operating costs, but it was not enough and manufacturing operations were being moved abroad now. Until recently, the Cork branch of this very large and prosperous international business was highly profitable and it is not clear what caused the sudden change. Union representatives said that there was nothing wrong in Bishops town and work was done as usual. But they think that the low-wage economies in Asia are luring more and more companies away, in particular multi-national US giants like Tyco, who have no roots here and no cultural links with Ireland.

Other branches of the international Tyco conglomerate which operate in Ireland are so far not affected by the closure of the Cork operation.

Earlier this week it emerged that another 150 jobs in Cork are at risk, as the manufacturing company Swissco also plans a scaling down of its operations. Should this information turn out to be correct as well, it would mean a loss of nearly 500 jobs in Ireland's second-largest city. Hard times lie ahead for those affected, their families and the local economy in general.

Once again it is evident that the long-standing policy of the IDA and the Irish government to attract foreign - and especially American - companies to Ireland by giving them favourable conditions and generous tax exemptions does not work on the long run. These companies take the benefits, but when they run out or the companies have better offers elsewhere, they pack up and leave Ireland again.

It would be far more sensible, and a lot cheaper for the Irish taxpayer, if special funding and support would be offered more to Irish businesses, and in particular to small and medium-size companies. It would also be good to encourage more local people to start their own business with financial help and tax relief. This would create new jobs, uplift the spirits in Irish communities, and on the long run provide the government also with more taxes. For the country as a whole it would mean stability and an increase in skills and entrepreneurship.

Sadly the few programmes that exist in support of Irish businesses are underfunded, badly managed and administered, and often influenced by party politics and favouritism towards friends of those in charge. If we want to get out of the current recession, changes in the government's business and enterprise policy are needed, and needed fast.

The Emerald Islander

Cork Mini Marathon in Support of Amnesty

The Cork Ladies' Football Team is preparing for their appearance in the All-Ireland Final, which could crown them champions at the end of a good and successful season. But the ladies from Cork do not only play Football, they also care for Human Rights and work in support of Amnesty International (AI).

And it is no surprise that the sportive ladies support especially campaigns on female issues, such as Stop Violence against Women, Gender-based Discrimination and Support for Victims of Trafficking.

The Cork team captain Angela Walsh (photo) encourages women of all ages to walk or run in their Mini Marathon in support of Amnesty International and show that they care.
The event will take place on Sunday (September 28th) in Cork and all are welcome to participate.

”Whatever county you’re from, women's issues effect us all,” says Angela Walsh. ”While each person may have their own favourite charity, if you’re undecided, Amnesty may be the one for you.”

Being a member of AI for more than 30 years myself, I can only agree with Angela, support her work and wish her and everyone in Cork the best of luck and success for Sunday.

The Emerald Islander

If you are interested to take part in the Cork Mini Marathon, you can contact Jay Flavin, coordinator of AI Cork, under 087-8128236 or by e-mail to amnesty.cork@gmail.com

T/S Gunilla to visit Cork

Less than three weeks after the sad loss of our own national sail training ship Asgard II, which sank on September 11th off the coast of Brittany (see my entries from September 11th and September 13th), one of the most beautiful and impressive tall ships in northern Europe will stop in Ireland for a brief visit.

The T/S Gunilla, a three-masted barque and - with 49 metres length - Sweden's largest sail training vessel, is due to arrive on Monday (September 29th) in Cork.
She is expected to berth at Horgan's Quay, close to the Customs House.
This will give people the chance to have a good look at her, before she leaves the port again on October 5th and sails on to Spain. Later she is set to cross the Atlantic and head for the northern coast of South America, which will be an interesting voyage and challenging for the trainees.

Gunilla was originally launched as a three-master with triangular bermuda sails (see archive photo below left) at the Oskarshamn Shipyard in 1940 and built of pre-war top-quality steel, but was put into service only in 1945, after the end of the war. As a cargo vessel under several owners she sailed mainly along the Swedish coast and in the Baltic, carrying all kinds of goods, from cars and lead to wheat and mud.

In 1954 she was lengthened by 8 metres and became a motor ship. She continued operating as a regional trader until 1997, when she carried her last cargo of grain and was then sold to the Association MBV at Öckerö.
MBV, which has 20 years of experience in sail training, created the Rederiaktiebolaget GUNILLA and transformed the ship into a modern sail training vessel for the 21st century.

She was re-launched in August 1999 as a three-masted barque and is now chartered by Den Seglande Gymnasieskolan (The Sailing High School) for about nine months of each year. This sailing school represents an educational programme which combines theory and practice in a new and exciting concept for students. The regular crew of 12 is augmented by 38 sailing students.

On the inside the barque is now a floating classroom, equipped with a sufficient number of computers connected to the ship's LAN, other teaching equipment and space for studies. She has all the modern navigational equipment money can buy, as well as an advanced communication system, including a satellite link.

But on the outside the T/S Gunilla is an eye-catching square-rigged vessel. Her original clipper bow has been restored and forms a beautiful ensemble together with the deck house and the poop. The classic rig, designed by Allan Palmer from Åland, is large (with 1040 sqm of sails) and well balanced with the ship’s lines.

This is a rare opportunity for sailors and tall ship enthusiasts to encounter this unique Swedish vessel. If you can manage to take a day off, then a trip to Cork's city port before October 5th is highly recommended. Cork citizens should also be aware of the rare visitor and make the barque and her crew welcome in Ireland's second-largest city.

The Emerald Islander


P.S. Philatelists might also be interested in the fact that the Royal Swedish Post Office issued a series of stamps depicting famous Swedish tall ships on May 15th of this year. The T/S Gunilla is one of the vessels honoured in this series, and it is possible that the purser or other members of the crew might carry some of these stamps.

Gormley called "a Disgrace" at Cork Meeting

Today Cork councillors have been briefed by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, John Gormley (photo left) on the preliminary findings of a report into toxic waste at Haulbowline.

But the session did not progress quite as planned or expected.

Tumultous scenes, emotions and anger erupted in the Town Hall of Cobh during the meeting, whose main subject was a report - compiled by consultants - into the risks posed by waste on the former Irish Ispat site.

Mayor John Mulvihill Jnr had to plead with his father, County Councillor John Mulvihill Snr, to let Gormley speak.
But Mulvihill Snr was having none of it. He accused the minister of being "a disgrace" and told him to resign his position. He also accused Gormley, who is leader of the Green Party, of "not taking the health concerns of people seriously".

Eventually the Mayor, as chairman of the meeting, was forced to intervene again, asking his father to sit down and allow the minister to answer questions from other Councillors as well.

On his way into the meeting John Gormley said that preliminary findings indicate that "the site does not pose a health hazard and people do not have cause for concern".

Last June the minister had promised a full report into the health risks of over 500,000 tonnes of toxic material deposited on the island (photo right) and his plans for a clean-up.
This followed claims by a sub-contractor involved in site clearance work that his company had found Chromium 6, a cancer-causing compound that can be toxic in tiny doses (and is the toxic that sparked a meanwhile famous legal crusade by Erin Brockovich in the USA).

Local councillors were visibly angry that John Gormley had not met with them directly since concerns about the site first came to light.
In the decade before the old steel plant closed in 2001, more than 500,000 tonnes of hazardous waste was dumped on Haulbowline, the same island that also houses Ireland's only naval base (including the HQ of the nation's Naval Service).

The Emerald Islander

Another foreign Problem Ship docks in Cork

Another foreign cargo vessel with unacceptable conditions aboard has been found in an Irish port. The ship, which arrived at Ringaskiddy ferryport of Cork harbour Saturday morning, is the Lady Chiara, a 16,282 tonne tanker registered in Liberia, which makes her a ship under a 'flag of convenience' (and that often means trouble and the absence of proper rules). After an inspection the International Transport Federation (ITF) has described conditions aboard as "appalling".

The ITF inspector in Ireland, Ken Fleming (right, with Filipino crew members of the Lady Chiara), went aboard with SIPTU officials from Cork and said that there was insufficient food for the Filipino crew. The situation was in fact so dire that the union had to take crew members off the ship and provide them with a meal in a local restaurant.
The ITF inspector has called on the Department of the Marine port control authorities to inspect the ship. Ken Fleming said the Filipino seafarers had not been provided with adequate food for a fortnight, but the officers seemed to be looking quite well after themselves.

Port workers in Cork have agreed to discharge the ship's cargo of molasses (a cane sugar product, used in Ireland predominantly to feed animals), provided that the crew is properly provisioned and that wage and payment problems aboard are resolved.

However, the cargo itself has also raised some eyebrows in maritime circles. According to her registration papers the Lady Chiara is classified as a "tanker for chemicals and oil", and not as a transporter of any food stuffs. That alone calls for an extra inspection, especially with regards to food safety standards and general hygiene.

The 170-metre-long vessel, which was built in 1986 by Odense Staalskibsværft A/S in Denmark, is managed by Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (Cyprus) Company Ltd., based in Cyprus (another of the 'flag of convenience' countries).
Her apparent owners are Amju International Tanker Ltd. of Monrovia, the capital and main port of Liberia. But there was some speculation in Cork over the correct ownership of the vessel.

Less than three weeks ago Ken Fleming settled the problems of another foreign cargo ship held in Cork, the Latvian-owned MV Defender, sailing under the flag (of convenience) of Cambodia. (for details of that case see my entry from April 22nd) And as things are in international shipping, we should expect more of the same in the future. Sadly greed rules many of the shipping businesses, and most national governments are still not willing to regulate the conditions for working at sea. So it is down to the commendable efforts of the ITF and men like Ken Fleming to fight for fair working conditions on the world's oceans.

The Emerald Islander

Man shot and wounded in Co. Waterford

A man in his fifties is in a serious condition in hospital tonight, after a shooting incident that occurred in the western part of County Waterford this afternoon.

The man received a blast from a rifle while walking in a wooded area at Coolbeggan near the village of Knockanore at around 1 p.m.

It is believed that the man may have approached the occupant of a jeep in a secluded area where the shooting incident happened. The injured man staggered about 50 metres before being found on the roadside by a local person.

He was taken by ambulance to Cork University Hospital and his condition is described as "serious but not life-threatening".

Gardaí are carrying out an investigation and are appealing for information from anyone who may have been in the area at the time, or who may have seen a blue jeep in the area.

Anyone with information should contact Dungarven Garda Station on 058 48600 or the Garda Confidential line on 1 800 666 111.

Seamen's Dispute in Cork has been settled

A dispute over unpaid seamen's wages on a foreign cargo ship in Cork harbour has been settled today.

The ship, the MV Defender (photo), which is operated by a Latvian company, had been detained in Cork after action by the seafarers' union, but is now free to leave the port.

Ken Fleming, the Irish inspector for the International Transport Federation (ITF), said it had been "a very tough case", but it was encouraging that - for the first time - Irish dockers had supported the foreign seafarers. He said this would make it more difficult in future for shipowners who did not treat their crews properly.

The 1500-tonne MV Defender is registered in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, under a "flag of convenience", but operated by Forestry Shipping of Riga in Latvia, which sent company staff to Cork to settle the dispute.

Ken Fleming claims that five of the crew had been pressurised into withdrawing their claims for overdue pay. The rest of the crew, who claimed they had not been paid since last year, are to get $ 63,000 in back wages and leave the ship. The ITF is now arranging for them to go home.

Cork dockers have backed the ships' crew, the first time a stand has been taken by a local labour force in Ireland in support of foreign seafarers.

According to Ken Fleming the ITF has in the past two years helped to recover about $ 1 million in unpaid wages for the crews of foreign ships docking in Ireland.

The Emerald Islander

Ian Paisley visits Cobh and Cork

As I have been away since Friday, this item of news only reached me today. But I think that it is still worth to mention it, as it shows a development in Irish politics that would have been unthinkable only a few years ago.

Ian Paisley, First Minister of the North and until recently leader of the DUP, has been on an official visit to Cobh, Co. Cork on Friday and to Cork City on Saturday.
Yes, you are reading correctly, and I was as astonished as you might be when I heard of it.

Paisley said he had accepted an invitation to address the Cobh Chamber of Commerce in their 50th year because of the growing "Titanic" tourism links between Belfast and Cobh. Earlier on Friday, like thousands of tourists before him, he and his wife Eileen did the "Titanic Trail" and visited Cobh Cathedral, as well as the town's old cemetery, where both republicans and many who served the British Crown in two wars, are buried.

But the visit was not only all sunshine and happiness for Ian Paisley. About 30 Gardaí were on standby in Cobh on Friday evening, since a group of local people protested against his arrival at the town's Chamber of Commerce. But they were not needed to intervene, as the protest was noisy, but it was also peaceful. Thus the visit of the North's First Minister and former leader of the DUP went on as scheduled.

After staying overnight in Cobh, Ian Paisley received also a civic reception at Cobh's town hall on Saturday morning. Later he drove on to Cork City and paid a courtesy visit to the Lord Mayor of Cork, Donal Counihan.

If there is any need for evidence that the political landscape of Ireland has changed dramatically in the past year - since the new power-sharing administration in the North took office - this visit would be it. And it also shows that as an octogenarian soon-to-be political pensioner Ian Paisley has clearly mellowed and is no longer the vociferous and uncompromising "Dr. No".

The Emerald Islander

Not playing Ball

County Cork is in Ireland commonly known as "the rebel county". The popular nickname has historical roots in the long and often bloody struggle of the Irish - and especially the hot-headed and short-tempered people from the south-west - against the British colonial power (until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922). Shortly afterwards County Cork became also a hotbed of rebel activity during the Irish Civil War, and ever since a bit of the old rebel spirit can be seen, heard and felt in almost everyone and everything from Cork. It is an invisible badge of honour, worn with pride and together with the county colours red and white.

The rebel spirit has also led to much success in the area of Sport, and especially in the traditional Gaelic Games (Hurling, Gaelic Football and Camogie). With a total of 113 All-Ireland honours on all levels of Hurling and Gaelic Football, Cork is in fact the most successful of all the 32 Irish counties in the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA).
Cork is by far the most successful Hurling county and won their 30th All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship in 2005. The Rebels also won the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship six times and many other GAA competitions.

It is therefore a shock for most GAA fans to see Cork missing from this year's sporting contests. The reason - well known by now in Ireland and discussed over and over again by numerous pundits - is the strike of the county's footballers and hurlers, which is two months old today.

The dispute between the players and their County Board (which organises Gaelic Games in the county as well as the county's teams for regional and nation-wide competitions) began with the resignation of Cork football manager Billy Morgan on November 8th over the prospect that he was not allowed to pick his own selectors.
This seemingly minor disagreement became very quickly a major point of contention in Cork and the Gaelic Players Association backed the Cork players in their threat of going on strike over the matter.

The County Board ignored the thunderclouds on the sporting horizon and on November 21st it appointed Teddy Holland as the replacement for Billy Morgan. This led to even more anger among the players, who now gave notice of their strike intentions and indeed stopped playing for Cork on December 10th.

After Christmas the crisis escalated further, when the players refused to participate in the Waterford Chrystal Cup (Jan. 9th) and Teddy Holland declared he would not resign (Jan. 23rd).
On January 30th more than a hundred club delegates voted unanimously in support of Holland at a meeting of the County Board, but to no avail. The players remained stubborn and on strike.

Last Tuesday even Taoiseach Bertie Ahern got involved and called on both sides to end the dispute and seek a compromise solution. Many hours of talk have by now taken place behind closed doors, but so far to no avail. Many thought that at least by the start of the National Hurling League - which was today - the players would come out and play (because otherwise they could force suspension and relegation). But no, there is neither an end to the strike, nor a solution in sight. Both sides have dug in their heels and the boys from the rebel county are still not playing ball.

Earlier this afternoon around a thousand people attended a march in support of the players through the streets of Cork. The march was also attended by Cork senior footballer Noel O'Leary and senior hurler John Gardiner. And tonight the Cork senior hurlers and footballers are meeting again to discuss the latest developments in their dispute with the Cork County Board.

I am not a sports pundit, and certainly no soothsayer. But it would surprise me if the Cork players would give in soon, after having stood their ground for so long. The County Board - also made up of stubborn men - can form many committees and hold talks as long as they please, but in the end there is no sport without the people playing it. So in the long run the County Board has the much weaker position in the dispute and will eventually have to give in somehow. If the officials can manage to keep their faces (and positions) remains to be seen.

The overall looser is already the spirit of the GAA, together with the good will that goes a long way. And many disappointed fans are losing out, too, of course.
To paraphrase a well-known satirical poem by Bertold Brecht: Perhaps it might be best if the County Board dissolved the sport and looked for another...

The Emerald Islander
(who lived in Cork and has still friends there)