A local newspaper report has revealed that it is HSE policy to send troubled children out of the country to as far away as the US – for services that they say are not available in Ireland. The report says that children are being held against their will, without physical contact with their families, and… Continue reading HSE sending children abroad involuntarily for care
Author: Noreen Bowden
“Towards an Irish Diaspora Policy”: authors seek feedback
Two Maynooth academics have published “Towards an Irish Diaspora Strategy: A Position Paper”. Mark Boyle, a Geography professor, and Rob Kitchim, the Director of the National Institute for Regional and Spatial Analysis and Chair of the Irish Social Services Platform, are welcoming feedback on the working paper, which is published by the NIRSA. The paper… Continue reading “Towards an Irish Diaspora Policy”: authors seek feedback
US agency warns of tighter ID requirements
The Emerald Isle Immigration Center in the US and the Coalition of Irish Immigration Centers are alerting us to heightened security measures in the US that will tighten requirements on documents needed to pass through checkpoints. Anyone travelling through the US must have proper ID when crossing the border and even when travelling internally. The… Continue reading US agency warns of tighter ID requirements
Scholar sees hidden Irish in emigrant song
“Paddy Works on the Erie”, a song that appears in different versions throughout the Irish diaspora, is a secret song that has an Irish-language message in its chorus, which was previously believed to be comprised on nonsense syllables. Dan Cassidy, who wrote the acclaimed book, “How the Irish Invented Slang”, says that the song dates… Continue reading Scholar sees hidden Irish in emigrant song
Martin McDonagh’s Irish roots explored
Martin McDonagh, the acclaimed second-generation Irish playwright, is featured in a Guardian profile that highlights the impact of his Irish background. The article picks up on criticisms that the award-winning writer of the Leenane Trilogy is prone to “paddywhackery”. His critics, the article says, argue that the use and overuse of Irish characters who are,… Continue reading Martin McDonagh’s Irish roots explored
World Bank publishes latest Migration and Remittances Factbook
The World Bank has published the “Migration and Remittances Factbook 2008”. It gives a host of statistics on international migration and remittances for 194 countries. In 2007, recorded remittance flows worldwide were estimated at $318 million, of which $240 million went to developing countries; including informal remittances would significantly enlarge the volume. The Factbook reports… Continue reading World Bank publishes latest Migration and Remittances Factbook