15 Years Ago

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June 4, 1990 THE IRISH EMIGRANT Issue No.174

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Editor: Liam Ferrie Circulation: 734

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Two stories dominated the week's news. One was the IRA attacks which left four people dead in England, Holland and Germany. The other concerned plans for the future of radio broadcasting in this country.

The week opened with a new MRBI opinion poll in the Irish Times. This favoured Fianna Fail and the PDs and must have been a disappointment to Fine Gael. The results of the poll were actually in the later editions of all the papers with the Independent again neglecting to say where they came from. On Tuesday the main Irish Times headline was "Government to back next phase of North talks". This was a reference to the previous day's visit to Dublin by Peter Brooke. That story meant that the killing of the two Australians by the IRA in Holland was relegated to second place. Of course radio and television, together with the evening papers, had given extensive accounts of the killings the previous day.

Unexpected radical changes in radio broadcasting brought the Minister for Communications, Ray Burke, right into the limelight on Wednesday. His plans were not well received (except by Century Radio) and criticism intensified in the following days ensuring that it was still the top story on Thursday and Friday. By Friday the IRA were back in the news, having killed two British soldiers, one in England and the other in Germany.

RADIO ROW - RAY BURKE'S PLANS RESENTED

The Minister for Communications, Ray Burke, has been talking for some time now about "levelling the playing field" in relation to the edge which the licence fee provides RTE over its newly arrived competition. His action, when it came, was quite dramatic and described by a Fine Gael politician as not just "levelling the playing field" but "moving the goalposts".

The two main proposals from Mr Burke are that £3m of the £45m which RTE currently receives from licence fees be distributed among the nation's independent radio stations and that 2FM (formerly Radio 2) ends its role as a broadcaster of non-stop popular music. The £3m is to be given to the Independent Radio and Television Commission (IRTC) to distribute as it sees fit, while 2FM is to become an information provider and educator. His logic for transferring the £3m is that the independents are required to allocate 20% of their broadcasting hours to news, current affairs and other "community service" programmes. On the change in output from 2FM he says that the station has served its purpose. It was set up to provide a service which the pirate stations were delivering. Now, with the independents up and running, it is no longer needed. His vision is that it will carry language courses and information for farmers, businessmen, trade unionists and others.

Fine Gael, Labour, trade unionists and RTE itself were all quick to criticise the proposals. In fact, it is a long time since action taken by a politician generated so much anger. About the only people to welcome the proposals are those connected with the independent radio stations. The Gay Byrne radio show askedlisteners to phone in with their views and received a huge response, about eight to one against the changes.

It is not clear what would have satisfied Fine Gael as there was an interesting "letter to the editor" in The Irish Times on the day that the news appeared. I missed the original story but the writer was objecting to a Fine Gael proposal that £1m of the

licence fee be given to Century Radio. In later emerged that, about two weeks ago, Alan Dukes had requested a meeting with the Taoiseach to discuss the plight of Century Radio. On the one hand Mr Haughey is saying that such meetings are confidential but on the other we are led to believe that Mr Dukes suggested action

similar to that which is now being taken, including the changing role of 2FM. Mr Dukes has ignored the Taoiseach's invitation torelate what transpired at the meeting and continues to attack the proposals.

When the Bill was actually published on Friday it allowed for up to 25% of the licence fee to be allocated to the independents but made no reference to the role of 2FM. It is now being suggested that the Government is backing off this latter proposal. There is also some talk that the PDs are having second thoughts about

supporting the Bill as it stands.

The Minister stated emphatically that the timing of his decision had absolutely nothing to do with the current financial problems of Century Radio. In fact he sounded quite indignant that such a question should be asked.

WIDESPREAD CRITICISM OF THE IRA

By Monday evening the IRA admitted that it was responsible for the killing of the two Australians in the Dutch town of Roermond last Sunday night. In a statement issued in Dublin the organisation said it "deeply regrets the tragedy". The general

reaction to this apology was unfavourable in the extreme. The IRA has come in for fierce criticism from politicians of all hues and from the media. British politicians also made their feelings known in no uncertain terms. The Australian Government's reaction was well reported here. In fact The Irish Times carried a report from Adelaide giving details of how the media throughout Australia responded to the killings. The Taoiseach sent a message of sympathy to the Australian Prime Minister, Bob Hawke.

As had been suggested from the outset, the two victims were taken for British servicemen because of their English registered car. Both worked in London and had been on holiday at the time. Their attackers, who were dressed in black and masked, opened fire without warning and then escaped in what turned out to be a stolen Mazda car. The car was later found burned out in Belgium. The Dutch police have offered a reward of £35,000 in an effort to trace the killers.

TWO BRITISH SOLDIERS KILLED

On Friday evening two gunmen walked up to three off-duty soldiers on a railway station platform in Lichfield, Staffordshire, and opened fire. One died a short time later. He was aged nineteen. The other two were detained in hospital where one was described as being in a serious condition. All three were new recruits returning home to South Wales from training camp for the weekend. The attackers ran off across the railway track and through waste ground where it is assumed a car was waiting for them.

Just a few hours later there was another attack, this time in Germany. At about midnight two gunmen shot a 34-year-old major outside his house in the town of Dortmund. He died instantly from wounds to the head. He had just stepped out of his car when the attack occurred. His wife was with him and escaped injury. Neighbours who heard the shooting contacted the police and two squad cars pursued the attackers for a time but failed to catch them. Shots were fired at the police and one received a wound to is leg. The getaway car, also a Mazda, was found abandoned in a nearby village and police are hopeful that it will provide forensic evidence, as the gunmen apparently did not have time to set it on fire.

The criticism of both these attacks has been extremely vocal and bitter. It has come from leading politicians on both sides of the Irish Sea.

A STEP AT A TIME

That appears to be the approach of the Northern Secretary, Peter Brooke, who was in Dublin on Monday. He first went to brief the Taoiseach and then had four hours of discussions with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Gerry Collins. Afterwards, Mr Brooke refused to speculate on the timing of any events arising from the talks he has been having with the North's politicians. He says he is only prepared to deal with each issue as it arises and see what progress can be made from it. Both he and Mr Collins were still not prepared to give anything away in relation to what has been discussed and agreed at the recent series of meetings. It does appear that any concessions which Mr Brooke has been able to make to Unionists was done with the prior agreement of the Irish Government.

After Mr Brooke left Dublin he went to Belfast to meet Dr John Alderdice, the leader of the Alliance Party. He was the first politician to voice concern as to the value of all the effort. He did not exactly say that the whole thing was a waste of time but he clearly doubted the goodwill of some of the participants. At least that is how I interpreted his remarks although he was cautious not to be so explicit.

The speculation is now that there will be a further round of talks and that these should lead to real negotiations for a replacement for the Anglo-Irish Agreement in September.

OPINION POLLS

The MRBI poll published in Monday's Irish Times showed that support for Fianna Fail had risen to 51% (up 1% since February). Fine Gael was at 23% (down 6%), Labour 10% (no change), PDs 7% (up 3%) and the Workers' Party 4% (up 1%). The number of people satisfied with the performance of the Taoiseach had risen from

56% to 61% while Des O'Malley had fallen marginally from 49% to 48%. There was no change in the level of satisfaction with Dick Spring and Alan Dukes, who received 52% and 41% respectively.

Fine Gael received more depressing news in another poll published in yesterday's Sunday Business Post. It reported Fine Gael down to 21% with Fianna Fail at 54% and the PDs at 4%.The Sunday Tribune reported that these polls had created a degree

of dissatisfaction in the Fine Gael party with the leadership of Alan Dukes. There is talk of a move to have him replaced as leader.

> > > > > > > > > BITS AND PIECES < < < < < < < < <

- Today is a Bank Holiday in Ireland.

- The Mormon missionary who was murdered in Dublin last Sunday night was identified as Gale Critchfield (20) of Utah. Thestabbing took place at Ronanstown to the west of the city and Gardai were quick to suggest that the motive was robbery although the attacker left empty-handed. Within 24 hours a local youth was charged with the murder.

- Last weekend a group of Choctaw Indians from Oklahoma led a "Famine Walk" from Doolough to Louisburgh in Co.Mayo. The walk commemorated 600 famine victims who died in 1849 as they walkedthrough Doolough Valley in search of food. The Choctaw Indians were invited because their ancestors collected $710 for Irish

famine relief back in 1847.

- John Taylor, the Ulster Unionist MP, is to ask Peter Brooke to use the Anglo-Irish Conference to ensure that "the Protestant medical ethos" of Dublin's Adelaide Hospital is maintained. This is thought to be the first time that a Unionist has attempted to use the Conference to influence what is happening in the South. There was further debate on this subject throughout the week. The Minister for Health has guaranteed that the "tradition and ethos" will be maintained.

- Four customs officers escaped injury when their car was rammed by a fuel tanker near the border. The officers were the movement of vehicles on an unapproved road near Castle-blaney and tried to flag down the vehicle. Driver and vehicle managed to get away.

- The controversy over a proposed multi-storey car park in the Marsh area of Cork City continues. Monday's meeting of the Corporation voted in favour of proceeding with the development. As soon as the result of the vote was announced, protesters invaded the council chamber and put an end to the meeting.

- We have another supermarket price war on our hands. Dunne's Stores fired the first shots by reducing the price of a standard loaf of bread to 35p. Some other items were also substantially reduced. Many newspapers carried two-page advertisements announcing these cuts. The other supermarkets are endeavouring to make their price cuts sound more attractive and in the short term the consumer should benefit. One report stated that Dunne's had seen it's market share fall to privately owned stores, in particular the Super Valu "chain" which as far as I know is supplied by Musgraves of Cork.

- There is discontent among Army officers over the fact that their colleagues on UN duty in Central America receive a special daily allowance of just £9.81. Spanish officers who are working with them receive $100.

- Just two weeks after I saw a television report of British dealers over here buying Irish cattle, we are now being told that the fall in beef sales in Britain, as a result of Mad Cowdisease, is hurting the Irish farmer. The leader of the IFA, Alan Gillis, claims that the price of a pound of beef fell by 13p, or nearly £80 per head, in the last ten days. In response to these complaints, and similar ones from other countries, the

European Commission changed the rules on buying beef into intervention. With a few provisos this appeared to please the farmers.

- For the third time in a year a soldier has died from gunshot wounds at the Curragh Camp. Early on Monday, a 24-year-old soldier on sentry duty was found dead from wounds inflicted by his own rifle.

- The Ombudsman issued his annual report and Telecom Eireann is still top of the complaints league with 41% of the total. This, however, is well down on previous years. Most of these complaints relate to billing.

- The problem of AIDS has been in the news again with voluntary efforts to publicise the issue and collect funds to help those suffering from it. The latest statistics are that a total of 146 cases have been reported and 63 of these have died.

- The dry spell has resulted in water rationing in Dundalk and appeals for people to conserve water in Dublin, Dun Laoghaire and West Cork.

- Large trawlers from Germany, France, and Spain have been accused of ramming Irish trawlers in lucrative fishing grounds off the south-west coast. The grounds being outside the twelve-mile limit, there is apparently little that can be done about this. However, the Naval Service has stationed five fishery protection vessels in the area. For those of you who are surprised that the Navy had quite so many ships, I should tell you that there are a further two vessels available if needed!

- Once Ray Burke made his announcement about radio broadcasting he was going to stay in the news, but just in case, he chose is week to announce the membership of the new RTE authority. Most people would only recognise three or four of the nine names. Gay Byrne, John Carroll, Dr Mick Loftus are widely known but you would probably need to be a reader of The Farmers' Journal to know who Des Maguire is. The composition of the authority came in for scathing criticism from Alan Dukes who claimed that all but two were members or supporters of Fianna Fail or the PDs. Personally, I think that is a step in the right direction. In the past, Governments appeared to reserve all the places on such committees for their supporters!

- Three of the four men sentenced to life imprisonment for themurder of Senator Billy Fox in 1974 have been granted parole for one month. It is expected that this will lead to their eventual release. The fourth person is receiving treatment at the Central Mental Hospital.

- Three Irishmen were arrested at London Airport when one of them was found to be carrying stolen security bonds valued at Stg£77m. The bonds were part of a much larger haul taken at knife point from an elderly messenger in the city of London some weeks ago. When they appeared in court, Thomas Coyle and Anthony Rooney of Drogheda and Edward Dublin of Dublin, were said to be on their way from Dublin to the US.

- Paul McLoughlin (25), with an address in Bath, England, appeared in Ennis Court on Saturday on charges of complicity in the murder of a Limerick taxi driver last year. The court heard that a man named as Matthew Edwards, believed to be living in England, carried out the killing. Henry Hurley was found strangled beside his cab near Cratloe Wood last July.

- Patrick Sheehan (31) of Eyeries in West Cork drowned when he slipped as he was boarding a trawler in Castletownbere on Friday night.

- Minister for the Environment, Padraig Flynn, is in a spot of bother with some of his constituents. He approved a £3.8m by-pass to ease traffic problems in the town of Castlebar. Protesters have prevented any work taking place by sitting in front of the earth-moving equipment. As part of the plan, a compulsory purchase order was placed on land owned by a local convent and the nuns are to the forefront in the protest. Few Irish politicians have dared cross the nuns who, some would argue, are more influential than the bishops!

- Horse racing will become a thing of the past at the Phoenix Park when the current flat racing season ends in October. Having lost its two major races, the Cartier Million and the Phoenix Champion Stakes to the Curragh and Leopardstown, the management has decided that the course is no longer commercially viable.

> > > > > > > > > NORTHERN NEWS < < < < < < < < <

- I don't know if I ever mentioned the Armagh Four in the past so I would need to explain that they are four former members of the UDR who were convicted of shooting dead a Catholic man in Armagh in 1983. They claim that they were wrongly convicted on confessions which had been beaten out of them. The Rev Ian Paisley has been prominent in campaigning for their from prison. This week his son, also Ian, was in Dublin addressing a meeting to publicise their case. On the platform offering support were Kadar Asmal, president of the Irish Council for Civil Liberties and Roger Garland TD, of the Green Party. I am sure that I saw Austin Currie TD and Senator David Norris on the platform also in the TV report. Others who offered support were David Andrews, MEP, Michael D.Higgins, TD, and the historian Robert Kee.

- The chairman of the North's Police Federation made news at his organisation's annual conference when he criticised the Taoiseach and described the South as "an open house to murderers, bombers and gunmen".

- The Independent Television Network in the UK broadcast the first part of a documentary programme entitled "Shoot-to-Kill" on Sunday. The second part goes out today. UTV took legal advice and decided not to screen the programmes. RTE has yet to make a decision on whether or not it will purchase it. The former chief constable of the RUC, Sir John Hermon, claims that the programme is not "factual or objective" but was not specific in his criticisms. The chief advisor to the makers of the documentary was a former chief superintendent, John Thorburn, who was John Stalker's right-hand man in the "shoot-to-kill" investigations.

- The loyalist harassment of prison officers continued with shots being fired at the homes of three of them in Lisburn. In another incident a shot was fired into a car being driven by a prison officer.

- Another "peace line" is being erected in Belfast. That is a euphemism for a Berlin-type wall which is used to divide communities on ether side of the political/religious divide. The barriers are being erected between the nationalist New Lodge and the loyalist Tiger Bay. There have been a number of sectarian killings and attacks on security forces in these areas. Turnstiles will provide access through the "peace line".

> > > > > EMPLOYMENT AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS < < < < <

- There was optimism on the employment front with the release of the May jobless statistics. The number out of work fell by 5,800 during the month and when seasonally adjusted there was still a drop of 1,500. The total unemployed is now 215,284 which is 16.6% of the labour force.

- Having failed to reach agreement with the unions, management at the Irish Press Group has issued redundancy notices to its 715 employees. If the company's proposals for rationalisation not accepted by July 23, publication of all three titles will cease. The group has been running at a loss for some time and various unsuccessful attempts have been made to reverse its decline. Now the new 50% shareholder, Ingersoll Publications, is looking to shed more than 200 staff, close its city centre premises and introduce new technology in new premises in the suburbs. The Labour Court has offered its services in trying to reach agreement.

- On Monday, workers at Waterford Crystal agreed to their union representatives commencing talks with management. The talks began on Wednesday, a day after a report in The Irish Times claimed that the crystal division of Waterford/Wedgewood lost £21.3m last year. Wednesday's paper carried details of the company's annual report showing that the Group had an operating loss of £1.1m. There was no mention of the "contribution" from the separate divisions. After a two-day break in the negotiations both sides met again on Sunday.

- The Arigna coal mines are to close with the loss of about 170jobs. Redundancy notices have been issued.

- US software house, Gerber Alley, has opened its international headquarters in Swords, Co.Dublin. The company supplies hospital management software and has the contract to supply the Beaumont Hospital. The current workforce of 9 is expected to rise to 124 within five years.

- There are hopes that a Japanese textile company will take over the old Burlington plant at Gillogue, Co.Clare and create between 600 and 700 jobs.

- A drop in the demand for LPG is given as the reason for 60 redundancies at Calor Teoranta. The company currently employs 330 and says that availability of natural gas, smaller family sizes and the popularity of microwave ovens have caused reduced sales of bottled gas.

- The dispute at TEAM Aer Lingus continues and there is talk of the project being "put on ice". One last attempt to reach a settlement is underway.

> > > > > > > > > POLITICS & POLITICIANS < < < < < < < < <

- With the suggested increase in popularity in the PDs they seem to have timed a recruitment drive perfectly. The party leader, Des O'Malley, opened the campaign last weekend and is particularly interested in getting young people to join the party.

- There is growing concern at the frequency with which Section 4 resolutions are used to over-ride the planning authorities in the Dublin County Council area. (Section 4 is a regulation which allows councillors to grant planning permission where it has been refused in the normal manner). The Sunday Tribune recently carried a report showing that the procedure has been used 150 times in the last few years. The 150 cases related to thousands of houses. One councillor used Section 4s on three occasions on behalf of one developer who now has permission to build 700 houses. Fianna Fail councillors are by far the biggest culprits in this area and the matter was raised in the Dail by Labour TD Ruairi Quinn. In reply, the Minister for the Environment, Padraig Flynn, denied that there was any wrong-doing although he agreed that there was "some disquiet".

- Our politicians managed to discuss the carnage which takes place on our roads, and the fact that it costs the country an estimated £500m each year, without mentioning alcohol.

> > > > > > > > > TRAVEL AND TOURISM < < < < < < < < <

- A 45-mile section of the Royal Canal between Blanchardstown and Mullingar re-opened after a lapse of 35 years. By next year a further extension will open the canal to the Liffey. After that the intention is to open the stretch between Mullingar and the Shannon.

- The Ryanair service between Carrickfin in West Donegal and Luton went into operation last weekend. There will be two return flights each weekend.

- From July 6 until September 2 it will be possible to fly from London Gatwick to Knock. I presume this is a Ryanair service.

> > > > > > > > > THE IRISH ABROAD < < < < < < < < <

- Myles (23) and Maureen O'Neill (22), of Ballinasloe, Co.Galway, died with their three children, aged 4 months to three years, in a house fire in the Roslindale area of Boston last weekend.

A family friend, Patrick McGovern (21), also perished in the blaze which it is thought started from a dropped cigarette. Mrs O'Neill's sister, Deirdre Kearney, was injured and detained in hospital.

> > > > > > > > > PROPERTY < < < < < < < < <

- By November, Longford town will have a new £1m development in the town centre. It will house shops, offices and apartments.

> > > > > > > > > MUSIC < < < < < < < < <

Reporter: Liam S.Ferrie

- The singles chart is currently awash with various World Cup `themes', the vast majority of which are total and utter rubbish but which are purchased anyway due to our new-found love of Irish soccer. `Give It A Lash Jack' by Liam Harrison is one of the worst and is currently riding high in the top five, whereas the collaboration from The Pogues and The Dubliners only managed to hit the lower reaches of the top 30

before disappearing without a trace. The official world cup song features members of the Irish squad on backing vocals along with Maire Ni Bhraonain and Davy Spillane with Larry Mullen Jnr. handling production duties. The song, called `Put'em Under Pressure' is basically a reworking of the old Horslips' number `Dearg Doom' interspersed with terrace chants and sample quotes from Mr Charlton. Another re-working, but this time of a more recent tune is `The Game' by The Memorieswhich is musically identical to Billy Joel's recent world-wide smash `We Didn't Start The Fire'. Joel was so impressed with the version that he learnt the new lyrics and performed the it at his Dublin concert on Saturday.

- Acts confirmed for the Féile '90 festival in Semple Stadium, Thurles are Van Morrison, Deacon Blue, The 4 Of Us, Mary Black and Moving Hearts. The concerts will take place from the 3rd to the 5th of August and more major names are expected to be added.

- Matt Johnson's band the The will play at the Point Depot on July 9th. The band also features ex-Smiths guitarist, Marr.

- At the end of this edition there is a review of a Sinead O'Connor concert which took place in Phoenix, Arizona.

> > > > > > > > > GALWAY NEWS < < < < < < < < <

- Going back to work tomorrow ought to be interesting. A totally new, but temporary, road system at the junction of Ballybane Road and Monivea Road comes into use. A roundabout is being built there and traffic has to be diverted. The link road between the Tuam Road and the Monivea Road will be closed for a while.

> > > > > > > > > DIGITAL NEWS < < < < < < < < <

- Mossie Magnier who moved from Clonmel to Reading some time ago has left the company. Also departing is US reader John Culbert. He will finish on June 11. Good luck to both in their new careers.

- I have heard from a former reader, Graeme Byrne. He left many months ago to tour some of the world's more exotic locations. A card which I received during the week indicated that he has reached New Zealand's South island in one piece.

> > > > > > > > > BUSINESS NEWS < < < < < < < < <

EXCHANGE RATES:

IRISH POUND Jun 1 May 25

Sterling 0.9427 0.9427

US Dollar 1.5912 1.5931

Deutschmark 2.6786 2.6807

French franc 9.0420 9.0233

Dutch guilder 3.0158 3.0161

Belgian franc 55.17 55.20

Italian lira 1972.45 1968.67

Spanish peseta 165.96 166.99

Japanese yen 240.35 238.33

Swiss franc 2.2659 2.2702

Canadian dollar 1.8682 1.8854

Australian dollar 2.0668 2.0733

- An increase in the country's external reserves raised hopes that there will be a reduction in interest rates in June. Sure enough, on the first of June the Central Bank announced a of 0.5%. The Bank of Ireland said that it would pass this on to orrowers as of the close of business on Tuesday. Mortgage holders will have to wait until July, at the earliest, to benefit from the decrease.

- In the month of April there was an inflow of £363m raising theexternal reserves at £2.82bn. It is believed that this trend continued in May and that the reserves are no over £3bn.

- AIB and the Bank of Ireland both announced that they would pay interest on current accounts but then placed a plethora of restrictions and rules on those who wish to avail of these new chequing accounts. B of I will only allow such an account to be opened by people in the 19-25 age group. It is offering 2-3% interest when the account contains less than £500 and 5% when it exceeds that amount. The AIB offering sounds more generous as it stands at 7% but it incurs heavy transaction charges, no interest will be paid when the balance falls below £300 and the use of ATMs is not allowed. The National Irish Bank followed suit a day later without any of the above restrictions. It offers 5% on credit balances to any customers who choose to use the account. However when these accounts are overdrawn they are liable to punitive interest rates.

- ETOS International has raised £4.7m in equity capital in a private placement with financial institutions. This values the company at £14.7m. It is estimated that the three founders of the company, Charlie Mulligan, Bill Chambers and Eoin O'Driscoll now control one third of the equity.

- Yesterday's Sunday Business Post claimed that The Washington Post is interested in acquiring a 20% stake in Independent Newspapers for £30m.

> > > > > > > > > WEATHER < < < < < < < < <

The rain came on Monday but did little to replenish water supplies. Tuesday was dry but it was evening before we saw the sun. By Wednesday we were back to the beautiful weather of the previous week. That's how it was in the West but in Dublin the rain came a day later, was heavier and stayed longer.

It was mixed for the rest of the week. We had a few showers, long spells when it was overcast but also our share of sunshine. By Sunday it became quite breezy. The showers were few enough to keep the tourists happy and the farmers concerned.

Latest Temperatures: Day 16C............Night 6C

CONCERT REVIEW

On May 28, reader David Chapman went along to a Sinead O'Connor concert in Tempe, Arizona. For those of you interested in how she is being received in the US he forwarded a summary of a review of the concert which appeared in the Arizona Republic a few days later.

AS A RISING STAR, 'NOTHING COMPARES 2 SINEAD'

Move over, Madonna. This is the 90's

For a brief hour, Irish songstress Sinead O'Connor showed a sold-out audience at the Grady Gammage Memorial Auditorium that predictions that she is the "first new superstar" of the decade aren't hyperbole. O'Connor's pose was earnest - as herself. Her emotionally affecting vocals alternately lingered over, caressed and hammered out songs that arise out of her life. She ran the

gamut of the most desperate whisper to a yell of gale force proportion during a 12-song set that included all-out rockers and an a cappella Irish folk tune. Dressed in black (like most of her youthful audience), O'Connor and her five-piece backing band

proved that less is more. Like the simple, honest emotions in her songs, the stage show was straightforward. For a four-song stretch, O'Connor appeared on stage solo with an acoustic guitar or pre-recorded backing. Interestingly, her rendition of the hit "Nothing Compares 2U" drew little response from a trendy crowd. On the other hand, "I am Stretched Upon Your Grave" with its mix of hip-hop, followed by an O'Connor jig brought the house down. "The Last Day Of Our Acquaintance" was another show stopper.

O'Connor's stage presence is reminiscent of David Byrne of Talking Heads. While gearing up for an emotional release, she would hyperactively windmill her arms, turn in circles or stomp her feet. But once she had revved the battery, her voice would hit a note and sustain the charge. The show's pace alternated between the string-dominated songs on "I Don't Want What I Haven't Got" and her more rock-oriented influences. She wisely paced the evening, opening with "Feel So Different", then rocking out on "The Emperor's New Clothes" and "I Want Your (Hands onMe)", and the slowing down, performing "Three Babies", "Black Boys on Mopeds" and "Jackie" on acoustic guitar with little accompaniment. However, considering the prolonged standing ovation she received from the audience at the end, her brief one-song encore was a bit disappointing. I, and everyone else in the audience deserved and expected more.

> > > > > > > > > S P O R T < < < < < < < < <

> > > > > > > > > G.A.A. < < < < < < < < <

Munster Senior Hurling Championship:

Waterford 1-8 Cork 4-15

Leinster Senior Football Championship:

Louth 1-8 Dublin 1-13

Wicklow 1-7 Kildare 0-6

Ulster Senior Football Championship:

Armagh 0-12 Tyrone 0-11

Munster Senior Football Championship:

London 1-5 Roscommon 5-16

- Cork had a half-time lead playing into a strong breeze so there was never any doubt about them running out comfortable winners. Wicklow had their first ever championship win over Kildare. They had the wind behind them in the second half and quickly reversed a two point deficit. Dublin did not play well but appeared to have plenty in reserve when the gap between the two teams started to close. An extremely fit and very tall (the smallest man was 5ft 10) Armagh side should have won by a bigger margin but failed to take all their chances. Finally, that famous Connacht county, London, suffered their usual heavy defeat in Ruislip.

- The GAA is running a series of television advertisements each weekend for the three months of the Championship season. it has been suggested that the World Cup is being seen as a threat.

> > > > > > > > > WORLD CUP SOCCER NEWS < < < < < < < < <

Friendlies: Malta 0 Ireland 3

Austria 3 Holland 2

Tunisia 1 England 1

- This was an encouraging result for an Irish team which contained only three of the probable starters in the opening World Cup game. Quinn, Townsend and Stapleton were the scorers. This was Stapleton 20th goal for his country, one more than Don Givens with whom he held the record for the most goals scored for Ireland.

- England fielded their strongest side for the game in Tunis and had to wait until the last minute before Bull scored the equaliser. Holland too, fielded a strong side and were down three-nil with thirty minutes remaining.

- Poor Gary Waddock was dropped from the 22 names which Jack Charlton submitted to FIFA for the World Cup. He is replaced by Alan McLoughlin of Swindon Town. It is thought that the doubts about the eventual fitness of Whelan and Houghton influenced the decision.

- I think the following is a more complete list of World Cup matches to be screened in the US than that which I included previously. It appears from this that if you have access to the right cable channels you can see all the Irish matches live.

> > > > > > > > > SPORTS SHORTS < < < < < < < < <

- GOLF: On Monday the Volvo PGA open was won by Australian Mike Harwood. Philip Walton was in 9th position finishing on 10 under, seven strokes off the lead. Eamonn Darcy was a stroke further back, one ahead of both Jimmy Heggarty and Christy O'Connor Jnr.

This weekend saw David Feherty finish in second place in the Dunhill Masters at Woburn. He shared the lead at the end of the third round but despite a final 69 was two strokes behind the winner, Mark James. Feherty finished on 16 under and won Stg£33,000.

- SOCCER: Chris Hughton has been given a free transfer by Spurs after being with the club for eighteen years. Swindon, who have just won promotion to the English first division, are favourites to sign him.

The Dublin club St James' Gate has been admitted to the First Division of the League of Ireland.

- CYCLING: Stephen Roche is in eighth position after the seventh stage of the Dauphine Libere. However he trails by more than seven minutes. Martin Earley and Sean Kelly are even further off the pace.

- HORSE-RACING: Pat Eddery rode Sanglamore to victory in the Prix du Jockey Club (the French Derby) at Chantilly on Saturday.

- SHOW-JUMPING: Ireland lost a jump-off to England in the Nations Cup competition at Hickstead.

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* This newsletter has been prepared primarily from *

* press and radio reports. It should not be taken *

* as representing the views of my employer or those *

* of other companies within the group. *

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