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Irish Examiner
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
TV review: Mrs Robinson is a good social document — but falls short as a biopic
It can be hard to warm to Mary Robinson. It's easy to admire her conviction, her fearlessness in facing down her sneering political rivals, her genuine compassion for weak and vulnerable people and her energy in taking on a new role as a grown-up Greta Thunberg to remind us that we don't get to negotiate with nature. But there is a veil there, an over-earnest sternness that makes parts of Mrs Robinson (RTÉ One and RTÉ Player) an awkward watch. Richard Branson pops up early on in this documentary film to point out that our former President likes to party and is full of fun. There isn't enough of this on view. I'd much rather watch Mary do Rock The Boat than reel off another worthy speech to a conference full of well-heeled people who have flown half way around the world to hear that they shouldn't be flying half way around the world. It's engaging in parts. She felt she wasn't as good looking as her four brothers, so she decided to 'be as smart as I can be.' The story of how she met her husband Nick while studying law in Trinity is nice without being interesting. She talks about her time in late 60s Harvard without a single anecdote that could have brought it all to life. One bolt from blue was that her parents didn't attend her wedding to Nick Robinson because he wasn't suitable. (Apparently a Protestant cartoonist wasn't what they had in mind.) The show picks up when the focus moves to her campaign to improve reproductive rights for women, followed by her legal role in the David Norris case that eventually decriminalised homosexuality in Ireland. But it's more a social document about 1970s Ireland than a personal biopic. Her almost accidental election as President, when Brian Lenihan's campaign imploded, is a good story if you haven't heard it before. But you probably have. (Although it's almost worth it for the man on the street who said it's hard enough living with a woman without having one as president, a decent reminder of the journey we've made here in the last 30 years.) Every now and again, the veil lifts. Her tears remembering the community spirit she felt during a visit to West Belfast, her anger in a speech about hunger in Somalia, these gave us a glimpse of Mary Robinson the person. I actually believe Richard Branson. I bet Mary Robinson is great craic in private. There just isn't enough of her in Mrs Robinson. Read More Mary Robinson's accomplishments and controversies chronicled in new documentary
Miami Herald
16 hours ago
- Politics
- Miami Herald
‘Provocative' sign at Oregon church opposes Alligator Alcatraz. It goes viral
A Protestant church in a suburban part of Oregon has gone viral for a sign promoting the church's views about a new migrant detention facility located more than 3,000 miles away. 'It shouldn't need to be said, but Alligator Alcatraz is in opposition to the teachings of Christ,' the Clackamas United Church of Christ in Milwaukie said in a July 18 Facebook post citing the sign. Since opening earlier this month in the marshy Florida Everglades region, Alligator Alcatraz — named after a notorious federal prison off the coast of San Francisco — has drawn mixed reviews. Democrats and immigrant-rights activists have criticized it, calling it inhumane, while Republicans view it as safe and necessary for national security. McClatchy News reached out to the Rev. Adam Ericksen, pastor of CUCC on July 23 but did not receive an immediate response. Church goes viral with latest sign The church led by Ericksen — part of a socially liberal Protestant Christian denomination that emphasizes unity — is known in the community for its signs, even featuring a calendar with photos of previous signs for sale on its website. 'We put up provocative messages up on the sign because I think that the gospel is provocative,' Ericksen told KATU. But the latest sign mentioning Alligator Alcatraz is their 'most viral to date,' according to a July 22 Facebook post by the church. The sign garnered attention from Sen. Mike Lee, a Utah Republican, who shared a photo of it and asked 'What's your reaction to this sign?' in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. Ericksen said the sign was 'meant to challenge,' KATU reported. 'If the United States actually wanted to be a Christian nation, we would be loving our neighbors, including our undocumented neighbors, our queer neighbors, as we love ourselves,' he told the outlet. Milwaukie is about a five-mile drive southeast from Portland, Oregon. More to know about Alligator Alcatraz The migrant detention center, which opened July 1, was transformed from an abandoned Florida airport in eight days, the Miami Herald reported. It is expected to hold up to 5,000 people awaiting deportation, authorities told CNN. During a tour of the facility in July, President Donald Trump — who's posted on social media about a desire to reopen Alcatraz in San Francisco — said it was an 'amazing job.' But some, including lawmakers, medical officials and activists, have spoken out and even filed lawsuits against the facility. 'They are essentially packed into cages, wall-to-wall humans, 32 detainees per cage,' Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Democrat for Florida's 25th Congressional District, said after touring it, CNN reported. Families of the detainees have also spoken out against the conditions in the facility, according to the outlet.
Toronto Star
2 days ago
- Toronto Star
Marching backward? Why a recent event in Toronto leads in the wrong direction
Toronto has many nicknames, some more well known than others. There's Toronto the Good, reflecting Toronto's long history of temperance and intrusive moral policing. There's Hogtown, evoking visions of vast abattoirs along the lower Don River and the Eastern Lakeshore. There's T-Dot, The 6ix, The Big Smoke and The Queen City. Also, and much, much more puzzling for today's average Torontonian, there's The Belfast of Canada. This nickname comes from Toronto's long association — as noted in the Star this month — with the Grand Orange Lodge, more commonly known as the Orange Order. Based in Belfast, Northern Ireland, it's a fraternal organization for Protestant men of British origin. The Orange Order has existed in Canada since its earliest days as a British colony and by 1920, at its peak, counted about 100,000 members in 2,000 lodges nationwide. This is even more impressive considering the Canadian population was around 8.5 million at the time, and that Order membership was limited to Protestant men, largely of British descent.
Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
OPW bans tour guides from wearing green or orange at site of the Battle of the Boyne
The Office of Public Works (OPW) has banned tour guides from wearing green or orange clothing at the site in Meath where the Protestant King William III defeated the Catholic King James II in the Battle of the Boyne. The location is of particular significance to unionists, as William's victory in 1690 established Protestant dominance in Ireland, and is commemorated by the Orange Order with a series of marches on July 12 each year. The rule prohibiting guides from wearing green or orange at the Battle of the Boyne visitor centre is not contained in the official OPW Guide Handbook, which is supplied to guides and information officers at heritage sites. Instead, the directive is being communicated directly to new guides by a supervisor at the visitor centre after they have been hired, according to emails released under freedom of information laws. The instruction, which is believed to be aimed at respecting the sensitivities of both unionist and nationalist visitors, is not the only unusual dress code directive issued by the OPW to its guides. A section of the handbook dealing with clothing and uniform requirements specifies that 'nudity is prohibited at all sites'. Asked why it was considered necessary to include this in its dress code for new tour guides, the OPW declined to comment. The Battle of the Boyne visitor centre was developed following the allocation of €15 million of government funding in 2005. Last year, a further €10 million was provided for the centre under the Shared Island initiative. The site was famously chosen as the venue for Ian Paisley's (left) first official meeting as Stormont first minister with Bertie Ahern (right) in 2007 where he presented the DUP leader with a musket used in the battle. File picture: Collins The site was famously chosen as the venue for Ian Paisley's first official meeting as Stormont first minister with Bertie Ahern in 2007. The then-Taoiseach presented the DUP leader with a musket used in the Battle of the Boyne. An email titled 'Welcome aboard' sent by a supervisor to a newly hired seasonal guide last year contained details of the dress code for staff at the visitor centre. It prohibits items including army jackets and clothes that feature 'slogans, badges or emblems'. The email stated that 'green and orange are not permitted on site'. The OPW provides an annual allowance for guides where colour-coded clothing is mandated by local management. This is payable at a rate of €210 for permanent guides, and €100 for seasonal workers. The OPW declined to comment when asked about the prohibition of green and orange clothing at the Battle of the Boyne site. Read More Loyalist bonfire on site with asbestos lit despite warnings
The Journal
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Journal
OPW bans green and orange colours from Battle of the Boyne site (and tells staff they can't be nude)
THE OFFICE OF Public Works (OPW) has banned tour guides from wearing green or orange clothing at the site in Meath where the Protestant King William III defeated the Catholic King James II in the Battle of the Boyne. The location is of particular significance to unionists, as William's victory in 1690 established Protestant dominance in Ireland, and is commemorated by the Orange Order with a series of marches on 12 July each year. The rule prohibiting guides from wearing green or orange at the Battle of the Boyne visitor centre is not contained in the official OPW Guide Handbook, which is supplied to guides and information officers at heritage sites. Instead, the directive is being communicated directly to new guides by a supervisor at the visitor centre after they have been hired, according to emails released under freedom of information laws. The instruction, which is believed to be aimed at respecting the sensitivities of both unionist and nationalist visitors, is not the only unusual dress-code directive issued by the OPW to its guides. Advertisement The Battle of the Boyne visitor centre is on Oldbridge estate, around 5km from Drogheda Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo A section of the handbook dealing with clothing and uniform requirements specifies that 'nudity is prohibited at all sites'. Asked why it was considered necessary to include this in its dress code for new tour guides, the OPW declined to comment. The Battle of the Boyne visitor centre was developed following the allocation of €15 million of government funding in 2005. Last year, a further €10 million was provided for the centre under the Shared Island initiative. The site was famously chosen as the venue for Ian Paisley's first official meeting as Stormont first minister with Bertie Ahern in 2007. The then-Taoiseach presented the DUP leader with a musket used in the Battle of the Boyne. An email titled 'Welcome aboard' sent by a supervisor to a newly hired seasonal guide last year contained details of the dress code for staff at the visitor centre. It prohibits items including army jackets and clothes that feature 'slogans, badges or emblems'. The email stated that 'green and orange are not permitted on site'. The OPW provides an annual allowance for guides where colour-coded clothing is mandated by local management. This is payable at a rate of €210 for permanent guides, and €100 for seasonal workers. The OPW declined to comment when asked about the prohibition of green and orange clothing at the Battle of the Boyne site. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
