Petrol bombs fly again in Northern Ireland

BELFAST, Ireland, March 15th 2009(AFP) — Gangs of youths threw petrol bombs at police in Northern Ireland on Saturday after a prominent republican was among three people arrested over the murder of two British soldiers.
The troubled province's police chief, meanwhile, warned that hundreds of dissidents, whom he described as "very dangerous", were aiming to derail its fledgling peace process.
The three men, aged 21, 32 and 41, were being questioned by police over the shooting of the soldiers at Massereene Barracks in Antrim, on March 7.
According to a police source, the 41-year-old was Colin Duffy, who has distanced himself from Republican party Sinn Fein since it agreed to share power with pro-London unionists.
In the aftermath of his arrest, gangs of masked youths threw stones at police near Duffy's home in Lurgan, and petrol bombs were later thrown at vehicles belonging to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), a police spokesman said.
"Missiles including petrol bombs and stones have been thrown at police at a number of locations in Lurgan," a PSNI spokesman said, adding that no one had been injured and no petrol bombs had been thrown since around 7:00 pm (1900 GMT).
The spokesman estimated that the youths had numbered around 20, and said that a male in his late teens was arrested but later released, while a male in his early teens had also been arrested.

Colin Duffy arrested

Belfast Ireland, March 14th 2009, Eirigi spokesman Colin Duffy has been arrested by the PSNI police following a series of early morning raids across the North of Ireland.

PSNI teams in forensic suits have been searching Mr Duffy's house in a private estate in Lurgan, County Armagh.

Two other men have also been arrested in Lurgan and Bellaghy, County Derry, in connection with the 'Real IRA' attack on Massereene Army base last Saturday.

Local republican youths clashed with PSNI personnel deployed to the area.

Mr Duffy is a prominent republican in the area and has endured a lifetime of RUC/PSNI arrests and harassment.

Mr Duffy was released from prison in 1996 when a conviction for murder was quashed by the Appeal Court following three years of false imprisonment,

The prosecution case collapsed when it was revealled that their key witness, screened from view during the trial, was a loyalist gunrunner.

He was the most prominent client of human rights lawyer, Rosemary
Nelson, who was assassinated in 1999 by a unionist death squad. The
RUC/PSNI is widely believed to have colluded in the killing, currently the subject of a public inquiry.

The arrest of Mr Duffy is being viewed as part of a potential 'securocrat' backlash against republican hardliners in the wake of last week's attacks, in which two British soldiers and a PSNI man was killed.

A massive operation is currently underway by British forces in the north Armagh area. A total of six men have so far been arrested in the raids. and further disturbances are expected.

Meanwhile, the political group connected to the 'Real IRA' has warned that "if the conflict in Ireland is to end once and for all, so too must the illegal British claim to sovereignty over the Six Counties.

source: Irish Republican News

Sinn Fein runs risks in handling Northern Ireland violence

By Carmel Crimmins - Analysis
BELFAST (Reuters) -March 12th 2009, Republicans in Northern Ireland's power-sharing administration have reassured their Protestant partners by denouncing guerrilla killings this week, but they risk losing support from hard-line nationalist backers.
Sinn Fein, political ally of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), won plaudits from Protestants who want the province to stay part of the United Kingdom by branding pro-Irish splinter groups as "traitors" for their attacks on security forces.
Two British soldiers were shot dead last weekend and a policeman was killed on Monday in attacks by dissident minority republican guerrillas who seek to reunite Ireland by military means.
The comments by Martin McGuinness, once a senior IRA commander fighting British soldiers in the 1970s and now Deputy First Minister of the province, have angered some nationalist hardliners.
"Sinn Fein and the British forces would want to be careful that they don't inflame the situation by their response," said Jim McAllister, who was a Sinn Fein councilor during the 1980s and 1990s but is no longer a member of the party.
"I think Martin McGuinness has gone some way toward inflaming it."
The attacks by the Real IRA and the Continuity IRA, the deadliest in Northern Ireland in over a decade, come after a number of botched attempts to kill members of the security forces.
McGuinness's comments were designed to reassure Sinn Fein's sometimes reluctant Protestant partners in a power-sharing assembly that they are serious about a 1998 peace deal, which ended the IRA's decades long campaign against British rule.
But in his use of language - the word "traitor" is one of the worst insults in the pro-Irish nationalist camp - McGuinness was also sending a signal to hardliners that he will freeze them out to protect the path Sinn Fein has taken.
Former foes have applauded him and his words have helped cool temperatures in Protestant areas, reducing the threat of tit-for-tat violence which once gripped Belfast.
"When we heard Martin McGuinness speak the other day he spoke from the heart," said Frankie Gallagher, of the Ulster Political Research Group, an organization close to the Ulster Defense Association (UDA), a pro-British paramilitary group.
"Once that leadership was shown, I think it dissipated a lot of anger within our communities."
TESTING TIMES
The Continuity IRA and the Real IRA have warned their operations will continue until Northern Ireland is no longer part of the United Kingdom.
More violence could yet trigger retaliation from Protestant groups, potentially putting Sinn Fein under pressure from Catholic communities who traditionally look to it for protection rather than the police.
For now, that is a remote possibility.
The Continuity IRA and the Real IRA have a tiny support base and most nationalists support Sinn Fein's stance.
But beyond the television cameras, the party will have to put its tough words into action by encouraging supporters to give information to the police -- a practice still considered taboo in some areas.
During three decades of bloodshed between minority Irish Republicans and pro-British Protestants, the police were viewed by many Catholics as a partisan extension of British rule.
Passing tips to the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC), as the police was then known, was a dangerous business and so-called "informers" or "traitors" risked execution by the IRA.
The RUC was disbanded and relaunched as the Police Service of Northern Ireland in 2001 in a bid to provide a more impartial force.
Sinn Fein's nationalist credentials mean that it is the only party that can encourage Catholics to talk and isolate the extremists.
"If in a year's time, the threat of dissidents has been contained then people will say that Sinn Fein faced a test and they came through," said Richard English, a professor of politics at Queens University in Belfast.
"The new Northern Ireland might turn out to be something which is more secure than people had feared."
(Additional reporting by Jonathan Saul)
(Editing by Richard Balmforth)

Cork and overseas drivers battle for success in West Cork Rally

By Martin Walsh Saturday March 14th, 2009

CLONAKILTY becomes the centre of attention for motorsport this weekend with the Quality Hotels West Cork Rally that, essentially, is a battle between Cork and overseas drivers. Double winner, Donie O'Sullivan heads the entry for the sixteen-stage event.

The Cullen-born driver will pilot a Proton Satria S2000 car that gave a great performance on the opening stages of Rally Ireland where it was driven by former Production World champion, Niall McShea. O’Sullivan, who won the Clonakilty-based event last year onboard a McKinstry Subaru WRC, also won the 2006 rally in a Ford Focus WRC.

He will be co-driven by Killarney’s Paul Nagle, who partnered Kris Meeke to victory in the Rally Internacional de Curitiba in Brazil, the second round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge. Welshman, John Dalton in the nimble Darrian, is seeded at number two and should conditions remain dry over the two days, he will pose a real threat and victory for the Lampeter man would not be surprising.

Liam McCarthy spearheads the West Cork challenge in his Toyota Corolla WRC. The Dunmanway driver has led the Clonakilty based event on numerous occasions; however, so far, victory has eluded him. There is little doubt that 2005 was the closest he came to a maiden victory. He led another West Cork driver, Denis Cronin, but lost out on the closing stages. McCarthy won the Fastnet Rally last October and that should act as a confidence booster. British driver, Jim Harrison, who made a return to the sport on the recent Nenagh Rally, will drive a McKinstry prepared Subaru WRC.

Londoner, Harvey Bell will call the notes for the Macclesfield driver. Like McCarthy, Harrison is also a Fastnet winner and there’s no doubt he has the potential to win the Clonakilty event. Former West Cork winner, Denis Cronin, is another possible winner.

His recent third place in the Mitchelstown based Tipperary Forest Rally will stand him in good stead. Whilst it’s the same car that he drove to victory in 2005, the car has the benefit of newer specifications in the engine compartment. West Cork regular, Phil Collins in his Mk. 2 Ford Escort should provide the usual spectacle for the fans and is well capable of keeping his seeded position.

Much will be expected from Ballylickey’s Keith Cronin in his Mitsubishi Evo9. A winner of the opening round of the Irish Forest Championship in Mitchelstown, Cronin can be expected to match the more powerful cars on the 16-stage encounter. Last season, Group N cars performed admirably in some rounds of the Irish Tarmac series and Cronin’s talent should ensure something similar in Clonakilty. Indeed, it would not be that surprising if both Denis and Keith Cronin finished on the podium. Alan Ring (Subaru) has withdrawn his entry.

The original top ten also features Wexford’s James Stafford (Darrian) and Carrigaline’s Brian O’Mahony (Renault Clio S1600). Stafford should be very prominent, much like Dalton, while O’Mahony, who was the top two-wheel drive competitor in Mayo last week, should also figure well. LOCALS Meanwhile, Ashley Field (Darrian) is seeded at eleven ahead of a plethora of Ford Escorts driven by Kevin O’Donoghue, Adrian Hetherington, Manus Kelly, John O’Donnell, Fergus O’Meara, local Ballineen driver, Fintan Canty, Ed O’Callaghan and Leonard Downey.

Those drivers should provide plenty of entertainment. Other Cork drivers in the top thirty are Lissarda’s Philip Cross (Escort Cosworth), who is seeded at 24 and Niall Guinevan (Ovens) in a Subaru, who will occupy the number 27 berth. One of the most popular features of the event is the class battles involving local West Cork drivers. In Class 11, three locals, Damien McCarthy (Barryroe), David Guest (Clonakilty) and Jason McSweeney (Dunmanway) will also battle for honours in the Honda series where Youghal’s Jason Ryan is also competing.

The Toyota Corolla trio of Lyre’s Michael McKennedy, Rossmore’s Vinny Bennett and Dunderrow’s Shaun Quin are also amongst the Class 11 entries and competition is likely to be intense. Class 13 features Ardfield’s Eoghan Calnan and Diarmuid Keohane (The Pike) both in Ford Escorts while Drimoleague’s Martin Lordan (Ford Escort), the Vauxhall Nova trio of Leap’s James Collins, Bandon’s Peter Desmond and Ray O’Sullivan from Durrus will battle in Class 9.

Elsewhere, another class with a strong local content is Class 10 with Stephen Sheehan (Coachford), Victor Beamish (Bandon), David Jennings (Clonakilty) and Jerry O’Mahony (Rosscarbery) flying the local flag. Other local entries are Bandon’s Sean O'Donovan (Subaru); Rossmore’s John Buttimer (Subaru); Dunmanway’s Ger O'Connell (Escort), Clonakilty’s Steve Roberts (Escort), Skibbereen’s Bernard O’Brien (Escort) and Innishannon’s John O’Shea (Honda). The cars leave Parc Ferme (Model Village) on Saturday morning at 9.45am.

The first stage, Ballinascarthy, is scheduled to begin at 10.23am. Servicing at the Darrara Agricultural College complex follows throughout the day at 11.43am; 1.43pm; 3.28pm and 5.30pm. A stage at Clogagh completes the opening pair of stages that are repeated after service.

The afternoon stages are at Ring and Dunworley. On Sunday, the opening stage Sam’s Cross (S.S. 9) is at 10.54am. This is followed by a stage at Rossmore, both are repeated after service. Ardfield and Hayes’ Cross are the afternoon stage locations. Servicing after S.S. 10 takes place shortly after noon, the other service times are at 2.06pm and 3.45pm. The finish ramp celebrations in Clonakilty are scheduled for 5.45pm, prizegiving takes place at the Quality Hotel later in the evening.

source: The Southern Star

2009 MaxAttack!(tm) Rally Series to Feature New Format and New Events

After two successful years of bringing the best of two-wheel-drive rally action to the United States, the MaxAttack! Rally Series is evolving it’s format for 2009 to better serve its competitors, increase competition, and increase the value of the series.

While the per-event cash payout for each event will remain the same, there will be a format change in the chase for the coveted Jake Himes Cup. Rather than have to contest all three events in the season, competitors will run either a western or eastern qualifying event, with all teams contesting a central “shootout.” The highest point total from the two events will be the winner. The per-event payout will again be available to all two-wheel-drive entrants, regardless of how many of the series events a team may contest.

The new format addresses the challenges of competing in a national championship in such a large country during a struggling economy. It will serve to make the competition better at all of the events and will actually enhance the value of the championship to competitors, events, and sponsors alike, as more of North America’s top two-wheel-drive rally competitors will find the series within reach.
“We are very grateful for the support we have received from the rallies that have been part of our series for the last two years. This change of venue is in no way related to the quality of the events,” explains Eric Burmeister of the Rallysports Group of America. “We just wanted to try some new events so we could use our positive influence to help even more rallies. The switch to a Shootout from a Triple Crown format allowed us to experiment a little, and it is destined to keep the fight for the Jake Himes Cup a nail biter to the end!”
The three events that will constitute the 2009 MaxAttack! Rally Series are:* Rally Idaho, July 9-11, Mountain Home, ID, http://www.idahorally.com/* New England Forest Rally, July 17-18, Bethel, ME, http://www.newenglandforestrally.com/* Ojibwe Forests Rally, August 28-29, Bemidji, MN, http://ojibweforestrally.com/
Rally Idaho and the New England Forest Rally will be the qualifying events for the Jake Himes Cup, and Ojibwe Forests will be the central Shootout event.
The MaxAttack! Rally Series, presented by the Rallysports Group of America, consists of three events across the country, and each event will feature a $5,000 prize fund to be distributed among the top two-wheel-drive teams, as well as a season championship.
For more information about the MaxAttack! Series and the Rallysports Group of America, please visit http://www.max-attack.com/.
About Rallysports Group of AmericaRallysports Group of America, Inc. (RSGA) was formed as an organization in 2006 to advance the sport of performance stage rally in the United States. By providing education on performance driving, car preparation and safety, and by fostering the growth of meaningful competition, RSGA seeks to provide a sustainable and competitive arena for the advancement of North American performance rally that promotes increased value for rally competitors, organizers, and sponsors alike. For more information, please visit http://www.max-attack.com/.

Northern Ireland in silent protest against IRA dissidents

People from the four major church denominations, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Anglican and Methodist, turn out for a peace rally at Belfast's City Hall, Northern Ireland, Wednesday, March, 11, 2009. Labor union leaders called on workers across Northern Ireland to come together for a silent protest Wednesday against Irish Republican Army dissidents responsible for killing three people and wounding four others. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

By SHAWN POGATCHNIK

BELFAST, Northern Ireland (AP) — Several thousand Irish Catholics and British Protestants united in a silent protest Wednesday against IRA dissidents who gunned down two soldiers and a policeman since the weekend, attacks threatening to plunge Northern Ireland into sectarian bloodshed once again.
More than 2,000 people gathered at lunchtime in front of Belfast City Hall to oppose Northern Ireland's worst dissident Irish Republican Army violence since 1998, the year both sides' politicians struck the Good Friday peace deal that sought lasting compromise through a Catholic-Protestant government.
Thousands more gathered in the predominantly Catholic border cities of Londonderry and Newry, where dissidents remain active in the shadows despite overwhelming public opposition. "No going back," read placards at all the protests.
In Belfast, as a lone bagpiper played a lament, the crowd — among them firefighters and postal workers, former paramilitary convicts and child-cradling mothers — fell stone-silent for five minutes. Some openly wept.
As the crowds dispersed, many shook hands with police officers and offered their condolences over the latest fatality, a 23-year police veteran shot through the back of the head Monday. Others said they wished they could do more to ensure that Northern Ireland's next generation never experiences what they endured through four decades of conflict that left 3,700 dead.
"I'm a Catholic. I grew up in an area where the police were the enemy. Now things have changed so completely for the better," said Aidan Kane, a paramedic who came to the rally with his 6-year-old boy on his shoulders. "If my wee lad here wants to be a policeman when he grows up, I'd be proud. I shouldn't have to worry that some nut might shoot him for serving his community."
Patricia McKeown, president of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, chief organizer of Wednesday's protests, said she hoped the silence of the crowds would "be a silence that thunders around the world."
"End this madness," urged a front-page editorial in the Belfast Telegraph alongside photographs of the three slain men: 48-year-old police Constable Stephen Carroll and two soldiers in the British Army's Royal Engineers: Cengiz "Patrick" Azimkar, 21, and Mark Quinsey, 23.
The Continuity IRA fatally shot Carroll as he sat in a patrol car Monday night. Another splinter group, the Real IRA, killed the two army engineers, and wounded two other soldiers and two pizza delivery men, on Saturday night as Afghanistan-bound troops collected a final meal at their base's entrance.
Both breakaway groups remain committed to the traditional IRA goal of forcing Northern Ireland out of the United Kingdom and into the Irish Republic. Most IRA members renounced violence and disarmed in 2005, eight years after calling an open-ended truce.
In Rome, Pope Benedict XVI condemned the attacks and asked worshippers in St. Peter's Square to pray that nobody else in Northern Ireland "will again give in to the horrendous temptation of violence."
Meanwhile, the British Protestant and Irish Catholic leaders of Northern Ireland's 22-month-old power-sharing government departed Wednesday for the U.S. to seek increased American support for the peace process.
Because of the killings, they twice had canceled the start of their U.S. visit, which seeks to defend and promote U.S. business investment in their land of 1.7 million people.
The trip by First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness now was likely to attract much greater U.S. attention, aides said, but for all the wrong reasons.
The killings have already had the surprising effect of bonding Robinson, long a bitter Protestant opponent of the IRA, and McGuinness, a longtime IRA commander, more closely together than ever before.
They rarely appeared in public together before Tuesday, when they stood shoulder to shoulder with Northern Ireland police chief Hugh Orde and appealed for citizens shielding the IRA dissidents in their communities to identify them to police.
"In Northern Ireland today we are seeing a degree of unity among the political parties that some people thought they would never see in their lifetimes," British Prime Minister Gordon Brown told lawmakers in the House of Commons in London.
In Dublin, Ireland's parliament unanimously passed a motion condemning the return of dissident IRA killings and vowing to help Northern Ireland authorities hunt down the dissidents, who are largely based along the Irish border.
A 17-year-old boy and 37-year-old man arrested Tuesday on suspicion of involvement in Carroll's murder were still being questioned Wednesday. Both suspects come from a Catholic public housing project in Craigavon, southwest of Belfast, near where Carroll was killed.
Associated Press writers Frances D'Emilio in Rome and David Stringer in London contributed to this report.

Luck of the Irish for Danny O’Connor

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. (March 11, 2009) – No sooner had the announcement been made that the March 16th “Erin Go Brawl II” show in New York City was canceled, Seminole Warriors Boxing informed its prize light welterweight, Danny O’Connor, of his repositioning on a show this Saturday night in Boston.

The National Guard Armory in Dorchester (70 Liberty Ave.) isn’t a long drive for family, friends and fans from Framingham to watch O’Connor (4-0, 1 KO), 2008 U.S. Olympic first alternate, fight live against Charlie Wade (4-7, 1 KO).

O’Connor is coming off of his impressive national television debut January 30, winning a 4-round decision in the opening bout on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights against light welterweight Jamar Saunders (2-1-1, 1 KO) at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.

“I was disappointed when I first heard that the show at Madison Square Garden had been canceled,” O’Connor said. “I think every time I’m supposed to fight in New York something happens. This is the second time but I believe everything happens for a reason and this got me in a card in Boston. I’m so happy. It’s amazing. Now everybody from home can come watch me fight live. They wanted me on ESPN my last fight and now they can see me in person. I can’t imagine how I’ll feel when I walk into the ring with everybody there cheering for me.

“My ESPN fight was huge because a lot of people got to watch me fight for the first time. It helped build my fan-base. It was also a step-up against a tough kid. I’m a pro. This is what I do – fight! I turned in a solid performance but I’m also a perfectionist who thinks I can always do better. It was only my fourth pro fight and was another part of my learning process. I leaned a lot last fight and we’ve bee working to improve some things that I’ll bring into this fight in Boston. I want to stay busy and learn something new every fight.”

The 23-year-old O’Connor won last year’s US Future Stars National Championship, in which, he was named Most Outstanding Boxer, as well as the 2008 National Golden Gloves Tournament. The highlight of Danny’s amateur career was defeating eventual 2008 Olympic Gold medalist Felix Diaz, of the Dominican Republic, last May in a USA-Dominican Republic dual meet.

“We were very happy with Danny’s last fight against a legitimate, young fighter,” O’Connor’s head trainer and co-manager David Keefe remarked. “He used his jab very well and showed excellent speed and good overall boxing skills. We’re very happy to have Danny boxing in Boston. We accepted the opportunity right after we learned about the New York showing being canceled. This was our next best choice and we hope Danny will be fighting at Madison Square Garden in the future. When (co-manager) Rob (Valle) and I were looking for a promoter, we had a game plan for Danny to stay busy. We didn’t want only five fights a year. We believe it’s very important for a young, up-and-comer like Danny to fight a lot. It’s been that way since the first day we met Leon (Margules, Executive Director, Seminole Warriors Boxing).”

For more information about Danny O’Connor go online to

www.dannyoconnorboxing.com.

Bout Card here
-DO-

IRA dissident killings unites Northern Ireland

(AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

By SHAWN POGATCHNIK [AP]
BELFAST, Northern Ireland (AP) — The Protestant and Catholic leaders of Northern Ireland mounted an exceptional display of unity against rising violence from Irish Republican Army dissidents — and vowed Tuesday to defeat hard-liners with the power of popular will.
Former IRA commander Martin McGuinness, who long hoped that slaying police officers would help him achieve his dream of a united Ireland, stood shoulder to shoulder with his Protestant partner atop the government, Peter Robinson, and Northern Ireland police commander Hugh Orde.
The scene itself was an unprecedented surprise. More stunning were the clear-cut words from McGuinness, whose Sinn Fein party has faced years of outside pressure to embrace British law and order. He pledged his personal support to the English police chief, and demanded that his own police-loathing supporters abandon their traditional code of silence and expose the IRA dissidents in their Irish Catholic communities.
"I have to keep my nerve, and to appeal to my community to assist the police services north and south to defeat these people," McGuinness said of the dissidents who killed two British soldiers and a policeman over the past three days — the first such killings in more than a decade.
"There is a duty on me, a responsibility on me to lead from the front, and I expect that people will follow," McGuinness said. He called the IRA splinter groups "traitors to the island of Ireland. They have betrayed the political desires, hopes and aspirations of all of the people who live on this island, and they don't deserve to be supported by anyone."
Analysts said the dissidents' dramatic escalation of bloodshed since Saturday was designed to divide and undermine McGuinness and Robinson as they embarked on their most significant foreign mission: a planned 10-day tour of the United States culminating at the White House on St. Patrick's Day, March 17, to meet U.S. President Barack Obama.
Twice, deadly shootings have obliged the power-sharing chiefs to postpone their departure. They will try again Wednesday, and still expect to meet Obama next week on Ireland's national holiday, the day when Northern Ireland leaders traditionally curry U.S. economic and political support.
But political analysts widely suggested Tuesday that the dissidents, though likely trying to exacerbate tensions between Robinson's Democratic Unionists and McGuinness' Sinn Fein, were having the opposite effect.
After their first-ever joint appearance with the police chief, McGuinness and Robinson — who have kept their distance during eight frosty months sharing power — traveled in the same car together to visit the widow of the most recent victim, 48-year-old Constable Stephen Carroll. The 23-year police veteran was shot in the back of his head Monday night when a gunman from the Continuity IRA dissident group fired on his parked police car.
Carroll had been part of a police backup unit for front-line officers investigating the home of a woman who reported that youths were smashing her windows in a Catholic part of Craigavon. Carroll's widow, Kate, said he had hugged her and told her before leaving home that morning: "Don't worry — they won't get me."
"A good husband has been taken away from me, and my life has been destroyed," she said.
Police raided several homes in a nearby state housing project Tuesday and arrested a 17-year-old-boy and 37-year-old man on suspicion of involvement in Carroll's slaying.
The Northern Ireland Assembly, the 108-member legislature that provides the bedrock for the Robinson-McGuinness administration, observed a minute's silence Tuesday in honor of Carroll's sacrifice. The day before, they did the same in memory of Cengiz Azimkar, 21, and Mark Quinsey, 23 — the unarmed, off-duty soldiers gunned down by another splinter gang, the Real IRA, outside their army base Saturday.
Both the Continuity IRA and the Real IRA are committed to unraveling the 2005 decision by the mainstream "Provisional" IRA to renounce violence and disarm, officially ending its 1970-97 campaign to force Northern Ireland out of the United Kingdom after killing 1,775 people and maiming thousands more.
Politicians and police agree it has been only a matter of luck that, until Saturday, more than 20 dissident attacks against police and army bases since November 2007 have wounded just seven policemen and killed nobody.
Both groups remain small, with estimated membership ranging from 200 to 500, and their pool of recruits is restricted versus previous generations. Whereas the Provisional IRA enjoyed strong support in a largely poor and excluded Catholic minority, today's Catholics are largely middle class, comfortable and pleased to have a share of power.
Nonetheless, experts on the IRA and its dissident offshoots caution that the Real and Continuity factions are unlikely to stop in response to public pressure — because they are pursuing the same stubborn example long set by McGuinness' generation.
"The kinds of things they (dissidents) are doing now is what the Provisional IRA, which was led by Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness, was doing 15 years ago," said Kevin Toolis, author of a study of the IRA and commentator on the Sinn Fein-IRA movement.
The dissidents' determination to keep killing police and soldiers is "not alien and foreign to Irish republican thinking," he said.
A fringe political party linked to the Continuity IRA, Republican Sinn Fein, forecast Tuesday that troops and police would always remain subject to attack in Northern Ireland until the territory was merged with the Republic of Ireland.
"It's always been on the cards while England remains here, and while they have their occupying forces here," said Geraldine Taylor, a former IRA prisoner who represents the party in Catholic west Belfast. "It's inevitable that you'll have young people take up arms against the occupation of this country, whether it be the armed force of the police or the British Army."

Rally New York to Honor a great volenteer.

Tuesday, March 10th 2009, Rally New York USA 2009 has named three Delaware County, New York special stages to Honor the Memory of Ham Radio Volunteer
Steve Bogart, N2UZV.

Steve passed away suddenly on February 1, 2009. He was an extremely dedicated long term Radio Operator volunteer at many Rally New York events. Steve was a big guy who often worked with Ed Jackson as a mobile operator in one of the course safety cars. When he was not doing that, you could find him helping Olga at a time control. One thing Steve was never without at the Rallies was his great big smile! He will be missed by all his fellow Radio Operators and Marshal volunteers as well as the competitors and crews.

Aside from Rally, Steve was a very active volunteer with Ham Radio groups providing Safety and Emergency Communications for many different disasters and Public Service events in the Hudson Valley. As an active member in his local Fire Company, Steve served both as a volunteer and a commissioner.

We should all be thankful that we had the opportunity to know and work together with Steve Bogart. With his passing we have all lost a good friend and volunteer.

So, on Saturday afternoon, April 4th , when you are out working or competing on the Steve Bogart Special Stages please remember Steve, N2UZV and how much he contributed to our sport!

More info on Steve:Here

www.rallynewyork.com

Bryne doesn’t get bite out of Big Apple, yet

LOS ANGELES (March 10, 2009) – Unbeaten light welterweight Dean “Irish Lightning” Byrne’s dream to fight in New York is only delayed, not shattered, after the recent announcement that “Erin Go Brawl II,” scheduled for March 16 at WaMu Theater in Madison Square Garden, had been canceled.

Byrne (10-0, 4 KOs), fighting out of Los Angeles by way of Dublin, was supposed to fight in an 8-round bout on the card headlined by his friend, Andy Lee, and featuring his hero, Wayne McCullough. Dean, who has Freddie Roach as his trainer, works out at Roach’s famed Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles, where he has sparred with Manny Pacquiao, Amir Khan and Juan Marquez.

“I was very disappointed,” Byrne said about not fighting Mar. 16 in New York City. “I was looking forward to fighting in front of so many Irish at Madison Square Garden in New York City. A lot of my family were coming over from Ireland and booked flights. It was a big opportunity for us because they’ve never seen me fight as a pro. Hey, that’s boxing and someday I’ll fight there. I want people in New York, all up and down the East Coast where there’s a lot of Irish – Boston and Philadelphia – to see what a good entertainer I am.

“Freddie gave me the weekend off and I was back in the gym on Monday. I’ll continue training hard and hopefully I’ll be in a fight soon, maybe the end of March or in April. Someday, though, I’ll be fighting in Madison Square Garden.”

Byrne had more than 200 amateur fights, winning an Irish National title, and he turned pro in Australia, where he captured the New South Wales State belt on only his fourth pro fight, and one fighter later added the Australian crown in a 10-rounder. On his way from Australia to relocate in Boston, Dean stopped in Los Angeles and trained at World Card, where Roach took a shine to him. “He’s a tough kid who is a really good fighter but doesn’t know it yet,” Roach spoke about Byrne. “He’s learning to sit-down on his punches and has had two knockouts since he’s been with me. Dean’s learned a lot sparring with Manny, Amir and the others. He’s a lot of fun to watch, very exciting and cleaver for a young man. Early in his career he fought 10 rounds for the Australian title, so he already has that experience. He’s one of my best prospects.”

Byrne last fought in December, when he registered a win by fourth-round technical knockout against Francisco Rios Gil (13-8) in Inglewood, California.
“One of Dean’s most important dreams is to fight at Madison Square Garden in New York City,” Bryne’s manager Steven Feder (Standing Eight Management) remarked. “Ever since we started working together, Dean has told me that coming from Ireland and traveling around the world, his dream was to fight in Madison Square Garden. He was excited about fighting in an Irish community. We feel bad for Irish Ropes. Dean was looking forward to fighting on their card with Andy and Wayne. It’s too bad things didn’t work out for that show. Dean Byrne has a clear shot at really making it big in boxing. He’s 10-0 and ready to go. He never had a 4-round fight, starting with a six and going right to eights and then tens. Fans love him and Irish fans on the East Coast will embrace him once they get to see him fight. We train in LA because that’s where Freddie is but New York is my hometown and we hope New York fight fans will make Dean their adopted son.”

Unrest in Northern Ireland

Continuity IRA claims responsibility for Northern Ireland police ...Telegraph.co.uk - United KingdomThe Continuity IRA, the republican splinter group, has claimed responsibility for killing a policeman in an ambush in Craigavon, Northern Ireland. ...read more

Northern Ireland's police chief vows to catch officer's killersIndependent - London,England,UKBy Deborah McAleese and Claire Harrison Northern Ireland's police chief Sir Hugh Orde today made an emotional but defiant appeal for help in catching the ...read more

Second shooting 'feels like deja vu'BBC News - UKDuring the Troubles, late night statements from police chiefs about the latest murder in Northern Ireland were part of the daily routine. read more

New York Times: LONDON — A dissident splinter group of the Irish Republican Army took responsibility on Tuesday for the killing of a police officer that sent tremors of apprehension through Northern Ireland just 48 hours after two British soldiers were shot to death. read more

PSNI Officer killed in Northern Ireland.

Belfast Ireland, March 9th 23:30:

It has been confirmed that a PSNI officer has been shot and killed in the Craigavon area tonight.
The incident is understood to have happened near Lismore High School at Brownlow.
Police came under attack while investigating suspicious activity near the school. No links have been made to the killings over the weekend at this time.

PSNI officer shot in Craigavon

Belfast, Ireland, Monday March 9th, There are reports tonight that a PSNI officer has been shot in the Craigavon area.
The initial information suggests the shooting took place within the past hour and the victim is in a critical condition.
More news to follow.

Sinn Fein condemns attack on N. Irish army base

BELFAST (Reuters) - Irish nationalist party Sinn Fein on Sunday condemned the attack on a British army base in Northern Ireland, saying Republicans had a duty to oppose what it called a "wrong and counterproductive" act.
"Those responsible have no support, no strategy to achieve a United Ireland," Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams said in a statement.
"Their intention is to bring British soldiers back onto the streets. They want to destroy the progress of recent times and to plunge Ireland back into conflict," Adams said.

“Erin Go Brawl II” cancelled in NYC

NEW YORK (March 6, 2009) – Irish Ropes Promotions announced today that its scheduled March 16th “Erin Go Brawl II” pro boxing show at WaMu Theater in Madison Square Garden had been cancelled due to the poor economy in the United States and Ireland that adversely effected advance ticket sales.

2004 Irish Olympian Andy Lee (16-1, 13 KOs) was slated to fight 3-time world title challenger Antwun “Kid Dynamite” Echols (31-9-4, 27 KOs) in the main event, while 1992 Olympic silver medalist Wayne “Pocket Rocket” McCullough (27-7, 18 KOs), former WBC bantamweight champion, had been matched against Alex “El Diablo” Becerra (19-7, 9 KOs) in the 10 round co-feature.

“This was a very difficult decision to make but ticket sales were way off compared to two years ago when the economy was much better here and back in Ireland,” Irish Ropes Promotions president Eddie McLoughlin explained. “We apologize for any inconveniences, especially to all of the boxers who worked so hard to prepare for their fights.”

Tickets will be reimbursed in full at points of purchase.

-IRP-

Subaru Rally Team USA driver Ken Block Wins Rally in the 100 Acre Wood event for Fourth Consecutive Year

For the fourth year in-a-row, Subaru Rally Team USA driver Ken Block has won the Rally in the 100 Acre Wood event, hosting round two of the 2009 Rally America National Championship, in dominating fashion. Block was uncatchable behind the wheel of his 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX STI on the fast and flowing Missouri roads, cruising to victory by over forty seconds. Subaru teammate Travis Pastrana was Block’s only competition early on, but his challenge was cut short when he went off the road while pushing hard to match Block’s pace, leading to car damage forcing him to retire from the rally. Subaru Rally Team USA’s new third driver, BMX legend Dave Mirra, was the biggest surprise of the event with his debut in the new Super Production class, finishing second in class and leading the class for nearly the entire rally.

The Salem-based Rally in the 100 Acre Wood event in Missouri is a high-speed gravel rally featuring fast and flowing roads that are a favorite of many rally drivers. Ken Block especially favors this event and it clearly shows with four straight dominating wins. The rally, set in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains, is known for highly variable weather conditions. Most of this year’s rally was dry and fast but a sudden flash snowstorm affected the final stages of the event.
As expected, Ken Block and co-driver Alex Gelsomino got off to a flying start winning three of the five stages on Day 1 to achieve a comfortable lead of over one minute. They maintained that lead throughout Day 2 with mistake-free driving, cruising to victory by over forty seconds. “I love the flow of the stages of this event, I love the high speeds,” exclaimed Block at the finish. “My Subaru was really setup perfectly and that gave me the confidence to go flat-out on the real high-speed sections.”
With four wins in a row at the 100 Acre Wood Rally Ken Block now shares a record with his mentor, American rally legend John Buffum, who won this event four times in a row from 1977 to 1980. “To share a record of any sort with [John] Buffum is incredible,” mentioned Block. “I don’t think I’ll come close to any of his other records though!”

Dave Mirra, with Dave Ringer on the attack>Photo SRTUSA

Block’s new Subaru teammate, BMX legend Dave Mirra raised eyebrows with his debut in the recently introduced Super Production (SP) class, a new category for 2009 that features minimally modified, production-based cars. Mirra showed impressive speed at the start of the rally in his Subaru WRX STI, finishing Day 1 in third Overall and leading the SP class comfortably. Mirra was the fastest in-class on eight of the event’s fourteen competition stages. Unfortunately, Mirra narrowly missed out on a class win when he slowed on Stage 14 to ensure he stayed on the road due to a flash snowstorm in that area. Fellow SP class challenger and veteran Subaru privateer Matt Johnson capitalized on the treacherous road condition and beat Mirra for the SP class win by just three seconds. “I felt really comfortable in the SP-spec Subaru, and it was really encouraging to see our stage times were right up there with the Open Class cars,” explained Mirra “I’ve got a lot of confidence now and I know I can fight for the SP class championship this year and maybe even mix it up at the top of the standings for some Overall points too.”
Three-time defending Rally America Champion Travis Pastrana vowed to challenge Block this weekend, and it looked as if the two drivers would be locked in a tight battle. After taking the early lead from Block on stage three, Pastrana made an error on Stage 4 that sent his Subaru off the road. Although Pastrana and his co-driver Christian Edstrom walked away unharmed, their Subaru was too damaged to continue.
The next rally scheduled for Ken Block is the all tarmac Rally New York USA, April 3-4 2009 where he will defend his 2008 victory. All three Subaru Rally Team USA drivers will be back in action at the Olympus Rally, round 3 of the 2009 Rally America National Championship, April 18-19 2009. Please visit www.subaru.com/rally for event details, photos and more team information.
Subaru Rally Team USA is proudly supported by Subaru of America, Subaru Tecnica International (STI), Subaru Performance Tuning (SPT), DC Shoes, BFGoodrich Tires, RECARO, Alpinestars, Motul,

McCullough wants one more title shot

St. Patrick’s Day Eve, Monday Night, Mar. 16, WaMu Theater in MSG
Sean Mannion to be honored for 25th anniversary of world title fight at MSG

NEW YORK (March 2, 2009) – Former WBC bantamweight champion and 1992 Olympic silver medalist, Wayne “Pocket Rocket” McCullough, wants one more world title shot at that’s why he’s fighting St. Patrick’s Day Eve (Monday, March 16) “Erin Go Brawl II” card, presented by Irish Ropes Promotions, at WaMu Theater in the famed Madison Square Garden.

Limerick’s 2004 Irish Olympian Andy Lee (16-1, 13 KOs), 14 years younger than his 38-year-old hero, McCullough, headlines in the 10-round main event against 3-time world title challenger Antwun “Kid Dynamite” Echols (31-9-4, 27 KOs).

McCullough (27-7, 18 KOs), fighting out of Las Vegas by way of Belfast, takes on Mexican super bantamweight Alex “El Diablo” Becerra (19-7, 9 KOs), in the 10 round co-feature.

“Andy Lee was the only one on the Ireland’s 2004 Olympic Boxing Team,” McCullough spoke about his warm relationship with Lee. “I’ve always supported him and feel that he’s good for Irish boxing. We’ve kept in touch and we’re behind each other 100-percent. I believe he will be world champion. I’m looking forward to fighting again on the East Coast and in Madison Square Garden. The Irish packed the house when I fought in New York (1993), Boston (1993 & 1997) or Atlantic City (1998). There are Irish on the West Coast but not as many as on the East Coast. If we brought then all back to Ireland the island would sink.

“My goal is to become world champion within two years. It’s all about promoting and I thank Irish Ropes and Cedric Kushner for this opportunity to fight on St. Patrick’s Day Eve in Madison Square Garden. I should be a 3-time world champion because a lot of people thought I won against (Daniel) Zaragoza and the first (Oscar) Larios fight. I’m 38 but I’ve taken good care of my body. I’m an Irish guy who doesn’t drink and I have a gym in my home. I’m like Bernard Hopkins.”

Making his New York City debut in an 8-round bout is unbeaten light welterweight Dean “Irish Lightning” Byrne, who was an Irish National champion when he lived in Crumlin, and he later captured the Australian light welterweight title in his fifth pro fight. Byrne (10-0, 4 KOs), now fights out of Los Angeles, where he’s trained by Freddie Roach and has sparred at the Wild Card Gym with superstars Manny Pacquiao, Amir Kahn, Juan Marquez and even Oscar De La Hoya for a few rounds.

“He’s a tough kid who is a really good fighter but doesn’t know it yet,” Roach spoke about Byrne. “He’s learning to sit-down on his punches and has had two knockouts since he’s been with me. Dean’s learned a lot sparring with Manny, Amir and the others. He’s a lot of fun to watch, very exciting and cleaver for a young man. Early in his career he fought 10 rounds for the Australian title, so he already has that experience. He’s one of my best prospects.”

Scheduled to fight in 6-rounders on “Erin Go Brawl II” are Irish super featherweight champion Eddie “Pride of Tallaght” Hyland (11-1, 3 KOs), of Dublin; Philadelphia by way of Galway middleweight “Slick Fightin’Irish” Simon O’Donnell (8-1, 5 KOs); Limerick light heavyweight Jamie Power (4-0, 2 KOs) against Reggie “Concrete” LaCrete (4-0-2, 3 KOs), from Brooklyn; Jersey City super featherweight Danny “Little Mac” McDermott (7-1-1, 2 KOs).

Also on the card in 4-round matches are Massachusetts light welterweight Danny O’Connor (4-0, 1 KO), 2008 U.S. Olympic Team alternate; Brooklyn featherweight Sadam Ali (1-0, 1 KO), 2008 U.S. Olympian; former St. Xavier College star football player Tommy Brown, fighting out of Chicago and trained by Kevin Rooney, making his pro debut in the light middleweight division.

County Galway’s Sean Mannion (42-14-1, 14 KOs) will be honored at “Erin Go Brawl II” in honor of the 25th anniversary of his WBA light middleweight title fight at Madison Square Garden against the eventual champion Mike “The Bodysnatcher” McCallum.

Tickets, priced at $50.00, $75.00, $100.00, $150.00, $200.00, and $300.00, are on sale at TicketMaster.com as well as Jack Demsey’s in Manhattan, Hilltop in Elmhurst, and the Heritage in Yonkers.

For more information call Irish Ropes Promotions (212.868.9544) or go on line to http://www.irishropespromotions.com/.