00060085Good luck with that.

Martijn Leenheer and his family moved from Holland to a rural village in County Leitrim, Ireland, in search of a quieter town for raising their son, Finn.

An atheist, Leenheer was concerned about exposing his son to Church doctrine at the local Catholic school, and he chose to opt Finn out of the 30-minute religion class—a constitutional right afforded to all Irish parents.

Three months later, Leenheer was surprised to learn his son was still sitting in the class on most days, as well as reciting prayers in other parts of the school day. Leenheer contacted the principal to clarify things, but was repeatedly ignored, he said.

“We didn’t realize we chose the most rural bit of Ireland to live in,” said Leenheer. “We never thought it was going to be this serious, this in-your-face-religion.”

Leenheer’s insistence on opting his son out led to his family being ostracised in his community, he said. He pulled Finn out of the Catholic school, moved to a new neighborhood and enrolled him at an Educate Together school in Sligo…

 

A New Problem in Ireland: Where to Find a Non-Catholic School? (The Atlantic)

(Eamonn Farrell/Photocall Ireland)

 

…you can tell ’em nothing.

Miley Cyrus’s five word dismissal of Sinéad O’Connor’s open letter

Update:

Screen Shot 2013-10-03 at 22.56.16Screen Shot 2013-10-04 at 00.29.29

Sinéad O’Connor (Facebook)

H/t John Gallen

senate1

 

 

Thirty senators were appointed to the Senate by WT Cosgrave, Liam’s father, in December 1922 and a further 30 were elected by the Dáil. The recreations listed by senators were as intriguing as the senators themselves and ranged from pig-sticking to collecting English china. The New York Times remarked that the first Senate was “representative of all classes”.
In all, seven peers, a dowager countess, five baronets and several knights were represented. The Senate consisted of 36 Catholics, 20 Protestants, three Quakers and one Jew. Cosgrave’s nominees numbered 16 southern unionists. The first Senate was the most curious political grouping in the history of the Irish state.

 

They were pig-sticking loons.

But they were OUR pig-sticking loons.

The Hands that Shaped History (Elaine Byrne)

Picture; irish Times

NAI2(Members of the Neurological Alliance of Ireland, at a briefing for TDs and Senators in the AV Room of Leinster House last year)

Saoirse Brady writes:

I’m not sure if you’ve picked up on it already but the Dáil Committee on Procedure and Privileges (Dáil Éireann) has apparently decided to stop allowing civil society groups from briefing legislators in the AV room.
This is used by civil society groups to brief Oireachtas members on proposed legislation or other topical issues, to share their expertise and experience as well as raising issues of concern or providing answers to questions members may have in advance of Dáil/Seanad/Committee debates.
The Seanad also has a Committee on Procedure and Privileges but it is not bound by this decision and has apparently called for a joint discussion later in the month.
The AV room is a valuable resource given that TDs and Senators can attend briefings without leaving Leinster House but can leave quickly for a vote without huge time pressure. There is no cost to the NGO involved so it’s beneficial for both sides.
In the context of proposed Dáil reforms where we’ve been told that the Government will engage more with civil society in relation to proposed legislation, it seems strange to take such a stance.

 

Pic: Epilepsy Ireland

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