SAOIRSE32

Irish Independent

Treacy Hogan
18 November 2006

THE times they are a changing. The crazy world of rock and roll is to shake up the normally staid National Museum.

Rory Gallagher, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Phil Lynott, Carlos Santana and Van Morrison all feature there the week after next.

Rory Gallagher - Click photo to view

The Life and Times of the Electric Guitar 1931-2006 exhibition features the actual guitars owned by the world’s greatest guitarists.

A huge array of guitars owned by Rory Gallagher, the legendary Irish blues and rock musician, will be on display, including his trademark paint-stripped Fender Stratocaster.

Donal Gallagher, Rory’s only brother and his former manager, said yesterday the exhibition will move to Harrods in London after it finishes in Dublin. “It is tremendous that this exhibition is being held at the National Museum. I like sharing Rory’s guitars with people,” he told the Irish Independent yesterday.

Dr Pat Wallace, the director of the National Museum, said the exhibition would help to make Collins Barracks the most exciting visitor attraction in Dublin.

“From a museum point of view it reinforces our commitment to recognising the 20th century, its popular culture and associated applied art, and makes the museum relevant to the widest audience,” he added.

Visitors to the exhibition will embark on a journey that spans 75 years, featuring rare and vintage guitars, including the ‘Frying Pan’, the world’s first electric guitar, never previously exhibited outside of the US.

The 1931 guitar has never before been allowed out of the Smithsonian Institute.

The exhibition also features instruments associated with rock’s greatest musicians including Jeff Beck and John Entwistle.

Contemporary guitars from artists such as Mark Hamilton (of Northern Irish band Ash), Alex Kapranos (of Franz Ferdinand) and Sergio Pizzorno (Kasabian) will also be on display.

Fans of Rory Gallagher will see 32 of his guitars, only one quarter of his total collection. The exhibition opens next Friday and will run until January 21.

Irish Independent

Now shamed judge is considering leaving country

Sam Smyth
18 November 2006

THE depraved images of child porn that Brian Curtin downloaded to his computer are revealed today.

And now the disgraced former judge wants to leave the country.

The Irish Independent has gained exclusive access to the details which the Oireachtas committee were prevented from viewing when Curtin resigned last Monday.

The images he downloaded from a US website were described as “vile”, “sickening” and “unimaginably cruel”.

This newspaper has also learned about Curtin’s habit of frequenting internet chatrooms and about the details from notebooks and diaries of the codes he used to enter them.

We also reveal that Curtin (54) used false names and kept records of those he communicated with in those chatrooms.

He also kept lurid accounts of their sickening exchanges in his own handwriting.

Curtin’s legal team had prepared a defence that he had intended to view adult pornography, which is not illegal, but that, because he was drunk when he downloaded the images at 7am on July 12, 1999, he inadvertently downloaded the grossly offensive and depraved pictures of child porn.

The website from which he downloaded the child porn offered explicit warnings before a potential customer entered credit card details in order to view the material.

Shortly before his trial in April 2004, the gardai advised Curtin that they had found Trojan Horse viruses on his IBM computer, and his legal team researched incidents where defendants charged with downloading child porn in the UK had successfully used the presence of the viruses in their defence.

The Irish Independent has also learned that Curtin resigned from the bench just before Michael Mead, a detective with the US Postal Inspection Service, was ready to show the images from Curtin’s computer to the seven-member Oireachtas committee.

Curtin had to resign before he could apply for his pension and he still has to convince the Government that he is permanently incapacitated.

His counsel showed a recent MRI scan to the committee and a consultant psychiatrist’s diagnosis that he can no longer function as a judge because of organic brain damage. However, the Government has always said they would give “no sweetheart deal” to Curtin.

Sources say his claim will be rigorously tested.

If he is given an annual pension, it will be €19,000 plus a one-off lump sum of €57,000, and both will be subject to tax.

Friends say that Curtin, who lives in Tralee, Co Kerry, is suffering from brain damage and a chronic heart condition.

They also say that he has been hospitalised for alcohol abuse and that he is now penniless and a broken man, mentally and physically.

One friend said: “Brian would like to sell his house in Tralee and move to the Mediterranean, maybe Spain.”

However, Curtin’s elderly father, whom he thanked for his support in a statement issued after his resignation on Monday, is understood to be very ill and Curtin is reluctant to leave him when he is so ill and frail.

Irish Independent

GARDAI are trying to determine if a significant haul of weapons and ammunition, seized in a west Dublin house, was destined for a crime gang or subversives, writes Tom Brady.

The prime suspect is closely associated with a leading Real IRA figure in the area.

The haul consisted of two sawn-off shotguns, ammunition, parts of an automatic pistol and an air pistol. It was seized as gardai searched a house at Oranmore Road, Ballyfermot on Thursday night while investigating criminal activities.

A 38-year-old local man was being questioned last night at Ballyfermot garda station.

BBC

The vote of a deceased Sinn Fein Assembly member may continue to be exercised even though the party has not filled his post.

Sinn Fein West Belfast MLA Michael Ferguson died in September

Michael Ferguson, 53, died in September after battling testicular cancer.

Sinn Fein has not been able to fill his vacancy, as none of the substitutes he nominated when elected in 2003 has been able to take up the job.

The vote can count towards the party’s strength prior to the fresh election in March, the new St Andrews law says.

The clause will also apply if any other MLA’s position became vacant.

Mr Ferguson was an assembly member for West Belfast. The father-of-four had been a councillor for the last 18 years.

Irelandclick.com

By Evan Short
16/11/2006
Andersonstown News

A Lisburn Sinn Féin councillor has accused the DUP of “blatant discrimination” after the party voted to block bilingual signs going up in Lagmore.
Paul Butler made the comments following the DUP councillors’ decision to veto the signs being put up in Hazel Glen, a new development of social housing.
“The community in Lagmore, who have campaigned for bilingual street signs in the area, are outraged by the decision.
“What is particularly galling about all of this is the fact that this development was named by local school children in the area after a competition was held to come up with a name for the new estate.”
Cllr Butler said the DUP move questioned their commitment to equality.
“Decisions like this call into question whether the DUP are interested in a shared future.
“Lisburn Council’s hostility to the Irish language is further evidence that they are intent on freezing out all those who do not adhere to the unionist tradition.
“The super bigots on Lisburn Council have once again lived up to their name of being the most sectarian council in the country.”
Mary Smith from An Gleann Ban Residents’ Association said she could not understand the Council’s decision.
“The houses only 100 yards from here have bilingual signs and the vast majority of people living here want to see them put up.
“It just seems very silly to me,” she said.
Responding to the claims of inequality, Edwin Poots from the DUP said there was a mechanism already in place to have bilingual signs.
He said the DUP voted against the new development having bilingual signs because it could put people off moving in.
“I am very disappointed that Councillor Butler wants an area to be identified as a sectarian ghetto before anyone moves in.
“Clearly Councillor Butler would have objections if flags associated with the unionist tradition were erected in developments before anyone moved into them.”
He added: “The Council has established a system where residents can request bilingual signs but most areas in Lisburn, where surveys have been carried out, chose not to do it.
“It may be that people from all sections of the community would wish to acquire property there, and the signs may be off-putting,” he said.

Irelandclick.com

By Roisin McManus
16/11/2006
Andersonstown News

A local Irish dancer who has already been crowned World Champion has added another string to her bow and been crowned Ulster Champion for an amazing sixth time.
Lauren Early from Dunmurry Lodge won the competition which was held at the weekend in the Waterfront Hall.
The 15-year-old dance sensation is a fifth year pupil at St Louise’s Specialist College.
Lauren got involved in Irish dancing nine years ago and dances for the Doherty Reid Dance School which is based in the New Lodge.
Lauren currently holds the World title, All-Ireland title, Great Britain title and Scottish and Ulster titles.
Her mum Kate Early said that the whole family are extremely proud of Lauren’s achievements.
“We are really proud,” said Kate. “The whole family are delighted.
“For Lauren to come so far is a brilliant achievement and I would like to thank her dance teachers Gavin and Seaneen Doherty and Sheila Reid,” she added.

BBC

DUP deputy leader Peter Robinson has said his party will not be rushed by government deadlines.

Peter Robinson says progress has been made

Mr Robinson said there would be no formal designation of shadow first and deputy first ministers at Stormont on 24 November.

But speaking on BBC Radio Ulster’s Inside Politics programme he insisted the political process was moving in the right direction.

He said what remained was to deliver on the progress made so far.

“I expect that what we’re talking about is a qualified intention to proceed when all the conditions are in place,” Mr Robinson said.

“I think we are making progress and it’s clear we made progress at St Andrews, we’ve made further progress since St Andrews and there is further work to be done.

“On top of the work that has to be done there is the big issue of delivery.”

BBC

Firefighters returning from a call-out have been attacked with an air rifle, the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service has said.

At 2240 GMT on Friday the crew, based at Northland Road in Derry, was fired upon by someone using what was described as a laser sighted air-rifle.

The crew cab window was cracked, but there were no injuries.

The NIFRS said such “mindless attacks” put the lives of firefighters and the public at risk.

In a statement they appealed for anyone with any information about the attack to make it known to the police.

“Not only were the lives of firefighters involved in this incident at risk, but also members of the public’s lives are also put at risk with mindless attacks like this upon emergency services,” it said.

Irish Independent

Alan O’Keeffe
18 November 2006

DEFENCE Minister Willie O’Dea is red-faced after he pulled out of an agreement to launch a book about a famous IRA man.

The minister was to officially launch the book about fellow Limerickman Sean South, of Garryowen, next Saturday and invitations announcing his involvement had been printed and distributed.

The minister explained his sudden withdrawal of his consent to launch the book by claiming he did not real-ise the book was about the famed local IRA man who was immortalised in a well-known ballad.

Mr O’Dea’s explanation that he did not know what the book was about has caused some bewilderment and raised eye-brows as the book’s title is ‘Sean South of Garryowen.’

The ballad, also entitled ‘Sean South of Garryowen,’ has been sung for decades since he received fatal bullet wounds while leading an IRA attack on Brookborough RUC barracks in 1957.

Today, Owen South, a nephew of Sean South, said that the family had been very pleased that the minister had agreed to launch the book and were then disappointed at his withdrawal.

“I have great respect for the minister and I know him personally. We were happy a person of his standing was going to launch the book. But it is very weird that he has given the excuse that he didn’t know what the book was about,” said Mr South today.

“I think everyone would prefer if he just said that he had received instructions to cancel his involvement because the situation in the North is a bit dicey,” he said.

He believed the minister came under pressure to pull out.

Minister O’Dea rejected claims that he was pressured to withdraw from the launch of the book. He said he thought the book was “about somebody else.”

BBC

A suspect device found at a DIY store on the outskirts of Newry has been declared an elaborate hoax.

The B&Q store on the Armagh Road was evacuated and Army technical officers cleared the area.

In August, a number of stores in the same retail park were targeted by firebombers. The Real IRA was blamed.

Meanwhile, a bomb alert in Dover Street, west Belfast, has been declared a hoax and residents have been allowed back into their homes.

BBC

The Alliance Party has been told it is not invited to take part in the Programme for Government Committee meeting next week.

Party leader David Ford said he does not understand this as he was invited to participate in a similar meeting last month.

That meeting, however, was aborted when Ian Paisley refused to attend.

The committee will involve Sinn Fein, the DUP, the Ulster Unionists and the SDLP.