13th Oct 2007
October 12th
October 12th is one of those good anniversary dates on O’Conall Street. Its Columbus Day which always meant a day off school growing up in Spain. The Spanish state’s big day celebrates the anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ arrival in the ‘new world’ in 1492. This Oct 12 has been a particularly contentious one because of the ruling socialist government’s determination to distance the new Spain from the dark years of General Franciso Franco’s dictatorship. The Spanish Government are proposing a bill which will outlaw all forms of fascist expression and lead to the removal of all public signs and symbols of ‘Francismo’. Much work has been done symbolism, identity, place and the commemoration of conflict in Northern Ireland. I am thinking in particular of Jane Leonard’s book which was published some years ago by the Community Relations Council. The North has already begun to tackle some of these issues with the creation of new symbols (like the Assembly’s crest and the PSNI badge) and the reconfiguration of old ones. The removal of ‘old’ symbols and practices continues to cause controversy. We will want to watch the debate in Spain with close interest here in Ireland.
Oct 12 is also the day the Nobel Committee announce the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. On that day in 1998 I got up at 6.00am to drive across the Glenshane Pass to John Hume’s house in Derry’s Bogside. I got a call from a Norwegian journalist just as I turned into his street. She told me he would be receiving a call from the Chair of the Nobel Committee at half nine. When Pat Hume opened the door my smile gave it away. John ever the statesman decided to wait for the call which he took in the parlour. A new Nobel Laureate was born and I was there to witness it. Politically, things don’t get much better.
Al Gore got ‘the call’ yesterday morning. Climate and peace and inextricably linked and so many more people know this today because he decided to pick himself up after loosing a presidential election he actually won and continue to campaign on the issue he has most cared about for thirty years.
My last Oct 12th anniversary is the best. I have two sisters, Sinead and Daire, and when Daire gave birth to her daughter on October 12th 1995 our little family had one of the happiest days of our lives. Polly is now a beautiful, smart young lady. With great grades and her mother’s beauty she will go far. Happy birthday Polly Jean!.
Leave a Reply