Intelligencer

A Case of  Mistaken Identity

THE British Information Service in Manhattan were in full overdrive last week, reporting that one of those arrested in the aftermath of the Bobby Tohill incident in Belfast was closely connected to Martin McGuinness.

Several Irish American leaders around the area received the call that there was clear evidence of a top-level connection within Sinn Fein to the alleged IRA operatives.

How close? Well, the British were spinning that the arrested man was a former security operative for McGuinness and that he was on very good terms with the Sinn Fein chief negotiator.

It was an allegation also reported in the Irish Echo, where it was claimed that a “reliable source” stated that one of the four was “Martin McGuinness’s driver” when he was minister for education in the devolved government.

Oops. It turns out that the offender in question was a security employee at McGuinness’s bar in Belfast, which has no connection to the Sinn Fein leader. In fact, it seems the man was, in fact, a bouncer at the bar.

Someone obviously mentioned McGuinness and security guard in the one breath, and the British ran as far and as fast with it as they could. Dreadful mistake as it turned out. Really should be more careful, chaps.

Bush’s Irish Summit 

THE debate has begun as to where President George Bush and his European allies will meet when he is in Ireland at the end of June.

Because large protests are expected, American security officials are anxious that the location of the meeting should be as secure as possible. That probably rules out Dublin Castle, flush in the center of Dublin, which has usually been the preferred location for major events.

Experts say that Dromoland Castle on the Limerick/Clare border, close to Shannon Airport, may well be the ideal venue. Because it is close to the airport Bush could fly in and out pretty unobtrusively. Also it is a very short distance to Dromoland and the security could be very tight, given that huge grounds surround the castle.

Protest organizations in Ireland are claiming that they will organize the biggest marches ever in protest at Bush policies, but a Dromoland location would make it hard for them to make a major impact.

It will certainly do Bush no harm to be seen with the Irish leader Bertie Ahern and the Italian leader Silvio Berlusconi. The three I’s — Ireland, Israel and Italy — are still a powerful force in American politics, and Bush paying homage to two of those roots will stand to him in November.

Breakfast at Hillary’s

SENATOR Hillary Clinton is not allowing the St. Patrick’s season to pass without a nod to her many Irish supporters.

Clinton will present the Irish American of the Year award given annually by our sister publication Irish America magazine to AFL/CIO boss John Sweeney in New York close to St. Patrick’s Day. Sweeney remains one of her biggest supporters and a potential key ally if she ever gets to run for the White House. Then on St. Patrick’s morning the senator will host an Irish breakfast at her residence in Washington, D.C. attended by her supporters.

The tickets for the breakfast are not cheap, staring at $1,000 a plate, but it will be co hosted by Irish American Democrats, the organization founded by Stella O’Leary who has turned it into a dynamic outfit in the nation’s capital. 

Kerry’s Jerseys 

SENATOR John Kerry may not be Irish, but that has not stopped supporters of Kerry donning Irish sweaters in his honor.

The sweaters are the football jerseys of the Kerry Gaelic football team, the most famous in Ireland. They are green and gold with the words “Kerry Group” denoting the team’s sponsors, emblazoned across the chest.

Several of the jersey wearers have been snapped standing close to Kerry, and the overall impact is to give his campaign an interesting Irish flavor.

Wearing the team colors of your favorite side is a well-established practice in Ireland, and now, clearly Irish supporters of Kerry are hoping to start a trend in the U.S.

Interesting to see how Kerry is now reclaiming his Jewish roots, a pretty smart thing to do especially in states like Florida. While it was assumed he was Irish most of his political life it turned out his grandfather changed the family name to avoid anti-Semitism in the U.S. after fleeing Eastern Europe. 

Kerry has now traced two close relatives who died in the Holocaust.

Teddy Wants Edwards

SENATOR Edward Kennedy is said to be anxious that John Kerry pick Senator John Edwards as his running mate when the primary season is over.

Kennedy reads the polls better than anyone and has no doubt understood that Edwards against Vice President Dick Cheney, especially in a debate, should be a good match up for the Democrats.

Indeed, there is some evidence that is so. When Bush and Kerry are matched together the race is even, but when Cheney and Edwards are added to the two tickets Kerry/Edwards wins by eight points.

Edwards, of course, was Kennedy’s original choice for the Democratic nomination. The two men hit it off in the Senate and Kennedy was at first reluctant to back his Massachusetts Senate colleague. 

However, once Kennedy rowed in behind Kerry he made a significant difference to the race.