For decades now fear has prevented progress whenever the subject of emigrant voting is raised. Knee-jerk reactions have stopped policy makers in their tracks, concerned they’d be heading down a dead end road.
The reasons for change are more apparent these days:
21st century migration is seeing new generations leave and it’s important they don’t feel excluded. The old times when emigrants boarded the ship and said goodbye no longer exist – technology and cheap travel keeps Ireland close at hand. Exclusion doesn’t fit a modern world.
A vote means attachment, and attachment encourages a sense of belonging, responsibility, and an interest in staying informed. A vote ensures the relationship is fostered and protected.
Ireland is trying to engage with its ‘business elite’ abroad. An emigrant vote removes future hurdles – tomorrows ‘elite’ will already feel that connection with Ireland Inc quite naturally.
Moving our thinking away from being a peripheral European country to a globally connected community (or nation) is a powerful proposition with new opportunities. Approach it as a two-way street with shared responsibilities and we’ll see shared benefits in return.
Here’s some recent articles by others on the subject:
So the question is not really whether Ireland should bring in emigrant voting (in my opinion anyway), but how it can be implemented in a way that allows representation and participation without biasing or slanting the results…
Global Irish constituencies: the UK, Europe, Nth America, Sth America, Australia, Africa, Asia maybe? Time limits on eligibility..?
I’ve kept this simple but what’s your thoughts, what am i missing?
RTE TV can now be watched internationally, with some restrictions, using the online RTE PLAYER catch-up service. It’s free, and you can get a variety of programmes up to 21 days after they’ve been broadcast on RTÉ 1 and 2.
The RTE Player went live in April 2009 but was initially limited to viewers in Ireland. Enabling the service to other countries is a great move. There are some restrictions which prevent streaming of certain programmes, and blocks some territories, however RTE have stated they will continue to add more content as they acquire new rights.
The service is easy to use and well laid out, and you can also catch up with the latest on their rolling news channel. You can use a search box, look for programmes using an A-Z index, or flick through the online calendar, and overall the presentation is quite attractive.
One other thought…
RTE are also obliged to provide an international terrestial service and this has been delayed since 2008. Initially planned for the UK, and latterly Central Europe and North America, hopefully this won’t be put back further as a result of the online presence. There is a large audience out there who are not regular Internet users, and it would be a blow to expectations if there was additional delay, or a switch in direction that excluded many of those who would welcome it.
So, will this be the year that the Irish abroad can also hit RTE TV on the remote?
Amhrán na bhFiann, ‘The Soldier’s Song’ is Ireland’s national anthem. The music was originally composed in 1907 with 3 verses and a chorus by Peadar Kearney (who also wrote the English lyrics) and Patrick Heeney.
It was used as a marching song by the Irish Volunteers and was sung by rebels in the General Post Office (GPO) during the Easter Rising of 1916. Translated into Irish in 1923 by Liam Ó Rinn it remained popular with the national army and became the country’s official anthem in 1926.
In 1928 the Army band started playing just the chorus to encourage people to join in, and in 1929 an official musical arrangement, titled ‘The Soldier’s Song’, was produced by Colonel Fritz Brasé, director of the Army band.
The Soldier’s Song
English Version
Irish Version
Soldiers are we,
whose lives are pledged to Ireland,
Some have come
from a land beyond the wave,
Sworn to be free,
no more our ancient sireland,
Shall shelter the despot or the slave.
Tonight we man the “bearna baoil”,
In Erin’s cause, come woe or weal,
’Mid cannon’s roar and rifles’ peal,
We’ll chant a soldier’s song
Sinne Fianna Fáil,
atá faoi gheall ag Éirinn,
Buíon dár slua
thar toinn do ráinig chughainn,
Faoi mhóid bheith saor
Seantír ár sinsear feasta,
Ní fhágfar faoin tíorán ná faoin tráill.
Anocht a théam sa bhearna baoil,
Le gean ar Ghaeil, chun báis nó saoil,
Le gunna scréach faoi lámhach na bpiléar,
Seo libh canaig amhrán na bhFiann
Just before Christmas we had the pleasure of being shown around the Julia by Pat O’Neill. We weren’t sure what to expect and I guess our thoughts were of trips on the previous ship.
The Julia is a classier lady and Pat made us very welcome as we wandered the decks and the various bars and restaurants. Bernadette also had a good scan of the cabins and I think she made a mental note of the West Cork Suite! – fortunately they all looked inviting. She’s a marked improvement on her predecessor with higher levels of comfort and facilities, and just has a more pleasing feel about her. Definitely looking forward to travelling on her as a passenger.
Doing the guy thing I asked if we could get into the engine room but sounds like you need to be a bit of a ladder monkey so we passed on that one. Pat quickly made up for it though and we were soon heading upwards, through some heavy steel doors, and into the Bridge area.
It’s quite a thing to stand at the helm of such a vessel, and before you could say ‘ahoy there’ Bernadette was organising a quick conflab about how she handled at sea…
Well one thing lead to another and it wasn’t long before she’d got her head round the port and starboard thing. All it took now was to find the ignition key and the steering wheel! Ok Pat – how about taking her for a spin?
10 minutes later we’re gingerly doing a 3-point turn as Bernadette whizzes the wheel in one direction and then the other. Pat’s holding his breath and I know what he’s thinking…!
Well it was a lovely little cruise, we kept her below 4 knots, Bernadette got her stripes, and it was sunset before we moored up again…
Great afternoon, and I don’t think anyone even noticed!
(Ok, we didn’t really but it’s nice to day dream! She’s a great credit to everyone who’s had the drive to make her a reality. Something to be very proud of.)
If you have a story to tell, launched a new business, got an initiative off the ground, landed on a foreign shore and getting your foot on the first rung, or just have some good news with an inspirational nature let us know and we'll pass it on.
Here’s some recent articles by others on the subject:
