http://elaine.ie Irish Times columnist, politics lecturer, governance consultant Sun, 15 Aug 2010 15:08:04 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en I want to tell you a story today about two men born in the age of Parnell.   Ireland after Parnell, in the dying years of the 1800s, was a grey place of paralysis. Politically stuck and fighting with itself.   The opportunity to right the wrongs of the Act of Union seemed lost. The ... http://elaine.ie/?p=704 Parnell Summer School, Woodenbridge Wicklow, August 2010: (Speech from chapter of book published after Christmas) Irish Times media report.    Ógra Fianna Fáil Belfast conference August 2010.   Magill Summer School, Donegal July 2010 speech: Political Reform, the beginning, middle and end. Irish Times media report.   Byrne / Perry Summer school Gorey June 2010 speech ... http://elaine.ie/?p=713 An enlightened swap of ideas between factions from the Middle East and North has lost its gleam to rigid mindsets in the IRISH TIMES JUNE 29 2010   DAVID HAD just finished his three years of military service in the Israeli army when we first met about 10 years ago at a ... http://elaine.ie/?p=701 As a culture we permit alcoholics the luxury of euphemisms. We are delighted to indulge our leaders the same way, writes ELAINE BYRNE in the IRISH TIMES June 22 2010   ALCOHOLISM IS a deeply engrained cultural phenomenon that we celebrate in Ireland with euphemisms that mask its black destruction.   The alcoholism grows ... http://elaine.ie/?p=698 Enda Kenny brought FG back from the dead but doubts are growing as to whether he has what it takes to win power, writes ELAINE BYRNE in the IRISH TIMES JUNE 15 2010   RICHARD BRUTON joined a large Fine Gael contingent to celebrate the marriage of a popular member of the ... http://elaine.ie/?p=695 As an undertaking family, the mortuary became an extension of our home. Death was normal, writes ELAINE BYRNE in the IRISH TIMES JUNE 8 2010   BEFORE WE built our funeral home, we planted potatoes in the top field. Delicately measured rows of hand ploughed drills with seeds waiting to grow. They ... http://elaine.ie/?p=692 Civic society is doing much to break down the Border but our politicians could do an awful lot more, writes ELAINE BYRNE in the IRISH TIMES June 1 2010   MARTIN MCGUINNESS was not what I expected at last week’s North/South consultative conference in Farmleigh.   The Deputy First Minister for Northern Ireland spoke ... http://elaine.ie/?p=689 Ireland’s economic future is being decided by events far beyond our shores, which we cannot influence, writes ELAINE BYRNE in the IRISH TIMES May 11 2010   DEMOCRACY IS a fragile thing. It becomes even more delicate when taken for granted. For many, the duty of citizenship to democratic action ends when ... http://elaine.ie/?p=686 Will the terms of reference for the Irish Banking Inquiry be as wide as that of Iceland?   The Irish public does not have any such opportunity to engage in an inquiry which from the outset is perceived to lack legitimacy because of the decision to hold the investigation in private, ... http://elaine.ie/?p=648 Loyalty to Fianna Fáil and its leader was Brian Lenihan snr’s lodestone. His son must take a new direction, writes ELAINE BYRNE in the IRISH TIMES April 27 2010   ‘WILL THE Taoiseach indicate when the legislation on wandering horses will be introduced in the House?”   When Brian Lenihan made his first, rather ... http://elaine.ie/?p=683