#short strand

[scholarofgloom]

[tiocfaidharlaethantasaoire-blog]

I heard this song on CBC while driving home from work today and was reminded of my first construction job in Dublin. I was teamed up with a troubadour by the name of Ray from the Short Strand in Belfast. Not prone to talking a hell of a lot myself it's always a relief when I work with a chatterbox who is actually interesting to listen to. Ray was full of great stories. I think they were true. One of them concerned Bobby Sands who was imprisoned in Long Kesh at the time. He was also a republican poet and songwriter. Sands sent out a request for Ray to write out the melody for Gordon Lightfoot's 'Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald'. On a cigarette paper.  Ray's friend Bik then smuggled the paper in to Bobby hidden inside his foreskin, and he took the melody and penned the beautiful song 'Back Home In Derry' to the same melody. This and another Sands song 'MacIlhatton' were recorded by Christy Moore on his 1984 album 'Ride On'. While I was working with Ray, the IRA cessation of violence was announced by none other than Bik.

---

Chuala mé an amhrán seo ar an radio nuair a bhím ag tiomáint abhaile inniu, agus is cuimhin liom mo chéad poist foirgníocht sa Bhaile Átha Cliath. Bhím ag obair le amhránaí as Béal Feirste. Ray is ainm do agus tháinig sé as an Trá Ghearr. Ní labhraím go leor, mar sin féin is foisimh é nuair a tá fiche scéal maith ag na daoine eile. Ceapaim go raibh a scéal fiorú. Bhí scéal áirithe le Bobby Sands, cé a bhí isteach sa Long Kesh. Is file agus amhránaí poblachtacht é freisin. D'iarr Bobby don fonn ar an amhrán 'Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald' as Ray. Scríofa ar páipéir toitín, le do thoil. Chuaigh a chara Bik isteach ag tabhairt cuairt ar Bobby, agus an páipéir isteach sa 'foreskin'. Thóg Bobby an fonn agus scríobh sé an amhrán nua 'Back Home In Derry'. Bhí an amhrán seo agus 'MacIlhatton', scríofa le Sands freisin, ar an LP 'Ride On' le Christy Moore. Nuair a bhím ag obair le Ray, bhí an gníomhaíochtaí a scor don PIRA fógraíadh le Bik.

[tiocfaidharlulz]

Sectarian trouble flares in east Belfast’s Short Strand

Homes in east Belfast’s Short Strand area have been attacked by a large group of masked men, it has been reported.

(Picture via @Short_Strand on twitter.com) Lord Mayor of Belfast Niall O Donnghaile, a Sinn Fein councillor for the area, was at the scene.

He told the BBC that 60-100 masked men fully dressed in camouflage gear have been attacking homes.

The attacks were carried out at the Mountpottinger Road and the lower Newtownards Road, he said.

Police are at the scene and community and youth workers have been trying to defuse the situation.

“It’s a tense and dangerous situation,” Mr O Donnghaile said.

“They’ve hit homes with paint bombs, pipe bombs and petrol bombs.

“A pipe bomb-type device has gone off. There’s a number of Short Strand residents who are injured and a number of homes have been damaged.”

Police have confirmed that a large number of people had gathered in Bryson Street and that petrol bombs have been thrown. * Short Strand is a predominantly Nationalist area in East Belfast. These attacks are being carried out by a group of Loyalists, just in case anyone was wondering.

Source: BBC (via foetusphile)