Omnibus – More reasons to be proud

More reasons to be proud LAST WEEK I mentioned how a trip to the Connemara National Park and a climb of the wonderful Diamond Mountain made me proud of this country we share. I don't think it in any way partisan to add that this week there is a sense of optimism in the country following the change of government.[private] Watching the proceedings in the Dáil on Wednesday I was proud of our democratic traditions as embodied in a dignified and edifying transfer of power. Enda Kenny gave probably the best speech of his career as he assumed the mantle of Taoiseach, and due credit also to Micheál Martin who made a virtue of necessity and declared that Fianna Fáil would not oppose the nomination. For the purposes of positivity, we'll draw a veil over the snide little digs that peppered the rest of the speech. No veil would be opaque enough, however, to cover the lack of decorum among some of the so-called radical independents. At a solemn national occasion, the inauguration of a new parliament, Mick Wallace was a disgrace with his unkempt hair and half-unbuttoned pink shirt. Richard Boyd Barrett wasn't far behind with his casual grey shirt hanging out over his trousers. Joe Higgins was a model in contrast â€â€ no tie, but at least he wore a jacket. As someone who can dress casually on most of my working days, I'm not a stickler for the shirt and tie code. But there are times when a degree of formality is called for, and Wednesday's Dáil session was one of them. Dressing inappropriately when one is part of a great State occasion is close to an insult to the nation. There's another aspect â€â€ these people, who are intelligent and have serious ideas are sending out the signal, albeit inadvertently, that they are not really taking the Dáil seriously, and the inevitable corollary is that most of the people will not take them seriously either. The man who did more than any other to mobilise the Irish people and give them a sense of their worth and power always dressed impeccably. In the 19th century the average Irish peasant would have been hard pressed to find an unpatched garment, but that did not mean that the Liberator, Daniel O'Connell, had to dress down in order to gain their loyalty, respect and love. Despite his name on Dublin's main street, O'Connell is almost forgotten now. On the RTE shortlist of the greatest Irish people last year he was ranked 26th, between Liam Neeson and Daniel O'Donnell. Yet he was world-famous during his lifetime, was written about by Charles Dickens and hailed as a orator of almost superhuman power. Even people who still remember O'Connell's work for Catholic Emancipation (gained) and Repeal of the Union (not for another 75 years) are unaware of an institution he founded which is still going strong. Glasnevin Cemetery in Dublin was founded by O'Connell and a committee of which he was chairman. The first burial took place there in 1832, and despite there being upwards of 1.5 million burials there now, the cemetery will be active for at least another 70 or 80 years. It was founded when Catholics had to pay up to six times as much as Protestants to be buried in consecrated ground, and was intended to be a place where people of all faiths and none could rest in peace side by side. A tour of the cemetery is a fascinating experience, a walk through the greats and the unknowns of Irish history. In the photograph you can see the grave of Michael Collins's sweetheart, Kitty Kiernan, and looming in the background the round tower that guards Daniel O'Connell's resting place. Behind the chapel is the massive rock of Wicklow granite on which is chiselled only one word â€â€ Parnell. Nearby is the grave of Arthur Griffith. In front of the O'Connell monument is that of Kevin Barry, who 'early on a Monday morning, high upon the gallows tree' gave his life for Ireland. A few feet to the left lies Roger Casement. The De Valera family grave is characteristically low key, the dominant Roman cross only four or five feet high. Not far away is the most visited grave in Glasnevin, that of Michael Collins, never bereft of flowers and often obscured by bouquets. I highly recommend a visit to the new heritage centre and a tour of the cemetery. You will be fascinated by everything from the grave of Brendan Behan, from which the bust is constantly being stolen, to the story of the bomb planted in the O'Connell tower by Ulster loyalists in 1971. News of the blast was suppressed at the time, for fear of exacerbating the situation in the North of Ireland. Now I'll bet you didn't know that! Tour Glasnevin and learn.     â€â€ David Burke[/private]