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Home Page > Blogs > News blogs > Periscope > The Gathering not a scam but an opportunity -- Gabriel Byrne right on culture, wrong on The Gathering

Periscope by Niall O'Dowd

The Gathering not a scam but an opportunity -- Gabriel Byrne right on culture, wrong on The Gathering

Posted on Wednesday, November 07, 2012 at 07:08 AM

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I have already said that I have a high regard for the Diaspora and you can take it as a given that I know a great deal about it. There are perhaps a million people living abroad who have Irish citizenship and are eligible to run for President. This group includes not only people born in Ireland, but who were born abroad and acquired citizenship under the present laws. They are part of the Diaspora, outside of their group, there are millions who are, as you say "Irish by heritage and culture and not to mention GOODWILL". so the Diaspora can be broken down (for the sake of this debate) into those who are Irish citizens and those who don't, but have Irish ancestry etc. You ask: "How then could the Diaspora of 70 million nominate a candidate?" It is a good question. How do you think they could do it? I think if the Diaspora focused on itself as regards these issues it could find a viable solution. There are a million potential candidates and millions who should feel a common cause in putting forward and supporting one of their own. There could be a pan-Diaspora group formed with the goal of finding a candidate for the 2018 Presidential elections. The group could hold a number of conventions in relevant parts of the world. Each Diaspora convention would allow their communities to participate; those that care enough to participate could be given a vote to nominate a candidate at their convention. Let's say there are five conventions putting forward five potential candidates in total. A decided method would then select a single candidate to support in the Presidential election in 2018. The structure to nominate the candidate would then become the structure to support the candidate i.e. the structure necessary to raise the €350,000 or so needed to run a campaign. The election is six years away. If the Diaspora woke up to its failure in this regard then it could work to change it. Will it?

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molliepmac | Nov 16, 2012, 04:54 AM EST

kinvara7;- Interesting article about The Constitutional Convention. -The Irish Times - Friday, November 16, 2012 The faceless sixty-six It’s bad enough that the Government should severely circumscribe the agenda of the constitutional convention, but it is bizarre and unprecedented decision to turn it into an advertising focus group by allowing its 66 “citizen” members to remain anonymous takes the biscuit. What price transparency, supposedly one of our new core values

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molliepmac | Nov 15, 2012, 01:27 PM EST

kinvara 7 Re the Constitutional Convention – I have already said “the FIS (Federation of Irish Societies) in Britain are committed to engaging with the Convention and will make representations on behalf of the Irish in Britain." Did you not read my post? My understanding is that individuals cannot make representations. Can non- Citizens make representations? You have not commented on the fact that Craig Barrett ex INTEL and others have volunteered to sit on any Irish state board without pay - and are still waiting to get a call from Dublin. If he has no INFLUENCE what hope for others? What about the tone of Martina Devlins articles? Also have you ever thought to yourself 'how unkind' when your fellow citizens call diaspora 'loud Yanks or Plastic Paddies' ? You are also avoiding naming the improved heritage sites and statues of important people. By not naming them you confirm they do not exist. The last I will say on the issue is that from reading the comments of others on IC – Ireland needs the diaspora more than they need Ireland so the onus is on Ireland to think hard about a way forward.

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molliepmac | Nov 15, 2012, 01:18 PM EST

MY interpretation of what McWilliams means ;- WELL the first sentence: “if we exploit the demographic potential” –the word ‘WE’ refers to YOU and the people of Ireland so you must interpret that. The second - “who can be buyers, advisers, investors and influencers”. This can mean the diaspora or others. I believe the Chinese are keen to invest / buy Ireland. From my own experience the diaspora in UK ( have in the past ) been BUYERS of Irish produce – meat and dairy – when English or Danish was cheaper – BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO SUPORT Ireland. They visit on holiday and pay the price. INFLUENCERS – in so so many ways. Irelands champions someone somewhere every day in every way. Advisors and Investors I am sure there are many. I say IN THE PAST. Even as late as the 60’s no Blacks no dogs no Irish – in parts of the UK Still they worked away and sent the remittances ‘home’ Things changed in the last 20 years. Ireland the Celtic Tiger became “ one of the richest countries in the world” ( what a joke )and the Irish in Britain were no longer needed/considered part of the Tribe. We discovered that ‘BUY IRISH’ didn’t apply in Ireland so we thought we didn’t have to BUY IRISH in the UK. Now all’s changed and you find you need our support after all. So we come back around to the question. How do the Irish in Ireland re build the broken bridge?

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molliepmac | Nov 15, 2012, 01:17 PM EST

kinvara7. New question for you – have you ever lived or worked outside of Ireland? You do not seem to have any concept of the complexity and spread of the diaspora otherwise you would not ask such questions. However I have given some thought and answer of out courtesy. I assume that you are aware that the President of Ireland has to be an Irish citizen and that only Irish Citizens can vote in the election. That excludes several million of the diaspora as not all have an Irish born grandparent so cannot claim citizenship. The issue is a bone of contention. Millions are Irish by heritage and culture not to mention GOODWILL. How then could the diaspora of 70 million nominate a candidate? Who would be eligible to take part in such an exercise? A KEY question – how would the Irish citizens in Ireland view a President from outside of the Island? Have you thought of the reaction? Do you understand how difficult it would be to sort out the legalities?

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kinvara7 | Nov 15, 2012, 08:14 AM EST

Molliepmac: Do you really believe that the Diaspora has pulled together as a unit? How do explain its inability to support one of its own in contesting the Presidential election? You have provided me with another quote from David McWilliams, but I’m asking you to give me YOUR interpretation of what he means when he says things like: “if we exploit the demographic potential”, and “who can be buyers, advisers, investors and influencers”. I know a great deal about the Diaspora, telling me about Kingsley Aikins, a person I drew your attention to in the context of this debate, is pointless. I have a high regard for the Diaspora, but if the Diaspora constantly has ‘isn’t the Diaspora brilliant’ conversations with itself then it is unlikely to address some of its failings. I want to hear YOUR views on what the role of the Diaspora should be. As regards the Constitutional Convention, here is a passage from a speech made by the Taoiseach: “it is anticipated that interest groups and non-governmental organisations will be able to interact with the Convention, including by making submissions…The Government also hopes that there will be active engagement with the Diaspora.” So what submissions would you make? That is basically what I have asked, and I’m still waiting for a reply.

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molliepmac | Nov 14, 2012, 05:35 AM EST

esatdigiwank;- Yes I do know! Add to that Possible sell-off of the public forests managed by Coillte Interest has been expressed by Swiss finance company Helvetia Wealth - who own the International Forestry Fund (IFF) - chaired by Bertie Ahern, (ex-prime minister of Ireland) as well as The China Investment Corporation. Massive windfarms proposed for the midlands to supply power to UK none for the Irish grid. So it goes on.

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molliepmac | Nov 14, 2012, 05:25 AM EST

kinvara7;- You have asked me to answer your questions asking why the diaspora have not pulled together as a unit. Then you go on to provide the answer that they have in fact done so for years. 1. The Ireland Funds – 35 years raising millions for projects in Ireland- Kingsley Aikins was involved. 2.The Global Irish Economic Forum 2009 followed on from David McWilliams Generation Game – he said “ If we exploit the demographic potential of the Diaspora, we can re-invigorate the nation.” ….The Forum established The Global Irish Network. Craig Barrett and others have volunteered to sit on any Irish state board without pay - still waiting to get a call from Dublin.( wonder why - can you suggest a reason haha!) See the IC 23 September “Irish too often spurn Diaspora advice says top Wall Street figure”. With regard to the Constitutional convention – only 100 delegates in total made up of Parliamentarians and 66 randomly selected citizens so I do not think there was an invite for a ‘diaspora delegate’ as such although there certainly were calls for such representation. Who had the remit to issue invitations? Certainly the FIS (Federation of Irish Societies) in Britain are committed to engaging with the Convention and make representations on behalf of the Irish in Britain Yes President Higgins has an affinity with the Irish in Britain - he lived in London and Manchester in the 60's and has family there. Elaine Byrne - well jolly good - about time. Makes up for the disparaging remarks made by the likes of Martina Devlin- the gist of which is - we had better be nice to the diaspora now we need their cash - but wasnt it great fun to have a sneer at them in the past. The diaspora in Britain are aware of Irish products. We have been buying them for years. Now your turn; Name the Heritage Sites that are better? Name and place the statues of famous people?

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kinvara7 | Nov 13, 2012, 12:14 PM EST

As regards David McWilliams not being the exception, you should look up Kingsley Aikins and the Global Diaspora Strategies Toolkit; Elaine Byrne wrote a fine Article in the Irish Independent around the time of the Notre Dame v. Navy Game; President Higgins has spoken a lot about the Diaspora in Britain and visited Irish communities there both before and after his election. Furthermore, what I wrote meant that McWilliams’ views were accepted by a great many people in Ireland. You seem to be quite happy with David McWilliams, and he is a strong advocate for the Diaspora. One of the questions he asked once was “What if each village in Ireland could harness the economic power of its Diaspora?” The question arose from an examination of an innovative plan for parishes to reach out to members of the Diaspora connected with it and welcome them back for a week of lectures and cultural engagements etc. McWilliams states that one of the goals is to: “identify…enterprising members of the Tribe who can be buyers, advisers, investors and influencers for the benefit of not just the locality but the Irish nation as a whole.” Tangible connections need such involvement. As I said, Irish communities need consumers for the products they produce and the Irish Diaspora should be more aware of, and interested in, the products made here.

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kinvara7 | Nov 13, 2012, 11:15 AM EST

If you scroll down the comment thread you will see that I have asked my questions first, and as you appear to believe in the concept of first in time, I would be grateful if you could respond to them. The type of comments you have made are made time and again on this website, that is why I say they are predictable. Now we could have the same old “isn’t the Diaspora brilliant’ backslapping conversation which is the norm on IC, or we could have a focused debate on why a Diaspora, apparently 70 million strong, have failed to organize themselves in an effective way. A Debate that includes the views of people such as yourself in the Diaspora, and asks what role you think you should have.

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kinvara7 | Nov 13, 2012, 10:52 AM EST

Molliepmac: Here is an example of what I mean, when I say the Diaspora deftly ignores its own failings –even though such an examination would serve them better: The Irish Presidency. You talk about the 70 million strong Diaspora, well will they organize to raise the $400,000 needed so that one of their own can contest the 2018 election? Why haven’t they done so already?

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esatdigiwank | Nov 13, 2012, 05:11 AM EST

Molliepmac: Us Irish colonized? You don't know a fraction of. Do you know that British Gas may soon have its talons on Irish drinking water rights?? Our drinking water comes under the auspice of the Irish Gas Board (Bórd Gais), and that soon to be sold to the highest bidder. Diaspora need to save Ireland from itself - Connacht and adjacent soon to be raped by fracking!!

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eiriamach | Nov 12, 2012, 08:30 AM EST

If it's "not a scam" and if Gabriel Byrne is "right on culture," then why did the Irish government pull funding for Byrne and put multi-million-dollar American CEOs like Fox Broadcasting President Denis Swanson to work designing the program? That's a scam the way running the "Jersey Shore" TV program and calling it "cultural programming" would be a scam. But don't worry: Americans will flock to it with full pockets-- the Irish-descended who voted for Romney and worship American entrepreneurs like demi-gods who should walk the earth tax-free. (The Diaspora elsewhere in the world, however, may catch on). The Gathering is their cupp'a tea, their electoral consolation prize, and they have the money to spend on it. But good luck to the Tourism Board getting that crowd to part with their money (LOL!) Will Sean Hannitty and Bill O'Reilly be their masters of ceremony?

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molliepmac | Nov 12, 2012, 07:06 AM EST

kinvara7;- You say the Diaspora are .."deftly ignoring any examination of their own failings -even though such an examination might stand to them better" What exactly do you mean? Can you please clarify? To find out how the diaspora "FAILED" Ireland in the past do a bit of research - start with - Catherine Dunne An Unconsidered People - 'In one year alone, 1961, the value of the emigrant remittances reached £13.5m (€15.3m). The entire primary and secondary education budget of the State that year was £14m. They educated an entire generation from afar.'

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molliepmac | Nov 11, 2012, 08:42 PM EST

kinvara7;- another question I posed - you have not answered. -Around 2006 Irish Ferries let their Irish staff go and now employ mainly Latvians at a lower wage. I wrote to the’ powers that be ‘in Ireland to protest. How many Irish protested at that move? How often has it been repeated? DID YOU PROTEST?

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