Eibhlin O'Neill's blog

As most people are only too well aware. The 2019 United Kingdom General Election was held on Thursday 12 December. Three of the Celtic countries, Scotland, Cornwall and Wales also went to the polls as part of that election. Brittany, Ireland and Isle of Man are, of course, not part of the UK and did not participate in the election. However, that part of Ireland in the northeast where Britain retains a colonial presence did take part. The result was significant.

A new State of Nature report has found that almost 300 wildlife species in Ireland face extinction. The main threats to biodiversity across Ireland are changes in farming methods, the impact of climate change and pollution, which affects species abundance, distribution and habitat. The report, which is published every three years, points out that of 2,450 species of conservation concern in Ireland, 272 are threatened with extinction. 

There is growing concerns and awareness about climate change. Over the recent months, ‘Youth Climate Strikes’ and a number of significant protests have been organised about the threat of environmental disaster. They have taken place across the World and Ireland is no exception. In the last Irish local and European elections there was a surge in support for the Green Party, helped along by a sections of a not unsympathetic media.  Many voters viewed the Greens as a party likely to achieve something about the climate change crisis and gained a noticeable amount of support from young people.

Ireland's 'Tree of the Year' 2019 is the Witch's Yew situated on the grounds of Blarney Castle. Organised by the Tree Council of Ireland, in association with the Irish Tree Society, nominations were sought for the honour. Particularly those with a story attached, along with a touch of mystery and strong connection to the community. The public voted for the Witch's Yew out of the five trees nominated. In Celtic mythology and folklore trees were thought to have special magical properties such as Oak, Holly, Apple, Hazel, Alder, Willow, Yew, Mountain Ash or Rowan and Elder.

The 'Bigger and Better Marine Protected Area' Conference, organised by Irish Wildlife Trust And Coastwatch, is taking place on September 2-3rd at Trinity College Dublin. This International MPA (Marine Protected Area) conference will focus on how to make MPAs bigger and better in an Irish context.

Reek Sunday (Irish: Domhnach na Cruaiche) takes place on the last Sunday of July. Thousands took part in this years event which involved participants climbing Ireland's holiest mountain Croagh Patrick (Irish: Cruach Phádraig) which is 2,507 feet (764 metres) in height. The annual day of pilgrimage is held in honour of Saint Patrick who, in the year 441, spent 40 days fasting on the mountain in County Mayo (Irish: Contae Mhaigh Eo). There had been a chapel on the summit in the 5th century and another small chapel was built on the summit and dedicated on 20 July 1905.

At a hearing of the Court of Appeal in Belfast (Irish: Béal Feirste) last week, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI; Irish: Seirbhís Póilíneachta Thuaisceart Éireann) were ordered to conduct an independent investigation into alleged state collusion with a loyalist gang. Lord Chief Justice Declan Morgan rejected an appeal by former PSNI chief constable George Hamilton against a 2017 judgement that the police's failure to conduct an overarching examination of state collusion with the Glenanne Gang was inconsistent with its human rights obligations. 

Some say that you have to be married to a person to know what they are really like. Perhaps this is particularly the case when the marriage is to the ghost of a 300 hundred year old pirate. A recent article in the newspaper The Irish Post reports that: "A woman who claims she married the ghost of a 300-year-old Haitian pirate says she needed an exorcism after their relationship turned sour."

Belfast (Irish: Béal Feirste) now has a new Mayor, Sinn Féin Cllr John Finucane. He is the son of murdered Irish human rights lawyer Pat Finucane. In 1989 Pat Finucane (39) was shot dead by loyalists at his home in north Belfast, in front of his wife Geraldine, who was also injured, and their children Michael, Katherine and John.  It was found that loyalist paramilitaries acting in collusion with the British government intelligence service MI5 were involved in the murder. 

It has been confirmed by Ireland's Department of Justice that a plan to provide an accommodation centre for asylum seekers at a disused hotel in Rooskey, Co Leitrim, has been abandoned. Since it was announced that it was to become a reception centre for asylum seekers, the Shannon Key West Hotel has been damaged in two arson attacks over the last three months. The department has said that the decision not to proceed with the project was due to difficulties with the lease agreement between the owners of the hotel, and the operator renting it.