Suzanne Harrington: Ireland stays on the right side of history when it comes to Palestine
First that London gig which landed Mo Chara in court, now Bob Vylan at Glastonbury. ('Sir' Rod Stewart can, however, express heartfelt support for far-right racist Nigel Farage, with zero consequences. Almost as if far-right racism is fine now).
Bob Vylan and Kneecap performed back to back at Glastonbury on a blazing Saturday afternoon amid a sea of Palestinian flags; earlier on the Pyramid stage, magnificent Irish pop queen CMAT led chants of Free Palestine.
But all eyes were on Kneecap. While everyone from Keir Starmer to the Daily Mail had been pressuring Glastonbury's Eavis family to drop Kneecap from their line-up, and the BBC was clutching its pearls about broadcasting the West Belfast trio live on the West Holts stage, Bob Vylan stepped up. They seized the moment.
'Death, death to the IDF' may not be the subtlest of words, but neither is the Israel Defense Forces subtle in its genocidal deeds.
A reported 372 Palestinian people were murdered by the IDF over the same few days we were soaking up the music on a peaceful Somerset farm.
Bob Vylan — two unarmed vegans from Ipswich, Bobby and Bobbie — voiced what so many of us helpless bystanders wish to see: the disbanding of a death squad.
To call their words antisemitic is like calling the condemnation of Islamic death squads Islamophobic — except the IDF are 'legitimate'. The BBC continues to call the genocide a 'conflict'.
Hence the police investigation, revoked visas, and cancellation — of the two musicians, not the death machine.
For their trouble, Bob Vylan have been dropped by their agent, dropped from headlining a forthcoming music event, and reported with zero accuracy by the Daily Mail on its front page in banner headlines as saying — with quotation marks — 'Death to Israelis'.
This headline was extraordinary in its blatant untruth, and so easily checkable. Almost as though the truth doesn't matter anymore.
Yet when an Israeli rap duo called Ness & Stilla released a track titled Harbu Darbu [translated as 'war strike'/ 'mayhem'], praising the IDF and calling for the mass murder of Palestinians, whom they termed 'rats', and for the death of anyone opposed to Palestinian genocide — specifically Dua Lipa and Bella Hadid — there was zero outrage. Just millions of YouTube views.
In the UK, a Labour MP, Zarah Sultana, has been expelled from the party for speaking up against the genocide. A protest group, Palestine Action, has just been proscribed as 'terrorist'— a bit like Mo Chara — which means you could get up to 14 years in jail if you support them.
A disabled man, dressed as Charlie Chaplin's Great Dictator character, was dragged off his mobility scooter and bundled into a police van at a Palestine Action support protest this week. Mo Chara is back at Westminster Magistrates Court on August 20.
Unlike in Ireland, the dominant UK narrative is that supporting Palestinians is supporting terrorism. Bob Vylan used their platform to non-violently criticise mass murder, and are being hung out to dry for their trouble. How can words be terrorist, while state terrorism gets off scot-free?
Once again, bravo Ireland for being on the right side of history. A lone cry of sanity amid the crushing silence of collusion.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Extra.ie
an hour ago
- Extra.ie
FILM REVIEW OF THE WEEK: Beat The Lotto
Beat the Lotto , the latest offering from director Ross Whitaker, is a charming and light documentary that spins the tale of a group of amateur gamblers, hustlers, and dreamers who, in 1992, decided they could outsmart the Irish National Lottery. What unfolds is part caper, part cultural time capsule, and part portrait of the particularly Irish love of cheekily bending the rules and rooting for the underdog though who the underdog in this story is less obvious than it seems. With his trademark curiosity and affection for character-driven stories, Whitaker introduces us to Stefan Klincewicz, a moustachioed accountant with a head for numbers and a twinkle in his eye, who assembled a ragtag syndicate determined to buy every possible ticket combination and win the jackpot. Their plan was bold, audacious, and grounded in cold, hard mathematics, and the documentary walks viewers through the scheme with enough clarity and humour to keep even the most math-averse of us engaged. The true joy of Beat the Lotto is in its cast of real-life characters, many of whom are interviewed on screen. These men, older but no less spirited, bring a warmth and wit that lights up the film, and their mix of nostalgia, mischief, and sheer cheekiness is deeply endearing. Theres a sense that what they were really after wasnt just money, but fun, adventure, and the thrill of beating the odds or at least of giving it a good go. (Its interesting to note that no women appear to be in the syndicate though there was rumoured to be one woman involved, and members mention not telling their wives what they were up to, so there is like many films about finance a deeply embedded boys club mentality throughout.) Whitaker makes full use of grainy 90s TV clips, old chat show appearances, and golden-hued footage from the era, which gives the film a kind of dusty, familiar texture, and viewers who remember the early years of the Lotto will find much here to delight in. The clothes, the graphics, the music, the very tone of that time in Ireland its all there, and it makes for oddly comforting viewing, even when the subject is a potential multi-million pound scheme that was legal, but felt unfair to the average punter hoping their weekly lotto ticket could change their life. A testy interview between Pat Kenny and Stefan Klincewicz is spicily entertaining, and clips of Lotto representative Ray Bates are fantastic, as he passionately argues for fairness and equality in the Lotto. News cameras following syndicate members trying to offload hundreds of tickets in local shops feel like a wildly entertaining live episode of Crimecall , and watching the syndicate deftly turn the media narrative in another direction is a fun lesson in P.R. In this David V. Goliath story, the roles constantly change – and of course, for those unfamiliar with the story, the suspense of whether the scheme will pay off and pay out is well built. That said, the film isnt without its flaws. The pacing occasionally drags, with some interviews returning to the same points a few too many time. The dramatic reenactments dont feel necessary, and there are moments when you wish the film would stretch further beyond the mechanics of the plan and explore the broader political and cultural context of the time. It hints at a wider national mood one shaped by emigration, economic precarity and a desire to believe in something better but never quite digs in. A deeper exploration of what it meant for Irish people to put their faith in a government-backed game of chance, or how that faith sat alongside growing disillusionment in other state institutions, would have made the film deeper and stronger. Still, Beat the Lotto succeeds where it counts. It tells an Irish story that is funny, weird, and true, and does so with a lightness of touch. Ultimately, this is a film about belief in luck, in numbers, in collective effort, and in a system that might, just might, be beatable. Its about risk and reward, trust and trickery, and the uniquely Irish art of taking the craic seriously. In cinemas now. Watch the trailer below:
RTÉ News
an hour ago
- RTÉ News
On This Week: Ryanair launches its first ever route
This Week In Irish News Ryanair launched its first scheduled service with a flight from Waterford to London Gatwick Airport. It was the first route launched by the company and was a daily service. It also marked the first international scheduled air service from Waterford, making it Ireland's fourth international airport. 2010: The case of the kidnapped penguin from Dublin Zoo A penguin was stolen from Dublin Zoo and was later found at Rutland Street. Kelli, a 10-year-old female penguin, was captured at 8:30am before the zoo opened. She was later found and returned by Gardai from Store Street. Kelli was returned to the penguin habitat after a vet inspection found she had no injuries. This Week In Irish Sports The first two stages of the iconic cycling race, the Tour de France, took place in Ireland. The 85th edition saw the first stage held in counties Wicklow and Dublin, where it finished in Phoenix Park. The stage winner was Tom Steels from Belgium. The second stage began in Enniscorthy, County Wexford, and ended in Cork, with Svorada Ján from the Czech Republic crossing the finish line first. 2022: Westmeath win the inaugural Tailteann Cup A late goal from Kieran Martin capped a dramatic comeback that helped Westmeath secure the inaugural Tailteann Cup title. Three points down when approaching the hour mark, Westmeath scored 1-04 to beat the tournament favourites Cavan and secure the title. The final score was Cavan 1-13 Westmeath 2-14. This Week In Irish Entertainment 2005: 'The Wind That Shakes The Barley' begins shooting in Cork Bandon in Co Cork was transformed for Ken Loach's film 'The Wind that Shakes the Barley'. The movie, which starred Cillian Murphy, Pádraic Delaney, Liam Cunningham, and Orla Fitzgerald, was set during the Irish War of Independence and the Irish Civil War. Loach, known for his realistic portrayal of working-class heroes, said the movie tackled the thorny subject of Irish nationalism. 2015: Coláiste Lurgan release as Gaeilge cover of Cheerleader Coláiste Lurgan released another as Gaeilge cover over the summer, OMI's chart-topping hit, Cheerleader, which received over 2.7 million views. The summer school, based in the Connemara Gaeltacht village of Inverin, had released cover versions of hit songs as Gaeilge; its first one was a cover of Avicii's Wake Me Up in 2013. The school has given other famous hits an Irish spin, such as Adele's 'Hello' and Hozier's 'Take Me to Church.' This Week In Irish Culture 1998: Carnival marks Dublin's 1,000th birthday Dublin city marked its 1,000th birthday with a weekend-long street carnival. Lord Mayor of Dublin Ben Briscoe launched the massive Dublin Street Carnival, which began with a parade of over 200 performers in full costume, led by the New Jersey Emerald Pipe Band. Over the weekend, hundreds of events took place, featuring entertainers, musicians, clowns, and jugglers performing around Dublin city centre. What was Number 1 in Ireland This Week? 1970: 'In The Summertime' by Mungo Jerry The British rock band sold 30 million copies of the song, which celebrates the carefree days of summer. 1991: '(Everything I Do) I Do It for You' by Bryan Adams Written for the film 'Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves', the power ballet reached number one in over 19 countries. 2001: 'Lady Marmalade' by Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Mýa & Pink Originally a hit in 1974 from US funk rock group LaBelle, Lady Marmalade hit number one again as a cover for the musical film 'Moulin Rouge'. Irish Celebrities Celebrating Birthdays This Week Eve Hewson (34) Actor best known for Bad Sisters, and The Perfect Couple Robbie Keane (45) Former footballer who is the record scorer for The Republic of Ireland Imelda May (51) Signer, songwriter and TV presenter who has released six albums over her career Other Irish Trivia From This Week 1989: When the Harlem Globetrotters visited Dublin The Harlem Globetrotters, a US exhibition basketball team, came to Ireland to showcase their skills. The team was playing against arch-rivals The Washington Generals at Neptune Stadium in Cork. Before they arrived, members of the team - Quentin Jones, Memphis Douglas and Tyrone 'Hollywood' Brown - took the time to meet and greet children who were part of the Aer Lingus Sports Club at Dublin Airport. They demonstrated their skills for the young Irish players and taught them a few tricks in the process. Looking Ahead Each Monday, On This Week will bring you a mix of stories from the last 75 years, to celebrate Volkswagen's 75 year anniversary, featuring the big news stories, sporting highlights and major pop culture moments. Volkswagen has been part of those unforgettable moments - driving families to milestones, memories, and moments that matter. Join us every week as we look back at the moments of yesteryear.
Irish Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Barack Obama to appear on stage in Dublin at live event later this year
Former US president Barack Obama is to be interviewed live on stage for two events in London and Dublin later this year. The 63-year-old, who became the first black US president when he took office in 2009, will be interviewed by TV historian David Olusoga for the event at London's The O2 on September 24, before chatting with Irish journalist Fintan O'Toole at Dublin's 3Arena on September 26. An Evening With President Barack Obama will see the former president speak about his experiences in the role and the future for the US. Stuart Galbraith, chief executive of Kilimanjaro, and Alex Fane, chief executive of Fane Group, the groups organising the events, said in a joint statement: 'We are incredibly honoured to bring President Obama to the UK and Ireland for these truly special events. 'His message of unity and progress resonates deeply, and we anticipate an evening that will inspire and empower all who attend. 'We believe in providing exceptional experiences, and this event perfectly aligns with our mission to connect people with inspiring moments.' Tickets for the events go on sale at 10am on Thursday July 10, with 100 tickets set aside in each city for charitable organisations. Since his presidency ended, Mr Obama has signed a deal with Netflix, alongside his wife Michelle, to produce documentaries, documentary series, and features for the streaming platform under their Higher Ground Productions company. In 2022, he won the best narrator Emmy for his work on the Netflix documentary series Our Great National Parks, while he previously won Grammy awards for his audiobook reading of two of his memoirs, The Audacity Of Hope and Dreams From My Father. The Hawaii-born former president has also hosted a podcast called Renegades: Born In The USA in 2021, alongside singer Bruce Springsteen, with the pair also releasing a book based on the podcast. The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week
