WE look back at the stories that were making the headlines this week in the Andersonstown News in 1982
The ladies enjoying the night at the Smithwick's Interpool competition at the Peter Pan Social Club
Call for newspaper boycott
A widespread boycott of the Irish News in many nationalist areas of the Six Counties could quite well follow a directive from the new Irish News board that republican death notices and advertisements in the paper, should not in future carry any reference to the IRA, INLA or any other republican military organisation.
The Andersonstown News has learned from reliable sources that talks have already taken place between Jim Fitzpatrick, the new controller of the paper, and republican representatives about the directive.
Neither Sinn Féin nor the Irish News were available for comment.
Our Industrial Correspondent writes: “A new editor was appointed and a Belfast Telegraph sales executive was employed as advertising manager. I understand that these are only the beginning of a complete appraisal of the whole Irish News operation, which will include the employment of new advertising staff of the very successful Tele-girl-type, as well as restructuring work schedules in the print department which could cause some redundancies.
This latest directive on republican organisations would seem to be an attempt to increase advertising revenue from sources which would not be opposed to advertising in a “Catholic” Irish News, but which would have nothing to do with a “Republican” Irish News.
How much effect this ban will have in recruiting new advertisers remains to be seen. But, if it can be implemented then the paper would lose what must surely have been one of their biggest advertisers over the years, that of the Republican Movement itself.
John Brady (chairman, right) at the Central Darts League presentations in Peter Pan Social Club
Beechmount feels the heat
THE new Beechmount Housing Association has condemned the Housing Executive for its handling of repair grants connected with the recent installation of solid fuel fires in the area.
A spokesman expressed the Associations’ “unhappiness” with the lack of concern which the Executive is showing for those entitled to repair grants.
“When work on the new fires was announced we were promised by Mr Brett himself, that 50 per cent of the cost of repairs, made necessary by the installations, would be paid before work commenced. However, so far, no payments at all have been forthcoming,” the spokesman said.
The association has information to the effect that 55 houses in the area have been cleared for repair grants but that the Executive is delaying the payments.
Work on the solid fuel fires causes quite extensive damage to fireplaces and to walls in which hot water pipes have been inserted.
The new Beechmount Association is particularly concerned about this problem, the spokesman added, because many people have gone into arrears so that they could have the damage repairs and redecoration work completed as speedily as possible.
Enjoying the night at the Smithwick's Interpool competition at the Peter Pan Social Club
Editorial: Haughey and that special relationship
THE 26 Counties’ Taoiseach Mr Charles Haughey, finds himself at the moment in the embarrassing and painful position of being impaled on a stake of his own shaping.
They stake came in the form of the special relationship summit two years ago, heralded by Mr Haughey as a new breakthrough in Anglo-Irish relations that would change the face of politics in these islands. Mrs Thatcher didn’t really concur, but being the true Brit she is, she didn’t overdo the opposition, but nevertheless left the meeting with a smile on her face.
Any Belfast schoolboy could have told Mr Haughey that the English don’t have special relationships, they only have special interests, and their special interest at the time of the summit was border security.
Thatcher at one stroke, had succeeded in getting the people of the 26 Counties to subsidise her war effort against the IRA and at the same time made Mr Haughey commit the only bargaining counter he had left to force the British Government to recognise the 26 Counties’ interest in any solution of our British problem.
Mr Haughey made two simple mistakes which are unforgiveable for any Irish politician:
He left himself with no cards up his sleeve for future negotiations, and
He trusted the British.
Either of these mistakes should be sufficient to warrant banishment from the political scene, but politics in Ireland being what they are, it is hardly likely this will happen.
Haughey now finds himself with nowhere to turn. He can’t go back on the border security promises because the mechanism has been functioning for a couple of years and is now gaining its own momentum.
The special relationship set up between the British Army and 26 Counties’ Army, between the Gardaí and the RUC will be impossible to destroy. Mr Haughey’s trump card is now in shreds and lies scattered from Crossmaglen to Castlefin, and can never be retrieved for the pack.
It gives us no pleasure to say that we said as much at the time of the special relationship summit.
Gerard, two Michelles, John, Conor and Mark in art class with Ciarán Mór at the Andersonstown Leisure Centre Summer Scheme back in July 1982
And what was Number One this week in 1982
