We look at the stories that were making the headlines this week in the Andersonstown News in 1980
Released Irish Republican Socialist Party Blanketman Thomas McGinn with brother and IRSP members. Ronnie Bunting and son on right 
First Lenihan, now Haughey
LAST week it was Brian Lenihan at the United Nations. This week it was Charles Haughey in Letterkenny. Britain must go is the message – and it’s ringing out loud and clear.
It’s true that we in the Six Counties have little reason to trust Dublin Government spokesmen. Eleven years, on the top of fifty years, of betrayal and back-stabbing, have made us cynical; and it’s easy to see that part of Mr Haughey’s Letterkenny stance was a attempt to upstage ‘Republican’ Niall Blaney.
However, these men represent a sovereign Irish Government. And the fact that they have stated, in fairly unequivocal terms, that Ireland’s major problems will begin to be solved when Britain declares her intention to get out, lets Britain and the Unionists know what shape the future Ireland will take. Until the Unionists get it through their heads that to remain ‘British’ in future will mean going to live across the Irish Sea, they’ll cling to the idea that they can have it all their own way, indefinitely, in these Six Counties. And as long as supposedly responsible public people keep on saying that the Unionists won’t be made to see the error of their ways, the agony will continue, with Irish and British citizens the victims.
The reaction of the various shades of Unionism was as expected. DUP, UUP, Alliance, Gerry Fitt etc, said their pieces; and the Belfast Telegraph, in a bitter ‘Newsletter-type’ editorial on Monday, took its stand in the British/Unionist camp. It is vital, therefore, in the face of this solid Unionist line, that those who speak for the majority of the Irish people (as Mr Haughey says he does) spell out, and keep spelling out, the shape of things to come. It’s not good enough for our spokesmen to promise that Unionists won’t be pressurised into an Irish Ireland. The Irish majority were pressurised (and how!) into a situation where a minority, were allowed to dictate terms to the rest. It’s a ridiculous situation, and it’s indefensible; and it’s best that this truth be made known, world-wide so that we don’t continue to condemn out children to a life with no future.
Mr Haughey and company have been called ‘irresponsible’ by Alliance spokesmen, among others. It’s the very height of irresponsibility to refuse to learn the lessons of history, including recent history – and to continue to uphold the lie.
Tracey Campbell, Jean McBride and Anne Crossan at Holy Cross Golfing Society ‘Night at the Races’ in St Vincent's Hall
Prison campaign is stepped up
HUNDREDS of leaflets urging support for Republican POWs in Irish and English jails were distributed last Saturday, to morning and afternoon shoppers on the Andersonstown Road by members of the O’Carroll/Tierney Sinn Féin Cumann.
People were asked to remember the Republican women in Armagh, particularly the four young women from Andersonstown – Mairéad Farrell, Briege Anne McCaughley, Sinéad Moore and Ellen McGuigan.
This could be done by attending the picket which will be held outside Armagh jail on Saturday 11 October at 3pm. The shopping centre had been postered earlier in the day with the latest poster showing a protesting Republican POW in her cell in Armagh Jail.
Special buses will be leaving Belfast for the picket and one of these will be from the Busy bee. The bus will leave at 1pm and tickets at £1.50 each are available from any member of the Cumann or Andersonstown Advice Centre.
Stephen Dolan and Kate O'Connor at Deirdre Campbell's 21st birthday party in the Celebrity Club
Clannad making waves
AN Clannad, that inter-related traditional group from Gweedore, are back from a successful European tour, and have almost completed the first stage of their nine day Irish tour, playing at venues from Ennis to Waterford, and from Cavan to Kilkenny.
Together with a visit to Belfast to record a guest appearance spot on Ulster Television’s highly popular series, ‘Good Evening Ulster’, a busy programme indeed for the group.
For over a decade now, Máire, Ciarán, Pól, Noel and Pádraig have enjoyed tremendous success, not alone in their native land, but throughout Europe, where they have been spending most of their time on tour. When they appear at the Amharclann, Gweedore, they will be joined by another member of the Ó Bhraonain family, 18-year-old Eithne, who is featured on An Clannad’s forthcoming album also. Eithne is featured on the keyboards in the line-up and is a sister of Máire. The Gweedore appearance will be during the Oireachtas on Thursday, the 30th of October.
Ann McLaughlin, Peggy McHugh, Mary Brannigan, Kathleen McQuade and Alice McHugh at the O'Connor School of Dancing 25-year Jubilee celebration
