#OTD in 1863 – Foundation of the Fenian newspaper, “Irish People” | John O’Leary is the editor.

In mid 1863, James Stephens informed his colleagues he wished to start a newspaper, with financial aid from John O’Mahony and the Fenian Brotherhood in America. The offices were established at 12 Parliament Street, almost at the gates of Dublin Castle. The first edition of the Irish People appeared on 28 November 1863. The staff of the paper along with Kickham were Thomas Clarke Luby and Denis…

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A Call to all Celticist, Historians , Academics, Hobbyists ECT for a Edition of Cath Cnocha

Attached to this post are screenshot of a transcript of a now lost manuscript of the literary version of the Cath Cnucha (Battle of knock) known more famously from its older cousin the Fotha catha Cnucha. This transcription is from the Irish-American newspaper issues October 1884 to January 1885.

The transcription seems to present a version of the story of the battle between Tadg mac Nuada and Cumhall mac Trenmoir with detail not found elsewhere as well as information on the conception of Fionn Mac Cumhaill

The literary version of Cath Cnucha remains critically unedited, and as far as I am aware outside of manuscripts, this transcription is the only treatment it has gotten despite folk versions being widely available in publication. It is, in my opinion, a tragedy that this Fenian cycle text remains unavailable for the reading of the modern public. This leads me to a threefold request for all who are willing to listen. These are three fold , firstly to all those in the US with access to libraries that may contain this newspaper and its issues please check if these issues are in better condition and avaliable please transcribe what is illegible or damaged in the scanned copies. The publication issues with damaged or inaccessible text are

4th October 1884

11 October 1884

18th October 1884

6th December 1884

20th December 1884

If the missing portions of the transcription can be recovered it is my hopes to make them freely avaliable online for the end goal of it being easier.

For those who understand early modern Irish orthography, I ask you to aid in the transliteration what is here to modern Irish orthography. The second would be for translation into modern Irish which from there we could translate to English.

The end goal is to make a freely avaliable none critical edition of the text to at least allow it to be studied or enjoyed by a broader audience. I, however, lack the skill to do it myself and am seeking the aid of others in this endeavour. I am no trained celticist. I am simply a folklorist and historian who recognises his limits. Please reblog to spread the word. I understand this is unusual but I am passionate about the fenian cycle enough to pursue this.

For those currently pursuing a masters or doctorate in celtic studies an edition of Cath Cnocha would be valuable to the field according to me

These screenshots are based on the scans from the central research library and are damaged or incomplete. Each can be found on

so sorry for this weird ask, i have no idea what else i can try to find this out but you seem like a sean expert. im trying to figure out the year he left ireland, and for that i need his age in 1899.

so, how old do you think sean is?

GOD, this is such a good question, not a weird ask at all, and one I could go on FOREVER about. The question as to Sean's age is one which HAUNTS me, given the ambiguity of it. However we DO have some hints to go off.

First off, we can assume Sean is younger than Arthur, going off his line about Sean being like 'an annoying younger brother' to him. We also can assume he's younger than John, as John refers to him as 'kid' in the game. Javier, who seems to be around John's age as well, also refers to Sean as his 'little friend', most likely referencing the other's age. In that same vein, we can assume Sean is older than Lenny, who he calls kid - and who is the ONLY one Sean calls kid, besides Jack of course.

That all leaves us in an age range of the early to mid 20s - 20-25 is where I usually have him. I also usually veer towards the lower end of that spectrum tbh, and that is in large part because of how he is characterized and clearly supposed to be read. There's not only just a need to prove oneself, but also a youthful exuberance & arrogance to Sean we only really see mirrored in Lenny, though it shows differently between the two it is all CLEARLY there for both of them. And the way Sean treats Lenny as a peer, while still calling him 'kid' at almost every opportunity, very much reads as 'heheh, I am (barely) older than you and finally get to call someone kid instead of being called it' you know?

There's also the matter of his friendship with Mary-Beth, who is presumably about 21-22 like Arthur asked her. The fact that Sean asks her to go with him robbing that one stagecoach is in my opinion a hint of him seeing her as peer as well.

So, like, narratively, characteristically, he SHOULD for all intents and purposes probably be around 21-23. That's what makes sense to me, at least.

WHAT THEN GETS ME is, as you say, when did he leave Ireland?? Because, okay, let's talk about daddy dearest Darragh for a second!!

Note of his death is published in 1889! A full decade before the events of the game!! Which is SUPER surprising considering how Sean talks about him, but also makes it clearer why it's easier for him to speak about him so lightly - that loss has been well-mourned by now, though it makes the fact that Sean speaks so much of him even more tragic imho. They were CLOSE, Darragh was probably Sean's BEST friend growing up, and losing him at that age would've SUCKED so so much!! 10-13 is a very rough age bracket to lose your only guardian and to deal with the amount of upheaval Sean does in the time after.

The timeline given us by the newspaper scrap we can find at Clemens Point is somewhat incongruent with what I found when it came to the history of Fenian activity in Ireland in the 1800s. While there was a Fenian Rising, it was very much in 1867, and I could not find Galway having any significant role to play during it, compared to Dublin, for example. This means we can assume this Fenian Uprising spoken of in the scrap to be a fabrication on R*'s behalf. The Fenian Raids into Canada were VERY much a thing, and in 1866 there even was one in Ridgeway, right by Niagara Falls, as mentioned in the news scrap - though I found a higher death count for the incident on Wikipedia lol

So that gives us a little bit of a timeline! Darragh sets Galway on fire in 1860, fucks off to the US to join a Fenian Raid into Canada, presumably intended to be R*'s version of the Battle of Ridgeway, before eventually RETURNING to Ireland and getting involved in politics as an Irish Republican. What a complicated ass backstory for a character who doesn't even show up in the game beyond his name lmfao

ANYWAY furthermore, the newspaper scrap says the law has been hunting him for years. I mean, that makes sense, given how much back and forth he does over the decades. Let's for arguments' sake say Darragh stayed in the US for a little while before returning to Ireland and getting involved in the political landscape, and that Sean was born ca 1878. Maybe Darragh starts seeing the need to hide some years later; as his past starts closing in on him. They hide out for a while in different locations around Ireland, before the law finds them in Clifden, and THAT'S presumably what makes Darragh flee to the US. We don't know how long the manhunt lasted, but since they'd not gotten past Boston, and specifically quoting Sean's 'we never got that new start' line when talking about his past, I think it's fair to say that they weren't in the US for very long before Darragh died. THOUGH I'd argue they were there long enough for Darragh to lower his shoulders and sleep soundly enough to not hear someone sneak into his bedroom. Also, long enough for him to have found a residence for him and Sean to stay in. So, I'd say they might've had a year or so in the US together?

Now, taking into account the time frame it might've taken for news to get back to the UK, and for it to then be printed, I think it's not unreasonable to believe Darragh died in late 1888, or early 1889. Which means he and Sean probably arrived in the US in the latter half of 1887, while Sean was 9-10.

Anyway, if you're wondering if this changes my thoughts in regard of how long I think Sean was in reform school, I think yeah maybe!! But I still don't think he was there more than 2-3 years max lol. Idk why I thought Sean was older when Darragh died, but the math & research I've now done contradicts that assumption for sure!!

Thank you for the ask!! I definitely went OFF, and if you find my timeline doesn't work for you, that's completely fine!! I had a lot of fun looking into this anywho, and if any one part of it helps you out, that's more than good enough for me!!!!

Events 6.7

421 – Emperor Theodosius II marries Aelia Eudocia at Constantinople (Byzantine Empire). 879 – Pope John VIII recognizes the Duchy of Croatia under Duke Branimir as an independent state. 1002 – Henry II, a cousin of Emperor Otto III, is elected and crowned King of Germany. 1099 – First Crusade: The Siege of Jerusalem begins. 1420 – Troops of the Republic of Venice capture Udine, ending the independence of the Patria del Friuli. 1494 – Spain and Portugal sign the Treaty of Tordesillas which divides the New World between the two countries. 1628 – The Petition of Right, a major English constitutional document, is granted the Royal Assent by Charles I and becomes law. 1654 – Louis XIV is crowned King of France. 1692 – Port Royal, Jamaica, is hit by a catastrophic earthquake; in just three minutes, 1,600 people are killed and 3,000 are seriously injured. 1776 – Richard Henry Lee presents the "Lee Resolution" to the Continental Congress. The motion is seconded by John Adams and will lead to the United States Declaration of Independence. 1788 – French Revolution: Day of the Tiles: Civilians in Grenoble toss roof tiles and various objects down upon royal troops. 1800 – David Thompson reaches the mouth of the Saskatchewan River in Manitoba. 1810 – The newspaper Gazeta de Buenos Ayres is first published in Argentina. 1832 – The Great Reform Act of England and Wales receives royal assent. 1832 – Asian cholera reaches Quebec, brought by Irish immigrants, and kills about 6,000 people in Lower Canada. 1862 – The United States and the United Kingdom agree in the Lyons–Seward Treaty to suppress the African slave trade. 1866 – One thousand eight hundred Fenian raiders are repelled back to the United States after looting and plundering the Saint-Armand and Frelighsburg areas of Canada East. 1880 – War of the Pacific: The Battle of Arica, the assault and capture of Morro de Arica (Arica Cape), ends the Campaña del Desierto (Desert Campaign). 1892 – Homer Plessy is arrested for refusing to leave his seat in the "whites-only" car of a train; he lost the resulting court case, Plessy v. Ferguson. 1899 – American Temperance crusader Carrie Nation begins her campaign of vandalizing alcohol-serving establishments by destroying the inventory in a saloon in Kiowa, Kansas. 1905 – Norway's parliament dissolves its union with Sweden. The vote was confirmed by a national plebiscite on August 13 of that year. 1906 – Cunard Line's RMS Lusitania is launched from the John Brown Shipyard, Glasgow (Clydebank), Scotland. 1917 – World War I: Battle of Messines: Allied soldiers detonate a series of mines underneath German trenches at Messines Ridge, killing 10,000 German troops. 1919 – Sette Giugno: Nationalist riots break out in Valletta, the capital of Malta. British soldiers fire into the crowd, killing four people. 1929 – The Lateran Treaty is ratified, bringing Vatican City into existence. 1938 – The Douglas DC-4E makes its first test flight. 1938 – Second Sino-Japanese War: The Chinese Nationalist government creates the 1938 Yellow River flood to halt Japanese forces. Five hundred thousand to nine hundred thousand civilians are killed. 1940 – King Haakon VII, Crown Prince Olav and the Norwegian government leave Tromsø and go into exile in London. They return exactly five years later. 1942 – World War II: The Battle of Midway ends in American victory. 1942 – World War II: Aleutian Islands Campaign: Imperial Japanese soldiers begin occupying the American islands of Attu and Kiska, in the Aleutian Islands off Alaska. 1944 – World War II: The steamer Danae, carrying 350 Cretan Jews and 250 Cretan partisans, is sunk without survivors off the shore of Santorini. 1944 – World War II: Battle of Normandy: At Ardenne Abbey, members of the SS Division Hitlerjugend massacre 23 Canadian prisoners of war. 1945 – King Haakon VII of Norway returns from exactly five years in exile during World War II. 1946 – The United Kingdom's BBC returns to broadcasting its television service, which has been off air for seven years because of World War II. 1948 – Anti-Jewish riots in Oujda and Jerada take place. 1948 – Edvard Beneš resigns as President of Czechoslovakia rather than signing the Ninth-of-May Constitution, making his nation a Communist state. 1955 – Lux Radio Theatre signs off the air permanently. The show launched in New York in 1934, and featured radio adaptations of Broadway shows and popular films. 1962 – The Organisation Armée Secrète (OAS) sets fire to the University of Algiers library building, destroying about 500,000 books. 1965 – The Supreme Court of the United States hands down its decision in Griswold v. Connecticut, prohibiting the states from criminalizing the use of contraception by married couples. 1967 – Six-Day War: Israeli soldiers enter Jerusalem. 1971 – The United States Supreme Court overturns the conviction of Paul Cohen for disturbing the peace, setting the precedent that vulgar writing is protected under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. 1971 – The Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms Division of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service raids the home of Ken Ballew for illegal possession of hand grenades. 1971 – Allegheny Airlines Flight 485 crashes on approach to Tweed New Haven Airport in New Haven, Connecticut, killing 28 of 31 aboard. 1975 – Sony launches Betamax, the first videocassette recorder format. 1977 – Five hundred million people watch the high day of the Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II begin on television. 1981 – The Israeli Air Force destroys Iraq's Osiraq nuclear reactor during Operation Opera. 1982 – Priscilla Presley opens Graceland to the public; the bathroom where Elvis Presley died five years earlier is kept off-limits. 1989 – Surinam Airways Flight 764 crashes on approach to Paramaribo-Zanderij International Airport in Suriname because of pilot error, killing 176 of 187 aboard. 1991 – Mount Pinatubo erupts, generating an ash column 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) high. 2000 – The United Nations defines the Blue Line as the border between Israel and Lebanon. 2017 – A Myanmar Air Force Shaanxi Y-8 crashes into the Andaman Sea near Dawei, Myanmar, killing all 122 aboard.

Clemen’s Point - Letters/Documents

-Click here to return to the index page for Chapter 3: Clemen’s Point-

Bill’s discharge paper, Molly’s poem, and Lenny’s letter from his father are still in camp (you can find those in this post here)

Added to camp is a newspaper clipping on the barrel that Sean tends to sit carving at.

(image and transcript below the cut)

The Imperialist of London Scrap

JUNE, 1889

FORMER FENIAN RAIDER KILLED IN GUN BATTLE

After decades escaping justice, the law finally caught up with Darragh Macguire. Mr Macguire was a well-known Fenian and proponent of Irish independence who had attacked the Empire and all it stands for on two continents. Government agents, who had pursued him for many years, once found the traitor at a farmhouse outside of Clifden in Connemara but he eluded them. A desperate manhunt ensued, and it was discovered Mr Macguire had fled to America. Finally, Mr Macguire was found lodging in a rooming house in Boston, Massachusetts. There, the men bravely engaged in a gun battle with the traitor who was killed in the action. Reports from family members that he was “murdered in his sleep" were denied by other witnesses as little more than further Fenian propaganda. Tonight, all law abiding citizens in Ireland and across the Empire will sleep easier in their beds.

As long ago as 1860, Mr Macguire was implicated in the so-called Fenian Uprising that swept through Galway, burning three large properties and leaving many dead. To escape capture, he fled to Canada, where he was part of a Fenian raid near the great fall of Niagara, that left 8 people dead. Later, he returned to Ireland, where, despite being wanted for murder, he became a prominent figure in republican politics and a battle that he and his ilk waged against the parasitic aristocracy of Ireland, whether English or Irish” -- a personal war against the natural order of things that damaged landowners, ruined farmers and disrupted the peaceful propagation of life as it is meant to be lived. Now, after decades of disruption and treason, justice caught up with Mr Macguire.

(That was the only new paper I could find.)

* 𝐍𝐄𝐖𝐒𝐏𝐀𝐏𝐄𝐑 𝐂𝐋𝐈𝐏𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐎𝐍 𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐀𝐆𝐇 𝐌𝐀𝐂𝐆𝐔𝐈𝐑𝐄

This is all from the wiki, taken straight off it. This newspaper is very biased, trying to claim the opposite of what Sean said. I would say Sean would have a better knowledge of the death of his father. I might make a new post about Sean’s father if anyone’s interested.

𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒆𝒓 𝑭𝒆𝒏𝒊𝒂𝒏 𝑹𝒂𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝑲𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒅 𝑰𝒏 𝑮𝒖𝒏 𝑩𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆

Imperialist of London

June 1889

Former Fenian Raider Killed In Gun Battle

After decades of escaping justice, the law finally caught up with Darragh Macguire. Mr Macguire was a well-known Fenian and proponent of Irish independence who had attacked the Empire and all it stands for on two continents. Government agents, who had pursued him for many years, once found the traitor at a farmhouse outside of Clifden in Connemara but he eluded them.

A desperate manhunt ensued, and it was discovered Mr Macguire had fled to America. Finally Mr Macguire was found lodging in a rooming house in Boston, Massachusetts. There, the men bravely engaged in a gun battle with the traitor who was killed in action. Reports from family members that he was "murdered in his sleep" were denied by other witnesses as little more than further Fenian propaganda. Tonight, all law abiding citizens in Ireland and across the Empire will sleep easier in their beds.

As long as 1860, Mr Macguire was implicated in the so-called Fenian Uprising that swept through Galway, burning three large properties and leaving many dead. To escape capture, he fled to Canada, where he was part of a Fenian raid near the great fall of Niagara, that left 8 people dead. Later, he returned to Ireland, where, despite being wanted for murder, he became a prominent figure in republican politics

and a battle that he and his ilk waged against "the parasitic aristocracy of Ireland, whether English or Irish" -- a personal war against the natural order of things that damaged landowners, ruined farmers and disrupted the peaceful propagation of life as it is meant to be lived. Now, after decades of disruption and treason, justice caught up with Mr Macguire.

The Irish People of the World We have suffered centuries of outrage, enforced poverty, and bitter misery. Our rights and liberties have been trampled on by an alien aristocracy, who treating us as foes, usurped our lands, and drew away from our unfortunate country all material riches. The real owners of the soil were removed to make room for cattle, and driven across the ocean to seek the means of living, and the political rights denied to them at home, while our men of thought and action were condemned to loss of life and liberty. But we never lost the memory and hope of a national existence. We appealed in vain to the reason and sense of justice of the dominant powers. Our mildest remonstrance's were met with sneers and contempt. Our appeals to arms were always unsuccessful. Today, having no honourable alternative left, we again appeal to force as our last resource. We accept the conditions of appeal, manfully deeming it better to die in the struggle for freedom than to continue an existence of utter serfdom. All men are born with equal rights, and in associating to protect one another and share public burdens, justice demands that such associations should rest upon a basis which maintains equality instead of destroying it. We therefore declare that, unable longer to endure the curse of Monarchical Government, we aim at founding a Republic based on universal suffrage, which shall secure to all the intrinsic value of their labour. The soil of Ireland, at present in the possession of an oligarchy, belongs to us, the Irish people, and to us it must be restored. We declare, also, in favour of absolute liberty of conscience, and complete separation of Church and State. We appeal to the Highest Tribunal for evidence of the justness of our cause. History bears testimony to the integrity of our sufferings, and we declare, in the face of our brethren, that we intend no war against the people of England – our war is against the aristocratic locusts, whether English or Irish, who have eaten the verdure of our fields – against the aristocratic leeches who drain alike our fields and theirs. Republicans of the entire world, our cause is your cause. Our enemy is your enemy. Let your hearts be with us. As for you, workmen of England, it is not only your hearts we wish, but your arms. Remember the starvation and degradation brought to your firesides by the oppression of labour. Remember the past, look well to the future, and avenge yourselves by giving liberty to your children in the coming struggle for human liberty. Herewith we proclaim the Irish Republic. The Provisional Government.

Fenian Proclamation of 1867

On the 5th March 1867, the eve of the Fenian rising in Ireland, this proclamation was delivered to 'The Times' newspaper in London. The rising itself was fairly insignificant, put down by the police... The proclamation is interesting for the elements it contains which were dropped in 1916 including the separation of Church and state, the implied redistribution of land and the anti-capitalist promise to 'secure to all the intrinsic value of their labour'.

J.F.X. O'Brien, M.P. and Dr. Tanner, M.P. by National Library of Ireland on The Commons Via Flickr: Another week nearly over, and Morning Mary is still on her vacation. I really do hope she is enjoying herself! From our catalogue we see that these two distinguished gentlemen are Dr. Charles Tanner (facing right wearing a hat and suit, holding a newspaper) and J.F.X O'Brien (facing front, wearing a hat and an overcoat). What can you tell us about these men? Thanks to CASSIDY PHOTOGRAPHY who quickly directed us to the Wikipedia entries for both men. In O'Brien's entry he is described as a "Fenian revolutionary" and an MP for Cork. And Tanner's entry he's described as a "surgeon and politician" who was also an MP for Cork. Both were members of the IPP when this photo was taken. Which was likely in the latter half of the 1890s (1894-1900) per the investigations by BeachcomberAustralia, John Spooner, Niall McAuley and oaktree_brian_1976 into the photography studio of William Honey.... Photographers: Honey Collection: Irish Personalities Photographic Collection Date: Catalogue range c.1880-1900. Perhaps c.1894-1900 (see notes) NLI Ref: NPA PERS83 You can also view this image, and many thousands of others, on the NLI’s catalogue at catalogue.nli.ie

Today in history, 7 june Today in history, 7 june Events on 7 june 421 – Emperor Theodosius II marries Aelia Eudocia.

Last week, with much of the world focussed on America, Sevco decided to indulge in a little public relations.

Whilst most people were tweeting black backgrounds (and Scott Brown tweeted a bizarre picture of his thumb over the camera instead of Googling one!) the Ibrox club decided to use the George Floyd murder for their own self-aggrandisement.

They tweeted the ubiquitous black background, yes, but they put Anyone Everyone on it instead of something more fitting like, oh I dunno … Black Lives Matter, maybe?

Most people on Twitter were astonished by how crass that was.

It was a ridiculous response, an effort to piggy-back on a moment of major social trauma to tell everyone how open-minded their club was. Here’s the thing; if their club were truly open-minded, and inclusive, it would not have to keep on advertising that fact in such shabby and shady ways.

The truth is, though, their club had little choice but to try to hijack the moment.

Because in fact, their tweet was not a response to the swelling outrage around the world at the death of another African American at the hands of the police; it was a reaction to their own supporters, and one organisation amongst them who couldn’t help but celebrate their own bigotry, using the global outpouring of grief and fury to suggest that the dead man had it coming.

Vanguard Scum – I refuse to use the name they call themselves – brought shame and disgrace upon themselves and their entire club with their barbaric tweet highlighting Floyd’s criminal record. The fury that erupted at them was not confined merely to Celtic fans or neutrals; dozens of Sevco’s fans let them know how disgusting it was.

The following day, The Sun newspaper highlighted the tweet and called them out on it.

At that point, the PR department at Ibrox must have known they’d have to do something lest the world again see their support in such ghastly terms; as per usual they screwed up their response. But not half as badly as Vanguard Scum themselves, who used the moment to castigate the paper and claim that they are a non-sectarian organisation.

They dared Twitter to prove otherwise.

Anyone who is in the least bit familiar with that website, with that particular fan group, could have predicted how easily that would unravel. Within minutes, dozens of responses highlighted over and over again what sewer-dwelling filth Vanguard Scum are.

A barrage of tweets from their bygone days of yore demonstrated the depravity and sickness at the heart of their organisation, and those who follow it. I could shame those who are still doing so, but they’re doing a pretty good of shaming themselves.

Guilt by association is a bitch, isn’t it?

But that’s a lesson that club struggles to learn. It is one that it just never seems to get. No institution which valued its own reputation would want such an organisation represented within its ranks; Sevco is stuck with this lot and all the other groups like them, unable to openly challenge them for fear of the consequences. It’s that, as much as anything, which prevented the club itself from being able to straightforwardly support the Black Lives Matter campaign.

The horrible truth that their club never gets a grip on is that these ideas are rampant amongst their support. The club itself had no problem hiring a DUP councillor and high ranking Lodge member to run their public relations; think about that for a moment, in the context of what Vanguard Scum did here. They are the gutter element of the Sevco support, but they have good reason to believe that the club not only has no problem with them but sees the world the same way.

Sevco brought that on themselves. They have never properly tried to tackle their degenerate section; indeed, their club’s history shows that they pander to them over and over again. Their new shirt deal was no sooner signed than Castore reps were telling the media that an orange strip is very much part of their thinking as they know that would be popular amongst the fan-base … it makes it clear that Vanguard Scum are not the aberration they ought to be.

These mentalities are built in with the Ibrox bricks.

They are part of the firmament.

They are an unalterable, permanent, part of what Sevco is and represents.

It’s not even clear that anyone inside Ibrox wants to try and change it; even the campaign against Doncaster, MacLennan and McKenzie had the whiff of sectarianism about it. The belief that an Unseen Fenian Hand controls Scottish football is one that was, for a month there, being actively promoted by the club.

The dog whistle was loud and clear; everyone knew it, even those members of the press who happily went along for the ride.

It is obvious that Sevco has a serious problem here and they will continue to have. When their new shirt manufacturer brings out the grotesque orange shirt Castore’s name will forever be stained by that decision, to forgo their own reputation in a desperate chasing of the bigot pound. Most firms would want to avoid such a taint; they are embracing it instead. Hell mend them, and Hell mend any company which makes such a catastrophic decision.

But it’s the price of engaging with the Ibrox operation in the first place.

Sevco will never be free of this stuff now. The time for that was right at the start, when they were founded. Charles Green was the last person who had any chance to alter their path, but the decision to embrace the detritus of Rangers, the decision to appropriate everything about that club, ultimately doomed that possibility. When they took on the name, and claimed the history, they got everything that went with it. There was no further opportunity for change.

And I suspect that there never will be again.

Last week heaped disgrace on that club, so much so that the website Glasgow Live called them out for their Everyone Anyone tweet and asked why they didn’t just put up a Black Lives Matter message instead. The Vanguard Scum got their own headlines and made sure they heaped embarrassment on top of embarrassment.

Sevco deserves it because they will not try to change it.

They deserve it because they actively encourage the worst elements of their fan-base.

They deserve it for their embrace of Orangeism and their Britishness Days and their pandering to the Loyalist tendency, even when it comes to the hiring of a new head of media.

Let their club speak with a pronounced Ulster trill. Let their players parade around in orange shirts, pretending not to know what they represent. Let their manager go home every weekend to little Lourdes and pretend to know that when those behind him sing about being up to their knees in Fenian blood that it’s his little girl they are singing about.

But don’t let that club kid you that it cares about inclusivity or has any sense of social responsibility at all.

Because it does not.

Because in spite of all their protestations to the contrary, this is what they are, and this is who they are.

As Scottish football goes through the current crisis it is important to keep up with developments and the key issues. We are determined to do so, and to keep you informed as well. Please subscribe to the blog.

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#OTD in 1863 – Foundation of the Fenian newspaper, “Irish People” | John O’Leary is the editor.

#OTD in 1863 – Foundation of the Fenian newspaper, “Irish People” | John O’Leary is the editor.

In mid 1863, James Stephens informed his colleagues he wished to start a newspaper, with financial aid from John O’Mahony and the Fenian Brotherhood in America. The offices were established at 12 Parliament Street, almost at the gates of Dublin Castle. The first edition of the Irish People appeared on 28 November 1863. The staff of the paper along with Kickham were Thomas Clarke Luby and Denis…

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Imo APC Defection Event Turns Bloody As Thugs Attack Journalist

It was a free for all fight at the state capital on Thursday as irate youths descended on a freelance journalist who was allegedly accused of publishing unverified report against a top politician in the state.The journalist who was identified as Fenian was accosted along Okigwe road by unidentified youths shortly after an argument ensued […]

The post Imo APC Defection Event Turns Bloody As Thugs Attack Journalist appeared first on The Leader Newspaper Online.

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Doomsday Device

ME HOW YOU

LOVE AND THEIR

ENGLISH OR FRENCH

TREES AND I

FADES AND FLICKERS

NOON AND NOON

STARS FOR HIS

STARLIGHT AND SHADOW

FLAGS AND PRAY

BRANCH AND SWAYED

TIME AND DEATH

JOY AND JOY

POLITICIAN AND NEWSPAPER

WINE AND MEAT

POND; BUT WE

FENIANS AND BRAN

BALOR AND FINN

HOOFS AND THERE

Events 5.6

1527 – Spanish and German troops sack Rome; many scholars consider this the end of the Renaissance. 1536 – The Siege of Cuzco commences, in which Incan forces attempt to retake the city of Cuzco from the Spanish. 1541 – King Henry VIII orders English-language Bibles be placed in every church. In 1539 the Great Bible would be provided for this purpose. 1542 – Francis Xavier reaches Old Goa, the capital of Portuguese India at the time. 1593 – The Dutch city of Coevorden held by the Spanish, falls to a Dutch and English force. 1659 – English Restoration: A faction of the British Army removes Richard Cromwell as Lord Protector of the Commonwealth and reinstalls the Rump Parliament. 1682 – Louis XIV of France moves his court to the Palace of Versailles. 1757 – Battle of Prague: A Prussian army fights an Austrian army in Prague during the Seven Years' War. 1757 – The end of Konbaung–Hanthawaddy War, and the end of Burmese Civil War (1740–1757). 1757 – English poet Christopher Smart is admitted into St Luke's Hospital for Lunatics in London, beginning his six-year confinement to mental asylums. 1782 – Construction begins on the Grand Palace, the royal residence of the King of Siam in Bangkok, at the command of King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke. 1801 – Captain Thomas Cochrane in the 14-gun HMS Speedy captures the 32-gun Spanish frigate El Gamo. 1835 – James Gordon Bennett, Sr. publishes the first issue of the New York Herald. 1840 – The Penny Black postage stamp becomes valid for use in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. 1857 – The East India Company disbands the 34th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry whose sepoy Mangal Pandey had earlier revolted against the British in the lead up to the War of Indian Independence. 1861 – American Civil War: Arkansas secedes from the Union. 1863 – American Civil War: The Battle of Chancellorsville ends with the defeat of the Army of the Potomac by the Army of Northern Virginia. 1877 – Chief Crazy Horse of the Oglala Lakota surrenders to United States troops in Nebraska. 1882 – Thomas Henry Burke and Lord Frederick Cavendish are stabbed to death by Fenian assassins in Phoenix Park, Dublin. 1882 – The United States Congress passes the Chinese Exclusion Act. 1889 – The Eiffel Tower is officially opened to the public at the Universal Exposition in Paris. 1901 – The first issue of Gorkhapatra, the oldest still running state-owned Nepali newspaper was published. 1906 – The Russian Constitution of 1906 is adopted (on April 23 by the Julian calendar). 1910 – George V becomes King of Great Britain, Ireland, and many overseas territories, on the death of his father, Edward VII. 1915 – Babe Ruth, then a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, hits his first major league home run. 1915 – Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition: The SY Aurora broke loose from its anchorage during a gale, beginning a 312-day ordeal. 1916 – Twenty-one Lebanese nationalists are executed in Martyrs' Square, Beirut by Djemal Pasha. 1916 – Vietnamese Emperor Duy Tân is captured while calling upon the people to rise up against the French, and is later deposed and exiled to Réunion island. 1933 – The Deutsche Studentenschaft attacked Magnus Hirschfeld's Institut für Sexualwissenschaft, later burning many of its books. 1935 – New Deal: Under the authority of the newly-enacted Federal Emergency Relief Administration, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issues Executive Order 7034 to create the Works Progress Administration. 1937 – Hindenburg disaster: The German zeppelin Hindenburg catches fire and is destroyed within a minute while attempting to dock at Lakehurst, New Jersey. Thirty-six people are killed. 1940 – John Steinbeck is awarded the Pulitzer Prize for his novel The Grapes of Wrath. 1941 – At California's March Field, Bob Hope performs his first USO show. 1941 – The first flight of the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt. 1942 – World War II: On Corregidor, the last American forces in the Philippines surrender to the Japanese. 1945 – World War II: Axis Sally delivers her last propaganda broadcast to Allied troops. 1945 – World War II: The Prague Offensive, the last major battle of the Eastern Front, begins. 1949 – EDSAC, the first practical electronic digital stored-program computer, runs its first operation. 1954 – Roger Bannister becomes the first person to run the mile in under four minutes. 1960 – More than 20 million viewers watch the first televised royal wedding when Princess Margaret marries Anthony Armstrong-Jones at Westminster Abbey. 1966 – Myra Hindley and Ian Brady are sentenced to life imprisonment for the Moors murders in England. 1972 – Deniz Gezmiş, Yusuf Aslan and Hüseyin İnan are executed in Ankara after being convicted of attempting to overthrow the Constitutional order. 1975 – During a lull in fighting, 100,000 Armenians gather in Beirut for the 60th anniversary commemorations of the Armenian genocide. 1976 – The 6.5 Mw  Friuli earthquake affected Northern Italy with a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (Extreme), leaving 900–978 dead and 1,700–2,400 injured. 1983 – The Hitler Diaries are revealed as a hoax after being examined by new experts. 1984 – One hundred and three Korean Martyrs are canonized by Pope John Paul II in Seoul. 1988 – All thirty-six passengers and crew were killed when Widerøe Flight 710 crashed into Mt. Torghatten in Brønnøy. 1994 – Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and French President François Mitterrand officiate at the opening of the Channel Tunnel. 1996 – The body of former CIA director William Colby is found washed up on a riverbank in southern Maryland, eight days after he disappeared. 1997 – The Bank of England is given independence from political control, the most significant change in the bank's 300-year history. 1998 – Kerry Wood strikes out 20 Houston Astros to tie the major league record held by Roger Clemens. He threw a one-hitter and did not walk a batter in his fifth career start. 1998 – Steve Jobs of Apple Inc. unveils the first iMac. 1999 – The first elections to the devolved Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly are held. 2001 – During a trip to Syria, Pope John Paul II becomes the first pope to enter a mosque. 2002 – Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn is assassinated following a radio-interview at the Mediapark in Hilversum. 2002 – Founding of SpaceX. 2010 – In just 36 minutes, the Dow-Jones average plunged nearly 1,000 points in what is known as the 2010 Flash Crash. 2013 – Three women, kidnapped and missing for more than a decade, are found alive in Cleveland, Ohio, in the United States.

Terrorism – A Threat to Global Peace

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ABSTRACT

Nowadays, no one seems to be saved in the world. Terrorism, an ugly development which has compelled the world leaders as well as the public figures to spend millions of dollars beefing up their security, has become a global threat. Amidst this seemingly tight security and threat, thousands of innocent souls have lost their lives to the annihilation called terrorism.

Statistically, it has been proved that no country of the world is exceptional to terrorist attacks. Pius Odiaka writes on the palpable fear pervading world following the series of bombings in some countries. He declares in the Guardian Newspaper, Friday, July 29th, 2005, (page 24) that "No part of the world has been left without terrorist bloodshed. From Kenya, Algeria, Egypt in Africa to many countries in the middle East and the Gulf; Indonesia, Philippine, Pakistan and India across Asia; Washington and New York in America; Spain and now London in Europe, many innocent souls have been sniffed out of existence."

The paper will present how terrorism is a threat to Global Peace. It will enumerate the category of acts of terrorism. It will also examine the causes and implications of terrorism in human advancement especially in the area of peace building and keeping. Above all, it will provide recommendations by referring to the United Nations recommendations for a global counter-terrorism strategy. It concludes by affirming that the global peace can only be achieved if the world- the leaders and the followers-condemn terrorism in all forms and ramifications, and act unconditionally and justly in their quest to providing everlasting solutions to peace, as it constitutes one of the most serious threats to global peace and security.

Introduction

In human history, terrorism is widely recognized as the world most famous enemy of mankind. As history itself will admit that terrorism is annihilation with far-reaching and destructive effects, it is the cruelest of crimes against humanity. Its remains have turned neighbours into enemies and have made our societies and the whole world unsafe for living. Its aims and applications are global and uncompromising. Neither terrorism nor is perpetrators are new. Even though it has been used since the beginning of recorded time, not history itself can keep, with precision, the number of lives and properties lost to terrorism.

No doubt, terrorism with its destructive power has reshaped the world we live in. We now live in the world characterized by rising violence and conflicts. This, in turn, has led to the world of growing mistrust, fear, division and represents a significant new threat to international justice, peace and security. This ugly development thus made Amnesty International to observe in its 2004 Report the lasting effects of the crime on humanity. This report and others provide a valid point on how terrorism or terrorist acts have made the world unsafe and how it has threatened global peace.

Historical Background of terrorism

It is pertinent to recall that forms of society and governments in the past differ from what they are today, when describing the history of terrorism and the use of terror through time. Not until 1648 (Treaty of Westphalia), there was nothing like modern nation-states. More recent is the state's monopoly on warfare or interstate-violence. The absence of central authority gave many more players opportunity to participate in the game of warfare. However, this did not make the use of terror a method of affecting a political change. In contrast to the modern era, where only nations go to war, the involvement of players such as religious leaders, mercenaries, mercantile companies, national armies and many more was considered to be lawful and normal.

Terrorist acts or the threat of such action have been in existence for millennia. So, in narrating the history of terrorism, it is important to talk about the various types of terrorism and terrorist individuals and groups. Below is the summary of the history of terrorism.

Ancient World:

Sicarii Zealots

Political scientists see the radical Sicarii offshoot of the Jewish Zealots as one of the earliest forerunners of modern terrorism. Like modern terrorists, they intended their actions to suggest a message to a wider target audience: in this instance, the roman imperial officials and all pro-Roman and collaborationists

Al-Assassin

The Hashshashin (also Hashishin, Hashsshiyyin or Assassins) were an offshoot of the Isma ili sect of the Shiite Muslims. After a quarrel about the succession of leadership in the ruling Fatimide dynasty in Cairo around the year 1090, the losing Nizariyya faction was driven from Egypt. They established a number of fortified settlements in present day Iran, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon under the charismatic leader Hasan I Sabbah.Persecuted as infidel by the dominant Sunni sect in the Muslim world; they sent dedicated suicide murderers to eliminate prominent Sunni leaders whom they considered "impious usurpers." The sect was decimated by the invading Mongols, their last stronghold being flattened by Hulegu Khan in the year 1272.Many scholars believe the term Hashshashin, a name given to them by their enemies was derived from the Arabic "hassasin(hashish user),which they are alleged to have ingested prior to their attacks, but this etymology is disputed. The sects referred to themselves as al-da-wa al-jadida, which means the new doctrine, and were known within the organization as Fedayeen.

Seventeenth century

Gunpowder Plot (1605)

On November 5, 1605 a group of conspirators, led by Guy Fawkes, attempted to destroy the English Parliament on the State Opening, by detonating a large quantity of gunpowder secretly placed beneath the building. The design was to kill King James1 and the members of both houses of parliament. In the resulting anarchy, the conspirators planned to implement a coup and restore the Catholic faith to England. However the plan was betrayed and then thwarted.

Eighteenth century

1.Sons of Liberty

The Sons of Liberty were an underground group opposed to British Rule in the colonies, who committed several attacks, most famous among these was the Boston Tea Party. No one was killed or seriously injured by any action that was taken.

2.The Terror (1793-1794)

The Reign of Terror ( September 5 1793- July 28 1794) or simply The Terror ( French: la Terreur) was a period of about eleven months during the French Revolution when struggles between rival factions led to mutual radicalization which took on a violent character with mass executions by guillotine.

The victims of the Reign of Terror totaled approximately 40,000.Among people who are condemned by the revolutionary tribunals, about 8 percent were aristocrats, 6 percent clergy 14 percent middle class, and 70 percent were workers or peasants accused of hoarding, evading the draft, desertion, rebellion, and other purported crimes.

Nineteenth century

1.Anarchism

Anarchists was the most prolific terrorists of the 19th century, with the terroristic tendencies of both nationalism and political movements of Communism or fascism still in there infancy. The disjointed attacks of various anarchists groups lead to the assassination of Russian Tsars and American Presidents but had little real political impact.

2.Tsarist Russia

In Russia, by the mid-19 th century, the intelligentsia grew impatient with the slow pace of Tsarist reforms, which had slowed considerably after the attempted assassination of Alexander II of Russia. Radicals then sought instead to transform peasant discontent into open revolution. Anarchists like Mikhail Bakunin maintained that progress was impossible without destruction. With the development of sufficiently powerful, stable, and affordable explosives, the gap closed between the firepower of the state and the means available to dissidents. The main group responsible for the resulting campaign of terror-'Narodnaya Volya' (people's will) (1878-81) - used the word 'terrorist' proudly. They believed in the targeted killing of the 'leaders of oppression'; they were convinced that the developing technologies of the age-symbolized by bombs and bullets- enabled them to strike directly and discriminately." People's Will", possessing only 30 members, attempted several assassination attempts upon Tsa. Culminating in the assassination of Tsar Alexander II on 13 March 1881, killing the Tsar as he was traveling by train.

3. Irish Republican Brotherhood

In 1867, the Irish Republican Brotherhood, a revolutionary nationalist group with support from Irish-Americans, carried out attacks in England. These were the first acts of "republican terrorism", which became a recurrent feature of British history, and these Fenians were the precursor of the Irish Republican Army. The ideology of the group was Irish nationalism.

4. Nationalist terrorism

The Fenians/IRA and the IMRO may be considered the prototype of all 'nationalist terrorism', and equally illustrate the (itself controversial) expression that "one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter'. At least one of these groups achieve its goal: an independent Ireland came into being. So did an independent Macedonia, but original IMRO probably contributed little to this outcome. Some groups resorted to the use of dynamite, as did Catalan nationalists such as La Reixa and Bandera Negra.

5. John Brown

John Brown was an abolitionist who advocated armed opposition to slavery. He committed several terrorist attacks and was also involved in an illegal smuggling of slaves. His most famous attack was upon the armory at Harpers Ferry, though the local forces would soon recapture the fort and Brown, trying and executing him for treason. His death would make him a martyr to the abolitionist cause, one of the origins of American Civil War, and a hero to the Union forces that fought in it.

6. Ku Klux Klan (1865)

The original Ku Klux Klan (KKK) was created after the end of the American Civil War on December 24, 1865, by six educated middle-class confederate veterans from Pulaski, Tennessee. It soon spread into nearly every southern state of the United States. The Klan has advocated for what is generally perceived as white supremacy, anti-Semitism, racism, anti-Catholicism, homophobia, and nativism. They have often used terrorism, violence and acts of intimidation such as cross burning to oppress African Americans and other groups. The name 'Ku Klux Klan' has been used by many different unrelated groups, but they all seem to center on the belief of white supremacy. From its creation to the present day, the number of members and influence has varied greatly. However, there is little doubt that, especially in the southern United States, it has at times wielded much political influence and generated great fear among African Americans and their supporters. At one time KKK controlled the governments of Tennessee, Indiana, Oklahoma and Oregon, in addition to some of the southern U.S legislatures.

Twentieth century

Suffragette, Assassination of Archduke Ferdinand (1914), KKK(1915),Irgun (1936-1948), World War II, Nationalism and the End of Empire,Cold War proxies,,IRA,,ETA, Aum Shinrikyo (1984-1995), Achille Lauro Hijacking (1985), Lockerbie bombing (1988), Umkhonto we Sizwe (South Africa 1961-1990), PLO (1964-c.1988), Columbian terrorist groups, Munich Massacre (1972),Matsumoto incident(1994), Sarin gas attack on Tokyo subway(1995),and Oklahoma City bombing (1995) are types of terrorism and individual terrorists and groups that operated in the twentieth century.

Twenty-First Centuries

The well-celebrated September 11 (2002) attack and the Beslan school siege are recent terrorist attacks of the twenty-first century.

Terrorism: Definition of a Phenomenon

As clearly stated above, terrorism has established itself as a world phenomenon before 1648. But then, it becomes imperative to look into the true meaning of the term.Although providing a definite definition for it has been accorded with series of controversies, etymologically, the term emanates from Latin, "terrere", meaning "to frighten" via the French word terrorisme, which is often associated with the regime de la terreur, the Reign of Terror of the revolutionary government in France from 1793 to 1794.The Committee of Public Safety agents that enforced the policies of "The Terror" were referred to as " Terrorists".

The English word "terrorism" was first recorded in English dictionaries in 1798 as meaning "systematic use of terror as a policy". The Oxford English Dictionary still records a definition of terrorism as "Government by intimidation carried out by the party in power in France between 1789-1794.

The controversial issue is that the vocabulary of terrorism has become the successor to that of anarchy and communism the catch-all label opprobrium, exploited accordingly by media and politicians.The difficulty in constructing a definition which eliminates any just cause for terrorism is that history provides too many precedents of organizations and their leaders branded as terrorist but who eventually evolved into respected government. This has applied particularly to national liberation movements fighting colonial or oppressive regimes, engaging in violence within their countries often as a last resort. Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya spent years of his life lobbying the British government before his involvement with the Mau Mau rebellion. Nelson Mandela, a hero in his continent and beyond, is another convicted "terrorist" belonging to this class.

Before making a valid point, it is important to say that this piece would like to consider further statements and criticisms on the issue and recognized that there are other valid arguments on these controversial issues. However, they are not within premises of this paper.

Arriving at a universally accepted definition of terrorism which narrows down to a specific method of conducting violence instead of "all its forms and manifestations" or which makes it possible to refer terrorist acts to an international court, as for genocide and other war crimes or which makes it impossible for individual countries to outlaw activities they choose to classify as terrorism perhaps for their own political interest is a great challenge in the study of terrorism.

While the United Nations has not yet accepted a definition of terrorism, the UN's "academic consensus definition," has been put forth for consideration. And they are available for public evaluation.

In final analysis, although, it is not clear the actual number of definitions of terrorism; but it is clear that terrorism does not have respect for human lives and values. It has claimed thousands of lives of innocent souls, rendered millions of people homeless and economically handicapped. Alas, it is clearer that terrorism has turned our world into a place conducive for its existence and spread.

Effects of terrorism on global peace

Indisputably, terrorism is a threat to global peace. As it thrives well in a world such as ours- where violation of human rights, rising violence and conflicts, ethnic, national and religious discrimination, socio-economic marginalization and extreme ideology, dehumanization of victims are prominently in practice, it has succeeded in disregarding human lives and values, launching war on freedom and peace, multiplying violence and conflicts, and posting challenges of solving the problem of injustice, insecurity and declining economy.

Recommendations

In accordance with the United Nations in a report titled: Uniting Against Terrorism-Recommendations for a global counter-terrorism strategy, this paper hereby presents the following recommendations;

(1)All stakeholders-the leaders and the followers, individuals and institutions must dissuade people from resorting to terrorism or supporting it. (2) All stakeholders, in all ways and at all levels, must deny terrorists the means to carry out an attack by: - denying terrorists financial support. -denying terrorists access to deadly weapons, including weapons of mass destruction. - denying terrorists access to travel. -denying terrorists access to their targets and their desired impact. (3) All stakeholders, in all capacities, must deter States from supporting terrorists groups. (4) All stakeholders must develop State capacity to prevent terrorism by: - promoting the rule of law and effective criminal justice systems. - promoting quality education and religious and cultural tolerance. - countering the financing of terrorism. - ensuring transport security. - preventing terrorists from acquiring nuclear, biological, chemical or radiological materials, and ensuring better preparedness for an attack with such materials -improving the defense of soft targets and the response to their attack. - promoting United Nations system-wide coherence in countering terrorism. (5) All stakeholders, collectively, must defend human rights in the context of terrorism and counter- terrorism.

Even though my recommendations are fashioned out of United Nations recommendation for a global strategy, they represent a holistic and realistic approach to fighting or countering terrorism. However, if these recommendations are given the opportunity to operate or if implemented and executed properly and continuously, they are effective strategies of countering terrorism and, at the same time, ensuring a world free of violence and conflict, violations of human rights, ethnic, national and religious discrimination, political exclusion, and socio-economic marginalization

Conclusion

As you will agree with me that terrorism affects all of us, our approach to fighting or countering terrorism and ensuring a safe and peaceful world must be collective. However, it is worth noting that the world leaders, followers and stakeholders have vital roles to play in the fight against terrorism and in achieving our goals of global peace and security.

For the world leaders and stakeholders, these roles transcend attending or organizing world summit, conferences, seminars, e.t.c on the topic, and consenting to Global strategy to counter terrorism on papers. They need to commit more resources, at all levels, to the cause, be more sincere and objective in their judgments, more practical in their approach, and create enabling environments conducive for justice, conflict resolutions, human right protection, equality, stability, unity, prosperity, tolerance, peace and security.Above all, they need to promote and support ultimately because that have respect for human lives and values.

For followers and individuals, we need to carry out the message beyond conferences that terrorism is inexcusable and unacceptable. We need to engage in one- to -one education or group discussions enlightening ourselves on the devastating and destructive effects of terrorism on our lives and values, and emphasizing that terrorism is not an effective way of championing a cause, whether political, religious or otherwise. We must recognize that peace is the most precious need of humanity.

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21Spaces Works with Local Craftspeople to Breathe New Life into The Alex in Dublin

Dublin-based interior architectural and design firm 21Spaces has recently transformed one of Dublin’s most established hotels The Alexender into The Alex – a series of contemporary spaces that reflect the changing pace of life in the Irish capital. “The refurbishment of The Alex could not have been better timed,” says founder and director John Henry Boyle. “The demand on a central location and the demographic shift following the relocation nearby of multi-national companies such as Twitter’s European Headquarters has meant that since the redesign The Alex has become a busy and lively all-day destination.”

The concept for the 105-room hotel draws inspiration from the heritage of the local area, including a tramline that once ran right past the hotel, and local 1950s interiors (the building itself only dates from 1990 despite appearing much older). “We went out and looked at the other buildings in the neighborhood, and there were a lot of midcentury references – you pick up on them as you wander the streets – so we combined the industrial story of the tramlines and the design cues in the local architecture,” says project architect Jean Delaney. ” And it’s all custom-made – we worked with as many local craftsmen as we could to create a unique identity.” Alongside custom-made finishes sit high-end interior products such as the Frankie Chair by Stockholm-based Färg & Blanche and coffee tables by Danish brand Gubi, giving the space international appeal.

Moving the hotel’s entrance to the middle of the building, freed up the rotunda for a stand-alone coffee shop, and filled the ground floor with natural light. By changing the flow of the space, 21Spaces made best possible use of the now connected space, creating different focal points, each with its own identity and purpose. In a nod to traditional hotels, newspapers hang suspended on walnut rods to encourage visitors to pop in. Clusters of seating and bespoke rugs, handmade in Dublin by Rugs by Design, encourage interaction between guests and local residents and the space is now a vibrant part of the community.

The ever-increasing trend for hot-desking combined with the more ‘open-doors’ approach in today’s hotels led to the creation of a dedicated library and co-working area within the lobby, which is popular with Twitter employees. The two communal solid walnut desks, which feature natural markings and cracks complete with butterfly ties, were made by craftsmen based in Belfast. Brass Anglepoise lamps and metal legs complete the raw industrial aesthetic. “It was about bringing back the community focus,” says Delaney. “We have had good feedback from the neighbors which is a good thing. Even when it is really busy here, there is somewhere for everyone.”

The restaurant has a softened gentlemen’s club aesthetic, somehow managing to feel simultaneously masculine and feminine. Mid-century detailing with an industrial twist through the use of wood, marble, brass and steel is combined with velvet and fabric upholstery, soft pink and blue textured fabric chairs and dark turquoise velvet and striking maroon banquettes.

Different zones enable the space to be used by guests and locals alike for everything from everyday meals to special events. Grounding this space, and referencing the local industrial heritage, bespoke black lighting tracks and pendant lighting have been used, as well as brass accents from the long brass bar countertop and brass task lights to the brass edging on the silk upholstered wall panels.

The former hotel entrance has been transformed into The Steam Café, a weekday coffee shop run by local artisan coffee roaster, Cloud Picker. The light and airy interior with floor-to-ceiling windows and ash doors paired with distinctive timber dowel clad walls really make the most of the double-height space. The curved design continues in the geometric pattern of the service counter. A slim curved banquette upholstered in Kvadrat tweed – the seat in moss green with a light grey backrest – is combined with fixed tables made from recycled milk bottles. To complete the design, black and steel industrial pendant lighting and a triangle stained-glass panel, again made locally, give the space its own distinct look.

A large customized ticker-tape sign runs the length of the lift area and references the now-defunct tramline that once operated next to this site. “It evokes the feeling of waiting on a platform or in a train station,” explains Delaney.

Every detail has been considered in each of the 105 bedrooms and suites too. Against a backdrop of soft dusty pink walls, velvet cushions and soft wool throws from Foxford Woollen Mill in Mayo, large circular metal mirrors are combined with handcrafted walnut wardrobes and leather headboards made by O’Donnell Furniture Makers in Cork.

Carefully chosen artworks reflect the area’s natural landscape and wildlife – such as Luke Stevenson’s Collection of Showbirds. “We worked closely with an art curator in Belfast who helped us to put the art together,” says Delaney.

What: The Alex, Dublin Where: The Alex, 41-47 Fenian Street, Dublin, Ireland. How much? Rooms start at $250 per night Highlights: Whether you fancy a pint of Irish Guinness or a Manhattan, head straight to the high seats at the bar and you’re set for the night. Design draw: 21Spaces took inspiration from the local area, turning 1950s design cues and the industrial history of a former tramline into a hotel fit for the 21st century, whether you’re checking in or just checking it out. Book it: Visit thealexdublin.ie

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