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IT’S A DAY of rest, and you may be in the mood for a quiet corner and a comfy chair.
We’ve hand-picked the week’s best reads for you to savour.
The Christopher Nolan film Dunkirk is set for release this summer – so let’s whet our appetites by reading this extract from the book Churchill and Orwell: The Fight For Freedom, about the incident.
(Foreign Policy, approx 18 mins reading time)
The historical record is mixed, but one quite persuasive piece of evidence is that Hitler’s order stopping his ground forces was sent unencrypted, making it possible for the British to hear and understand it immediately as a kind of peace offering. Later in the war, Hitler took to complaining that he had been too nice to the British. For example, Walter Warlimont, a general in the German military headquarters, reported that Hitler stated, “Churchill was quite unable to appreciate the sporting spirit of which I have given proof by refraining from creating an irreparable breach between the British and ourselves. We did, however, refrain from annihilating them at Dunkirk.”
Perhaps not for those of a sensitive disposition (c-words abound), here’s Andrew O’Hagan reviewing the unauthorised story of the Daily Mail. (Email address needed to read for free).
(London Review of Books, approx 15 mins reading time)
Every day in Dacre’s paper, the people who make up the population of Britain, the people who teach your children and bandage your wounds, drive your trains or clean your floors, are described as aliens and forgers and scum. The Mail fought for justice for one black man, and long may the editor plume on it: the paper he presides over is in no hurry to gain justice for any others. Quite the opposite: the Mail in its present form pictures Britain as a place populated by delinquents and bomb-makers, sexual deviants, spongers, social workers and gay bishops, a dark and fruity manifestation of the editor’s daily fears.
It’s finally here: the first in-depth preview of the next Star Wars movie, The Last Jedi.
(Vanity Fair, approx 27 mins reading time)
“When I read the script for Episode VIII, I went, ‘Oh my God, we’re going back?’ Because I said I was never going back,” Hamill told me when I sat down with him recently at his home in Malibu. He wondered, in vain, if they could drop him in by chopper this time, “which is so clueless of me, because there’s no landing pad, and it would mar the beauty of it all,” he said. Hamill is a youthful 65 but a sexagenarian nevertheless; whereas the fit young members of the crew were given 45 minutes to get up to the now iconic Rey-Luke meeting spot—carrying heavy equipment—Hamill was allotted an hour and a half, “and I had to stop every 10, 15 minutes to rest.”
The New Yorker has taken a look at the work of Irish playwright Enda Walsh (Discopigs), as his new play Arlington arrives in Brooklyn.
(The New Yorker, approx 12 mins reading time)
“Arlington” takes place in a large, bare room, furnished with plastic chairs, a fish tank, a radio, and a potted Swiss-cheese plant. The room is one of thousands in a group of towers somewhere on the Irish coast, or any coast. When Isla, played with beautiful ferocity by the Irish actress Charlie Murphy, peers out the window, she sees seagulls. It’s a three-character play in three acts, in which two of the characters are in solitary confinement—almost, as they are watched by an overseer, who has taken the job because the man who held it previously has disappeared.
People living in New Orleans’ housing developments were being slowly poisoned by lead – and it turned into a long-running fierce court battle for justice.
(The Atlantic, approx 38 mins reading time)
Around the time Ryan was entering kindergarten and Ronnie was supposed to be learning how to count to 10, the boys began struggling with the childhood learning goals Billieson set for them. “They had learning disabilities, and when I say disabilities, I mean learning at a slower pace,” Billieson told me. But black kids in the projects were written off and diagnosed with learning disabilities all the time, and good, affordable doctors were scarce. There still wasn’t much even the most diligent parents could do.
6. How Islamic State gets into the news
This week, Manchester was rocked by a terrorist attack that left 22 people dead. Afterwards, Islamic State claimed responsibility. This article looks into how the group plans its media strategy – and how news outlets deal with it.
(Buzzfeed, approx 12 mins reading time)
They always had a disproportionate media budget in the millions of dollars even when they were short on weapons because media and propaganda are how they recruit, fundraise, and strive to elevate their losing game. (Make no mistake: They are losing; they have lost territory and they are loathed in the Muslim world where most of their victims reside.) Their goal is clear: to place themselves as “the fight” that the lost and unmoored young men from Western countries should come and join for cheap thrills, enslaved young women, and an early death.
…AND A CLASSIC FROM THE ARCHIVES…
In 1976, Elizabeth Hardwick wrote about Billie Holliday, one of the most amazing voices of the 20th century. It’s a piece that’s of its time, but also evoke a life made for writing about.
(NY Books, approx 16 mins reading time)
Her message was otherwise. It was style. That was her meaning from the time she began at fifteen. It does not change the victory of her great effort, of the miraculous discovery or retrieval from darkness of pure style, to know that it was exercised on “I love my man, tell the world I do….” How strange it was to me, almost unbalancing, to be sure that she did not love any man, or anyone. Also often one had the freezing perception that her own people, those around her, feared her. One thing she was ashamed of—or confused by, rather—that she was not sentimental.
And still some of us protest against us honouring our brave comrades. …
It’s called democracy get over it .Ireland isn’t a Monarchy because we saw what they are !…Pictures kindly supplied as proof above !
“our brave comrades”
You must be the last survivor!
You think that the 70,000+ Irishmen who died were wrong – and deserve to be forgotten?
Dermot Ryan it’s call respect for others that wish to remember there relatives . You obviously miss that lesson in life . There’s no words to describe what a moron you are .
They don’t deserve to be forgotten, same as if someone died in a traffic accident or a bare knuckle fight for money.
It is a tragedy more than anything, they had one life and they threw it away for nothing. Some had to go for the money, some went out of innocence and thought it would be an adventure.
They and their wives were thrown on the trash heap once they came back. The way the widows were treated in Britain was disgraceful, used up and spat out.
It is with genuine compassion for them that I think poor eejits, they died for nothing.
RyanS. Your last post clearly illustrates your bigotry, ignorance (of facts) – and why you, like the other Ryan (daddy?), are such journal bores.
These brave men fought for the freedom of Europe – and England was the only/easiest entry into the war. When they returned, they (and their families) were treated like traitors.
A reaction similar to yours. 100 years later.
Speaks a bit for your education. Christian Brothers?
if there are no words ..then why did you use the word moron …you’re not very bright Tommy are you .the point above is a general point in the difference in the political set-up then and now …why do you defend the monarchy Tommy ? Are you a British soldier oath bound to the queen – that’s the only reason I can see !
The political point makes no reference to the dead whatsoever !
is that hatred in your heart Tommy – step into the light of Jesus Tommy step into the light !
Dermot Ryan these men have been respected and remember not just in Ireland but around the world for the last 100 yrs . In a hundred yrs time and beyond when your rotten away in hole in the ground long forgotten there will be people from all over this country and others that will be still remembering these men . Relatives will always want to be associated with men that serve in the war and people will always be fascinated by the men that serve in them . Your contribution to this world is nothing and you will be long forgotten . Your not fit to wipe the mud of there boots .
Glen.
I just don’t have much time for the beer swilling, chest thumping around so much of WW1. The pub history of it being a war for European freedom.
I just don’t entertain your old fashioned rubbish.
Glen…
” England was the only/easiest entry into the war. ….. ahhh the pictures above say World War 1 Glen …don’t go quoting history or politics after this because you are really showing how stupid you are !
Then again Paddy loves making a fool out of the British soldier … your British Army page on Wikipedia suggests that there is an internal British Army memo admitting that the British Army could never win the war and all their training and all their equipment and they up against a few farm boys…
We had to get rid of ye in 1920 because your stupidity was a threat to our nation Glen – that’s all nothing personal just self -preservation.
Most of them were treated like shi7 when they went back to England, the widows were treated even worse.
Look at the way England treats the cripples fools back from Afghanistan. Thrown out on the scrap heap by society and Govt. So many of them end up putting a hole in their head or off to a tree.
Same eejits that go on about the poppy for 6 weeks before November wouldn’t thrown a half eaten bar at them the following month.
I just can’t entertain them.
Tommy I am just remembering my family that fought and died fighting the British army who had a habit of Tarring and feathering men that were supposed to be their comrades a few years earlier to “fight for European Freedom!”
the conflict in your mind is the souls of your lost ones telling you that war is wrong is my guess !
Sinead the seemingly accepted figure for the Irish dead from the “great war is just shy of 50,000 …not having ago ..but it seems others on here don’t seem to know that and it’s terrible to be confusing them like !
Dermot obviously you never inherited the qualities of your relatives that put words into actions to fought for what they believe in . To busy mouthing of crap towards your fellow country men and all the other shite that comes out of your mouth .
Ah Dermott, even you don’t believe those bully’s are interested in democracy, just rent a mob morons, who just shove their ill researched bigoted views down everyone’s. Throats. Sthop will ya.
They died so you could spew your muck in English , not German, god love you who thinks what you have. , and what they made sure you have, is nothing.
@s Ryan .
@Dermot. Remember you only live in a democracy because of those soldiers who fought and died in the War. British rule would have been a picnic compared to what the Germans would have done.
“If any question why we died/ Tell them, because our fathers lied.”
Is there even one Historian of renown that believes that Germany intended to occupy Britain or Ireland or France etc.
Even one??
Is there even one German historical reference to such an intent.
No more than they did after the Franco-Prussian conflicts.
Then why did they go to war then? If they had won then the conquered countries would have adopted the same kind of fascist government that Germany had. Wars are as much about ideologies as they are about territory.
RyanS. Clear testimony to your supreme ignorance.
France WAS occupied.
You uneducated and stupid cretin.
Stop posting – you’ll lower the journal’s high standards of accuracy ….
After the Franco-Prussian war they were there for about 3-4 yrs, there was no forcing of German culture or norms on to France. The “you’d be speaking German sonny” school of history is best kept to BNP social do’s and Football terraces for the craic.
Speaking of historical illiteracy we have one person saying that Germany was a fascist state at the time.
How can you reason with that?
Wrong war but their heroism and the sacrifice their families made should not be forgotten.
No Ryan. The Germans ( who you said were never in France!) were just killing and torturing them.
Please study the history – or are your mental issues holding you back?
With your childish ignorance. And an illogical and abject hatred of anything to do with England – its past and present.
You seem to believe that not conforming to your pub patriotism out look makes me anti-English. Even though countless English people agree with it.
Off to the pub with you.
Gerry ..nowhere have I condoned the actions of the hecklers – nowhere …but I respect their right to protest – that’s all !
They are there for a reason just as those inside the cemetery were – there are arguments on both sides – those inside have more than enough keyboard warriors to put forward their case and build notions that history proved otherwise and those who heckled represent that later view – to the guys outside the pageantry was just as bad as their heckling …
Too much divide and conquer about the whole thing for me ….. but I cannot sit back and allow history be re-written from one side and one side only …
If the hecklers had unfethered access to this site then I would be fighting the case of the fallen of the Great War in just the same way ..
the truth I find is always in the middle somewhere- just as peace or death is in no-man’s land ….
John we live in a democracy because of the war of Independence as well – that is the part the hecklers were representing …
Democracy and republicanism and Fenianism are the anti-thesis of Monarchy in principle – and I don’t forget that the Great War did destroy Monarchy in Germany … which paved way for Hitler who started off by getting voted for in a democratic Germany … History is very complicated – it’s like alphabet soup you can’t just pick one letter out of the pot and declare the soup to be made from one letter
One point worth noting here is that it was Glen that brought up the subject of the protest the other day ; this an article about history and photographs – it has nothing to do with the commemoration as such the other day ! …hence my opening retort !
Now peace to all and to all those who have been killed in war all over the world no matter what side they fell for – may they all rest in peace !
Tommy Buddha and Jesus Christ are two of the most famous people in history …they were pacifists – funny that ….anyway have to go – leave you with the last word if you want tommy !
@John Michael
“British rule would have been a picnic compared to what the Germans would have done.”
Your ignorance is astonishing.
In 1914 the massive Holocaust that was the Great Famine was still within living memory. The Irish population had halved in the intervening period after 1.5 million deaths due to starvation and disease.
That was a picnic, eh?
My ignorance? It wasn’t the British who caused the famine as anyone with some knowledge will tell you. It was the Irish themselves who had made the country dependent on the potato crop. Sure, the British didn’t give much aid but they applied the same policies to their own countrymen. Modern famines will also show that they are near impossible to combat. Under the British we had a say into how the country was run. In Germany the vote was only given to a small amount of people and even that was a facade to ward off criticism of their military dictatorship. As for the fellow who said the war of independence gave us our democracy, that’s not true. Firstly we had the vote already. Secondly, after the war we were still a dominion of Britain. Even today our institutions of state are the same as Britain’s so they couldn’t have been that bad, could they?
@Coilin. You also said the famine was in living memory. Whose exactly? It was nearly seventy years previous and people didn’t live as long in those days. I’m sure you can read about it in An Phoblaicht.
Parents wonder why the streams are bitter, when they themselves have poisoned the fountain.
John Locke
Dermot, we are not neutral, just look at the help US warplanes and soldiers get st Shannon
They’re breaking the law Gus … when they are armed ..we are neutral in that all planes from all countries can land – even North KOREAN ONES IF THEY WISH – JUST AS LONG AS THEY ARE NOT ARMED !
The moral of it, is that no matter how stuck you are for money or adventure, going to fight a battle for someone else’s gain and power is a disaster for you and your family.
All thrown away in a moments madness, desperation and foolishness.
You forget that it was a different time. Forget the folly of war. Those men and women faught for an ideal (the majority anyway) and believed that their cause was right.
Your view is too simplistic. They did not simply sign up to sacrifice themselves at the behest of someone who promised them money or adventure. They were coerced into believing that to sign on was the right thing to do and that it was their duty. My grandfather had a good job and was staunchly Republican (he was from Newry) but felt that the cause was right. He was severly wounded and I have a Christmas card from the King and Queen wishing him a speedy recovery (one of millions I presume). Yes, he came back and was subjected to anti-Catholic bigotry and malice but he was still proud of his service and so am I.
Were he alive today, I am sure he would be bitterly disappointed by those that think his participation was unworthy or treasonous!
Micheal the best comment of the day .
The great Tom Barry was a Serjeant in WW1.
I never said they were treasonous but I agree with so many of that generation that they were used up for the benefit and goals of others, certainly not for the pretend of Belgium freedom etc.
They died in a messy, extremely violent war whose only achievement was eventually destroying all who took part.
It apples as much to a soldier from Glasgow or Leeds as it does your relative from Down.
Thank you Tommy. My grandad would be proud of you!
Queue NATO recruiters Wayne and Tommy and Ryan ……..
I’m a NATO recruiter? Then I’ve been getting screwed with this sickpay malarkey…wheres my pay slip from the military industrial complex?
howya Ryan ..peace brother !
Sue them Ryan …I’ll represent you – we’ll clean them out ! …. only joking dude !
Oath of allegiance .British Army
Troops of the Grenadier Guards on guard at Buckingham Palace. Various army regiments supply troops to guard the Royal residences.
All soldiers must take an oath of allegiance upon joining the Army, a process known as attestation. Those who wish to swear by God use the following words:
“ I, [soldier's name], swear by Almighty God that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, her heirs and successors and that I will as in duty bound honestly and faithfully defend Her Majesty, her heirs and successors in person, crown and dignity against all enemies and will observe and obey all orders of Her Majesty, her heirs and successors and of the generals and officers set over me.[167] ”
Others replace the words “swear by Almighty God” with “solemnly, sincerely and truly declare and affirm”.[168] Under the reign of another monarch, the name of the monarch and all pronouns with gender are replaced appropriately.
Ryan – did you enjoy yourself in Glasnevin, shouting at our President and guests of our country?
Hoddle I haven’t crossed the Shannon in weeks , if you have a problem with the facts above then take it up with Wikipedia …I just copy and pasted dude ..it’s called impartial information …
I support Independent candidates Hoddle …do you know what that is ;- Independence ?
Note – to those of you who are interested in deciphering military minds from those of an ordinary citizen – Take note that Hoddle used my surname – this is the default position of officers as the name on uniforms is always the surname …
That or he knows me and his name is Martin and he lives in Limerick !
“Our Country????”…and you call yourself Glen Hoddle the ENGLISH football manager …
Recent evidence from the world Cup would suggest that the gods have spoken on the “who invented Football” argument.
You reveal yourself with your stupidity Glen – you GOOGLY OLDBOY !
Dermot is that what the oath of legions looks like . After all these yrs iv forgotten . I must dig my out just to make sure you haven’t forgotten anything .
The legions never came to Ireland Tommy – they got a good dose of it in Scotland , built a wall out of fear and that was the end of for them ….withdrawl after that !
Peace out Tommy – if we meet you will see that it’s not actually that serious at all …..
Ryan x 2. Bigoted lunatics. Sad.
lol.
Just because we are not wholeheartedly agreeing with the BNP friendly version of it all, we must be lunatics. ha!
Glen did you not know Seanie is a anti Brit hateful bigot. 90 percent of his comments are just that . The hypocrisy of the man is that he went to the uk to get a university education and then he constantly spills hateful comments about the men that serve it . You couldn’t be more of a hypocrite.
Thanks Tommy
I know a lot of English people who think exactly the same way as I do. As do many French and German people etc.
I’m nor preventing your old fashioned and pub patriot take on it. I’m say it is more nuanced than that.
Glen ; Judge not – lest ye be judged !
Glen will the Duke or yourself indeed join me for a commemoration in any Irish town for Irish men and women who were Tarred and Feathered during our War of Independence ?
I know they weren’t soldiers in most cases but they were the fallen ?
I’m not really into commemorating the dead – I believe wholeheartedly in Rest In Peace …but seeing as you feel so attached to the fallen Irish of War then I ma sure you will oblige …I can promise you there won’t be one heckler ..not one – seeing as the hecklers seem to upset you .
You can pick any town in Ireland – any town Glen !
NEWSFLASH!
Irish people really don’t care. Seriously. Nobody cares. It’s a minority interest issue for proto-Unionists who hark after a dead empire..
And yes, I have ancestors who fought in WW1, but they’re dead now.
May they truly rest in peace Coilin …..
Anyone notice Özil in the 5th photo on the left?
have your say