Eire – Page 3 – SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR)

Dead Confederate sharpshooters of Hood's Division among the rocks in Devil's Den in front of Little Round Top.

CSA: Remembering the Bravery of “Irish” Company “K” – 15th Alabama – Little Round-Top [2.7.1863] – Gettysburg! (3.4.2025)

03/04/2025 Adrian (釋大道)

The weather was hot – and the Confederates had to advance over open ground before storming an inclined slope (in the form of a steep hill) – with the intention of sweeping the Federals off its top and consolidating the victory. The previous day had seen the Confederates sweep the Federals out of West and Central Gettysburg – and into the hills to its East. Washington was just 80 miles to the South – and legend has it that Lincoln was packing his belongings to flee! I have audio-typed part of a chapter from Stephen Sears’ book – carefully reproducing the text from an Audible edition (in my native British English). This provides a general background to the battle – but does not mention the Irish specifically – other than one or two fighting for the Union. For the story of “Company K” of the 15th Alabama Regiment of the Confederate States of America (CSA) – we must turn to the excellent work of Phillip Thomas Tucker – who has produced an excellent book examining the contribution to the Confederate cause made by the Irish!

UK: The Kind Idiocy of Mary Augusta Ward [1851-1920]! (24.3.2025)

24/03/2025 Adrian (釋大道)

It is incredible that someone such as Bishop Smith thinks that Mary Ward – the co-founder of the “National Women’s Anti-Suffrage League” – is a person worthy of remembering when she dedicated her life to preventing society from developing – a process which required the lifting of the religious ignorance that had dominated the West for over a thousand years. Furthermore, the White, middle-class and thoroughly “male” interpretation of Christianity Bishop Smith and Ward seem to be peddling has virtually nothing to do with the teachings of Jesus Christ – and has more in common with the ramblings of St Paul – a fantasist who never met Jesus. The situation is probably more confusing than even this – as many of the letters ascribed to Paul – particularly the misogynistic editions – are thought to be forgeries.

An undated handout photo issued by the RAF of Battle of Britain pilot, Group Captain John 'Paddy' Hemingway DFC. Photograph: Family handout via Ministry of Defence/PA

Eire: Last Known Battle of Britain pilot – Irishman John Hemingway – Dies Aged 105! (18.3.2025)

18/03/2025 Adrian (釋大道)

Mr Hemingway was one of 36 Irish pilots who fought in the Battle of Britain, including Wing Commander Brendan ‘Paddy’ Finucane, who was one of the RAF’s most successful fighter aces in the war, and Victor Beamish, a scion of the brewing industry. Both were killed in the war.

In 2019, Mr Hemingway gave an interview to The Irish Times on the occasion of his 100th birthday. He told military historian Joseph Quinn: “I can’t say don’t drink. I can’t say don’t fool about with people. I can’t say don’t fly aeroplanes. I can’t say don’t shoot and get shot at – I’ve done everything, and I’m an Irishman. The only advice I can give to people is be Irish!”

Mr Hemingway’s wife Bridget died in 1998. They had three children.

He lived with daughter in Canada for many years before returning to Ireland in 2011. Mr Hemingway spent his last years in the Trinity Care Foxrock Nursing Home.

Possibly a a Photograph of the "Philadelphia Greys"

CSA: General Robert E Lee Sues for “Peace” [1863] – Pennsylvanian “Minutemen” Non-Existent! (17.3.2025)

17/03/2025 Adrian (釋大道)

This reflected a remarkable situation. A Confederate Army was riding rampant through the Pennsylvanian countryside – the State within which Washington DC is situated – and yet “no one” amongst the young, elderly, disabled or wounded men (considered medically “unfit” to join the Regular Army due to ill-health or age) were prepared to defend the Union. Within the city of Philadelphia, 8,000 men of the already existing “Philadelphia Greys” bravely volunteered to march to the front in defence of the Union. Due to the general lack of volunteers from the ordinary population – the city of New York sent 12,000 of its own existing Militiamen to supplement the regular Union Army. How brave these men were! Militiamen are often called “Sunday Soldiers” – as they are working men, fathers and patriarchs who live in society, work and look after their families. They come together once a week, once a month, or just a few times a year to compare notes, fire their weapons, and discuss homestead self-defence. They are not frontline soldiers. Of course, Confederate citizens showed the same extent of bravery when the time came.

Beautiful Manikarnika Dutta - a Credit to the UK!

UK: Indian Found Living in India – Controversially Declared “Indian” – By Labour Government! (16.3.2025)

16/03/2025 Adrian (釋大道)

“I was shocked when I got an email saying I have to leave,” Dutta told the Observer. “I have been employed at different universities in the UK and I’ve lived here for 12 years. A large part of my adult life has been lived in the UK since I came to the University of Oxford to do my master’s. I never thought something like this would happen to me.”

Dutta first came to the UK in September 2012 on a student visa and later obtained a spouse visa as a dependant of her husband, who obtained a visa on a “global talent” route. According to her lawyer, Naga Kandiah, at MTC Solicitors: “These research trips were not optional but essential to fulfilling her academic and institutional obligations. Had she not undertaken these trips, she would not have been able to complete her thesis, meet the academic requirements of her institutions or maintain her visa status.”

China: Enhanced Co-Operation with Eire Announced! (18.2,2025)

18/02/2025 Adrian (釋大道)

During his visit, Wang also met with Ireland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Simon Harris.

A unilateral visa-free policy to Ireland to facilitate personnel exchanges between the two countries was announced during Li’s visit last year. And 2024 saw the relaunch of a year-round direct Dublin-Beijing air route, which operates twice weekly.

According to statistics from Ireland’s government, China is Ireland’s largest trading partner in the Asia-Pacific region, with total bilateral trade of 36 billion euros ($37.7 billion) in 2023. Irish goods exports to China have increased by 529 percent in the decade since 2013.

Ireland also enjoys a trade surplus with China, with its exports to China being driven by medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, computer services, agri-food, and financial services.

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